June 2023 Mini Reviews
Published: 11th May 2023 by Penguin
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
Azumah Nelson's debut, Open Water, was one of my favourite books of last year, and came as an unexpected surprise, so I couldn't wait to read his newest work. His writing blew me away with how genuinely beautiful it was, and it was exactly the same this time around too. Even though the story dealt with sensitive topics, and I wouldn't say it was light reading, I found myself completely immersed and not wanting to put the book down. Having this be set around the time of Mark Duggan and the subsequent riots felt very poignant, as it's something I remember well. I also loved reading about the family dynamic, and the sense of community forged through a love of music and a shared culture. I think Azumah Nelson portrays a really lovely message of gaining independence at such a formative time in a young person's life, forging their own path before coming together again and reconnecting with the important people in your life.
4 stars
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola
Blackburn
Published: 31st March 2022 by Penguin
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
I had heard nothing but great things about this since it came out a year ago, and there were so many things that I thought were great about this book. Damilola Blackburn's writing was so gripping, to the point where even though I struggled with the plot at times, I read this in just over a day because her pacing and storytelling pulled me through and I didn't want to stop! However, I did find myself getting frustrated at times, mainly at the characters' actions, particularly Yinka and Ola, and found I couldn't always justify their actions while they continued to make mistakes. I didn't feel that Ola's hostility towards Yinka was wholly justified, and I also didn't like the way that Yinka went about things either. I did also feel that the resolutions towards the end were a bit too neatly done, and served the purpose they felt they should rather than trying to create a really unique story.
3 stars
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Published: 23rd July 2020 by Penguin
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
When this book came out a few years ago the premise intrigued me; I liked the interweaving narratives of the four young women and how they knew each other, and I always like reading debut novels that have a lot of buzz around them. Korean fiction has been receiving a lot of attention recently, and rightfully so, for their insightful stories and beautiful writing, and If I Had Your Face is definitely well-written. However, I did find the pacing to be quite slow at times, and I definitely preferred a couple of the girls' narratives to the others, so I wasn't as engaged when reading some chapters. I found the plastic surgery element to be what intrigued me the most, but I feel as though it could have been executed a bit more forcefully in the narrative. I don't mind stories with minimal plots, more 'slice of life' books, but this didn't quite work for me in this case, as I felt that the story was trying to lead to something and then ended quite flatly, unfortunately.
3 stars
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
When in Rome #2
Published: 2nd May 2023 by Headline
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
I cannot tell you how excited I was to see that this was coming out, as When in Rome was probably my favourtie romance of last year, and I completely fell in love with the town of Rome and its residents, particularly the Walker family and its siblings. Focusing on Annie as the female protagonist this time, I loved the contrast between her sweetness and Will's gruffness, and her flower shop didn't sound strange in the slightest (unlike some other popular romances...). This book honestly put such a smile on my face at times, and I found myself getting very invested in the budding relationship - when Will and Amelia infiltrated Annie's date I honestly gasped in delight, which isn't a level of connection I find too often when reading romances. I really hope that Adams continues on with the series until all the Walkers have found their matches, because I can't get enough!
4 stars
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