For anyone that doesn’t know me, I am a massive foodie, always have been. I love to try new food, and I also love cooking and baking. I also happen to love foodie fiction. In fact, one of my favourite books I go back to time and time again is Food of Love by Anthony Capella. So, when I saw that our upcoming podcast guest, Jenn Bouchard wrote a book called First Course, I couldn’t resist jumping in.
I am very proud to have been a part of Siobhan Macgowan’s book tour for her debut novel, The Trial of Lotta Rae which I loved and once again I get the pleasure of hosting her new book here at Lizzieslittlebooknook. Thanks to Siobhan and Welbeck for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
When it comes to books, if you tell me that it is set in Ireland and is either historical or based on historical events, I will jump straight on it. Having a strong Irish heritage, I greatly enjoy broadening my knowledge of the country’s dark and often troubled past, which often affected my ancestors. The Graces is one such book.
My first experience with a book by TJ Klune was Under the Whispering door, which I adored. Then I read House on the Cerulean Sea after it was recommended to me, and it became my favourite read of 2021. So when he has a new book out, I can’t help but jump on the band wagon. Thanks to Netgalley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wolf Song is the first book in the Green Creek Series and is about Ox, a 16 year old who has always been told by his father he will amount to nothing and that he is stupid. He is told it so much that he believes it. Then the Bennett pack moves in next door, and they hold a deep secret. They are shapeshifters. Ox is launched into a whole other world he never imagined possible and discovers perhaps he is more than his father told him.
Ok, so TJ Klune has done it again. This is a beautifully told, emotional, cosy read with adventure, love, family, secrets, and so much more. It is a story of self-discovery and of self belief. It is also the perfect example of found family.
Klune always has this way of imbuing his worlds with so much emotion, which comes out and leaks into your heart and soul. Wolf Song is one of those books that will stick with you for a while, and I’m very excited for book 2.
It is a big book, and it is slightly slower paced at times, but this story embraces you in a big warming hug and doesn’t let you go. Just like The House in the Cerulean Sea, we meet some great characters you can’t help but fall in love with.
But the main character, Ox, is everything a main character should be. He is complex. He is brave, but more importantly, he is real and raw. He has flaws, and he is far from perfect, but this makes him all the more interesting. Having spent his whole life being told he is dumb and won’t amount to anything, all it takes is one young boy, Joe, to help him see that he should never believe everything his father told him. Thus, we see Ox embark on a journey of self-discovery, which will make you feel every emotion.
The supporting character and said young boy, Joe, is also a wonderful addition to the story. We first meet this young boy when he runs up to Ox, all innocent and happy. He comes across as bubbly, fun, light-hearted, and a ray of sunshine, but there is much more to Joe than meets the eye, and as we get to know him we learn just what he has had to overcome at such a young age.
I read this book as part of our Speaking LITerally Podcast Book Club. If you would like to listen to our discussion (there are spoilers in the episode), you can listen to the podcast episode here.
Wow, where do I start. If you have ever physically picked up or read 11.22.63, you will know how much of a beast this book is. At 740 pages it is not necessarily an abnormally big book for Stephen King (have you seen how big It is?) But, from the King novels I have read so far, it is the book which has been the most thought provoking and has left me with a lot to say, but I will try not to ramble on too much.
It’s time for another indie author, and this time, it is one whom you may recognise as we have had her on our Speaking LITerally Podcast about a year and a half ago. She also recently returned to talk about this book, her next novel, which comes out today on Amazon and tomorrow (25th April) everywhere else.
Her first two novels were part of a series, with the first one called Another Beast’s Skin, which if you are a fan of fantasy and haven’t read it, do yourself a favour and get it and read it. However, Stars Like Gasoline has a brand new set of characters and features a missing Japanese artist, ghosts, an international art scandal, and a stalker among many other things. What else could you want?
Continue reading “Book Review – Stars like Gasoline by Jessika Grewe Glover”
The next review of the year, is something a bit different from my other reads so far of 2023. This time we are dabbling in a bit of murder mystery with The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.
For my secret Santa present at work I received the third book in the series, The bullet that missed, but problem is, I hadn’t read the previous two, and being the sort of person I am, I had to go back to the beginning so I picked this up one day in town.
The Thursday Murder Club is about a group on pensioners living in a retirement complex. When a newcomer appears by the name of Joyce, who is an ex-nurse the group decide to invite her to the Thursday murder club to discuss previous cold cases and try and spot potential leads or clues that the police didn’t pick up on. Basically, they each become a version of Sherlock Holmes.
I have been a big fan of Leigh Bardugo ever since I read Shadow and Bone and then proceeded to read all of her books.
So when I heard she had an adult fantasy book called Ninth House out, I had to read it, and guess what? I loved it as well!!
Then, she goes ahead and announces the sequel to Ninth House, and of course, I have to jump right on it. In fact, I started it the day I picked it up.
Hell Bent starts off where we left Alex and all the other characters. She still attends Yale and is still trying to find a way to free Darlington. The adventures that follow are intense, fun filled, and thrilling. It does start off slow, but once it picks up pace, it doesn’t ease up and will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end.
With C.T Ortega, you can always be guaranteed that you will be immersed in this epic fantasy world of myths, legends and lore. We have already travelled to Greece, China, and even to the depths of hell itself. But this time, we travel to Israel, where we are thrown into the traditional biblical story of David and Goliath.
In this version, our main protagonist, Ash, tries to rebel against the Philistines and, in particular, Goliath’s brothers after David slays the giant. But things go wrong, and instead of Ash succeeding, he ends up missing his shot, and his family and village pay for it with their lives. He too then receives a fatal blow but is brought back to life. He believes this was God’s way of wanting him to avenge his family.
20 years later, he returns to his village to seek out his father and, more importantly, finish the job and seek his justice.
But his father has long since fled and in his place is a wise old man called Ibrahim and his family whom we meet at the start of Sabbath. So begins Ash’s adventure…
Ok, this year I am going to try my best at keeping on top of book reviews, or at the very least, review every other book. Last year started good but slipped off about halfway.
But, anyway enough about that, it’s time for my review of the FIRST book I read in 2023.
The Toll is the 3rd book in the Arc of a Scythe trilogy, and for all those who haven’t heard of this series, it is a dystopian novel set in the future where all major issues have been have solved such as world hunger, poverty, crime, illness and natural death. This was partly due to what we know today as the cloud and what they now call the Thunderhead. Think AI with a crazy smart brain and processing power we cannot even begin to fathom. Thunderhead has solved all problems using technology called Nanites, which are implemented into your body and can help control mood swings and certain tendencies such as the urge to kill or injure someone as well as control the population. This is how the Thunderhead has eradicated all crime.
Continue reading “Book Review – The Toll by Neil Shusterman”
Have you ever judged a book by it’s title? I won’t lie I saw this title on netgalley and requested it straight away. I only read the blurb after requesting. It just sounded like a funny read and I’m glad I did. Thanks to Netgalley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have always been into thrillers and Crime shows and this book is basically the female, less serious, more comedic equivalent of Dexter.
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