Author: Nicole Sweeney

Book Review: Girls of Little Hope – Dale Halvorsen & Sam Beckbessinger

Book Review: Girls of Little Hope – Dale Halvorsen & Sam Beckbessinger

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: June 13th 2023
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 384
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

A chilling and eerie tale of monsters, teen angst and small-town America for fans of Stranger Things, The Thing, and the 1990s

Three girls went into the woods. Only two came back, covered in blood and with no memory of what happened. Or did they?

Being fifteen is tough, tougher when you live in a boring-ass small town like Little Hope, California (population 8,302) in 1996. Donna, Rae and Kat keep each other sane with the fervour of teen girl friendships, zine-making and some amateur sleuthing into the town’s most enduring mysteries: a lost gold mine, and why little Ronnie Gaskins burned his parents alive a decade ago.

Their hunt will lead them to a hidden cave from which only two of them return alive. Donna the troublemaker can’t remember anything. Rae seems to be trying to escape her memories of what happened, while her close-minded religious family presses her for answers. And Kat? Sweet, wannabe writer Kat who rebelled against her mom’s beauty pageant dreams by getting fat? She’s missing. Dead. Or terribly traumatised, out there in the woods, alone.

As the police circle and Kat’s frantic mother Marybeth starts doing some investigating of her own, Rae and Donna will have to return to the cave where they discover a secret so shattering that no-one who encounters it will ever be the same.

Review

Girls of Little Hope is the dark and gripping tale of three friends who go missing in the woods. As police and the public begin to mount a search for girls, two of them – Donna and Rae – are found. When questioned about the whereabouts of their friend – Kat, the two girls say they can’t remember what happened to them. Plagued with questions, the missing girl’s mother decides to launch her own investigation to discover what happened to her daughter. Donna doesn’t remember what happened, but she’s determined to find out what happened to Kat. Returning the woods and the cave they entered, Donna uncovers a secret so much darker than she ever thought possible.

Girls of Little Hope is a wild ride of a tale. I never in a million years would have guessed where this story was going and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Eerie and full of mystery, this is definitely a horror book that keeps you guessing. The story is fairly quick paced and I really liked the way the authors included some mixed media in the story with zines and newspaper articles.

Girls of Little Hope is certainly creepy and there is plenty of atmosphere as the girls explore the isolated woods and cave. The story sort of gives a Stranger Things in the 90s vibe and overall this was a compelling and entertaining story. There are a few gruesome moments, so be sure to check content warnings.

The story very much centres around these three girls and their friendship and I loved the way this was portrayed. It also explores the mother-daughter relationship in a really fascinating way too. Donna, Rae and Kat are all very different people but despite that stick with each other through thick and thin. The characters felt well developed and I was definitely rooting for them throughout the book.

If you’re looking for an eerie horror tale that will keep you gripped until you turn the very last page, Girls of Little Hope is definitely a book worth picking up.

Book Review: Atalanta – Jennifer Saint

Book Review: Atalanta – Jennifer Saint

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: April 11th 2023
Publisher: Headline
Pages: 352
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this book from my local Waterstones
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

Princess, Warrior, Lover, Hero

When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one condition: if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.

Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis’s warning, she begins to question the goddess’s true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?

Full of joy, passion, and adventure, Atalanta is the story of a woman who refuses to be contained. Jennifer Saint places Atalanta in the pantheon of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, where she belongs.

Review

I completely fell in love with Ariadne and Elektra and Jennifer Saint has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. In her newest release, we follow Atalanta  – raised in the forest by a bear, Atalanta is a favourite of the goddess Artemis. When Artemis sends her on a voyage to be part of an epic quest to find the Golden Fleece, Atalanta is excited for the chance to prove herself. Before she leaves Artemis warns her that a man will be her undoing. Will Atalanta succeed in her quest to prove herself and will she stay true to the oath she swore Artemis?

I admit I don’t know an awful lot about Atalanta, she does feature a little in Luna McNamara’s Psyche and Eros which I read recently but otherwise, I don’t know much about her original story. In Jennifer Saint’s tale, Atalanta is a strong, brave, and fiercely compelling character. I loved watching as she fought to prove herself the equal to any man. She is strong minded, determined to succeed in her quest, but she’s also physically strong and incredibly fast. Like in her previous books, Saint gives a voice to a female from Greek mythology that doesn’t often get one. I knew a little about the Argonauts but certainly didn’t know there was a female one, so it was fascinating to read her story.

