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Book Review: Pansies

Title: Pansies - annotated edition

Author: Alexis Hall

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this free advance review copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Alfie Bell wakes up the morning after an amazing hook up to discover the man of his dreams was the boy he and his friends picked on throughout their school days.  Now the beautiful angry Fen wants nothing to do with him.  Alfie desperately wants to make amends and prove he’s changed, but will Fen let him?

So I’ve read almost all of Alexis Hall’s work now, including the original version of Pansies both the e-book and audiobook (which I highly recommend).  I didn’t notice off hand any changes here, apart from where Alexis pointed them out in the annotations.  The annotations, which are brilliant by the way. It gave me so much more appreciation for this story, hence why I’ve upped the rating from 4 stars to 5 from my original Goodreads review.

I absolutely adore Alfie and Fen, they are both likeable characters with so much baggage that needs unwrapping, I truly appreciate how Alexis dealt with this, no knights in shining armour here! The secondary characters were well rounded and the connections to characters from Alexis’ other books were noted and appreciated. The other character in this story is South Shields, not a town I’ve ever visited but one I feel I know thanks to Pansies.

Final thoughts: A moving story of overcoming past hurts and finding love.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary romance, slight enemy to lovers and forgiveness trope.

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Book Review: Sorcery and Small Magics

Title: Sorcery and Small Magics (The Wildersongs Trilogy, #1)

Author: Maiga Doocy

Narrator: Ciaran Saward

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Set in a world of magic where magicians are trained to protect the country from monsters that live in the Unquiet Wood. After a forbidden spell mix up leaves Leovander Loveage under the compulsion of fellow student and rival Sebastian Grimm, the two young men are forced to work together or risk more than expulsion.  Their hunt for a cure to the curse leads them to the Unquiet Wood, where the monsters are only one of their problems.

Ciaran Saward performed masterfully, making each character come alive and had me laughing out loud at Leo’s internal monologue. 

I utterly adored this book, the magic rules were brilliantly thought out, the world building was excellent and the characters were wonderful.  I am so glad this is part of a trilogy as I’m really looking forward to more interactions between Leo and Sebastian!

Final Thoughts: The first book of what looks to be a magnificent slow burn romantasy.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of light fantasy, with a build up to romance. Those who appreciate enemy to lovers, mismatched pairings and forced proximity tropes.

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Book Review: How to Piss Off Men

Title: How to Piss Off Men: 109 Things to Say to Shatter the Male Ego

Author: Kyle Prue 

Narrator: Kyle Prue

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Based on his successful TikTok page, Kyle lists 109 of his favourite ways to upset men. Additional bonus content for the audiobook includes a Q&A session with his mother.

What I liked: I’ve never heard of Kyle before but I had already seen quotes from the book popping up on social media, so I was intrigued to read it. I had been a little sceptical about the dangers of pissing off men using some of the lines but there was a responsible warning about that at the beginning of the book, and a reminder of that warning for some of the more assertive suggestions. I really enjoyed the Q&A with his mum at the end, they seem to have a really supportive and open relationship.

What didn’t work for me: I know I can’t have both worlds with an audio book of a coffee table book but I really would have liked to see the pictures. Additionally I found it hard to remember the items on the list as it went so fast. I guess I’ll have to find a copy of the physical book.

Final thoughts: A fun list of insults intended to make the recipient think.

Who would enjoy this: Mostly women, but men really should read it too.

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Book Review: Spooky Level Up

Title: Spooky Level Up

Author: J.F. Miev

Rating: 2.75/5 stars

Thanks to BookSirens and J.F. Miev for a free advance review e-copy of this book, I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Charlie has just had a bad breakup and is out to play the field. So when he gets rescued from a carnival haunted house on Halloween by Ben, who he later hooks up with at a party, he just wants a bit of fun. Even though they had a great night Charlie never plans to see Ben again, until he meets up with his brother for lunch and his brother’s best friend Benjamin that is.

What I liked: The main plot of this novella is pretty sweet, and the spice was nice and toasty. 

What didn’t work for me: Some of the dialogue felt off, and (without giving anything away) there was a ludicrous closing plot point that was just a mess and had me rolling my eyes!

Final Thoughts: Read it for the mid-range spice and not for the story.

Who would enjoy this book: Someone who wants a quick read with a bit of spice.

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Book Review: Oops! I Broke the Wizard's Android!

Title: Oops! I Broke the Wizard's Android!

Author: Royce Roeswood

Narrator: Royce Roeswood

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Ninienne Lightcaster has been sent to a back of beyond moon for her final year of her wizard training. The wizard she is assigned to for her apprenticeship is old, forgetful, and not even interested in her speciality. But he is curious about her new technical devices and jumps at her suggestion to purchase an android, a purchase that may lead to her failing her magical studies if she’s not careful.

