Hi readers, here’s my wrap-up for the month of October!
5 stars:
Two amazing middle grade books, Yesterday Crumb is officially one of the best books I’ve read this year. I wasn’t convinced by Spirit hunters initially, but it evolves so well.
4/3 stars:
A lovely cozy mystery by one of my favorite author, Colleen Gleason, Tomes, scones and crones is the first in a new series. Stolen remains is the second volume in The lady of Ashes mystery series, but it’s not as good as the first one. Any old diamonds is a lovely M/M historical fiction. Another first volume in a series is Lady of devices, with a great MC and a steampunk setting.
2/1 stars:
The worst books for me were Doll house and Terre spettrali: both of them full of errors, and some of them keep repeating throughout the book, really annoying. I gave 2 to Cuore d’inchiostro (Inkheart) and Dead mountain only for the respect I have for Brendan Fraser and for the Dyatlov group. L’uomo dei sussurri (The whisper man) was boring, and Silver in the blood has a really interesting setting, but the two female MC are so YA they’re sometimes embarrassing.
Reeling from the death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham welcomes the opportunity to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at her imposing country mansion, Greyswick – but she arrives to discover a house of unease and her sister gripped by fear and suspicion.
Before long, strange incidents begin to trouble Stella – sobbing in the night, little footsteps on the stairs – and as events escalate, she finds herself drawn to the tragic history of the house.
Aided by a wounded war veteran, Stella sets about uncovering Greyswick’s dark and terrible secrets – secrets the dead whisper from the other side…
Review:
I won a copy of this book through the author’s Instagram profile, which has not influenced my opinion. I’m pleased to had the opportunity to read such a great book!
I love reading stories about ghosts or/and haunted houses, I think it is my fave genre, best if it’s also historical.
The lost ones can seem very long with nearly 500 pages, but I was completely drawn by it, even if sometimes the plot was a little predictable. The style of the author’s writing and the revelation of the past of Greyswick mansion is captivating, and I love Stella, the main character, alongside her maid, and a secondary character I can’t reveal for spoilers. The entire plot has reminded me a little of In the shadow of blackbirds by Cat Winters, one of my fave books of all time. The lost ones have quickly become one of them too.
I recommend it to the lovers of gothic historical fiction with a touch of the supernatural.
I know, I’m a little late with the wrap up of July, I’m sorry. You can find the wrap up of August here.
During July I read a total of 11 books, but be prepared, a lot of them were 1 star only.
5 stars:
Granny’s got a gun is a funny cozy mystery featuring a Granny that is also a retired CIA agent. The lost ones is an outstanding gothic historical fiction and you can read the review here on the blog the next week.
3 stars:
First in a historical vampire fiction, As vital as blood is really good, as it’s Spirits of the storm, about a mall haunted by children’s spirits. I can’t say that I enjoyed the short story that gave the collection its name, but there are other stories really good in La banconota da un milione di sterline.
2 stars:
The cat of Amontillado is a “retelling” of the tale written by Allan Poe, but the title is the only thing they have in common. Miss Marple nei Caraibi (a Caribbean mystery) is great for the setting, but it’s also racist.
1 star:
And this was my reading recap for July, I forgot to write the one about September too, shame on me.
Hello readers and welcome to another wrap up! Sorry if I’m late, I have so much work to do right now.
During May I’ve participated in the Star Wars Challenge organized on Instagram that required books over 200 pages, so I’ve read fewer books than usual.
5 stars:
I already love another series by C.J. Archer (The ministry of curiosities) so I was excited to begin The palace of lost memories. It’s original and captivating.
I bought Un delitto al circolo polare (Murder at the polar circle) at the secondhand shop, the creepy snowman on the cover has won my curiosity. It was really good.
4 stars:
Murder at the Fitzwilliam is the first volume in a historical fiction series featuring murders in famous museums all over the UK, with a strong female co-protagonist who is also an archeologist. Perfect!
How colorful is the cover of Rainbow Grey? Laura Ellen Anderson is so good at writing fantasy middle-grade books!
