The Olive Tree
Book
We were unbreakable. We were strong, and we were resilient. Just like the olive tree. Nisma...
young adult coming of age
The Winding Streets Of Kolonaki
Book
It is Athens in the late autumn of 1973 and the sweltering heat of the inner city Summer is...
historical
David McK (3857 KP) rated Skulduggery Pleasant in Books
Jan 26, 2024
I read (or heard) somewhere that this was attempting to be the heir to the Harry potter crown, and I can definitely see the similarities: a secret world alongside our own full of magic, where a dark sorcerer wants to gain control over the mortal world, and where a young pre-teen is introduced to the world and has (to them) unknown connections to it already, and some unpleasant relatives...
However, unlike the Harry Potter series, this is primarily set in and around Dublin (rather than London) - and so, to me, is closer to home - while the home life of the protagonist is far more settled: she's not an orphan, and lives with her family.
I also found Skulduggery Pleasant to be more of an interesting character than Dumbledore, as well as playing a far larger role in the proceedings.
Finally, I may yet read more of these.
The Diva's Daughter
Book
Munich & Vienna, 1932 Aspiring opera singer Angelika Eder thought she had it all — a cultured...
Historical Romance Women's Fiction
Natasha Solomons has given Cleopatra her own voice - and what a voice it is. She considers herself a goddess, her rule is absolute, and she won’t even put up with family going against her.
Egypt and Rome are the big players here, and seeing the contrast between the two superpowers was interesting, especially as Rome had such a low opinion of women. Cleopatra uses this to her own ends though, and Solomon is careful not to turn her into a seductress. Everything she does (with regards to Caesar), she does for Egypt.
Will we see a follow up book? We leave Cleopatra at about the halfway point of her life, so I really hope so!!
ClareR (6256 KP) rated Lowest Common Denominator in Books
Feb 10, 2026
LCD bounces around somewhat in time from toddlerhood to the present day. It’s auto fiction, really, although I had to double check that. So I suppose it’s a mix of Saisio’s autobiography that has been fictionalised in places.
I found the details of a child growing up in Finland, Saisio’s communist parents, along with 1950’s Finnish life, fascinating. It also made me curious about the war and occupation of the Russians in Finland, and I consequently did a bit of background reading about that.
I love reading translated books, and the translator, Mia Spangenberg, has made sure that this has lost none of its humour. The relationships between the narrator and their family members are so well drawn. Their experiences, traumas, upbringings and their expectations of this small child make for an engrossing read.
The Mayfair Moon (The Darkwoods Trilogy #1)
10.0
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Book
After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf in the Georgia woods, seventeen-year-old Adria Dawson...
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Bittersweet (Faerie Song Trilogy #2)
8.0
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Book
And the captivating Saga continues.... Lorelei sacrificed everything to save her mother’s life....
Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Mist on Water
8.0
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Book
Long ago, in a far off land, there rose a tale as old as the earth. As long as Ryne can remember,...
Fantasy Mythology Young Adult
While Paris Slept
10.0
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Book
Paris 1944 A young woman's future is torn away in a heartbeat. Herded on to a train bound for...
Historical fiction WW2 Paris California