"Girl A" is a difficult read, detailing the horrors that these girls had to endure, so certainly isn't for the faint-hearted. While it's hard to review something so real and so terrible, I'd give this book a strong 4 stars.
Category: March 2019
Book Review: Falling into Place by Amy Zhang
"Falling into Place" is a sad story which tackles some difficult subjects, from bullying to drug use to suicide. It's certainly not a happy read and is quite emotional at times. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, I couldn't connect with the main character and this seriously affected how I felt about the whole thing - 1 star.
Book Review: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
A wisp of a book, "The Summer Book" is brief with no real plot but it's well written. For me these snippets of life in the summer on a Scandinavian island were enjoyable but nothing I'll be raving about - it's 3 stars from me.
Book Review: Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane
Georgina Horspool is so real it's difficult not to love her. Unemployed and single on the same day and heading home to a roommate who's not her biggest fan either. This rom-com explores some tricky themes but it mostly fun and witty. This wasn't perfect for me but still an enjoyable 3 stars.
Book Review: Black Matter by G.D. Parker
"Black Matter" is like a story from Black Mirror, a frightening peek at where technology may take us. When Tommy McGregor gets an implant to track his health statistics he never imagined the tragic consequences. The premise is great but the writing could do with a little work - 3 stars from me.
Book Review: This Should Be Written in the Present Tense by Helle Helle
I somehow found myself immersed in the world of Dorte Hansen, a bored, lost young woman trying to find her place in the world. Nothing that happens is all that interesting, but that's kind of the point. I didn't love it, but I still enjoyed it so it's 3 stars from me.
Rare Birds Book Club: March 2019
I've enjoyed every Rare Birds Book Club book that I've received and I've certainly been impressed with the selection so far! For some reason my shelf is looking a little bare at the moment, so when I found my latest parcel on my door step, I couldn't wait to see what was inside!
Book Review: The End We Start From by Megan Hunter
A short but powerful dystopian story that really makes you think. The UK is underwater due to rapidly rising sea levels and this book explores the story of one woman coping with motherhood, love, loss and chaos all at the same time. It's not your typical read so don't go in expecting full descriptive paragraphs and lengthy dialogue because that's not what you'll find. I really liked this one so it's 5 stars from me.
Book Review: The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
"The Memory Keeper's Daughter" is devastating and really makes you think about the effects of keeping a secret from those you love. With a promising start, I enjoyed the first half but began to lose interest as the pages went on. I'm glad to finally be taking this off my TBR list, it's 3 stars from me!
Book Review: Smash and Grab by Joe Albanese
A short story of theft, drugs and the lives behind them, "Smash and Grab" is a gritty tale with several twists to keep things interesting. It's a short but enjoyable read that I'd recommend to crime fans - 3 stars from me. Thanks to the author Joe Albanese who sent me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
