review | A World of Words and Coffee

The Perfect Neighbour by Susanna Beard

Posted on March 29 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

I read this in the height of my thriller obsession and even though the book kept me reading and guessing I was not as obsessed with this one as the others. The book read with a really easy flow, and I really enjoyed Beard’s writing style. You can tell that the author loved writing this book and put a lot of work into the research behind some of the themes of this book.

“Falling in love, a first kiss, the late teenage years, full of possibilities. I miss my family, my mama, my papa, my little sister, my lovely cousin Elena. The joy of a hug. Human contact. The anguish is a twist in my chest, a rock in my belly.”

When Beth moves into a house she just wants to fit into this perfect neighbourhood; she wants a new group of friends, a new job and she desperately wants to become friends with her new neighbour Oksana. However, when she runs into her garden one day after her runaway dog, she sees a girls face in the window. With a sign baring two words. HELP ME. Beth quickly wants to discover who this girl is and figure out what is going on in this quiet neighbourhood.

Starting with my favourite part of this book which was the dual perspective. I loved seeing both sides of the story through the different situations in the book. It also always left you on a cliff hanger and wanting more from the story. It was an element you do not often get in thriller books but one I really enjoyed.

“If you have hope, every small disappointment, every single, tiny failure builds and grows into a huge mass until your mind can’t deal with it anymore and you go mad.”

The story started off strong but once it got to the middle it really started to go slowly. By the end I was just waiting for the ending, and I knew exactly what was going to happen. I was happy with the ending, but it was predictable, and I was waiting for the shock factor just a little bit. I wanted to be left on the edge of my seat, but I did not find that in the end.

The focus on the real-world issues was really heart-breaking to read about since it is something that does not get as much attention as it should in the media. Human trafficking is an issue that should be addressed more and seeing Sofia’s despair throughout the book was really hard to read about. Susanna Beard has clearly done her research surrounding the topic and it feels authentic in the book.

This book was a page turned which is ultimately why I ended up giving it three stars however I just wanted more twists and turns for a thriller. I would be interested in reading her future works and I really respect the work and research that went in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things by Amanda Lovelace

Posted on March 27 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

I read a few of Amanda Lovelaces books before I picked up this one. However, I felt like this one did not sit with me as much as the other collections did. I felt like I had read it all before during different feminist poetry collections. Despite really looking forward to this one due to it having mythology references I did not enjoy it half as much. The mythology aspect was definitely my favourite aspect of this book.

“Never once has she felt as if she’s interesting enough to be the daring heroine of her own story, & she’s oddly okay with that. —she likes being nobody.”

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things is Amanda Lovelaces delve into poetry through mythology and folktale inspired poems. Whilst this was a little shorter than Lovelaces previous collections it did not feel too different to me in size and there was still plenty of poems to enjoy and read.

My favourite aspect of this poetry collection was the fact it focused on mythology specifically Persephone, goddess of spring and the underworld. One of my favourite people from the Greek myths and I was so excited to see how she brought her across in the style of poetry. The symbolism with the flowers portrayed Persephone so well and by bringing in more masculine aspects just perfectly portrayed Persephone as the strong, independent woman that she is. It showed women as strong, powerful, fierce and formidable which was my favourite aspect throughout.

“Being friends with girls isn’t TOO MUCH DRAMA, but you know what is? Constantly trying to burn your sisters…at the stake out of pettiness & resentment when you could just support them instead…”

Lovelace brings across difficult aspects of life and makes you realise that you are not alone in these feelings. However, I feel as though this was portrayed better within previous works. There were certain quotes that really resigned with me throughout but only a few stuck with me once the collection had ended. I just did not feel absorbed by the writing as I had previously, and I felt as though this was more like quotes, I would see on Instagram rather than an actual poem collection.

Overall, I would go back to Amanda Lovelaces works however this one didn’t hit home with me. I ended up rating the book a two and a half stars. I loved the myth retelling but that was where my love of this book extended too. Hopefully the next Lovelace book I pick up I will love just as much as I loved her previous works.

Love In The Time Of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

Posted on March 24 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

This book was made for me. I am the girl obsessed with true crime always suspecting people of crimes that I know they haven’t committed. And I felt all of this reflected in this book. Alicia Thompson writes such a funny and loving book about a girl who is obsessed with serial killers but still finds love along the way and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. This book was one of my favourite kinds of romcoms; easy to read and funny in all the right places. Also how cute is the cover!

“It made me dream, for one night at least, of something I hadn’t even dared to as a young girl lying in this same bed— that all the pink heart valentine, sappy love song stuff might be real, and be something I could have.”

