I bought this as a mystery book from a charity shop because the description made it sound charming & light. Just what I wanted in the midst of all the chaos of the world & it did not disappoint. Yes there are some dark bits & yes some of it was a bit predictable but it was nice to have some pleasant predictability & I was enthralled. I could not put it down. It made me smile and feel warm when I finished it. Charming is definitely the right word.

“Don‘t be like the others who think their past is all the excuse they need to waste their future” - Wow, this spoke to my soul, I hope to always remember it.

Compared to her other books, initially it didn‘t feel like MH writing, it didn‘t have her tone. I thought it had been ghost written but then her tone started creeping in so I figured it was just the subject matter. It‘s hard to read that she had been struggling for so long but the treasures are all so relatable & something I had been coming around to myself even before reading so was nice to see it. It felt like having a friend agreeing with you.

“If we have been led to believe our opinion doesn‘t count…we will become small to keep the peace”

This sadly resonates with me but it is lovely to see it written so eloquently. I had never before been able to put it into words.

I would recommend this for anyone having a baby or is going to be around someone who is. It answers so many questions that you didn‘t know you had and I found it to be really helpful with alleviating some fears. A word of warning though, the sections for fathers are a little condescending, as if the author was expecting all dads to be dead beats.

I disagree with the book cover that O'Brien is better than Philippa Gregory; PG is still the best, but it wasn't terrible. Weirdly, not much seemed to happen but somehow I was ¾ of the way through the book & yet I hadn't gotten bored. I don't know if the story was gripping enough to read it again (now I know Alice's fate, as I didn't before reading) but I did enjoy it.

I could not put this down! So gripping, so engaging & the story rolled along in a perfect mix of present & past that made the suspense even more gripping. Normally, with a book that moves between characters with each chapter, I get lost, but not in this one. Something about the way the author writes meant I never forgot exactly where each character was in their narrative. This is the best Grishaverse book I've read so far. Onto Crooked Kingdom!

I would recommend this for a read even if you don't consider yourself spiritual. The author's takes on history and The Patriarchy are really interesting, and offer a take that I hadn't considered, but makes perfect sense. I found a warm familiarity when reading this, and I imagine others will too. I found I was reading aspects of myself that I hadn't shared and her words gave a sense of forgotten community that was pleasant. Give it a go.

This is amazing. The sagas are laid out really well and easy to read. The way it is written is unputdownable, and it isn't too graphic that a child wouldn't be able to read it and enjoy it. I loved it and will definitely read it again. Of course, it is only a hand-picked selection of saga stories, and obviously, I cannot account for how true to the traditional sagas it is, but I think it's pretty close to what I've heard before.

I've not yet played the game, but this was so detailed that I had a very vivid image throughout & didn't want to put it down. I don't know how much of Henry's story is told in the game, so was surprised the book is mostly about him, not the Frye twins. I really enjoyed it, but the last fifth dedicated to the twins felt a little rushed at first, because it doesn't go into detail about each assassination, but I imagine all the key points are there.

Not as engaging as The Devil's Consort, the most interesting parts of Joan's life seem to be skipped over for whining about waiting for news. The constant "I am better than everyone else & so clever" despite making constant mistakes & learning nothing got a bit grating after a while, but in fairness that could just be the character profile. It didn't really paint much of a picture for me, the storytelling was a bit lacking. Not the author's best.

Got this after seeing the Netflix series, which I loved. Pleasantly surprised that Netflix stuck to the book almost perfectly. The writing is a little juvenile, but it fits well with the character, who is herself a bit juvenile. On its own not a terrible book, but needs the context of the others (6 of crows etc). Had it not been for the series, I wouldn't have known there was more to this initial story (beyond the next 2 books ofc). Story is good.

I really enjoyed this, as I was reading it was almost playing a film in my head so visually it was well written. The story is really and the first twist was heart wrenching. I didn't get to know as much about some of the characters as I would have liked so didn't have much feelings for them. Hopefully in the later books those characters are expanded upon a bit more.

I've been a huge admirer of Katherine for years so was very excited when I saw she has a book out. The book was a lot more hard hitting than I was expecting, I always see her as light & fun but she has been through some darkness to get where she is now & it was interesting to see snippets of how she came to be who she is. The last paragraphs of the final chapter spoke to me so deeply that I now recite her advice in my head. Would recommend a read.

This was really slow to get going & there was lots of droning on descriptions of the indecision of the characters said 3 different ways in a single paragraph which was annoying; the book could be half as long without this. Then suddenly right before the end it stops being boring & starts being harrowing. Not my most cherished read & I doubt I'd read it again but as it is the debut novel for the author some leniency is due. Love the artwork though.

