Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – Jumping into Summertime for June 2023!

Hello all! I think we’ve finally hit summer in the UK (I say that as everything has clouded over again and there’s a promise of rain). Last month passed in an absolute whirlwind of walkies, socialising, an exhibition, Sleeping Beauty and a near death experience… so as you can see not much going on 😉 And on that note, I’m going to dive straight into some of the media I’ve been consuming in the last month…

Queen Charlotte– I was positively engaged by this. If you’re going to write a historical fantasy, then this is absolutely how you should do it. Yes historical accuracy is sacrificed- but it is sacrificed on the altar of romance. And yes there is overt political messaging- but it is messaging about unity that will warm even the coldest heart. There’s an if only aspect to it, which distinguishes it from the modern rewritings we have seen. It humorously upholds the social mores and doesn’t throw out every concept of the age. All this is done to provide a backdrop to a truly unconventional love story- one marred by tragedy from the start. In a heartrending fashion, this is the most charming rendition of the madness of George III that I’ve seen (just watch out for the awkward sex scenes 😉).  

Seven Kings Must Die– continuing the royal trend, we finally have the finale to my favourite show of all time: the Last Kingdom. As we started the show with the last kingdom being the Anglo Saxon Wessex, we are now brought to the near formation of England with the last kingdom being the Viking kingdom of Northumbria. Our hero Uhtred has had many years enjoying the successes of the series 5 finale- but as we know from this show, that peace cannot stand. With poignant storytelling and deep character work, this provides a beautiful conclusion to a story I have followed for many years. More than that- it goes beyond the mere characters in the narrative. The story inevitably becomes about the formation of the English as well as England. It is utter perfection and I had tears in my eyes by the end.

House of the Dragon– well, that was some hot stuff. After my complaints about Fire and Blood being something of a damp squid, I didn’t expect to be so taken in by this series. And in truth, I was rather cool towards it at the start. Yet as the series progressed, the characters and narrative were ever more compelling. Based on some rather dry histories, the showrunners have breathed life into this Westerosi mythos. Somehow they managed to make me root for some truly heinous characters and reignite my passion for the world of Game of Thrones (which is no small miracle!). Do not go into it expecting romantic highs or happy endings- for this is very much grimdark fantasy. As graphic as I found it (unfortunately it is still too unnecessarily gratuitous) I could not look away. I have to confirm what all the critics are saying: this is television worth watching.

Final Girl Support Group– like all the other Hendrix books I’ve read, this is an intelligent horror. With the concept of the final final girl to examine themes of gendered violence and trauma. As an examination of the final girls trope, it’s on point. Not only does it explore the concept in modern media, bringing in multimedia extracts to add texture to the narrative, but it also becomes deeply mythical by the end. Entrenched in Greek mythological themes, the narrative journeys into the concept of becoming a monster to defeat the monster.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Small Things Like These- this isn’t a bad book by any metric. It explores deep and real emotions. It has a complex central character. It has a sophisticated narrative arc in a contained space. AND YET something about it feels incomplete. I felt it was more of a snapshot rather than an epic work of art. There’s more promise to it than it delivers- and in that way I guess it’s a typical Booker Prize nominee. And we all know what I think about Booker Prize Winners by now 😉

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers– this was a delight. Packed with fun characters and with a plot to die for, this was such a joy to read. Using malapropisms and some smart writing, Sutanto created the perfect cosy mystery with a 5* ending. I strongly advise you try it for yourself!  

Rating: 5/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – Let’s Get Motivated for May 2023!

Hello all! Another month has rolled around and I’m glad to say April was a good reading month for me… a lot of which were motivational reads! So, I’m certainly feeling motivated to dive right in and share them with you now 😉

Landlines– springing right into it, with a book that lends itself to the new season, I walked myself right into Raynor Winn’s third travelogue. Evocatively following her and her husband’s trek across the United Kingdom, this third memoir in the series is more overshadowed by the potential impending loss. Not that it stops this book from being incredibly inspiring and hopeful to the end, carrying a message to just keep going in the face of whatever hardship life throws at you. For such a message, the setting of Scotland and the North of England feels most fitting. Full of hope, I will say that while all the books have been political, I felt some of the links here were more tenuous and distracting. Sometimes it was a bit more incongruous to the awe and the stirring wonder of the landscape- which fell into the background with these discussions. Still, this was well worth the read (or listen as the case was for me) if you want to know more about Moth and Raynor’s journey.

Rating: 4½/5 bananas    

Also, as a footnote, I very much enjoyed the “conversation with” at the very end- it’s like listening to a lovely mum and dad potter around and put the kettle on.

Dear Dolly– collating agony aunt columns can make for a peculiar (and in some cases rather irritating) book. Not in this case! Dolly Alderton’s collected thoughts proved to be refreshing and delightful. While I had mixed feelings about her memoir, I found her personality lends itself to advice. Non-judgemental and actually helpful, I found that she didn’t smother people with her opinion or experience (as many agony aunts are wont to do). Rather she did the most important thing when it comes to counselling others and actually listened. It was particularly useful to hear from someone who didn’t believe in their own perfection. And on that note, I also don’t entirely trust people that don’t have regrets (live a little and get some I say! 😉)

Rating: 4½/5 bananas    

Failosophy– this book was a huge success. There’s something very therapeutic about examining the things that have gone wrong in your life and working out where you go from there. I certainly have had more than the recommended three to mull over (one of which is not opening up about failures so don’t expect this to become a confessional 😉). What I especially liked about this book is that it doesn’t offer useless platitudes- because it’s okay to feel shitty about your failures and it’s okay to make bad decisions. Failosophy, however, can have you moving beyond ruminations of what was I thinking?! and into a more productive line of thought. None of us are perfect- but this book is pretty close 😉 (side note: there’s also a teen-appropriate version of the same book and it’s really good!)

Rating: 5/5 bananas

How to Fail– of course, after reading Failosophy, I had to check out Day’s original book on failure. Part manifesto, but more memoir, I wasn’t as impressed by the fragmented structure and writing style. There just wasn’t enough to it and I ended up distracted by the setup. Definitely not a bad book, but if you have to pick between them, I’d recommend sticking with Failosophy.  

