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The Blurb On The Back:

The smell of blood woke me. It was intense, as though my whole body was inhaling it. Strange scenes flitted through my mind – the fuzzy yellow light of a row of street lamps in the fog, swirling water below my feet, a crimson umbrella rolling along a rain-soaked road. I got out of bed. I needed to figure out what had happened.

Yu-jin is a perfect student, champion swimmer and good son. But one day he wakes up covered in blood. There’s no sign of a break-in and there’s a body downstairs. It’s the body of someone who Yu-jin knows all too well.

Yu-jin struggles to piece together the fragments of what he can remember from the night before. He suffers from regular seizures and blackouts. He knows he will be accused if he reports the body but what to do instead? Faced with an unthinkable choice, he makes an unthinkable decision.

As the police descend on the suburban South Korean district in which eh lives, another body is discovered, and Yu-jin must remember what happened – he has to go back, right back, to the night he lost his father and brother, and, eventually, further than that …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

You-Jeong Jeong’s psychological thriller (translated from Korean by Chi-Young Kim) is a weirdly stilted, soap opera-style affair that’s more why-do-it than who-dunnit and filled with overdone emotions, motivations that stretched credibility and although there are some interesting moments as it seeks to get under the skin of a psychopath, ultimately I struggled to hold my attention on it until the end and wouldn’t rush to read Jeong’s other work.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Isadora Moon is special because she is different.

Her mum is a fairy and her dad is a vampire and she is a bit of both.

When Isadora is invited to stay at her friend Zoe’s house she’s so excited – she hasn’t been to a sleepover before!

And with cakes to bake, a midnight feast to eat and endless magical giggles to share, they just have to stay up all night to fit it all in!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 9th in Harriet Muncaster’s self-illustrated fantasy series for children aged 6+ is a decidedly pink and sparkly affair about friendship and what to do if you think that your friend wants you to do something wrong. It’s a very girly book but that’s no bad thing and I think that there’s plenty here for children to relate to – and I did like the magically alive monkey and pink rabbit.

ISADORA MOON HAS A SLEEPOVER was released in the United Kingdom on 7th March 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The exhausted Britain of 1945 was desperate for workers. From all over the world thousands of individuals came, assuming they would spend just a few years here, but instead large numbers stayed – and transformed the country.

Drawing on an amazing array of sources, Clair Wills’ new book brings to life the incredible diversity of the migrant experience. She introduces us to lovers, scroungers, dancers, homeowners, teachers, drinkers, carers and more to show the opportunities and excitement, the humiliation and poverty that could be part of their experience. Irish, Pakistanis, West Indians, Poles, Maltese, Punjabis and Cypriots battled to fit into Britain and found themselves making permanent homes.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Clair Wills teaches at Princeton University and in this fascinating, at times horrifying but always very human book that draws on a rich mix of sources, she describes the experiences of migrants from a range of countries and cultures arriving in Britain in the post War period and although the scope of the book means some experiences get less attention than others, there are obvious and uncomfortable parallels with today’s immigration debate.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Your knowledge.
Your memories.
Your dreams.

If all that you are is on the Feed, who are you when the Feed goes down?

The Feed is everywhere. It can be accessed by anyone, at any time. Every interaction, every emotion, every image can be shared through it.

Tom and Kate use The Feed, but they have resisted addiction to it. And this will serve them well when The Feed collapses.

Until their six-year-old-daughter, Bea, goes missing.

Because how do you find someone in a world devoid of technology? And what happens when you can no longer trust your loved ones are really who they claim to be?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Nick Clark Windo’s debut SF dystopia has some fascinating ideas about memory, knowledge and the dangers posed by over-reliance on technology and I really enjoyed how integral The Feed is to people’s lives but a twist half way through the book, while intriguing, also raised more questions than answers and I felt that the introduction of a time-travel element caused the story to lose its way and my interest waned, although I’d read his next book.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Once there was a girl who was drawn to wicked things …

Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she’s sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the terrible deed she committed as a child.

