Oct 11
Over the past month, our panel has been giving their thoughts on each of the nominated shortlist books. We tell you briefly what we think of the book, the reasons we think it might win, and the reasons why it might not win. Next up is History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund. Keep reading to see what we think about whether it will be our 2017 Man Booker winner. Read more
Oct 5
Oct 3
Over the next month, our panel will be giving their thoughts on each of the nominated shortlist books. We’ll tell you briefly what we think of the book, the reasons we think it might win, and the reasons why it might not win. Next up is Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. Keep reading to see what we think about whether it will be our 2017 Man Booker winner. Read more
Sep 22
Over the next month, our panel will be giving their thoughts on each of the nominated shortlist books. We’ll tell you briefly what we think of the book, the reasons we think it might win, and the reasons why it might not win. First up is Lincoln in the Bardo, a book that our entire panel managed to read. Keep reading to see what we think about whether it will be our 2017 Man Booker winner. Read more
Sep 6
Next up for our shadow panel was a book none of us had heard of prior to the longlist announcement: Elmet. Four panelists reviewed the book on the following criteria: 1) writing quality; 2) originality; 3) character development; 4) plot development; and 5) overall enjoyment. We’ve each provided mini-reviews and ratings. Here are our ratings for Elmet.
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Sep 5
Up next our panel reviews book #9: Solar Bones by Mike McCormack. Three panels reviewed the book on the following criteria: 1) writing quality; 2) originality; 3) character development; 4) plot development; and 5) overall enjoyment. We’ve each provided mini-reviews and ratings. We hope you add your thoughts, reviews, and/or comments. Here are our ratings…
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Jul 11
Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas
Published in: 2017
Reviewed by: Book Worm
Rating: ★★★
Find it here: Last Seen Alive
This ARC was provided by Penguin UK (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
The Hero
Libby Hall never really wanted to be noticed. But after she saves the children in her care from a fire, she finds herself headline news. And horrified by the attention. It all reminds her of what happened nine years ago. The last time she saw her best friend alive.
The Swap
Which is why the house swap is such a godsend. Libby and her husband Jamie exchange their flat in Bath for a beautiful, secluded house in Cornwall. It’s a chance to heal their marriage – to stop its secrets tearing them apart.
The Hideaway
But this stylish Cornish home isn’t the getaway they’d hoped for. They make odd, even disturbing, discoveries in the house. It’s so isolated-yet Libby doesn’t feel entirely alone. As if she’s being watched.
Is Libby being paranoid? What is her husband hiding? And. As the secrets and lies come tumbling out, is the past about to catch up with them?
Book Worm’s Thoughts: This was a solid 3 star thriller where nothing is what it seems and the line between guilty and innocent is blurred.
I always find it hard to review thrillers, as you don’t want to give away the twists and turns in the book that take the reader to the final conclusion. The fun of reading a thriller is seeing what you can guess for yourself (well at least it is for me).
What I can say is that Douglas does a good job in building up an oppressive atmosphere, in describing paranoia, and showing how even the people we love most in the world are not always truthful. I also loved the descriptions of a marriage in trouble and how much compromise is needed to keep things on an even keel.
Who would like this? I would recommend this to anyone who needs a break from heavy reading and who enjoys twisty books. I hate to say it but, if you liked Gone Girl you will probably enjoy this. Great literature it is not but it is great fun to read.
Want to try it for yourself? You can find a copy here: Last Seen Alive
We want to hear from you! Have you read this book? What did you think?
Jul 10
Looking for a good Southern Gothic novel that’s perfect for the summer? I just finished a book that might be the perfect addition to your summer reading list: Gradle Bird by J.C. Sasser. Keep reading to find out why. Read more
Jul 1
And we are off! Our reading road trip challenge starts today. To join and sign up visit the challenge page. The challenge will run from today until September 30. Cool bookish prizes for the winners.
Participants: You may start reading. Good luck everyone!
Jun 30
Time for our May 2017 monthly recap. Find out which books were favorites and which were duds. We’ll end our wrap up with a a list of books due out next month and a glimpse of our upcoming content. We also want to hear from you so let us know what you read this month and […]
Book Worm
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