Short AF Book Review | Homebody | Arc Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Homebody" by Theo Parish. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"In their comics debut, Theo Parish masterfully weaves an intimate and defiantly hopeful memoir about the journey one nonbinary person takes to find a home within themself. Combining traditional comics with organic journal - like interludes. Theo takes us through their experiences with the hundred arbitrary and unspoken gender binary rules of high school, from harrowing haircuts and finally the right haircut to the intersection of gender identity and sexuality - and through tiny everyday moments that all led up to Theo finding the term 'nonbinary,' which finally struck a chord. 'Have you ever had one of those moments when all of a sudden things become clear... like someone just turned on a light?' A whole spectrum of people will be drawn to Theo's storytelling, from trans or questioning teens and adults, to folks who devoured Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe or The Fire Never Goes Out by ND Stevenson, to any people looking to dive a little deeper into the way that gender can shape identity. Throughout the book, Theo's crystal - clear voice reminds the reader that it's okay not to know, it's okay to change your mind, and it's okay to take your time finding your way home. 'We are all just trying to find a place to call our own. We are all deserving of comfort and safety, a place to call home."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

How I read this book: eBook

So the reasons I wanted to read this book is because 1: I LOVE graphic novels (catch me reading Lore Olympus every Sunday), 2: I'm part of the LGBT+ community myself and like to consume media written by LGBT+ individuals, and 3: My partner is non binary themselves and I wanted to see if it was something they would like to read when it comes out also. Friends, I am so glad I managed to get a copy of this book. First of all, the artwork in this book was gorgeous and genuinely blew my mind, I loved Theo's art style and adored that every page was just the colours of the trans flag. Secondly, I have never read a memoir in the form of a graphic novel before and the way Theo told their story throughout the book warmed my heart and genuinely had me tearing up at the end (happy tears, that is!). Thirdly the way Theo describes being non binary makes it so easy to understand and this book could definitely be used to help trans youths discover themselves and know that it's okay to be themselves. I knew from the moment Theo introduced us to their pets in the start that I was going to love this graphic novel, I just didn't understand how much. I ended up reading this in less than 24 hours and have followed them on their IG so I can see more of their art. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised about how much I loved this book, and I would genuinely recommend this to everyone and anyone.

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is going to be released 25th April 2024!

What did you think of this book? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe! 

Short AF Book Review | When The Wild Calls | ARC Received By Netgalley

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "When The Wild Calls" by Nicola Penfold. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be Netgalley synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Having escaped their city. Juniper Green and her brother Bear have settled in Ennerdale with their dad and his family. Every day the wild introduced them to new wonder, but Juniper can't stop worrying about her grandmother and best friend left behind. When she hears news that disease has entered the city, she's determined to bring her loved ones to safety.

Trapped in a city riddled with disease and run by a ruthless leader. Etienne longs for the Wild. With the guards becoming more aggressive to counteract the growing rebellion, Etienne's prepared to fight for his freedom. But will he be able to protect himself and keep those around him safe until Juniper returns from the wild?

The compelling and thought - provoking sequel to the much - loved WHERE THE WORLD TURNS WILD, this ecological adventure is perfect for fans of THE LAST BEAR, RUNNING ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD and THE LAST WILD."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

How I read this book: eBook

Put a finger down if you missed the fact that this book was a sequel and ended up reading the second book first. It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me. So the reason I wanted to read this book is genuinely because the description of it looked so cool and I haven't read a dystopian novel since reading "Ready Player One" when that came out. Friends, this book was so enjoyable to read. I feel like the author gave us just enough information about what had already happened that even though I hadn't read the first book, I knew somewhat what was going on. This book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the majority of it and was just one big exciting adventure! I really enjoyed that we got the dual POV of Juniper and Etienne because we got to see how vast their two different experiences are. I was rooting for them the whole way through the book. I also really loved that this was set in the UK! I haven't yet read a dystopian set in the UK and it was nice that I could actually picture the kinds of places that Juniper was going through. I loved the character growth of both Juniper and Etienne in this book, and can only imagine what they went through within the first. The twist at the end was so good and I did not see it coming at all. I definitely will be picking up the first book on payday, as well as this book when it comes out! Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend to anyone who wants a really good YA dystopian.

