The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan

Book Review

"To stay in the gloaming is to hold off the night. But if the night never comes, then neither can the day."

The Gloaming was released in the UK on 19th April 2018. It is written by Kirsty Logan and published by Harvill Secker.

This is another entry into the growing trend of 'grown-up fairy tales,' like Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child and Claire Fuller's Swimming Lessons. I like this genre but it can be dangerous, bordering on the cutesy if you're not careful. However, Kirsty Logan manages to walk the line quite well and The Gloaming is an immersive read that's a bit different from anything else out there at the moment.

The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton

Book Review

"...to be a woman of Pendle is both a blessing and a curse."

The Craftsman is released in the UK today, 3rd May 2018. It is written by Sharon Bolton and published by Trapeze.

I can tell I enjoyed The Craftsman because when I went back through my Kindle I found that I hadn't made any notes. Usually if I'm going to be reviewing a book I'll make a couple of notes or highlight parts to quote, but I was so into this book that I didn't break to note anything down.

It does mean that I don't have any notes to work from so this review may be a bit of a ramble!

A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne M Harris

Book Review

"They call us the Devil's children. But we have no allegiance to your Devil, or your God. We are the travelling folk. We live. And we will live for ever."

A Pocketful of Crows was released in the UK on 19th October 2017. It is written by Joanne M Harris and published by Gollancz.

This is a story that transports you out of modern life's mundanities and into a more timeless reality that focuses on nature and lore. If only for a moment, because A Pocketful of Crows is a small book, but it is all the better for it as the story of the 'brown girl' is not dragged out but perfectly encapsulated in this beautiful book.

August 2017 Link Love

Like my monthly favourites post I'm afraid August's link love post is late too, so late that it is now cold and raining and August feels like a distant memory. I  hope you like this month'slinks, there are a lot of book reccomendations, some great writing tips and quite a lot of autumn-themed randomness.

To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey

Book Review

"There is the feeling here that civilization is still just a speck, and it makes me feel small in a good way."

To the Bright Edge of the World is written by Eowyn Ivey and published by Tinder Press.

This book is bloody amazing. I don't normally give out 5 star reviews, or reveal my star rating at the beginning of the review, but To the Bright Edge of The World is definitely a 5 star worthy book. I already mentioned it in my February Favourite Books post, and now I've finally got round to giving it a proper review.

The Sultan, The Vampyr and the Soothsayer

Book Review

"He would have the eyes and ears of the wolf, and the strength of the wolf, but he would also have its hunger."

The Sultan, the Vampyr and the Soothsayer is written by Lucille Turner and published by Hengist Press.

Usually these days any book with vampire (or vampyr) in the title has me running for the hills, as it's usually some nausea-inducing teen love story, but when Lucille Turner approached me to review her book I was intrigued as it is based on the life of Vlad Dracula, aka the real life inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. I'm also fascinated by the era and have a soft spot for beautiful Romania as I spent a month there doing a journalism internship (as you do).

The Sultan, The Vampyr and the Soothsayer is a fascinating book which is bound to appeal to historical fiction fans and provides an insight into an enigmatic figure. At times the book is a little over ambitious and gets swamped in facts and characters, but overall it's a good read and I now want to learn a lot more about the era and the Dracula legend.

February 2017: Favourite Books

I've read quite a lot this month and I've had a few books that I enjoyed, but I wouldn't say they were favourites (follow me on Goodreads to keep up with what I'm reading). These four books are the ones that really stood out for me. For once they're not all crime fiction, I'm branching out!

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

Book Review

"STRANGE NEWS, they'd say, of a monstrous serpent with eyes like a sheep, come out of the Essex waters and up to the birch woods and commons!"

The Essex Serpent is written by Sarah Perry and is published (appropriately) by Serpent's Tail.

I've finally got around to reading the hugely popular The Essex Serpent. It's had such a lot of hype that I was worried it wouldn't live up to expectations. However, The Essex Serpent is something wonderfully different; enthralling, Gothic and at the same time very human.