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#OctBookwormBingo
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

The third book sees Harry, Hermione, & Ron about to start their third year at Hogwarts. On the way there they encounter Professor Lupin, their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, when a Dementor, one of the feared guardians of Azkaban searches the train. Harry seems to be the worst affected of anyone. It seems that a prisoner named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban & is after Harry to take his revenge for what happened to (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named & the Dementors will be a fixture around the school for a while. The story also takes in werewolves, secret maps, animagi, the trial of Buckbeak, & Gryffindor's quest to win the Quidditch Cup.

This is a re-read & my original rating of 4 stars stands. I'm not a big fan of the Buckbeak storyline in general (Buckbeak is fine, it's the whole 'animal in peril' thing) & I don't particularly like Professor Trelawney
12mo
OutsmartYourShelf (I agree with Hermione's assessment here). On the plus side, there's Quidditch, the Marauders' Map, & the introduction of characters (Lupin, Black, etc) who will appear in further books on the side of either good or evil. It's not my favourite of the series but it's still good. 4🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/747560089
Read 14th-19th Oct 2023

12mo
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TheSpineView Fantastic!🖤🪄 12mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🐈‍⬛💜 12mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👻🎃👻 12mo
33 likes8 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
When Ghosts Call Us Home | Katya de Becerra
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Pickpick

Sophia Galich was twelve when she starred in her older sister Layla‘s amateur horror movie 'Vermillion' filmed in the house their parents were renovating. Originally owned by a rich couple who held wild parties & seances until the tragic death of the wife, it stood empty for years before the Galich family moved in to renovate it. The movie gained a cult following online alongside a website which people use to travel 'The Path'. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Layla disappeared two years ago & it seems that she was still obsessed with Cashore & Vermillion & the last known sighting of her was at the house. Now seventeen, Sophia agrees to star in a remake being filmed at Cashore in the hope that this will lead her to the truth of what happened to Layla.

This had a slow start but once it got going it was a good read. The narrative is told from Sophia's point of view mostly in the present,
12mo
OutsmartYourShelf although the reader experiences Sophia's returning memories as she starts to film the remake. Suspicious of everyone & their motives, including Arthur the director's son, as they start to film scenes Sophia starts to remember more of what happened five years before & realises her sister wasn't telling her the complete truth. She also realises that she is now travelling The Path - but what or who is at the end? 12mo
OutsmartYourShelf It wasn't terrifying but it was a spooky unsettling read. 3.5🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publisher, Macmillan Children's Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5761905163
Read 13th-17th Oct 2023

#TeamCreepinItReal @StayCurious

@puddlejumper @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65 @DieAReader @TheSpineView @Catsandbooks
12mo
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DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
TheSpineView Fantastic 12mo
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🦇🧡 12mo
30 likes7 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Asylum | Madeleine Roux
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Pickpick

I wasn't expecting a lot but this turned out to be a nice little read. It's got a former psychiatric hospital converted into student accommodation as a base, alongside spooky goings-on (night trips into the old part of the building which still retain the cells & operating theatre of the old place, disappearing emails, automatic writing, the MC having visions of the Warden of the asylum, etc). (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Teenage me would have loved it, adult me likes it too. It's eerie rather than scary & the photographs add to the atmosphere. I wasn't keen on the budding romance between Daniel & Abby, but that's just me. Definitely reading the next one. 4🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1083077205
Read 5th-8th Oct 2023

@puddlejumper @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65 @DieAReader @Catsandbooks @theSpineView
12mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
TheSpineView Well done! 12mo
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼👻💚 12mo
31 likes5 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

A collection of 20 strange but true crimes ranging from the late 1800s to the modern day. Some of them were downright bizarre whilst others were grisly to say the least. The chapters are short & to the point, detailed without being ghoulish. At the end, the author muses as to why true crime is such a popular genre & argues that it is a way for us to safely confront our fears of death which does makes sense. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Overall it was an interesting read even if it did leave me feeling a little unsettled.
3.5🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Little, Brown Book Group UK/Sphere, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5888889190
Read 5th-7th Oct 2023