Phoebe has just moved back home after her dad’s death in order to clean out his house whilst also trying to finish her dissertation on serial killers. However, when her new neighbour starts behaving suspiciously, she starts to suspect him of being a serial killer. But as she gets to know Sam, she starts to find herself feeling more than she has in a long time. As she starts to spend more time with her brother, old friends and Sam she begins to realise how much she suspects the worst and maybe something she finds much scarier is love.

I loved the characters in this book. Phoebe is so prickly and sarcastic; she has a wall up and its going to take a lot to bring it down. Seeing her overcome these issues within this book was so interesting and seeing her interactions with Sam was adorable. Also, her writing her dissertation was so relatable to me at the moment as I am doing my masters, so I loved reading this aspect. Sam was the gender-reversed version of the girl next door. He was sweet, loving and you just wanted to know him in real life. Of course, her brother and his girlfriend were also just the cutest.

My main love of this book was the referencing to pop culture as well as true crime cases that were familiar to me. I did wish that it references how the true crime community can be harmful when taken to the extreme but other than that I loved the references. It showed that the author clearly had an interest in this topic, and I feel as a reader that I really enjoyed reading about it.

“True crime is especially interesting, because it tends to reflect and shape our cultural attitudes toward crime in general.”

The writing style, the themes and the setting of this book was super enjoyable to me. I was worried that this book sounded too good to be true and I am so glad I loved it as much as I did. My favourite bit was definitely when Phoebe suspected Sam of being a serial killer in the beginning. The relationship aspect of this book was definitely a lot more than the romance which I really enjoyed. It was about Phoebes relationships with the people around her which was really refreshing to see rather than a pure focus on the romance.

This book was just really fun and sweet. I gave it a four stars and it could even be a four and a half stars because I just had such an enjoyable time reading it. I wish there were more books that contained a romance as well as true crime aspects because I just loved the cross over! I would definitely read more of this authors work in the future and I hope she brings out more like this.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book for review!

Witchy Coffee by Erin Ritch

Posted on February 19 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

Pour a nice hot cup of coffee and cosy up with this fall romance set in a little town. This book was just cute and cosy and that’s all there was too it. I love a cosy mystery and this book had that mixed with an adorable romance. Also, if the Yurt Coffee Shop existed in real life my bank account would be crying.

“Nothing good comes from ignoring our hearts desire”

Florence Mackenzie and her family own the local coffee shop in a small town on the coast. When they create a new blend of coffee people all over the town begin to fall in love with each other. When Florence’s life is put in jeopardy by a man trying to buy the shop, she begins to question how well the beans work when she begins to fall for the same man.

I can see this being the next Hallmark movie. It gives off those cosy, easy vibes that made me just feel all warm inside.

The family aspect of this book was my favourite part. I love family relationships in books and this one was no exception. The Mackenzie women are adorable, and the grandma is the best. They are so supportive of each other, and it was so sweet to read about them in the coffee shop whilst they’re working.

This book is definitely giving me Gilmore Girl vibes with the fall setting and the small town not to mention the coffee. Books like this are perfect to pick up in the cold weather. I love picking easy calming reads like this one in between bigger books especially if they have as good of a atmosphere as this one. The crazy events and the cute vibes made for a perfect easy read.

The only issue I had was that the romance felt a little too predictable and the writing was simple and basic. It was definitely an easy read which at the end of the day is what I was looking for in this one. Florence and Samson had some really sweet moments which made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Especially with the rivalry between the Mackenzie women and Samson.

This was an easy three star read for me. It was just a fun, light-hearted and easy read which would be perfect for the winter months. The romance was fluffy, and the atmosphere was fun. If you like Gilmore Girls then this is definitely the book for you. I will be picking up the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

When You Get The Chance by Emma Lord

Posted on October 17 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

I have not read anything by Emma Lord before however when I heard that this book was a theatre kids dream, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. This is a Mamma Mia retelling however the genders of the parents are reversed. My face ached by the end of this book from smiling so much from this little book of sunshine. If you want a Mamma Mia meets Glee (because Millie is nothing if not dramatic and only what Rachel Berry dreams she could be).

“What were the last seventeen years of aggressive jazz hands and late nights watching bootleg Lea Salonga videos and openly weeping to the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack for if not this?”

Millie Price is the stereotypical theatre kid who lives with her dad and her club owner aunt however when her dad decides to stop her from going to a prestige drama school, she decides to take things into her own hands. By reaching out to her mother who gave her away when she was born. Her best friend Teddy, a geocacher who can reach any information in seconds, finds her three potential mothers. When Millie decides she wants to speak to all of them she embarks on a summer full of theatre and plenty of drama.

Everything about this book made me smile but the dad and daughter relationship made this book for me. The relationship between Millie and her dad was heart-warming especially when they both begin to accept their relationship and watching them strengthen their relationship.

“She’s also single-handedly responsible for putting baritone heartthrob Baron Levait on the map.”

The musical theatre references were amazing, and I loved how they were referenced throughout this book. Also, the actor Baron Levait was such a subtle nod to the theatre industry, and I loved what his character brought to the book. I wish I had highlighted how many musicals were mentioned because it was like seeing myself in book format. This is Broadway in a book, and I need more.

I loved this book because Millie felt so relatable. Her moods and dreams of going to a drama school made me so happy to see her develop throughout this book as a person and as an actor. Millie has so many questions that she needs answering and she’s struggling to find them showing her feeling lost.

Overall, this book was a fast-paced, drama filled book which left me wanting more and to be Millie Price. It was fun whilst covering serious issues accompanied by Broadway references and hilarious friendship moments. This book was undeniably a five out of five for me just because I loved every moment of this book and I want more of these books to exist. I definitely recommend picking this one up for some light-hearted musical fun.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Lucy’s Coming For You by Ashley Beegan

Posted on June 3, 2022 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

This was a book that I read last year and when I requested it I was not expecting much to come of it. I saw on NetGalley that it was pushed as a thriller and thought the concept sounded really interesting. I did not expect to love it as much as I did.

‘Lucy Clarke? There is no Lucy Clarke on this ward’

When a girl goes missing from a locked hospital ward Summer Thomas, an advocate for the patients, questions everything especially when it turns out that no one will admit Lucy ever existed. However, as she starts to look into the disappearance it turns out that there is so much more than what meets the eye. Especially when she finds out not only is she searching for Lucy. But Lucy is looking for her too.

This book had me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the book and what helped that along is that all the characters in this book are likeable. You could feel all her emotions as if you were living alongside her; the fear, the anxiety, the constantly looking over your shoulder. DI Swanson is the lead detective, and it is really interesting to see the two characters develop over the course of these books.

Lucy’s coming for you kept me entertained the entire way through and was such a quick and easy read which made it that much more enjoyable. What really made this book interesting was the plot twist. You can not see it coming no matter how much you look into this book, and it blew my mind the entire time. This is my definition of an amazing psychological thriller as it keeps you guessing as well as making you worried about how the plot is going to play out.

This book was such an amazing debut novel which resulted in me giving it four stars. The great twists, the ending and the characters all made this such an enjoyable read. I will be continuing with the series as and when it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book!

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke

Posted on February 22, 2022 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

This book is one of the best things I have ever read, and I do not know why more people are not talking about it. This novel follows a family when two sisters go missing on an island and then twenty years later one of the sisters turns up the exact same age as when she vanished. This book has three narratives; it follows the witches in the past, the months leading up to the girls going missing and the narrative of when the girl is found all those years later.

This book was so different to anything I have read in the past. I loved it from the first page to the last. The thing that gripped me from the start was the atmosphere. Rainy Scotland on the coast with a strange and creepy lighthouse – what more could you ask for? It follows Liv and her three daughters after they arrive at the lighthouse only to discover that this town used to be home to witches and witch trials. After seeing a strange creature on her doorstep Liv gets sucked into the town legends of the demon children that swap places with the real children and take over their lives. However when two of her own children go missing Liv has to decide what she decides in. Meanwhile twenty years later the remaining daughter is trying to struggle her way through life when one of her sisters turns up the exact same age as when she vanished leaving them with a mystery that has been unsolved for over two hundred years.

This book is ultimately about witches and how even today witch hunts can take over peoples lives. The lighthouse is built upon the grounds where witches were killed many years ago without trial. The historical aspect of this book was so interesting to me to see how even though these witches were people within a community and had friends they could be turned on for the slightest thing even something like witchcraft. When going into this book I had no idea that Scotland had even had its own witch trials which made this book even more interesting to read.

This book encompasses fear. The fear a mother has for their children, the fear of isolation and being turned on by the people in your life, the fear of the unknown. Liv, the mother of the three girls displays that the whole way through this book and makes you feel the same fear of not knowing what is going to happen. Although I did not find this book too scary reading this at night definitely gave me the spooky atmosphere I was looking for.

One of the things I truly loved about this book was the displays of love that occurred the entire way through. The love a mother has for her children, the love of siblings and even the love of strangers. Luna the youngest sister never truly gives up looking for her sisters and that is such a special thing to read about in a book. Although Liv’s love is questionable throughout due to the decisions she makes it is clear that she loves her daughters more than anything.

