The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom – 9/10
Wow, this was an eye opening page turner of a book. I know it’s had some mixed reviews – people either seem to love it or think it’s generic for the genre. I’m sad to say that this is a genre I’ve read very little of, aside from the definitive book The Help. As a middle class white woman from the UK, the world of colonial Virginia and slavery is one that I know only a little about, despite having visited plantations in this area, William and Mary College, which is mentioned in the book, and Williamsburg. I’ve said it before, but I really believe that fiction is one of the best ways to get a true understanding of a world like this, which is so far removed from my own. Even this era is one I’m very little informed on and have read very little about, aside from authors like Jane Austen, which is an entirely different side of the spectrum from this.
Putting all that aside, this is a well written, harrowing story. While I understand how many have issues with the character of Lavinia, I think she’s well written based on what happens to her and how she reacts. Although that old “miscommunication” trope does frustrate me a lot! The helplessness, the hopelessness, the violence – it’s a disturbing read in parts, but the family aspect and fighting nature makes sure the plot is always pushed forward.
I’d highly recommend this to anyone. I think it’s an important read and one which gives an excellent insight into the late 1700s and early 1800s of slavery in this region. Even if you think that’s not your thing (I didn’t!), it might be an eye opener for you too.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book.
To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey – 6.5/10
So this is an interesting one for me to review, as I’ve loved two other books by Eowyn Ivey – The Snow Child is on my favourites list (which is an honour bestowed to around 60 books currently) and Black Woods, Blue Sky was a 5 star read from me last month. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t hit the same for me, despite it having a higher overall Goodreads rating.
The description sounds perfect for me – a breathtaking journey across the unchartered Alaskan landscape to discover what lies there and to blaze the trail for more to come, told in letters and journal entries between the captain of the group and his pregnant wife back at the reserve, as well as letters generations later between a relative who has donated the letters to a museum curator.
Doesn’t that sound fascinating? As we all know, I love a good isolated landscape story, no matter where it’s set, but cold, frozen ones are among my favourites. But I struggled hard with the beginning of the book, and even into the middle too.
There was a lot to love about it. There is the mystery and magic that is entwined so naturally and believably in Ivey’s other novels, but a little darker and scarier here. The voyage and how it affected future generations was also enlightening to me too – the stark contrast between the magic of that world untouched, and the grit and grime of it now.
I have to admit something – I started reading this around the time after Emmy was born, but I struggled so hard that I think it pushed me into a reading slump and I didn’t finish it, I managed around a quarter of the book. I strongly believe that Ivey’s books do need you to power through to understand why the beginning is slower but still important, but this beginning seemed to keep going and going. The voyage, while treacherous, didn’t keep me enthralled. When I picked it up a second time this year, fortunately the pregnancy kept me interested enough to power through to where it picked up for me.
This isn’t a bad review, it just didn’t live up to the other stories for me. I can see why people love it, but it just didn’t have the same feel as the other books that I was expecting.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a review copy of this book.
More by T. M. Franklin – 6/10
If I’d picked up this book as a teen, I would have loved it.
I really like the concept, the being “more” rather than a vampire or fae – it’s something a little different to the usual but still has roots in mythology that make it believable. There was a nice bit of explanation and background too.
There was a lot of telling rather than showing, which felt more middle grade fiction than young/new adult, but it did make for a faster paced read as you didn’t need to read between the lines too much.
I have a gripe with the main character. A lot of reviewers describe the characters as likeable, but there was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on at first with Ava – I later realised that there’s a lot of self-talk in the book that, while realistic for a girl of that age (and at the time this was written – early 2010s), I didn’t like. I can’t be 100% certain that these parts haven’t changed as this was an ARC copy, but one example is describing herself as “not fat”, and describing men as “skinny” in a somewhat disparaging way. It might be a personal thing as I’m currently in a phase of teaching my kids not to comment on aspects about people that they can’t change in a couple of minutes (a valid concern after growing up in the 90s and 00s). And maybe these remarks can be put to one side as it’s early in the book and there’s character growth later, but it left a little bit of a bad taste for the character for me sadly.
I can’t figure out Caleb’s motivation to save Ava, aside from the fact that he’s got to know her – I didn’t get much depth from their interactions to take them from physics tutor to “must protect at all costs”, aside from it being something of a rebel move from him? Maybe there’s more further into the series, but I feel like I needed a little more, at least a hint towards something before around 80% to make it realistic.
Nevertheless, these flaws are minor, and I think this is a good book for teens to experience their first taste of fantasy as it crosses gently into it from the real world with some action, but it’s not too complex. It could easily sit alongside the Twilight series which, despite its popularity, does also have similar flaws, I admit! I imagine the rest of the series is good too, I won’t be rushing to read it, but if I can find time in my upcoming book schedule (yes, I’m that person!), I’ll add the next to my list.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an advance copy of this book.
