-
Alice Alone by Amanda Brookfield
Alice Alone made me suddenly realise the impending sense of what’s to come. With my eldest child approaching his 16th birthday, it gave me a sense of dread of the empty nest syndrome that awaits me in the none too far away future. How will I react when they start flying the nest? It sounds absolutely horrid. A bit like Alice, I’m a stay-at-home mum that has devoted her entire life to rearing my children, the impending thought that one day soon, I won’t have them to constantly care for is a bit grim. Maybe I’ll start collecting dogs! The author nailed how women of Alice’s generation generally aspired to…
-
Becoming by Glenn Rolfe
Becoming by Glenn Rolfe is a fun rampant creature feature. Rolfe in my opinion is one of the very best at creatures. You can always rely on him to bring action and horror in one tightly packed nightmarish sandwich. One thing about his stories is the knowledge that you’re in it until its over, each page leads you onwards – your snacks will go uneaten, and your coffee will go cold but the story burns bright through the minutes. Becoming can be categorised into a coming-of-age tale. I did enjoy it, but I didn’t think it was one of his strongest outings. There’s several different themes running throughout – difficult…
-
The Redemption of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
The Redemption of Callie & Kayden is heartbreakingly beautiful. With that dozy of a cliff-hanger left at the end of coincidence I just knew it wouldn’t be long before I picked up the next in the series. It’s been quite some time since I’ve got my teeth into the Romance genre and I’d forgotten how much drama can be packed into a 350 page book. I’m not complaining but I could feel the whiplash starting to take effect, it was a fun ride. So the book takes off pretty much where it left off. Kayden is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering multiple stab wounds inflicted by his…
-
The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden hopelessly raw and heart-breaking. A love story that will keep you glued to the pages. This book is full of content warnings. There’s self-harming, parental abuse and rape. I don’t think anything I write could prepare you for what you’re about to read. Unfortunately crap things happens to good people and that is a tale as old as time. There’s nothing we can do to change it, evil people exist in this world and they will continue to do bad things. This is what The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden is all about. A coincidental meeting of two souls during hard times in both…
-
Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia -REVIEW
Signal to Noise is a brilliant call back to the 80s. A coming of age tale with complex characters and a soundtrack to compel the reader. A story about losing and finding yourself. Signal to Noise was my first reading experience with Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It was a fun and enjoyable trip, but I did struggle to engage with the protagonist, Meche. It’s a witchy coming-of-age tale of friendship, betrayal, and figuring out where the characters fit in life. Set in Mexico in the 80s, it allows the reader to experience particular hardships, feelings, and family dynamics. Although I found myself enthralled by the atmosphere, the descriptions of schooling and city…
-
The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges – REVIEW
The Black Dog is full of social commentary with Bridge’s comedic wit shining through every page. Darkly funny but brimming with life. The Black Dog is written by an author that is known more for his comedy than his novel writing but that’s all likely to change – he’s added another string to his bow in a stunning debut by Glasgow’s household name, Kevin Bridges. Instantly you are transported into the streets of Glasgow, with authentic dialogue, a strong connection to the working-class plight, and a story that is full of grit and character. It’s a strong offering and the story gave me vibes of Gregory’s Girl – a coming-of-age…
