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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Switch in Books

Jul 31, 2021

The Switch

Beth O'Leary | 2020 | Contemporary

9.1

(7 Ratings)

Book Rating

This book had me giggling from the start, much like The Flat Share. I know a lot of the time when you’ve loved an author’s first book so much that their second doesn’t always live up to the expectations, but this one really exceeded them.
The book is split between chapters for Leena and Eileen, a granddaughter and grandmother who are grieving the loss of Leena’s sister. Leena threw herself into work in London while Eileen threw herself into looking after her daughter and Leena’s mother, Marian. After Leena is told by her boss that she must take a two month sabbatical, her and Eileen decide to swap lives for the two months. Leena moving to a tiny, sleepy village in Yorkshire, full of nosey old people and Neighbourhood Watch meetings, while Eileen moves to a tiny little flat in West London and tries online dating whilst making friends with everyone she comes across (whether they want to or not).
Beth O’Leary’s humour is brilliant, and so many situations had me giggling and rereading them multiple times and starting to giggle all over again (my favourite being when asked how a dog ended up in someone’s garden). It is so ridiculous, but not far fetched, and so you can actually imagine the events that make you laugh actually unfolding.
This book has just continued my love for Beth O’Leary and I will definitely be continuing to read her work and looking forward to new releases of hers in the future.

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Ali A (82 KP) rated The Electric Kingdom in Books

Jan 11, 2021

The Electric Kingdom

David Arnold | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

The Electric Kingdom is a novel that takes another look at the beauty of humans in a post apocalyptic world. Eighteen years after a deadly Fly Flu sweeps the globe, killing most of the population, Nico and her dog, Harry get sent on a voyage by Nico’s father to find a mythical portal. Along the way, she meets other children, including a young artist named Kit. There’s also the Deliverer, who lives Life after Life in an attempt to put the world back together. This story is an exploration of art, love, life, and finding beauty.

Every character that David Arnold writes in this book is so full of love, warmth, and heartbreak. I fell in love with Kit and his outlook on live. It was beautiful. The relationship he had with his mother Dakota, and why he calls her “My Dakota” made me tear up.

I’m not sure I completely understand the whole dynamics of the world that is in this book, but I still very much enjoyed it! There are so many layers and plot twists and double backs, you don’t realize how intense it is until you’re half way through it. By then, Arnold has you hooked and you’ve got to find out what happens and how it’s all connected!

I haven’t read anything from Arnold before but I enjoyed this one and will seeking out others from him.

*Thank you Bookish First and Penguin Teen/Viking Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review