Review - The Whisper of Stars by Cristin Williams

 

  

 

 Title: The Whisper of Stars

Author: Cristin Williams

Pages: 448

Publisher: Gollancz

Release Date: 6th November 2025

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A frozen island.

A monastery turned political prison.

A cipher inked in blood.

When anarchist poet Katya Efremova is transferred to the prison colony on Solovetsky Island, she finds an enigma among her returned possessions - a blood-stained book containing a cipher left by her murdered mother, written on the day she died.

Following her mother's clues, Katya begins to unravel a centuries-old mystery woven into the history of Solovetsky Island. Finding the island's legendary power might be the key to overthrowing the Bolshevik regime, but Katya wasn't sent to Solovetsky by chance. The head of the government's spy network is watching, and there will be no hope of a free Russia if he takes hold of the magic hidden beneath the White Sea snow.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review: 

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

Katya is a prisoner and enemy of the state because of her political stance. However, Katya also has a powerful magic that her enemies want to use for themselves.

When Katya is transferred to a prison on an isolated island, she finds a book amongst her returned belongings that contains an encrypted message from Katya's dead mother.

Trapped on the island, Katya will have to form an alliance with the enemy to survive long enough to uncover her mother's last message.

The premise of this book intrigued me, especially the mix of an historical Russia setting with magic thrown in.

There are three protagonists - Katya, Dima, and Natasha. I liked both Katya and Dima, and empathised with them. Natasha was not meant to be a likeable protagonist, but I did enjoy learning more about her and her motives.

The setting of 1920s Russia was interesting, as was the magic and lore in the story.

The plot was mixed for me - I enjoyed it to begin with, but after a while I found it harder to stay interested in the storyline, and was not at all invested. The pacing was a bit off for me, and I felt that some parts could have benefited from a little more fleshing out.

I'm a bit disappointed I didn't enjoy this more, but this was a case where the execution didn't quite work for me.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

 

Review - The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, #1) by Alwyn Hamilton

 

  

 Title: The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues, #1)

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Pages: 512

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Release Date: 1st April 2025

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Incredible tests, impossible choices and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review: 

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

Honora "Nora" Holtzfall is next in line to the Holtzfall fortune after her mother, the heir. The Holtzfalls practically own Walstad, have the most magic, and the most money.

Everything changes when Nora's mother dies and Nora suddenly has to fight to win a series of trials to prove she's the rightful heir, just like Nora's mother did.

The Veritaz trials unearth buried secrets, such as Lottie, the daughter or Nora's aunt, Grace, who has lived her life hidden away in a convent, not knowing who she was.

As the unhappy residents of Walstad begin to rise up, Nora and Lottie won't just be fighting their family members.

Will they survive the trials?

Who will be named heir?

As a fan of the author's books, I was intrigued to see what this next series would be like.

I really liked both Nora and Lottie as protagonists. They were relatable, and I felt sorry for them both. There were also chapters told from the perspectives of Theo, a knight sworn to protect the Holtzfalls, and August, a journalist. I liked the combination of the different perspectives, but Nora and Lottie were my favourites.

The premise of the book was interesting, and I liked the twists on fairy tales, and the lore created by the author.

The plot was enjoyable and held my attention throughout. Things happened that I didn't expect, and I am left wanting to find out what happens next.

I enjoyed the writing style and found this easy to read.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read I would recommend.

  

 

Review - The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson

 

  

 Title: The Secret Countess

Author: Eva Ibbotson

Pages: 278

Publisher: Picador

Release Date: 1st May 2025

 

Blurb:

Award-winner Eva Ibbotson's The Secret Countess, author of The Morning Gift, is a classic historical romance that stretches across countries, families and class divides.

After revolution tears her country apart, young Russian countess Anna Grazinsky is forced to flee Saint Petersburg for rural England, where her now penniless family has no choice but to rely on the kindness of their only friend, Anna's old governess. Determined to help her family in any way possible, Anna arms herself with an out-of-date book on housekeeping and takes work as a servant at a crumbling mansion in the English countryside.

1919 sees Rupert, the handsome young Earl of Westerholme, return from war and become instantly mesmerized by Anna. As powerful attraction clashes with tradition, Anna finds concealing her true identity increasingly impossible.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

 

My Review: 

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

Anna, a young Russian countess, is forced to flee her country with her family when the people revolt.

With no money, Anna becomes a housemaid at an Earl's estate which has seen better days.

The Earl, Rupert, returns home with his new wealthy bride-to-be, Muriel, who nursed him back to health after Rupert was injured in the war.

As Anna settles into her role as a maid, the other servants, and even the Earl and his family, are sure there is something more to the strange Anna, but she soon wins them all over.

Will Anna's secret be revealed?

Is she only person hiding who they really are?

I had heard of the author's work for a long time, but never had a chance to read one of their books before now.

I found Anna to be a likeable protagonist, especially with how determined she was, and kind to other people. However, it was a little unrealistic how perfect she was.

There were quite a lot of characters, and I did struggle to keep them all straight in my head.

The plot was okay. I thought that some things could have been expanded on, and that not much really happened overall.

I was not a fan of the romance, which felt forced and was too sudden for me. I didn't feel enough time was spent on building the connection between the characters.

The writing style was not one of my favourites. I struggled to stay immersed in the story and to care about what was happening.

I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was an okay read.

 

 

Review - Last Seen Online by Lauren James

 

 

 

 Title: Last Seen Online

Author: Lauren James

Pages: 314

Publisher: Walker Books

Release Date: 1st August 2024

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A contemporary YA murder mystery set in sun-drenched LA, for fans of Malibu Rising, We Were Liars and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

The novel of Lauren James' hugely popular online story "An Unauthorised Fan Treatise"

When Delilah meets Sawyer Saffitz (son of Anya Saffitz, aka Hollywood royalty), she becomes hooked on a decade-old scandal. In her quest for the truth, Delilah uncovers blogposts written by the mysterious “gottiewrites” and is soon caught up in a world of greed, fandom conspiracy theories … and murder. And the deeper Delilah digs, the more dangerous it becomes – because someone is willing to kill to hide the truth.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

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

When Delilah auditions for the latest school play with Sawyer Saffitz, the son of a famous actress, she finds herself thrust into the world of the celebrity.

While dealing with her unfortunate source of new found fame, Delilah learns of an old scandal in Hollywood that involved the murder of one of Sawyer's mother's co-stars.

As Delilah delves deeper into the mystery, it soon becomes clear that there are some secrets people still want to stay buried, and are willing to kill to protect.

Having read several of the author's previous books and enjoyed them, I was intrigued to try this one, especially with the premise.

Delilah was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She could be quite intense at times, but her heart was in the right place, and I liked how much Delilah cared about the people she loved.

The concept of the book feels very relevant, especially the parasocial relationships people had with the stars of Loch & Ness. It's something that can, and also does, get very out of hand in the real world.

The plot was interesting for the most part. However, there were a few things that bugged me that I won't go into as they're minor spoilers.

I liked the inclusion of the gottiewrites blog posts and their comments.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

 

 

Review - When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin

 

 

 

 Title: When Sleeping Women Wake

Author: Emma Pei Yin

Pages: 458

Publisher: Quercus

Release Date: 17th June 2025

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Hong Kong, 1941. Following the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, the wealthy Tang family flee to Hong Kong.

As the First Wife of the family, Mingzhu leads a sheltered - if lonely - existence overseeing her daughter Qiang and managing the household alongside her devoted maid, Biyu.

But when the Japanese army invade, the three women are scattered. Mingzhu is coerced into working for a Japanese captain. Qiang and Biyu escape the island, only to be forced into factory work then separated after an encounter with the East River Column Resistance fighters.

The longer the brutal occupation lasts, the more determined the women are to resist. And as war rages around the world, each is holding onto the hope that the other is alive.

Beautifully told and compulsively written, When Sleeping Women Wake is an utterly transporting story of female resistance and untold bravery, at once epic and intimate, heartbreaking and hopeful.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

  

 

My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for a review. My thanks to Quercus and NetGalley*

The Tang family relocated to Hong Kong from Shanghai to escape the Japanese invasion, but then there are whispers that Hong Kong may be next, and the lives of the family change forever.

Mingzhu, the First Wife of the family, finds herself working for the enemy, her knowledge of several languages saving her from death.

Mingzhu's daughter, Qiang, and long-time servant and friend, Biyu, are forced to work in a factory for the Japanese occupiers.

As the women live through the dangers of the occupation, they find their own ways to resist.

Not knowing anything about the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during the second World War, I was interested to see what what this novel would be like.

The book mainly follows Mingzhu and Qiang, and I found them to both to be likeable and relatable protagonists. They both experienced horrible events and I liked how much they wanted to help other people.

The setting of Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation was interesting, and something I hadn't read about before.

The plot was good overall, but the pacing was a bit all over the place, and I thought some things were rushed over. While I did like the characters, I was never immersed in the story, and always felt removed from what was happening. The writing style didn't always flow smoothly and was a little stilted at times.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

 

Review - Witchcraft For Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

 

 

Title: Witchcraft For Wayward Girls

 

Author: Grady Hendrix

 

Pages: 502

 

Publisher: Tor Nightfire

 

Release Date: 16th January 2025

 

 

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.’

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood.

 

  

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 

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

Wellwood House is a home where young, pregnant, unmarried girls are sent to have their babies in secret. The babies are then adopted and the girls go back to their families, as if nothing ever happened.

All of the girls are given new names when they arrive, so fifteen-year-old Neva becomes Fern. At Wellwood House, Fern makes friends with with several of the other girls, and dreams of going back home and resuming her old life.

When Fern is given an unusual book by the visiting librarian, she and her friends find themselves dabbling in witchcraft.

Can magic solve their problems?

Or is the price too high?

The premise of this book intrigued me, especially with it being set in the 1970s.

Neva/Fern was a likeable protagonist. I felt really sorry for her with the way she was shipped off to Wellwood House. I liked the friendships she made with several of the other characters. However, I did feel that, especially compared to some of the other characters, that Neva/Fern didn't really have much personality.

The plot was good overall, but the pacing did feel off at times. Not much really happened plot-wise, and towards the end it did feel like the book was dragging a little. There were some creepy and quite traumatic scenes that happened, some relating to birth.

While this didn't end up being quite what I expected, there were elements that I liked.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

Review - The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-Ryeong

 

 

Title: The Trunk

Author: Kim Ryeo-Ryeong

Pages: 258

Publisher: Hanover Square Press

Release Date: 19th November 2024

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Meet Noh almost thirty years old, with five wedding rings and counting, she's never once been in love.

When Inji first accepted a job at Wedding & Life, the popular matchmaking service that’s taken Korea by storm, she never imagined her role would be with NM, their secret-marriage division that rents out “husbands” and “wives” to their wealthiest clientele. Just like a real marriage, Inji's assignments involve a wedding, some sex and a bit of housework, all tailored exactly to the client’s desires and for their specified length of time before they go their separate ways—no legal battles, no fights, no emotional baggage.

After several marriages, Inji has become an old hand. She certainly isn’t interested in finding real love, despite everyone trying to convince her her brazen neighbor Granny, her flirtatious best friend, Shi-jeong, and her failed blind date, Tae-seong, who won’t take no for an answer.

Then one of Inji's old husbands, a mysterious high-profile music producer, requests her back for another year. Over the course of their marriage, the secrets of Inji’s past begin to unravel, as well as the dark, sinister underbelly of NM’s management team, who will stop at nothing to preserve their reputation—and their clients…

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review: 

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

 

Inji works for a matchmaking company in a secret department where clients sign up to a marriage with a field husband or wife. These marriages are just like real ones, but with a predetermined length.

Inji has been a field wife to several husbands, and is requested by one of them to have a remarriage.

Inji begins to have questions about the company she works for, and her life.

The concept of contract marriages intrigued me, so I thought I would give this book a try. However, I ended up disappointed.

Inji was an okay protagonist. There were times when I felt sorry for her, but there were also times when I found her to be rude or abrasive.

I found the plot enjoyable to begin with, but after a while I started to lose interest and I wasn't at all invested in what was happening. Not much actually happened, and the book felt rather messy to me.

The concept of the contract marriages was interesting, and it's something that I could see happening in real life.

I feel like the book didn't reach its potential, and I'm left a bit confused as to what the author was hoping to achieve with it.

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

Overall, this was an okay read.