This is the third audiobook in a row where the author has been the narrator, Royce Roeswood did a brilliant job of bringing his book and characters to life. I had no problem keeping up with who was who.

Note on use of AI, at the end of the novel the author explains how he utilised AI during the writing process along with a tarot deck for the same purpose. I don’t have an issue with this, the story was weaved and polished by the author, how authors get their ideas and what devices they use to create the tale is up to them.

What I liked: The melding of fantasy and sci-fi was cleverly done. I tried to explain it to my brother and he suggested it was like Star Wars, but it’s not like that. It felt more like a magical fantasy which happened to have advanced technology in the background. It was also a fun story, with a lot going on, and a little bit sinister at times too.

What didn’t work for me: I’m not sure if there is an aim for a sequel but some things felt a bit unfinished at the end, I wasn’t sure if her friend not being available to take calls was a plot line to be expanded on or just to leave Ninienne feeling jealous. I would certainly be open to reading more from this world if that’s in the plan.

Final thoughts: A lively story mixing two of my favourite genres.

Who would enjoy this: Age from young adults up, fans of light fantasy and light Sci-Fi.

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Book Review: The Blame Game

Title: The Blame Game

Author: Ben Dunn

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thanks to BookSirens and Ben Dunn for a free advance review e-copy of this book, I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Arthur Harrison has just been voted in as a Conservative MP in a long standing Labour seat, he wasn’t expecting to win and he didn’t want to.  Now he finds himself attempting to toe the party line, whilst realising he doesn’t actually agree with Tory policies or want to fit in with the old boys club that is Westminster.

What I liked: This was a fun read. Arthur is likeable and his inner monologue made me snort with laughter on a number of occasions. The supporting characters were realistic and the plot moved around enough to keep it interesting. Chapters were short, which I always find a bonus as I’m more likely to read it quickly!

What didn’t work for me: A minor critique, I didn’t get the sense of time, towards the end of the book we find it has taken place over a year, it really only felt like a couple of months.  

Final thoughts:  A cleverly written and incredibly witty political satire.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary fiction and satire. Possibly not for Tory voters, unless they are able to laugh at themselves.

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Book Review: Splendid Little Schemes

Title: Splendid Little Schemes

Author: Robin Strong

Narrator: Robin Strong

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Mormon mum Victoria Sterling needs one more recruit to level up in Puremetics, the MLM business she is succeeding in.  A chance meeting at the supermarket introduces her to Anna Price, a single mother who has just moved into the area. When Anna turns up at the wrong address she finds herself being talked into becoming a mole to bring down Puremetics by a group of elderly social justice warriors.

Robin Strong narrated her novel, and did an excellent job at giving each of the characters their own voices.  I did find the narration a little slow and noticed a couple of fumbles but when I sped it up to 1.5x this wasn’t a problem.

What I liked: This was a fun book, the plot twisted around and kept me interested. The primary and secondary characters were all realistic and I found myself at times fuming at certain behaviours, a sure sign I’m invested in a story.  

What didn’t work for me: I have no major complaints, some things I saw coming but there were no notable flaws in the story. It’s just another case of not meeting my personal spark factor that would net this as a 5 star review.

Final thoughts: A cleverly spun tale set in the world of Mummy bloggers and MLM schemes.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary fiction. 

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Book Review: A kid from Marlboro Road

Title: A Kid from Marlboro Road

Author: Edward Burns

Narrator: Edward Burns

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

This coming of age story follows twelve year old Kneenie through the ups and downs of his Irish American childhood in the late 1970’s. Peppered with the family tales passed down from his parents, Kneenie starts to realise his family may not be as solid as he once thought.

Edward Burns narrated his own novel, as he’s an actor he obviously knows how to bring the characters to life. I did occasionally forget we were supposed to be listening to a twelve year old tell the story in present tense and not an adult reminiscing, but for the most part it worked well.

What I liked: So confession time, I originally requested this book as I thought it was an autobiography by the Irish comedian Ed Byrne (I didn’t read the description beyond Irish and childhood), but as mistakes go, this was a good one. I immediately loved the first person, present tense narrative. Kneenie, is a sweet, perceptive boy trying to hide all signs of  softness from his friends. His oft times naive observations cleverly allow the reader to see deeper into the family dynamics without losing the innocence of our narrator.  All the characters were brilliantly developed and the stories that tied the plot together were all entertaining, some funny, others heart-rending.