2 stars:
Horrorstor has a beautiful cover and “project” but half of the plot was like an episode of SuperStore, not scary at all. This is my last attempt with Hendrix. Il bacio del Diavolo (The vampire Narcise) is erotica, and I didn’t like the genre, but I won a copy years ago, so I gave it a try. Sweep was so depressing with an MC not likable at all. I’ve loved the first quarter of The sun Down motel, and then stop.
1 star:
Both of them are full of characters, different POVs, and plots to confusional and intricated. Click on the cover for the GR page.
In April I’ve read 11 books with 1 DNF, and I managed, thanks to a readathon, to read some of the older (means I bought them years ago) books on my shelves.
5 stars:
It is always a great pleasure to come back to The ministry of curiosities, and that’s why I savor every volume. Beyond the grave wasn’t an exception. Next, we can find a great surprise, the first book an author sends to me through Instagram, you can find the review of Swallowed by a secret here.
The storyteller by Dave Grohl is a work of art, especially if, like me, you’ll listen to the audiobook version narrated by Grohl himself. There’s music too.
2 stars:
I can’t hide the disappointment after reading Mortal arts, it was so different from the previous The anatomist’s wife. The girl of fire and thorns is a typical YA, nothing more, and Son Goku is the original story and legend of Son Goku who inspired manga like Saiyuki or Dragonball. I no longer appreciate books like Death, the devil and the goldfish, but I gave it a try since was on my TBR for years.
1 star + DNF:
So similar to Wintersong, insta love, an illness of the Trolls that is exactly like mine, I save only the cover of Stolen Songbird. I’ve waited years to read Delia’s shadow, and didn’t like at all. The female characters are useless, the plot is boring, by again, great cover. The rib from which I remake the world is the DNF of the month, didn’t like, didn’t comprehend it, didn’t get involved by the characters.
4,5 stars to The golden key simply because is really strange and incredibly sad. But there’s a happy ending, perfect to shed a tear or two.
4 stars:
I’m participating in an Agatha Christie challenge on Instagram, and Giorno dei morti (sparkling cyanide) was my read for March.
Another great short story by Jeremy Ray, My mother’s eyes. I’ll also add that all his stories began with a page dedicated to the trigger warnings you’ll find in that story. Very thoughtful.
I love reading non-fiction books about weird/macabre topics, and Tomb raiders was funny and interesting.
Look how colorful the cover of The sapphire library is!! Love it! This is definitely my cozy series, love the characters, so happy to have discovered it!
3 stars:
Can we all agree that the cover of The time of green magic is special and wonderful? It reminds me of the works of Miyazaki, unfortunately, the plot isn’t really engaging.
One for sorrow is a middle grade set in 1918 with the outbreak of Spanish Influenza. A lot of things are happening even now with the Covid epidemic, it’s sad and hurtful.
My birthday was on 27th, I received a lovely steampunk rabbit music box!
Anyway, in February I’ve read 12 books with 1 DNF.
5 stars:
I’ve discovered A is for Arson through Instagram, and itìs fantastic, an historical fiction with an intelligent young woman and a super cute man and a mystery. And look at the cover! ❤
How a short story about a house plant can make you laugh, cry and change forever your idea of house plants? If it’s written by Jeremy Ray, apparently, my new favorite author.
React is a short story with a great plot twist. The winter freak show is a great historical mystery/fantasy, really adventurous.
3 stars:
It was a dark and creepy night space up to really nightmares materials stories to WTF? are you kidding me? Stories. There’s no middle ground.
By the same author as React comes Driving in the dark, great cover but predictable.
2 stars:
Interviewing the dead was predictable and a little boring, but I’ve loved Carlyle’s daughter and her obvious crush.
My respect to The Queen, it was lovely to read about her, but the investigation and the mystery in The Windsor’s knot were terrible.
1 star/DNF:
I had to DNF The binding because the motivations of the characters to erase the memory were horrible.
This dark endeavor is a prequel of Frankenstein following the Frankenstein brothers, but Victor is a terrible character, it’s ableist and there’s violence against animals.
Look at me, giving Hamnet only 1 star, because if it’s about Hamnet, the son of William Shakespeare, I want to read about him, not his mother or his grandma. Very disappointing.
How was your reading month?
