What She Left, T.R.Richmond: review

Gone doesn't mean forgotten.
When Alice Salmon died last year, the ripples were felt in the news, on the internet, and in the hearts of those who knew her best.
But the person who knows her most intimately isn't family or a friend. Dr Jeremy Cook is an academic whose life has become about piecing together Alice's existence in all its flawed and truthful reality.
For Cooke, faithfully recreating Alice's life - through her diaries, emails and anything using her voice - is all-consuming. He does not know how deep his search will take him, or the shocking nature of what he will uncover...

When I picked this up I wasn't expecting to like it, I thought it was going to be this scary thriller and I didn't like the idea of that. But I won this book and I felt like I should give it a go then if I didn't like it I would give it to a friend who would enjoy it; and she is welcome to borrow but I want to  hold onto it because I was pleasantly surprised by this book! 

The main thing about this novel is how it was formated. I guess you would call it epistolary but it is a mix of letters, emails, tweets, texts, diary entries etc. and it is up to the reader really to piece most of it together. It was just such a unique way of telling a story and it made it fun in a way. Another thing is that there is a tumblr and even a playlist linked to the book, I spent an entire morning scrolling through it and if you do read it I highly recommend taking a look at Professor Cooke's tumblr. 

The plot was good and I even said on a goodreads update that I thought I knew where the story was going and I got it completely wrong, so it keeps you guessing! It had just the right balance of intrigue and new information  throughout which in my opinion is very hard to get. The only thing was that the majority of the book is Cooke's letters to a friend and I really didn't like Cooke but I get the impression that we aren't meant to... He walks on very thin ice with the ethical side of things at least.

I don't read mystery/thriller that much despite loving many crime dramas but this has made me want to pick up some more :)
Speak soon,
Jade xx

The Selection, Kiera Cass: review

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realises that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

When I picked this up around a year ago a big reason was the cover I’m not gonna lie. I’d heard very mixed things about this book and the rest or the trilogy/series and though I thought I may enjoying I was wary that I might have some issues and yeah it wasn't the best book in the world and I had some irks- like when a certain character reappeared that I really didn't think was necessary- but I nearly always do and I also had some surprises thrown in there too.

One of those surprises was the world, it was a typical dystopian world but it was more complex than I expected. There was a fair amount of political stuff happening and I’m hoping that this was only the setup of something that could grow over the next books.

I feel like the biggest element of this book is the characters, America is the main character and she is in general a likable character, yes a little irritating but I feel like her views are consistent with how and where she grew up. I am thoroughly in love with Prince Maxon he is an adorable gentlemen! Something else I wasn’t expecting was the amount we got to know the other contestants, for some reason I had not expected that and it gave you an opportunity to an insight into the other castes in the society.

The plot wasn’t a big part of this book but that is normal for a first book, it spends most of its time world building and that was done well. In general this was just a really quick, fun read that was super addictive! I am looking forward to read the second book when I get my hands on it even though I’m expecting to hate America a little bit! Have you read this? What were your thoughts?

Speak soon,

Jade xx   

The Gracekeepers, Kirsty Logan: review

As a Gracekeeper, Callanish administers shoreside burials, laying the dead to their final resting place deep in the depths of the ocean. Alone on her island, she has exiled herself to a life of tending watery graves as penance for a long-ago mistake that still haunts her. Meanwhile, North works as a circus performer with the Excalibur, a floating troupe of acrobats, clowns, dancers, and trainers who sail from one archipelago to the next, entertaining in exchange for sustenance.
In a world divided between those inhabiting the mainland ("landlockers") and those who float on the sea ("damplings"), loneliness has become a way of life for North and Callanish, until a sudden storm offshore brings change to both their lives--offering them a new understanding of the world they live in and the consequences of the past, while restoring hope in an unexpected future.
Inspired in part by Scottish myths and fairytales, The Gracekeepers tells a modern story of an irreparably changed world: one that harbors the same isolation and sadness, but also joys and marvels of our own age. 

