Nov 18
The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantú
Published in: 2018
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★]
Find it here: [jen will add amazon link]
A timely look at the immigration situation between Mexico and the USA.
Nov 9
The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Published in: 2018
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★]
Find it here: [jen will add amazon link]
This ARC was provided by Orion Publishing Group (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from Amazon: As a child, Daniel Sempere discovered among the passageways of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books an extraordinary novel that would change the course of his life. Now a young man in the Barcelona of the late 1950s, Daniel runs the Sempere & Sons bookshop and enjoys a seemingly fulfilling life with his loving wife and son. Yet the mystery surrounding the death of his mother continues to plague his soul despite the moving efforts of his wife Bea and his faithful friend Fermín to save him.
Just when Daniel believes he is close to solving this enigma, a conspiracy more sinister than he could have imagined spreads its tentacles from the hellish regime. That is when Alicia Gris appears, a soul born out of the nightmare of the war. She is the one who will lead Daniel to the edge of the abyss and reveal the secret history of his family, although at a terrifying price.
The Labyrinth of the Spirits is an electrifying tale of passion, intrigue and adventure. Within its haunting pages Carlos Ruiz Zafón masterfully weaves together plots and subplots in an intricate and intensely imagined homage to books, the art of storytelling and that magical bridge between literature and our lives.
Nov 7
Vox by Christina Dalcher
Published in: 2018
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★]
Find it here: [jen will add amazon link]
This ARC was provided by HQ (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from Goodreads: Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.
On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial—this can’t happen here. Not in America. Not to her.
This is just the beginning.
Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.
But this is not the end.
For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.
I Still Dream by James Smythe
Published in: 2018
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★★]
Find it here: [jen will add amazon link]
This ARC was provided by Harper Collins UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from Goodreads: 1997.
17-year-old Laura Bow has invented a rudimentary artificial intelligence, and named it Organon. At first it’s intended to be a sounding-board for her teenage frustrations, a surrogate best friend; but as she grows older, Organon grows with her.
As the world becomes a very different place, technology changes the way we live, love and die; massive corporations develop rival intelligences to Laura’s, ones without safety barriers or morals; and Laura is forced to decide whether or not to share her creation with the world. If it falls into the wrong hands, she knows, its power could be abused. But what if Organon is the only thing that can stop humanity from hurting itself irreparably?
I Still Dream is a powerful tale of love, loss and hope; a frightening, heartbreakingly human look at who we are now–and who we can be, if we only allow ourselves.
It Ends with You by S K Wright
Published in: 2018
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: [★★★]
Find it here: [jen will add amazon link]
This ARC was provided by Little Brown Book Group UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from Goodreads: ‘If I’d told the truth, it would have been fiction’
Everyone loves Eva. Beautiful, bright, fun, generous – she’s perfect.
So when her dead body is found in a ditch in the local woods the only thing anyone wants to know is: Who could have done this?
It has to be Luke, her boyfriend. He has the motive, the means, the opportunity and he’s no stranger to the police.
Even though the picture is incomplete, the pieces fit. But as time passes, stories change.
Told from six narrative strands, this cleverly woven and utterly compulsive novel challenges preconceptions; makes you second, third and fourth guess yourself; and holds an uncomfortable mirror up to the way societies and systems treat those they perceive to be on the outside.
Nov 1
As Jen is really busy in the real world you are stuck with me for a little while. I apologise in advance for not being as on the ball in terms of updates and formatting as Jen usually is but rest assured normal service will resume soon.
Oct 16
Our panel collectively read all 13 nominated books and most of us read all, or almost all of the shortlisted books. Over the past several months we have posted our reviews, rankings, and thoughts of all the books. Keep reading to see which book we think will take home the prize. Read more
Well, I let the ball drop and wrote down the wrong date for the Man Booker announcement in my calendar. Tomorrow BST, the winner will announced. Our panel collectively read all short listed books. Here are a few of our thoughts about the shortlist. Tomorrow morning we will post our final predictions. Read more
Sep 19
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