Category: Fiction

‘If I Let You Go’ – Charlotte Levin

If I Let You Go is a story that quietly worms its way under your skin, gradually revealing the details of its protagonist’s life. 

Janet Brown is a woman used to not standing out. She cleans offices for a living, has few friends and lives with an emotionally abusive husband. We gradually learn some of the details of her life, and it’s hard not to feel sympathy for her.

When Janet wakes in hospital with a head injury, she is thought to have been involved in a serious train crash. She can remember little of the evening, but footage emerges of her helping to rescue the daughter of a local celebrity. Before you know it, Janet is being interviewed on national TV and hailed as a hero. She can’t be certain, but Janet is convinced the details aren’t quite right. And how do you tell anyone of your fears when you’re trapped in your situation?

Though she does a thing that I find awful to consider, Janet is painted in such a way that it’s hard not to hope things work out for her. As we learn the true story of that night, and see the damage caused by the death of Janet’s daughter years earlier, it became harder to see this story in black and white terms. Grief is destructive, and we see how damaging it can be for all concerned.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.

‘Strange Sally Diamond’ – Liz Nugent

This really is a book that I can see being much talked about on its March release, and I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the chance to meet Sally Diamond before she ventures into the world.

From the opening chapter I was desperate to find out more about our main character. Socially isolated, Sally has lived in rural Ireland with her father since her mother’s stroke. She has her routines, does her best to avoid talking to people and follows her father’s wishes when she burns him as part of the household rubbish following his death.

It’s clear from the opening that Sally is unconventional. Her actions bring about unexpected interest…and reveal that Sally was not who she thought and that her past is a more troubled one than you could have imagined.

I don’t want to reveal any of the details that we learn about Sally, but my heart broke for her as she learns the truth about her experience and finds herself dealing with situations that are so far removed from her comfort zone.

This was an ambitious book. How realistic the portrayal of the characters and their situations is, I wouldn’t dare to comment on, but I can’t see anyone being unmoved by the story that begins with Strange Sally.

‘Last Night at the Telegraph Club’ – Malinda Lo

Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a story of forbidden love, set at a time fraught with danger for numerous reasons. It tells the story of Lily, a young Chinese American, and her growing understanding of what it will take for her to be happy.

Set in 1950’s America, the attention to detail seems thorough. Against a backdrop of fear at the threat of Communism, acknowledging a difference such as being homosexual would seem subversive. Set against this rigid and conventional background we watch Lily gradually realise she has feelings for girls, find a safe space and love interest but then be placed in a situation that forces her to consider her duty to her family.

As a love story, this had appeal. However, Kath was a vague character who only really seemed to be there as a catalyst for Lily to figure out her feelings. The side characters we meet at The Telegraph Club were intriguing, but also only there to offer hope for Lily and to highlight the bigotry surrounding her. The pacing of the book was frustrating, with things taking a long time to get established and then feeling glossed over at the end. However, I’m sure this will still win its fans.

‘Promise boys’ – Nick Brooks

A pacy mystery, focusing on the murder of Principal Moore and the prejudices at play as his murder is investigated.

Promise School was founded as a place to support those boys who have difficulty fitting in elsewhere. The book opens with its focus on the school and the strict environment created to control its students. Our main focus is three boys – Trey, JB and Ramon – who are all in detention on the evening Moore is shot. In the frame for his murder, they have to overcome their own prejudices to work together and find out what really happened.

The story is split into clear moments building up to the crime and afterwards. We see the different viewpoints of the boys, and it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to set them up.

The identity of the one responsible was not quite the surprise you might have thought. Unfortunately it says a lot about the kind of environment created for these boys and the way society often exploits our inner fears for others’ gain.


Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.

‘I Have Some Questions for You’ – Rebecca Makkai

Bodie Kane recalls her time at Granby School with little fondness, her years there marred by the death of her roommate and the years she spent feeling an outcast. Now an adult, and a successful podcaster, Bodie is asked back to the school to teach a class. It’s not long before her focus returns to the case that so many know of.

Thalia Keith was loved by many. There were rumours about her behaviour, but when she was found dead in the school pool the investigation soon found the school’s athletic trainer guilty. Few questioned the conviction at the time, but with the benefit of hindsight some – Bodie included – wonder whether they knew more than they realised and whether the wrong person was convicted.

We follow Bodie as she settles into her life at the school. One of her students asks to investigate Thalia’s case. Without giving key details away, Bodie oversees their work while also finding a chance to try and pass on the information that she feels should have been given at the time.

The precise details of the crime are never fully outlined. While frustrating, it highlights just how easy it is for femicide to take place and the way we as a society view those impacted by it. I found myself increasingly irritated by the way crimes against women were referred to here. Yes, there’s lots. Yes, there’s people in positions of power who abuse that power and get away with it. Yes, many in society look to blame the victim. It’s all awful, makes my blood boil, and yet I couldn’t help but feel I wanted something more from the book.

My expectations were high going in, perhaps too high. It’s an engaging read, and yet it doesn’t really offer anything different. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.

‘Come Home Safe’ – Brian G. Buckmire

The background to this book is fascinating, and it’s both informative and engaging. I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this, but deeply frustrated that it still seems so necessary.