@puddlejumper @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65 @DieAReader @Catsandbooks @theSpineView
12mo
StayCurious sounds like an interesting read! 12mo
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Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 12mo
TheSpineView Fantastic! 12mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🩸☠️ 12mo
32 likes7 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Kill Show: A True Crime Novel | Daniel Sweren-Becker
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Mehso-so

Inspired by the popularity of the genre & endless fascination that people seem to have with true crime, & the emotional manipulation of people behind the scenes to create drama & make people want to tune in. The narrative takes the form of transcripts of interviews with those involved in the case for a book about the TV show, & these are cut into short paragraphs from multiple points of view per chapter. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf It makes the narrative rather choppy & it's difficult to really get a read of any of the characters. Most reviewers liked the format but it didn't really work for me, although it was well-written & the plot was good if rather easy to work out. I seem to be in the minority though so don't let it put you off. 3⭐

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
12mo
OutsmartYourShelf Photo Prompt Match (Kill) 15 pts
Readathons x Hours Read 510 pts
Post 1pt
Word Challenge 1150 pts
Genre 10 pts

Total 1686 pts

#TeamCreepinItReal
12mo
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PuddleJumper Amazing! Well done 12mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
TheSpineView Fantastic! 12mo
Catsandbooks 🔪☠️🖤 12mo
StayCurious wow you're doing so great! 12mo
27 likes1 stack add8 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

In this retelling Lydia is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter (three older sisters having died as children) & therefore a witch, whilst Kitty is revealed to be her feline familiar bewitched to appear human in front of others. Lydia's quest to improve & use her magic leads her into all kinds of mischief & dangerous situations. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf It seems like it should be a light retelling with the focus on magic, but the author manages to cover some weightier subjects: racism, sexism/misogyny in society, the confining of women to the domestic sphere & marriage, & a society where a fifteen year old girl would be married off to an older man for the sake of her (& her female relatives') reputation whilst his would eventually carry on as before. 12mo
OutsmartYourShelf Jane & Elizabeth are mentioned but sadly do not appear on the page, although just about every one else does & Georgiana has a bigger role here. Overall it was a nice enough read but it didn't really grab & hold my attention as I thought it would.
3.5🌟

TWs: blood magic, brief sentence about animal sacrifice, mild sexual content but mostly it happens off page.

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Quercus Books/Jo Fletcher Books,
12mo
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OutsmartYourShelf Photo Prompt Match (Witch) 15 pts
Readathons x Hours Read 1000 pts
Post 1pt
Word Challenge 2170 pts
Genre 10 pts

Total 3196 pts

#TeamCreepinItReal @StayCurious

@puddlejumper @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65 @DieAReader @TheSpineView @Catsandbooks
12mo
Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🧡🐈‍⬛ 12mo
PuddleJumper ❤️🧡 12mo
DieAReader 🎃🎃🎃 12mo
Andrew65 Brilliant 👏👏👏 12mo
StayCurious great review! 12mo
36 likes1 stack add9 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Panpan

I'm not a big fan of this book, I'll say that from the off. It's an odd mix of very slow plodding family history & frenetic breakneck violence - most of it perpetrated by a demonic little puppet called Pupkin. I've never been a big fan of puppets or those creepy lifelike dolls, especially ones that look like clowns. The two main characters, brother & sister, Mark & Louise were not particularly likeable either. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Mark was a bit of a whingefest at first but as the story progresses you begin to understand why he acts like he does, Louise was also rather odd. Overall it was not really my thing. Will not be re-reading it. Ever. 2⭐

TWs: child death, violence, creepy puppets/dolls.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4928082887

Read 1st-2nd Oct 2023
(edited) 12mo
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TheSpineView Bummer. Hope the next book is better.🤞 12mo
PuddleJumper 🖤🖤 12mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
Catsandbooks 👻🧡 12mo
Andrew65 Oh no 🫣 But you did earn a stack of points. 12mo
StayCurious at least you got some great points! 12mo
32 likes9 comments