Rating: 3½/5 bananas

Longshadow– ach my most disappointing book of the month (and possibly the year)- I almost don’t want to talk about it at all. As you may know from my previous reviews, I’ve been loving Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with Abigail as a character in the same way. Harsh as this may sound, I didn’t think she had sufficient personality to sustain my interest for long. Personally, I don’t think being a lesbian and magical is enough in lieu of actually creating an interesting character. In fairness, Mercy was far more interesting and I did like the ending. It’s just that the other two books were so character focused- with a distinct cast that leapt of the page- that I couldn’t help but be let down.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Five Survive– genuinely exciting and tense, this read differently to a lot of other YA thrillers. More on the action-packed side of the genre, this had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. And with characters who you will want to get to know (and in some cases avoid at all costs). I especially liked how unique the concept was in comparison to a lot of more staid stories I’ve tried. If you pick this up, be prepared for something a little more dramatic than your average high schoolers going on a trip 😉 And that ending was absolutely *to die for*.

Rating: 4½/5 bananas 

How to Sell a Haunted House– okay you know how I don’t read horror books? Well, Grady Hendrix is the exception for me. His books are just so darn funny and creepy and complex- I have to read them! And with a title (and cover!) like this, how could I resist? Fashioned in a way that made me think of it as a Toy’s Story for adults, this book definitely left its mark. Creepy and a bit too much on the gruesome side for my tastes, this haunted house story was intrinsically a family affair. In a sense, it was about the ways our history haunts us and the scars we carry into adulthood. At the same time, it’s an ineffably sad take on coming to terms with the concept of death- both in childhood and in adulthood. Absolutely worth buying what this book is selling- just watch out if you’re on the squeamish side!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

The Last Girl To Die– when I picked this up, I have to admit I thought I was in for something a little generic. This was not that. Set on the Scottish Isle of Mull, the remote location had echoes of timelessness and a strong sense of place. Dredged in a mythological air and powerful motifs, the plot was pulled along by the enduring images of a murdered girl. Mouths packed with sand and wearing a seaweed crown, this spoke to the silencing of women and the overbearing weight of femininity. With witchery at play, it felt like the story had a mind of its own, directed to a particularly good ending I couldn’t have fully predicted.

Rating: 4½/5 bananas 

Last Letter from Your Lover– oof I have some mixed feelings about this one. And not just because the central plot focuses on infidelity. Because there is heart to this dual timeline romance that will have you investing in spite of the controversial subject matter. Indeed, Moyes has proved to be the writer who can take difficult subject matter and humanise it. No, my problem was not the issues the story deals with- but how the plot wove together. You see, this is a bit of a mess structurally. Rather than having the story as an interlocking narrative, you get long patches of one story, only for it to jerk into the other timeline. And that creates a very manufactured feeling of tension that left me deliberating over the quality of the book. Frankly, as much as I liked the story, the flaws showed too much. 

Rating: 4/5 bananas

The Seventh Bride– last but certainly not least, I read yet another unconventional Kingfisher fantasy. Now that I’ve read a few, I can absolutely say these books are pure magic. Fairytale-esque and with a wonderful tone, this is reminiscent of Bluebeard (whilst not being a direct retelling). Focusing on female relationships, this is about a young miller’s daughter forced to marry… only to discover her wealthy intended has had many wives- some of whom are still living! Yet while you might think this would be centred on her relationship with her future husband, this instead is about sisterhood, with women working together and supporting each other. Thoroughly unromantic, with the beastly man being quite simply a beastly man, this covers different kinds of female relationships and is an unusual coming-of-age tale. Here is a story where it’s not just our young hero who must learn to endure and fight for herself- but also where the other women must learn the importance of helping each other and trusting your instincts. If something seems off- it probably is! I loved everything about this and would recommend it forever!

Rating: 5/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – Awesome Sauce, It’s April 2023!

Ahh we’re finally out of winter! The sun is shining and the birds are chirping- and of course there’s an amazing amount of reading to be done! Luckily, I had a pretty good reading month, so I’ve plenty to share 😊 But first a quick interlude into TV and things to see!

His Dark Materials– I finally, finally finished this series. I have to admit it was a bit of a struggle. I was really slow getting into it this year and found it petered out at the end, meaning the only part I found impossible to look away from was the middle. Yet, it still did manage to make me cry and was tense towards the conclusion. Fundamentally a complex story, I’m not sure how well this translated to screen. I think the fact I didn’t care about continuing speaks volumes.

Cinderella– a gorgeous production as usual, this captures a great deal of the fairy tale’s charm. While the music is a little moodier, I did still feel transported by the style and substance of this ballet.

Swordheart– Kingfisher strikes again with another unconventional fantasy! I am quickly falling for this fairytale-esque style, with its atypical heroes and inventive world building. The unusual plot follows a widow fighting to get her inheritance (armed with a very special magic sword). A little bit slow in parts thanks to the book travelling syndrome, it still managed to sweep me up in a (sometimes swashbuckling) adventure. Once again, I appreciated how it incorporated modern elements, but also managed to make it feel true to the time. Having an older heroine to provide commentary on conventions (and simultaneously challenge them) was done particularly well. Above all, it was a fun and unique twist on the medieval fantasy genre- showing that this setting has plenty of life in it yet! I’m really glad Bookwyrm Knits kindly recommended this to me when I was looking for more T Kingfisher to read- so thanks for that! (psst she also wrote a great post recently about other books you can read if you like this author)

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Someone Else’s Shoes– this walkabout in the lives of two very different middle-aged women was very compelling. Initially I wasn’t convinced I’d ever find either of them likeable- but by the end of the book I was converted! It just took a little bit of time to see things from their perspective- but as soon as I did, I became more and more invested. I couldn’t help rooting for both of them as they stomped through the pages in each other’s shoes. Dealing with difficult topics with a good dose of humour, I thoroughly enjoyed the story (and the message that wearing Louis Vuitton can do you some good 😉)

