wordsofclover's reviews
1971 reviews

Joyland by Stephen King

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The King of Crows by Libba Bray

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? No

3.5

Content Warnings

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Marion is tired. Tired of her industrial city of Prane, pumping out smog into the dirty streets, and especially tired of working as a maid for hardly any money and returning to the slums every night. So when Marion spots a notice looking for Bloodmaid, despite the views of friends and families that she is selling herself, she takes the opportunity to escape the drudgery of her life. When Marion arrives in the House of Hunger, she is immediately initiated into the political hierarchy of Bloodmaids and finds herself vying for the top spot, and the love of her mistress Lisavet.

I really love Alexis Henderson's writing and this book definitely sealed it for me. This is vampy and horrifying in all the right ways, with a perfect level of blood, violence combined with just the right amounts of sexiness.

The world Marion lives in what very much feels like a post Civil-War era US, separated into North and South with both areas divided on behaviour and views. There's not a lot of world building but just enough that we learn about the bigger differences between North and South, and how much it takes for someone to be able to travel between them.

I went into this blood initially believing that it was about some kind of vampiric creature using bloodmaids - but the truth that it (appears) to be normal people is almost even more horrifying. As is the reality that this world Marion lives in is run by blood in almost every matter - including the train which is run on 'blood fuel'. A lot of Marion's experience in the House of Hunger has a hazy, almost dream like quality as she is taken in with the wealth, the food and the comfort while almost daily being bled in payment.

I don't think there was a huge amount in this book that really shocked me - you can kind of figure out what must be happening and what kind of dark secrets the house is holding. I did like the showdown and it all the right amount of tension to keep me gripped.

Content Warnings

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

Go to review page

funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Go to review page

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Carrie Soto is 37 years old, and is ready to return to the game of tennis she retired from several years earlier to take back her titles and record from new hotshot Nicki Chan. But Carrie 'The Battleaxe' Soto was known for being cold and ruthless in her game, and while the tennis world is excited she's back, there are many waiting to see her fail.

This was so so good. This book easily surpassed Malibu Rising for me in terms of enjoyment and reached my top tier of TJR fiction. She does what she does best in this book, creating a persona that feels so real, you want to look up Carrie Soto and watch those famous matches back, or go to a store and buy Javier Soto's book 'The Beautiful Fundamentals'.

I loved Carrie's character - she is cold in many ways because she is so serious about what she does. She knows what she wants, and how to get it - even if it means hurting the people around her to do it - which has happened in the past. She holds herself very closely, and is afraid to let anyone close enough to hurt her - especially if this is a romantic interest. But as Carrie's journey to another Grand Slam goes through a series of ups and downs, we see so much character growth as Carrie starts to really examine what is important for her and why winning is everything for her - and most importantly, what comes after this?

I'm not a massive tennis fan - though I genuinely think I might be now, and next time Wimbledon or the US Open is on, I will be a lot more likely to sit down and watch the matches. The matches were so exciting, and I loved the real time playback from Carrie as she was in the middle and the moment she knew she was going to win versus when she realised she was going to lose.

One of my favourite elements in this book is the father-daughter relationship between Carrie and her dad/coach Javier. I loved how much he loved her and supported her but the relationship wasn't without its difficulties especially when Jav said things Carrie wasn't prepared to hear - and the heartbreak that followed those moments when Carrie wasn't mature enough to work through them properly.

This book had me on the edge of my seat, making me feel like I was part of the crowd watching the US Open as Carrie and Nicki faced off against each other.

Kala by Colin Walsh

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

When Mush, Helen and Joe all find themselves back in their hometown of Kinlough (or in Mush's instance, he never left), they are haunted by memories of their intense friendship as teenagers and their relationship with Kala who disappeared when she was 15, leaving devastation and confusion in her wake. When a body is found on a building site and confirmed to be Kala, everything her friends thought they knew is thrown into the air and questions need to be answered.

This was brilliant reading for me. The story is so tight, and the writing superb - I loved how Colin Walsh was able to build this town of Kinlough which, during certain times of the year, is busy and rowdy due to heavy tourism but sleepy at other times. The feeling of the story is tense, and it has so much atmosphere and with the past storyline leading up to Halloween, this book has all the vibes you want for autumnal reading without being 'in your face' about it.

I loved the characters and how well we got to know them - mysterious but insecure ands vulnerable Kala, Helen who appears cold but is full of heart, Aidan the exact type of brash, vulgar teenager you see everywhere but is actually hiding a world of hurt and abuse inside of him, Joe who is handsome and successful in the eyes of others but is actually a coward and then Mush, sweet Mush who is kind and courageous, and loves fiercely.

This isn't a mystery book that is about the 'whodunnit' but it's more of a brilliant gaze at the town of Kinlough itself, how it's run and who really holds all the power and the money. It also looks at the intensity that is teenage friendship and first love - those hazy, mad days you can run around town with no expectations or responsibilities in a way you're never able to replicate as you get older and life changes you, hardens you.

The book also in a way explored misogyny from the expectations men and young boys may have on women in their lives, and the dangerous way of this thinking - as well as the type of slurs men will use to hurt and belittle the women in their lives. I absolutely loved the gentle friendship Mush had with the girls (both past and present) and the gorgeous picture of a young guy enjoying being around the softness and silliness of teenage girls and watching movies, doing hair etc without it being romantic or sexual. It was really nice.

I couldn't rip my eyes away from this story as we reached the conclusion and the reveals and everything broke my heart in a myriad of ways. I can't say I'm completely happy about some of the questions that remained by the ending but I just thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Content Warnings