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OutsmartYourShelf
We Were Warned | Chelsea Ichaso
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Pickpick

This was rather entertaining. I love anything in abandoned resorts/theme parks so the setting was a plus. Yes, there was some of the usual YA stuff: two characters not communicating & assuming what the other was thinking, an historic misunderstanding to start off the animosity, & the almost ubiquitous love triangle, but it all worked here. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf There were one or two good twists & turns in the plot & the ending was strong. Overall it was a good YA mystery thriller & I enjoyed it. 4🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Sourcebooks Fire, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7364768581
Read 4th-6th Apr 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
2d
DieAReader 🎉Fantastic! 2d
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

The prevailing stories around the sinking of the 'Titanic' revolve around social class, gender, & origin. The overall image is one of upper-class British & American men stoically awaiting death whilst dressed in their finest evening suits & waving farewell to their wives. This book examines first-hand accounts from survivors to show it was more nuanced than that. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf This book was very informative - I've read countless books on the subject & this one provided a different angle on the well-known events. The author discusses & gives evidence for the argument that the events onboard played out the social construction of Edwardian society at large & it seems an argument with merit. Recommended if you are an avid reader of all things Titanic. 4🌟 3d
DieAReader 💖💖💖 3d
27 likes3 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

The author grew up considering his great-grandfather a fascinating figure. Siegfried Merzbacher was a German-Jewish chemist who invented radioactive toothpaste & took his family & fled Germany out of the reach of the Nazis in the late 1930s.

However, when Dunthorne read Merzbacher's autobiography (a hefty tome that no-one else in the family had tackled before then) a very different story emerged, (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf one that would turn the author's world on its head. This discovery led to further investigation, retracing his great-grandfather's footsteps in Germany & later in Turkey.

This was a really good read. The author has a nice writing style which keeps the reader engaged &, in amongst the discussion of a serious subject, there are a few moments of dry humour which remind you that this is very much about real life. Very interesting & informative. 4🌟
5d
OutsmartYourShelf My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Penguin UK/Hamish Hamilton, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7083705433
Read 2nd - 4th Apr 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES

5d
DieAReader 💖💖💖 5d
34 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Fair Play | Louise Hegarty
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Mehso-so

Abigail is hosting a birthday party for her brother, Benjamin & has invited his circle of close friends. She arrives at the Airbnb to set up the food & drink & also hide the clues for the period murder mystery game they'll be playing later. The party passes without a hitch but the next morning, Benjamin fails to appear for breakfast. His bedroom door is locked & he isn't answering their knocks so they break the door open - Benjamin is dead.

OutsmartYourShelf The story then splits into two, one following the aftermath in the present & the second has the friends appear in a real-life murder mystery. A famous detective arrives to investigate the death & the house suddenly has staff including a butler, a gardener and a housekeeper. This is a golden-age locked-room mystery & everyone is a suspect.

This started off quite well & I was looking forward to the offbeat angle of the mystery.
6d
OutsmartYourShelf There were aspects I liked: the knowing metaphorical 'wink' to the audience by the detective, the nods to the authors (including Conan Doyle & Agatha Christie) of some of the greatest detectives ever written, & the dual narrative, but overall it just didn't work. The main issue for me is that the ending just didn't make sense - I'm not sure if it was due to being an ARC & there was some text missing or not, but it just finished abruptly. 6d
OutsmartYourShelf I'm still not entirely sure who the actual killer was supposed to be in the end.
3.25⭐ as I did enjoy most of it but the ending let it down.

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Pan Macmillan/Picador, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6786452819
Read 1st - 3rd Apr 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
6d
DieAReader 🎉🎉🎉 5d
36 likes4 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire | Rosamund Hodge
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Mehso-so

This retelling of 'Romeo & Juliet' had a great deal of promise & it looked like an intriguing read. Unfortunately it didn't quite work. Most of the characters were quite flat including Romeo, whose whole personality was his being in love with Juliet.

Runajo & Juliet were by far the more interesting storyline but even there I don't think the full potential was utilised. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf There were also sporadic chapters back in time at Romeo & Juliet's first meeting but no indication was given at the start of the chapter so it was a bit confusing the first couple of times. I'm not sure I'm invested enough to bother with the second book. 3⭐

TW: Blood.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2141260240
Read 20th - 31st Mar 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
(edited) 7d
OutsmartYourShelf #FrozenSick @Puddlejumper Finally finished this one.
H2 to H6 (Fantasy) to K2 (END!!)
7d
27 likes2 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Two parallel cases in this one but neither of them really mattered (to me anyway). I managed to narrow down the Jellicoe Close case to 2 suspects fairly early on, but let's face it - I'm here for Kerrwent!

Now, I'm not usually one for reading romance but Jane Casey has me in a chokehold with the smouldering attraction between Josh Derwent & Maeve Kerrigan. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf There's witty banter galore, flirtatious moments, & more chemistry than your average science lab. It's like peak Maddie Hayes/David Addison in the first 2 seasons of Moonlighting. It was by turns intense sexual tension & frustrating communication but never less than a gripping read. 4.5🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4890342403
Read 30th-31st Mar 2025
1w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 1w
Andrew65 Well done! Agree in the comments re Maeve and Josh. 🎉🎊🎉 1w
DieAReader 💖💖💖 6d
26 likes5 comments