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Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney
3.75
Escaping Mr Rochester
By L. L McKinney
3.75/5
This fast-paced YA retelling of Jane Eyre stars two young women at the hands of one cruel man.
As in the original, Jane Eyre enters Mr Rochester’s employ to be the governess to his daughter Adele. In this version, she thankfully doesn’t fall for his charms for even a second (unlike in the original, in which the relationship between Jane and that man was frustrating), instead falling for the imprisoned Bertha Mason, Mr Rochester’s American wife who he has locked in a room to try claim her inheritance one day. Jane and Bertha plan to escape with Adele and start a new life together, but Mr Rochester has other plans…
I really enjoyed this retelling, far more than I liked the original. Jane was such a brave, witty protagonist, and Bertha was similarly lovable and courageous. While the pacing felt slightly too fast, I flew through this book very quickly. I highly recommend it if you enjoy diverse retellings of classics, with the protagonist falling in love with a beautiful woman instead of falling for, and marrying, a totally evil man.
By L. L McKinney
3.75/5
This fast-paced YA retelling of Jane Eyre stars two young women at the hands of one cruel man.
As in the original, Jane Eyre enters Mr Rochester’s employ to be the governess to his daughter Adele. In this version, she thankfully doesn’t fall for his charms for even a second (unlike in the original, in which the relationship between Jane and that man was frustrating), instead falling for the imprisoned Bertha Mason, Mr Rochester’s American wife who he has locked in a room to try claim her inheritance one day. Jane and Bertha plan to escape with Adele and start a new life together, but Mr Rochester has other plans…
I really enjoyed this retelling, far more than I liked the original. Jane was such a brave, witty protagonist, and Bertha was similarly lovable and courageous. While the pacing felt slightly too fast, I flew through this book very quickly. I highly recommend it if you enjoy diverse retellings of classics, with the protagonist falling in love with a beautiful woman instead of falling for, and marrying, a totally evil man.
Café Con Lychee by Emery Lee
4.0
I went into this book expecting a sweet romance between two protagonists as they work to save their respective stores, and that’s exactly what I got. That’s to say, this novel fully met my expectations.
Café Con Lychee
By Emery Lee
4/5⭐️
Queer rep: 2 gay protagonists
This novel follows two teenage boys, Theo and Gabi, as they work to save their parents’ ever-competing cafes from a new threat, a fusion café. The hatred between them soon converts to great friendship, and later a romance.
Both protagonists had problems to deal with. Theo felt like a disappointment (due to his being gay and lacking academic talent) who his parents weren’t proud of, especially compared to his perfect older brother Thomas, who barely appeared to help out at their café. When he heard that their manipulative uncle Greg, the owner of their building who had always looked down on Theo’s Chinese mother for marrying a Japanese man, was seriously threatening to convert the café into a spa, Theo devised a plan to sell trendy versions of their food at his school. Gabi, a clumsy academic boy with homophobic parents, soon begins to help Theo after learning that his parents’ café will be sold. I felt sorry for Gabi for having to hide his love of dance and his sexuality from his parents.
I really enjoyed this sweet, predictable book; and I highly recommend it to enjoyers of YA contemporary fiction.
Café Con Lychee
By Emery Lee
4/5⭐️
Queer rep: 2 gay protagonists
This novel follows two teenage boys, Theo and Gabi, as they work to save their parents’ ever-competing cafes from a new threat, a fusion café. The hatred between them soon converts to great friendship, and later a romance.
Both protagonists had problems to deal with. Theo felt like a disappointment (due to his being gay and lacking academic talent) who his parents weren’t proud of, especially compared to his perfect older brother Thomas, who barely appeared to help out at their café. When he heard that their manipulative uncle Greg, the owner of their building who had always looked down on Theo’s Chinese mother for marrying a Japanese man, was seriously threatening to convert the café into a spa, Theo devised a plan to sell trendy versions of their food at his school. Gabi, a clumsy academic boy with homophobic parents, soon begins to help Theo after learning that his parents’ café will be sold. I felt sorry for Gabi for having to hide his love of dance and his sexuality from his parents.
I really enjoyed this sweet, predictable book; and I highly recommend it to enjoyers of YA contemporary fiction.
The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power by Terry J. Benton-Walker
5.0
The White Guy Dies First
Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker
5/5⭐️
Genres: short stories, horror, YA, fiction
The White Guy Dies First is a collection of 13 gruesome horror stories from 13 talented authors of colour.
