kellysrambles's reviews
609 reviews

The Baby Dragon Café by A.T. Qureshi

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

This Song Is About Us by Sara Barnard

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have read every book Sara Barnard has written and always loved her writing, her newest offering This Song Is About Us is no different. I adored this book from start to end. 

Ruby and Drew are young and in love. Drew’s band are about to hit the big time, catapulting him into the spotlight and Ruby is the ever faithful, biggest fan of Drew and his band. Faced with the decision of whether to keep their relationship secret or go public, this book explores the consequences of their decision, the influence of social media, the world of fandom. 

I loved the snippets of forum and social media posts between the festivals to help keep us op to date with what the band are doing. My absolutely favourite thing about this book (in typical Sara Barnard style) is the friendship between Ruby and Stel. Nobody writes a layered, female friendship like Sara. 

A really emotional read that is bound to tug on your heart strings. 

Thank you to Walker Books, Sara Barnard and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

2.0

I liked the Hunger Games vibes to this and the sapphic romance was really lovely but I also never really felt all that connected to the characters. 

Mondays are Murder by Ravena Guron

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5 stars 

I have previously enjoyed both of Ravena Guron’s YA thrillers so I was very much looking forward to reading Mondays are Murder: I was not disappointed! Fast paced, fuelled with emotion and exploring the intricacies of friendship and family, this thriller had me hooked. 

When Kay receives a note detailing a week of (what can only be described as) hell, leading to her own murder the coming Monday, we find ourselves in a race against time to discover the identity of ‘Monday’. Visiting her hometown brings a lot of emotion to the surface, and whilst I initially didn’t warm to Kay, it didn’t take long before I was fully invested and trying to solve the mystery for myself. 

A whole host of characters, complicated relationships and an edge of your seat mystery, which genuinely had me feeling on edge at times, this is another brilliant addition to any YA thriller fan’s bookshelf. 

Thank you to Usborne, Ravena Guron and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

challenging emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Our Infinite Fates is a breathtaking novel with the most gorgeous love story sprawled over thousands of years. The love between Evelyn and Arden was addictive to read and shattering each time their lives came to an abrupt end. 

I really enjoyed the way the story flitted between the present in Wales and the past in various locations and times, truly showing the depth of their love. I loved that their love for one another had no boundaries and that in every life they found one another, regardless of the tragic reasons for their pull towards the other. 

Laura Steven’s writing in this novel is utterly beautiful. The myriad of descriptions, the way the story ebbs and flows and the last chapter had my heart singing. Words cannot summarise how stunning this novel is, if you haven’t read it yet, pick it up and see for yourselves. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK, Laura Steven and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Let Down Your Hair by Bryony Gordon

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I picked this up hoping for a quick, easy read between fantasy books and I definitely got what I wanted. 

Barb is a mesmerising character and I found myself easily enraptured by her ‘social media influencer’ lifestyle. The life so many people yearn for, yet ultimately it is making her miserable, so is it really worth it?

I really enjoyed the exploration of social media and the world of influencers. The falsity, the sense of expectation, nothing feeling as good as it should. Added in with some rather complex relationships and a hell of a plot twist I really genuinely enjoyed this one and was cheering for Barb at the end! 

'Til Death by Busayo Matuluko

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

‘Til Death is a captivating debut with an addictive plot filled to the brim with Nigerian culture. Lara’s socialite cousin Derin is getting married. It’s the talk of the town and the gossip blogs; but who is threatening to ruin Derin unless she cancels the wedding? 

This book gave me Gossip Girl / Bridgerton vibes with the snippets from the gossip blogs and the mysterious notes Derin receives. Whilst the mystery was definitely unfolding in the background, it did feel like this book was more of a family drama to me than a full blown thriller. That being said, I was totally taken in by the plot and really enjoyed how it all played out. 

There were SO many characters in this story, all of whom I enjoyed reading about although at times I found myself confusing some of them. I do think the complexities of the many relationships, the expectations on Lara and her brother, the sisterly relationship between Derin and Lara all contributed to me enjoying this book! I also really liked learning a lot more about Nigerian culture, especially around the various wedding traditions and celebrations. 

By far the most poignant thing about this story is the intricate way in which the author addresses the rings of sickle cell disease, both in the story and the author’s note. 

Overall a really enjoyable debut that was an easy but interesting read. Lara is a loveable protagonist who I rooted for throughout.  

Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK, Busayo Matuluko and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

The Cleaner by Mary Watson

challenging dark tense fast-paced

4.0

I was attracted to this story by the concept of a cleaner (to the wealthy) collecting secrets. The idea that a cleaner is unassuming, nobody pays attention to them yet their knowledge of their clients goes deeper than they would dare to imagine. 

Esmie is a brilliant character. Deceitful, jealous, driven by revenge yet unassuming and sweet to those who see her. Wanting to get revenge for her brother Nico’s downfall, Esmie sets about collecting as much information as possible about the inhabitants of The Woodlands. Here unfolds a captivating mystery full of complex, layered relationships between a series of both likeable and unlikeable characters. There were so many reveals that I stopped anticipating what would happen and just enjoyed the ride. 

This one definitely kept me guessing and I enjoyed how dark and complex things got as the story developed. A great adult debut from Mary Watson! 

Thank you to Random House UK, Mary Watson and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review. 

Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This books was incredible! I had high expectations after seeing it all over social media in the buildup to its release and I devoured it in less than 48 hours. 

This book has it all: characters to love and loathe, complicated friendships, slow burn romance, focus on language and DRAGONS. And not just a sprinkling of dragons, we’re talking LOTS of dragons. 

As well as being fast-paced and action packed, this book was emotional and thought provoking when it came to tackling the tiered society Viv lives in. I liked the way the book developed alongside Viv’s own thoughts and understanding of the world around her which she had simply accepted as okay until now. There were times I felt enthralled and excited, times I felt nauseous and sad but mostly I felt filled with fire wanting to know what would happen next. 

This book has become an immediate favourite for me, I absolutely loved it! 

Ps. The Waterstones edition also happens to be insanely beautiful to look at too 🔥