No matter what happens, as a parent you want your child to come home safe. This is even more important (it seems) for parents of children of colour in the US who may be victims of profiling, or who may be subjected to unnecessary force simply because of someone else’s prejudices.

The story focuses on siblings Reed and Olivia. Their father is a lawyer who has had numerous conversations with them about how to interact with officers of the law in order to ensure they are treated appropriately. These kids know their rights and are well-versed in how to manage themselves. But when they are dealing with this in reality – when they are stopped on a subway because Reed fits the profile of some kids the police were looking for – fear takes over and they don’t remember every lesson. 

From the moment they are stopped my heart sank. At fourteen and twelve they should not have to be remembering not to resist when the police are forcing them to the ground before handcuffing them. They should not have to be recording every moment of the interaction so that if they need the evidence later it is indisputable. They should not have to be victims of assault simply because someone assumes something because of their skin colour. 

Sadly, this remains relevant. It is written in a way that has emotional impact while also educating readers. A book that really should be read.

‘How to Sell a Haunted House’ – Grady Hendrix

How to Sell a Haunted house takes us on a journey that forces us to confront our fears. While there is an emphasis on horror – with some scenes horribly visual – I felt the primary focus of this book was to examine grief and how we deal with it.
Louise is called to her parents’ home when they are both killed. Forced to interact with her brother, Mark, we quickly see that this family has been used to keeping secrets. Though neither wants to admit it, they need each other if they are to be in with a chance of selling the house.

When Louise returns to her childhood home she has to confront her fear of her mother’s puppets. Taking up every spare space these puppets remind her of all the elements of their relationship that she disliked. There is one puppet however that needs to be dealt with if they are ever going to free themselves of the things hanging on. This puppet seems vengeful and determined to punish them. The question is, can they survive the experience?

How to Sell a Haunted House was not a book I could say I enjoyed reading. The puppet element unsettled me, and the sad history of the family made it very clear that so much of the horror they faced was of their own making. Whether you are terrified by the graphic events as they fight this spirit will be decided by the extent to which you believe the concept is feasible. Regardless, you cannot help but be affected by the way this family are touched by grief.

‘Friday I’m in Love’ – Camryn Garrett

Mahalia is used to trying to do things herself. Being the only child of a single mother, she’s accustomed to having to watch the pennies and to plan ahead. After her best friend’s Sweet Sixteen party Mahalia is determined to have her own party, to celebrate her coming out.
We follow Mahalia as she struggles through work and school, trying to save enough to have her party. Things conspire against her, but she tries her hardest to continue to plan. Though this is the main focal point of the plot, the real focus was on how Mahalia grows as she tries to develop her understanding of herself.
When Mahalia develops a crush on a girl she spots at a party the story shifts into focusing on her developing awareness of herself and her feelings. The girl, Siobhan, is an Irish student who also happens to be dating Danny, the one boy Mahalia seems immune to (with some reason we learn).
Over the course of the story the friendship develops. This puts Mahalia’s existing friendship under a little strain, but you just know that these characters have each others’ backs…whatever it might look like.
I felt, on occasion, that some of the characters were presented rather superficially but I liked the positivity surrounding her relationship with Siobhan.

 

‘You Be Mother’ – Meg Mason

 

You Be Mother is a deceptive read; seemingly light and charming but with a rather dark undercurrent that left me quite a lot more moved than I was expecting.

Abi is a trainee social worker who finds herself pregnant after a relationship with overseas student, Stu. When she has had the baby she makes the decision to head over to Australia to try and make her family unit complete. Things do not go quite to plan.

Stu’s mother, Elaine, is a hard nut to crack. Reluctant to let her little boy go she throws whatever spanners in the works she can, without being accused of being deliberately unkind. To a young woman like Abi – who seems to have had a very hard life (though we don’t get all the details until later) – this is an obstacle that is too hard to overcome. With no income, little support from her boyfriend and a lack of friends it is hardly any surprise that Abi is keen to find something she can call her own.

In a rather unexpected occurrence Abi is befriended by her elderly neighbour, Phil. With her own children all abroad, and her husband having recently died, Phil is also lonely and quite likes feeling useful. Finding common bonds in spite of their age gap, the growing friendship between these two is lovely…but it does not bode well that each of them is keeping secrets from the other.

As the story unfolded I felt unexpectedly caught up in their situations. A vibrant cast of characters and it certainly made me think long and hard about families and how we get to decide who is significant to us.

‘The Davenports’ – Krystal Marquis

The Davenports is a historical romance, exploring the demands placed on our key characters by their families and wider society. It examines attitudes to race and developing social agitation while offering a somewhat light-hearted look at relationships.

Our key focus is the Davenport family. Wealthy, and black, the Davenport children – Olivia, John and Helen – are accustomed to living a relatively charmed life. Their race is not often an issue as their wealth protects them from some of the more common experiences many faced at this time. However, as the family try to secure a match for Olivia and maintain their business fortune, eyes are opened and the children start to develop their own understanding of the world around them.

From start to finish this was both entertaining and informative. As you might expect, the characters often behaved foolishly but there was a sense of them growing as characters. I found the ending a little frustrating, but it reads as if there might be more to come.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.