What do you plan on reading next month? Tell me in the comments!
Hello readers, sorry if I’m late for this wrap up, I totally forgot to post it!
In January I’ve read 11 books and 1 DNF, a super hyped book.
5 stars:
Did you know that there’s a book with some of the letters from Theo to Vincent, alongside letters from Jo (Theo’s wife) and Gauguin? In Italian is Verranno Giorni migliori, from a phrase in a Theo’s letter. An unmissable read if you love the Van Gogh brothers.
Once upon a haunted moor is a supernatural/crime/m/m book, lovely and creepy, and with remarkable characters.
Devil may care is a spin-off/ sequel of Dracula, where the Harker, both Mina and Jonathan, need to investigate some dark supernatural circumstances. Very entertaining.
Il segreto di Greenshore (Poirot and the Greenshore folly) is a short story involving Poirot, very well crafted and planned, like you can expect from Agatha Christie. I’m participating in a Christie challenge this year on Instagram, if you are interested you can find the post here.
3 and 2 stars:
3 stars to Happily Ever awkward, that from the cover alone seems a sci-fi book, in reality, is a funny twist of the traditional fairytales, with the princess who wants to be kidnapped so she places an AD on a journal, to the prince who isn’t charming, or brave…
A historical fiction that is set during the great blizzard of 1888 of New York, rapidly became boring and predictable, I had great expectations from What the dead leave behind.
Another disappointment was Paola Santiago and the river of tears: I wasn’t a fun of Paola, and La Llorona appears at the end of the book, too late to save the plot.
1 star/DNF:
Three hyped books are fallen under my severe judgment: I’ve understood that I didn’t like the writing style of Schwab, so I had to DNF This savage song; The silence of the girls was a constant eye-rolling to Briseid; in Come una lady sfugge ai cannibali there’s a scene of a se*ual assault to a man, gratuitous and unnecessary; and I don’t want to talk about The devil and the dark water, is simply disgusting.
Remember that these are my opinions, if you liked the books above I’m happy for you!
And that’s all, have you had a good reading month? Tell me in the comments!
A gifted psychologist is forced to hunt a serial killer or risk having a dark chapter of her past exposed—but her mission may mark her as the next victim… 1890’s London. Strong-willed Georgia Buchanan, a mind doctor and heiress, spends her time with the mad, the bad, and devils incarnate, armed only with her expert understanding of the human psyche. But when her young, high-profile patient unexpectedly commits suicide, Georgia leaves Boston under a cloud of guilt. Lured to London’s notorious Bedlam asylum, she’s trapped by a vengeful detective and a dangerous anarchist—who know too much about her—into tracking a serial killer of women in the city’s East End. As Georgia struggles to prevent more women from meeting a violent end, her own secrets and closest ties are stripped bare… With her Harvard mentor, William James, and his sister. With her wealthy, scandalous father. With a troubled patient. All the while the city’s streets reel with carnage and social unrest. Alone and questioning her abilities as the killer closes in, Georgia has one last chance to save the innocent before she confronts the most devastating truth yet.
Review:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thanks to BookSirens and the author for an ARC of this book.
Was it a retelling of the murders of Jack The Ripper? Because the murders are very similar, and the victim’s name too, also the locations of the crime, so if you are interested in this particular episode of history, you will easily be deduced how the murders occurred and the wounds on the victims. It’s also set in 1890, so just 2 years after the real murders, but Jack isn’t mentioned, so nothing happened in this alternative version of London. I was confused also by the treatment received by the female main character: why most of the male characters are treating her so badly, so rude, and menacing? We have two male characters who ask for the help of Georgia, but constantly judging and mistreating her, but when in trouble, one of them calls Georgia to help him and his family, deciding later to host her in his home with his wife and children. I was like, WTF?
It wasn’t pleasing to read, it made me sad and I didn’t understand it. Probably it was more historically accurate to a lot of historical fiction where women can do everything and go everywhere they want, but I don’t want to be sad when I read something, except if I know it’s a sad story on purpose.
I appreciated the writing style and the MC, but in conclusion, I think this was like a female retelling of Jack The Ripper that nobody needed.
Fortunately, the book 