Saint has a truly gorgeous writing style and the world of Ancient Greece really comes to life in her prose. I found it so easy to get lost in the story and was completely engrossed in the plot. The story felt well researched and incredibly detailed. Much like her previous books, I completely devoured Atalanta and cannot wait to see what Jennifer Saint writes next. If you’re a fan of Greek mythology retellings with beautiful writing and vivid characters, then Atalanta is an absolute must read.

Book Review: Black Heat – Bex Hogan

Book Review: Black Heat – Bex Hogan

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment


Release Date: July 6th 2023
Publisher: Orion
Pages: 384
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this book from my local Waterstones
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Exile. Rebel. Healer. Three underestimated women, destined to be brought together by revenge in this dark and thrilling new YA fantasy.

Marzal – an exiled daughter with a plan for her return.
Rayn – a rebel blacksmith with a blade of blood.
Elena – a gentle midwife with a fiercely protected secret.

Each young woman wants peace for their country, but in times of war, not everyone fights by the same rules. As their countries burn around them, and the stakes of victory rise, each woman will have to decide how far she is willing to go for peace.

But the desire for revenge also burns deep…

Review

Black Heat is the start of an all new YA fantasy series from Isles of Storm and Sorrow author Bex Hogan. The story follows three young women – Marzal, the daughter of the Emperor who has spent many years living in a convent and has now returned to take her place at court. Rayn, a blacksmith looking to uncover the truth surrounding the death of her family and take vengeance against those who harmed them, and Elena, a midwife tasked with protecting a secret. Each woman must do all they can to protect those they care about and help their country survive a deadly war.

I really loved Bex Hogan’s Viper so I was intrigued to see whether I would be as engrossed by Black Heat. This story is so captivating, so gripping and pretty fast paced, so I ended up racing through this book in a couple of days. Hogan has a really engaging writing style and I loved that there were lots of twists in the story. It also went places I did not expect. I find myself reading less YA fantasy these days because I often find them a bit predictable, but Black Heat is anything but. The ending of the story had me on the edge of my seat and I am counting down the days until the release of the next book in the series.

The world is really interesting and I really enjoyed the political scheming going on in this story. The world building is solid and I liked getting to see people on both sides of the conflict. Our three main characters are all so different and surprisingly I adored them all. If I had to choose I think Marzal is my favourite, I was so fascinated by the way she manipulates and schemes to get what she wants. Rayn is a fierce and determined character, she will stop at nothing to get her revenge and I loved how strong she was. Elena’s chapters were equally compelling, she is strong and determined to do what’s right, even when she’s scared or uncertain.

Black Heat is a gripping, feminist revenge fantasy and one I could not put down. If you’re looking for a book that’s dark, compelling with fascinating complex characters, then Black Heat is one you will not want to miss.

Book Review: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn – Mark Lawrence

Book Review: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn – Mark Lawrence

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Series: The Library Trilogy #1
Release Date: May 1st 2023
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Pages: 566
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The author kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

A boy has lived his whole life trapped within a vast library, older than empires and larger than cities.

A girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust where nightmares stalk and no one goes.

The world has never even noticed them. That’s about to change.

Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty, and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

Review

Mark Lawrence is one of my favourite authors so The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was one of my most anticipated releases for 2023. The story follows two characters – Livira, a young girl living in a remote village in the Dust. When her village is attacked, Livira finds herself rescued and taken to the city, where she is apprenticed to be a librarian. Evar has spent his entire life trapped in an ancient library. Searching for a way out, Evar knows there is a woman he must find, someone important to him. When Livira and Evar’s worlds collide, they will embark on an epic journey to save the ones they love.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is probably my favourite Mark Lawrence book ever. This is such a compelling, intricately woven tale and from the get go I was completely hooked. The story is paced well – there is plenty of heart pounding action scenes but also plenty of time for the reader to understand the world and the vast and complex history of Crath City. I really enjoy Lawrence’s writing style, there are some really beautiful sentences in this story and plenty of moments that kept me thinking about this book long after I had put it down. The Book That Wouldn’t Burn kept me on the edge of my seat and I was always itching to return to this captivating story. Lawrence does a brilliant job of keeping the reader questioning what they know and going in directions you do not expect. If you’re someone who loves books about books, this is definitely one you don’t want to miss.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn really feels like a fresh and unique story. There are so many fascinating things in this book – like the mechanism and the assistants that really captured my attention. Similarly, I completely fell in love with our two main protagonists. Livira is a young girl who dreams of bigger things, she’s full of questions and will stop at nothing to get those answers. She’s not afraid to break the rules and from the very first chapter, I was rooting for her. I also really liked Evar and the mystery surrounding him and his siblings. Lawrence does a brilliant job of developing the relationship between Livira and Evar and I can’t wait to see where things go in books two and three. There were also lots of secondary characters that I really adored, like Malar and Master Yute. Each character felt incredibly fleshed out and well developed.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn is an unforgettable, beautifully told fantasy tale and if you’re looking for a book you won’t want to look away from, this one should definitely be on your reading list.

