Wonderland Reader

  The Mismatch  by Sara Jafari Published: 24th June 2021 by Cornerstone I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I finally got around to this book a lot later than I would have liked, but the fact that The Mismatch has already been out for a while has allowed it to build up a good reputation for itself, and I definitely felt that in Jafar's high-quality writing and character development. It felt apt to be reading this book, partially set just after Soraya's graduation from university, as it's something I've recently experienced myself. I felt I could definitely relate to her postgrad anxieties and the pressure to jump straight from full-time education into a full-time job. The dual-narrative between Soraya and her mum Neda provided a nice contrast to observe between the two women, but also showed some real similarities between them as well, ad how their respective adolescences gave the reader insight into their...

Safety in Numbers   by Sophie Penhaligon Published: 3rd January 2022 by BooksGoSocial I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it ended up being a disappointment for me. I was glad to see that Milo and everyone else she disclosed it to took Seraphina's disability seriously and for the most part didn't belittle her, treating her with respect rather than pity. However, I felt that the build-up from work colleagues to romantic interests was way too quick, especially considering Seraphina's reservations literally in the chapter before. It also felt as though the power dynamics between the two protagonists weren't equal, with Milo being almost manipulative and using Seraphina's condition against her because she didn't know any better and would agree with him without question. It seemed quite false at times that Seraphina could open herself up to new chall...