What didn’t work for me: Occasionally I lost my sense of time, in fact I didn’t realise the beginning scene was a flash forward to later in the summer until the chapter where it happens. This may have been due to me missing an obvious clue, but it happened a bit throughout the book. I did find the ending abrupt but I see on Goodreads that this is the first of a trilogy so I’m assuming the book concluding how it did will work for the overall story. 

Final thoughts: A beautifully told coming of age story filled with heart, humour and a slight sense of trepidation.

Who would enjoy this: It reminded me a bit of a cross between “The Wonder Years”, and “Angela’s Ashes” for some reason, so fans of nostalgic childhood stories. I would say it’s for adults even though the narrator is a kid.

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Book Review: I'll Have What He's Having

Title: I’ll Have What He’s Having

Author: Adib Khorram

Narrators: Shezi Sardar and Brent Billings

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

From what starts out as a case of mistaken identity shortly turns into friends with benefits for thirty somethings Farzan Alavi and David Curtis. But do these men, who are just about to relaunch their lives in the service industry, really have the time to catch feelings for each other too?

Both Shezi and Brent did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. I did feel some of  Brent’s renditions of Farzan’s extended family and friends were quite far off from how Shezi depicted them and I’m not sure if he’d heard Shezi’s recording first or not, or if the voice actors get to develop the characters together, but I think that should be something future productions should look into especially when it comes to accent work.

What I liked: Oh I loved these two men and their families and friends so much! Everyone was so involved in everyone's business, it was such a great big cast of characters but I only lost track of who people were to each other a couple of times and quickly caught on again. You really could feel the love pouring down on both men from those around them and even when the inevitable tragic moment hits (that always has to hit in these types of romances) I felt the support from their families cushioned the blow I always dread. Why yes I do take these things too personally! 

What didn’t work for me:  Okay it’s one of those times where I have to apologise and say it’s not that anything was wrong it just didn’t hit enough bonus points to boost it into an obsessive level I need for it to be 5 stars.

Final thoughts: A romance about starting something new, and food and wine.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary romances, mid range spice (some sex scenes - so some people seem to think there was too much, they should go see some of the reviews of the books where I’ve made this complaint, read those books, then reread this one and re-review).

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Book Review: Look Up, Handsome

Title: Look Up, Handsome

Author: Jack Strange

Rating: 3.75/5

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this free advance review copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

With Christmas soon approaching Quinn has finally recognised the inevitable, that he is being evicted by his step-father from his beloved book shop. The only queer bookshop in Hay-on-Wye. After accidentally going viral on Instagram and getting the local community behind him, along with visiting romance author Noah, a plan is formed to save the shop. 

What I Liked: This was a super cute, warm hot chocolate with a candy cane stick in it, Christmas romance of a book! Both the main characters were lovely though I was more drawn towards Quinn than Noah, he could grovel a bit more to be honest.  The secondary characters were fun and well placed and the townspeople were entertaining background extras. The overall plot kept me guessing, I actually rolled my eyes a couple of times thinking it was going to go a more typical route and then was happily surprised!

What didn’t work for me: A couple of things. The main one was the maths wasn’t mathing for Hermione’s backstory, hopefully without giving any spoilers she needs to be younger to have been “young and innocent” for when ‘the event’ takes place given Noah’s age now and ‘the event’ itself needs to have happened a lot closer to the millennium. The other thing was I think we should have had more discussion with what happened between Quinn and Noah and some assurances that it wasn't going to be a repeat as Noah has a history of such behaviour…

Final thoughts: A lovely winter romance (I live in New Zealand so was wrapped up warm during a few miserable rainy days while I read it) that also embraces community spirit and letting go of old fears and preconceptions.

Who would enjoy this: People who like cosy sweet romances with not too much unnecessary drama, low spice and happy ever afters.

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Book Review: Upscaled

Title: Upscaled

Author: Joseph John Lee

Rating: 3/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this free advance review copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

After playing a trick on a merchant, eleven year old Ailís finds herself in possession of an illegal dragon egg, and shortly after that a newly hatched dragon, still very much illegal. With the local authorities, whose entire role is to wipe out dragon kind, breathing down her neck, Ailís, her mum and little brother must flee their village and seek out help from her uncle.

What I liked: It was quirky and cute, there were definite parts where I laughed out loud. I liked the overall idea and the characters.  This should be marketed as a children’s book not a teens though.

What didn’t work for me:  It felt like at times it was trying too hard to be a copy of Terry Pratchett, at some points it pushed the obscure too hard (often more silly than quirky) then at others it just fell into a more relaxed narrative, which almost seemed the exact opposite, it’s a shame it couldn’t find a happy medium.  I also think some of the references to Monty Python should just go, if the main character is eleven the people reading it are not going to get the inquisition bit (I grew up in the 80’s, I got it but it’s been done to death).

