Kiki’s Epeolatry

Mary Jane, is a novel that I have been keeping an eye on for quite a while now. It has always been a part of my reading list and only until now have I had possession of a copy. I just wish it didn’t take me so long to read it. Because without a doubt, I think it is probably the best book I’ve read this year. Set in the 1970’s it follows a fourteen-year-old girl who becomes a summer Nanny to the Cone Family. Even though the Cone Family seem to be a respectable bunch on the outside, they are quite the opposite with their messy family dynamics. However messy they are, Mary Jane becomes an important and well-loved member of their family. Drastically different from the home that she was bought up as a single child with parents who care about appearances in their community. Over the summer, Mary Jane’s world begins to open up as she begins to realise what her future would entail and what she wants from it.  There isn’t much that I can fault in this book. The characters are not perfect, c...

Since beginning of this blog back in 2014, I have taken you through many of the books that I have read and my thoughts on various other topics involving books. However, one thing that I have never really opened up about is how I became a bookworm . How I started and how my love affair still continues to this day. Back in primary school I struggled. I mean really struggled. Struggled to fit in, struggled to be present, struggled with reading and comprehension and make any real friends. It was only when i moved to another primary school i began to see my self-worth. I was finally able to have the chance to read anything. You would think this is where I got the bug right? WRONG! Yes, the change helped me but it wasn’t long, I mean just under two years until I thrust upon secondary school. As you can imagine, this was a challenge like what most 11 year olds would experience. Me? I felt like I had been swallowed up whole. It was only when I turned year 8 (12-13 years old) the wind began to ...

The One That I Want is simply the friends to lovers trope packaged with bad communication. Has this trope been written well? I think not. It is drab and boring and I feel so bad for the matchmaker, Poppy. The only redeemable character in this book. Greta, unlucky with love, is the main focus of the story. She is getting older and she wants a real kind of love. Somehow, her work gets roped into her shenanigans and soon she is off having dates with men who she doesn’t even like. When she does finally get somewhere with someone she actually would like to spend time with it almost like she wants to sabotage her happiness for her stupidity. I just feel sorry for how much effort Poppy had to make and even then it mainly went to waste. I really hoped that  I would enjoy this book as I enjoyed Poppy and Tristan’s story but the story and writing really fell short. It took me numerous times of picking up the book and putting it down again to get through. Honestly, I kind of wished that I DNF...

It’s been a while since I’ve really enjoyed a romance book but I have found that Ashley Poston, Queen that she forever will be, has got me out of that rut. This time with her newest work, Sounds Like Love. If I’m being honest I wasn’t so sure at first whether I would like the concept of someone listening into your thoughts. But the more that I read on, I changed my mind. By the way that it was written and handled was perfect. It gave that fantasy element but still grounded in that sense of reality. I should have never doubted the process after all!  Sounds Like Love follows two main characters, Sebastian and Joni. Both in the music industry and both experiencing a difficult period in their lives, be it personal or professional. At first, I was not sure how the two MCs who gel, but the fantasy element of the book really helped drive their relationship. It kind of reminded me of that film with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, Music and Lyrics. But better.  There aren’t really any ...

If you are in the mood for a sweet romance that gives Groundhog Day and Ferris Bueller vibes then this book is for you. What happens if you wake up to the same Valentine’s Day and everything always goes not to plan? What if you are someone who likes to plan and not share how you are really feeling?  Emilie, our female protagonist is very much a stickler for planning and keeping to societal norms. She never really speaks her mind. But this Valentine’s Day is different. She is different.  I found that the book itself is quirky and fun. It does have moments of sadness but there is a lot of heart in terms of how it is done. There could have been more time with other characters that are mentioned throughout but at the end of the day it is very much a Young Adult piece. There is nothing wrong with that. Would I read it again? Possibly if I want a Valentines themed book. It was also very quick to read for those who are not into big tomes. Rating: 4 Stars  

  Two people have a meet cute in an elevator. One a romance novelist who is struggling to write her next book and the other a hopeless-romantic actor.  Unromance follows the story of two people making a pact, trying out love tropes in the hopes of helping with writers block and to help destroy the idea of what romance is. But as you can imagine had dire consequences for both parties. When first ordering this book I was taken mostly by the cover. It is reminiscent of the days of the 2000s romcoms such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 days. And this somewhat comes up in conversation during the book itself. I just wish I cared for the writing more.  I think this is the problem with contemporary romance books these days, it is more about what has been than what is fresh and different. The idea behind the book as well as the book cover itself felt like a marketing ploy which sadly I did fall for. The chemistry of both characters feel very flat and I didn’t particularly like the endi...

