Review - Gabriel’s Moon by William Boyd

 

 

 

 Title: Gabriel's Moon

Author: William Boyd

Pages: 263

Publisher: Viking

Release Date: 5th September 2024

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 In his most exhilarating novel yet, Britain’s greatest storyteller transports you from the vibrant streets of sixties London to the sun-soaked cobbles of Cadiz and the frosty squares of Warsaw, as an accidental spy is drawn into the shadows of espionage and obsession.

Gabriel Dax is a young man haunted by the memories of a every night, when sleep finally comes, he dreams about his childhood home in flames. His days are spent on the move as an acclaimed travel writer, capturing the changing landscapes in the grip of the Cold War. When he’s offered the chance to interview a political figure, his ambition leads him unwittingly into a web of duplicities and betrayals.

As Gabriel’s reluctant initiation takes hold, he is drawn deeper into the shadows. Falling under the spell of Faith Green, an enigmatic and ruthless MI6 handler, he becomes ‘her spy’, unable to resist her demands. But amid the peril, paranoia and passion consuming Gabriel’s new covert life, it will be the revelations closer to home that change the rest of his story. . .

  

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest. My thanks to Penguin General UK and NetGalley*

Travel writer Gabriel Moon is haunted by the fire that destroyed his childhood home and left his mother dead.

When Gabriel is offered the chance to interview a divisive political figure he accepts, not knowing that his life will never be the same again.

Drawn into a complicated web of international politics and spy agencies, Gabriel will have to do everything he can to come out alive.

I had never read any of the author's previous novels, but I'd been meaning to for a long time. So, when I heard that the author's latest release was about spies in the sixties, I was immediately intrigued.

Gabriel was a protagonist that I never warmed to. From the beginning, I found him to be quite naive and immature at times. My opinion of him only worsened as the book went on, when his behaviour became obsessive and extremely creepy.

The setting of the 1960's was interesting, especially as Gabriel travelled to several different places in Europe and historical events were mentioned.

The plot was enjoyable to begin with, and I liked the concept of an average normal person (though it's arguable that Gabriel was that) becoming embroiled in MI6 schemes. However, as the story went on, I found myself enjoying it less and less, mostly due to Gabriel's behaviour. However, I was also never fully absorbed or gripped, and there were some other elements of the book that didn't quite sit right with me as they seemed a bit off.

I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but I will give another of the author's books a try in the future.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

 

 

Review - Mysteries of Thorn Manor (#1.5) by Margaret Rogerson

 

 

 

Title: Mysteries of Thorn Manor (#1.5)

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Pages: 188

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK

Release Date: 17th January 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 In this sequel novella to the Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters looking for the gossip about the city’s most mysterious sorcerer, as well as the woman he’s now chosen to spend all this time with. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate’s wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping all the Manor’s occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that all of this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another…

With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas—along with their new maid Mercy—will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards. Not an easy task when the house is filled with a number of unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel’s ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.

  

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My Review:  

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's UK and NetGalley*

Elisabeth Scrivener is settling into life at Thorn Manor with Nathaniel and his demon, Silas.

Then one day, the manor's wards start to go haywire, trapping everyone inside.

Can Elisabeth and Nathaniel work together to restore the wards to normal in time to host the Midwinter Ball?

When I found out that there was a novella sequel/extended epilogue to Sorcery of Thorns, I was excited to read it as I really enjoyed the main book.

It was nice to return to the characters of Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas. I really like Elisabeth as a protagonist, and enjoyed her interactions with Nathaniel and Silas, and sorcery.

I found the story to be a little cheesy at times, and I wasn't as absorbed by what happened as I was with the main novel, but this was a fun addition that allowed the reader to briefly return to the world and characters. While it didn't necessarily add much overall to the main story, it also didn't take anything away from it, or try to change anything that had happened.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

 

Review - Tilt by Emma Pattee

 

 

 

Title: Tilt

Author: Emma Pattee

Pages: 233

Publisher: The Borough Press

Release Date: 4th March 2025

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Set over the course of one day, a heart-racing story about a woman facing the unimaginable, determined to find safety.

Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. With no way to reach her husband, no phone or money, and a city left in chaos, she realizes there’s nothing to do but walk.

Making her way across the wreckage of Portland, Annie experiences human desperation and kindness: strangers offering help, a riot at a grocery store, and an unlikely friendship with a young mother. As she walks, Annie reflects on her struggling marriage, her disappointing career, and her anxiety about having a baby. She’s determined to change her life if she can just make it home.

  

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley*

Annie is shopping for a crib at IKEA when there is a huge earthquake.

Nine months pregnant and having lost her phone and keys in the initial quake, Annie must somehow find her way to her husband.

The premise of this book intrigued me, because there couldn't really be a worse time for an earthquake, and I wanted to see what would happen to Annie.

The story is told in alternating chapters set in the past, and chapters set in the future. I enjoyed this as it meant I got to find out more about Annie, and what had led her to being where she was when the earthquake happened.

Annie was a relatable protagonist - she had given up her dreams and gotten an office job to pay the bills, and I felt sorry for her.

I would have liked to have explored Annie as a character more, as with this being not a very long novel, it felt to me that only the surface was scratched.

The plot was interesting and held my attention. I liked the mix of chapters in the past and present.

I do have mixed feelings about the ending, but I can see why the author chose to end the novel the way they did.

The writing was very easy to follow, and I almost found myself reading ahead to find out what happened.

I would read another book by the author.

Overall, this was a solid, enjoyable read.

 

 

 

DNF Review - Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

 

 

 

Title: Poor Things

Author: Alasdair Gray

Pages: 339

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Release Date: 1st August 2024

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 One of Alasdair Gray's most brilliant creations, Poor Things is a postmodern revision of Frankenstein that replaces the traditional monster with Bella Baxter - a beautiful young erotomaniac brought back to life with the brain of an infant. Godwin Baxter's scientific ambition to create the perfect companion is realized when he finds the drowned body of Bella, but his dream is thwarted by Dr. Archibald McCandless's jealous love for Baxter's creation.

The hilarious tale of love and scandal that ensues would be "the whole story" in the hands of a lesser author (which in fact it is, for this account is actually written by Dr. McCandless). For Gray, though, this is only half the story, after which Bella (a.k.a. Victoria McCandless) has her own say in the matter. Satirizing the classic Victorian novel, Poor Things is a hilarious political allegory and a thought-provoking duel between the desires of men and the independence of women, from one of Scotland's most accomplished author.

  

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My Review: 

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ)*

 

- DNF at 42% -

Doctor Godwin Baxter revives the body of a dead woman using the brain of her unborn baby, and names her Bella Baxter.

Godwin's friend Doctor McCandless meets Bella and instantly falls in love with her.

Both Godwin and McCandless have plans for Bella, but those are torn up when Bella takes matters into her own hands.

I hadn't heard of this book prior to the film adaptation, and while the concept is somewhat disturbing, I was intrigued to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I ended up not enjoying it and did stop reading at 42%.

Part of the book is told from the perspective of McCandless, who I didn't like - the first time he saw Bella he supposedly fell instantly in love with her and wanted to marry her. He knew nothing about Bella except what Godwin had told him.

I felt sorry for Bella, and the circumstances of her creation.

The Victorian setting was interesting.

The book is told from several perspectives and with some very long letters interspersed between these. It was during one of these long letters that I began to skim read. Not invested and uninterested in what was happening, I decided to stop reading. I don't think the writing style helped, as I didn't find it engaging.

I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this, but it really bothered me the way Bella was treated and portrayed.

Overall, this was not an enjoyable read.

 

 

Review - Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall

 

 

 

Title: Mortal Follies

Author: Alexis Hall

Pages: 400

Publisher: Del Rey

Release Date: 6th June 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A young noblewoman must join forces with a rumoured witch to conquer an ancient curse in this devilishly funny and heartwarming sapphic Regency romantasy from TikTok titan and bestselling author of Boyfriend Material Alexis Hall.

It is the year 1814 and Miss Maelys Mitchelmore finds her entry into the highest society of Bath hindered by an irritating curse. It begins innocuously enough, with her dress slowly unmaking itself over the course of an evening at the ball of the season, a scandal she only narrowly manages to escape.

However, as the curse progresses to more fatal proportions, she realises she must seek out urgent assistance, even if that means mixing with the most undesirable company-and there are few less desirable allies than the brooding Lady Georgiana Landrake-who may or may not have murdered her own father and brothers to inherit their fortune.

If one is to believe the gossip, she might be some kind of malign enchantress.
Then again, a malign enchantress might be exactly what Miss Mitchelmore needs.

 

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My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley*

Maelys Mitchelmore is a young lady enjoying her time in Bath society when strange things begin to happen to her. Maelys learns that someone has put a curse on her, and she must work with her friends to undo the curse before it is too late.

Maelys finds unexpected, and somewhat reluctant, help from Lady Georgiana Landrake, a young woman people avoid due to the strange deaths of Lady Georgiana's brothers and father, that rumour has it she caused.

Can Maelys undo the curse?

The premise for this book intrigued me, as I liked the mix of the historical setting with magic and a sapphic romance thrown in (this is not a spoiler as the book is promoted as a sapphic romantasy). However, I ended up being disappointed.

Maelys was an okay protagonist. I liked her for the most part, but I didn't feel that I really got to know her and she felt very flat to me.

I didn't like Lady Georgiana very much. I understand that she acted the way she did because of things that had happened to her in the past, but that didn't absolve her for me, even with the things Georgiana did to help Maelys.

Miss Bickle was probably my favourite character, although she did feel a bit like the comic relief at times.

The romance felt forced to me, and I couldn't feel the connection between the characters.

The story is told from the perspective of a hobgoblin, which was unique. However, this did make it hard to connect with the characters and with what was happening as it felt like I was on the outside, and clearly being told what was happening, instead of experiencing events with the characters.

The plot was mixed - I enjoyed it to begin with, but then I found myself losing interest. The pacing was a big problem for me, because something happened around halfway through that I was expecting to happen towards the end. Unfortunately, not much seemed to happen after that, and I did find myself skim reading a little to try and get to the end, as I was bored and not invested in the plot or characters at all.

I was disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

 

 

Review - The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry

 

 

 

 Title: The Magician's Daughter

Author: H.G. Parry

Pages: 372

Publisher: Orbit

 Release Date: 28th February 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Off the coast of Ireland sits a legendary island hidden by magic. A place of ruins and ancient trees, sea-salt air and fairy lore, Hy-Brasil is the only home Biddy has ever known. Washed up on its shore as a baby, Biddy lives a quiet life with her guardian, the mercurial magician Rowan. A life she finds increasingly stifling.

One night, Rowan fails to return from his mysterious travels. To find him, Biddy must venture into the outside world for the first time. But Rowan has powerful enemies-forces who have hoarded the world's magic and have set their sights on the magician's many secrets.

Biddy may be the key to stopping them. Yet the closer she gets to answers, the more she questions everything she's ever believed about Rowan, her past, and the nature of magic itself.

 

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley*

Biddy lives in a version of 1912 where magic has been disappearing over the last seventy years.

Biddy has known magic all her life, residing on the hidden island of Hy-Brasil with her guardian, Rowan, and his rabbit familiar, Hutch.

Biddy loves the island, but yearns to see the outside world.

When Rowan doesn't come back one night after journeying across the sea in search of more magic, Biddy finds herself thrust into a dangerous adventure that will change everything Biddy knows.

Can Biddy track down Rowan on the foreign streets of London?

Is there a way to save magic?

I have a mixed history with this author's previous books, having really enjoyed one, and ending up not finishing another. However, the blurb for this book intrigued me, and I decided to give it a try.

Biddy was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I empathised with her, and rooted for her. I was also a little jealous of Biddy growing up on Hy-Brasil, which sounded wonderful.

I liked both Rowan and Hutch, and the relationships they had with Biddy and each other. Hutch was my favourite character overall, as I liked how much he clearly loved both Rowan and Biddy and fretted for them.

The setting of Hy-Brasil was interesting, and it was the total opposite of the dark, grimy streets of London.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped by what was happening. I thought the story was set up well, and I did enjoy the world the author had created.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I would definitely pick up another book by this author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

 

Review - A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street

 

 

 

 Title: A Curse of Salt

Author: Sarah Street

Pages: 350

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Release Date: 25th May 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A heartless beast
A sister's sacrifice
And a love so strong it will drown the raging sea ...
THIS FAIRY TALE IS CURSED

In a kingdom that fears the sea, Ria Lucroy longs to be brave.

Bodies are washing ashore and everyone knows who's to blame. Legends of the Heartless King shroud the continent in fear; they call him a pirate, a monster, a god. When his mercenaries raid her father's merchant ship, Ria's family is faced with a horrifying demand. They will spare his life, in exchange for one of his daughters.

Determined to save her sisters, Ria launches herself into the world of pirates. Face-to-face with the Heartless King, she finds he is far more than the stories told. He is a man, with a human name and blood-stained hands, bound to the seas by a centuries-old curse. As their chemistry blooms into something more, Ria finds herself caught in an ancient web of secrets.

Battling creatures of the deep alongside those that reign its surface, Ria discovers how to love a heartless man and that some curses aren't so easy to break.

Prepare for stormy seas and swoony romance in this addictive enemies-to-lovers fairytale romance. Perfect for fans of Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreakers series and Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses.

 

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley*

Ria Lucroy lives with her sisters and father near the sea, which Ria has always found herself drawn towards.

One day, Ria's father's ship is attacked and her father is the only survivor, but on the condition that he sends Ria's sister to the murderous Heartless King. The King is a pirate known for his cruelty and savage ways.

Determined to save her sister from this fate, and her father who is adamant he will not give his daughter up, Ria takes her sister's place.

On the Heartless King's ship, Ria learns of secrets that have been kept from her that put her life in jeopardy.

Can Ria survive her time on the Heartless King's ship?

Upon learning that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling with pirates, I was instantly intrigued and was interested to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I ended up being disappointed.

Ria was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I liked how much she cared for her family and was willing to put herself at risk for them. I felt sorry for her when she learned that they had kept things from her.

I liked several of the crew members on the Heartless King's ship, but there weren't any characters that really stood out for me.

The plot was mixed for me - I started off enjoying the book, but after a while I did find myself losing interest. It didn't help that I wasn't overly invested in what happened and I wasn't a big fan of the romance.

The writing style was easy to follow.

I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was a mixed read.