One that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar.

She wears her scar with pride, but to others, her skin tells a story of devastation, of fiery deaths, of Asha’s irredeemable wickedness.

Only the death of Kozu, the First Dragon, will bring Asha true redemption and unite her father’s fractured kingdom. But no one battles Kozu and lives, so to defeat him she will have to do some very wicked things …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Kristen Ciccarelli’s debut YA fantasy (the first in a trilogy) features solid world building, plenty of action and an interesting main character who is forced to question who she is and while I am not a romance fan, the inevitable love affair is sweetly depicted and Ciccarelli puts enough spin on the usual YA tropes to ensure that there’s enough for me to want to read the sequel.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Alex should never have agreed to the spur-of-the-moment holiday with her sister. Seven days felt like a year without Daniel, her ten-year-old son. This was the first time they had been apart since he was born and her husband had convinced her it was a good idea.

It was a bad idea.

Daniel has gone missing.

As local CID officers, David Stone and Frankie Oliver have been assigned their first case together. A small boy’s fate lies in their hands and the pressure is on.

And when someone close to Daniel is found dead, they begin to feel the heat.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mari Hannah’s crime novel (the first in a series) has some interesting character development, it’s interesting to see a series focus on the victims and their families and the Northumbria region is lovingly described but there’s a lot of set up here and neither the relationship between Stone and Oliver nor a number of revelations feel earned (especially a key revelation at the end) such that I’m not sure I’m going to rush to read the sequel.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Hadrian Marlowe, privileged first son of a Duke was destined for greatness and he has become a legend. The Sun-Slayer. The Breaker of Sieges. The Crusher of Civilisations. His is a story which defined the course of worlds.

This novel is not that story.

This is Hadrian’s story told in his own words. Of being passed over by his father for rule in favour of his younger brother, and sent to a military academy against his wishes. Of being kidnapped in transit to that planet and sold into slavery and of how he clawed his way back into the dangers and opportunities of politics …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Christopher Ruocchio’s epic SF novel (the first in a series) has some interesting world building and a great sense of scale but the plot is far too predictable (hindered by the fact that Hadrian is writing his own memoir, which robs the book of any sense of jeopardy), the pacing is tortuously slow, Hadrian makes dumb decision for no good reason and the female characters painfully underdeveloped such that I won’t be reading on.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

She says she’s an ordinary mother.
He knows a liar when he sees one.

Sarah thinks of herself as a normal single mum. It’s what she wants others to think of her. But the truth is, she needs something new, something thrilling.

Meanwhile, DI Tom Thorne is investigating a woman’s suicide, convinced she was driven to do it by a man who preys on vulnerable women.

A man who is about to change Sarah’s life.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 16th in Mark Billingham’s DI TOM THORNE SERIES has a bit of a treading water feel to it as Thorne and DI Nicola Tanner deal with the fallout from THE KILLING HABIT and Thorne deals with the breakup of his relationship with Helen. Unfortunately I didn’t believe what happened between Sarah and Conrad or what it is about Conrad that makes him so irresistible to women so while I did keep turning the pages, this isn’t really vintage Thorne.

THEIR LITTLE SECRET was released in the United Kingdom on 2nd May 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Your phone rings.

A stranger has kidnapped your child.

To free them you must abduct someone else’s child.

Your child will be released when your victim’s parents kidnap another child.

If any of these things don’t happen: your child will be killed.

You are now part of THE CHAIN.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Adrian McKinty’s standalone thriller has a great and chilling premise and is a tautly written affair with a believable main character who’s driven by her love for her daughter but I did think that the plot lost something in the final third (inevitable given a key revelation) and while the antagonists were genuinely disturbing, they also veered towards central casting at times, which risked throwing me out of the story.

THE CHAIN will be released in the United Kingdom on 9th July 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

An inexperienced grafter. An obsolete spaceship. And against them, the might of the Grand fleet. Orry Kent might just be in over her head.

