Down with this Ship by Katie Kingman

 I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Flux in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this but unfortunately, I just couldn't get into the story. Down with the Ship is the story of Kole, a girl who enjoys writing romantic fanfic for a popular sci-fi TV show. Her fic wins a prize online and she is thrust into the limelight, having to deal with haters and her fellow pupils finding out she writes it.

I think this book was just a bit too...simple? I couldn't really get into the story or characters, even 50% of the way through. Kole has two love interests; the hot guy who just moved in next door who she has nothing in common with, and the snarky guy who admires her work and her mind. Whoever will she pick?

I stopped when there was a classic 'bully blackmails Kole into being his date' because, even though it was not because he likes her, I did not want to read that scene or any of the ensuing drama. I did read the last chapter and it seems everything got tied up perfectly, which just kind of confirmed my concerns. 

I think if you're on the younger side of YA, then there's probably a lot to be enjoyed here. The issue is YA has become a catch-all label so I would typically expect something a bit more involved. But I liked the idea of the premise and I don't want to fault a book too harshly for not conforming to my expectations

Overall Rating:

NR

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

His & Hers is the story of two exes and their respective involvement in a murder investigation as a reporter and a police officer. When Anna's ex-friend and Jack's current lover Rachel is found murdered in a car, it becomes the start of a murder spree focused around people from their past. As they both try to figure out what's going on, trust begins to wane on both sides and neither knows exactly who to trust.

This was an enjoyable thriller, albeit one which suffers a little from its own simplicity in plot. Due to the author and general blurb, I was expecting a twist going in and so I spent a lot of the time trying to work out what it was instead of focusing on the story being told. The story itself is a decent one but if you're used to other works by the author, you might be disappointed by the relative 'straight-forwardness' of the thriller element. It is engaging and surprising, but doesn't have a huge trick like some of the other works.

As an audiobook, this mostly worked well but there was some confusion in the voices. There are two narrators for Anna and Jack, and then additional sections narrated by the killer. Presumably to prevent it being obvious who is the killer, they are alternatively narrated by Anna and Jack's voice actors using a distortion technique, but this only serves as a distraction. I do wish they'd just gotten in a third voice actor rather than swapping between them, as again it just primes you for a twist at best and is distracting at worst. I found myself just ignoring these sections mostly as they weren't particularly insightful or interesting.

Overall, this was an enjoyable enough listen. The narrators did a great job with the material and the story is interesting enough to keep your attention. If you go in expecting a typical (well-written) thriller, then you're in for a good time

Overall Rating:

This Little Family by Ines Bayard

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher 4th Estate in exchange for an honest review.

Occasionally you read a book that will haunt you forever. This is one of those books.

This Little Family is not really the book I expected going in and I think the blurb is actually fairly misleading. This is not really a psychological thriller or horror, except in the sense of it being a real-life horror. This is the story of Marie, a poor woman who is raped by her boss and then through a series of circumstances, forced to give birth to the child. She then goes through some of the worst postpartum depression I've ever read about, all depicted and described in heart-breaking detail.

This is not the kind of book someone 'enjoys' but I absolutely could not put it down. The writing is superb and there is a kind of car-crash fascination with the constant barrage of bad luck and psychological trauma Marie goes through. I kept reading hoping something would work out better for her, knowing from the prologue that it wouldn't. At the same time, this book is incredibly honest and sensitive in the way it portrays Marie (in my opinion at least). Nothing is gratuitous or unnecessary, and it all feels like a very real portrayal of someone's pain.

If you're looking for a reading experience that might profoundly change you as a person or a deep exploration of a truly awful situation, then this is the book for you. If you want a typical thriller with twists and turns and psychological tension, then ignore the marketing. Thankfully this book ended up appealing to me anyway, far more than most thrillers can, but I do wonder how many people will be mislead and unfairly rate the book due to the poor choice of marketing. It really does deserve better

Overall Rating:

The Halloween Store by Ronald Kelly

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Crossroad Press in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really fun short story collection that is perfect to read around Halloween time! There's a lot of traditional Halloweeny stuff to be found here, although a few stories get more creative with the concept which I appreciated. I was a particular fan of the second short story Blood Suede Shoes as I wasn't fully sure where it was going to go. I also really liked Pretty Little Lanterns as, though a little outlandish, it had fantastic execution and spooky imagery.

Overall, this is a short but sweet collection that is perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit. I recommend checking it out if you want a fun seasonal read

Overall Rating: