13rebecca13's reviews
385 reviews
The Rule of Three by Sophie Snow
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love love loved this. I am in love with the characters and just absolutely devoured it.
Tessa is a songwriter and has just split up from her abusive older rockstar boyfriend. She wrote most of his songs and following the break-up, she is lost. Whilst in a bookstore after just moving to New York, she bumps into River and they end up having a one night stand. Her life is upside down at the moment so she flees, but River can't stop thinking about her.
River, a romance author writing under a pen name, and Cass, a model, are in their late thirties and River has been in love with Cass for almost his whole life. Cass could never properly commit but they have remained best friends (with some no strings attached benefits). Soon they discover who their new neighbour is - Tessa.
The three of them navigate their feelings for each other and embark on a relationship. What I loved most about this book was following the journey that all three of them go through. I fell totally in love with them and cared massively. I felt their sadness, confusion and happiness.
I love the diversity of the characters and their backstories were fully fleshed. It is spicy but absolutely beautiful too. I can't wait to read more by Sophie Snow.
Tessa is a songwriter and has just split up from her abusive older rockstar boyfriend. She wrote most of his songs and following the break-up, she is lost. Whilst in a bookstore after just moving to New York, she bumps into River and they end up having a one night stand. Her life is upside down at the moment so she flees, but River can't stop thinking about her.
River, a romance author writing under a pen name, and Cass, a model, are in their late thirties and River has been in love with Cass for almost his whole life. Cass could never properly commit but they have remained best friends (with some no strings attached benefits). Soon they discover who their new neighbour is - Tessa.
The three of them navigate their feelings for each other and embark on a relationship. What I loved most about this book was following the journey that all three of them go through. I fell totally in love with them and cared massively. I felt their sadness, confusion and happiness.
I love the diversity of the characters and their backstories were fully fleshed. It is spicy but absolutely beautiful too. I can't wait to read more by Sophie Snow.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
As a woman in my early thirties, I was a huge fan on Britney Spears as a child. I remember my parents buying me the ...Baby One More Time album when I was seven years old and I was instantly obsessed.
Like many people who loved to absorb pop culture and celebrity news, I have followed her online for years and I was eager to read The Woman In Me upon its release to hear Britney's story from her point of view.
She recalls major events in her life from her childhood, the Mickey Mouse Club, her relationships, the birth of her sons and her conservatorship. There is no doubt that she has had a tough life and it is an essential read for any Britney fan. Good for her for sharing her story and I hope being free from her conservatorship brings peace.
Like many people who loved to absorb pop culture and celebrity news, I have followed her online for years and I was eager to read The Woman In Me upon its release to hear Britney's story from her point of view.
She recalls major events in her life from her childhood, the Mickey Mouse Club, her relationships, the birth of her sons and her conservatorship. There is no doubt that she has had a tough life and it is an essential read for any Britney fan. Good for her for sharing her story and I hope being free from her conservatorship brings peace.
Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout
dark
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I very rarely read historical fiction but I always make an exception for books about Mary Shelley. I've read two others this year (Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill and Reproduction by Louisa Hall) and I really enjoyed them so I was excited for this take.
Mary; or the Birth of Frankenstein is told from two timelines. In 1816, Mary, her husband Percy, their baby son and stepsister Claire, are at the residence of Lord Byron at Lake Geneva where there are fellow poets in attendance. They begin to exchange ghost stories. When challenged to write the best horror story, Mary remembers another time in her life, four years earlier in Dundee, Scotland where she joins the Baxter family, instantly having a rapport with Isabella, the daughter who is still in grieving after losing her mother.
The family exchange stories in a similar way, these can be fiction or non-fiction. Mary takes things that have happened on her adventures and embellishes them a little. The girls spend their time outdoors and eventually happen upon a monster of sorts and they debate what is true. The relationship grows deeper between Mary and Isabella but Isabella's brother-in-law Mr Booth, who Mary has her doubts about, has been watching them. This encourages Mary Shelley to write her famous Frankenstein novel.
This is translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson and it is just absolutely gorgeous. I fell so quickly into the story and I actually had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction. In true gothic style, you have that sinister feeling right from the beginning and it flows beautifully. You feel a real change in Mary in just four short years, especially after losing a child rising. It is dark, moody and just stunning.
Mary; or the Birth of Frankenstein is told from two timelines. In 1816, Mary, her husband Percy, their baby son and stepsister Claire, are at the residence of Lord Byron at Lake Geneva where there are fellow poets in attendance. They begin to exchange ghost stories. When challenged to write the best horror story, Mary remembers another time in her life, four years earlier in Dundee, Scotland where she joins the Baxter family, instantly having a rapport with Isabella, the daughter who is still in grieving after losing her mother.
The family exchange stories in a similar way, these can be fiction or non-fiction. Mary takes things that have happened on her adventures and embellishes them a little. The girls spend their time outdoors and eventually happen upon a monster of sorts and they debate what is true. The relationship grows deeper between Mary and Isabella but Isabella's brother-in-law Mr Booth, who Mary has her doubts about, has been watching them. This encourages Mary Shelley to write her famous Frankenstein novel.
This is translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson and it is just absolutely gorgeous. I fell so quickly into the story and I actually had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction. In true gothic style, you have that sinister feeling right from the beginning and it flows beautifully. You feel a real change in Mary in just four short years, especially after losing a child rising. It is dark, moody and just stunning.
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Can I have more please, Brynne Weaver?
I caught wind of Butcher & Blackbird on TikTok and as soon as I heard that Joe Arden was the narrator for the male main character, I knew I had to get an audiobook version. I was not expecting Joe Arden with an Irish accent. Hailing from the island of Ireland myself, this was a nice surprise.
Rowan Kane finds Sloane Sutherland in a cage next to a dead body. He soon realises that she is the Orb Weaver, a serial killer who he had admired from afar, with him being a serial killer too. Rowan becomes infatuated with Sloane and after releasing her from the cage, he suggests a game. Every year they will meet up for a friendly and competitive spot of killing. He is desperate for a reason to continue seeing her.
Weaver has developed such perfect characters and the slow burn was incredible. Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden brought them to life and I loved the fact that it is recorded as a duet. Never has a book caused me to have such a visceral reaction. I laughed out loud at some really great comedic prose, I giggled, I kicked my legs and flapped my arms.
This is a dark romance novel between two serial killers and the content warnings list is loooong. There are quite a few taboo subjects mentioned, such as cannibalism (I will never eat ice cream again) as well as some very explicit spicy scenes. I highly recommend listening to the audio version. I will however be purchasing the paperback copy when it's out in December because I am DESPERATE to get tabbing, highlighting and annotating.
If you like he falls first, "touch him/her and you die", this is for you. Perfect.
I caught wind of Butcher & Blackbird on TikTok and as soon as I heard that Joe Arden was the narrator for the male main character, I knew I had to get an audiobook version. I was not expecting Joe Arden with an Irish accent. Hailing from the island of Ireland myself, this was a nice surprise.
Rowan Kane finds Sloane Sutherland in a cage next to a dead body. He soon realises that she is the Orb Weaver, a serial killer who he had admired from afar, with him being a serial killer too. Rowan becomes infatuated with Sloane and after releasing her from the cage, he suggests a game. Every year they will meet up for a friendly and competitive spot of killing. He is desperate for a reason to continue seeing her.
Weaver has developed such perfect characters and the slow burn was incredible. Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden brought them to life and I loved the fact that it is recorded as a duet. Never has a book caused me to have such a visceral reaction. I laughed out loud at some really great comedic prose, I giggled, I kicked my legs and flapped my arms.
This is a dark romance novel between two serial killers and the content warnings list is loooong. There are quite a few taboo subjects mentioned, such as cannibalism (I will never eat ice cream again) as well as some very explicit spicy scenes. I highly recommend listening to the audio version. I will however be purchasing the paperback copy when it's out in December because I am DESPERATE to get tabbing, highlighting and annotating.
If you like he falls first, "touch him/her and you die", this is for you. Perfect.
The List by Yomi Adegoke
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As soon as I heard about the release of this book, I knew I'd have to read it as soon as possible because I was very interested in the topic, having read plenty of Me Too books in the past. I would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook version, narrated by Sheila Atim and Arinzé Kene, as well as the Q&A with Sheila and Yomi afterwards.
Ola Olajide, a journalist at Womxxxn is due to marry Michael Koranteng, a podcaster who has just been hired at CuRated. The two are a power couple with social media claiming them to be the pinnacle of Black love.
On Michael's first day at his new job, an anonymous list is posted online naming and shaming creators and people of power who have been abusive. Michael's name is on The List. Normally, feminist Ola would be all over this but when she realises that her fiancé has been named, she is torn.
I don't like a miscommunication trope and I felt the whole way through that if Michael had just spoken to Ola, all of this could have been sorted sooner. However, the novel does open up a lot of discussion and debate around just how trustworthy the internet can be, the effects of trolling and gossip-fodder websites as well as what you would do if a man in your life was accused. Would you then be seen as an enabler or apologist?
The characters really came to life with Atim and Kene's narration and there were a few things I thought weren't developed enough such as their backgrounds, and I struggled to believe their "Instagram-famous" status. I also would have liked the book to end before (trying to keep this spoiler free!) Jackie's part but I do understand why it was done.
I really enjoyed the differences in how Ola and Michael's friends rally around them during this time. They are done in very different ways which was eye-opening. An entertaining read and I read that it will be adapted for TV which I think will work well.
