Isn’t it weird how sometimes your life comes back round full circle? Back when I was still blogging properly 5-6 years ago, my top priorities in life (or at least, what I was writing about) had shifted from what I was wearing to mainly books, sewing and a little bit of travel. Then kids and Covid came along, and my priorities shifted for a bit – mostly to keeping my family alive, I’ll admit! But here we are in 2024, and my sewing machine has had the dust blown off and is back on the dining table (where it was before I had a sewing room that subsequently became Emmy’s nursery and now is Archie’s bedroom), and I’m more than a little obsessed with reading again.
I have to say, I’ve picked up some absolute joys to read in the past few months which is really helping the reading addiction – just wait until you hear about my ACOTAR obsession! Yes, I’ve been caught up in that Booktok wave!! So here are 3 reviews from earlier in the year (pre-ACOTAR for me), all of which are high recommendations in my eyes:
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver – 8.5/10
Set in 1937, Dark Matter follows Jack, a young Londoner who jumps at the chance to join an Arctic expedition to a remote Norwegian island with a team of scientists. As the long, dark winter descends, they hear stories of more than just polar bears and Jack finds himself increasingly isolated, he begins to feel an unsettling presence lurking in the darkness. There’s a whole lot of tension as Jack realises that he may not be as alone as he thought—and whatever is haunting him is growing stronger with each passing day.
I’ve read and loved Michelle Paver’s previous books, and I’m not sure what took me so long to get to this one! Her novel Thin Air was one of my favourites in 2016, and still remains so to this day. I also enjoyed Wakenhyrst earlier this year, but Dark Matter filled the same space as Thin Air for me with its isolated landscape, adventure and hazy horror. The key theme across these books for me is how the isolated landscape becomes its own character, as alive as the characters themselves. It’s immersive and haunting, in a slow-burn psychological horror kind of way. Highly recommend – but maybe not on a dark and snowy night!
The Last Passenger by Will Dean – 7/10
Caz, a woman with a troubled past, boards a luxury cruise ship hoping for a fresh start. But after waking from a night of partying, she discovers that every single person on board has disappeared, leaving her as the only passenger. As Caz navigates the empty vessel, she faces eerie clues and terrifying mysteries, realizing that her situation may not be a mere accident. Forced to confront her own fears and fight for survival, Caz slowly pieces together the ship’s sinister secrets, all while trying to escape from a fate that seems to be closing in on her.
I came across this book based on a random Twitter recommendation – a social platform I rarely even glance at nowadays. I’m glad I stumbled across it as it was a delightful fast-paced read. A gripping psychological thriller with all the twists you’d expect from the description, plus a few more just when you think you’ve figured it all out. This was one of those books I can see being made into a film or TV series with brilliant lifelike characters and plenty of action packed scenes. The descriptions really bring the eerie horror of an empty ship and the situations that Caz finds herself in to life. It wasn’t a favourite but I’d definitely pick up another book by the author.
The Impostor Bride by Amber Eve – 8.5/10
This is the 4th book in Amber Eve’s Scottish romance series, and is a companion book to the first. That sounds confusing, but it really isn’t! Books 1, 2 and 3 each have their own main character – friends(ish) whose storylines intertwine, and Book 4 has the same main character as Book 1. In this installment, Emerald and the dashing Jack are planning their wedding, but nothing is quite falling into place as it should. The in-laws are a nightmare, as is Emerald’s soon-to-be sister-in-law who is muscling in on her bridal party. And to top it off, she’s receiving anonymous messages warning her that her fiance is not what she thinks.
I loved The Accidental Impostor which I described as a Scottish Bridget Jones, so I’m claiming The Impostor Bride as Bridget Jones 2! It was just as fun of a ride, humourous, light-hearted but with a good little mystery running underneath it. The characters, as with all Amber Eve books, are so realistic and true to real life that you feel as if you’re friends with them.