Book Review: Shanghai Immortal – A. Y. Chao

Book Review: Shanghai Immortal – A. Y. Chao

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Shanghai Immortal #1
Release Date: June 1st 2023
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Synopsis

Pawned by her mother to the King of Hell as a child, Lady Jing is half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit and all sasshole. As the King’s ward, she has spent the past ninety years running errands, dodging the taunts of the spiteful hulijing courtiers, and trying to control her explosive temper – with varying levels of success.

So when Jing overhears the courtiers plotting to steal a priceless dragon pearl from the King, she seizes her chance to expose them, once and for all.

With the help of a gentle mortal tasked with setting up the Central Bank of Hell, Jing embarks on a wild chase for intel, first through Hell and then mortal Shanghai. But when her hijinks put the mortal in danger, she must decide which is more important: avenging her loss of face, or letting go of her half-empty approach to life for a chance to experience tenderness – and maybe even love.

Review

Shanghai Immortal is the first in a new fantasy series that follows Lady Jing, the half-vampire, half-fox spirit ward of the King of Hell. Jing has spent most of her time in immortal Shanghai running errands for the King of Hell and getting into trouble for her temper and manners. When she discovers a plot to steal a dragon pearl from the King, she must team up with a mortal to uncover the plot and expose the courtiers who have spent so many years making her life miserable.

Shanghai Immortal has a really intriguing premise and I really thought this was going to be a book that I fell in love with. The story is fast-paced and there’s plenty of action and adventure to keep the reader hooked. The story felt well written but some of the writing – the terms like tatas and piss-fart really threw me out of the story.

I thought the settings of mortal and immortal Shanghai were really well depicted. They were so vibrant and really came to life. I did wish there was more of a chance to learn more about the different creatures residing in immortal Shanghai but that might be explored more in subsequent books. Lady Jing is a brilliant main protagonist, she’s very sarcastic and there are plenty of humourous moments. I did thing the romance could do with a little more development, but I did enjoy the depiction of female friendship.

Overall Shanghai Immortal was a story with a really intriguing premise that missed the mark a little bit for me. If you’re a fan of fast-paced fantasy stories with a sassy protagonist this could be just the book you’re looking for.

Book Review: The Only One Left – Riley Sager

Book Review: The Only One Left – Riley Sager

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 5 Comments


Release Date: July 4th 2023
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Pages: 368
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Bestselling author Riley Sager returns with a Gothic chiller about a young caregiver assigned to work for a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre decades earlier.

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

Review

Riley Sager’s books have been an interesting mix for me. I absolutely loved Lock Every Door and Home Before Dark, enjoyed Final Girls and The Last Time I Lied and did not get on with Survive the Night at all. This newest release follows Kit McDeere, a caregiver who after being suspended for the death of a patient, is tasked with looking after the infamous Lenora Hope, a woman many believe to have massacred her entire family. Kit soon finds everything is not as it seems at Hope’s End and Lenora decides now is the time to tell her story. Will Kit be able to unravel the truth behind the Hope family massacre and is Lenora really telling the truth?

The Only One Left is a tense, gripping, gothic thriller that really had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoy Sager’s writing style, they have a brilliant way of really ramping up the tension as the story progresses. The story is well paced with things getting more action driven as the story concludes. There are quite a few twists and surprise reveals that I definitely didn’t see coming and I did think you had to suspend disbelief a little bit for some of the twists.

Sager really has a knack for bringing to life these fascinating settings and the dramatic imposing mansion that is Hope’s End is really brought to life in the story. The characters in the story are complex and compelling and I really enjoyed the way I was never quite sure who was trustworthy or who was telling the truth. Kit is an interesting main character, dealing with the loss of her mother, the deterioration in her relationship with her father, and her lack of options in her career.  Lenora is similarly fascinating – she is so much more than she seems.

The Only One Left is a well plotted, engaging story that keep me glued to the book till the very last page. If you’re a fan of Riley Sager’s other books, or you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing, this one is an absolute must read.