My Favourite Characters:

Willow: I honestly loved how sweet Willow was to everyone and the fact that she seemed to take Juniper and Bear in as if they were her own children. We didn't get a lot of her in the book but she was still my favourite throughout the book.

Cam: Honestly, the moment Cam came into the story I did not stop smiling. I'm excited to see what he was like in the last book and I love him so much!

Gael: I love having good father figures in books. Gael is no exception.

My Least Favourite Characters:`

    Morgan: Morgan isn't even that much of the book but I thought she was such a mean character especially considering the characters she was being cruel to are children.

Abbot: I LOATHED him and I think he should rot.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating!

This book is going to be released 11th April 2024!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

What I Read Last Week | 18th March - 24th March

 

Hi friends, so today we're going to be getting into what I read last week and how much of the book I read each day! This will include the Goodreads synopsis (which can sometimes contain spoilers) and my overall rating if I've finished them during the week!

Beautiful Redemption | Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"Is death the end... or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes - even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series."

Monday: 0 pages
Tuesday: 128 pages
Wednesday: 101 pages
Thursday: 96 pages
Friday 36 pages - Finished
My Goodreads Rating: 5/5 stars

ARC | When The Wild Calls | Nicola Penfold

(Unfortunately, the synopsis is not on Goodreads for this book yet so this is the Netgalley synopsis)

"Having escaped their city. Juniper Green and her brother Bear have settled in Ennerdale with their dad and his family. Every day the wild introduced them to new wonder, but Juniper can't stop worrying about her grandmother and best friend left behind. When she hears news that disease has entered the city, she's determined to bring her loved ones to safety.

Trapped in a city riddled with disease and run by a ruthless leader. Etienne longs for the Wild. With the guards becoming more aggressive to counteract the growing rebellion, Etienne's prepared to fight for his freedom. But will he be able to protect himself and keep those around him safe until Juniper returns from the wild?

The compelling and thought - provoking sequel to the much - loved WHERE THE WORLD TURNS WILD, this ecological adventure is perfect for fans of THE LAST BEAR, RUNNING ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD and THE LAST WILD."

Friday: 19 pages
Saturday: 63 pages
Sunday: 69 pages

And that is everything that I ended up reading last week! Have you read any of these books? How quickly did you get through them? What are your thoughts and feelings about them? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Beautiful Creatures

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."

How I read this book: Physical copy.

So the reason I wanted to read this book is because 1: I wanted to see the differences between the movie and the book and 2: I got the whole series from the works for like £7.50 and 3: I asked my partner to pick me out a book from the ones I'd recently gotten and they chose this one! It has been a while since I last watched "Beautiful Creatures" as a movie so I can't remember much about it but I thought I did have some insight of what I was getting into when I picked up this book. Boy was I wrong. This book is so beautifully written and follows the story between Ethan and Lena. The book dove so much more into what a caster is and had so many more characters in it to give us an explanation of the history of not just the casters but Ethan's family also. I spent the best part of 4 days reading this book picking it up at every opportunity I got to read. This book broke my heart to put it back together just to break it again. There was so much character development throughout and the book has left me wanting more (edit: which luckily for me, there was 3 more books to read! I loved each and every one of them!) If you'd like a cute romantasy that's set in our world I definitely would recommend this book to you! Overall I loved this book and I'm so glad I picked it up.

My Favourite Characters:

- Amma: Don't get me wrong, I know Amma was big on keeping secrets from Ethan throughout this book but you can see how much of it was to protect him. She loves Ethan like he's her own and I loved all of the scenes with Amma in.

- Macon: Once again, another character that kept a lot of secrets for their protection. You can truly tell he loved Lena and cared for her and as scary as he could be at times I fell in love with his character.

