I received They Fly Silent by Barb Lanell through NetGalley and I am so glad that I did, so thanks are extended to the author, the publishers and to NetGalley also for allowing me to review this book.
They Fly Silent is a novel that follows the recovery of protagonist Cass Collard, a 25-year-old woman with amnesia, trauma and a repressed childhood.
First off it is important to say that this book contains the following which may be a trigger for some readers – mental illness, sexual assault, trauma, grief and animal.
They Fly Silent is a southern gothic story detailing a dysfunctional family. Growing up Cassandra listened to stories her great grandmother Maw Sue would talk about concerning mystical and cursed bloodlines, about the Seventh Tribe, spiritual beliefs, and the power of magic, and “seekers”. Now twenty-five-year-old Cassandra’s life is currently full of madness and chaos. Divorced and accused of starting a mysterious fire that she doesn’t remember setting, she is having to face memories during therapy sessions with a psychiatrist.
The book itself, though it portrays as a mystery, has definite elements of psychological fiction as well as fantasy fiction and the elements of these three that were in the novel made it very interesting to read, the characters seemed to have real depth and I found myself drawn to them and likeable, the author certainly is able to create a world where it reflects everyday life even though it is fantastical at the same time.
As the book progressed the reader was introduced to more of the layers of the protagonist and her personality couple with the life she has lived are revealed. I found myself continually guessing whether she really did possess magical qualities and abilities or whether she needs to work through some very deep-seated psychological issues. The author also does a great job of setting the scene throughout the novel which allows the reader to see the sights, feel the heat and even smell the collard greens burning.
This book is by no means a gentle heart warming read but it is definitely a read that will stay with you for a while and will allow you imagination to run wild. It is a strong 4 star read.
I received The Book of True Believer by M. Funk as an ARC through netgalley and it exceeded expectations. Thanks extended to Netgalley for enabling me to be able to provide reviews for amazing books.
The Book of True Believer: A political allegory about love, empathy, pain, and power. It is the story of every Empath, walking through life extra sensitively and keenly observing. The protagonist wears a pair of rose-coloured glasses that seeks to find the best and most beautiful in every person and circumstance. Written in a journal format, this book entrances readers with the inner workings of a mind and heart who has not only memorialised and comprehended the most precious traits of everyone she’s met, but has also assimilated them and emulated them back out to the world.
It’s a story of an empath who guilelessly gets caught up in a manipulative and scheming situation, who uses the gift of sensitivity that she possesses to navigate through the maze of confusion to find herself wiser, stronger, and a minister for Truth In the end. True masterfully extracts wisdom from every aspect of the experience and digests them into her being. Like a Lobster thrown into a pot of boiling water, she soon comes to see all of the ugliness of the world surrounding her and yet struggles to pull herself out of it. The whole novel is a mammoth journey in its truest form that allows the reader to see the world through True’s eyes.
M. Funk utilises the story to intertwine lyrical threads of poetic prose which I found at times utterly breath-taking. One such example of this is the quote
“Anger often presents as a secondary response to another, primary emotion: fear, shame, guilt, or worry. That’s why it’s so easy for anger to escalate to rage. But anger only serves one real purpose in our lives: to combat injustice.”
M. Funks style and prose easily make her an author to watch out for and she will soon be up there with the likes of Margaret Atwood and so many more. I am therefore awarding this novel 4 stars.
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell is an explicitly raw, brutal and disturbing novel that focuses on the issues of child abuse, child grooming and sexual abuse. It makes for extremely uncomfortable reading but aside from all that this book is absolutely stunningly beautifully written.
Narrated byVanessa who doesn’t hold back in her thoughts, feelings and memories. Now aged 32 years old and barely coping with life, working in a hotel as a concierge and drifting from booze, drugs and meaningless sex she takes us back to her childhood when she attended an esteemed boarding school and at age 15 met and fell for her English teacher, 45 year old Jacob Strane. Even through Vanessa’s words the reader is under no illusion that this is 100% predatory child grooming it’s impossible not to feel sorry for Vanessa who herself doesn’t come easily to this conclusion and disgust at Strane’s behaviour. One of Strane’s earlier comments to Vanessa that stuck out to me through the entirety of the book is that he is going to ruin her and there is no doubt he does exactly that as we watch her life and future fall apart in the hands of this depraved and torturous paedophile.
His hand slips out from under my skirt and he slides like liquid out of his chair and onto the floor. Kneeling before me, he lays his head on my lap and says, “I’m going to ruin you.”
whilst everything mentioned above is shocking and abhorrant and thus makes it uncomfrtable reading it is the refusal of Vanessa even as an adult to realise that she is a victim and come forward when other victims are doing so that makes this a real tragedy and the thing that stands out as most disturbing, as this is the case with so many real life victims of child grooming and abuse.
