Book Review: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Title: The Nightingale

Author: Kristin Hannah

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult,

Pages: 440

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 2015

Format: Hardcover Copy (Own It)

"In love we find who we want to be.

In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Maurice says good-bye to her husband, Antione as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France... but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a Germain captain requisitions Wianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can... completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others."

My Rating: 5/5

I'm so late to reading this book. I can't even explain why I put this off for so long, but this was one pick that was voted for in bookclub this month and I'm so grateful it was. Kristin Hannah was able to evoke so many emotions throughout this read and while you expect it to be an emotional read, she made each character feel so realistic that I couldn't help but feel things alongside them. I also thought it was interesting to see how she wove the tales of occupied France between the two siblings who had different values and you are able to see both sisters' points of view. If you have read this I'm curious how you felt about it. If you haven't, may I be another person (likely) to tell you to pick this up!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty

Author: Libba Bray

Series/Standalone: Gemma Doyle Series (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy

Pages: 403

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Year Published: 2003

Format: Audiobook (Paperback Own It)

"In this debut gothic novel mysterious visions, dark family secrets and a long-lost diary thrust Gemma and her classmates back into the horrors that followed her from India.

It's 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls- and their foray into the spiritual world- lead to?"

My Rating: 1.75/5

This book was very straightforward for me. It tried to have a few mysterious plots but as someone who is older than the target demographic. The characters were very limp and the main character made me incredibly upset. The overall magic was interesting, but it was too young for me which makes total sense. I won't be continuing the series. I will try another series by Libba Bray. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Hopeless by Elsie Silver

Title: Hopeless

Author: Elsie Silver

Series/Standalone: Chestnut Spring Series (Book #5)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 486

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

First Line: "I thought pissing off my brother and storming away would make me feel something."

"Beau Eaton is the town prince, a handsome military hero with a tortured past.

I'm the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks.

He's thirty-five and all man, and I'm twenty-two and all.... virgin.

He's also my fiance. Correction: my fake fiance.

We start out as a bet. He doesn't believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers his to prove a point.

It's win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family's prying, and I get a chance to shed my family's reputation while I save up to ditch this small town.

He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I can't keep my hands off of him in public.

But it's what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines.

It's what transpires behind closed doors that doesn't feel like pretending at all.

This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date.

He once told me he'd never fall in love.

And yet here I am head over heels for my fake fiance."

My Rating: 4/5

This one wasn't my favourite in the series, but it was still a really great read. It was nice to see the characters all together one more time and it did feel bitter-sweet in a lot of ways. I loved this whole series and all the characters we were introduced to throughout the series. The smut was on point, and this series really has a lot going for it. The romance, the comedy, the characters, the tropes that are done so incredibly well, the plot lines and overall the feeling of family. I was teary-eyed as I finished this final book and I would highly recommend not just this book but the whole series to anyone who is even remotely interested. Elsie Silver builds a family that feels so real you wish you could sit at their table for the Eaton Family Dinner.

Thank you for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

Title: Midnight for Charlie Bone

Author: Jenny Nimmo

Series/Standalone: The Children of the Red King (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Urban

Pages: 401

Publisher: Orchard Books

Year Published: 2002

Format: Audiobook (Own Paperback Copy)

"A magical fantasy that is fast-paced and easy-to-read. Charlie Bone has a special gift- he can hear people in photographs talking.

The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from this is what happened to Charlie Bone and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy.

His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor's Academy, a school for geniuses where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead."

My Rating: 5/5

I remember reading these when everyone else was reading Harry Potter and that's when I knew I was a hipster. I liked something before it was cool. I'm joking of course. I read these when I was 10, and rereading them fills some nostalgic holes for me. It is middle grade so any amount of mystery is obvious to me, a 28-year-old lady. But it's a fun read. I understand that people compare these to Harry Potter, but they have enough differences to make it its own unique story.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

Title: They Never Learn

Author: Layne Fargo

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Thriller, Adult Fiction

Pages: 378

Publisher: Scout Press

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she's even better at getting away with murder.

Every year, she searches for the worst man at Gorman University and plots his well-deserved demise. Thanks to her meticulous planning, she's avoided drawing attention to herself- but as she's preparing for her biggest kill yet, the school starts probing into the growing body count on campus. Determined to keep her enemies close, Scarlett insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge, Dr. Mina Pierce. Everything's going according to her master plan- until she loses control with her latest victim, putting her secret life at risk of exposure.

Meanwhile, Gorman student Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year. Finally free of her emotionally abusive father, all Carly wants is to focus on her studies and fade into the background. Her new roommate has other ideas. Allison Hadley is cool and confident- everything Carly wishes she could be- and the two girls quickly form an intense friendship. So when Allison is sexually assaulted at a party. Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay... and turning her fantasies about revenge into a reality."

My Rating: 4.75/5

I really enjoyed this book. It gave Dexter vibes but as a woman vigilante, I was into it. I liked the concept. The writing was unsettling and the audiobook was well narrated. The characters were dynamic, and the subject matter that surrounds rape culture was unfortunately too familiar but when written out in this way it's enough to make you flinch back with disgust at what people are willing to brush under the rug. What didn't line up for me in some senses was logic. The end felt a bit rushed for me but overall I appreciated the story.  I hope to read more from the author and I would strongly recommend it.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

Title: The Ritual 

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: The L.O.R.D.S Series (Book #1)

Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult, Fiction

Pages: 628

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2021

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

First Line: "A Lord takes his oath seriously."