- Link: Link is Ethan's best friend and does almost anything for Ethan no questions asked. Link is exactly the kind of best friend everyone wants in their life and provides a lot of comedic relief throughout the book.

My Least Favourite Characters:

- Emily: Emily is honestly just a massive bully and I hated her throughout the book. I wish we got some character growth within her but to me it didn't seem like we did.

- Larkin: I can't say too much about why I dislike Larkin without giving away some of the book. I really liked him throughout most of the book and wish he had stayed the boy that I liked.

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | The Groundskeeper: Raking Up The Dead

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Groundskeeper: Raking Up The Dead" by Cedar Sanderson. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"The ghouls, wraiths, and ghosties had not been part of the job description. Or maybe they had, just not in so many words. The neatly printed sign next to the ornate gates had simply read 'Cemetery groundskeeper and caretaker needed. Inquire within'

Now Chloe's trying to calm an irascible ghoul, help a lost ghost find his way back to his grave, and get the mowing done before she needs to break out the bush hog instead... Who knew being a groundskeeper meant trying to keep things in the ground?"

How I read this: eBook

So the reason I wanted to read "The Groundskeeper: Raking Up The Dead" was because it was one of the books that was available on a December stuff your kindle day. The story is a very short story and I thought I'd sit down and read it before bed as it was only about 40 pages. I thought it'd be a nice little light hearted read and boy was I wrong. In all honesty, most of the book was boring and it genuinely felt like it was slogging on for more than 40 pages. I couldn't get into it and had to keep re-reading parts as I felt like I was missing something that just wasn't there. From what I've seen there are a bunch of people who loved this book but it just wasn't my cup of tea. The redeeming thing about this book however that made it go from a 2 star to a 3 star book for me was the twist at the end. I just wasn't expecting it and it really did take me by surprise. I don't think I'll be continuing the series but if you want a short book to read for bedtime and you're into ghost stories I'd probably recommend this for you.

My favourite character:

- Chloe: Chloe is our main character and genuinely seems to care about her job as well as the spooky ongoings that happen with it. As much as I didn't enjoy the book I did find her a good character.

My least favourite character:

- Bartholomew: Bartholomew was just far too whiny for my liking throughout the book. If I have to pick a least favourite character from this book it is definitely him.

I gave this book a 3/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe

What I Read Last Week | 11th March - 17th March

Hi friends, so today we're going to be getting into what I read last week and how much of the book I read each day! This will include the Goodreads synopsis (which can sometimes contain spoilers) and my overall rating if I've finished them during the week!

ARC | One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain

"The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things.

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste's murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long - dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she's supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders - and the death of her own sister - invade her every thought. It's only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe.

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell - bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can't resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio... along with their other - worldly connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red,"

Monday: 194 pages - finished
My Goodreads Rating: 5/5 stars

One Day | David Nicholls

"15th July 1988

Emma and Dexter meet on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways.

So where will they be on this day next year?

And the year after that?

And every year that follows?"

Monday: 106 pages
Tuesday: 241 pages - finished
My Goodreads Rating: 2/5 stars

The Cruel Prince | Holly Black

"Of Course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardon is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him - and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself."

Wednesday: 104 pages
Thursday: 66 pages
Friday: 42 pages
Saturday: 0 pages
Sunday: 162 pages - finished
My Goodreads rating: 5/5 stars

Beautiful Redemption | Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"Is death the end... or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes - even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series."

Sunday: 89 pages

And that is everything that I ended up reading last week! Have you read any of these books? How quickly did you get through them? What are your thoughts and feelings about them? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Follow Me Back

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Follow Me Back" by Nicci Cloke. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"A thrilling read, for fans of Gone Girl and We Were Liars.

There was no sign of struggle, they whispered to each other. She took her phone but left her laptop behind.

Apparently, she'd met someone online, they write to each other in class, phones buzzing.

She ran away. She was taken.

