Kiki’s Epeolatry

  SYNOPSIS  Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.   REVIEW   It has certainly been a while since I’ve picked up a book of philosophy. To be honest, since finishing my university course I thought that at the time, I might never pick up a book again in this genre. But here I am. What a failed attempt. But I do certainly love the scope of this type of philosophy and Rousseau did not disappoint. Not only was the ideas easy to relate to, but simple to read as well. If you’ve read anything to do with Philosophy you come to understand that it is not always easy to read between the line...

SYNOPSIS What if Cinderella never tried on the glass slipper? Unable to prove that she's the missing princess, and unable to bear life under Lady Tremaine any longer, Cinderella starts work at the palace as a seamstress. However, when Cinderella finds herself witness to a grand conspiracy to take the king - and the prince - out of power, she is faced with questions of love and loyalty to the kingdom. Cinderella must find a way to stop the villains of past and present... before it's too late.

 Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing great and having a lovely week. I just wanted to introduce you all to my brand new challenge that I will be taking part in. My very own TBR challenge! As most of you will already be aware, I have a very bad book addiction. Very bad. Terrible. But because I buy more than I can read, this has lead to many fantastic reads sitting on the bookshelf ready to have their day to be read. Well, hopefully that will soon become a distant memory… and maybe stop my bank account from screaming every-time I wander into the bookstore. From now on, I pledge to make a review of all the books I read from my TBR list. Some reviews might be big, some small. But the main thing is, I will be reading! I hope you all follow me on this crazy journey because if I’m being honest, there are a lot. I haven’t counted in a while but it must be in the 240 range. Wish me luck and I will be writing very soon…

SYNOPSIS When a monster brutally kills her parents, Ara is saved by two beast hunters. Becoming their apprentice, she discovers serums, secret bestiary knowledge, and remarkable abilities-all to save unsuspecting souls from the same fate her parents suffered. But, terrifying creatures lurk everywhere and Ara must master the art of beast hunting quickly if she is to uncover the elusive beast plaguing the village of Cornstead.

  SYNOPSIS Victorian London.  Joseph Winter is a master criminal, known around the backstreets as  Trace – because he never leaves one. That is, until a tip - off about a fabled  treasure map turns sour, shattering his reputation and  turning his dreams  to dust.  With nothing left to lose, Joseph decides to take the leap and persuades a  group of interesting strangers to join him on the hunt. After taking to the  waves, they are catapulted into a wonderous odyssey stretching across  the globe , unearthing not only missing clues but their own hidden  depths when pushed to extremes demanded by the sea.  The treasure hunt leaves questions. Yet soon Joseph begins to ask his own ... Why are they doing this?  Who can I trust?  Who am I now?

 Genuinely I have never felt so passionate about a book topic. I think this genre has been the pinnacle of my time as a reader from the beginning, all the way up till now. It affects the way I think and observe the world.  So, why do I want to talk about YA and what can be gained from this rant? Well, I think it is due to capitalism. What happened to quality over quantity? Now, I ask you this question, when was the last time you read a YA novel that not only stuck out to you but also was a hot topic of conversation? I don't think these conversations have existed in any sense for the last five years. YA has simply been absorbed into a never-ending library with more vivid and interesting genres that take our fancy.  It just doesn't exist. It is dead, but somehow we are making out that it still lives. Like a conspiracy to one of the most conversed topics of whether it died in the first place. But we all know, deep down, the golden age is gone and what comes after? Publishing...

  SYNOPSIS Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle's Los Angeles karaoke bar, it's clear he's the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure... before he disappears without a word. Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she's shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she's enrolled for the semester. And he's not just any student. He's a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world- and he's strictly forbidden from dating. When a relationship means throwing Jenny's life off the path she's spent years mapping out, she'll have to decide once and for all just how much she's willing to risk for love.

  SYNOPSIS Sometimes saving a life is only the start of the story... It's nearly midnight on the eve of the millennium when eighteen-year-old Joel's heart stops. A school friend, Kerry, performs CPR for almost twenty exhausting minutes, ultimately saving Joel's life, while her best friend Tim freezes, unable to help. That moment of life and death changes the course of all three lives over the next two decades: each time Kerry, Joel and Tim believe they've found love, discovered their vocation, or simply moved on, their lives collide again. ...Because bravery isn't just about life or death decisions; it's also about how to keep on living afterwards.

