Tag: NetGalley

Book Review | The Bookbinder of Jericho, Pip Williams

Anna Bratchford4 Comments

Goodreads Blurb:

What is lost when knowledge is withheld?

In 1914, when the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, it is the women who must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who work in the bindery at Oxford University Press in Jericho. Peggy is intelligent, ambitious and dreams of going to Oxford University, but for most of her life she has been told her job is to bind the books, not read them. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has. She is extraordinary but vulnerable. Peggy needs to watch over her.

When refugees arrive from the devastated cities of Belgium, it sends ripples through the community and through the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can use her intellect and not just her hands, but as war and illness reshape her world, it is love, and the responsibility that comes with it, that threaten to hold her back.

My Thoughts:

I have been glued to this novel for the past few days. So much so, that I am not sure where to start with this review. The Bookbinder of Jericho is everything it’s companion novel The Dictionary of Lost Words is, and if possible, more. Williams’ prose is enchanting, and the way she blends historical events into the fiction of the story is seamless, making for an unforgettable novel.

Following Peggy as she navigates her life amidst changes brought on by the First World War made for a very interesting perspective to read through. Working at a bookbinders and looking out for her twin sister is all she is expected to do with her life but Peggy wants more. Especially in a world where women still only very few privileges, and even less so with Peggy’s lower social status, ‘more’ is something she feels she can only dream of. Peggy very quickly became one of my favourite characters along with her sister Maude, and not only because she is the main character. Peggy is bright, thoughtful, curious, and questions everything which I loved about her.

Maude is also a wonderful character in this novel, and as much as she is Peggy’s family, she is also sometimes viewed by her as a hinderance to her getting more from her life. It is clear from the way that Maude is talked about and described in the novel as what might have been described as ‘special’ at the time. Now she would most likely be described as being on the Autism Spectrum. I felt an instant love for this character. I found her insight into this story and it’s characters highly valuable. I really liked the way that Williams’ wrote her character, making her presence in the novel one I loved to read.

The prose of this novel is simply beautiful. Williams’ captures the heart and soul of a scene with a finesse that makes the words shine off the page. I lost count of the number of times I just had to sit there with a phrase after I read it. This novel made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me cry. There is so much pain and heartache as expected with a novel set when this one is, but it is balanced with warmth and love, and in such a way that I feel doesn’t take away from the horrors the war brought.

I cannot finish this review without talking about the seamless integration of both novels. This is well and truly a companion novel as opposed to a sequel. Beginning at the cusp of the First World War, this novel also settles itself nearing the end of it’s companion novel. It brings a few of the well loved characters from The Dictionary of Lost Words and they fit naturally into Peggy’s story while not taking over which I loved. With this novel, Williams’ yet again demonstrates her skill in blending historical fact with the fiction of the story in such a way that is engaging to the reader. I highly recommend this novel to any reader of historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Affirm Press and Pip Williams for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Review Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 28th March 2023.

Book Review | Felix Silver, Teaspoons, and Witches, Harry Cook

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Goodreads Blurb:

After his parents announce that his bizarre, emerging abilities are getting in the way of their divorce, Felix Silver relocates to Dorset Harbour and becomes the charge of his Grandma Aggie. As Felix adjusts to life in a new school, Aggie decides that it’s time he learn The Silver Way, and teaches him all she knows about sorcery and magical arts. When Felix and his new friends decide to solve the mystery of local teenagers who have gone missing, Felix learns that his crush, Aero, has a big secret. Is dark magic creeping into the town, and can Felix learn enough from Aggie and the witches of Dorset Harbour to combat it?

My Thoughts:

‘Felix Silver, Teaspoons & Witches’ was a really fun, easy read, with likeable characters. The plot was fairly straightforward, but engaging, which kept me reading right until the end. This book had some interesting friendships/relationships in it too!

There were a few things I found that lessened my enjoyment though. On the whole I found that the novel didn’t feel quite as polished as it potentially could have been. Grammatically I didn’t find any issues, but the story felt quite rushed to me. This meant that the characters felt underdeveloped, and as a result, less easy to connect with as I read. The romance was sweet but to me it felt a little rushed as well, or even rather instantaneous after the first meeting. This made it something I couldn’t happily invest myself in.