Some of these authors have works that I have read before: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar, H.E Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Chloe Gong, and Tiffany D. Jackson. However, I've never read most of them in this genre before!
The remainder of the authors were new to me: Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Alexis Henderson, Naseem Jamnia, Mark Oshiro, Karen Strong, and Terry J. Benton-Walker.
I enjoyed every single story in this collection.
From killer clowns, to demons, to seances, to haunted parks and houses, this collection contains many of the popular horror tropes. My particular favourites were "The Golden Dragon" by Kendare Blake, featuring a rapist-murdering ghost; and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Tiffany D. Jackson, the tale of a serial killer presented as a series of diary entries; while Adiba Jaigirdar's "Heaven" would make a brilliant novel.
I highly recommend this collection to those of you who enjoy horror, and will definitely be rereading these stories in the future.
Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker
5/5⭐️
Genres: short stories, horror, YA, fiction
The White Guy Dies First is a collection of 13 gruesome horror stories from 13 talented authors of colour.
Some of these authors have works that I have read before: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar, H.E Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Chloe Gong, and Tiffany D. Jackson. However, I've never read most of them in this genre before!
The remainder of the authors were new to me: Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Alexis Henderson, Naseem Jamnia, Mark Oshiro, Karen Strong, and Terry J. Benton-Walker.
I enjoyed every single story in this collection.
From killer clowns, to demons, to seances, to haunted parks and houses, this collection contains many of the popular horror tropes. My particular favourites were "The Golden Dragon" by Kendare Blake, featuring a rapist-murdering ghost; and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Tiffany D. Jackson, the tale of a serial killer presented as a series of diary entries; while Adiba Jaigirdar's "Heaven" would make a brilliant novel.
I highly recommend this collection to those of you who enjoy horror, and will definitely be rereading these stories in the future.
How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean
4.0
"Every time I landed on the front page, Omni Channel saw it as good publicity, hoping the millions of people analysing my life would also tune in to watch Sunset High. They were stirring the pot for their own gain. They didn't care what damage it did to me, so long as they got what they wanted."
How To Die Famous
By Benjamin Dean
4/5⭐️
Genres: YA, thriller, fiction
An actor disappears from the spotlight, a crew member falls off a balcony to his death, the lead actor goes missing... All of these events lead to the show Sunset High being deemed cursed, and when four young stars meet in LA to film the reboot it seems that the bad luck hasn't run out yet.
Abel enters the set determined to solve the mystery of his older brother's death, not believing that he simply fell off a hotel roof while working on the show three years prior. He plans to secretly leak stories to the press from the inside. Once there, he works with costars Lucky, Ryan and Ella, all who have a lot to deal with, to bring down Omni Channel once and for all.
Abel was an interesting protagonist, definitely not developed nearly as much as I'd like, but I enjoyed how quickly he bonded with his costars.
Lucky understood that his mother's death was due to paparazzi called by Omni, Ryan had a stalker and feared that she would be next to disappear, and Ella had to put up with her emotionally abusive, controlling mother who managed everything she did. All had a reason to hate the spotlight, leading to them working with Abel.
Throughout the novel we hear of the horrific treatment actors had to endure from Omni. Mila Stone, who disappeared from the spotlight after starring in the original Sunset High, tells Abel about how Omni made her feel unworthy and scared for her life. We also see Lucky and Ryan threatened. All four protagonists are commanded to hide their sexualities from the public.
The most appealing part of this novel was the mystery itself. Unfortunately the end twist was extremely predictable. However, I liked the fast pacing and the 4 different perspectives.
Overall, this was a good YA mystery thriller encircling the concept of fame and how the public eye can negatively affect celebrities, and how they are often controlled by others.
Queer rep:
Lesbian protagonist
Gay protagonists
Mspec protagonist
TWs: death, murder, homophobia, alcoholism, addiction, outing, stalking, car accident, emotional abuse
How To Die Famous
By Benjamin Dean
4/5⭐️
Genres: YA, thriller, fiction
An actor disappears from the spotlight, a crew member falls off a balcony to his death, the lead actor goes missing... All of these events lead to the show Sunset High being deemed cursed, and when four young stars meet in LA to film the reboot it seems that the bad luck hasn't run out yet.
Abel enters the set determined to solve the mystery of his older brother's death, not believing that he simply fell off a hotel roof while working on the show three years prior. He plans to secretly leak stories to the press from the inside. Once there, he works with costars Lucky, Ryan and Ella, all who have a lot to deal with, to bring down Omni Channel once and for all.