Book Review: Loki – Melvin Burgess

Book Review: Loki – Melvin Burgess

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: May 2nd 2023
Publisher: Coronet
Pages: 288
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 2.75/5 stars

Synopsis

Melvin Burgess revolutionised children’s literature with the infamous cult novels Junk and Doing It. In his first adult novel, Loki, he breathes new life into Norse myths.

Starting with the Norse creation myths, the trickster god Loki takes the reader on a wild ride through Norse mythology, from the time the gods – the founders of Asgard – defeated races of monsters, and hurtling through famous stories, including Odin hanging himself on the World Tree, the theft of the corrupting gold ring and the murder of Baldr, the god of love and the Sun. This narrative may seem familiar enough at first, but the reader should beware.

Born within the heart of a fire in the hollow of a tree-trunk, Loki arrives in Asgard as an outsider. He is a trickster, an unreliable narrator, the god of intelligence and politics. In spite of his cleverness and sparkling wit (or, perhaps, because of this…) Loki struggles to find his place among the old patriarchal gods of supernatural power and is constantly at odds with the god of thunder – Thor.

This retelling contemporary in tone, at once amusing and relatable. It is a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and intelligence. Alongside the politics of Asgard, it charts the course of Loki’s many loves and families, from his mothering of Odin’s famous horse to his intense, turbulent, and, eventually, fatal relationship with Baldr the Beautiful – a tender and moving story of love that goes wrong, jealousy and a transitioning that is forbidden by society.

Review

Melvin Burgess’s Bloodtide was one of my favourite books growing up so I was really intrigued to read his newest release – Loki. Here Burgess tackles the Norse myths, taking the reader through all the adventures and mischief that Loki gets wrapped up in. From his birth to his inevitable demise, Loki recounts the stories you think you know, but with a fresh perspective.

I usually really enjoy Norse myth retellings and this sounded like exactly the kind of thing I would enjoy. The story is quick paced and Loki has a really strong narrative voice. He really comes to life in the story and you can’t help but get wrapped up in his tale. Loki is such a trickster and such a mischievous character and that really shines through in the story. There were some tales I wasn’t familiar with so I really liked seeing how Loki was going to get himself out of those sticky situations. All the characters in the story are well developed and I loved that all the gods are a bit unreliable and untruthworthy.

The one thing I found difficult with this book was the vulgar language. It felt very unnecessary to the story and this alongside the reader being regularly insulted really pulled me out of the story. This really lessened my enjoyment and meant the story didn’t captivate me as much as I was expecting it to. Overall this is an interesting and unique take on the Norse myths and if you’re looking for a story was a main character who really leaps off the page, this could be just what you’re looking for.

Book Review: On the Nature of Magic – Marian Womack

Book Review: On the Nature of Magic – Marian Womack

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: May 23rd 2023
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 336
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Synopsis

A Gothic supernatural mystery for fans for The Quickening and The Shape of Darkness, featuring real-life events and people, such as George Méliès and the Moberly-Jourdain incident, where two English women claim to have seen the ghost of Marie Antoinette in the gardens of Versailles.

1902.

Helena Walton-Cisneros, known for finding answers to the impossible, has started her own detective agency. She takes on two new uncanny cases, both located in Paris – which itself is too much of a coincidence to ignore. In the first case, two English women claim to have seen the ghost of Marie Antoinette in the gardens of Versailles. The second case is the murder of a young woman working at the mysterious Méliès Star Films studio outside Paris.

As Helena and her colleague Eliza investigate, they hear whispers of vanishings at Méliès Star Films, strange lights, spies, actors flying without ropes and connections to the occult.

What is George Méliès practising at his secretive film studio? And is it connected to the haunting in Versailles? Helena and Eliza will only find the answers if they accept the natural world is darker, stranger than they could ever have imagined…

Review

The second book featuring Helena Walton-Cisneros and her work to uncover supernatural mysteries. This time Helena has started a detective agency with her friend Eliza. As the agency is opening they become involved in two mysterious cases in Paris – first two female scholars from Oxford claim to have seen Marie Antoinette in the past and the second is the disappearance of a young woman working for a film studio. As the colleagues work to uncover the truth, they soon learn that the two cases might be linked and that there might be a lot more going on at the Méliès Star Films studio than they thought possible.

I read The Golden Key a while ago and was really intrigued to see where Womack would take the story next. On the Nature of Magic is a captivating read, full of mystery and magic. The plot unfolded well and the story kept me guessing as I was never quite sure if the cases were magical or not. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion but also felt that there could be the possibility of another installment which I would definitely be keen to read.