  SYNOPSIS Fifteen years ago, Felicity Kerr threw caution to the wind and kissed her colleague Ryan Sullivan under the ancient wishing tree along the coast. When Ryan failed to respond to her kiss, Felicity was mortified that she'd read his signals so horrendously wrong and left Lemmon Cove for good. But now Felicity's job brings her back to her hometown, and face to face with Ryan, who is leading a bad of octogenarians rallying to save their beloved 300-year-old sycamore from being bulldozed by property developers. The spark with Ryan is still there, but Felicity is guarding a secret and as much as she wants to join the protest by his side, she can't help but hold back. Will Felicity be able to mend her broken heart and find happiness with Ryan beside the sea?

  SYNOPSIS Southern Australia, 1983. While Middle-aged stalwart Miriam rolls into town in her broken-down car, Frankie - a deer hunter - is up in the forested hinterland with her gun. Meanwhile, fisherwoman Old Pearl sits on her front deck with her dog, a glass of whisky in her hand, and Emily, the English backpacker, scrubs out the pie-encrusted kitchen at the roadhouse. But all is not well. Gran Parks is stirring. Four troubled women. One restless spirit. Who will survive?

Throughout my reading life, there has always been something that has made me happy beyond measure. It's the feeling which I get from buying and collecting and placing new books on my shelf. It is even that great excitement when I have gone into my favourite bookshop and be able to walk around to buying that book that I've been eying up after half an hour browsing. But then the pandemic happened and my reading habits changed for the worst.  At first, when the lockdown was first announced, everything was fine. I still had my last year studies at university, which were coming to a close and I had my sister with me. So, I would say I was pretty lucky compared to some of the other people that were facing the same problem of the pandemic. It is only when I finished my degree and began looking for a new job it seems my life took a little spiral and I have only come to realise this in the last few months. Then the book requests started to enter my inbox. The inbox that I haven't lo...

SYNOPSIS After a traumatic psychotic episode, a nameless young woman recounts past psychiatric crises in an attempt to make sense of her present and fight for her future. A genre-defying debut collection of prosetry, History of Present Complaint reveals the devastating reality of living with chronic mental illness. HLR writes of the human experience in her distinctive style: knock-out blows of blistering truths are tempered with shots of sardonic British humour, and the lines between fact and fiction, safety and danger, sanity and insanity are blurred beyond recognition through her bold poetry and sharp prose. History of Present Complaint is a damning depiction of under-funded mental health services and serves a vital role in giving a voice to the voiceless, shining a light on the darkest corners of the human condition and forcing the reader to see what has been there all along.

  SYNOPSIS Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday's contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday's vaults, waiting for his heir to find it, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous - and addictive - than even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest: a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize. And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who'll kill millions to get what he wants. Wade's life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

  SYNOPSIS John Carver has three rules: Don't drink in the daytime, don't gamble when the luck has gone, and don't talk to the dead people who come to visit. It has been almost five years since the incident in Kabul. Since the magic stirred within him and the stories began. Fleeing the army, running from the whispers, the guilt, and the fear he was losing his mind, Carver fell into addiction, dragging himself through life one day at a time. Desperation has pulled him back to Afganistan, back to the heat, the dust, and the truth he worked so hard to avoid. But there are others, obsessed with power and forbidden magics, who will stop at nothing to learn the truth of his gifts. Abducted and chained, Carver must break more than his own rules if he is to harness this power and survive.

  There is no greater happiness than holding a physical book. Truly. Whether it be a hardback or paperback, they both share the same thrill that the ereader would find difficult. It is more than just text. It can be a symbol for a gift, a family heirloom or even showing how you have spent your hard-earned money on something that you love. It's happiness at its heart. A physical book is very special as it gives physical experiences. You can make memories with them. Want to write notes? Of course, you can. Dog-ear them? Yeah, sure. Tear it apart because some of the text means more than the rest? Be my guest. It's different from its technological counterpart as you don't need to wait for it to charge to read. It's already there, waiting for you on the shelf. Lost your charger? Well, you don't need one with a book. Don't get me wrong, I do like an ebook and it has saved me quite a few times but it's not the same. It doesn't quite give me the same rush of exc...

SYNOPSIS Flowers have always made Fearne smile. She treasures the memories of her beloved grandmother's floristry and helping her to arrange beautiful blooms that brought such joy to their recipients. But ever since a family tragedy a year ago, Fearne has been searching for her own contentment. When a chance discovery inspires her to start a happiness list, it seems that Fearne might just have found her answer... Sometimes the scariest path can be the most rewarding. So is Fearne ready to take the risk and step into the unknown? And what kind of happiness might she find if she does?

  SYNOPSIS Soohyuk, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist, came to Korea in search of his birth parents, wanting to sort through the muddled darkness of his past. When he met Yuna, an anxious cook, he didn't expect to fall in love. Yuna has struggled all her life to trust men after an incident in her past and spends all her time doting upon her nephew and pursuing her one true love: cooking. The last thing she expected when she met Soohyuk was that she would want to move in with him. Both took a leap of faith and found happiness. Now, it seems certain they were meant for each other. Yet, navigating the twists and turns of a real relationship proves more difficult than either of them expected. Yuna fears what her brother will say when he finds out she's living with Soohyuk. and she grapples with the changes brought on by her young nephew's recent medical diagnosis. Meanwhile, Soohyuk is tied up working hours on end at S University Hospital, fending off the hospital direc...

  SYNOPSIS English psychic Clarissa Wilkinson is holidaying in the Canary Islands. Hoping to have an adventure, she boards a tour bus bound for Villa Winter, a secret Nazi base on the idyllic island of Fuerteventura. Instead, she discovers a body in a chest and finds herself teamed up with hapless crime writer Richard Parry. What unfolds is an edge of seat mystery brimming with intrigue, as they try to unravel the clues together, and find the killer. Setting rich with a colourful cast of characters, The Ghost of Villa Winter is a delightfully gripping read with plenty of twists and turns that will appeal to all good mystery lovers.

  SYNOPSIS When four feisty women from the same family, get together for a family reunion, anything can happen... Marie-Claire, betrayed by her partner Marc plans her revenge to teach him a lesson he will never forget. She travels from Toronto, home to Ireland, to the house of the Four Winds, for her great aunt Reverend Mother Brigid's eightieth birthday celebrations. It will be a long-awaited reunion for three generations of family, bringing together her mother, Keelin and grandmother, Imelda - who never quite got along. And then all hell breaks loose. Bitter, jealous Imelda makes a shocking revelation that forces them all to confront their pasts, admit mistakes, and face the truths that have shaped their lives. With four fierce, opinionated women in one family, will they ever be able to forgive the past and share a future? And what of Marc? It's never too late to make amends...or is it?

  SYNOPSIS Dennis Nilsen was one of Britain's most notorious serial killers, jailed for life in 1983 after the murders of 12 men and the attempted murders of many more. Seven years after his conviction, Nilsen began to write his autobiography and over a period of 18 years he typed 6,000 pages of introspection, reflection, comment and explanation. History of a Drowning Boy - taken exclusively from these astonishing writings - uncovers, for the first time the motives behind the murders, and delivers a clear understanding of how such horrific events could have happened, tracing the origins back to early childhood. In another first, it provides an insight into his 35 years inside the maximum-security prison system including his everyday life on the wings; his interactions with the authorities and other notorious prisoners; and his artistic endeavours of music, writing and drama. It also reveals the truth behind many of the myths surrounding Dennis Nilsen, as reported in the media. Nils...

  SYNOPSIS Gilly Carter has kept her lofty inheritance a secret from her coworkers, knowing first-hand how money changes people. But when she's forced to rely on more than her bank account, will she rise to the task? After winning teacher of the year last spring, she's pumped to begin the new school year. Her fantasies of rainbow coloured bookshelves and students giggling at her maths puns are dampened when she discovers Christopher Callahan, a one-night stand who ghosted her, is not only her co-worker, but they're paired together to teach first grade. While he's kind to everyone else, Christopher doesn't even try to hide his distaste for Gilly. He turns his nose up at her extravagant classroom decorations and accuses her of not teaching from her heart. When Christopher challenges her to a spirit week competition where neither of them can spend a cent, Gilly doubles down: she freezes her funds for the entire month, vowing to live off her teacher's salary alone. ...

 We have all been there, seeing that one book that has been advertised everywhere. It’s been on the telly, on Twitter, Instagram and everywhere in between. So surely, this means that owning it means that we are part of the club? But somehow, no matter how hard we try, life seems to always get in front of our reading goals. Recently, I was on social media and it seemed to me that there was some sort of favouritism to specific books. This doesn't take away how important or brilliant pieces of work they are, but maybe they have become too overrated in a short time frame? What if the people that are reviewing these types of books have become a little too biased? After all, they have all become well read in those types of genres and have probably read all the tropes that come with it. However, I think that one of the reasons books are more on trend is Instagram (something which is a rabbit hole in itself and I'm not proud of falling into it so quickly). It seems like books are now g...

  SYNOPSIS When an unexpected windfall brings together strangers Shauna and Frankie, one woman is popping champagne corks - but the other just wants to cry. For her part, Shauna is pouring celebratory drinks. Since her heart was broken and her dreams shattered, she's been ready for a fresh start. Surely she deserves some good luck at last? But Frankie knows what can happen to families when money moves in and is allowed to take over. Fearing she'll lose the contented - if cash-strapped- life she has built with her husband and their two daughters, she wants to be in control this time. But as money rewrites their life stories and truths emerge among the treasure, both are forced to wonder if their good fortunes is just bad luck in disguise...

  SYNOPSIS Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it. The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other. Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta...

  SYNOPSIS Wounded and betrayed, after being dumped by her girlfriend, Ally makes off to her dad's in Sheffield with the one thing that might soothe the pain and force her ex to speak to her again: Emily's cat, Malcolm. Back home and forced into a 'date' by their parents, Ally and her first ever beard, Jeremy, come up with a ridiculous plan to win their exes back... to revenge-run a half marathon. Given neither of them can run, they enlist the support of athletic, not to mention beautiful, Jo. But will she have them running for the hills... or will their ridiculous plan pay off...?

  SYNOPSIS Paras, short for "Perestroika," is a spirited racehorse at a racetrack west of Paris. One afternoon at dusk, she finds the door of her stall open and--she's a curious filly--wanders all the way to the City of Light.  She's dazzled and often mystified by the sights, sounds, and smells around her, but she isn't afraid. Soon she meets an elegant dog, a German shorthaired pointer named Frida, who knows how to get by without attracting the attention of suspicious Parisians. Paras and Frida coexist for a time in the city's lush green spaces, nourished by Frida's strategic trips to the vegetable market. They keep company with two irresponsible ducks and an opinionated raven. But then Paras meets a human boy, Etienne, and discovers a new, otherworldly part of Paris: the ivy-walled house where the boy and his nearly-one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother live in seclusion. As the cold weather and Christmas near, the unlikeliest of friendships bloom. But ...

  SYNOPSIS Lizzie has just arrived in London, determined to make the best of her new life. Her mother may be keen that she should have a nice wedding in the country to a Suitable Man chosen by her. And Lizzie may be going to cookery school to help her become a Good Wife. But she definitely wants to have some fun first. It is 1963 and London is beginning to swing as Lizzie cuts her hair, buys a new dress with a fashionably short hemline, and moves in with two of her best friends, one of whom lives in a grand but rundown house in Belgravia which has plenty of room for a lodger. Soon Lizzie's life is so exciting that she has forgotten all about her mother's marriage plans for her. All she can think about is that the young man she is falling in love with appears to be engaged to someone else...

  SYNOPSIS Alice and Alfie are strangers. But they sleep next to each other every night. Alfie Mack has been in hospital for months recovering from an accident. A new face on the ward is about as exciting as life gets for him right now, so when someone moves into the bed next to him he's eager to make friends. But it quickly becomes clear that seeing his neighbour's face won't happen any time soon. Alice Gunnersley has been badly burned and can't even look at herself yet, let alone allow anyone else to see her. Keeping the curtain around her bed firmly closed, it doesn't stop Alfie trying to get to know her. And gradually, as he slowly brings Alice out of her shell, might there even be potential for more?