Abel was an interesting protagonist, definitely not developed nearly as much as I'd like, but I enjoyed how quickly he bonded with his costars.
Lucky understood that his mother's death was due to paparazzi called by Omni, Ryan had a stalker and feared that she would be next to disappear, and Ella had to put up with her emotionally abusive, controlling mother who managed everything she did. All had a reason to hate the spotlight, leading to them working with Abel.
Throughout the novel we hear of the horrific treatment actors had to endure from Omni. Mila Stone, who disappeared from the spotlight after starring in the original Sunset High, tells Abel about how Omni made her feel unworthy and scared for her life. We also see Lucky and Ryan threatened. All four protagonists are commanded to hide their sexualities from the public.
The most appealing part of this novel was the mystery itself. Unfortunately the end twist was extremely predictable. However, I liked the fast pacing and the 4 different perspectives.
Overall, this was a good YA mystery thriller encircling the concept of fame and how the public eye can negatively affect celebrities, and how they are often controlled by others.
Queer rep:
Lesbian protagonist
Gay protagonists
Mspec protagonist
TWs: death, murder, homophobia, alcoholism, addiction, outing, stalking, car accident, emotional abuse
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
5.0
Legends & Lattes is a cosy fantasy novel starring Viv, an orc and seasoned warrior. After years of fighting, it’s time for her to put up her broadsword and chase her dream of opening a coffee shop, even though most in the city of Thune have never heard of the beverage before.
Cosy is definitely the correct label for this book, it felt like a warm blanket. We watch Viv and her newfound allies build and open her café, their friendship growing with each challenge.
I liked Viv immensely, she is an extremely straightforward, blunt person, who knew exactly what she wanted the café to be. However, some things tend to go straight over her head, such as Tandri’s growing feelings for her throughout the novel.
Tandri was the side character who featured the most, advising and working alongside Viv, supporting her through everything that occurred.
Some lovable side-characters include Thimble, the shy baking genius who whips up cinnamon rolls, the crumbly “Thimblets”, and croissant-like pastries; Cal, who helped build the café and every addition to it; and Amity, the massive dire-cat who turns up exactly when needed.
The fantasy element comes in the form of many different species such as orcs (Viv), gnomes, succubus (Tandri), ratkins (Thimble), elves, and many more coexisting in the city. Some, such as Viv and Tandri, struggle with stereotypes associated with their species, people making assumptions about their lives. There are also magical objects and spells, which don’t feature heavily.
Overall, I adored this soft book, and highly recommend it!
TWs: fire, violence, stalking, sexual harassment, injury
Cosy is definitely the correct label for this book, it felt like a warm blanket. We watch Viv and her newfound allies build and open her café, their friendship growing with each challenge.
I liked Viv immensely, she is an extremely straightforward, blunt person, who knew exactly what she wanted the café to be. However, some things tend to go straight over her head, such as Tandri’s growing feelings for her throughout the novel.
Tandri was the side character who featured the most, advising and working alongside Viv, supporting her through everything that occurred.
Some lovable side-characters include Thimble, the shy baking genius who whips up cinnamon rolls, the crumbly “Thimblets”, and croissant-like pastries; Cal, who helped build the café and every addition to it; and Amity, the massive dire-cat who turns up exactly when needed.
The fantasy element comes in the form of many different species such as orcs (Viv), gnomes, succubus (Tandri), ratkins (Thimble), elves, and many more coexisting in the city. Some, such as Viv and Tandri, struggle with stereotypes associated with their species, people making assumptions about their lives. There are also magical objects and spells, which don’t feature heavily.
Overall, I adored this soft book, and highly recommend it!
TWs: fire, violence, stalking, sexual harassment, injury
All That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown
4.0
All That's Left in the World
By Erik J. Brown
4/5⭐️
This is a post-apocalyptic novel set in the aftermath of a deadly pandemic which killed around 80% of the world's population. Jamie and Andrew, two teenage boys, meet after the death of everyone they knew, and try to find a way forward.
Andrew, an openly gay boy who has lost his entire family, is travelling through the woods when he gets caught in a bear trap. He stumbles to a house in the middle of nowhere, finding Jamie. A witty character, Andrew was constantly making jokes and pop culture references. He and Jamie find comfort in Andrew retelling the plot of films (as technology no longer works).
