August 2022 Mini Reviews - part 2

 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 relationships in the present day. I appreciated that Magnus wasn't written to represent the 'perfect' man, there to save Soraya from her troubled family, but rather that he had his own issues and that they could form a bond through that. I'm excited to see what Jafari comes out with next.

3.5 stars

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

(This Poison Heart #1)

Published: 29th June 2021 by Bloomsbury YA

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

I am such a massive fan of this book! I hadn't heard that much about this book going into it, but everything I had was good, and the premise of it really intrigued me. I think Bayron's writing style was great, and not only got me hooked on the story through her description of the sprawling estate and the various plants, but also when writing about Briseis and how she navigated all these new discoveries. The all-female family dynamic with Briseis and her mums was so heartwarming to read, while her more distant female relatives represented this mysterious element that the story held that I equally enjoyed. The twists and turns that this story took weren't unpredictable but that didn't take anything away from them at all. I found myself constantly wanting to get back to this story and I hope to get to the sequel as soon as possible!

4 stars

The Maidens  by Alex Michaelides

Published: 10th June 2021 by W&N

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

Although I haven't read it myself, I was very aware of the giant success that was The Silent Patient, Michaelides' debut novel, and so I was expecting good things from his latest. I love novels set in university, particularly focusing on the more academic side of things, and so the setting of Cambridge was perfect, as the descriptions of the lectures and the general environment of the students worked so well with the darker tone of the novel. I was genuinely surprised by the twists and turns, and especially the ending, which felt nice that it wasn't so predictable and I got to experience the shock of finding out the truth. The writing had me gripped from the start, and I really enjoyed the dual narrative of the murder mystery alongside Mariana's role as a psychotherapist, how she wasn't investigating in an official capacity but still had knowledge and insight.

4 stars

Welcome to Your Life by Bethany Rutter

Published: 31st March 2022 by HarperCollins

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

This was such a pleasant surprise of a book! I honestly didn't have any expectations going into this; I thought the concept sounded fun but I hadn't read Rutter's YA works before so had nothing to go off of. This felt like such a refreshing, realistic story - Serena wasn't the morally perfect heroine but that's exactly why I liked her so much, because she made mistakes like everyone else does. I thought Rutter wrote the dialogue in this so well, there were some of the most realistic conversations I've read in a book before, and her writing in general definitely helped me fly through Welcome to Your Life even though it's not the shortest of books! I also loved the love she had for London, but not the tourist traps, and mostly how Serena being fat was such a big part of the narrative without it being used as a tool for some massive transformation or a flaw in any way, but acknowledged and appreciated instead. Really liked this one!

4 stars