My 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge: July - August

Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk

Greetings card copywriter Phoebe knows a good romantic line or two - and it makes her a fantastic Cupid. So when she lands in the Hollywood Hills she can't resist playing matchmaker for her handsome neighbour Ren. But you can't hide from love in La La Land. And isn't there something a little bit hot about Ren, her own leading man next door?

This gave me The Holiday vibes in a very good way, especially when it came to Phoebe interacting with Myrna. But the whole setting Bel up with Ren storyline just didn't work for me. I know it showed Phoebe falling for Ren but something about it didn't gel. However, I did really like the escapist holiday nature of this book and almost feeling like you're there on holiday with Phoebe. I also particularly enjoyed every scene which involved or revolved around Myrna. She was easily my favourite character.

Acts Of Violet by Margarita Montimore

Nearly a decade ago, iconic magician Violet performed her greatest trick yet: vanishing mid-act. While Violet sought out the spotlight, her sister Sasha, had to be the responsible one. But Sasha can never seem to escape her sister's tumultuous orbit. Then there's Cameron Frank, determined to finally get his big break hosting a podcast devoted to all things Violet. As the ten-year anniversary approaches, the podcast picks up steam. Meanwhile, Sasha begins to experience an unsettling series of sleepwalking episodes and coincidences, which all lead back to Violet.

The premise of this sounded really interesting but it was a real slog to get through and not what I expected. I found myself almost skim reading Sasha's chapters. But I did like the podcast and article chapters a lot more. But as soon as parallel universes and certain conspiracy theories were brought up, I felt an immediate disconnect. The overall conclusion felt pretty lacklustre too. Yes, we now know where Violet *technically* is but it didn't answer whether she had been reappearing in real life or not, etc. The same could be said for Sasha's sleepwalking and teleporting.

Begin Again by Helly Acton

Despite living firmly in her comfort zone, Frankie feels unsettled. She can't help feeling something's missing. Is it a home to call her own? Travel? A more rewarding job? A relationship? Before she can work it out, she dies in a freak kebab-related accident after yet another dud of a first date. But life isn't over for Frankie. Instead, she is offered a second chance: Frankie can revisit key moments from her past to see if different choices will lead her away from that fateful takeaway and on to the fulfilling life she's always dreamt of.

If you enjoyed Matt Haig's The Midnight Library or a good Sliding Doors story, I’ve got a feeling you’ll really enjoy this. I liked the crossroads that were explored and that each one had its pros and cons. What seemed like a dream life on the outside always had its own set of issues, which made it feel realistic. I also really appreciated the ending. Helly always puts an interesting spin on a concept and that's exactly what she did in this. It’s definitely a thought provoking story that will have you re-examining your own life too.

The Sweetest Revenge by Lizzy Dent

Amy is more than one disastrous night of drunken revenge on her boss/ex-boyfriend's Audi--the night that tanked her rising TV producer career and led to a hasty move to London for a fresh start. Two years later, sparks are flying between her and Jake, her handsome new downstairs neighbour. And there's a competition at work that just might get her career back on track while bringing her and Jake even closer. But then the ex-boyfriend who wrecked her life is hired as her new boss.

I loved the build up to Amy and Jake finally getting together and this was an example of slow burn done incredibly well. I also liked the little bit of fake dating that we got too. Jake was lovely and I was immediately rooting for them to eventually end up together. There's some nice humour in this too and I really enjoyed following Amy and Jake around London as they attempted to come up with their story pitch. I'm not sure that there was a whole lot of revenge going on other than at the very end, which was a little bit disappointing. But I did appreciate the ending and seeing Chris get his comeuppance, while also seeing Amy finally own her actions instead of running away from them.

The Murder After The Night Before by Katy Brent

Something bad happened last night. I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons. But I can’t remember a thing. My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered. There’s only thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.

Immediately you find yourself in Molly's nightmarish reality. I liked how relatable she was. Some parts were a little too unbelievable for me, which was a real shame. For example, the whole section where Patrick is threatening her near the end was a little too OTT for my liking. But I did like seeing Molly become the investigative journalist that she never thought she could be. It really had the perfect blend of dark comedy and an investigative thriller and was a real page turner.

Publication date: 29th February 2024

Patricia Wants To Cuddle by Samantha Allen

Renee should be thrilled to have been chosen as one of the final four contestants in The Catch, the world’s biggest reality show. But now she, the other contestants, and Jeremy ‘the Catch’ have arrived on the remote, wooded island for the final show, Renee begins to wonder if there’s something wrong. As she and the other contestants begin their final challenges, they slowly start to realise that the island they’ve been taken to is hiding a terrifying secret, one that could make the final Elimination Event all too real.

This almost felt like a mashup of the TV show Unreal and a horror movie. I liked the changing POVs, the commentary on reality dating shows and the horror elements. But I wanted a bit more resolution and explanation in the end. There weren't enough answers for my liking. Also, what was the point of the letters that were scattered throughout? I couldn't really bond with Renee at the end either. It was an incredibly quick read but I could have happily read at least another 100 pages.

The Good Part by Sophie Cousens

Lucy is exhausted. She's tired of dating, sick of being on the bottom rung at work, and done with flatmates who never buy loo roll. She's ready to skip to the good part of her life. One night, she stumbles upon a wishing machine, and asks to be in her own future. So when she wakes up to a handsome man, a ring on her finger, a high-powered job, and two perfect children, Lucy can’t believe it’s real. Especially when she looks in the mirror, and sees her own forty-something face.

This had such an interesting and captivating concept. I adored all of the characters and watching Lucy attempt to get to grips with her new life, while mourning everything that she had missed in the years in between. I also liked all the fun nods to the future, like Stanley Tucci being the voice of her car and Richard Osman being on his twentieth Thursday Murder Club book. It felt incredibly relatable the whole way through, while also being incredibly insightful and funny at the same time. And the dilemma of choosing to stay in the present or go back to being 26 was also handled well and I really appreciated the ending.

Publication date: 5th October 2023

Penance by Eliza Clark

It's been nearly a decade since the horrifying murder of sixteen-year-old Joan Wilson. And the events of that terrible night are now being published for the first time. Journalist Alec. Z. Carelli has constructed what he claims is the 'definitive account' of the murder. And what led up to it. Built on hours of interviews with witnesses and family members, painstaking historical research, and most notably, correspondence with the killers themselves, the result is a riveting snapshot of lives rocked by tragedy, and a town left in turmoil. The only question is: how much of it is true?

This was a truly compelling and compulsive read. For me, this was a story about teenage girlhood. I liked the way that the book was split up into sections for each of the four girls that are involved in this crime. I also enjoyed the way in which the narrative switched from the author's book to podcast transcripts, online chats, fanfic and extracts. But the ending felt quite abrupt and weak compared to the rest of the book. We only really get a few pages on whether the real story has been embellished.