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan is by far the best book I’ve read this year, I had very high expectations of this book and it surpassed them easily! Normally when I plan a review I write what I liked and what I didn’t like; while the good pretty much always outweigh the bad for me- it is very I do not like a book- when it came to planning this one I genuinely couldn’t think of any bad points, therefore I’m just going to tell you good points!

First off I have to talk about the writing, it was so beautiful and eloquent but not one of those books that is overly descriptive or poetic if you know what I mean. I found myself being drawn into the writing and it paints such a vivid picture in your head.

Something that really stood out to me was the world, the book isn’t that long yet I feel like I have a very good and wide understanding of the world and the divides in it. The world itself is very unique and interesting, all the customs and the differences between Damplings and Landlockers, selfishness, greed and prejudice was rife and though this world is flooded and is quite different to our world there are parallels which are interesting to think about.

The characters. The main two people this book follows is North and Callanish both who have secrets and in a way are trapped. However each chapter changes perspective and sometimes go to other characters such as the rest of the performers in the circus that North works in and having these every now and again allowed you to understand all characters on some level meaning even minor characters you saw at least a glimpse of their complexity which made the novel so rich.

The last thing I want to mention is something I don’t really notice or think about outside school and that is the pacing of the novel. It is quite slow, which sounds like a bad thing but it suited the novel so well and it meant it was very relaxing to read and created such a contrast when things came to a head. It isn’t something I think of and I would automatic say that a fast pace is the best but this novel taught me that it depends on the story as I enjoyed the calmness of this.

Obviously I gave this 5 stars and would recommend it to any who is even the tiniest bit interested. It is now one of my favourite books and for a pretty short novel it is so full and rich! Also just look at that cover that is reason enough alone to pick it up. ;)

Speak soon,

Jade xx

The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, Anne by Catherine Reef- review

The Brontë sisters are among the most beloved writers of all time, best known for their classic nineteenth-century novels Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily), and Agnes Grey (Anne). In this sometimes heartbreaking young adult biography, Catherine Reef explores the turbulent lives of these literary siblings and the oppressive times in which they lived. Brontë fans will also revel in the insights into their favorite novels, the plethora of poetry, and the outstanding collection of more than sixty black-and-white archival images. A powerful testimony to the life of the mind.

Jane Eyre is one of my favourite books and I've got Emily's and Anne's books ready waiting so when I was looking for an ebook from my library for bout of books this seemed like a good choice to find out more about the Bronte sisters. It was also quite refreshing to read a non-fiction as this is something I rarely read.

The thing I liked about about this was that it wasn't just bare facts in a list, it told the story of their lives and their family and friends. It wasn't bland but emotive. I was quite a quick and easy read yet it had some analysis of the sister's writing; this was a downside too though because it can very easily spoil you when it explains the plot of each novel (which I must admit I found a little silly). The one biggish problem I had with this book is that I found it patronising, I don't if that's because it is written for a younger audience than me but I found the tone in which Reef would describe things to be how you would talk to a small child, so the writing style could of been  better in my opinion but the content was very interesting. I gave this 3 stars.

Speak soon,
Jade xx

The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, Sydney Padua- review

A graphic novel debut that transforms one of the most compelling scientific collaborations into an unexpected, and hilarious, series of adventures.

A unique take on the unrealized invention of the computer in the 1830s by the eccentric polymath Charles Babbage and his accomplice, the daughter of Lord Byron, Ada, Countess of Lovelace. When Ada translated her friend Babbage's plans for the "Difference Engine," her lengthy footnotes contained the first appearance of the general computing theory—one hundred years before an actual computer was built. Sadly, Lovelace died of cancer a few years after publishing the paper, and Babbage never built any of his machines. But now Sydney Padua gives us an alternate reality in which Lovelace and Babbage do build the Difference Engine, and then use it to do battle with the American banking system, the publishing industry, their own fears that their project will lose funding, and a villainous street musician who will force the two friends to reevaluate their priorities—"for the sake of both London and science."