Rating: 4/5 bananas

She is a Haunting– for a complete change of pace, this haunting horror set in Vietnam took my breath away. Written as if the house is a body and the body is steadily breaking down, this was a super creepy take on colonialism. The rot at the heart of their home held sway over the entire narrative. And, as much as some of it was on the nose, I liked how it explored the themes of what it feels like to be displaced and not at home in your own culture.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

They Mostly Come Out At Night– as you might be able to tell from the title, this was one helluva powerful and intense book! Recommended a while ago in Liis’ sensational review, I was captivated by the deliciously dark world building and cleverly constructed tale. Working with a hint of mythology, this gave a very real depiction of life as an outsider. While I found the dual narrative made for a somewhat fragmented plot and predicted the major twists, I did find the overall plot intriguing. But in the end, this soared towards a glorious finale and I was left keen to read more by the author!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Chef’s Kiss– sometimes you need something a little light and frothy- and this graphic novel was precisely that. Following a group of friends straight out of uni and trying to find their place in the world, this is a story of figuring things out and (more importantly) how it’s okay to not have everything figured out all at once! In fact, it’s cool to experiment, go with the flow and find your passion. Frankly, I LOVED the message that it’s daft to expect teens to figure out *right now* what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Even if you end up going in a different direction to the one you expected- that’s what adds spice to your story! I loved how this mixed coming-of-age vibes with romance, cooking up a delightful story for anyone to enjoy. I spotted a review for this over on Misty’s marvellous blog and I’m really happy that I did- this was just what I needed in my life! The illustrations were lovely, the story wholesome and it even had a recipe in the back!

Rating: 4½/5 bananas

Down Among The Sticks And Bones– as you may remember from my review of Every Heart a Doorway, I wasn’t too smitten with this series. Yet, I loved the concept of what it’s like to return from a portal world so much, I wanted to give this series another chance. Well, it transpired the second in the series was more of a deep character study of two characters from the previous book, with their story of being in another world. In their (surprisingly) gothic world, they are confronted with the true versions of themselves and have to learn survival skills at an alarming rate. Now if that sounds like a diversion- it kinda is. But I can’t say I objected to it! While the opening felt a little twee and I suspected I might be in for a modern-day lecture, I soon found myself lost in the tale and leaving my reservations behind. Much as it is a little didactic, I did appreciate the play on traditional narrative forms. I ended up far more invested in the characters and gripped by the somewhat-gruesome setting. For all its simplicity as a twist on the genre- merely transforming the portal world into somewhere unappealing- this fascinated to me far more as a twist on the genre. Definitely worth a try- regardless how you feel about the series!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – We’re in March 2023!

Hello all! Hope you all had a great month… I know I did with the love of my life Charlie Barley 😉

We’ve been getting out and about for lots of lovely walkies… when I’ve been well that is 😅 Sadly I’ve spent most of this month sick again, which really sucks, especially cos it means I don’t have so many books to share this month

And amazingly that didn’t result in me watching loads of TV- so I only have one show to talk about (but it’s a doozy)

Wednesday– woe is me that it took me so long to get to this! Woe is life that we have to wait so long for season two! This was quite simply a perfect show. With mystery, friendship, wonderful characterisation, a brilliant soundtrack and great cinematography- we were all spoilt with this hit of a show! I have nothing to say other than you *absolutely* need to watch this if you haven’t already!!

Forgotten Bookshop in Paris– I want to start this review with a true story. When I was very young, I met an elderly man in Yaffa, who had a shop filled with both Catholic and Jewish memorabilia. He told the story of how, as a teenager in France, the Nazis came to take him away. His mother told him to jump out the window and run. He made it to a church, where they hid him for the rest of the war. I can still remember how his eyes filled with tears as he said “I never saw my mother again”. My reason for sharing this story is simple: I don’t want it to be forgotten. Books like this, which talk of the occupation in France and deportation of French Jews, do an important job of conveying this memory. I could stop my own recollections resurfacing as I read this book. To its credit, the story had a strong sense of time and place. Though, admittedly, I was more invested in the modern characters in this dual timeline book. Still, I felt that the book felt very in touch with life and history.

Rating: 3½/5 bananas 

Mysterious case of the Alperton Angels– heavens above- Janice Hallet definitely knows how to write a damn good mystery! Made up of emails and texts, in a modern epistolary style, this delves into the grubby world of journalism and true crime. With characters who are consummate liars and subtlety deceptive, Hallet once more manages to strike the perfect balance between mystery and humour. While not necessarily having the best underlying  motive or twist, the story still manages to have a sensational ending worthy of the tabloids. More importantly, it leaves the reader with a moral choice: what is the right thing to do? A bit more far-fetched than other books, but I’m glad it didn’t slant (too much) into the fantastical. Definitely worth a shot for mystery lovers!

Rating: 4½/5 bananas 

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray– well I believe I may have read too many thrillers. Because I swear to any god who will listen that I spent this entire book waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe it’s me or maybe I simply have gotten over the whole “oh he’s stalked me to my place of work cos he fancies me, isn’t that cute?” Aside from her looks, there seemed to be no actual reason for the love interest to be downright obsessed with the main character. It was especially weird that she kept referring to herself as a muse when she was so goddamn empty inside. In fact, she went beyond being shallow to being a full-on narcissist. And this isn’t just me using the internet’s favourite buzzword- this was other characters in the book and glimpses of self-awareness from the protagonist herself. Because, as someone calling her out says:

“Even in the middle of hurting other people you’re focused on yourself”

I mean, yeah, narcissism seems a pretty apt description. Especially as she then throws herself a pity-party for treating everyone else like shit. In fact, the whole way through the book, she’s feeling sorry for herself and completely out of touch with other people’s emotional landscape. The closest she comes to empathy is when her boyfriend/husband/the-book’s-dull-as-dishwater-love-interest is depressed, she talks about banal things to make him feel better. Which is alright if you have an incredibly low bar for emotional support. I also felt like the book was clearly trying to manipulate me into rooting for her, with hints to her baggage from an averagely-bad childhood, troubled teens and an ongoing feud with an Other Woman trope (which frankly I was feeling over it from the second it started… forgive me for not loving girl-on-girl-hate). I also wasn’t massively into how choreographed the romance scenes were. All that said, this was far from the worst book I’ve read in a while and there were times when I really liked the writing style. I just didn’t think it was that good of a book. (But a great cover though).