  I’ve been following Ashley Poston’s work for a while. At first it was the comic con series back in 2020 when she first became known to me during COVID. After I read the series I forgot about her for a while. It was only when I went into my local Waterstones to pick up The Dead Romantics she came back under my radar. She is now one of my must buys if a new book comes out. Her take of the romantic genre has always been fresh and interesting with some form of magical realism. A Novel Love Story follows our heroine Elsy, otherwise referred to as Eileen. Unlucky in love she struggles to try new things. Instead, she is comforted by her favourite book series by her favourite author, Rachel Flowers. On her way to a cabin retreat by herself, she finds her car broken down in a town that is somewhat familiar to her favourite book series. I’m not going to lie, compared to Poston’s earlier novels this book took some time for me to get into. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve had to...

  Booktok. One of the most exciting community spaces for a reader in the past five years. A place where there is a big online community giving insight into old and new releases. Reviewers who are receptive to their audience and you don't have to be 'somebody'. This is no branded bookclub. It is a place for all people with different tastes come together to share what they truly love. Books. I have to be honest, I have also been a fly on the wall. Using their recommendations many a time for myself or as research to help someone else in their favourite genre. It can be a great tool. But there are times where I have thought that I was giving into the book version of 'fast fashion'. But what do I mean by 'fast fashion' exactly? Well, have you been watching recently? Especially in the romantasy space where plots have been subverted to a simple trope. One huge example that I tend to see is 'how much spice is there?' I get it. You want certain things to make...

  REVIEW So we are back in the world of the Beast Hunters for a sophomore instalment where we see Ara, Khendric and Topper back on another adventure. But this time with a difference. Instead of the world building from the previous book, we get to delve into a mystery with darkness starting to make pace in the background. We meet new characters, some good and some not so much. Not only do we have the overarching themes of beasts but also political intrigue and secretive plots. It is far more intricate than the previous instalment where the characters are making decisive and confident choices. Especially for our fave apprentice, Ara. If you want to get away from the current world affairs, this book will serve as an escape from reality.  What these last two books do remind me of however, is a tv show. Why I say this is because it felt kind of episodic but they both have reinvented themselves with different themes. I found this to be quite good actually. This is because it feels l...

 Hello! So, I know that it has been some time since I was last writing to you all. But I saw an email the other day and it really got me that I couldn’t not share my thoughts on it.  As we all know it’s that time of year again. The fairy lights are beginning to twinkle, the days and nights are getting darker and colder and we are all starting to look ahead to the next year. But what comes before next year? Well, the Goodreads Book Choice Awards of course. One of the biggest events in a bookworm’s calendar. But personally, I think the whole thing is an insult to the whole book community. Obviously, when I was younger I didn’t think any different to most bookworms. However, I have come to realise that it isn’t necessarily what is the best book of the year but rather a popularity contest. More so now than ever with the insurgence of ‘BookTok’. Honestly, I don’t think we will ever get a book worthy of the title ever again. It has become a pure vanity project. Take me back to the T...

I genuinely cannot remember the last time I picked up a book. It has been an overwhelmingly difficult time. But Forgive or Forget is the antidote I needed. It is quick-paced, thought-provoking and thrilling at the same time. And to top it off, it’s less than 300 pages. We follow the main character Alice, as the story weaves from the past to the present. Her motives and why she did the things she had done.  I must admit I wasn’t too sure of Alice at the beginning. Where we first see her and how she had to reintegrate into society. But the more the story progressed, I felt like I understood her and was cheerleading as a reader.  Friends, when you get the end of this book it feels like a whirlwind. The best kind. It was probably one of the best endings ever.  Everything about this book is unforced and flows so easily. I’m so glad that I have had the privledge to read and review this book. Thank you to LiterallyPR. I started this book as a non-believer, now I’m a convert. Rat...

SYNOPSIS Ben hears noises in his basement and witnesses weird goings-on in his local park. His eight-year-old daughter Imogen starts receiving messages from someone claiming to be her missing mother. And then there is Mr Jones —the man who haunts the imaginations of the children at Imogen’s school. But they are just stories, surely? Ben soon develops a creeping suspicion that someone is out to kidnap his daughter. Are his fears real or a result of his own stress-induced paranoia? REVIEW One of the main ideas that I have taken away from this book is how mind-bending and dark it is. It keeps you guessing until the very end. It keeps you up at night thinking about who the culprit must be, just like the main character, Ben. It questions your own sanity and how certain questions keep popping up in your head, such as who is Mr Jones? why is he doing these things? how can he be stopped? It is a never-ending cycle of trying to figure out what is going on the more that you progress into the boo...