Helena and Eliza are fascinating protagonists – they’re working together but they have very different beliefs. Eliza’s beliefs are firmly rooted in science and she is attempting to reconcile with the idea that their cases involve the occult. Helena is determined to help women in need as well as work to understand the powers that she has. I enjoyed seeing their relationship as colleagues develop as they race to uncover the truth behind the mysteries.

The story is set both in London and in Paris and I liked the depictions of both cities, particularly the dark and eerie catacombs of Paris. If you’re looking for a Gothic mystery with a dash of magic thrown in, this could be just what you’re looking for.

Book Review: The Loch – Fran Dorricott

Book Review: The Loch – Fran Dorricott

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: March 16th 2023
Publisher: Avon Books
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Everyone in this town has a secret. But who holds the key to the loch…?

Twenty years ago, three young women disappeared, never to be found. The rumour to this day is that their bodies are still hidden deep within the murky Loch Aven.

When Eleanor, Clio and Michaela find themselves rained out of a camping trip in the Scottish countryside, they have no option but to book the mysterious house nestled on the banks of the lake. But little do they know that history has a way of repeating itself.

As secrets in the tightknit community begin to surface, and Michaela suddenly disappears, it becomes clear that something sinister is at play. And now it’s a race against time to unravel the mystery before the dark waters claim their next victim…

A claustrophobic, eerie and atmospheric thriller perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Sarah Pearse.

Review

The Loch is a dark and eerie thriller that follows three friends who go on holiday to a remote Scottish village. Whilst visiting they learn of the mysterious disappearance of three young women and the effect this had on the community. When one of the friends suddenly disappear, Eleanor and Clio race to uncover what has happened to their friend – but is history repeating itself and who could possibly be behind the disappearances?

This is my first read from Fran Dorricott and it was an enjoyable read. The story is well plotted and is told predominantly from Eleanor’s point of view, with a couple of chapters also from Rebecca and Matthew’s point of view. This is quite a quick paced thriller but Dorricott does a terrific job of creating a really atmospheric setting and I loved the descriptions of the isolated village and silent loch.

While there was one reveal I didn’t see coming, the story did feel a bit predictable. I guessed a lot of what was to come in the latter half of the book. I also wasn’t a huge fan of how the story ended. I did really like the characters Dorricott had created in this story – I really liked Eleanor and her friends, Eleanor in particular is well developed – she is still dealing with being in a bad relationship as well as trying to learn the truth of her birth. While I did still enjoy the chapters from Rebecca’s point of view, I much preferred Eleanor.

Overall The Loch is an entertaining read and if you’re looking for a quick paced thriller with plenty of atmosphere, this one could be right up your street.

Book Review: Yellowface – Rebecca Kuang

Book Review: Yellowface – Rebecca Kuang

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Release Date: May 25th 2023
Publisher: HarperFiction
Pages: 350
Find it on: Goodreads. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC of this book via Netgalley
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena’s a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn’t even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song–complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

Review

I really enjoyed Rebecca Kuang’s The Poppy War and have been very intrigued by Babel, but haven’t yet had the chance to pick it up. Her newest release Yellowface is completely different, this story follows June Hayward, a struggling author who witnesses the death of her friend and literary star Athena Liu, June decides to steal the manuscript of her latest novel – a story about Chinese labourers in World War I. June passes the novel off as her own and her publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song and she becomes an instant bestseller. As June begins to think she’s in the clear evidence begins to surface that will bring everything crashing down, but how far will June go to protect her secret and the stardom she feels she was destined for.

Yellowface is completely unlike anything I’ve read before. I read this book practically in one sitting. It’s such a compelling read. You know from the outset that things are going to go badly for June, but you cannot look away. Kuang’s prose is sharp and the plot is well executed and I loved the way the story got more tense and horrifying as it drew to its conclusion. I did a Master’s degree in Publishing Studies so I was completely fascinated by the way Kuang has depicted the publishing industry in this book. Yellowface really highlights how brutal the industry can be.

June is a really interesting protagonist. She is very unlikeable but has a very strong narrative voice and her ability to justify her actions is so fascinating to watch. The story focuses on themes of racism and cultural appropriation, not just in publishing but in everyday life. Yellowface is a well crafted, gripping story that will stick with you long after you’ve finished reading. Yellowface is absolutely a book you do not want to miss.