This book was just like nothing I had ever read before which is why I enjoyed it so much. I loved the atmosphere, the witchy vibes and the family aspect. This book was definitely a five out of five stars. If you have not read this book yet you need to get to it as soon as possible. I can not wait to read the rest of C.J. Cooke’s books and I will hopefully enjoy them as much as I enjoyed this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this review copy in return for a review!

You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes Review

Posted on February 21, 2022 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

Most times I am a huge believer in the fact that the book is always better than the movie. In most cases I am still a huge believer in this. However, this book series seems to be an exception to the rules. The first book started out really strong and used to be one of my favorites. The second one was good, and I loved the addition of Love, yet it had still lost the charm of the first book. This one especially seems to have lost what I loved most about the series. This review will contain spoilers so please do not read ahead if you have not read the series.

You Love Me follows Joe after the choices he made in Hidden Bodies. He moves to a small town away from everything he knows and is being paid off by Love’s parents to have no contact with both Love and the baby. After getting a job at the local library he meets Mary Kay DiMarco the head librarian. Joes determined not to obsess over her like he did the others trying to prove that he can win the old-fashioned way. However, the added challenge of Mary Kay having a daughter and a husband may bring Joe back to his old ways.

In the first book I was truly interested in how it was portrayed as though Joe was constantly watching the reader. Through the use of writing in the second person it made the reader more immersed within the book and was something I had never read before. Two books later and I feel as though the story lines and the writing has become too repetitive through the constant change in love interests. Although this one brings in the aspect of Joe going through his life in a small town and having a family to contend with within the love interest the narrative felt lost and confusing. Usually, I love Caroline Kepnes’ writing yet this book felt so repetitive to me in terms of the words used with special mention to ‘Meerkat’ and ‘Murakami’.

The family aspect of this book is one of the unique things that has happened within this series, and I am still unsure of how I feel about this. The daughter in the book really was not my favourite aspect, however it was interesting to see how she impacted the story. The added edition of the husband was what really made me dislike this dynamic of the novel. I feel as though it just made the main character Mary Kay even more unlikable because even though her husband is not a great person Mary Kay seems to often forget about her daughter and none of her decisions seem to reflect what is the right decision for her. However, the daughter is the most unlikable character in the entire series especially when she tries to seduce Joe despite the fact, she is only eighteen and he is dating her mother.

Usually in books I do not like, the side characters often save it for me however, Melanda was the unlikable version of Peach. She is the psycho best friend who tries to ruin Joe and MK however, Joe just kills her off as he does with every other character. As well as the other side character who kidnaps Joe and tries to kill him who Joe thinks is also in love with MK however he is actually sleeping with her daughter which is where I think this book fully lost me.

The one thing I do love about this entire series is Joes inner monologue. Some of the comments that he makes within the book makes me laugh out loud because they are so strange and wonderful. The way he just views his actions and how he truly believes that he never does anything apart from in the interest of the woman is really interesting and funny to read about.

Overall, this book was not one of my favorites and I ended up giving it 2 stars out of 5. Despite usually loving Caroline Kepnes writing style I found this book repetitive and lacked in keeping my interest. Unfortunately, despite loving Joe Goldberg’s inner narrative I do not think I will be continuing with the book series and instead just sticking with the TV show. If anyone would like to see a post about all the differences between the TV show and the book, please comment down below and let me know your thoughts on the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my review copy!

Awakened by Ciara Duggan Review

Posted on January 25, 2022 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

This book initially caught my attention due to the stunning cover yet when I saw how it had been pitched I had extremely high hopes. When I requested it I saw the premise and thought that it was trying to compare itself to a lot of great books. When referred to as for fans of ‘Crave’, ‘Hush Hush’ and ‘The Vampire Diaries’ you are setting yourself up for a brilliant book and I felt as if Awakened nearly lived up to it.

Awakened follows Hannah after loosing her parents in an accident. Desperate to leave her old life behind and escape the past Hannah moves for college at Bellcliff University. Once there she discovers that she can feel the magic around the school before accidentally awakening a witch in a hidden cave by the campus. Hannah is forced to face the fact that she has brought magic back to the world as she struggles to realise that she has been a part of this narrative for a lot longer than she remembers.

The story in this book had such good potential and it did deliver in some aspects. The dual timeline narrative really added to the story-line by letting you see the story play out in both the present and the past. The history aspect of the book was the most interesting to read about and seeing how the witches developed made the book so interesting.

The main character Hannah was really fun to read about as she had very relatable moments to discovering the magic. The representation of anxiety through Hannah’s character was interesting however, in some points it felt like the anxiety was not portrayed in the right way.