The first time Aiden Kendrick hears about Lizzie Summersall's disappearance is when the police appear at his front door. He and Lizzie used to be friends; they aren't anymore. And when Aiden finds out that Lizzie had been talking to strangers on Facebook; that the police think she went to meet one of them, he begins to wonder how well he ever really knew her, and Aiden doesn't know it yet, but with Lizzie's disappearance his life is about to take a twisted and desperate turn."

There are some triggering topics in this book, so please be advised to read up on the trigger warnings before reading this book

So the reason I wanted to read "Follow Me Back" is genuinely because I saw it in a charity shop and thought it looked interesting. I'm so glad I picked this book up because honestly it was such a fun read. First of all I really loved the element of switching between the actual story and the messages between the characters, it made reading the book fly by. Secondly it was really cool to read a book with an unreliable narrator, the author did such a good job at leaving a lot of things out of the story without us realising until they needed to be put in. I loved all the little twists and turns we got throughout the book and it truly did keep me on the edge of my seat not knowing what was going to happen next, I swear when I wasn't expecting any more of them another one popped up. The book was so easy to just pick up when I was doing nothing and I flew through it so fast (literally read this in one day). This is a YA thriller and unfortunately at times you could tell because of how juvenile it was but I still really enjoyed it. I would recommend this to anyone who loves reading YA thriller/mystery (especially if you enjoy books like "A Good Girl's Guide To Murder")!

My favourite characters:

- Scobie: Scobie is actually a really good friend throughout most of the book (minus one little bit which I can't give away without spoiling the book). Aiden really does not deserve him as a friend but I'm glad that Scobie seemed to stick with him throughout.

- Marnie: Marnie was such a good character in the book who was trying to do everything to find her friend and I love that she gave us some more insight into Lizzie and what was going on with her.

My least favourite characters:

- Deacon: Deacon is just a bully. Plain and simply put. I understand his part was necessary to get more information about Aiden that he wasn't giving us in the beginning but I just really didn't like him as a character.

- Cheska: Cheska is honestly such a shitty sister. I found her attitude disgusting throughout the book and I honestly wish we got less of her.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | One Last Breath | ARC Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "One Last Breath" by Ginny Myers Sain. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things.

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste's murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long - dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she's supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders - and the death of her own sister - invade her every thought. It's only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe.

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell - bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can't resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio... along with their other - worldly connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red,"

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

How I read this book: eBook

So the reason I wanted to read this book is because the description sounded like it was going to be something mysterious and creepy and just a good read. Friends, I was so right, this book was a whole ass ride. From the very start of this book it was thrilling and fast paced and left me wanting to read more with each and every chapter. I knew there were going to be some supernatural elements within the book but I was not expecting the extent of what we got. It was so cool to see those elements be placed into a mystery/thriller and I thoroughly enjoyed them. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, the suspense throughout was a lot. The twists and turns at the end of this book made going through the panic and horror of the book worth it.  Another thing I really enjoyed was the way that the author laid out the pages, they very much did it in a way so we felt the urgency of certain parts of the story. The character development for most of the characters was beautiful also, there were so many characters that I absolutely adored and found myself getting attached to. According to Goodreads this book is under YA however it did not read like a YA book at all, I also probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 16. I would however recommend this to anyone who wants a good queer mystery/thriller. Overall I loved this book a lot and I will definitely be picking it up when it comes out.

My Favourite Characters:

Dill & Derry: I'm going to put these two together because there almost aren't any scenes where you have one without the other. I loved them so much and they gave Tru and Rio that maternal and paternal figures they desperately needed to guide them throughout the book. I wish we got to see more of them.

East: I mean this in the best way but you can tell East is a man written by a woman. I loved him so much throughout the book and he was an absolute angel.

Rio: Rio for me had some of the most character development throughout the book. She starts off very secretive but I absolutely fell in love with her by the end.

My Least Favourite Characters:

Knox: Knox is the towns mayor and he is legit the biggest piece of shit I've ever read about in a book. I hated him so much and actually wished we got less of him.

Tru's Mum & Dad: I apologise I don't think we actually got names for them but for good reason. Tru needed her parents more than anything with everything that she had been through and neither of them could be arsed to be there for her.