Orry’s father is the best conman in the quadrant, targeting the decadent ruling families of the Ascendancy, running elaborate heists with Orry and her brother Ethan before disappearing without a trace. This time should be no different.

But then Orry goes off-script and everything falls apart. Less than an hour later the Count’s spoiled grandson is dead and Orry’s on the run, accused of a murder she didn’t commit.

Turns out, the pendant Orry stole was crafted by the Departed, the ancient civilisation who left this universe aeons ago, taking most of their secrets with them. But she’s not the only one who wants it. It doesn’t take ruthless space pirate Morven Dyas long to track her down, and when she’s unexpectedly rescued by loner Jurgen Mender and his aging spaceship, Dainty Jane, Orry knows there’s only one thing left to do.

It will take all of Orry’s powers of persuasion to get Mender to agree to her plan, especially when even she can see the madness of pitting an inexperienced young grafter, a space-dog long past his best and an obsolete spaceship against the Grand Fleet, space pirates – and the alien Kadirans, who are getting bored with the long, uneasy truce with humankind …

But what other choice does she have?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Dominic Dulley’s SF thriller (the first in a series) is billed as HUSTLE meets FIREFLY but while the SF concepts are interesting (especially relating to spaceships and space warfare), the plot was far too predictable, I was unconvinced by the aristocratic societal structure and the dialogue lacks zing and while Orry is an inexperienced grifter, that doesn’t explain the daft choices she makes in the book or her naivety when convenient to the plot.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

As soon as she saw the school, Justice Jones knew that it had potential for murder.

She kept this to herself, of course. The taxi driver could easily be a spy.

Meet Justice Jones: super-smart by day, super-sleuth by night, she’s always on the lookout for mystery.

And on her first day at boarding school, it’s clear there is plenty of investigating to do: Why do blondes rule the corridors? Who made the uniform such a charming shade of brown? And do teachers normally hide dangerous secrets about the murder of a chamber maid?

When a deadly snow storm cuts everyone off from the outside world, the body count starts to rise. Can Justice find the killer – before it’s too late?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Acclaimed crime novelist Elly Griffiths’s first mystery for children aged 9+ (the first in a series) is an entertaining addition to the trend for boarding school detectives but includes characters from less privileged backgrounds and although I thought that the mystery lacked cohesion and pace in parts, Griffiths creates a good sense of menace and anxiety as the girls are snowed in while winking at the conventions of the boarding school genre.

A GIRL CALLED JUSTICE was released in the United Kingdom on 4th May 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

When Semira discovers a diary written by Hen, a girl living over one hundred years ago, she finds the friend she has been desperately seeking. A friend who reaches through time to bring not just comfort but inspiration to be brave, to fight for her place in the world, and maybe even to uncover the secrets of her own past …

Writing the diary changed one girl’s life. Reading it changes another’s.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Gill Lewis’s dual contemporary and historical novel for children aged 9+ is a beautifully judged affair that combines women’s rights, the treatment of refugees and animal rights in a well-balanced novel filled with courage and sadness and understanding and which is all the better for its bittersweet ending and the fact that it doesn’t offer pat solutions to difficult problems.

THE CLOSEST THING TO FLYING was released in the United Kingdom on 7th February 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

I am soul of song and water
I am fine and bone of star
I was dreamed from waves and moonlight
And my heart has swam so far

Minnow has grown up on a boat, hearing stories about a strange, enchanted ocean called The Wild Deep.

Now with her mother missing and questions to be answered, Minnow must make the dangerous journey to a hidden world, where fairytales become reality. And it will change Minnow forever …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Cerrie Burnell’s fantasy novel for children aged 9+ (illustrated by Sandra Dieckmann) puts diversity front and centre (Mercy has one hand and Minnow is bi-racial and finds walking on land difficult) but the writing is clunky and Burnell seems unsure about the relationship between her fantasy elements and the real world while characters frequently make strange decisions that only exist to service the plot, such that I didn’t enjoy it.

