Review: BLINK

Review: BLINK

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*

Wren Booker can barely remember when she was discovered covered in blood on the streets of New York. But years later, when she finds a cryptic website supposedly streaming multiple strange rooms, she is haunted by forgotten memories. Desperate to find the truth, she hunts down the website source and breaks into a camera-filled maze building that isn’t as abandoned as Wren once thought. 

I was enticed by the cover and art style and finished reading it all in a (literal) blink of an eye. Wren has followed her obsession with her past into a world of uncountable surveillance cameras and feeling that someone – or something – is watching her. The art style and illustration really carry this entire story – it encapsulates Wren’s dark, obsessive nature and the labyrinth in which she finds herself trapped. 

If anything, I was disappointed in the found-footage aspect of the graphic novel since it sets up readers for an entirely different story. Found footage assumes we are witnessing Wren’s story as if it were discovered film or recordings, but instead, it’s about what Wren finds within the sinister building. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed reading the story, but it was a shame to realise the direction wasn’t going in the way it was promoted. 

Blink was almost perfect. It starts with a great premise, fantastic art and panels—an urban tale about the dangers of surveillance. Unfortunately, the execution is disappointing and loses steam towards the end, leaving behind a ghost of what could’ve been. 


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Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

Rating: 4 out of 5.

*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*

Prophesied to be the most powerful witch, Mariel Spark feels far from such a glorious title, especially as a descendant of the famed Spark family. She prefers the comfort of her kitchen and greenhouse over the magic in her veins. When a summon goes wrong, and instead of flour to bake, Mariel accidentally called a demon, and to make matters worse, unknowingly enters a soul bargain with him. 

I love randomly requesting books on Netgalley because I find gems like this. A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon was an utter delight. Never thought I would find myself so heavily invested in the life of a witch and demon fake dating to hide the fact that she summoned a demon onto Earth from her overbearing mother. 

Mariel is a charming woman with a whole lot of love to go around, but to her family, it means nothing if she can’t wield the magic within her to a more respectable use than tending to her garden. Her mother is a textbook narcissist who is convinced that Mariel simply isn’t trying hard enough and threatens to cut off financial support for her education if Mariel doesn’t improve soon. And as she is in the middle of baking, Mariel tries her luck to summon flour but summons a demon instead. In comes, Ozroth (or Oz), who is in a similar situation where he must regain the respect of the demon elders, which means taking Mariel’s soul back with him. A witch’s soul is their magic, so Mariel isn’t planning on parting with it so quickly. So he’s stuck on Earth until he can figure out a way to get it from her. But that also means he can’t leave her side, which is becomes a problem explaining his presence to her mother. Rather than admit her spellcasting failure, Mariel blurts out that Oz is actually her boyfriend. As Mariel struggles to combat an ongoing development that will threaten the wildlife in her town, Oz has a limited time to make a deal, and as the two struggle to maintain their fake relationship, a real one happens between them. 

I always adore an excellent reluctant friends-to-lovers story, and Mariel and Oz’s chemistry was hilarious and heart-warming. Who wouldn’t want a fake demon boyfriend who defends you against your shitty family? Although it falls victim to the typical third-act miscommunication trope, which definitely could’ve been done better, Mariel and Oz are hilarious. I found myself laughing through all their interactions. Considering Mariel summoned one of the worst demons you could call upon, she keeps her head straight despite Oz’s cheeky attempts to take her soul; both are equally loveable. 

A Witch’s Guide is Hawley’s debut, and I was immensely impressed at her ability to craft hilarious and relatable inner monologues for both Mariel and Oz. An entertaining paranormal romance which makes me super excited to read its sequel, which surprisingly follows a secondary character I had not expected. 

I drew fanart too!!!! This scene was hilarious, and I knew I had to draw it immediately!

Continue reading “Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon”

Review: This is How You Fall in Love

Review: This is How You Fall in Love

Rating: 1 out of 5.

*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*

Zara has always wanted her own love story. A real kind of love. But when her best friend Adnan accidentally tells everyone they’re dating to hide his actual girlfriend, Zara doesn’t know what to do. The news of her relationship appears to lessen the arguments between her parents, so maybe this isn’t all that bad. But how long can they pretend to be in a relationship without straining Adnan’s real one, and can they keep up pretences in front of their friends without ruining everything?

Yeah, this wasn’t very pleasant. I should’ve known I would feel this way after Adnan became an absolute prick towards Zara. By the time we reached the end of this story, it felt like nothing had been added to the overall plot and characters. Even as best friends or fake lovers, Zara and Adnan held no chemistry whatsoever.

The bulk of the story hinges on Zara and Adnan’s relationship; they constantly remind each other that they are the best of friends and nothing else matters because the strength of their friendship should trump all. Adnan insists that despite his new relationship, his friendship with Zara will not falter, but then he continues treating Zara terribly for the entire story. He fails to consider her feelings while he gets the best of both worlds; he gets the girl and gains the adoration of his family for finally “dating” Zara. And what does Zara get? Despite convincing herself that this fake dating would distract her parents from arguing, nothing substantial actually happens. They still fight, upsetting Zara, which defeats the purpose of what she is supposed to be benefiting from this relationship. Adnan doesn’t even do much to keep his end of the bargain; he continues to publicly flirt with his girlfriend in situations where their plans would definitely get them caught; Zara will then have to swoop in to correct the issue, causing arguments between the three of them.

This book would have done well to undergo some further brainstorming. A lot is going on, but nothing really sticks out. Zara and Adnan don’t respect each other, their “plan” lacks any action, and there is just so much going on in the background that the story falters because it doesn’t know where to focus its plot. On top of their fake plan and familial issues, there is also a side plot of Zara’s friend who wants to make a documentary of her new relationship and an anonymous Instagram gossip account that is strangely forgotten for most of the novel.

There’s not much else I can say about this book. Poor Zara. She deserves a lot better.


GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR

Review: All That’s Left Unsaid

Review: All That’s Left Unsaid

Rating: 3 out of 5.

*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*

Ky Trans returns to her hometown of Cabramatta in the wake of her younger brother’s death after he was brutally murdered inside a restaurant. Ky discovers that not only do the police have no idea what happened, but every witness in the building also claims they saw nothing. Determined to find out what had happened, Ky is forced to recount her childhood as her own investigation will have her return to the community of Cabramatta, a place so buried in her past that the truth might never be free. 

Ky’s story will resonate with many children of immigrants, families whose lives were uprooted and planted in a foreign nation and left to survive in a community that doesn’t want them. The real Cabramatta is home to many Vietnamese families, and Lien incorporates the history well into this tale of a young woman desperate to find the truth. Her parents can barely speak English, so navigating the system is already a hurdle that only she can help her family with. When she realises finding the truth will be hard as people begin to suspect her brother was involved with the local gangs. She is forced to investigate the roots of her communities and face the harsh realities that she left behind. Intergenerational trauma, racism, addiction and poverty are just some of the hardships that Cabramatta faces. And Ky has to return to the roots of her parents, her brother and her childhood friend, who she had lost connection with years ago. 

However, I did feel like there could’ve been a better distinction between the flashbacks of the past, as those scenes tend to blend into one. The mystery aspect of the story doesn’t hold up well, so in terms of suspense, I felt like it wasn’t strong enough to keep me on my toes. Nonetheless, Ky’s story is still heartbreaking and powerful. 

Overall, All That’s Left Unsaid is insightful and emotional. Lien has a strong writing style that compels me to look forward to future releases. A crafted story that brings forth a touching tale about community and survival while also a snapshot into the lives of the Vietnamese community in the 90s.


GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR

Review: Love & Other Dramas

Review: Love & Other Dramas

Rating: 3 out of 5.

*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*

Love & Other Dramas follow the lives of three different women. Tania is newly divorced, her mother Helen is recently widowed, and her best friend, Priya, nearly lost her job and then her promotion to a newcomer. Tania struggles to move on from her husband, Helen finds it hard when faced with a new lover, and Priya can’t seem to get her mind off her lost promotion. As all three ladies begin to move on, a series of secrets from the past threaten to bring them back to their knees, and who knows if their relationship will survive?

Having found this by accident after perusing the Netgalley discover page, I am glad to have found this book. It was a fun and refreshing story that was quick to absorb and enjoy. Three distinct voices and intertwining tales about the relationship of these three women, not only with others but also with themselves. They are all dealing with their own issues, having to fight against expectations and learning how to trust in their own instinct. Tania is divorced and finds herself returning to her ex-husband as she struggles to return to her life before marriage. Her mother, Helen, comes to terms with the fact her husband was not the man everyone thought he was and finds difficulty in her new relationship. Priya should hate the women who snatched her promotion from under her, but she cannot help but be captivated by her. 

Love & Other Dramas is a fun and witty debut, a tale of women dealing with life in a realistic and healthy way. There’s something to love in their journeys, all coping with romantic, familial and platonic love. Collings explores their lives in thrilling detail, cultivating their stories and weaving together three distinct stories that still come together into one solid story about starting over and second chances that shouldn’t be missed.


GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR

Review: The King is Dead

Review: The King is Dead

Rating: 3 out of 5.

*I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.*

When his father unexpectedly dies, James is suddenly thrown into the spotlight, days away from being the first Black heir to the throne. And the world is suddenly very keen on the eldest son as the papers begin to lash out at his ascension. As a prince, he has had his fair share of terrible tabloids, but when his secret boyfriend disappears, and suddenly everything he thought was private is splashed out on the front pages, can James find out who is betraying him, or will the weight of the crown be too heavy for him to bear?

The King is Dead is meant to be a mystery thriller, and I can’t help but feel disappointed at the lack of energy throughout the book. Although the opening scenes gripped my attention, beginning with the king’s death as James and his family come to terms with what it means for them. The instant action grips you immediately, but after that, it feels lacklustre. 

There are plenty of plot twists and turning points; although only one shocked me, the rest feels uneventful and almost predictable. I never see an issue with guessing the ending; the thrill of reading it is how the story gets there, and The King is Dead just takes you on an underwhelming ride of telling the reader everything that happens instead of showing it. A lot is going on in this as James is trying to find out who is leaking information; he is also dealing with the press, his boyfriend who has disappeared, and his rocky relationship with his twin brother. There is so much going on, but it felt like reading separate stories that haven’t fully been incorporated well into one account. The stakes were undoubtedly high, but the tension was not there, and all the plot points lacked development.

Although I have to say, I mainly did enjoy how Dean used his experience as a celebrity reporter as his portrayal of the British media was quite spot on. You can see the influence of the current Royal family on James and his own family as they face the brunt of the tabloid’s anti-Blackness while his (white) family members remain unscathed. The strength of this book came through in these moments as James came to terms with the relationship between public figures and the media. They claw at any information, even going as far as outing a seventeen-year-old child and attacking his mother, their queen, by the racist comparisons between her and the King’s former wife. It echoes the experience that Meghan Markle faced during her time in the Royal Family. Dean’s writing shines through in these moments, which is why I felt so disappointed at finding the rest of the story somewhat lacking in comparison. 

Overall, The King is Dead wasn’t necessarily a bad book. There is mystery and drama that will satisfy most readers. Dean had some great ideas for this story; with some expansion and rework, I could have seen myself enjoying this a lot more. Nonetheless, it’s still a quick, fun novel, but it wasn’t for me.


GOODREADS | AMAZON | AUTHOR