The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a harrowing account of the atrocities committed during WWII that is beautifully told. I can‘t say it was an enjoyable read because of the subject nature but it‘s certainly an important, immersive and engaging story. Whilst the tale is poignant, moving and sad, there are elements of kindness and courage that really shine through proving humanity was still prevalent during one of our darkest times.

This was a YA with an interesting premise. In a world where thanks to social media, perfection is an ever popular goal, it‘s feasible that anything less is indeed flawed. The book takes this notion one-step into the further with leaders outcasting anyone who is flawed. The flawed are tried, convicted, branded and ostracised.

I really enjoyed this story and found whilst it was light on action, it echoed some elements of The Handmaid‘s Tale.

This was the first L J Ross book I‘ve read and what a superb introduction. Imposter had my attention from the outset and kept the perfect balance of atmosphere, story and detail. The ending was fantastic and I can‘t wait to read Hysteria now (thanks to the sneak preview at the back of Imposter). 4/5⭐️

I was a huge Twilight fan way back when. That being said, I‘ve re-read some of the books ten years on, and didn‘t quite have the same views so I wasn‘t sure what to expect with Midnight Sun.

Over the years, Edward has received a lot of criticism and reading Twilight again as an adult I honestly understand why. Midnight Sun seems to work hard to make Edward come across in a better light but I think this was sometimes at the expense of the story.

I‘d promised myself I wouldn‘t read any lockdown books. However, I knew that Dawn would have a great spin on lockdown littered with humour, profound sentiment and down right shocking tales and I wasn‘t wrong!

If you‘re offended by alcohol and drugs (legal in LA) then it‘s probably not the book for you. Dawn is candid, raw and honest. She has a wonderful way of seeing people and trying to understand them without judgement and I really liked this.

Kat swore off dating many years ago, after her marriage ended in a catastrophic mess. Having moved to the Canary Islands for a fresh start, she has never had much time for romance, channelling all her energy into managing an all-male dance troupe – the Heavenly Hunks.

But despite life being postcard-perfect, Kat can‘t help but wonder if she is missing out on the most important thing of all . . .Love

The book was nostalgic, entertaining and profound in parts but much seemed self-indulgent and sanctimonious. It‘s a shame because it‘s really well written (hence the 3 stars) and there were some quite profound statements and observations. I think it could have been a great read with plenty of laughs and opportunities for content that people could to relate to but for me, it missed the mark.

Genre: non-fiction/ autobiography
Rating: 3/5

After a slow start, the story gets quite interesting and when it does pick up, it gets good. Really good. Seeing the games play out from an outside ‘Capitol‘ POV rather than a tribute POV was interesting and much of the action. tension and violence in this section felt very much on-brand and I got a little bit nostalgic at this point, reminiscing about the first time I read the trilogy. 4/5⭐️

3.5/5
Blood Orange is a domestic thriller with all the intrigue, build-up and twists you‘d expect from this type of book. The novel is well written and plausible with plenty to get your teeth stuck into, especially towards the end where the pace picks up. There is a fair amount of legal detail in the book and at times it did feel a little sluggish reading through these parts but they did give the storyline credibility.

It Ends With Us is a story that will stay with me for a while. It‘s a romance / love story that explores the complexities in a relationship. Colleen Hoover doesn‘t take you on a journey, she drags you there and you feel every bit of the passion, longing, hope and pain that her characters do.

It‘s not an easy read and there‘s no glossing over the ugly side of love but it‘s definitely a book that will make you feel a mixed bag of emotions. 5/5