  REVIEW Set in the height of wartime Emma is a qualified nurse who has moved to Singapore with her husband, Ernest and chronicles her life as she enters into a period of unease throughout the world. I have read a few books by Blackthorn, most as you probably would be able to see from this blog, but Emma’s Tapestry is wholly different from what I have read before. I enjoyed it immensely from the historical aspects of the world war to the Spanish Influenza. If you are a history buff maybe you should pick up this book and have a try. You might be pleasantly surprised of the effort of detail. One thing I did like about this tale is Emma herself. She has faced so much with a awful husband and her family background which wouldn’t have been welcoming of the time  , you can’t help but to admire her tenacity. What I love is the links of culture to the story itself, there are many things that I have learnt from this book. It is a history lesson of the things that we must remember and h...

  REVIEW I know what you probably are all thinking... a Christmas story at the beginning of April. What a weird idea to even be thinking of the winter holidays when we are just about to celebrate Easter. But the truth is why do we need a reason to think about one of the jolliest times of the year? Surely we don't need permission? The story follows Holly and her upbringing as a child to the present day as a ruthless tycoon in the logistics world. She has a perfect life, a great job and security. But with every rose comes a thorn... Logistics when delving into its many layers has a great amount of heart, acceptance and the joys that family can bring. Even though we are first introduced to a hardened Holly who has clearly dealt with so much already during her lifetime, she shows that with a little open-mindedness to the possibility of magic, anything can truly happen. This book deals with many themes from abandonment, how workers are treated and to none other than Santa himself. If yo...

SYNOPSIS It's been over a year since that night and Amani hopes that starting all over again will help her move on from the past. So, when she moves to a new city, Amani wants to focus on her new life, her best friends and the boy she's been crushing on but everything is falling apart and Amani finds herself looking for happiness in all the wrong places. Can Amani confront the ghosts of her pasts so she can become the girl she's always wanted to be?

  SYNOPSIS   The shark was beneath my bed, growing large as the room, large as the lighthouse, rising from unfathomable depths until it ripped the whole island from its roots. The bed was a boat, the shark a tide, and it pulled me so far out to sea I was only a speck, a spot, a mote, a dying star in an unending sky...  Julia has followed her mum and dad to live on a remote island for the summer - her dad, for work; her mother, on a determined mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. But when her mother's obsession threatens to submerge them all, Julia finds herself on an adventure with dark depths and a lighthouse full of hope...  REVIEW I have such an affection for this book. It is pretty perfect and not to forget the illustrations are absolutely stunning. There is not really anything that I can say which I didn't like. The only criticism is that I wish I had a book like this when I was a child because I know that I would have loved it. But really I don't think ...

SYNOPSIS  Behind every ordinary day, behind every ordinary story, there's an extraordinary one just waiting to happen... Two people. Simon Sparks hides in plain sight - his astonishing gifts locked deep inside himself, as he dreams of lost potential and extraordinary tomorrows. Jodie Brook hides behind what you think of her - a single mum who can barely make ends meet. But her dreams are filled with the education she wanted and discovering a better life for her and her son. One life. When Simon and Jodie's lonely worlds collide, it upends everything. But as it becomes clear they have so much to learn from each other - Jodie can show Simon how to rejoin the world, and Simon can help Jodie prepare for her greatest challenge yet - they begin to realise that life could be so much more. One ordinary day at a time...

 There has been a lot plaguing my thoughts for the last few months. Despite having quite a lot of things go off in my real life it seems like I’m still pulled back to the same thoughts about the book community. It is the one thing I keep seeing every time I log back into my social media and if I’m being honest, I’m not pleased. When did the book community feel so much like a kid's playground? To put into context it seems like there has been a great divide by what should be considered a good book. let me explain... If you read a book and think that it is amazing, brilliant, rate it five stars and give a good review. But what about the books that you really didn't like? Surely you should be able to give it one or two stars if you feel like this is required? Nope, this is blasphemy. According to some, this counts you as a coward. You should have stopped reading it as soon as you realised that you hated the book. Well, I'm sorry but I strongly disagree.  You can't really ca...

  SYNOPSIS When a scientist falls overboard during a storm he has an underwater encounter with an inexplicable phenomenon. This has a profound and devastating effect. He finds himself in an intimate relationship, not only with the inhabitants of a remote Island who rescue him, but also with the creature he encountered. It begins to pursue him with a vengeance and whilst trying to understand it, he discovers the legend of the Blue Man recounts similar experiences. The narrative swoops from our world to another, revealing the existence of other beings and their cultures. As we become more familiar with these aliens we learn that they are desperately trying to avert a looming disaster on their planet. REVIEW It has been a while since I have finished a book and I don't automatically have something to say. Just like this book, my thoughts have been on a slow burn. This is not obviously a bad thing but has made me think a little more about what makes this book a thought-provoker. It'...

  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...