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Meet Me In Another Life
Meet Me In Another Life
Catriona Silvey | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book is so beautifully written and so different from anything that I have read in the past couple of years. It kept me engrossed the whole way through and while I wanted to know what happened, I didn’t particularly want the book to end.
We follow Thora and Santi as they meet in Cologne time and time again. Each chapter changes who we follow as the main character which makes it quite different. But although they’re either different ages or have lived a different life they still come back to each other like they are drawn to each other. The world around them changes and the relationships they have change, but they always find each other: whether that’s as father and daughter, friends or lovers.
At first, it was just like they were in a different universe each time and it was a different set of choices that were played out that shaped who they became. But as the book went on it became obvious that that wasn’t the explanation the author was going for. As they continue, they begin to remember things from their past lives and try to work out why they are so drawn to each other. The end of the book was a twist that I didn’t see coming, I had such hopes for them both and teared up a little bit during the last few pages.
The writing was beautiful and the way that Catriona Silvey wove the stories and the different possibilities between the two characters was so amazing to read. I think it will be a book that sticks with me for a long time.
  
Their Little Secret
Their Little Secret
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Review of Audiobook
This is my first foray into the world of audiobooks and I am so pleased I chose one of Mark Billingham's books to introduce me to the world of audio because, once again, he and Tom Thorne did not disappoint.

I was engrossed from the start and this didn't let up until the end. I never thought I would be able to get into a book that I wasn't actually physically holding but there was no such problem with this and I took every opportunity to put my headphones in and get lost in this book of intrigue.

I am already familiar with many of the main characters so it was like putting on a pair of comfy slippers being back amongst some good friends that I have grown quite attached to over the years. The narration is done by Mark himself and whilst he changed the voices slightly, he didn't put on a female voice for those particular parts (thank goodness!) so it did make it a little more difficult to distinguish between them but this didn't last long and didn't detract from my listening experience.

The plot is complex and compelling - what is it about a suicide that has Thorne intrigued? How is a murder in Margate connected? What does this have to do with a conman? Where does Sarah and her son Jamie come into this? So many secrets, so many lies and so much intrigue.

I admit that I was worried I wouldn't enjoy an audio book quite as much as an actual book but Mr Billingham removed that doubt with this excellent story that I would definitely recommend to lovers of crime thrillers and I have to thank Hachette Audio via Secret Readers Project for my audio book in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The List in Books

Jun 20, 2020  
The List
The List
Carys Jones | 2020 | Crime, Thriller
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a dark, psychological thriller about paranoia and disturbing secrets all told within an original plot and from 3 perspectives; Beth, the writer of The List and Ruby.

Beth is a loner with no friends or family to speak of apart from a seemingly ideal boyfriend. She seems to have the perfect life, aside from recurring horrific nightmares, but it soon becomes clear that she has a dark and disturbing past that she is keen to forget and put behind her.

The writer of The List is just that ... but why and what does she have to do with Beth and what are her intentions given that the first two people on The List are dead?

Ruby is a teenager in an institution placed there following her part in a totally heinous and horrific attack on a vulnerable child ... what does she have to do with Beth and the writer of the list?

This is a story that although is a work of fiction, is not beyond the realms of reality unfortunately which makes it a hard and emotional read in places. It's also a slow burner which builds in tension as the whole story emerges and Beth's life unravels and this is the only complaint I have, it wasn't as fast paced as I would have liked with a bit too much description which affected the flow for me but, having said that, I would still recommend to dark, thriller lovers who enjoy reading something a bit different for the norm.

Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest review.
  
Queens of Geek
Queens of Geek
Jen Wilde | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
6
8.6 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Simple yet sweet look into fandom and friendship
Charlie, Taylor, and Jamie are extremely close friends. They come to SupaCon as one last blast before they all head to college--and to celebrate Charlie, a famous video blogger and actress. Charlie's struggling to get over her very public breakup with her former co-star, Reese Ryan. Taylor is dealing with how the Con flames her anxiety and that she has feelings for her best friend: Jamie. Plus, she wants to enter a contest at the Con to meet her favorite actress from her favorite fandom, but knows her fears would never allow it. And Jamie just wants to make Taylor happy. Can the three survive SupaCon?

This is the seventeenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!

This was a cute book--easy to read with sweet characters. It's written very simply and honestly it's often trite in its writing and plot. Expect some undeveloped characters, some insta-love, and problems that resolve themselves before they even fully develop. It's a shame, because QUEENS covers some incredibly important topics--Asperger's, autism, anxiety, bisexuality--and covers them fairly well--but often quickly, without a lot of depth.

The book is a true ode to geeks (I say this with the highest praise) and con/fandom lovers. However, not really being a fan of these fandoms, it was hard to truly get into those parts. I loved how much comfort Taylor took in her fandom, but it wasn't something I could be into, if that made sense.

Mostly, I loved the spot-on passages describing social anxiety and the diverse cast. This was an easy YA read, but one lacking true depth; still, it satisfied the "Q" requirement for my A to Z reading challenge. 3 stars, mostly for the bi rep.