Ola Olajide, a journalist at Womxxxn is due to marry Michael Koranteng, a podcaster who has just been hired at CuRated. The two are a power couple with social media claiming them to be the pinnacle of Black love.
On Michael's first day at his new job, an anonymous list is posted online naming and shaming creators and people of power who have been abusive. Michael's name is on The List. Normally, feminist Ola would be all over this but when she realises that her fiancé has been named, she is torn.
I don't like a miscommunication trope and I felt the whole way through that if Michael had just spoken to Ola, all of this could have been sorted sooner. However, the novel does open up a lot of discussion and debate around just how trustworthy the internet can be, the effects of trolling and gossip-fodder websites as well as what you would do if a man in your life was accused. Would you then be seen as an enabler or apologist?
The characters really came to life with Atim and Kene's narration and there were a few things I thought weren't developed enough such as their backgrounds, and I struggled to believe their "Instagram-famous" status. I also would have liked the book to end before (trying to keep this spoiler free!) Jackie's part but I do understand why it was done.
I really enjoyed the differences in how Ola and Michael's friends rally around them during this time. They are done in very different ways which was eye-opening. An entertaining read and I read that it will be adapted for TV which I think will work well.
Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wanted to read Delicate Condition because I'd heard that it was the inspiration behind the latest series of American Horror Story (Delicate). As a fan of the show, I knew I'd like it.
Anna Alcott is an actress who is struggling to conceive. Whilst going through IVF with husband Dex, strange things are happening. Someone is going into her online calendar and changing appointment times, medications that need to be refrigerated are found on the kitchen counter even though Anna knows she put them away. Her husband Dex doesn't quite believe Anna but she knows someone must be trying to stop her from becoming pregnant.
As the story goes on it gets increasingly creepy and sinister. Anna trusts no one and her pregnancy symptoms are exacerbated to the extreme and you can feel her going slightly insane. She believes it isn't a baby inside her, it's a monster.
There are real cult/witchy vibes to this book and the ending was just perfect. I am excited to see how the adaptation compares!
Anna Alcott is an actress who is struggling to conceive. Whilst going through IVF with husband Dex, strange things are happening. Someone is going into her online calendar and changing appointment times, medications that need to be refrigerated are found on the kitchen counter even though Anna knows she put them away. Her husband Dex doesn't quite believe Anna but she knows someone must be trying to stop her from becoming pregnant.
As the story goes on it gets increasingly creepy and sinister. Anna trusts no one and her pregnancy symptoms are exacerbated to the extreme and you can feel her going slightly insane. She believes it isn't a baby inside her, it's a monster.
There are real cult/witchy vibes to this book and the ending was just perfect. I am excited to see how the adaptation compares!
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read this book simply because I'd heard a lot about it but I didn't know what to expect.
Miri and Leah are a married couple and we learn that Leah has recently returned from a deep-sea mission on a submersible for work. Whilst away, she and her two colleagues lost contact and were essentially missing under the water for five months.
Leah is now back home with Miri but it isn't the Leah that Miri is used to. Something happened.
The novel is told from the points of view of Miri in present day and how Leah's return has changed her and how it is affecting her. She reminisces about their old life together. We also have Leah's point of view on the submersible.
This book is absolutely beautiful. The prose is stunning and you have the mix of magic realism (something that I didn't think I liked) and an emotive story. Leah and Miri's relationship was beautiful and you really felt for Miri due to the change in her wife since her return. It is moving, touching and sad. I loved it.
Miri and Leah are a married couple and we learn that Leah has recently returned from a deep-sea mission on a submersible for work. Whilst away, she and her two colleagues lost contact and were essentially missing under the water for five months.
Leah is now back home with Miri but it isn't the Leah that Miri is used to. Something happened.
The novel is told from the points of view of Miri in present day and how Leah's return has changed her and how it is affecting her. She reminisces about their old life together. We also have Leah's point of view on the submersible.
This book is absolutely beautiful. The prose is stunning and you have the mix of magic realism (something that I didn't think I liked) and an emotive story. Leah and Miri's relationship was beautiful and you really felt for Miri due to the change in her wife since her return. It is moving, touching and sad. I loved it.
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Perfect Child is a book that has been on my radar since it came out and I honestly do not know why I kept putting it off. I recently read Berry's novel Saving Noah which pushed me to finally read this.
Hannah and Christopher Bauer are a married couple in their early forties who have been struggling to conceive. She is a nurse and he is an orthopaedic surgeon. Just when they have decided to give up on having a biological baby of their own and go down the adoption route, a child is brought into the hospital after being found wandering around on her own.
Janie is six years old but due to her malnourishment, she looks more like a toddler. It is obvious that she has been severely abused and neglected. Janie instantly takes a liking to "Doctor Chris" and eventually Hannah and Christopher decide to adopt her.