My Dark Vanessa is an compelling and deeply thought provoking debut novel which will leave a mark on you as a reader and as a human being. The writing is completely captivating and it will stay with me for a very very long time to come. the ending was heartbreaking and had me crying for a while.
i couldnt do this book justice even if i wrote an epic saga on it and so for that reason as well as many others i am awarding this book *****.
I love historical fiction and in my opinion Kate Mosse is one of the OG’s of historical fiction and with this little beuaty she really did not disappoint.
The first book in her newest series of novels, The Burning Chambers is set in France, in the year 1562, when the Wars of Religion were beginning to take hold. Which after googling I found were a sequence of eight civil wars between the Catholic and the Huguenot factions and the loss and destruction was profound, with several million people dead or displaced over the 36 years these wars were wagered for.
This isnt a period of history that i know anything about before reading this novel but that did not hinder my experience at all and if anything this novel made my interest peak for a period of history that was relatively unknown to me before.
The Burning Chambers contains an impressive amount of historical detail woven into a story that is highly attainable and vividly engaging enriched with imagery. I was instantantaneously swept off of my feet into the suspense and richly detailed lives of the characters. It’s a mammoth book with 600 pages, but they whirled by and I really couldn’t put it down. I even lost sleep to carry on reading it and I carried on reading it well into the morning after I had woken up too.
These barbarous wars of religion must have been so terrible to live through and Mosse does an amazing job of bringing this to the forefront of the novel. The corruption threaded through all factions of society were palpable and each individual had to keep their wits about them at all times, with no idea who you could trust. Regardless of this though, communities would join together to protect each other against the forces that willed their destruction. there is a wonderful sense of community and love within the horrors of this novel.
One of the mysteries in play in the novel set agasint this brutal war is that of the protagonist Miou’s heritage and the woman who for reasons uncleae until the conclusion part of the novel is pursuing her and has no limits to what she will do to achieve an end to her means.
The novel is filled to the brim with high drama and captivating suspense. it is crammed with history, gothic undertones, crime, mystery, suspense, romance, murder and so much more. As with all of her wtiring Mosse has accomanpanied section pages with pictures that set up the scene perfectly it was a journey of pure delight and a nice touch that firmly gives the reader a sense of time and place. The Burning Chambers is a novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers and it really is Kate Mosse at her very best.
I gave this novel ***** as again she is in my opinion one of the best historical fiction authors out there and this has become a series i will keep coming back too in the future.
Dont forget to check out my upcoming review for the second installment in this series, The City Of Tears, which i have akmost finished and is just as wonderful – if not more so – than this installment.
The engagement party of Benjamin Raycourt and Phoebe Stanbury is disturbed by the entrance of a naked and grubby stranger who tells Benjamin the he has saved him when he murders Phoebe. DI Harry Treadway is put in charge of finding the killer. A socially inept and timid law clerk, William Lamb, defies his boss, Mr Bridge, by visiting a client, Ambrose Habberlain, which results in a devastating trail of consequences for William. Mr Bridge gives William a casket to safeguard, tells him to run for his life and proceeds to commit suicide. William’s aunt is abducted and the casket is taken. The American, Savannah Shelton, is an expert gunslinger with a history of shooting people dead, and is observing Habberlain’s residence for the criminal that is Obediah Pincott who has his fingers in many pies. The brave and courageous Shelton finds herself protecting William as his life becomes overwhelmed with danger. William, Harry and Shelton come together to connect their information that points to deplorable amoral actions by a privileged elite and a sinister secret society with dangerous weapons and plans. William is forced to adapt to his changing circumstances and fundamentally change as he searches for his identity and family.
This is a Victorian mystery set in London in 1881. The 1880s was a period in time that encompassed change, new thinkings and new critical inventions which the author utilises throughout the novel showing that she has researched the period well, however certain creative liberties are taken with the history such as name changes and so forth. The reader is taken on a journey through the survival of the fittest theory with Charles Darwin and the support of Eugenics by Galton as well on some ideas of classical history and in particular Alexander the Great in the culmination of a ancient worlwide secret society that practoces eugenics and has some particularly distubing ideas around the search for the master race and immortality of that said race.
This book was a mixed bag and had some postives and some negatives for me personally. so lets start with the positives as there were more positives than negatives in my opinion.
From the opening chapter seeped in mystery and brutality, the reader is left in no doubt that there are those who are willing to go to extreme lengths to keep certain secrets, and questioning how the shy, mild-mannered, scared of his own shadow young legal clark called William Lamb get mixed up in it all?!
Each character we meet along the way has their own fascinating story to tell and each one you get drawn into – from Savannah, the brash American watching over others and always looking over her shoulder, to Harry Treadway, the detective who ends up investigating the society murder and the links to everything and everyone. Just when you think you have it figured out something else comes into play and you are left guessing all over again.