The last thing I found was that it was difficult to tell who was narrating a chapter until a couple of paragraphs in. This made it hard to follow the story once there were multiple narrators. This could easily be helped with name of the PoV character with the title of each chapter.

The plot itself I found really interesting, and especially with the fun magic system. I loved how magic seemed to be integrated with the town it was set in. I would have loved to have seen more of the limitations of the magic, and more learning about how it works as Felix is still learning. I loved how the magic of each person was channelled through a teaspoon, such a fun idea, but I feel it could have been explored further.

Overall I really did enjoy reading this but I feel that there were a few things that could really improve the way the story is told and make it more impactful. I do not hate it in the slightest, and am interested to see if the final publication has been edited further. I will be getting myself a copy to see if the issues I found were just part of the early reader version. Especially as I think this story is such a fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 30th August 2022.

Book Review | The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, Matt Cain

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Goodreads Blurb:

Albert Entwistle is a private man with a quiet, simple life. He lives alone with his cat Gracie. And he’s a postman. At least he was a postman until, three months before his sixty-fifth birthday, he receives a letter from the Royal Mail thanking him for decades of service and stating he is being forced into retirement.

At once, Albert’s sole connection with his world unravels. Every day as a mail carrier, he would make his way through the streets of his small English town, delivering letters and parcels and returning greetings with a quick wave and a “how do?” Without the work that fills his days, what will be the point? He has no friends, family, or hobbies—just a past he never speaks of, and a lost love that fills him with regret.

And so, rather than continue his lonely existence, Albert forms a brave plan to start truly living. It’s finally time to be honest about who he is. To seek the happiness he’s always denied himself. And to find the courage to look for George, the man that, many years ago, he loved and lost—but has never forgotten. As he does, something extraordinary happens. Albert finds unlikely allies, new friends, and proves it’s never too late to live, to hope, and to love.

My Thoughts:

Oh my, this novel brought up all the emotions! And I absolutely loved it! Wonderful, vibrant characters, a sweet story line, personal growth, and a search for a lost love – what more could I want?

This novel was beautifully plotted, and while it was slow to start but I found it worked for me. In that wonderfully trundling slowness I saw how Alberts life was for him as he trudged through his day to day routine. There was something so beautifully simple about the story that made it even more charming for me. There was a lot of depth to story that shone through in both the plot and the characters. The characters in this story are what really brought the joy for me, and I loved the side characters and how fleshed out they were just as much as Albert which was so nice.

I loved that the story was told from two different points in Alberts life – I found switching between the two helped me to understand Albert more. It was interesting seeing how his early life and his relationship with his parents then affected him so much later in his life. This is so true of so many gay men of that time that it makes the story all the more heartbreaking. Though it was heartbreaking with a hopeful end, which I really loved. The end of this edition of the novel also included some interviews with gay men of Albert’s age with similar stories to Albert’s. I think this was a really lovely addition at the end.

Despite the very painful reality of Albert’s situation and his story, there is some really clever humour amongst the heartfelt or emotional moments of self reflection. These moments really make this novel an absolute joy to read!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for sending me this free eARC (eAdvanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 31st May 2022.

Book Review | The Book of Non-Binary Joy, Ben Pechey

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Goodreads Blurb:

‘Oh hello darling, and welcome to The Book of Non-Binary Joy! This book is here to help you be yourself – free from judgement and expectation – as you unlock more joy in your life. Take my hand, and let’s start your journey of self-love today.’

Whether you are at the start of your journey or have been on the wild ride of gender introspection for a long time, this guide is here to help you thrive as your authentic – and most fabulous – non-binary self. With personal stories, valuable insights and interactive sections, this inspiring book covers a wide range of topics, including mental health, pleasure, fashion, understanding your past, allyship privilege and self-expression.

Written with warmth and unapologetic humour, and with bold illustrations throughout, Ben Pechey has created the ultimate safe space for you to embrace your non-binary life and start living.