Sky by Sarah Driver – 7/10
I read the first book in this trilogy back in 2017 and loved the strong fantasy setting and story of adventure.
Sky is an excellent sequel which has just as strong of a plot, packed with action but also emotion – it feels like the characters are thrown from one perilous situation from another on their quest. At the same time, the characters are well built with a lovely found family aspect.
As I said, the world building is brilliant. The Skybrary was one of my favourite parts – a library hidden inside a glacier protected by book monsters, amazing! Sarah Driver’s imagination knows no bounds!
This is a book aimed at middle grade readers and I think is perfect for them – I can’t wait to read it with my just turned 6 year old in a couple of years time, she’ll love the adventure and magic.
Plus, look at that cover! I’ve actually spotted one of this trilogy on the shelves of our library before and it really stood out.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a review copy of this book.
Gild by Raven Kennedy – 7/10
Wow, this was quite the ride! Intense, pretty dark but also, somehow, pretty easy to speed through.
It’s another version of the story of King Midas, who has not only turned his entire palace and everything possible he can inside it to gold, but also his most prized, precious “saddle” – Auren. Auren is gold-touched, and is kept inside a gold plated cage on the top floor of the castle. Throughout this first book, we learn of how he rescued her and now keeps her “safe”. I mean, it’s the ultimate story of Stockholm Syndrome – she’s often glad to be caged.
That is, until things flip on their head when the King allies with another court and she is finally freed from her cage, or at least somewhat…
I get hints of a Throne of Glass type of story here – as the main character slowly realises her potential, or at least, we grow to understand it. I’m intrigued to know where this story goes in the rest of the series.
I Know Where She Is by S. B. Caves – 7/10
Wow, this definitely lives up to the thriller name! This was dark, twisty and twisted. I read it in a single sitting one evening as it was very gripping.
Francine’s daughter, Autumn, was abducted as a little girl, and years later, she (of course!) still hasn’t come to terms with it or accepted it. One day a note appears through her door saying “I know where she is”. When the note writer comes forward, it becomes quite clear that it’s on Francine’s head alone to chase down the real truth about what happened to her daughter.
I’d give this 3.75 stars, so rounded up to 4 – it’s a good, fast-paced read, but ultimately, if you asked me about it in 4 or 5 years time, I’d struggle to distinguish it from other similar thrillers without a few reminders about the plot.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a review copy of this book.
The House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau – 8/10
A magical dysfunctional family, a horrific disease, and a whole lot of secrets – what’s not to love?
Edira is an apothecary in a village, however she has a secret magical talent that very few know about – she is a threadmender. While this can cure far more than her natural remedies, using this talent snips her life a little shorter every time, so she keeps this hidden. There is one thing that she cannot heal though: the blight which ravages her world. Her parents have already died, so when her two brothers, her entire world, contract the disease, she’ll do anything to save them – even make a deal with the powerful fae family who rule over their village. The head of the household, Orin moves her to their greepy gothic castle where she works and trains with this terrifying but brilliant family to attempt to find a cure for the blight, but of course, things are never so straight forward as that!
Family drama hits differently when magic and life-or-death stakes are involved!
This book had excellent vibes – as I mentioned, gothic and creepy, but a little bit “cottagecore”. The magic system was a nice touch. The characters were well-formed, aside from a couple, however it becomes clear later when they reveal more why they may have seemed more flat throughout. They certainly put the “fun” in “dysfunctional” – a quarrelling magical family is not one to be reckoned with! Ywena, a magical moth companion, is a special highlight in the story too!
I’m so torn between 4 and 5 stars here – the book instantly had me hooked, but there were parts in the middle where I just wanted it to move a little bit quicker, then the last third, I absolutely could not have put it down if I tried!
There was romance, and it was a hate to love kind of medium-slow burn, however I can’t say that the slow burn was done particularly well – there were moments that felt forced and I didn’t instantly feel the chemistry. There’s also something of a love triangle -I wouldn’t say that’s a spoiler as the hints of it begin almost immediately upon interacting in more depth with the characters. There are parts of this that are cleverly done and hint towards what’s to come, so I enjoyed these parts.
I’d definitely recommend this and am looking forward to the next installment – don’t worry, it’s not too much of a cliffhanger ending!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a review copy of this book.
The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden – 7.5/10
I read The Housemaid in one sitting last year while on holiday, so I decided I’d do the same with The Housemaid’s Secret this year! I was reading a non-fiction when we boarded the plane and, while this was a good read, I needed something a little less taxing on the brain during a fairly chaotic plane journey (I was sitting with our 3 year old!). This did just the job, and I still managed to finish it in just that plane journey too!
I enjoyed the read – it had all the hallmarks of a good Freida McFadden thriller, but I knocked it down a star as it wasn’t quite as good as the first one for me. The storyline was somehow a bit more forgettable. Worth a read, a good second in the series – I’m planning to read the next one next time I need a quick easy read one day.
