joymargot's reviews
99 reviews

Bitter Honey by Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström

3.0

On (e)paper, this sounded like exactly my sort of thing as I love a multi-generational story but unfortunately this wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

I appreciate this is a very subjective criticism but as I couldn’t be less interested in Eurovision or football (they weren’t mentioned in the blurb), I found it difficult to invest in Tina and Seb’s storylines initially.

I was most intrigued by Tina and Nancy’s relationship but a lot more page space is dedicated to their toxic romantic relationships. As well as the expected discomfort of the romances themselves, I found the writing of the intimate scenes really off-putting and references to “perky breasts” and “panties” felt like they’d come from a male author.

Criticisms aside, this was a speedy read and I enjoyed how Swedish, Wolof and Mandinka as well as real-life cultural events were woven throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the eARC.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Drug abuse, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Trans and Disabled: An Anthology of Identities and Experiences by Alex Iantaffi

4.0

Trans & Disabled brings together a collection of insightful, raw and moving stories, essays, plays and poems sharing the intersection of trans and disabled identifies. A must-read for anyone who identifies as trans and/or disabled, or those wanting to expand their understanding.

As with any anthology, some pieces resonated with me more than others. I’m cis and disabled with low support needs, and there was much I could relate to as well as new-to-me knowledge and perspectives. I devoured it over the course of a weekend but will definitely return to some of my favourite pieces to savour them in more detail.

While there is diversity amongst the contributors, there’s unfortunately a disappointing lack of pieces by trans women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the eARC.

Goddess Complex: A Novel by Sanjena Sathian

5.0

This starts with the classic tale of a chaotic FMC going through a tough time, but really comes into its own when the strange occurrences start ramping up and we dive headfirst into psychological thriller vibes with a side helping of feminist satire and black comedy.

The unravelling of the truth is delightfully unsettling and was an unexpectedly perfect backdrop for Sathian’s insightful commentary on childbearing and the right to choose.

Adding Gold Diggers to my TBR immediately!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Press for the eARC.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Abortion, and Gaslighting

There is a brief reference to an Israeli character who served in the IDF.

Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj

4.0

I didn’t realise this was a collection of interconnected short stories before diving in, but the format worked really well. The only downside was that I kinda wanted a full novel about each of the families! Also, I wish Marcus wasn’t a cop, urgh 😒

Gorgeous writing and great character development for such a short book with a large cast.

Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer

5.0

Braiding Sweetgrass was one of my absolute favourite reads of the year and it was lovely to round out 2024 with more from Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Unsurprisingly, Gathering Moss takes a deep dive into the world of moss, but as with Braiding Sweetgrass, science is seamlessly woven with indigenous teachings and tales from RWK’s personal life.

I perhaps didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Braiding Sweetgrass but it was still a fantastic read, and I’m excited to dive into The Serviceberry soon.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

4.0

This took me a little while to get in to - I’m not sure if it was a slow start or because I read it in dribs and drabs - but once I read a good chunk in one go, I was hooked!

It’s pretty hard to say anything about it without spoilers but if you’re a fan of dystopian sci-fi and murder mysteries, you’ll love it! I was convinced I had the ending sussed but there were so many twists and turns in the last few chapters.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for the ARC.

Juniper's Christmas by Eoin Colfer

3.0

While I was pleasantly surprised to see so many important topics covered in a book aimed at children, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me and the middle section really dragged. I appreciate the irony of criticising a children’s story for being silly but some of the humour (such as the Madden’s names) felt rather dumbed down compared to the overall tone.

Still, I didn’t have a bad time with it and I appreciated the ethnically diverse characters and the important messages about houselessness. I shall pass my copy onto a more age-appropriate reader!

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

4.0

I knew absolutely nothing about this but it caught my eye because I love stationery and wow, what a great find! It’s a beautiful tale of love and family set against the backdrop of 1950s Iran. It was so refreshing to read a romance without spicy scenes too. No shade to those who enjoy them, it’s just not my journey.

As others have remarked, some of the character development feels a bit thin on the ground but the imagery is so rich and immersive.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

4.0

This took me a while to get in to and had it not been recommended by a friend with great taste, I may not have persevered…

…but boy howdy am I glad I did! Such a bleak but utterly immersive read! It was incredibly thoroughly researched and I loved reading more about Kent’s inspiration and process at the end.

The perfect book for cold and grey weather!

Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop by Kenji Ueda

5.0

I absolutely adored this! Cosy Japanese novels with cats on the cover are often my favourites but this one was particularly delightful. Thankfully, it lacked the somewhat frustrating repetitive nature of similar stories…I’m looking at you, Before the Coffee Gets Cold 👀

It’s sentimental and heartwarming in all the best ways and I loved the central theme of stationery that tied everyone’s stories together.

If you enjoyed this, check out What You Are Looking For is in the Library, The Kamogawa Food Detectives and The Bookshop Woman.

I’m dreaming of a film or tv show made by the creators of The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House 🥰

Thank you to Manilla Press for sending me a copy for review.