On the other hand some aspects of the book were a little hard to read especially with the matter of insta love. The two main characters instantly fell for each other and although it was explained within the book it still felt a little too much. A lot of aspects of the story felt as though they were not expanded as much as they needed to be.

Overall I feel as though the book needed to be developed more with the story line as well as more focus on the side characters which is what resulted in it being a three star book for me. The characters were interesting and the magic system was captivating however needed more detail in order for this to be a higher rated book. I would maybe read more of the series if it developed the characters and the story.

Thank you for NetGalley for this book in exchange of an honest review!!

Top Five Wednesday, Furry Friends

Posted on January 13, 2021 by aworldofwordsandcoffee

This is going to be the first post in my top five Wednesday series and I am so excited to start this little series! I joined the goodreads group which gives out prompts monthly for each Wednesday of the month and you choose five books that fit. I’ll link the group here if anyone wants some more information about the group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/118368-top-5-wednesday . This weeks prompt is furry friends which is all about your favourite animals in books so today I will be discussing my top five favourite book creatures. These are just the ones I can think of I am sure there is more that I love but these are the five I came up with.

5. The Dæmons from His Dark Materials by Phillip Pulman

I love the concept of the dæmons. During the series they are the physical manifestation of the characters souls. Even though they often have a form that they rely on they can adapt to their environment by changing into a different animal. They represent the characters personality and they share their emotions and traits. Dæmons are able to communicate verbally with their partner and other dæmons but should not be touched by other humans. I’d like to think if I had a dæmon it would be my rabbit which I would love to be able to communicate with.

Pantalaimon is the main dæmon in this series and I love him so much. He is extremely funny but also just a good addition to the book. He is the voice of reason to Lyra and has many forms like a puppy and a mouse but is mainly an ermine. I think without Pantalaimon I would not have enjoyed this book as much as I did.

4. The Direwolves from Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

I loved the Direwolves in Game of Throne so much. They were such a good and interesting aspects in the show despite not appearing too often throughout. Direwolves are huge wolves that appear on the Starks coat of arms within the series. They are huge beasts and are extremely intelligent and have huge emotional attachments to their owners. Around the size of a small horse they are extremely loyal not only to their masters but to their masters friends. I would love a direwolf to follow me round and they look

During Game of Thrones there are six main direwolves after their mother is found dead at the beginning of the series. The six wolves are Shaggydog belonging to Rickon, Summer who belonged to Bran, Nymeria who belonged to Arya, Lady for Sansa, Grey Wind for Robb and my personal favourite Ghost who belonged to Jon Snow. The direwolves go on such a journey within the story and I love watching the scenes that they are in.

3. Mister Kindly from Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

This is another form of daemon who is attached to Mia within the book. He is made out of shadows and takes the form of a cat although he is not truly a cat. During the book he helps Mia on her journey and adds a lot to the story. He is created by rage; Mia’s rage at the outcome of her family and then has remained with her ever since. By living alongside Mia he devours her fear so that she can not feel it and that is so interesting to read about.

He is very witty and clever within the book and is another voice of reason overall. I think the reason I love Mister Kindly so much is the way he interacts with Mia and also the quotes he comes out with are some of my favourite parts of the book. “…bravo…’ Mister Kindly said, ‘..if only I had hands to applaud..’ The cat is literally so sarcastic, and I love it so much.

2. Hippogriffs from the Harry Potter series

Art by: Jim Kay – Harry Potter Illustrated

I love the hippogriffs. So, so much. I would love to have one. It is half horse and half griffin. The body is that of a horse and its head is that of a griffin. It is covered in feathers and has talons for claws. Buckbeak is introduced in the third book and appears in the fifth book as well.

I like Buckbeak mainly because of how proud he is. He does not like insult, and he is extremely proud of himself. I love his loyalty to Hagrid and how he defends himself from Draco. I wish that he had been in the fifth movie and not forgotten about completely. I love the friendship which is formed between him and Sirius.

Syrinx from House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

Finally, we have Syrinx who I have grown to love this year. Syrinx is a chimera who has the appearance of a lion with wings and lives with Bryce within the book. She is best friends with Lehabah which I think is the cutest thing in the world. He often takes up residence within the library alongside the sprite which is just such a beautiful and cozy image.

The friendship between the two is the thing I love the most with these creatures. This image of the two within the library made me love this duo and Syrinx even more. I wish I could come home and find syrinx laid on my bed to lay with. He is the most beautiful creature which is why he is my top creature.

That was my first top five Wednesday! I hope you enjoyed and let me know which creatures you love in the comments! Thank you for reading and please follow down below. See you in the next one tomorrow!