Rating: 2½/5 bananas 

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – Fun Times for February 2023!

Well not that fun for me, because I managed to get COVID again in January! Sooo not exactly the start to the year I had in mind! Still, there’s always movies and books to keep me going 😉

Rosaline– every so often a flawless rom com comes along- and this was one of those times! I fell head over heels for this Romeo and Juliet retelling. Sending up the most ridiculous elements of the play, it engages with the most famous critiques of the play (ie they don’t know each other, Romeo’s fickle, they’re both too young). And somehow, while we all know it has to end in tears, it manages to stay true to the opening tone, using a comedic style that really works. And, unlike the original, it has a romance that actually works 😉

Coco– oh gosh this was pitch perfect! I know, this is hardly a ground-breaking announcement but YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS FILM!! It’s a deeply meaningful movie about coming together as a family, the fickleness of fame and (of course) music! I loved how this didn’t just give a saccharine message about music saving your soul, showing instead how we can sometimes worship the wrong things and remember the wrong people (while the most important people are forgotten). A truly lovely animation.

When Women Were Dragons– I’m not gonna blow smoke up anyone’s arse- this book was a great big NOTHING. Spending (too many) pages slapping us round the face with a (bad) allegory, where the author imagines women take back their power and spontaneously transform into dragons. (A concept that admittedly sounds rather badass even if you haven’t drunk the Kool-Aid). Sadly, I spent the entire time wondering BUT WHERE IS THE PLOT??! I just wanted to know where it was going and found myself bored. Especially as the dragons don’t do much dragonish things (beyond the initial human bonfires). There’s no sitting on piles of treasure and kidnapping damsels (presumably male ones in the case of this book). They just kinda disappear and then *reappear*, whilst going about normal day-to-day things. It actually gets very campy, with dragons walking round 1950s America with handbags and heels. Which is still not as interesting as I’m making it sound. Just know that the author thinks all women are dragons and hates men and is an intersectional feminist- because the author sure as hell wants you to know that (as she tells her way to a very, very corny World Peace ending). Not trying to get all hot under the collar here- but this book really was not worth my time.

Rating: 2/5 bananas

Dead Romantics– I want to say right away that I was dead impressed with a lot of things in this book. And as long as I don’t think about it too much, a lot of the problems could remain unseen. So if you want to read a cute romance and not have me kill the fun, look away now… Because it is a flawed book. Unfortunately, there were far too many subplots smooshed together. So much so, the tone got lost and it didn’t quite work. I’m supposed to believe, for instance, this is happening in the immediate aftermath of a sudden death. And yet, it didn’t read like the heroine was struggling to come to terms with what would be fresh grief. It’s an oddly timed story where the main character is bouncing along with a ghost and trying to do some writing. Which was odd. That said, I wasn’t exactly haunted by these flaws. I felt like this is the kind of character who doesn’t know how to embrace gloomy, grim reality… and that made an odd sense. Sort of. Like I said: just don’t think about it.

Rating: 3½/5 bananas

Every Heart a Doorway– I really like the concept of exploring what happens when children come back from a portal fantasy world- which is why I have been dying to pick up the Wayward Children series for some time. I had heard it was flawed, but was curious about the unique worlds and writing style. And it didn’t disappoint in that respect- this certainly had unique world building. However, I didn’t feel like this delivered much in other areas. As much as it tries to distance itself from the Chronicles of Narnia (openly critiquing the use of Christian allegory), this read very much as a woke allegory. It didn’t feel like natural storytelling, but rather a forced message about fitting in and acceptance. With a murder mystery thrown in, because there was death in their worlds… I guess? I never entirely understood what that was doing there. A lot of things were never really explained (like why some people got to go back) while other things were over-explained (like how the worlds worked). Still, it was a reasonably short book and I got something out of it- I’m still not entirely sure what.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Legends and Lattes– ahh this quiet book was a breath of fresh air. The concept follows fantasy characters happens after the adventure has finished… setting up their very own coffee shop! It’s as cosy and sweet as that sounds. With a side of yummy sounding treats and a sweet romance, this was a relaxing read that does what it says on the tin.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Cursed– this suffers a little from the curse of the finale. While it had some really good twists and a lot of things I liked, it didn’t quite live up to the charm of Gilded. And while I did appreciate the way this continued the motif of storytelling, some parts felt a little contrived and forced. Ultimately though, it took me by surprise enough for me to get a fair amount of enjoyment out of it. It’s just a pity I can’t rave about this as much as I’d like- but I guess all that glitters is not gold 😉

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Daisy Darker– Alice Feeney often comes across as quite a contentious author- you either love her or hate her it seems. I for one absolutely adore her kooky, off-the-wall thrillers. I find in her mesmeric prose a deep sense of place and character. I have often been surprised by her peculiar twists- but I can’t deny they work (for me). With that being said, I wouldn’t blame anyone who thought the twist was a bit left of field. Without spoilers, I can say it’s one that I easily would’ve groaned at. I mean, it’s a little left of field and something that’s not entirely original. And yet, in the hands of this author it completely worked for me. I found myself flicking back through the pages for the clues I knew would be there, thinking “of course, how could I have missed that?” For me, it was a masterclass in suspense and warped storytelling. And I loved every second of it.

Rating: 5/5 bananas

Ten Thousand Stitches– here’s another Regency Faerie Tale that was a PURE DELIGHT! And this time, it plays into the concept of Cinderella, with the best faerie godfather that a maid could find. And while this Cinderella is giving and kind, she’s also angry and irritated (I mean, wouldn’t you be?) I loved the chuckle-inducing wit and wonderfully drawn characters. All of it is stitched together in a vibrant fantasy, with a brilliantly embroidered setting. With beautiful threads about humanity and the purpose of anger, once again Atwater proves she can add depth to her fantastical tales. I highly recommend this series if you haven’t checked it out yet!

