Month in Review(s) - June 2016

We're half-way through the year folks! Which is kind of rocking, really, because it means we're that much closer to Christmas.

(I love Christmas!)





Anyway, back to the summer-ish-ness of June, and I can honestly say I read a little bit of everything this month.

Plus it was a pretty fab month blog-wise: I reached over 750 Twitter followers, over 15k blog page-views (ARGH!!!!!) and over 30 Bloglovin followers.




AND JUNO DAWSON LIKED MY TWEET!!!!!!

(I'm a massive Juno Dawson fan - so this was kind of a fantabulously big deal to me.)

So catch up on all my reviews this month with this handy link-list (and I've added cover images, because I spoil you.)

Kids

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - Fantasy

Young Adult

Say Her Name by Juno Dawson - Horror, Ghost Story

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly - Historical Fiction, Crime

Adult

Life Blood by V M Black - Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Novella

Landline by Rainbow Rowell - Contemporary, Chick Lit, Magic Realism, Romance* (*ish)

Graphic Novels

Codename Baboushka, Vol: The Conclave of Death - Spy, Gangster, Thriller, Crime

Klaw, The First Cycle - Young Adult, Fantasy, Superhero*, Paranormal* (*ish - there are shifters of various types and somewhat of a superhero origin story.)

Last updated: 25th Feb 2026

Review Time! (Woop!) - Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Landline

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Contemporary, Chick Lit, Magic Realism, Romance* (*ish)

A few starting notes:

I saw a copy of this at the library... and it had a pink cover. Like, a bright pink cover.

So yours truly obviously had to borrow it. Because I'm that easily distracted. True story.

Also, I'd reviewed Carry On previously, and enjoyed it a lot.

(And Rainbow Rowell liked one of my tweets of that review, and I nearly fell off the sofa in shock.)

So I figured that I'd try another book by Rowell, and see how it went.

Review Time! - Midnight by Jacqueline Wilson

Title: Midnight

Author: Jacqueline Wilson

Genre: Kids, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I decided to give this a shot because I usually enjoy Jacqueline Wilson books, and it seemed pretty interesting.

It was fairly short, so a nice book to slot in in between others.

Premise:

Violet is a slightly awkward and lonely 13-year-old. She loves books and the gothic fairies drawn by her favourite author, Casper Dream.

She also loves her brother, Will, but things have been weird ever since they found out Will is adopted. And sometimes Will likes to play games that are... a bit horrible.

Now there's a new girl at school, Jasmine. Could this finally be a true friend for Violet?

Best bits:

This is a fab book. I really loved it (I know its a kids book, and I don't care!)

I think Violet was a great character - to be honest, I saw a lot of myself in her (I was a really weird child.)

And Wilson makes you really feel for her (my God guys, the feels in this book!) It feels so realistic - the simple hurts that mean so much are so beautifully weaved in, complete with layers of complexity.

Will, likewise, has a complexity that I love finding in any book - and is all too rare sometimes in kids' books. Will is also a bit like a mini-Loki, if Loki were a teenager, and human, and his father was a policeman, instead of a God.

I loved the gothic elements and the fairies - just fab.

I also liked the slightly sinister edge there was in this book in places - to Will's games, to their father's treatment of both his children and his wife, and to the idea of changelings and all that came with it.

It came off really well, and didn't overwhelm, just giving that small edge of unease that makes you want to read more.

Not so great bits:

Honestly (and I'm always honest on this blog dammit!) I'm finding it really difficult to come up with any minus points for this book -

Maybe it was a little short, and some parts could've been expanded. And perhaps one or two plot-instances were just slightly convenient.

Some parts may be a little distressing, particularly to young readers.

Other than that... I can't really think of anything. It was that good.

Verdict:

This was just an amazing book. Truly great - I really loved it.

Perhaps a little much for very young readers, but most kids aged 11 and up will be fine.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Mini-Review! - Poetry From the Lady of the Pier by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Title: Poetry From the Lady of the Pier

Author: Effrosyni Moschoudi

Genre: Poetry, Short Stories, Chick Lit

Verdict:

I have to say that I enjoyed the short story included as a 'bonus' here more than the poetry itself.

 

There's nothing wrong with the poetry as such - but it was a little too dramatic for my tastes I'm afraid; it's poetry from a novel series though, so maybe has more effect in context.

 

The short story was a fairly decent piece of chick-lit, which I enjoyed before bed. Maybe would have been a good idea to publish it as the short story with the poetry as an extra...? Just a thought.

Goodreads – Author's Site

 

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