I loved how well paced the story was as I often find that sometimes mysteries especially historical mysteries can drag a little, but I often found myself reading on longer than i intended to as I couldn’t bear not knowing what was going to happen next.
The story flowed seamlessly from character to character and plot line to plot line as they all add to the underlying crux of what the villains are so determined to keep hidden, while others strive to unravel the secret world they knew nothing of.
But that is what i enjoyed now sadly for what was less enjoyable.
The novel is intended to be a Quincunxesqu Victorian mystery but there are several fumbles that would just not happen such as the police sergeant addressing a member of the nobility by his first name, no significant mention of mourning for a character that has been mentioned to have passed and his daughter marrying less than a year since his passing. this lack of attention to detail in some of the minor details gave it a haphazard feel at times.
There were also some sentences/scenes that felt unneccessary and almost like they were there to bump out a scene or add to a word count. instances include a scene were a character is looking in a mirror and describing himself which i found unusual and unecessary and also a character using the phrase
Shock plummeted to her ankles like lead petticoats
umm sure I feel like that all the time when I am shocked.
The last negative about this book is that after being fast paced and keeping me enthralled for the most part, the ending feel really flat and just felt totally rushed and left me feeling deflated.
I really wanted to give this book more stars and if the ending had been better I would have done but unfortunately for me this was a *** read.
wow where do I even start with this masterpiece of a book. I want to start by saying I have had this book on my shelf for a very long time and had not read it until recently, that will be a regret I have for a long time because this is simply put one of the best books I have ever read.
The Hate U Give follow protagonist Starr, who is a beautiful young woman, passionate, intelligent with a wonderful sense of community. Born into the public housing system and who witnesses the death of her childhood friend through gang violence whilst playing in the street at the tender age of ten years resulting in her parents insisting Starr attend a predominately Caucasian school, along with step brother Seven in order to ensure their daughters safety whilst gaining a good education. then one fateful night an act of police brutality changes Starrs live forever. Starr’s parents are incredible characters with her father a local business owner done good after spending time in prison, a former King of Garden Heights in the gang community. Starr’s mother is a local nurse, wonderfully maternal to her children and others with both parents pillars of the community and a rarity in young adult fiction.
The Hate U Give is an enthralling narrative that explores firearm legislation, police brutality, gang culture, racism, racial profiling, homicide, organised protesting and rioting. I found the narrative compelling and hard-hitting which brought about a certain uncomfortableness, not as a Caucasian reader but as a human being. This is a topic that is so prevalent insociety today not just in the USA but all over the world. The Hate U Give will provide readers with perspective and the harm of perpetuating stereotypes and this uncomfortableness was felt in an extremely good way, a way that made the reader feel that the world needs to change and grow positively.
A quote from the book that resonated with me and sums up the struggle that Starr develops through the novel is
I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down.
Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.
An interesting aspect of the novel is the exploration of the concept that African Americans are pressured by white society to conform both directly and indirectly. As Starr attends a school where the majority of the student body is Caucasian and as only one of two students within her peers who is African American, feels the need to conceal her cultural identity even though most of the students treat her like a rockstar, perhaps a result of the white lens viewing African Americans as being inferior. In that respect, when reading it felt as though the narrative was also all-encompassing of caucasian readers, to be able to connect with a fictional character in order to place the responsibility on white society as a whole for being exclusive.
An interesting quote from the book that showcases this is the the use of THUGLIFE within the novel, which for the white community is reminicisent of gand culture and violence but for the black community within these pages that actually stands for
The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody
Very compelling when you conisder the message behind the story.
One of the most interesting characters and also one I entirely despised was Hailey. A friend, to Starr and Maya, a girl of Chinese hereitage, who used causal racism, derogatory slurs and incredibly offensive comments regularly to both Starr and Maya including removing Starr off of social media after speaking out about the racial murder of Emmit Till, decades before as it offended her. This just further highlights the discomfort felt by predominantly white communities when faced with African American injustice and in particular within the USA.
The Hate U Give is a ferocious and intriguing narrative about the racism that divides communities and the constant racial profiling that results in black lives being lost to police officers who have taken an oath to protect the community that they serve. Around the world, awareness is spreading. Often not even of the black teens and adults being murdered by white police officers but the white lens coverage focused on the riots that proceeded this horrific injustice born out of anger and pain. The world media quick to condemn the angry and justified protests, but through various social media avenues is where the unadulterated and unequitable evidence and statements are to be found. The Hate U Give allows readers an opportunity to experience the lives behind the headlines through their eyes and really acknowledge why the #blacklivesmatter movement demands attention.