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is going to be released 14th March 2024!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

What I Read Last Week | 4th March - 10th March

Hi friends, so today we're going to be getting into what I read last week and how much of the book I read each day! This will include the Goodreads synopsis (which can sometimes contain spoilers) and my overall rating if I've finished them during the week!

ARC | The Potting Shed Murder

"Welcome to the sleepy village of Pudding Corner, a quintessentially English haven of golden cornfields, winding cobbled lanes... and murder.

Daphne Brewster has left London behind and is settling into her family's new life in rural Norfolk, planting broad beans in raised beds and vintage hunting for their farmhouse.

But when the local headmaster is found dead in his potting shed, amongst his allotment cabbages, the village is ablaze: Who would kill beloved Mr Papplewick, pillar of the community? Daphne soon comes to realise perhaps the countryside isn't so idyllic after all...

When the headmaster's widow points her finger at Minnerva, Daphne's new friend, Daphne vows to clear her name. Sneaking into the crime scene and chasing down rumours gets her into hot water with the local inspector - until she comes across a faded photograph that unearths a secret buried for forty years...

They say nothing bad ever happens in close - knit Pudding Corner, but Daphne is close to the truth - dangerously close...

There's death amongst the dahlias... A truly unputdownable whodunnit by Paula Sutton - otherwise known as Instagram's happiest influencer: Hill house vintage, the queen of cottagecore - an unforgettable new voice in cosy crime. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and Richard Coles."

Monday: 66 pages
Tuesday: 206 pages - Finished
My Goodreads Rating: 3/5 stars

ARC | One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain

"The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things.

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste's murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long - dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she's supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders - and the death of her own sister - invade her every thought. It's only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe.

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell - bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can't resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio... along with their other - worldly connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red,"

Tuesday: 37 pages
Wednesday: 30 pages
Thursday: 15 pages
Friday: 0 pages
Saturday: 156 pages
Sunday: 0 pages

And that is everything that I ended up reading last week! Have you read any of these books? How quickly did you get through them? What are your thoughts and feelings about them? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | The Potting Shed Murder | ARC Received By Netgalley

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Potting Shed Murder" by Paula Sutton. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Welcome to the sleepy village of Pudding Corner, a quintessentially English haven of golden cornfields, winding cobbled lanes... and murder.

Daphne Brewster has left London behind and is settling into her family's new life in rural Norfolk, planting broad beans in raised beds and vintage hunting for their farmhouse.

But when the local headmaster is found dead in his potting shed, amongst his allotment cabbages, the village is ablaze: Who would kill beloved Mr Papplewick, pillar of the community? Daphne soon comes to realise perhaps the countryside isn't so idyllic after all...

When the headmaster's widow points her finger at Minnerva, Daphne's new friend, Daphne vows to clear her name. Sneaking into the crime scene and chasing down rumours gets her into hot water with the local inspector - until she comes across a faded photograph that unearths a secret buried for forty years...

They say nothing bad ever happens in close - knit Pudding Corner, but Daphne is close to the truth - dangerously close...

There's death amongst the dahlias... A truly unputdownable whodunnit by Paula Sutton - otherwise known as Instagram's happiest influencer: Hill house vintage, the queen of cottagecore - an unforgettable new voice in cosy crime. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and Richard Coles."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

How I read this book: eBook.

So the reason I wanted to read this book is because the description of this book sounded like it would be such a good read. I'm not going to lie, as much as I did enjoy the overall story, I just found myself a little bored through some of the book. All of the juicy bits of the book were so exciting and took me by surprise that when it come down to the "cosiness" of it all I just wanted more! I do understand that this is to show how unchanging this small village in Norfolk is supposed to be and to give us such a huge amount of information of the characters within but all I could keep my mind on was who did it? This however gave us multiple perspectives throughout the book, mainly focusing on Daphne's, and this was something I really enjoyed. I am also so appreciative of the author for putting who everyone is in the start of the book with a little description of each character because then if I ever got anyone mixed up (which I did because I'm really bad with names) I was able to go back to the start and just give myself a little reminder. I also found it really difficult to feel empathy with a lot of the characters because the whole village was honestly given off rich white tory vibes, and I found myself only loving 3 characters throughout the book. I did not expect the twists and turns that we were going to get throughout the book (and trust me there were a bunch of them!) and I actually found myself audibly gasping. It was also interesting to see how differently Daphne was treated by certain characters due to her being a POC, as well as Minnerva for her being a traveller. It definitely puts into perspective how nasty the real world can be. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good cosy mystery book as it is such an easy read. However as much as I love mystery I think maybe cosy mystery isn't the genre for me.

