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REVIEW: The Marsh House by Zoë Somerville
The Marsh House seeps in atmospheric brilliance. It has the uncanny ability to remind you just how boring your life is. The novel tackles relationship breakdowns from multiple angles. A mother and daughter. A house in the country. Creepy diary entries. Personally, living in a cold, damp property in the middle of winter is a dead cert no for me but the protagonist had a story to unfold. It’s December 1963 and Malorie escapes to the country with her daughter, Franny. Her life is changing far quicker than she could have ever anticipated. Her relationship with Franny’s father, Tony has broken down. Partly due to his multiple infidelities and Malorie’s…
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The Nurse by J.A. Corrigan | Blog Tour Review
J.A. Corrigan is just one of those authors that just command your attention. The Nurse is a testament to her skill. Immediately upon putting it down I knew it had a compulsive energy to it. Think Nurse Ratchet vs Silence of the Lambs. Her characterisation is a crescendo to the senses. The validity, the moral dilemmas and the utter humanness leaves you in awe with the realism. My introduction to this author’s work has left me salivating for more and I can’t wait to try more of her delights. The Nurse is a book that I fell for because of the blurb! The cover stopped me in my tracks, but…
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A Killer’s Daughter by Jenna Kernan | Review
A Killer’s Daughter was a very interesting read, and it was certainly unique. In fact, I don’t think I’ve read a plot from the child of a serial killer’s perspective before. First, I want to talk a little about what just didn’t work for me personally. The beginning of the novel started a bit quizzically. It felt very dark and I suddenly began to question just how the events were going to play out. I was confused at times to how all this was going to impact the protagonist, Dr Nadine Finch. There was a lot of repetition of past events, I’m sure it only need to be mentioned once…
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Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige | Review
Holy Crackerjacks, I am just now having any luck with my last couple of reads. Another massive disappointment for this Wizard of Oz retelling. This had massive potential, the premise is something that I would have totally been on board with. A dark edge to a classic story, a reversal of roles, do not trust anyone. I always thought that Dorothy was just a little too sweet, there was always surely a darker edge to her – you just can’t trust anyone that is that sugary sweet all the time! The potential to be swayed by power and possessions is a pull that very little could refuse. The very first…
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These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong | Review
Apparently I’m the girl that just doesn’t get along with highly anticipated reads. I originally picked this book up because it sounded like an awesome premise. A romeo & Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shangai. I’m a massive fan of storytelling set in Asia but man alive, there is just no world building whatsoever. I didn’t feel transported to another time, I didn’t really get a feel for the culture or the way of life. I really needed more in that regard. The characterisation was weak. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. Juliet was written as a strong and independent woman but I just found her incredibly…
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All About Us by Tom Ellen | Review
All About Us is the kind of story that you would want to read on a rainy day, the raindrops dropping onto a tin roof, hypnotising you and carrying you away into the story. It’s not typically a genre that I often read but you know what people say about change. Tom Ellen has created a story that comes straight from the heart – It’s as addictive as chocolate. I want to shout out loud about how good this magical tale really is. He has that perfect formula for making a novel stand out in an oversaturated market and makes it more than memorable. We make decisions when we are…