Jamie was living in his cabin with his mother when she died, leaving him with a notebook full of medical advice and a lot of supplies. He discovers his bisexuality throughout the book, as a group force him out of his house into travelling with Andrew to an airport, a journey in which their love for each other blooms.
Others they meet include the formidable elderly lady Henri, the authoritative group of Fort Caroline, and the shy Cara who helps them.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but would enjoy if more information was found about the state of any country that is not the USA. The protagonists were quite lovable, and I recommend it if you are fond of this genre.
Queer rep:
Bi protagonist
Gay protagonist
TWs: pandemic, death, gun violence, injury, murder, homophobia, violence, racism, vomit, sexism
By Erik J. Brown
4/5⭐️
This is a post-apocalyptic novel set in the aftermath of a deadly pandemic which killed around 80% of the world's population. Jamie and Andrew, two teenage boys, meet after the death of everyone they knew, and try to find a way forward.
Andrew, an openly gay boy who has lost his entire family, is travelling through the woods when he gets caught in a bear trap. He stumbles to a house in the middle of nowhere, finding Jamie. A witty character, Andrew was constantly making jokes and pop culture references. He and Jamie find comfort in Andrew retelling the plot of films (as technology no longer works).
Jamie was living in his cabin with his mother when she died, leaving him with a notebook full of medical advice and a lot of supplies. He discovers his bisexuality throughout the book, as a group force him out of his house into travelling with Andrew to an airport, a journey in which their love for each other blooms.
Others they meet include the formidable elderly lady Henri, the authoritative group of Fort Caroline, and the shy Cara who helps them.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but would enjoy if more information was found about the state of any country that is not the USA. The protagonists were quite lovable, and I recommend it if you are fond of this genre.
Queer rep:
Bi protagonist
Gay protagonist
TWs: pandemic, death, gun violence, injury, murder, homophobia, violence, racism, vomit, sexism
Private Rites by Julia Armfield
5.0
"Remember this: the world as it once was. The way things appear in the instant before they go under: first assured, then shipwrecked. The ease with which facts presumed permanent can change. There was dry land, once, and also the concept of drowning as emergency, a thing to be thrashed against. Now, there is simply inevitability, the narrowing gaps between floodplains, islands of viable space on which people build doggedly, insistently, upwards"
Private Rites
By Julia Armfield
5/5
Genre: speculative fiction
Armfield never fails to astonish me with her writing talent, particularly when creating an atmosphere throughout her works. The entirety of Private Rites has a murky, tense atmosphere, even during the fast-paced concluding chapter. It somehow felt viscous, dragging me slowly along and leaving me at the end feeling quite pleased with the consistency.
Private Rites is set in a time when global warming has led to constant rainfall, people losing family, homes, employment to the flooding. They have learnt to adapt in some ways, using ferries and just trying to keep going as normal. Three sisters, Isla, Irene, and Agnes, gather in the wake of their father (a famous architect) passing away. We observe the trio as they go about their daily lives, learn about their difficult childhoods and conflicted feeling about each other.
The root of all issues faced in this book is the protagonists’ father, a distant, emotionally abusive man, who constantly compared his daughters to enhance their dislike of each-other. He does not care at all about his children or their lives. Isla and Irene tried to protect themselves and each other from him while growing up, whereas Agnes (being ten/eleven years younger) had to put up with him for years alone. This has led to the three barely being in contact, and every interaction ending with an argument of some sort. A number of years before the present plotline, their father offered each girl a large sum of money and promised that he would never give them anything again whether they accepted him or not. Upon his death, he leaves his house to a surprised Agnes.
A paragraph from Isla’s perspective, in which she recalls a birthday as a young girl: "Their father had presented Isla with a water balloon of exotic fish and she had asked him several questions about their provenance, which appeared to irritate him, for he plugged the bathroom sink and poured them out to thrash about in shallow water, telling her that all that mattered was where they found themselves right now. Later on, he gave her a tank to move them into, though by this point she had been crouching by the sink for several hours with her hands in the water, trying to ascertain which of the fish was still alive."
Isla, the eldest sister, slowly unravels into increasing distress and indirection throughout the novel. Her ex is divorcing her, she has nobody to turn to, nothing to focus on as nobody seems to need her steadfast nature. Irene, my favourite of the characters, is known for her sharp nature, balanced by her calm partner, Jude. Their relationship was one of the things I adored the most. Agnes, the younger half-sister, spends the novel learning to love a woman named Stephanie, unused to being in a relationship and having a person who knows her well. She observes a number of people acting strangely around her, adding an eerie undercurrent to the book, which leads to the horror-esque revelation at the end.
This is ultimately a book about people, how they keep going and grip on to routine and normalcy as the world slowly breaks down, how a family who could have been close are estranged due to the treatment of their parent, how some people would do anything to feel that things will improve in the future.
"It is an accepted belief that things fall apart. The question of whether or not the falling apart is necessary is separate and usually secondary. People still discuss this, of course: the fact of the turn, the moment a warning mutated into the only possible outcome. When, people ask, was the last time you remember thinking oh it's raining again. When was your last real sunburn, your last flying ant day, your last good look at the stars. It is easy to think about these things, recollections of things passing fast from your grip, and decide they are simply too much to acknowledge."
Queer rep:
Queer protagonists
Nonbinary side-character
Sapphic side-character
TWs: death, suicide, emotional abuse, grief, self-harm, sexual content
Private Rites
By Julia Armfield
5/5
Genre: speculative fiction
Armfield never fails to astonish me with her writing talent, particularly when creating an atmosphere throughout her works. The entirety of Private Rites has a murky, tense atmosphere, even during the fast-paced concluding chapter. It somehow felt viscous, dragging me slowly along and leaving me at the end feeling quite pleased with the consistency.
Private Rites is set in a time when global warming has led to constant rainfall, people losing family, homes, employment to the flooding. They have learnt to adapt in some ways, using ferries and just trying to keep going as normal. Three sisters, Isla, Irene, and Agnes, gather in the wake of their father (a famous architect) passing away. We observe the trio as they go about their daily lives, learn about their difficult childhoods and conflicted feeling about each other.
The root of all issues faced in this book is the protagonists’ father, a distant, emotionally abusive man, who constantly compared his daughters to enhance their dislike of each-other. He does not care at all about his children or their lives. Isla and Irene tried to protect themselves and each other from him while growing up, whereas Agnes (being ten/eleven years younger) had to put up with him for years alone. This has led to the three barely being in contact, and every interaction ending with an argument of some sort. A number of years before the present plotline, their father offered each girl a large sum of money and promised that he would never give them anything again whether they accepted him or not. Upon his death, he leaves his house to a surprised Agnes.
A paragraph from Isla’s perspective, in which she recalls a birthday as a young girl: "Their father had presented Isla with a water balloon of exotic fish and she had asked him several questions about their provenance, which appeared to irritate him, for he plugged the bathroom sink and poured them out to thrash about in shallow water, telling her that all that mattered was where they found themselves right now. Later on, he gave her a tank to move them into, though by this point she had been crouching by the sink for several hours with her hands in the water, trying to ascertain which of the fish was still alive."
Isla, the eldest sister, slowly unravels into increasing distress and indirection throughout the novel. Her ex is divorcing her, she has nobody to turn to, nothing to focus on as nobody seems to need her steadfast nature. Irene, my favourite of the characters, is known for her sharp nature, balanced by her calm partner, Jude. Their relationship was one of the things I adored the most. Agnes, the younger half-sister, spends the novel learning to love a woman named Stephanie, unused to being in a relationship and having a person who knows her well. She observes a number of people acting strangely around her, adding an eerie undercurrent to the book, which leads to the horror-esque revelation at the end.
This is ultimately a book about people, how they keep going and grip on to routine and normalcy as the world slowly breaks down, how a family who could have been close are estranged due to the treatment of their parent, how some people would do anything to feel that things will improve in the future.
"It is an accepted belief that things fall apart. The question of whether or not the falling apart is necessary is separate and usually secondary. People still discuss this, of course: the fact of the turn, the moment a warning mutated into the only possible outcome. When, people ask, was the last time you remember thinking oh it's raining again. When was your last real sunburn, your last flying ant day, your last good look at the stars. It is easy to think about these things, recollections of things passing fast from your grip, and decide they are simply too much to acknowledge."
Queer rep:
Queer protagonists
Nonbinary side-character
Sapphic side-character
TWs: death, suicide, emotional abuse, grief, self-harm, sexual content
Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie
2.75
I think I'm officially too old for books like this.
Nice premise, too unrealistic.
Unlikable protagonist.
Also, are we just going to ignore what Shelby was doing to her sister!? Why didn't Lauren say something to the parents about the literal abuse their daughter is committing on their OTHER DAUGHTER
Nice premise, too unrealistic.
Unlikable protagonist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse