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thereadingmum's reviews
713 reviews
Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
I just couldn't connect with the character and the story. I think she was just a bit too isolated? I listened up to the last 2 hours and I could've just finished it but I had taken a break and couldn't remember the story anymore.
Hokey Pokey by Kate Mascarenhas
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I was initially attracted by the cover of the book and that it seemed to be a cosy murder mystery. Yet I was surprised to find such a low overall rating for the book here. I read a few of the reviews and they mention that the story is darker than they expected. So even though I would really rate this a 4, I'm giving it 4.75 to help even out the bad press. It makes me reconsider all the low ratings I've given for bad marketing and wrong expectations because that's not the author's fault at all and honestly, it should just remain unrated or dnf if you don't fancy the genre.
On to the review proper. There is a murder mystery, but there is also a touch of the supernatural and folklore. It's more psychological thriller than mystery and definitely gothic. So no likeable characters and overly harmful relationships. I also realised after flipping to the author info, that I've read her previous book, The Thief on the Winged Horse, which is similar in feel, and I loved that one too.
I must say that Mascarenhas paints a very different England than anyone else. Even given the time period. Her Birmingham feels more like a small town in another European city. I imagined Switzerland or Austria. I loved the setting of an art-deco hotel serving absinthe and with a wishing well in the basement.
I was intrigued by the Nora's Asperger-ish interactions and thought processes. It made the story more stark and added more to the gothic flavour. She's quite clearly an unreliable narrator from the start. Due to my love for Agatha Christie and her Poirot, I guessed the murderer before the reveal, but I still enjoyed their confrontation with Nora. The climactic scene was a bit gory but there was enough satisfaction in the come-uppances to overcome that.
There was a bit too much vagueness and innuendo in the ending for my liking, though I can see the artistic merit of it.
On to the review proper. There is a murder mystery, but there is also a touch of the supernatural and folklore. It's more psychological thriller than mystery and definitely gothic. So no likeable characters and overly harmful relationships. I also realised after flipping to the author info, that I've read her previous book, The Thief on the Winged Horse, which is similar in feel, and I loved that one too.
I must say that Mascarenhas paints a very different England than anyone else. Even given the time period. Her Birmingham feels more like a small town in another European city. I imagined Switzerland or Austria. I loved the setting of an art-deco hotel serving absinthe and with a wishing well in the basement.
I was intrigued by the Nora's Asperger-ish interactions and thought processes. It made the story more stark and added more to the gothic flavour. She's quite clearly an unreliable narrator from the start. Due to my love for Agatha Christie and her Poirot, I guessed the murderer before the reveal, but I still enjoyed their confrontation with Nora. The climactic scene was a bit gory but there was enough satisfaction in the come-uppances to overcome that.
There was a bit too much vagueness and innuendo in the ending for my liking, though I can see the artistic merit of it.
Monkey King: Journey to the West by Wu Ch'eng-En
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is exactly how I remember the story of Sun Wu Kong being. It's more a series of vignettes with a loose over-arching storyline.
A mountain lays this stone egg which hatches a monkey. This monkey goes on to wreak mischievous havoc on everything and everyone until finally the goddess of mercy puts a magic ring on his head that contracts when a spell is recited. She tells this to a monk, Tripitaka, and then instructs monkey to accompany Tripitaka on his quest to the west to bring Buddha's sacred scrolls back to China.
The main story is that of this "Journey to the West", which is a book in itself, but adds Monkey's origin story at the beginning so you fully comprehend the extent of his mayhem.
The one thing that really annoyed me was that the narrator, given his name and if he's the actor, his profile on IMDB, being Chinese, couldn't pronounce the Mandarin words properly. It wasn't terrible, but I expected better. He did a great job with the voices and the dramatic element though, which helped me overlook that defect. Perhaps the other version of this narrated by Kevin Shen would have been better.
A mountain lays this stone egg which hatches a monkey. This monkey goes on to wreak mischievous havoc on everything and everyone until finally the goddess of mercy puts a magic ring on his head that contracts when a spell is recited. She tells this to a monk, Tripitaka, and then instructs monkey to accompany Tripitaka on his quest to the west to bring Buddha's sacred scrolls back to China.
The main story is that of this "Journey to the West", which is a book in itself, but adds Monkey's origin story at the beginning so you fully comprehend the extent of his mayhem.
The one thing that really annoyed me was that the narrator, given his name and if he's the actor, his profile on IMDB, being Chinese, couldn't pronounce the Mandarin words properly. It wasn't terrible, but I expected better. He did a great job with the voices and the dramatic element though, which helped me overlook that defect. Perhaps the other version of this narrated by Kevin Shen would have been better.
Black Silk and Sympathy: The Captivating First Novel in a New Historical Fiction Series from the Popular Bestselling Author of from the ASHES, for Fans of Jackie French, Tea Cooper and Kirsty Manning by Deborah Challinor
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
What do you think of when you look at the cover of Black Silk and Sympathy?
I thought of dramatic historical fiction in the same vein as Jessie Burton or Kate Morton. Something bordering on gothic with lots of mystery and dark characters.
This is not that. It is historical fiction, but think Karen Brooks instead.
Feisty young female main character - check.
Left almost penniless and without family - check.
Somehow managing to forge ahead in a man's world - check.
Reprehensible male characters getting in her way - check.
Many liberties taken with historical facts and overcompensating for female empowerment - check.
But also:
Great historical setting with vivid details and imagery - check.
Lots of loveable characters to make up for horrible ones - check.
Fascinating tidbits about something I knew nothing about - check.
Intriguing plot to hold my attention - check.
And finally while it was a bit happy clappy, the ending had a surprise tragic taint that gave it a pleasing flavour.
Recommended for an easy, entertaining read as long as you're not the type to balk at tweaked history.
I thought of dramatic historical fiction in the same vein as Jessie Burton or Kate Morton. Something bordering on gothic with lots of mystery and dark characters.
This is not that. It is historical fiction, but think Karen Brooks instead.
Feisty young female main character - check.
Left almost penniless and without family - check.
Somehow managing to forge ahead in a man's world - check.
Reprehensible male characters getting in her way - check.
Many liberties taken with historical facts and overcompensating for female empowerment - check.
But also:
Great historical setting with vivid details and imagery - check.
Lots of loveable characters to make up for horrible ones - check.
Fascinating tidbits about something I knew nothing about - check.
Intriguing plot to hold my attention - check.
And finally while it was a bit happy clappy, the ending had a surprise tragic taint that gave it a pleasing flavour.
Recommended for an easy, entertaining read as long as you're not the type to balk at tweaked history.
Sisterhood by Cathy Kelly
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I was gifted this book as part of Harper Collins' #firstinbestread programme at the beginning of the year. It is not a book I would ever choose to read.
That said, I actually enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. I almost didn't make it past the first two chapters because Lou was such a DOORMAT. I understand her motivations and I know many people are like her, but it drives me insane and if I were her sister, I would have tried harder to shake her out of it. Kelly redeemed Lou quite early on though as she dumped all the vampires in her life to take a trip with her sister to find her birth father.
It was very satisfying for me to read her giving the figurative finger to those who had trampled all over her for so long, especially her bosses and her mum.
While I'm glad I got pulled out of my comfort zone. It did, however, reinforce my choice not to read this genre. At the end, I felt entertained, but also that I would rather have spent the time reading something else. If you like contemporary female stories with lots of drama, like a day-time tv series, you will enjoy this. Kelly writes well, which helped pull me along and her characters are loveable, even the terrible ones.
That said, I actually enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. I almost didn't make it past the first two chapters because Lou was such a DOORMAT. I understand her motivations and I know many people are like her, but it drives me insane and if I were her sister, I would have tried harder to shake her out of it. Kelly redeemed Lou quite early on though as she dumped all the vampires in her life to take a trip with her sister to find her birth father.
It was very satisfying for me to read her giving the figurative finger to those who had trampled all over her for so long, especially her bosses and her mum.
While I'm glad I got pulled out of my comfort zone. It did, however, reinforce my choice not to read this genre. At the end, I felt entertained, but also that I would rather have spent the time reading something else. If you like contemporary female stories with lots of drama, like a day-time tv series, you will enjoy this. Kelly writes well, which helped pull me along and her characters are loveable, even the terrible ones.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
4.75
This is still my favourite Dickens even though he lost me a bit in the middle when Pip began his career.
If you only ever read one Dickens novel, this should be the one. Preferably with the Gwyneth-Hawke movie soundtrack on in the background.
If you only ever read one Dickens novel, this should be the one. Preferably with the Gwyneth-Hawke movie soundtrack on in the background.
Jack Maggs by Peter Carey
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I decided to read this in tandem with listening to Great Expectations on audio and it was an interesting experience. I'm not entirely sure if it enhanced my reading of both books or not, but it made for a very immersive week.
While the story of Jack Maggs may be inspired by that of Abel Magwitch, it is quite different. So if you were expecting a spin-off, it's really not.
It begins with Maggs returning to London to seek out his benefactee, Henry Phipps, as he has promised in his letters. However, Phipps is not at home. Instead, Maggs is mistaken for a replacement footman for the household next door, Mr Percy Buckle's residence. He decides to take up the position in order to keep an eye on the Phipp's house and find out where he is. There then ensues a few weeks of aggro misunderstandings, magnet-induced hypnotism and very tense, unnecessary shenanigans.
Jack's protege, Phipps is vastly different and a much more corrupt version of Pip. The rest of the cast of characters are an extremely odd bunch, which add to the tragi-comic atmosphere of this story. There is a build of tension towards the end where I fully expected someone to die, instead it fizzles out into a weirdly happy ending.
I've given this 4 stars but I'm still undecided how I really feel about this overall.
While the story of Jack Maggs may be inspired by that of Abel Magwitch, it is quite different. So if you were expecting a spin-off, it's really not.
It begins with Maggs returning to London to seek out his benefactee, Henry Phipps, as he has promised in his letters. However, Phipps is not at home. Instead, Maggs is mistaken for a replacement footman for the household next door, Mr Percy Buckle's residence. He decides to take up the position in order to keep an eye on the Phipp's house and find out where he is. There then ensues a few weeks of aggro misunderstandings, magnet-induced hypnotism and very tense, unnecessary shenanigans.
Jack's protege, Phipps is vastly different and a much more corrupt version of Pip. The rest of the cast of characters are an extremely odd bunch, which add to the tragi-comic atmosphere of this story. There is a build of tension towards the end where I fully expected someone to die, instead it fizzles out into a weirdly happy ending.
I've given this 4 stars but I'm still undecided how I really feel about this overall.