THE GIRL WITH SHARK’S TEETH was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd January 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

They were the Amazing Telemachus Family, who in the mid-1970s achieved widespread fame for their magic and mind reading act. That is, until the magic decided to disappear one night, live in front of millions on national television.

We encounter this long-forgotten family two decades on, when grandson Matty, born long after the public fall from grace, discovers a little magic in himself and begins to suspect his hugely deflated, heavily indebted family truly are amazing.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Daryl Gregory’s historical fantasy novel is a whimsical, entertaining affair that has a real Wes Anderson wistful vibe to it. Although some of the plot twists are predictable, there’s still a lot of enjoyment to be had from the skill Gregory displays in unveiling them and I especially liked Irene who’s been forced to be the grown up in the family) and the troubled Buddy who is plagued by knowledge he cannot share.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Meet the penguins.

They really want to make some friends.

But does anyone want to play?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mike Brownlow’s self-illustrated picture book is a delightful affair about two small penguins who want to make friends but find themselves rejected by everyone they approach. There’s some lovely silly humour, e.g. the giraffe who is too tall to see them and I think that parents and children alike will like the slightly tart ending, which teaches a subtle lesson about being welcoming and inclusive.

MEET THE PENGUINS was released in the United Kingdom on 4th April 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Follow these steps for guaranteed happiness.

That’s what the machine said.

But how far would you go to be happy?

Happiness is Pearl’s job. As a technician working with the revolutionary Apricity device, she runs tests to determine what will improve people’s mood. But her teenage son, Rhett, is a sensitive boy who has forged an unconventional path through adolescence. If only Pearl could persuade him to run an Apricity assessment … but what if she doesn’t like what she finds?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Katie Williams’s literary SF novel is a thought-provoking look at technology, the search for happiness and people’s desire to be told what to do and whose plot revolves around the relationships between its characters. However, some storylines are left unresolved while others have only a weak resolution and the Apricity technology is largely unexplored as a concept such that the book isn’t as satisfying as it could have been.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Avery, you don’t know me but I’m writing to you anyway. This is awkward but I’m just going to say it. Your dad + my dad ARE NOW A COUPLE. That isn’t my business, only it IS my business because my dad wants to send me to a summer camp that you’re going to.
- Bett Devlin

Bett, I think you are confused and have the wrong person. If my papa was in a relationship with your dad, there is a one hundred per cent chance I would know about it. We’re very close, and it’s been just the two of us almost my whole life, so we’re best friends and he tells me everything.
- Avery A. Bloom

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer’s middle grade humorous contemporary novel (for children aged 9+) is an LGBTQ+ friendly take on THE PARENT TRAP. I very much enjoyed the epistolary format as the girls exchange emails and try to come up with a plan to fix their problem and while some of the plot twists are obvious, others come out from left field so that you’re left with a charming, funny read with good diversity.

TO NIGHT OWL FROM DOGFISH was released in the United Kingdom on 21st February 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

If you can change your thinking, you can change your life.

Positive thinking – and positive actions – can bring about significant shifts for the better in many areas of your life. But what are the practical steps to achieving an optimistic outlook?

Over 100 tips and techniques for thinking positively in every situation.

Following on from her bestselling book Positive Thinking, personal development expert and bestselling author Gill Hasson distils the power of positive thought into practical activities and suggestions that will really help you think and act positively. IN the Positive Thinking Pocketbook, you will learn to:

- Recognise negative thinking and make the shift towards positivity;
- Transfer positive thinking into positive action and outcomes;
- Avoid getting stuck in negative patterns by making positivity a habit;
- Employ positive thinking to manage feelings in difficult situations.

