The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read May 2021.

5/5 stars

Nishat has just come out to her parents but they are traditional Muslim Bangladeshis who absolutely do not approve. Be who you want, except a lesbian. Then at a family wedding Nishat re-meets Flavia who she went to primary school with. Flavia is biracial Brazilian and she and her mum moved to get to know her white Irish side better, especially her cousin Chyna.

At the wedding there was an instant connection but things soon sour when both girls choose doing henna for their school's business competition. Nishat is angry at Flavia's cultural appropriation and her friends lack of support. Things deteriorate further when someone outs her at their all-girls Catholic Irish school.

I loved Nishat's relationship with her sister Priti but I wish the side characters had been developed a little more. There were family things I loved but then a couple of plot points were abandoned. I loved the writing style, it just could have done with more length and a touch more finessing.

Stef Out x

Rayne and Delilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner

 

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read April 2021.

4/5 stars

This guy really knows how to write characters! Josie and Delia co-host a cult horror themed TV show. For Josie TV is what she wants to do with her life and her parents have even organised an opportunity in a different town for her. For Delia horror is the thing she loves, it's the thing she shared with the father that abandoned her. She's scared because everyone leaves.

I loved the friendship between Josie and Delia, it was such an authentic relationship. Lawson was amazing as well, he defied stereotypes and I loved it! The writing throughout was really fun and genuine. Delia and her mother's depression was treated so well and the use of medication was totally normalised and they had a great relationship. The stuff with Delia's dad was handled brilliantly as well.

I only have a couple of tiny criticisms. I wish we could have had a little more of Josie with her family, on the whole "family" was skewed heavily towards Delia. There were a couple of idiotic jokes that were too bad for one person to know, never mind multiple (2022 note: why did I not include these specific jokes in my initial review?). Also the entire convention section was absurd and went way too over the top with trying to jam too much into just a few hours.

Stef Out x

When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins

 

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read April 2021.

4/5 stars

Catherine has a secret. Her real name is Sara and aged 10 she killed her parents. Now many years later her older sister, Shannon, is featuring in a new documentary about the murders and their family, hoping to reconnect with Sara. This news incites a renewed media interest in the case, interest that soon leads to the revelation of Catherine's identity. most crucially to her formerly clueless husband and teenage daughter.

The book has three narrators: Catherine/Sara writing in third person, mostly alternating with Brinley, the sisters' childhood friend turned journalist in first person, with additional chapters by a politician who is in trouble for remarks he made about the case on live radio. There are also frequent flashbacks to the girls childhood.

The base story was intriguing with plenty of twists. The key them seems to be you never know what's going on behind locked doors. I felt that the storyline with the politician was overall pointless, it felt like you could cut it completely with no impact to the rest of the story. The writing style was easy and readable but a few "medical" based scenes were weirdly detailed. I also wish the ending was more complete.

Stef Out x

Heads Up

 Just a mini heads up post to let anyone out there who might be reading this that I'll be doing three extra posts today after this one to make four reviews in total. One has already been posted.

After re-doing my NetGalley list I found several books that I had read and not left feedback for. I didn't think I'd even written reviews but double-checking my other notebook revealed them so I am going to type them up and post them all today.

Stef Out x

Everything I Thought I Knew by Shannon Takaoka

 

Ebook provided by NetGalley for review. Thank you.

Read May/June 2021.

5/5 stars

Chloe has a plan. Cross country running, top grades and a good college. But then she collapses while running, revealing a heart defect that necessitates a transplant.

8 months later Chloe's physical health has improved enough that she's taken up surfing despite no prior interest, but the cute instructor helps! Her mental health however is a little shakier, she's lost her place in the world and she's having strange nightmares and memory flashes she doesn't recognise. What's going on?

I loved this book! It was so well-written and engaging and it really drew me in. I loved Chloe's progression as a character and how she became more accepting and more relaxed as the book went on, that pressure to achieve being alleviated.

The twist near the end was so interesting and so well-written and so heart-breaking and I loved it! The overall story is one of hope and carrying on.

Stef Out x