My Favourite Characters:

Patsy: Okay so Patsy is one of the side characters but I actually adored her regardless of how nosey she was. I loved getting to learn more about her throughout the book and I loved the character growth we got with her.

Minerva: Minerva is such a gentle angel and I loved her so much. I just wanted to wrap her up and give her the biggest cuddle.

Daphne: Okay so yes Daphne is the main character but she's got a heart of gold and took no shit. I was rooting for her throughout the whole book!

My Least Favourite Characters:

Marianne: Marianne was the one who gave off the biggest tory vibes. I honestly hated her so much and whilst most of the other characters seemed to gain some redeeming qualities, she absolutely did not.

Augusta: Listen, I did end up feeling sorry for Augusta. It didn't make me like her any more though. She does seem to have a little bit of character growth at the end but it wasn't enough for me to forgive everything that she had done up until that point.

Timothy: Timothy had literally the smallest part in the story but I loathed him. I'm so glad we didn't get any more of him within the book.

I gave this book a 3/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is going to be released 4th April 2024!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

What I Read Last Week | 26th February - 3rd March

Hi friends, so today we're going to be getting into what I read last week and how much of the book I read each day! This will include the Goodreads synopsis (which can sometimes contain spoilers!) and my overall rating if I've finished them during the week!

ARC | Alaris - Fanny Vergne

"Twins. The tale of a villain and a hero.

Druids living secluded in the Astral Forest, Lucine and Solehan have been blessed by the stars since birth and are poised to become the protectors of the druidic clans during the Eclipse. But when a strange curse befalls the ceremony, the twins, sole survivors of the massacre, find themselves seperated.

Taken away from his loved ones by an enigmatic and malevolent being, will Solehan succumb to the discovery of his deepest desires?

Lefft to herself and to the dangers of a world of which she knows nothing, and meeting fellow travellers with contrasting devotions and colourful personalities, will Lucine manage to uncover much more than she hoped for?

Between bonds of love and friendship, will this surprising group of adventurers succeed in finding Solehan before it's too late and in saving humanity?"

Monday: 59 pages
Tuesday: 31 pages
Wednesday: 11 pages
Thursday: 21 pages - DNF

ARC | The Potting Shed Murder - Paula Sutton

"Welcome to the sleepy village of Pudding corner, a quintessentially English haven of golden cornfields, winding cobbled lanes... and murder.

Daphne Brewster has left London behind and is settling into her family's new life in rural Norfolk, planting broad beans in raised beds and vintage hunting for their farmhouse.

But when the local headmaster is found dead in his potting shed, amongst his allotment cabbages, the village is ablaze: Who would kill beloved Mr Papplewick, pillar of the community? Daphne soon comes to realise perhaps the countryside isn't so idyllic after all.

When the headmaster's widow points her finger at Minnerva, Daphne's new friend, Daphne vows to clear her name. Sneaking into the crime scene and chasing down rumours gets her into hot water with the local inspector - until she comes across a faded photograph that unearths a secret buried for forty years...

They say nothing bad ever happens in close - knit Pudding corner, but Daphne is close to the truth - dangerously close...

There's death amongst the dahlias... A truly unputdownable whodunnit by Paula Sutton - otherwise known as Instagram's happiest influencer: Hill House Vintage, the queen of cottagecore - an unforgettable new voice in cosy crime. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and Richard Coles."