My Thoughts:

Strangely it took me a while to finish this one. When I first started I thought it would be a quick, easy read, but somehow it was quite the opposite. I think it was the style of writing for me, it was to a certain extent very conversational, but there was a lot to absorb. This wasn’t a bad thing entirely, all of which was covered in this book I found to be really insightful. For me, a lot of it was reinforcing ways of thinking that I already had (or was trying to embody), but some parts did show me different ways of exploring (and accepting) my own gender identity.

What I liked most about this book was the way it was organised. The book covered topics all to do with gender and understanding who you are. From Understanding Your Past to Self-Expression, as well as Social Media which I think is something really important to cover. Each topic was covered in a really accessible way, and included anecdotes as well as a summary at the end of each chapter. As well as this, there is a really great list of resources in one of the last chapters for those who might want to know more (I want to point out that as this was originally published in the UK, the resources are UK based, but helpful – in some cases – none the less). This book also recommends some further reading on the topic of gender identity which I will definitely have a look at.

I think part of the reason that it took me a while read this is that I found the narrative voice a little grating. While it is conversational, I found it to be a little pushy. Despite this, I think that some people might find this a lot easier to read than other more factual (or even clinical) books on gender identity. I also found that while there were quite a few topics covered, the information seemed to be talked about at a surface level. Again, I think this would be helpful for some, but I was left wanting more from the book.

On the whole this is a really well thought out book, and great for someone who is just starting to question their identity, and needs a place to start. It is a wonderful safe space to explore their gender identity and what it means for them. It is accessible, and, as the title says, is an exploration of the joys your gender identity can bring you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me this free eARC (eAdvanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 19th May 2022.

Book Review | Founder’s Mercy, Owen Lach

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Goodreads Blurb:

The Bolvar Union provides everything a good citizen needs, only asking one thing in return: total devotion to the State. Teenage best friends Adan Testa and Bo Shen have other ideas. They plan an unlikely heist to earn their way over the wall, escaping Bolvar before serving their mandatory five years in the Bolvar Union Defense Force. But Adan doesn’t know he possesses a secret talent that no one has seen in the five centuries since the First Explorers colonized Neska. And when the Union discovers Adan’s hidden gift, they’ll do anything and everything they can to discover his secret. Even if it kills him.

Fans of Alex London’s Proxy or M.R. Carey’s Ramparts Trilogy won’t want to miss this engaging and inclusive sci-fi dystopian thriller.

My Thoughts:

Founder’s Mercy was such a fun read! I loved the concept of the dystopian future on the backdrop of past colonists to the planet with varying results. The alternating chapters switching between of the present day and the captain’s log from the first settlers of the planet made for an interesting read. Especially when I made connections between the information being revealed in the logs and the events of the novel’s chapters.

While the plot was gripping and exciting, I think my favourite thing about this novel were the characters. I loved following Adan and Bo in their bid to escape their constrictive lives under the thumb of ‘The Union’. A body of government that claims to have their citizen’s best interests at their focus, but it doesn’t always seem that way. The friendship between these two main characters was wonderful to read amongst the dark backdrop if the setting. The friendship itself was so genuine and caring. The other main supporting characters were all so interesting to read, and I loved learning more about them all and following their crazy journey.

There were some little things I found with this novel that I had a small issue with. These were things that didn’t take away from the plot too much but were noticeable to me as a fellow writer. I didn’t feel they affected the narrative voice much, but without them would have enhanced the work. I also found the romances to be a little rushed – they seemed to develop very quickly. I know this can happen (I’m not that cold hearted). I just felt that a little more time (timeline time) spent with the romances might have made them more believable to be. Don’t get me wrong, the relationships were sweet, and I am totally onboard and emotionally invested. No turning back now!

Something I really loved was the casual inclusion of pronouns within the character’s conversations when they introduced themselves. I also loved how Adan would use neutral pronouns for people he met until he knew for sure. This is something I would love to see more of in other novels.

Overall, I love how much fun this novel was to read. It had a high stakes plot, secrets and lies everywhere you look, and some exciting scenes to read. The romances were really sweet, and I loved all the characters and their depth. I recommend this for those who enjoy dystopian sci-fi with strong plotting and some really fun characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me this free eARC (eAdvanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 22nd March 2022.