This was by far the best book to come from the author! It was so engaging & unputdownable. It reads beautifully like a true history text & most of the characters are really interesting. My only issue - the choice of the names Elmo, Grover, Oscar & Kermit Tully, which did spoil the effect somewhat at being a true fantasy epic. Not sure what possessed him to choose Muppet names but not his best decision. Overall definitely one I recommend to others.

I did enjoy this, but not as much as The Last Wish. I read this as the second in the series on the recommendation of a friend and would recommend likewise. It gives more backstory to some of the characters that pads them out more. I woukd read this again.

I had to read this twice because the first reading was so forgettable and I want to read the sequel. The second reading of this was only marginally better. The narrative is really boring, somehow you get through ⅓ of the book and nothing has happened. I was surprised considering how engaging the song of ice and fire novels are. Definitely not his best work.

I liked that the book was written as a series of diary entries but found the plot a little too simplistic and the characters a little flat. For a bit of light reading it was ok but not one I would bother returning to. It does end rather abruptly and there isn't much character development. Not the best book I've resd, but not the worst either.

I loved this, the author is so clever the way she writes. Even though we know Anne dies in the end, she really makes you believe that she might be released and she almost makes you forget the end result so much that when it happens it still comes as a shock to the system. Would definitely recommend!

This was really hard to get into, which is strange given that it is a short story. It all seemed a bit sudden and teenage girl "Daddy I love him" for someone you just met. If the story had been longer so there could be more backstory it would have been better. But I did finish it so it can't be all bad

This book is amazing! I learned so much and I really liked that it spanned the 200 odd years of the crusades in one book and still had plenty of detail. I really like the way DJ writes, his narrative is really engaging and I didn't want to put the book down. I think this is a must for anyone who wants a good starting point for knowledge of the leaders of the crusades on both sides.

I found this so interesting. I loved that the author gave reasons for both for and against for the existence of the creatures. There were loads that I had not heard of and some that I had but didn't know the origins. A fascinating read, definitely!

I read this every time I need a pick-me-up. It always makes me smile no matter how many times I read it. I do myself agreeing with her a lot too. The comedy found in everyday real life is expressed beautifully in this. Definitely a read if you need to smile :)

I don't usually read autobiographies but I really enjoyed this. Learning JC's school was fascinating, it sounds like something from a novel. I admire how up front he was about the darker aspects of his life & some of the things he is not particularly proud of. I think it takes real courage to risk your reputation to acknowledge & publish these darker aspects to those who call themselves a fan of his and didn't already know already (me included).

I really enjoyed this book, there was lots of little things I didn't know that I learned from here, including that I grew up near a well known Templar site unbeknownst to me. It's given me lots of places to go and visit in the future. I would recommend as a good starting point to anyone who wants to learn about the Templars but doesn't want anything too heavy.

This is still my favourite of the series; everytime I read it, I get a warm feeling and it's like spending time with a beloved friend. Best read next to the fire with a hot chocolate.

I enjoyed these for the most part but I did find that I kept forgetting what had happened to characters who hadn't had a chapter for a while, particularly for minor characters. The fact that I had watched the TV series helped a little but I still lost a lot of people's stories. I still can't remember anything about Daenerys in Yunkai or Astapor & I love her character, so I was paying attention. The narrative does jump about a bit too much.

I come back to this every few years and its always a reasonably pleasant read. It's a good mix of slightly raunchy and poignant that makes it a good book for light reading. One issue I do have with it though, is that the whole book could have not happened if the characters had had one particular conversation right at the beginning. I've always found that type of narrative irritating but if that doesn't bother you overmuch, I'd say give it a go.

I read this as the 2nd in the series on the recommendation of a friend, and glad I did. It helps to set the scene for the rest of the main story and it flows better this way I think. I didn't love this as much as The Last Wish as some location descriptions I found harder to visualise but still very enjoyable. If you are planning to watch the series I would read this and LW first because the show jumps around the timeline, this will help massively.

I absolutely loved this, it is a great introduction to the world and the characters. The short stories help to get used to the translations as well as some things are not fully translated. I love that the author includes fairy tales as real history and the way it was done is really clever. It's definitely one I will read again and would recommend if you like fantasy.

This was a little tricky to get into at first; the story took a while to get going, which is understandable given its source, but about two thirds in I found it unputdownable and I really enjoyed the story. I would recommend as a good read, but be prepared to persist with the initial slow start.

This book is awesome! I actually watched the series on tv many years ago and was delighted to discover that the programme was based on this book, which I then duly bought. It was great learn more about some of the fantastic queens of the past and the world they lived in, and it increased my love for two of my heroes Matilda and Eleanor d'Aquitaine. A must read if you are into medieval history.