Lucinda Berry's writing is absolutely brilliant. She really gets into your head and I have found with both books of hers that I have read so far, that I get into a mental battle inside by brain due to the subject matter. This novel really digs deep into how looking after a child with such complex needs as Janie's can affect the caregivers.
I love that it's told from the points of view of both Hannah and Christopher but also from their social worker Piper whilst she is being questioned by police. You know something terrible has happened and are therefore chasing the revelation.
It lost a star for me due to the ending. I found it very abrupt and I needed to know what was going to happen next. I believe there is a short novella which is a follow up so I will definitely be reading that too. Trigger warnings for child abuse and animal abuse.
Hannah and Christopher Bauer are a married couple in their early forties who have been struggling to conceive. She is a nurse and he is an orthopaedic surgeon. Just when they have decided to give up on having a biological baby of their own and go down the adoption route, a child is brought into the hospital after being found wandering around on her own.
Janie is six years old but due to her malnourishment, she looks more like a toddler. It is obvious that she has been severely abused and neglected. Janie instantly takes a liking to "Doctor Chris" and eventually Hannah and Christopher decide to adopt her.
Lucinda Berry's writing is absolutely brilliant. She really gets into your head and I have found with both books of hers that I have read so far, that I get into a mental battle inside by brain due to the subject matter. This novel really digs deep into how looking after a child with such complex needs as Janie's can affect the caregivers.
I love that it's told from the points of view of both Hannah and Christopher but also from their social worker Piper whilst she is being questioned by police. You know something terrible has happened and are therefore chasing the revelation.
It lost a star for me due to the ending. I found it very abrupt and I needed to know what was going to happen next. I believe there is a short novella which is a follow up so I will definitely be reading that too. Trigger warnings for child abuse and animal abuse.
Supper For Six by Fiona Sherlock
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love crime fiction and mystery novels but I didn't know what to expect with Supper For Six.
Supper For Six is told as though it is a podcast and is split into episodes. In 1977, Sybil Anderson hosts a dinner party, inviting six specific people there, under the pretence that her husband, Lord Anthony Anderson, had disappeared. Whilst at the party, there are air raid sirens and the radio announces that everyone must stay inside but soon enough, one member of the party is dead. The killer must be amongst the guests.
It is now 2023 and Felix Caerphilly is looking back into the case on his podcast, Supper For Six.
I really enjoyed the format of this novel, the podcast aspect plus tape recording transcripts from an investigator who was in attendance at the dinner party. There were a lot of twists with everyone harbouring secrets. I did find a few bits unbelievable but they made for an entertaining read that had me glued until the very end.
Supper For Six is told as though it is a podcast and is split into episodes. In 1977, Sybil Anderson hosts a dinner party, inviting six specific people there, under the pretence that her husband, Lord Anthony Anderson, had disappeared. Whilst at the party, there are air raid sirens and the radio announces that everyone must stay inside but soon enough, one member of the party is dead. The killer must be amongst the guests.
It is now 2023 and Felix Caerphilly is looking back into the case on his podcast, Supper For Six.
I really enjoyed the format of this novel, the podcast aspect plus tape recording transcripts from an investigator who was in attendance at the dinner party. There were a lot of twists with everyone harbouring secrets. I did find a few bits unbelievable but they made for an entertaining read that had me glued until the very end.
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Josie Silver writes the most beautiful novels and the combination of the backdrop, plot and characters made this feel super special.
Iris is in her early thirties and after fleeing from her toxic ex-boyfriend in London, she moves to New York. It was her late mother Vivien's favourite place and as she misses her greatly, she wants to feel closer to her.
Iris stumbles across a gelateria in Mulberry Street and recognises the outside from one of her mother's photographs. After plucking up the courage to enter, she meets Gio Belotti and the two develop a relationship. We learn that Vivien and Gio's family go back a long way but are not aware. As time goes by, Iris holds onto this secret but knows it will get worse as time goes on and the deeper in love she and Gio fall.
This book is just gorgeous. I loved every single character and the found family aspect was done beautifully. Definitely one to read around the festive season!
Iris is in her early thirties and after fleeing from her toxic ex-boyfriend in London, she moves to New York. It was her late mother Vivien's favourite place and as she misses her greatly, she wants to feel closer to her.
Iris stumbles across a gelateria in Mulberry Street and recognises the outside from one of her mother's photographs. After plucking up the courage to enter, she meets Gio Belotti and the two develop a relationship. We learn that Vivien and Gio's family go back a long way but are not aware. As time goes by, Iris holds onto this secret but knows it will get worse as time goes on and the deeper in love she and Gio fall.
This book is just gorgeous. I loved every single character and the found family aspect was done beautifully. Definitely one to read around the festive season!