Everything is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray

 

Paperback read but ebook previously provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

5/5 stars

This was a sad yet hopeful book and beautifully written.

In no uncertain terms Amy is a hoarder. Specific items - green wine bottles, mugs, clocks, ashtrays, cookbooks, ceramic birds, plant pots/vases and newspapers. All items relating to specific moments in her relationship with the man she planned to marry, until the day he and her best friend disappeared without a trace, presumably together.

The book follows a dual timeline of now and then with each then section headed with the item it relates to. In the present day Amy is dealing with an interfering neighbour who is obsessed with her hoard being dangerous. Then a new family move in next door which changes everything.

This was really sensitively written, especially around the hoard and how much Amy clearly cares for her belongings. The word hoard is only used once so as not to stigmatise things further. The mystery of Tim and Chantel's disappearance added an intriguing extra layer.

Steff Out x 

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray

 

Borrowed from the library but ebook previously provided by NetGalley for review.

4/5 stars

Koffi lives at the Night Zoo with her mother, working off a debt that her late father created. Ekon dreams of becoming a Son of Six like his older brother.

Their paths end up colliding in the hunt for a mysterious wild beast that is allegedly slaughtering everyone but along the way feelings grow, they learn that magic is real and not everything is what it seems...

I loved the way this entwined together and the way things progressed and the religion and magic system but I did find the ending a little abrupt. I will seek out the sequels some time though.

Steff Out x 

When Shadows Fall by Sita Brahmachari

Borrowed from the library but ebook previously provided by NetGalley (and possibly not downloaded as I can't find it on my Kindle but it is on my feedback list).

3/5 stars

Kai, Orla and Zak have been best friends for years, centred around their little undergrowth hideout. Always in the background though is Kai's father and his shadows. But then his mum becomes pregnant and the shadows fade.

Things are good for a while but then tragedy strikes and the shadows return with a vengeance. Spreading to Kai as well his friendships break down. Newcomer Om is the only one with a chance of getting through to him before it's too late.

This book annoyed me. It was all too vague and meandering and trying to be poetic and I'm just there thinking "get to the point already" which is sad because I could tell what it was saying was important but it was kind of lost on me

Steff Out x 

All the Worlds Between Us by Morgan Lee Miller

 

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

4/5 stars

Quinn is an out lesbian and a star swimmer who only narrowly missed out on trialling for the Olympics - a fact the school mean girl won't let her forget. Her life is swimming and swimming alone, along with occasional arguments with her twin brother over their car.

She has an on-off relationship with swim teammate Riley, currently more off than on but Quinn is debating starting things up again. That is until she has a weird moment at a party she's forced to attend as her brother's ride with Kennedy, her former best friend who kissed her then moved away...

This was super cute and I loved how confident Quinn was about her identity and how she didn't want to compromise herself for the sake of someone else. I found the relationship really realistic and well-written, though there are a couple of scenes not suitable for younger readers 👀

My only criticism was that we didn't get a happily ever after but it did feel like there was hope for the future.

Steff Out x

How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

 

3/5 stars

Grace is on a mission. To kill the family of her millionaire father one by one leaving him for last. When he got her mother pregnant he refused to acknowledge what he'd done and the later existence of his daughter. Grace wants revenge and her rightful inheritance.

I thought this book was rather slow-paced and sluggish with overlong chapters. I kept reading out of curiosity for how things played out, not because of any sort of anticipation. Grace didn't have enough personality to be likable or not and her plans were all rather vague.

I did have hope it could redeem itself (although I was seriously questioning her lifelong best friend's personality transplant and total lack of trust) but then we had a suprise narrator which was just absurd and then the ending was ridiculous and incomplete at the same time.

Steff Out x 

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

 

4/5 stars

Yadriel is a brujo. Or at least he should be. His failure at the feminine bruja healing and his trans status mean his father refuses to let him go through the ritual so he goes and does it alone.

Shortly after the family senses that cousin Miguel has been killed but no-one can find his body so Yadriel gets the idea to summon his spirit and hopefully find out what happened.

Well, Yadriel does summon a ghost but it's not Miguel. It's Julian, a boy from school. He also died in a mysterious manner and Yadriel wants to find the truth.

I loved the characters and culture and I find Aiden's writing engaging and easy to follow. My only tiny criticisms were that I wish we'd seen more of Julian's friends and Yadriel's mum. Also the pacing could have been a little better. The middle section was full of character development but then the last quarter or so felt very rushed and I'm not sure I totally understood everything that happened.

Steff Out x

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

 

5/5 stars

Beautiful, perfection. This series now ranks in my favourite favourites.

We have the same cast of characters but in a more sort of way because they have grown so much, especially Sal! The one who has been through the most trauma and was the most timid but he's now taking charge, having big ideas and challenging the adults on his own terms, my heart 🥹

And little Lucy, it's so much harder for him to make the right choices but he does and he's lovely and I want to give him a hug! I LOVED Talia's comments about her beard and I love her confidence in herself and her appearance!

This book went more in depth about trauma and how it can influence a person and how the government is still totally shit and ignorant and unwilling to accept when they've done wrong.

The ending was perfection and I want an infinite number of these books.