Final thoughts: A fun kids adventure book about a young girl and her dragon. Who would enjoy this: Kids who like comedy fantasy books.

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Book Review: Long Live Evil

Title: Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1)

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Narrator: Moira Quirk

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Rae is 20 years old and dying of cancer, when a strange woman shows up in her hospital room and offers her the chance to go to the fictional land of her favourite fantasy series where she will have the chance to cure herself she doesn’t see a downside.  Upon waking she discovers she is in the body of Lady Rahela, The Lady Dipped in Blood, the heroines evil stepsister, on the eve of her execution, well that’s going to make things interesting…

Moira Quirk is an utter dream of a narrator, I had previously fallen in love with her portrayal of Gideon the Ninth so I was delighted when I realised she was reading this gem of a book.  The characters were all easily distinguishable from each other and she added heart and humour to the narrative.

Long Live Evil is such a fabulous story, I have had a book hangover all day over the conclusion, and can’t believe I’m going to have to wait for however long it takes to write the next one in the series before I get to dive back in.  I will be re-listening as often as possible, that's for sure.  The characters are complex, flawed, broken and believable, the fantasy world makes sense, the narrative was brilliant, the plot twisted perfectly, I was laughing out loud at times, gasping in shock at others, and even shedding a tear or two on occasion. 

Final thoughts: I am so in love with this book!  A fantastic take on the fantasy portal genre, told with both depth and humour.

Who would enjoy this: Fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy stories that poke fun at the damsel in distress trope. 

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Book Review: Pucking Vamps

Title: Pucking Vamps

 Author: J.F. Miev

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Thanks to BookSirens and J.F. Miev for a free advance review e-copy of this book, I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When Hayden, a college student on an ice hockey scholarship, goes home from a nightclub with a mysterious stranger he doesn’t expect him to turn up at his lecture the next day as his temporary professor. Nor does he expect the enigmatic Leander to be a vampire, who happens to need a fake boyfriend for a family event.

What I liked: This was a fun and strangely addictive read, I've been in a slight reading slump for the last couple of days and I managed to finish this without reaching for another book in between.  The synopsis was entertaining, I liked the idea of a ice hockey vampire mashup and the world and vampire society was well explained.

What didn’t work for me: Possibly too many tropes, I may miss a few; ice hockey players, vampires, instant mystical attraction, fake dating, daddy kink, orgies and not to mention internal angst due to miscommunication, which always just bugs me.  With all that going on I felt I didn’t really get to connect with the characters and there wasn’t that much happening in the plot to make it particularly vampiric. Additionally, I may have missed something, but I’m not sure why the ice hockey team only seemed to be practising for a charity game months away and never had real games.  

Final Thoughts: Fun and spicy but not very deep.

Who would enjoy this book: Fans of M/M romances who want a light read.

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Book Review: Settle the Score

Title: Settle the Score

Author: Kris Ripper

Narrator: Pete Cross

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Des Cleary writes press releases for an LA marketing firm, far from his childhood dreams of being an investigative reporter. His latest assignment has been hoisted on him by his well meaning boss to sign a reclusive ex soccer player to a new LGBT+ youth campaign. Unfortunately the reason Orion Broderick is both reclusive and an ex player is due to a damaging article Des wrote in college which publicly outed Orion.  As Des arrives at Orion’s cabin in the mountains, so too does the darkening skies of a snow storm, things are about to get very frosty indeed. 

So it’s a basic forced proximity enemies to lovers trope for the plot, but oh my! The combination of Ripper’s narrative and Cross’s vocal talent upped what could have been an average romance story into something that left me at times grinning and kicking my feet with joy and at others with my hands covering my face and my chest aching in sympathy!  

The two main characters were likeable and the animosity from Orion to Des was completely warranted yet I still fully understood and felt for Des, it’s such a hard experience to know you have truly stuffed up. The gradual thawing of feelings was believably depicted and the fall out after the storm kept me listening in high anticipation. Secondary and tertiary characters were realistic and I felt I was fully immersed in the story.

Pete Cross was a dream to listen to, as I mentioned earlier my emotions were all over the place, his comedic timing was utter perfection, I doubt I would have rated this book so highly if he hadn’t taken me on the journey with him so perfectly.

Final thoughts:  A plot we’ve seen before, expertly written and wonderfully told.

Who would enjoy this book:  Fans of romance, especially of the enemies to lovers trope.