Thursday: 57 pages

Friday: 0 pages

Saturday: 23 pages

Sunday: 0 pages

And that is everything that I ended up reading last week! Have you read any of these books? How quickly did you get through them? What are your thoughts and feelings about them? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

March Releases I'm Excited For

 

Hi friends! It's a new month so you know what that means! New book releases! I'm going to be showing you the books that I'm excited for that are coming out in March! If I've read the ARC I'll also be leaving my Goodreads rating for them! I will be including the Goodreads synopsis (and sometimes this can contain spoilers, so please be aware whilst reading!)

7th March

The No - Girlfriend Rule | Christen Randall

LGBTQIA+ | Romance | YA

My Goodreads Rating: 5/5 Stars

Goodreads Average Rating: 4.75/5 Stars

"Julie Murphy meets Casey McQuiston in this unforgettable queer romance about a teen girl whose foray into fantasy tabletop roleplaying brings her new confidence, true friends and a shot at real, swoon - worthy love.

Hollis Beckwith isn't trying to get a girl - she's just trying to get by. For a fat, broke girl with anxiety, the start of senior year brings enough to worry about. And besides, she already has a Chris. Their relationship isn't particularly exciting, but it's comfortable and familiar, and Hollis wants it to survive beyond senior year. To prove she's a girlfriend worth keeping, Hollis decides to learn Chris's favourite tabletop roleplaying game, Secrets & Sorcery - but his unfortunate 'No Girlfriends at the Table' rule means she'll need to find her own group if she wants in.

Gloria Castaneda and her all - girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria's cozy Ohio apartment, the six girls battle twisted magic in - game and become fast friends outside it. With her character as armour, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious, and a little lost.

But then an in - game crush develops between Hollis's character and the bard played by the charismatic Aini Amin - Shaw, whose wide, cocky grin makes Hollis's stomach flutter. As their gentle flirting sparks into something deeper, Hollis is no longer sure what she wants... or if she's content to just play pretend."

In Search Of Ethel Cartwright | Tom Winter

General Fiction | LGBTQIA+

My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Stars

Goodreads Average Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

"Norman Cartwright, an eighty - six - year - old man living in a small seaside town of Clacton, Essex, has kept his cross - dressing a secret his entire life. A trucker by trade, his lipstick and wigs were donned only in the lonely confines of his lorry, as he sat in lay - bys and drove along empty roads on long trips away from his wife and children. After years of judgement, abuse and fear, Norman no longer knows how to embrace this side of himself, or if anyone would accept him if he did... When his teenage granddaughter, Florence, turns up unannounced, it's obvious that she, too, has secrets she's not yet willing to share. As they grow closer, however, the truth bubbles free and life starts to change in profound and unexpected ways, both for them and everyone around them. In Search Of Ethel Cartwright is a moving story of family, love and courage that reminds us the importance of being true to ourselves."

14th March

Go Lightly | Brydie Lee - Kennedy

General Fiction | LGBTQIA+ | Literary Fiction

My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Stars

Goodreads Average Rating: 3.10/5 Stars

"WHO IS ADA?

With Sadie she's an Aussie girl in London, a performer, a ball of creativity and a lover of food.

With Stuart she's funny and quirky, capable of finding romance in a dinner of crisps on a cold harbour and long train rides.

With her family she's the joker, the peacekeeper, the entertainer.

But she doesn't have to choose which version of herself to be... right?

A funny and tender twenty - first century story of family, friendship, love - and how getting it wrong is sometimes the only way to get it right."

One Last Breath | Ginny Myers Sain

Mystery | Thriller | YA

Goodreads Average Rating: 4.04/5 Stars

"The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another chilling supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things.

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste's murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long - dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she's supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders - and the death of her own sister - invade her every thought. It's only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe.

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell - bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can't resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio... along with their other - worldly connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, True and Rio knows this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red."

And those are all the books I'm excited for to be released this month! What books are you excited for to come out? Were any of these on your list? If you read any of these what did you think of them? Let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe