BOOK REVIEW - Anna O - Matthew Blake - Audiobook - 5*

 

BOOK REVIEW

Anna O - Matthew Blake - Released 2024

*book links are affiliate links which means that I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Another freebie from my digital subscription to The Times newspaper. They usually only have one audiobook to choose from each month, but this one captured my attention the second I saw it. 

Firstly it's a psychological thriller, which as we all know, is my go-to genre. I love figuring out the twists, uravelling the mystery, and the fast pace that comes with a book in this genre. 

There was another reason though, a slightly egotistical one! My intention next year is to head to

BOOK REVIEW - And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie - Audiobook - 5*

 

BOOK REVIEW

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie - Released 1939

*book links are affiliate links which means that I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Yet another book selection based purely on the audio play time. I had a little internet browse, looking for shorter audiobook with high ratings, and this Agatha Christie mystery cropped up in more than one place. I had listened to a few long books in recent weeks, including a memoir about the Second World War, so I was keen to listen to a quick and straightforward fiction. 

BOOK REVIEW - The Tunnel Rats - Stephen Leather - Audiobook - 4*

 

BOOK REVIEW

The Tunnel Rats - Stephen Leather (released 1997)

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This was recommended to me, well over a year ago, by a friend at work after I asked what everyone's favourite books of all time were. It's taken me far too long to get around to reading it, but I am really pleased that I eventually downloaded it. It's quite a long listen, at 15 hours but is filled with rich visuals

ARC BOOK REVIEW - Cryptic Pursuit - Jayti Philpot - Digital Book - 4*

 

BOOK REVIEW

Cryptic Pursuit - Jayti Philpot (released 2024)

*book links are affiliate links which means that I earn from qualifying purchases. 

I was absolutely delighted when I was selected as one of the lucky readers who received an advance reader copy of this book, which is released on the 31st of October 2024 (Happy Halloween!!). Being in the amazing position of being sent and being asked to read and review books is a perk of

BOOK REVIEW - Listen for the Lie - Amy Tintera - Audiobook - 5*

 

BOOK REVIEW

Listen for the Lie - Amy Tintera

*book links are affiliate links which means that I earn from qualifying purchases. 

This was another audiobook gem that I found when browsing, I was looking for something with a bit of meat to it, as I was going to be doing quite a few slightly longer commutes, so needed something to keep me company in the car. It's about 9 hours long so was pretty much spot on the driving time for the week. Fate! 

BOOK REVIEW - Alone - Barbara De Smedt - Digital Book - 4*

BOOK REVIEW 

Alone - Barbara De Smedt

*book links are affiliate links, which means that I earn from qualifying purchases. 

I actually won the book that I am reviewing today in a giveaway on StoryGraph (which is my preferred choice for tracking my reading) and read it earlier this year as soon as I downloaded it. It had recently been translated into English from Dutch, after receiving awards and rave reviews in the Netherlands. 

I entered the giveaway as a thriller lover. The premise sounded great, the cover was creepy as anything (it's all grey and dark, with an empty cot in the middle) and I was immediately sold! I love entering these giveaways as they are a great way to get my hands on books that I wouldn't have known existed (though it also does a great job of inflating my TBR too!). 

BLURB

Julie Meskins is going through a hard time after the sudden death of her mother. She throws herself into her Veterinary Medicine Studies and prefers one night stands over serious commitment. When she becomes pregnant, a series of strange events are set in motion. Then, she disappears from her apartment. The police are puzzled. Who could be behind her disappearance? Was she kidnapped by the baby's father and killed, or did she run away?

MY REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

SPICE: 🔥🔥(references to acts, in an unfavourable light with some consent issues. Along with general reference to previous "dating" endevours).

Alone was my first thriller read of 2024, it was psychological and tense and it utilised two of my favourite methods of storytelling; Multiple POV and dual timelines. These methods are brilliant for thrillers, as they serve two key purposes; to keep the reader guessing and to maintain a fast pace. 

Julie is a young woman, faced with an unexpected pregnancy (and therefore relationship) , while also dealing with her grief over the sudden loss of her mother. The story unfolds as Julie vanishes from her apartment and follows her, her partner, the police and her stalker in the present day. We are also shown snapshots of time in both her, and her stalkers childhoods, going from their youth to present day and culminating in a twisty tale that explores abuse, alcoholism, mental health and loss. 

Sometimes a thriller can be so predictable that the outcome can be sussed out in the first couple of chapters. With Alone, while I did work out the main twists to the story, it was much later in the book, just as things started to fall into place in preparation for the finale. 

I found the pacing to be just right for a thriller, with the dual timeline helping to control the narrative and prevent the story from running away too quickly. 

There are some difficult topics in the book, particularly in parts exploring the childhood of the "stalker" character. It didn't feel gratuitous however, and each element served to give an insight into how the present day story unfolded. 

Barbara De Smedt used her personal experience of having a stalker to create this dark and suspenseful narrative. Many women have encountered unwanted behaviours such as some of those depicted in this book and I really liked how the author has used her own experience to take control, regain her power and ultimately get the last laugh. I can imagine it being very cathartic to creatively and expressively expel your demons like that and the fact that the story was loosely based on true events added an additional, quite terrifying, level to the story. 