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Book Review: Jenny James is Not a Disaster

Title:  Jenny James Is Not a Disaster

Author:  Debbie Johnson

Narrator:  Beth Eyre

Rating:  4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

After a series of unfortunate bloody awful events hit single mum Jenny all in one day, getting laid off, her car breaking down, a fight with her 18 year old son, Charlie, and her house falling off a cliff, Jenny needs a break.  So when Luke, the man currently parked in the next field with his massive motorhome and friendly dachshund Betty, suggests she and Charlie join him on his adventures touring around England for a couple of weeks, it doesn’t take much for her to agree, and so the journey of finding her joy again begins.

Beth Eyre did an exceptional job bringing this story to life. She gave Jenny’s bubbly inner narrative a truly believable voice, this was a joy to listen to.

What I liked: I really appreciate a romance where the attraction plays a back seat. This novel was more about Jenny finding herself and dealing with her past than her growing connection to Luke.  I loved the details of the road trip and the descriptions of the places they stopped at.  The relationships between all the characters were brilliant, and the back stories that brought them there left a lump in my throat at times.  

What didn’t work for me: This feels unfair as there was nothing that stands out that I would change about the book, so it’s a very top 4 out of 5 on my personal scale. As much as I enjoyed it, it’s not a book that leads me to being obsessed with it, which is what triggers a 5 star review for me.

Final thoughts: A sweet, entertaining novel about a mum rediscovering herself and facing her past.  Especially helped by the vocal talents of Beth Eyre.

Who would enjoy this book: Fans of light romance (no spice), those who enjoy stories about people rebuilding their lives. Travel fans, or those interested in out of the way spots around England.

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Book Review: Sanctuary

Title: Sanctuary (Roman’s Chronicles, #1)

Author: Illona Andrews

Narrator: Chris Brinkley

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Roman the Black Volhv to Chernobog, God of Destruction, Darkness and Death, is just settling down to his annual day off when he finds a teenage boy and a puppy in his yard. The boy begs sanctuary, not something usually requested by the servants of Chernobog. Next thing he knows, mercenaries are on his doorstep wanting the boy and his dog, and they are not taking no for an answer.

Chris Brinkley, oh my, that voice, swoon! I really hope there’s more stories coming soon because he was a dream!

What I liked: I always like Roman’s team ups with Kate Daniels so it was such a treat to be able to experience a Roman-centric novella!  I loved his wit and angst, his love of his pets, and the pets themselves.  Great introduction to a potential love interest too, and it was especially fun to see more of the Slavic side to Kate’s world.

What didn’t work for me: Not much, it just didn’t ping the extra box I reserve for 5 star reviews. 

Final thoughts: A good solid novella which further examines the world of Kate Daniels.

Who would enjoy this book: Existing fans of Ilona Andrews especially those familiar with the Kate Daniels novels, though this could be read alone as it doesn’t seem to give any spoilers away for the main books.

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Book Review: Moon Dust in My Hairnet

Title: Moon Dust in My Hairnet

Author: J.R. Creaden

Narrator: Sarah Kisko

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Mythic Roads Press for allowing me a copy of this audio book in return for an honest review.

Set in the not too distant future, but after the fall of the U.S. and the U.N. the moon’s first independent colony has just opened up.  Lane, a 20 year old autistic lunch lady, and sister of the recently assassinated woman whose invention of the Gravdrive made moon living possible, is attempting to settle into her new life, whilst dealing with her grief and her overprotective parents. Risking the potential of overextending herself she gets involved with her sister's public memorial project run by her new nemesis V, whose boyfriend and Lane’s have just started dating. Soon it becomes clear that the new colony is being sabotaged and Lane and her friends must band together to save her sister’s legacy.

Sarah Kisko did a great job of separating all the characters with unique voices.  She kept the pace going well, though I did speed the narration up when I started to lose interest.

What I liked: I loved the crew announcements at the beginning of each chapter documenting the gradual collapse of the colony. I found the scenario and plot interesting, and the inclusivity of different relationships types and abilities was refreshing to see. I really liked the concept of the younger generation having more open polyamorous relationships. The fall out from climate change was well examined. I also liked the technology that was introduced as part of the story.  Additionally I found the therapy sessions insightful.

What didn’t work for me:  I didn’t connect very well with the characters so found my brain wondering quite a bit. Some of the plot points and situation solutions were too simplistic.  I think I loved the title so much I didn’t read the synopsis carefully enough before I picked this book so in places it was a bit too teen melodrama for me.

Final thoughts:  An enlightened sci fi adventure told through the eyes of an autistic young woman.  

Who would enjoy this book: Fans of Young adult novels and soft science fiction.