Rating: 5/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – January 2023

Hello all! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Here’s to a LOVELY 2023!

I’m feeling fresh and chill after all that SNOW last month!

Cannot believe it’s a new year!! Let’s hope it’s a brilliant time for books, blogging and entertainment! Are we all ready to rumble?! Cos I certainly am!

Do Revenge– well this was a bit of a mess- but an enjoyable mess nonetheless! I had a lot of fun with this chaotic revenge drama… as long as I didn’t think about it too much. The characters flipflop between being good and evil, likeable and unlikeable. And I liked going along for the ride- until of course it overdid it and accelerated right off the tracks. I don’t know what it is about movies like this going one twist too far- yet this very obviously had one (or two depending on your perspective) twist too far. Another massive downside was how keen this campy, absurd movie was to get THE MESSAGE across. I saw one review saying that the good thing about this movie was that it didn’t take itself too seriously- however I don’t think that’s true at all. I think the problem is it takes itself way too seriously. It was trying too hard to be a #MeToo story that it didn’t follow through with the twist. Instead, it went with the obvious villain and the supposed “girl power” ending that didn’t feel earned. Like I said, this is an enjoyable movie. Just don’t think about it too much.

Lore Olympus Volume 1-3– now here’s a classic case of too much of a good thing. I was super impressed by this modern graphic novel retelling of Hades and Persephone. In some ways it wasn’t true to the original- yet the elements that were transformed would work much better for a modern audience. It was sensitive and the poetic licence was intelligently done. Plus, the plates in this book were utterly gorgeous. HOWEVER, this does take slow burn to a whole other level. As much as I liked these books, I don’t feel like finishing this series, because it quite simply doesn’t go anywhere. I would’ve thought after 3 volumes there would be more to the plot than this. So it’s an impressive feat and worth a go- but ye gods wrap it up already!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

The Boyfriend– there’s no way around it- this just was not a great book. There were easily better twists available than the *spoiler alert* boyfriend being a secret sociopath after her money. Now that I’ve told you the ending, I’ll tell you the beginning: it’s about a woman who has forgotten the last 3 months of her life and her new boyfriend (who it transpires she made up). Given that the main character had amnesia, she could’ve asked this guy to play her boyfriend for money. Or she could’ve been the sociopath. Or really anything other than the obvious and boring af answer. Sadly, this book ended up being completely forgettable. All I can say to this book is: it’s not me, it’s you.

Rating:2/5 bananas

London’s Number 1 Dog Walking Agency– this book had me bouncing around with joy! Witty and full of fun doggy characters, it had me barking out laughter left right and centre! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the personalities in this non fic book (both human and doggy). There were some lovely, memorable moments (some that even made me tear up). And while this book is obviously for dog-people, I’d also say that it can win over even the surliest of dog-detractors (just as the book proves that a dog can eventually win over any person when they set their mind to it 😉)

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Diamond Eye– I don’t want to be too hard on this book, so I will say straight away that there were a lot of things I liked about it. There was some sharp characterisation and a strong sense of setting. Once again, Quinn proved she could bring a historical landscape to life. This time it is Kyiv during WW2- which absolutely makes for explosive drama. The disappointing thing about this book is that it doesn’t stay in wartime Kyiv. Instead, we are sent flitting off to the United States for an assassination attempt that (spoiler alert) never happened (but is that really a spoiler alert given we all know it didn’t happen?!) Personally, I prefer smaller scale stories, where you get down in the dirt with people trying to survive. Once you start bringing in real history, real people and real events… well then you lose me. Because there’s no point (in my mind) to creating a drama around an event where we all know the outcome. The stakes are so incredibly low because we know what’s going to happen from the start. So having this very uninteresting non-event be the climax of the book simply wasn’t exciting for me. Still, as much as I lost my patience by the end, I did get swept along with the story for most of it.

Rating: 3½/5 bananas

Half a Soul– sweetly romantic, this regency faerie tale was exactly what I could’ve wished for. Without being smutty or corny, it takes the historical landscape and sprinkles a pinch of magic to transform it into a delightful read. Not only did I love the characters and the story, but I also really admired how the faerie land was styled. It was faintly ridiculous, with an air of Wonderland. A quirky and dangerous place that captured my imagination. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for fantasy romance (and aren’t remotely impressed by the usual faerie love stories flying around these days).

Rating: 5/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – Delighted it’s December 2022!

Hello all! Hope you’re all starting to feel festive… I know I am!

Now that we’re all warmed up, we can get cosy talking about the books I read last month… which isn’t that many since I had a bit of a slumpy month. Oh well, there were still some gems in there! Starting with…

Toymakers– ah here was a delightfully crafted fairytale-esque fantasy. Set in a magical toyshop, from the 20s and beyond, this tells the story of a young runaway and the family (and enemies!) she finds within the shop walls. As it transpires, there is a whole world secreted away in the heart of London, holding mysteries and mischief and a smidgen of mayhem in store. Like a Russian doll, this was full of hidden histories and stories within stories, tucked within the plot. These links with real world events brought the tale to life and made for a more powerful narrative. This isn’t a story of a children’s game after all- but the very real tragedy of world wars and man’s inhumanity to man. At the same time, it is a delightful parable of invention and being different and the enchantment of being different. So gloriously written it made me hold my breath at times, it truly transported me back to the wonder of childhood, seeing magic in all the little places. A little overlong, yet the charm was enough to hold my attention to the end. Just perfect for first frost!

Rating: 4½/5 bananas

Psychopaths Anonymous– a tongue in cheek take on what it’s like to be inside the head of a psychopathic killer, this was remarkably fun considering the subject matter. It definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously… which is why it works! I will say this is largely character-driven, with the plot happening much later into the book, but when the plot is directed by a murderer it’s at least eventful enough to keep interest. Admittedly, I did have to suspend my disbelief when it came to said murders, since I felt like there were SO MANY times she would have been caught (there are cameras everywhere! And witnesses!) I also found parts a tad repetitive and it’s a struggle to care for people who do not care themselves! That said, I had a (surprisingly) enjoyable time with this. If you’re a fan of thrillers, I think you’d be crazy not to try it 😉

Rating: 4/5 bananas

The Book Eaters– well this filled a craving I didn’t know I had. As much as I normally shy away from fantasy that verges on horror, I’m glad this book caught me in its snare. A monstrous, inventive and twisty debut that gobbled me up and swallowed me whole. I felt submerged in its dark and disturbing world. I was taken in by this story of how love makes monsters of us all. I devoured every page with relish.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Kingdom of the Feared– moving onto the frightfully disappointing 😉 This has been an interesting series for me. I loved the first book, but the second book left me unconvinced about the new direction it was headed. Sadly, my fears were well-founded. I was left disappointed with a lot of decisions with this book. While I liked the fiery fury and there were some cool new elements, I this was a bit of damp ending to a promising idea. Like a TV show that keeps raising the stakes (now there are goddesses! And the devil! Oh my!) I missed the earlier simplicity of the story that appealed to me in the first place. It basically dismantled the original concept in favour of the NEW and SPECTACULAR (that didn’t seem quite so spectacular to me). And, as much as it tried to return to the concept of a murder mystery, it was hard (if not impossible) to be invested in a character who wasn’t in the previous books and had so little bearing on the current plot. I found so much of it anti-climactic and a little cliché. Plus, the marital drama and erotic scenes made it feel far from its YA origins. I seriously question how much a 14-year-old would relate to this?! Having discussions with parents and teens in person, it doesn’t seem like it. It seems like yet another miss-marketed adult fantasy. Now, after all my moaning, I have to admit this wasn’t a terrible book. Just not one that was worthy of its promise.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Wolfsong– I was also expecting this to be a howling success- but sadly it left me feeling a little grizzly. As much as I enjoy Klune’s style, I couldn’t get over the romance centring on a TEN-YEAR-OLD CHILD mating with an adult. It seemed like the author took all the wrong inspiration from Breaking Dawn. This book just gave me the icks way too often. I don’t need to read some weird, overlong sex fantasy.

Rating 2½/5 bananas

The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World– finally, I finished off the month with a tough book to read, yet a necessary one. Advertised as a thriller, I still had to read it in small increments, because the subject matter is so heavy. A forgotten history that seems to have been ignored due to the uncomfortable questions it raised, this was no easy read. What struck me most was how, even after the escape, it was so difficult to actually do anything about the mass murder of Jews. The warning signs were there and the alarm bells were rung- but no one listened before it was too late. It’s a terrible indictment against humanity and makes me think about the atrocities currently happening around the world that people are turning a blind eye to.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments!

Hope you all had a good month and enjoy the upcoming holidays! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – Now it’s November 2022!?

OOF- where has this year gone?! Being an adult is kinda hard, so I went to a Sasha Sloan concert and at least I look cool now 😉

Hope everyone had an excellent Spooktober! My sister threw a Descendants themed party- so you know I had a great time 😉

Speaking of creepy, this was largely a month filled with thrillers, with a handful of romance thrown in to keep things spicy!

The Getaway– I was reasonably surprised that I enjoyed this- even though I’ve been looking for a book like this for quite some time! It’s an isolated thriller, set on an island, where the (mostly wealthy) guests are killed off one by one… What’s not to like? Aside from having an entertaining premise, the characters are intriguingly well drawn, with plenty of secrets up their sleeves. The best part of this book for me was the fact it had a Rupert Murdoch stand in- because seeing the media mogul in an “And Then There Were None” style thriller was exactly what I needed.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Love on the Brain– this made me remarkably happy- even if it wasn’t the smartest book I’ve ever read. For one thing, it’s not a very good version of the enemies-to-lovers trope, since it solely relies on miscommunication to pull it off. In fact, it relies on miscommunication for way too much of the book. Plus, it had some ridiculously woke views that made very little sense even by woke standards (I don’t know who decided that it’s okay to decide women and minorities are bad at taking tests and so shouldn’t have to do them… but it comes across as pretty offensive to me and an amazingly bad take). Even funnier was the fact the main character had an AOC t-shirt (never understood why anyone would stan a politician- but o-kay). Also, it’s bizarre to forgive someone who slept with your fiancé because she told you it came from a place of jealously- hOW iS ThAT An ExCuSE?!? Oh dear- I’m making this sound like I didn’t like it. Still, I swear there were plenty of good parts! The humour was on point for one! And I loved how she slowly realised how much in common they had. Finally, huge bonus points for not being Kylo Ren fanfic 😉 It’s a flawed book- but I did have a good time with it.

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Verity– well, it’s quite hilarious to me that I found Hoover makes a far better thriller writer than a romance writer. I guess it tells you something about how scary I find her idea of a love story 😉 Following a desperately broke ghostwriter and her job to finish a bedbound (and potentially insane) famous author’s series, this mind-bending thriller will absolutely get inside your head and make you question everything. In fact, I’m still asking questions long after I finished it- which is the sign of a great read. While I guessed some of the twists, I never could’ve figured out the reasons behind them. Other than being a little dark for my taste, it was the perfect thriller.

Rating: 4½/5 bananas  

Deadly Waters– so, this twisted Me-Too thriller started off swimmingly, then it sank below my estimation. The idea of a girl killing off rapey and gross frat boys by feeding them to crocodiles was too juicy for me to pass off. The only trouble was the overlong writing and repetitive preachiness meant it just wasn’t snappy enough to keep up the excitement of the premise. There were some great moments (and I particularly liked the satirical edge to the patronising uni’s response “be careful of crocodiles”). Unfortunately, the author seemed to think we wouldn’t get the message if she didn’t beat us over the head with it. I struggled to return to this book after a while. So, see you later alligator, this book was just an average read.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Dark Objects– here’s a solid mystery, with well-drawn characters and an excellent final twist. This follows a professor of crime scenes who only ever works on cold cases… being drawn into a live case and finding herself embroiled in the outcome. There’s some atmospheric writing, good attention to detail and a killer plot. I thoroughly enjoyed figuring out bits and pieces along the way. Sadly, the author couldn’t pass up a few opportunities to moralise and throw in some random plot points (minor spoiler: I’m really not sure why the author wanted to have the aside of the teenage daughter attempting suicide… I feel like it was just to keep the audience on their toes and because it’s topical? But I feel like it’s a serious enough topic not to be an aside in a book like this). Otherwise, it was a very satisfying read, with an outcome that actually makes sense!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

Ballad of Never After– ahh this was precisely what I needed!! A fun, frothy, fantasy romance, this sequel is packed with romance and curses and tricksy characters! I just loved where Garber is taking this series, introducing more mysteries and some background myths. I was definitely along for the ride as this took some unexpected turns and didn’t end up where I expected. The only downside I’m finding to this series is that I’m enjoying it too much to take notes!

Rating: 5/5 bananas

The Bullet That Missed– Osman returned to form with this third book in the Thursday Murder Club series. While I did enjoy the sequel, I personally found this one far superior, with new characters to grow attached to and the most substantial mystery yet. I loved how this explored even more of the former spy aspect- especially the links it had to spying on the Soviets. There was something so unexpected and heartwarming in that subplot that it made the book all the more joyous for me! And best of all, I really appreciated the double meaning to the title… which I won’t reveal to you, you’ll have to read it for yourself!

Rating: 5/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – OOH IT’S OCTOBER 2022!

Hello all! Hope you had a splendid September! Mine certainly was! As I mentioned in my previous post, I needed to take a couple of weeks off from blogging for a very good reason…

Annnd that wasn’t all! I also went back to Scotland for a few days (which inspired some more paintings I’ve been sharing over on insta) Needless to say I’m a bit zonked! 

And there’s more to come on the travel front soon! But for now- onto the books!

Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting– by golly, I’m smitten. This regency inspired comedy of manners was incomparable. Following a wicked young schemer who wishes to snag a rich man, this is not your conventional love story. Full of mischief and wit, but it also had great characters and a swoonworthy romance. I loved how it maintained a sense of history whilst also having a modern twist. A really fun and well written drama for those who are fans of Bridgerton… And also those who are decidedly not fans! 

Rating: 5/5 bananas

Our Crooked Hearts– be still my beating heart! This witchy wonder was straight up one of the best books I read last month. From creepy beginnings, we are introduced to a haunting mystery, intertwining past and present. Beyond the beautifully crafted writing is an intense character study, shown through dysfunctional familial relationships and the dark side of sisterhood. More than anything I loved how this exemplified the ways we are crammed into spaces and forced to be half of ourselves to please others… Even though that often leads to disappointment for both parties. A coming-of-age story like no other, I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a ghostly tale to keep them up this Halloween season!

Rating: 5/5 bananas 

Fire and Blood– oh dear. This was a struggle. I nearly DNF’d it many times (I should’ve just DNF’d it). For some reason, GRRM decided to write this as a dull maester would have written it and it is, in fact, rather dull. Even though it’s about warring dragon factions… annnd writing that out makes me even more disappointed that this didn’t work as a book. Yet with the distance the narration provided, it was impossible to connect with the story. And, to be honest, I can’t see any way that I’d ever have connected to any of these characters. They were all vile. Which made me realise that the Targaryen dynasty wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. That, coupled with the gratuitous violence and the insane level of brutality toward women, made me look at Game of Thrones in a whole new light… and that’s not a good thing. I had a fair number of reasons to be attached to the original story- but with everything Martin puts out, I’m less and less interested.

Rating: 2/5 banana

Run Time– this was actually kinda fun… until the clock ran down to a disappointing end. With a voicey storytelling style, this tells of an actress whose career has hit the rocks. So of course, she goes to a remote filming location with a bunch of odd people she doesn’t know, for a weird script that seems to bear too much resemblance to the disturbing goings on. Surprisingly, the heroine in this isn’t a total idiot (one of my least favourite thriller tropes) plus it also had a sufficiently creepy isolated setting (one of my favourite thriller tropes). It also had a great story-within-a-story concept. So it should’ve been plain sailing. Unfortunately, the plot ended up being a little too convoluted and what started as an intriguing premise faltered. While there were a few good (but guessable) twists, the finale wasn’t nearly as exciting as it could have been.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Gallant– and V E Schwab strikes again! With this spiky, spectral, dark fairy tale. In this voicey narrative, the silent lead takes us to the shadow world of Gallant and face the dark secrets that have plagued her family for generations. In typical Schwab fashion, it’s a sharply written and intriguing adventure.  

Rating: 5/5 bananas

Book of Night– it’s dawned on me that I’m unlikely to enjoy YA author’s first foray into adult fiction. Not once have I absolutely adored their adult novels the way I’ve loved their teen lit. And that’s fine- but also disappointing. All this is to say, Holly Black’s attempt didn’t work for me. As much as there a cool magic system and a solid plot, I simply wasn’t wowed by it. Largely this came down to the writing- which felt flat and relied on far too much telling for characterisation. This left the heroine and her love interest seeming only skin deep, which in turn left me struggling to connect with their romance. Which was a problem considering this was fundamentally a romance. Ultimately, this had the makings of a great book, but missed the mark. 

Rating: 3/5 bananas

Belladonna– erm well this one turned a little toxic. I was all set to fall in love with this intoxicating YA fantasy mystery… And yet sadly this went from deliciously intriguing to a dull affair that turned my stomach a little. Let me explain. To start with there were a whole host of interesting premises: an entire house of poisoned guests; a lifelong series of fatal accidents for all the heroine’s nearest and dearest; a connection with a paternal and protective death. But the story didn’t exactly follow any of those plots. Instead we were supposed to be fascinated by some hastily introduced relatives who didn’t seem to care one jot for the protagonist. And even if I had been more interested in the shoddily spun mystery or the main character’s attempts at etiquette, then I still would never have been here for the romance. Spoiler alert: it’s a literal love affair with death?! And, particularly as he’d followed her around since she was a baby, this love affair left me a tad uneasy. Call me crazy, but I just don’t go for the immortal old dude dating someone he’s known from birth. So sadly, as much as there were parts I liked, this is not the story for me. 

Rating: 2½/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤

Monthly Monkey Mini Reviews – So Stoked for September 2022!

Hello all!! August was AWESOME frankly and I’m sad it’s over! But here’s to an equally great September! Before I say goodbye to the summer, let’s just look at some of the highlights of the last month! Starting with…

Hiking the Seven Sisters 😊

Finally going to the Word on the Water bookshop

Seeing the Inspiring Walt Disney exhibition at the Wallace Collection

Best of all, I went to see my friend in Edinburgh!! We had a great weekend and she gave me a grand tour of Scotland: going up to Stirling, the Highlands (with a wee bit of a Harry Potter tour), rambling round Edinburgh and catching a few shows on the Fringe! I was so grateful she got us tickets for Foil Arms and Hog (love their stuff on Youtube and it was great to catch them live!)

Also managed to see the Jersey Boys in the West End amongst all of that!! Anyway, I didn’t manage to watch much TV with all that running around, but I did see one movie…

Emma– for some reason, I really thought I wouldn’t like this adaptation, but I was pleasantly surprised. While there were some very (very very) strange decisions in places, I have to admit this worked so well tonally. Played off as a comedy, I found myself genuinely chuckling throughout. The casting was fantastic; the chemistry between the leads excellent. I particularly liked how the pair came across as squabbling children. The characters of Emma, Mr Woodhouse and Mr Eliot were captured particularly well. I even found the romance between Harriet and Mr Martin compelling. And of course, as you may have heard from other sources, the costumes were top tier. I also really LOVED the soundtrack. It did get a little over the top and the nosebleed was a particularly annoying way to ruin a romance scene. Yet, little touches, like when Emma goes to Mr Martin, made this one of my favourite Austen adaptations. Although, let’s be honest, an Emma adaptation is hard not to love 😉

Okay- onto the reading! I went on a bit of a thriller bender this month (unintentionally) so that’s what’s going to hog these reviews (but of course keep an eye out for the contemporary in there, cos it’s a good one 😉)

The Woman in my Home– I feel like this is definitely fodder for people who liked the Tinder Swindler, but yeesh, way too much of this hinges on everyone being stupid. I feel like it’s worse that the people who know that the (spoiler alert) dude who seems to good to be true is in fact a conman just confront him. Because what is the point in that?! It meant that there was no real surprises, since, shockingly, the conman doesn’t take too kindly to being blackmailed. But all works out well in the end (it’s just one of those thrillers where we’re owed a happy ending apparently). Honestly, I’m struggling to say anything positive about this stunningly average book.

Rating: 2/5 bananas

The It Girl– here’s a book that’s far from average however. With a dual timeline spanning from the protagonist’s days in Oxford University to working in a bookshop in Edinburgh, the setting had the perfect atmospheric vibes for a dark academia thriller. I was enraptured by this cold-case story, trying to figure out who killed her friend all those years ago. And, like many of her books, the characters were an interesting study. I will admit that the suspect was a little obvious- however the how and the why were particularly clever. Definitely a book that proves why Ware is the It Girl in the thriller world.

Rating: 4½/5 bananas

Reading Allowed– when I saw a book fall onto my desk about what it’s really like to work in a library I *had to* pick it up. I mean, dudes, that’s my jam. And I really did like that this shares the realistic stories. It was pretty cathartic knowing that, up and down the country, we’re experiencing much of the same things. Still, I couldn’t quite say I loved this book, since sadly the writing was pretty bland. I wish that I could recommend this more, because library stories are much funnier than this makes them out to be. But I guess you had to be there 😉

Rating: 3/5 bananas

The Hive– social media and murder collide in this thriller, as Charlotte Goodwin lets the public decide the fate of her ex-boyfriend: should he live or die? An absolutely gripping new thriller, with a fantastically performed audiobook. Focusing on the themes of sisterhood, the characters are what shone in this story. Because more than commenting on the foibles of social media, this book asks the question what would (or wouldn’t) we do for the people we love? I did see some of the twists coming, yet the last twist caught me out. And above all, I loved that it was more than just a thriller.

Rating: 4½/5 bananas

Act Your Age, Eve brown– of all the Brown sisters, Eve is literally the most fun. She’s flighty, unreliable and way too impulsive. Which makes for a great romantic heroine! And with her spontaneous and brilliant energy, her (mis)adventure turns out to be a thoroughly enjoyable romp. With a pinch of hate-to-love and a dash of charm, this was a super cute finale to the Brown romance trilogy and I was here for it!

Rating: 4/5 bananas

One Last Secret– on the plus side, this absolutely delivers on revealing one last secret (and then another and then another). BUT unfortunately a lot of this book read like torture porn and was really hard to listen to (evidently I went with the audiobook version). The subject matter, from prostitution to (highlight for spoiler) child death, was a little on the dark side for me and I can’t say I enjoyed it. If you have a stronger stomach than me, you may get more out of this. Because I can definitely say the twists are worth the ride.

Rating: 3½/5 bananas

The Disappearing Act– we all know the world of Hollywood is all smoke and mirrors- which is what makes this story of a missing actress so compelling. Yet the one issue I kept returning to with this book was why on earth did was the main character embroiled in this mess?!? Because this is one where you really have to suspend your disbelief for the mystery to work. Not many of us would traipse around a foreign city hunting for a stranger, after all. I also think the author forgot the golden rule of storytelling: we actually need to care about the people these things are happening to. I did enjoy the twist- yet struggled to get over the original premise. It would have made so much more sense if they’d had a real connection to begin with (and not a five minute awkward one pre-audition). Still, there was a very good twist. And, even if the messaging that success isn’t worth your soul was a little on the nose, it did deliver it rather well. Personally, however, I was most disappointed with the convenient finale that left it on too much of a hopeful note. Really I felt the ending could’ve done with a darker edge. But a round of applause for effort.

Rating: 3/5 bananas

That’s all for now! Some of those were pretty average, but there were some good ‘uns in there! Have you read any of them? What did you think of these? Let me know in the comments! And I hope you all had a good month! ❤