Wonderland Reader

  Sorcery of Thorns   by Margery Rogerson Published: 30th June 2020 by Simon and Schuster Children's I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I have really been craving a solid Fantasy read now the weather's gotten colder, and I had heard good things about Rogerson's other book, An Enchantment of Ravens , so I thought I'd try this one, because I really liked the sound of the whole magical library plot, but this just really didn't work for me, sadly. I thought the beginning started off quite strong, and I really liked the idea of Elisabeth having grown up in the library and having some sort of special connection to the books, but the story soon became quite far-fetched and confusing. I feel like it was trying to do too many things at once, and I never really connected to the main characters or was particularly invested in their fates. The romance was severely underdeveloped and I didn't even particularly...

The Love Plot   by Samantha Young Published: 29th August 2023 by Piatkus I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I had such a goofy little smile on my face when I was reading this! I had no idea what this would be like when I went into it, but I loved the New York setting and how Star and Race came from very clearly different worlds, and families, and yet still respected each other's differences without trying to change them, or let anyone else do so. I always love a good grumpy guy, but the way that Rafe became such a sweetheart once he started falling for Star was very endearing, and I really liked how much his protective nature came out around her, even against his family, when he felt her being judged at all. Star's found family were very sweet, and I think it felt authentic to see how she inadvertently distanced herself from them while building her relationship, and for them to feel neglected before finding a bal...

  Hex Education   by Maureen Kilmer Published: 19th September 2023 by Headline Accent Other works:  Suburban Hell Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher. This in no way affects my review. Synopsis A guilt-ridden former coven is forced to tap into the magic of their past to stop their lives going up in flames. Beauty, grace, and a resting witch face . . . TWENTY YEARS AGO Sarah, Katrina and Alicia were inseparable. In college, they discovered their affinity for magic and practiced in secret - until their most ambitious spell went horribly wrong, resulting in a catastrophic fire that burned down their college dorm building, and the coven scattered. NOW Sarah Nelson has built a life for herself. Working as a luxury realtor, with her doting husband and two children, she could be any other mother in the neighbourhood. Until now, her magic has lain dormant. Then the former coven reunites, and their magic no longer wants to stay hidden. And...

Crying in H Mart   by Michelle Zauner Published: 5th August 2021 by Picador I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I have heard nothing but rave reviews for this since it came out a couple of years ago, so I hesitantly had quite high expectations for this, and it definitely did not disappoint. I always feel a bit weird reviewing memoirs, because who am I to be judging the way in which someone recounts their life experiences, but saying that, Zauner's writing was beautiful in its brutal rawness. The way she so adeptly wrote about her tricky relationship with her mother and reckoning with both the Korean and American sides of her identity felt very important, and I loved the value placed on food and cooking as a way of bonding that was shown from the very beginning of Crying in H Mart. Zauner's depiction of grief was heartbreaking but clearly cathartic, and I honestly think would be so helpful to people who have recen...