  SYNOPSIS When you're running late for school, then you find your usual train has turned into an old steam train, you know it's not going to be a normal day. What you don't expect is that it will be a 'take you back in time' sort of day. Jess, Nadia, Tomma and Ash find themselves spending the day at Hickley School one hundred yeats in the past. They are told stories of bombings, hunger, and fighting from fellow pupil, Martha, the only person willing to speak to them. After their time travel adventure, they work out the significance of the year, 1918, and plot to go back. They want to experience a significant moment in history and Jess wants to see Martha again. Not knowing why or how, Jess feels a connection to Martha, and an obligation towards her that she can't explain. Going back in time has its risks. Once you go back, there's no way of knowing if you'll be able to make it home.

  SYNOPSIS What happens when you so deeply believe something were told as a child that it becomes the driving force behind almost every thought, feeling and action for the rest of your life - until you decide to take complete control and change your life entirely? For decades, Carolyn Hobdey believed she was 'trouble' and if she wasn't 'nicer' she'd spend her days alone and unloved. All The Tw*ts I Met Along The Way tells Carolyn's tales of crappy boyfriends, sickening sexual encounters, manipulative men, love triangles, unsupportive and unsupported medical diagnoses... and that's just the first few pages. From porn-addicted boyfriends who go from fitties to owners of 'dad bods,' to car crashes and boob jobs. Marriage to a lover who became more like a brother (and who came out as gay after their 15 year relationship) and later a relationship with a man and his 'ready-made family' that exposes a damaging case of coercive control and narcis...

  SYNOPSIS Jamal's best friend, Q, doesn't know he's about to die... again. He also doesn't know that Jamal tried to save his life, rescuing him from drowning only to watch Q die later in the hospital. Even more complicated, Jamal and Q haven't been best friends in two years - not since Jamal's parents died in a car accident, leaving him and his sister to carry on without them. Grief swallowed Jamal whole, and he blamed Q for causing the accident. But what if Jamal could have a second chance? An impossible chance that would grant him the opportunity to say goodbye to his best friend? A new health-care technology allows Q to be reanimated - brought back to life like the old Q again. But there's a catch: Q will only reanimate for a short time before he dies... forever. Jamal is determined to make things right with Q, but grief is hard to shake. And he can't tell Q why he's suddenly trying to be friends with him again. Because Q has no idea that he died...

  SYNOPSIS When one door closes, and another plan is derailed, it’s time to seek out the ‘Silver Linings’ and step up to the challenge. Jess Impiazzi’s journey of self-discovery, hard lessons, heart-breaking moments, self-care and openness to transformation make for a raw, authentic and inspiring story about how to follow dreams, overcome challenges and celebrate kindness in many forms.

  SYNOPSIS As far as Phoebe is concerned, love is to be avoided at all costs. Why would you spend your life worrying about something that turns you into a complete moron? If her best friend Polly is anything to go by, the first sniff of a relationship makes you forget about your friends (like, hello?), get completely obsessed with sex (yawn) and bang on constantly about a person who definitely isn't as great as you think they are. So Phoebe isn't going to fall in love, ever. But then she meets Emma...

  SYNOPSIS In a world where the Roman Empire never fell, two starcrossed lovers fight to ignite the spark of rebellion... Londinium, the last stronghold of the Romans left in Britannia, remains in a delicate state of peace with the ancient kingdoms that surround it. As the only daughter of a powerful merchant, Cassandra is betrothed to Marcus, the most eligible bachelor in the city. But then she meets Devyn, the boy with the strange midnight eyes searching for a girl with magic in her blood. A boy who will make her believe in soulmates... When a mysterious sickness starts to leech the life from citizens with Celtic power lying dormant in their veins, the imperial council sets their schemes in motion. And so Cassandra must make a choice: the Code or Chaos, science or sorcery, Marcus or Devyn?