When I heard about this I was super excited, I love anything Victorian and these two people seem to have such character. When I got it the excitement continued, this book is so gorgeous! Its a naked hardback with a cloth bound spine and the illustrations are awesome! I read this during round 5 of #RYBSAT and it was a nice quick read for that kind of thing. For me there were basically two parts to this book- the graphic novel part and then the informative, math part. Sometimes they mixed but those were the aspects.

I really enjoyed the graphic novel part, it was very amusing, the art as I said was really good. Lovelace and Babbage as well as the other characters were so alive and vivid. I really enjoyed the little "guest stars" in this- Queen Victoria, the Duke of Wellington, Dickens, Florence Nightingale, Marian Evans (George Eliot), Elizabeth Gaskell even Jane Austen. It was full of these big figures with their quirks :) I really like how though I learnt a lot but when it came to the story it was all fun it was a good balance.

The "informative" aspect was mainly through gigantic footnotes, endnotes and then the Appendix at the end of the book. I found it all interesting but I have to admit that a lot of maths and science went over my head, i think I grasp a fair amount but far from all of it. Another thing that I struggled with when it came to this part was the layout. A couple of times the pictures went into the writing but then main problem I had was that the footnotes weren't a normal two or three lines it could be an entire page in this tiny, tiny font making it very hard to read. Also at first I got very confused how to read it there were numbers and references to the appendix but I didn't know where they were but in the end I just went page by page and ignored that the footnotes have footnotes themselves.

Overall it was enjoyable and I found it very interesting even though it was more complex than I expected  in places. I loved the graphic novel side and in then it was a fun read that I gave 3 stars.
Speak soon,
Jade

The Old Nurse's Story by Elizabeth Gaskell- Review

A ghostly child roams the Northumberland moors, while fairytale characters gather at a strange party, in these two Victorian gothic tales. Penguin Little Black Classic No. 39

I am a massive lover of Elizabeth Gaskell's writing and her stories, I've read North & South and Cranford so far and have Mary Barton is waiting for me on my shelf. This is the precise reason that as soon as I saw an LBC by her I got my paws on it! Without read the back, I never knew she had written some good old Victorian gothic stories, so it was a surprise when I started reading this, but a nice one. There are two very short stories in her and I enjoyed both of them but I definitely have a favourite.

The first is The Old Nurse's Story, which is about an old nurse telling her charges a ghost story from when she was looking after their mother when she was young in a big old house. This was pretty creepy especially the ending. It has a tiny little family element too which I also like.

The last story is called Curious. if True. This one confused me greatly, a man is walking and when he loses his way he comes across a house that is holding a party. But the guests are a little strange and gradually I began to place them. I just found this a really lovely, amusing and I suppose curious read ;)
 Overall I gave this 3.5 stars and I would recommend it for s
ure, especially if you like Elizabeth Gaskell (though it is a different side to her) and/or Victorian gothic as a genre.
Speak soon,
Jade xx

Elizabeth Is Missing, Emma Healey- Review

‘Elizabeth is missing.’ Maud keeps finding notes in her pockets with this message scrawled on it, but she can’t remember writing it. That said, she can’t remember much these days: the time of day, whether she’s eaten lunch, if her daughter’s come to visit, how much toast she’s eaten. Still, the notes about Elizabeth nag at her. When was the last time she spoke with her best friend? It feels like ages ago... Frustratingly, no one seems willing to help Maud find her: not the police nor Elizabeth’s son - not even Maud’s own daughter or granddaughter. It’s like they’re hiding something. Maud resolves to take matters into her own hands, and begins digging for the truth. There are many clues, but unhelpfully, they all seem to point to another unsolved disappearance: that of Maud’s sister Sukey just after the war. Could the mystery of Sukey’s disappearance lead Maud to the truth about Elizabeth? As Maud’s mind retreats into the past at a frightening pace, alienating her from her family and carers, vivid memories of what happened over fifty years ago come flooding back to give her quest new momentum.

Elizabeth is missing was getting a substantial amount of hype and won the Costa book award for first novel last year; this coupled with the blurb (I meaning how intriguing can you get?) meant I was willing to branch out of my comfort zone and try an adult mystery novel. For me there are the 3 parts to this book: 1. The narration 2. The mystery side 3. The family aspect. 

This book is narrated entirely by Maud and her dementia makes her very unreliable, something which I have never experienced before. On one hand it kept things interesting and her thoughts processes kept revealing things little by little while also keeping you completely in the dark. It put me in a very strange place, I felt very out of it and fuzzy, I'm sure how to explain but it was very odd. So I guess that means it was effective  but in a good or bad way, I don't know. 

There are two mysteries for Maud- where is her friend Elizabeth in the present and then a past mystery from when her sister went missing when Maud was around 14-15 if I remember correctly. I found this side super gripping and I could never really predict anything because of the narration. The way these two are intertwined and how they come together at the end (kinda, I don't want to spoil anyone!) was beautifully done and the driving force of the plot. 

I don't have any experience with dementia so I'm no expert but the way it was represented seemed so real and honest and my favourite part of the book was how Emma Healey showed the toll on Maud's daughter and granddaughter, for they, unlike Maud, are fully aware of the situation and they have to live with seeing someone they love lose themselves and look after when she used to look after them. It was very moving.

Overall it was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I liked the mystery side and the family aspect and can tell by my reaction that it was well written but I personally didn't enjoy the experience and so I gave it 2.5 stars. If any of you have read it I would really like to hear your thoughts. 

Speak soon,
Jade xx

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell- review

Cranford is an affectionate and often moving portrait of genteel poverty and intertwined lives in a nineteenth-century village. One of Elizabeth Gaskell's most beloved works, it centres on a community dominated by women and governed by old-fashioned ways. The formidable Miss Deborah Jenkyns and the kindly Miss Matty's days revolve around card games, tea, thriftiness and an endless appetite for scandal, until change comes into their world - whether it is the modern ideas of Captain Brown, a bank collapse, rumours of burglars or an unexpected reappearance from the past.

Hello! I hope you are having a good day :) During Bout of Books I (mainly) listened to Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell as I got the audiobook from my library but I did follow along/ read some out of my physical book too. I read North and South last year and loved it, I also adore the BBC miniseries. While Cranford isn't quite up there with North and South I stilled really enjoyed.

It was originally published in parts in Dickens' serial magazine Household Words so each little chapter is like it own little episode/story type thing but the characters are the same and some things do go over or there may be little hints and foreshadowing every now and then. I liked this format a lot especially for a readathon because it was quick little parts.

Cranford is set around the women of Cranford and they are like a core cast and then other characters come and go. Our narrator spends much of her time there but doesn't actually live so we have an outsiders perspective. Each character has there own little amusing quirk and it was just so lovely and quaint.

A benefit of listening to the audiobook was how you automatic got the tone of the book and the lady narrating it just made it very sarcastic and was showing how trivial many of the things were. But the when it came to the serious side that was well done too. I'm not going to lie I shed a few tears here and there some sad and some happy. The ending was my favourite because even though I had predicted it was going to happen it was lovely, lovely to happen to the most adorable character of Miss Matty.

So if you're looking for a quick, light quaint read that is very well written this is it. I can't wait to read more of Gaskell's work!

Speak soon,
Jade xx

Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid- Review

Cat Morland is ready to grow up. A homeschooled minister’s daughter in the quaint, sheltered Piddle Valley in Dorset, she loses herself in novels and is sure there is a glamorous adventure awaiting her beyond the valley’s narrow horizon. So imagine her delight when the Allens, neighbors and friends of her parents, invite her to attend the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh as their guest. With a sunny personality, tickets every night and a few key wardrobe additions courtesy of Susie Allen, Cat quickly begins to take Edinburgh by storm and is taken into the bosom of the Thorpe family, particularly by eldest daughter Bella. And then there’s the handsome Henry Tilney, an up-and-coming lawyer whose family home is the beautiful and forbidding Northanger Abbey. Cat is entranced by Henry and his charming sister Eleanor, but she can’t help wondering if everything about them is as perfect as it seems. Or has she just been reading too many novels? A delectable, note-perfect modern update of the Jane Austen classic, Northanger Abbey tells a timeless story of innocence amid cynicism, the exquisite angst of young love, and the value of friendship.

Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid is a retelling of Austen's classic and is part of The Austen Project, which is where different authors are "updating" Jane's novels. I'm just going to state right off the bat that obviously this is nothing to the original, I enjoyed it and gave it 3 stars but I enjoyed Jane Austen's much more. With that off my chest on to the good and the bad (a few things bothered me about this books) of this book not Austen's!

First as materialistic as it is the cover is so striking! It is bright, bright orange with the silhouette of the abbey... I LOVE IT!

The one thing with the original that I struggled with was when Catherine was in Bath, I found it very slow but Val McDermid twist made it much more up my street. Having it set in Edinburgh during the book festival made it much more exciting with the bookish thing Cat got up to. Another thing done very well were the characters they were all so vivid. I felt we as readers got much more of the Tilney's in this purely because Cat did; society allowed. While on the subjects of the Tilney's I really liked Elinor and her relationship with Cat, also how her not being able to marry her beloved was changed into something much more empowering for the girls reading it. As for her brother, I adored Henry Tilney just as much as in the original. What I like about Henry is how is nice and sweet right from the start, there is no brooding or moodiness he's just fun and caring. Characters and their development are the most important thing for me when it comes to storytelling and it was done so well especially Cat's development!

However there are 3 things that really bugged me about this book unfortunately. The first may just be a personal thing. I get what I call secondary embarrassment, I get embarrassed for the character as if their mistakes are mine and it can be quite uncomfortable a times. I had this with Cath and her obsession with vampires and the like, I think it went just a little too far. The other two problems were to do with how the author tried to make it automatically modern. The social media, emails and the "teen speak" was just plonked in their with what seemed like very little thought or understanding and for me it just stuck out like a sore thumb. The last thing is that whenever someone updates a Jane Austen story they seem to have an incessant need to make a character gay or at least have someone think this. Now don't get me wrong I understand that people are gay and that is absolutely fine but I feel like using that and again just plonking it in there is wrong and irritating. In this particular book there was even some homophobic behaviour (trying to be vague here to avoid spoilers) which eventhough called out I don't know if I liked.

Overall the things that I didn't like are mainly small and I did really enjoy this book, it was fun, light and the characters were on point! Let me know your opinion if you've read it.
Speak soon,
Jade xx

The Tinder Box by Hans Christian Anderson- Review

One of Penguin's Little Black Classics (no. 23 to be precise) for their 80th anniversary was a small collection of Hans Christian Anderson's work and I adored them! Its only 64pgs and includes The Tinder Box (the title of the collection), Little Claus and Big Claus, The Princess and the Pea (my favourite), The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Nightingale and The Red Shoes.

I fell in love with his writing! It has an enchanting, magical tone to it that is so matter-of-fact and perfect. Don't get me wrong the stories are a little strange... okay super, super strange but despite their ridiculousness I found them really enjoyable.

It was also nostalgic for me; I have this beautifully illustrated big book of bedtime stories that had some of these in and reminding myself of all the details was lovely! I am certainly planning on reading more of Hans Christian Anderson's works.
4.5 stars.

Speak soon,
Jade xx