Before I read this book I had of course been appalled at the injustices face by teh African American and other communnities throughout the world but I had never really sat and thought about it indepth and what it would be like to have to face that every day from all angles. this novel and Angie Thomas changed that.
Her protagonist Starr has a unique voice, she takes you along with herto a much greater understanding of the realities of it all. Taking an authentic story that it an all to often occurence that happens while most of us go about our daily business and often only give a passing thought to it, or mention it on social media. Angie Thomas places us at the heart of this caring and warm community and makes the reader live it. The Hate U Give is a vibrant, alive on the page book that had me crying yet ultimately uplifted, angry and desolate yet with a steely determination that we must do better.
Nothing I say will ever be able to truly do this book justice and I cannot recommend that you read it enough. I rated this book *****. I gave it 5 stars simply because it was so beautifully written, so compelling and I didn’t want it to end it is a new favourite of mine for sure. #thehateugive #angiethomas #blm #compellingreads #blackfiction #yafiction
Going forward I have decided to set myself some bookish goals each year. Some of these will consist of certain book/reading challenges to enrich and broaden my reading scope as well as giving what I plan to read each month and month end wrap ups of what I have read.
So here it goes the first reading list of 2021
A 2020 Bestseller
Reread a favourite book
Debut author
A book borrowed from a friend
The next book in a series
A true story
A book with more than 400 pages
Favourite book to movie
A book recommended by family
A novel based on a true story
A book with two authors
A chilldhood favourite book
A book everyone is talking about
A book from a genre you don’t usually read
Goodreads 2020 winner
A book with less than 200 pages
A book on a contoversial topic
A celebrity memoir
A book by an indie author
An audiobook
Famous author that you have never read before
A book that you own but that you haven’t read
A book that you saw someone reading
a book published in the 1980’s
I have so many ideas for this list already and plan to have it finished by the summer so I cant start on the next reading challenge. Have you seen any good reading challenges that you would like me to try? let me know 🙂
I’m so excited to be given the chance to review some new and upcoming books for publishers with netgalley. Watch this space for the reviews as I finish the books across all different genres.
Recent books waiting for reviews 🥰🥰
I am taking my time with them but so far I am incredibly pleased. I cannot wait to write my reviews.
Just a bookish girl living in a literary world living a thousand lives through every page I devour
Hey everyone and welcome to FictionVixenReads. I’m Kirsty and I have always had a passion for reading and books in general. This passion has just continued to increase during the recent global pandemic and the various lockdowns that we have found ourselves in within the United Kingdom.
Here are some facts about me
I am a thirty something girl who has a book everywhere I go and I love all genres but my favourites are historical, crime, YA, fantasy, thriller/mystery, horror/gothic and general/contemporary fiction.
My favourite movies are Harry Potter, Superhero, horrors, movies based on books and the list could go on. I am also a sucker for a true crime show they reallly know how to reel me in.
I am a secret gamer and when i am not reading i can often be found surviving in games like dead by daylight and call of duty.
I am terrified of clowns and almost got attacked by a polar bear in a zoo in germany in the 80’s that had a barrier that wouldnt have held a penguin in, after being told it was back in its enclosure after feeding.
I listen to all kinds of music and always open to suggestions for this too.
Before Covid-19 and lockdown 1, 2, and 3 hit I was passionate but lacked motivation about reading and so have decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon and find another creative outlet for this bashful bookworm. The creative outlets that I currently own are a bookstagram http://www.instagram.com/fiction_vixen18/, a goodread account where I regularly review and complete goodread challenges as well as taking part in various groups/book clubs as well as keeping bookish journals and book review journals
As much as this is a creative outlet for me I would love this to be a wonderland for everyone and so I intend to write about the things that interest me as a reader but also things that interest other readers also. I would also love to show case certain writers that i love or that i have had recommended to me through any of my online platforms so if this is something you like the idea of recommend away and I will showcase the author with a shoutout to the recommender too.
Some the of the things that you can expect to find on the blog are
detailed book reviews and ratings
tbr lists and sometimes anti tbr lists
bookish banter
literary debates
bookish pictures/memes and items I love or find cute
I would love to connect with anyone so feel free to interact as much as you like I welcome comments, emails and so forth and will always respond. My aim is to build up a bookworm community and have regular buddy reads, readathons etc.
By the end of this year I hope to have accomplished my goodreads challenge of reading 100 books which I will chart through here and through other outlets, to have read more clasic literature and to have reviewed or blogged about most of the books that i have read.
So come along and join me for a wild 2021 and beyond. Each month will have at least one read from a different country or culture so why not join in and read with me or suggest some that I could read.
#fromzerotohero #fictionvixenreads #bookishblog
If you would like to contact me then please feel free to email me at kirsty.lock18@gmail.com
fictionvixenreads 