Positive thinking is a skill anyone can learn. The Positive Thinking Pocketbook can become your constant companion as you work towards confidence and optimism in your everyday life. For any situation needing a dose of positivity, flip through these pages and find a technique, activity or suggestion to inspire you and propel you forward.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Gill Hasson is a UK-based personal development expert and in this useful pocket guide to positive thinking she sets out what negative thinking is, why it’s damaging and includes exercises and practical techniques for recognising negative thoughts and countering them. Particularly good is that Hasson recognises how difficult positive thinking can be, which I found easier to engage with than American writers who generally suggest you’re not trying.

POSITIVE THINKNG POCKETBOOK was released in the United Kingdom on 4th January 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

What explains the spreading backlash against the global elite? In this revelatory investigation Anand Giridharadas takes us into the inner sanctums of a new gilded age, showing how the elite follow a ‘win-win’ logic, fighting for equality and justice any way they can – except ways that threaten their position at the top.

But why should our gravest problems be solved by consultancies, technology companies and corporate-sponsored charities instead of public institutions and elected officials? Why should we rely on scraps from the winners? Trenchant and gripping, this is an indispensable guide and call to action for elites and citizens alike.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Anand Giridharadas is a former McKinsey consultant, a political analyst for MSNBC and a writer and in this topical book that bristles with anger and frustration but is very repetitive, he sets out how the global elite attempt to use neo-liberal, market-based win-win solutions to fight inequality but fail to realise that their refusal to allow discussion or solutions that threaten their own interests only serve to increase resentment.

WINNERS TAKE ALL was released in the United Kingdom on 24th January 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Discover the stories behind 20 of the most infamous unsolved murders of the last century, including the Black Dahlia, the Zodiac Killer and the JonBenét Ramsey case.

Crime scenes, crucial witnesses and persons of interest are clearly and concisely presented, along with essential details and clues.

Examine the evidence and decide for yourself who could have done it?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Amber Hunt is an award-winning crime reporter and host of the podcast Accused and Emily G. Thompson is an investigative reporter and runs the Morbidology website. In this superficial, poorly laid out and ultimately disappointing true crime collection, they summarise 20 unsolved murders – some notorious (e.g. the Black Dahlia murder) and others less well known (e.g. the Hinterkaifeck Murders) – to provide cheap titillation to arm chair detectives.

UNSOLVED MURDERS: TRUE CRIME CASES UNCOVERED was released in the United Kingdom on 7th February 2019. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Page Summary

The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong
Isadora Moon Has A Sleepover by Harriet Muncaster
Lovers And Strangers: An Immigrant History Of Post-War Britain by Clair Wills
The Feed by Nick Clark Windo
The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
The Lost by Mari Hannah
Empire Of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
Their Little Secret by Mark Billingham
The Chain by Adrian McKinty
Shattermoon by Dominic Dulley
A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths
The Closest Thing To Flying by Gill Lewis
The Girl With The Shark’s Teeth by Cerrie Burnell
Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory
Meet The Penguins by Mike Brownlow
Tell The Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams
To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
Positive Thinking Pocketbook by Gill Hasson
Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas
Unsolved Murders: True Crime Cases Uncovered by Amber Hunt and Emily G. Thompson

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I Read, Therefore I Blog

A Book Review Blog Belonging to Caroline Hooton

Recent Entries

The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong

Isadora Moon Has A Sleepover by Harriet Muncaster

Lovers And Strangers: An Immigrant History Of Post-War Britain by Clair Wills

The Feed by Nick Clark Windo

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

The Lost by Mari Hannah

Empire Of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Their Little Secret by Mark Billingham

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

Shattermoon by Dominic Dulley

A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths

The Closest Thing To Flying by Gill Lewis

The Girl With The Shark’s Teeth by Cerrie Burnell

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory

Meet The Penguins by Mike Brownlow

Tell The Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams

To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer

Positive Thinking Pocketbook by Gill Hasson

Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas

Unsolved Murders: True Crime Cases Uncovered by Amber Hunt and Emily G. Thompson