Julie and her stalker are developed well, the dual timeline helping with that. However I did feel that the side characters, such as Julie's boyfriend, her best friend and the investigative journalist who's covering the case. There's a second book, set 15 years later, that follows Pieter (the journalist) through another crime investigation, which I believe will shed more light on his character. There was only snippets in this book which left more to be said. This book Koud (which translates as Cold) is currently only available in Dutch which means that I may never know what happens next in Pieter's investigative world. 

It was a nice, quick, and enjoyable read. I found myself devouring this book in less than a day. It was a page turner for sure.

In short, if you enjoy your thrillers pacy and psychological, this one will tick the boxes!

I hope you enjoyed this book review of Alone by Barbara De Smedt. If you'd like to stay in the loop with new posts and reviews, you can FOLLOW MY BLOG by clicking the link and subscribing. I also post bookish content on Instagram and on my YouTube channel. Happy reading!

 

BOOK REVIEW - The Botanist - L.K Hill - Digital Book - 3*

 BOOK REVIEW

The Botanist - L.K Hill

I downloaded this book to my Kindle with Kindle Unlimited on the 24th March, when I was preparing for a few weeks of holiday, flights, and places to chill and read. I didn't get through them all so this poor soul was left until recently, patiently sitting in my Kindle library. This is another book I didn't read the blurb for, the cover conjures vivid imagery, a person curled up in what appears to be a grave, covered in

BOOK REVIEW - The Alone Time - Elle Marr - Digital Book - 3*

BOOK REVIEW

The Alone Time - Elle Marr

One perk of being an Amazon Prime member (other than the free delivery and the television shows) is that you can select and buy a digital book once a month, free of charge (or for a discounted £0.99 for customers who aren't prime members), from a small list of editor's picks, in a perk called Amazon First Reads. This book was one of my Amazon First Reads earlier this year, so it was sat on my Kindle bookshelf. Have a look at Amazon First Reads here.

I was heading on a Hen Weekend that involved a few hours of travel by bus, so I packed my Kindle to read on the downtime. This is the book I selected to read. The premise seemed interesting, and I love a good thriller/mystery/crime story. 

BLURB

For two sisters, confronting the past could come at a terrible price in a riveting novel about a family tragedy - and family secrets - by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Elle Marr. 

Fiona and Violent Seng were just children when their family's Cessna crash- landed in the Washington wilderness, claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the girls fended for themselves before being rescued. 

Twenty-five years later, they're still trying to move on from their trauma. Fiona repurposes it into controversial works of art. Violet has battled addiction and failed relationships to finally progress toward normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never speak about what they call their Alone Time in the wild. They wouldn't dare - until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the "girl survivors" and questions their versions of events. 

When disturbing details about the Seng family are exposed, a strange woman claims to know the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must come together to face the horrifying truth of what happened out there and what they learned about their parents and themselves. Before any other secrets emerge from the woods. 

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed this book. The story is told from multiple points of view, and on a dual timeline. This helps to tell the story at a good pace, revealing only what's required to move forward without giving away the big twist until the end. 

I really love dual timelines, especially in a thriller book, they're a really effective way of controlling the narrative. Having them come together at just the right time allows for that sudden realisation to dawn. It was great to be reading this, almost with an audience, as they witnessed my live reactions when things started coming together. On more than one occasion, I'd sit up in my seat and murmur "No f**king way" and then have to explain myself to the group! 

The author managed to take my hand and lead me towards the finale until I finally had it sussed out. I had some suspicions of what the main twist was but wasn't sure, which kept me engaged. I was keen to see if I was right. The only thing I wasn't keen on was the final addition to the story that came at the very end (no spoilers of course!). I felt like the book had stood up without it, and I was left with more questions than answers. 

The characters all had enough grey about them to keep things open, though Violet's brief love interest was a little strange and unnecessary. I thought we were going to make a sudden switch to fantasy/horror. I understood why it was included, to a point, but it felt like it had been included as an afterthought and wasn't fully padded out. 

Despite the fast pace, some really poignant moments made me stop and think. One quote in particular that stuck with me was "After a certain level of trauma is reached, the only choice we have is to either feel the pain in all its depth and depravity or choose numbness - ice to assuage the heat". This was really impactful and gave a real insight into that character's behaviours. 

Yes, the storyline is a little unrealistic in parts (especially the survival of the plane crash and living in the wilderness as young children), but if books didn't stray away from reality or probability, they would all be very mundane, so I don't mind a bit of artistic license being used to help give a sense of mystery or adventure. 

This was a great read for my journey and made the time pass really quickly. 

If you enjoy multiple points of view, dual timelines, and a book with twisty twists, this one is a great option. If you do read it, or have read it, let me know your thoughts (I'd love to know if anyone agrees with my opinions on the final reveal!). 

If, by some stroke of luck, you made it to the end of this post and thought, Wow, what a great review, I'd love to read more!" you can FOLLOW MY BLOG by clicking the link and subscribing :) I also post bookish content on Instagram. Happy reading!