"THE CHOSEN ONE

I vow. You vow. We vow.

Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all- the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.

People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it's not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had- freedom.

I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.

After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death."

My Rating: 3.75/5

This book has trigger warnings a mile long so please before you read any dark romance find a trigger warning list and make sure that the content is something you feel safe to consume. That being said this book was really fun for a dark romance, the plot went so many different directions, the spicey scenes were insane, and the world was fascinating. Was it a literary classic, probably not. Would I read it again? Absolutely. I will be continuing on with the series. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Title: The Girl from Widow Hills

Author: Megan Miranda

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Thriller, Fiction, Adult

Pages: 325

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Everyone knows the story of 'the girl from Widow Hills.'

Arden Maynor was just a child when she was swept away while sleepwalking during a terrifying rainstorm and went missing for days. Strangers and friends, neighbors and rescue workers, set up search parties and held vigils, praying for her safe return. Against all odds, she was found, alive, clinging to a storm drain. The girl from Widow Hills was a living miracle. Arden's mother wrote a book. Fame followed. Fans and fan letters, creeps and stalkers. And every year, the anniversary. It all became too much. As soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and disappeared from the public eye. 

Now a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden goes by Olivia. She's managed to stay off the radar for the last few years. But with the twentieth anniversary of her rescue approaching, the media will inevitably renew its interest in Arden. Where is she now? Soon Olivia feels like she's being watched and begins sleepwalking again, like she did long ago, even walking outside her home. Until late one night she jolts awake in her yard. At her feet is the corpse of a man she knows- from her previous life, as Arden Maynor.

And now, the girl from Widow Hills is about to become the center of the story, once again, in the propulsive page-turner from suspense master Megan Miranda."

My Rating: 4/5

This had such an excellent atmosphere and that's what I'm finding as I read more and more of Megan Miranda's work. Her atmosphere is fantastic, the feelings of being spooked, unsure and frightened live on throughout the story. I would definitely recommend it for that reason. The characters were fine. The ending was excellent. I would strongly recommend this one out of the other books by the author I've read. Fun, exciting and the audiobook gave me spooky fall vibes. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Something is Killing the Children Volume 6

Title: Something is Killing the Children Volume 6

Author: James Tynion IV

Illustrator: Werther Dell'Edera

Series/Standalone: Something is Killing the Children Series (Vol. 6)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror, Adult Fiction

Pages: 144

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Year Published:  2023

Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"With the last person in her corner gone and a ruthless agent from the Order of St. George closing in, Erica Slaughter finds herself alone and without a prayer. Can she take on this horrific new monster plaguing the small town of Tribulation, New Mexico by herself, or is this the end of her story? Erica is faced with a choice to reach out to an unexpected source for help, or find herself dealing with both a monster and her human enemies alone... Erica Slaughter faces her deadliest challenge yet in the next volume of the Eisner-winning and Harvey Award-nominated series from GLAAD Award-winning author James Tynion IV...."

My Rating: 3/5

This volume was fine for me, but I think because I can no longer binge the series, I'm starting to lose hold of the plot. I would be interested in reading it all once it's completed but for now, I will be taking a break from the series. The ideas are excellent, the art style is fascinating and the characters are dynamic. Lots to like, just not my favourite.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

Title: The Family Remains

Author: Lisa Jewell

Series/Standalone: The Family Upstairs Duology (Book #2)

Genre: Thriller, Adult Fiction

Pages: 452

Publisher: Atria

Year Published: 2022 

Format: Audiobook

"Early one morning on the shore of the Thames, DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene of a gruesome discovery. When Owusu sends the evidence for examination, she learns the bones are connected to a cold case that left three people dead on the kitchen floor in a Chelsea mansion thirty years ago.

Rachel Rimmer has also received a shock- new that her husband, Michael, has been found dead in the cellar of his house in France. All signs point to an intruder, and the French police need her to come urgently to answer questions about Michael and his past that she very much doesn't want to answer.

After fleeing London thirty years ago in the wake of a horrific tragedy, Lucy Lamb is finally coming home. While she settles in with her children and is just about to purchase their first-ever house, her brother takes off to find the boy from their shared past whose memory haunts their present. 

As they all race to discover answers to these convoluted mysteries, they will come to find that they're connected in ways they could have never imagined."

My Rating: 2.5/5

This was fine, it was enjoyable. It was fast-paced. Was it necessary? I'm not sure about that. I think that the first book could have been a standalone and I wouldn't have been mad about that. I will read more from the author. It is very much a fun traditional thriller. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

Title: Stay Awake

Author: Megan Goldin

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 352

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 2022

Format: Audiobook

"Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she's dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers- a stranger who now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it's missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That's when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago,  Liv was living with her best friend, dating a new man, and thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she's lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she's horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim's blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, the same message that's inked on her hands. What did she do last night?? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn't remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn't remember committing as she tries to piece together the fragments of her life. But there's someone who does know exactly what she did, and they'll be anything to make her forget- permanently."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I had previously read a book by the author and really enjoyed it. So picking up this I thought I would also enjoy it, but it read like a basic cop show. While I was curious where it was going, i was hoping for a wild twist, but it went in a way where I shrugged and just said it made sense. Finishing the book I don't know if I felt anything profound. It was fine, but I wanted so much more. I would give this author one more shot. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny