casstalksbooks's reviews
255 reviews

quickest burn i’ve ever read.
the spice was alright, besides the name “little lamb”.
i didn’t like the plot, but i appreciated the trigger warnings at the start of the book.

when Hanna surprises Liza with a hotel trip in the Scottish Highlands to try and work on their failing marriage, the pair find themselves snowed in with a killer loose in the hotel. armed with the knowledge she has gained from her crime podcast, Liza becomes intent on figuring out who is responsible for these crimes.

the witty banter in this novel reminded me so much of Knives Out; it was both seriously entertaining and funny. this book kept me guessing!

i didn’t rate this five stars because i felt like there was a lot of info-dumping in the first few chapters and i was extremely overwhelmed by all the new characters that were being introduced with their complex backstories. my inability to differentiate between some of the side characters may have played a part in my not being able to figure out who was the killer.

ultimately, however, this lighthearted cozy mystery was very enjoyable.

trigger warnings for this book include rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, abuse, and mentions of domestic violence.

plot!
When Judge Alice McKerrity’s newest criminal trial begins, elements of the case begin to not only remind her of her past, but deeply affect many areas of her life. With an unwell husband and a daughter, Alexis, who is intent on discovering who her biological father is, the pressure of both Alice’s home and work life become almost unbearable. As the trial continues to progress and intensify, Alice must face her past in an effort to protect her and her family’s future.

i don’t usually read suspense and thriller novels but seeing that this was set in a courtroom, i was instantly attracted to it.

this was a brilliant book. with such ease, i can imagine this being adapted into a movie or tv miniseries. it just has that type of plot, setting, and characters.

i liked that this book was split into three different POVs; Alice, Alexis, and Connie. however, there was like one random chapter that was from Charles’ perspective which just came out of nowhere??

the plot twists in this book were also extremely interesting. i felt like the last 15% of the novel, however, was very dragged out and the constant shift between teenage memories, present moment, and memories from the previous weeks became slightly confusing.

overall, a really enjoyable read. thank you to NetGalley & W. W. Norton & Company for giving me an ARC of this book!

the first half of this book was super slow and i was so hoping it would improve so that i did not have to give it like 2 stars. it did improve. the last half of this book was so much more interesting and eventful, and i loved it!

first read (3/10/2021)
wow wow wow
this book is pure genius
this has to be the prettiest, most interesting prose i have ever had the pleasure to read. the way erin morgenstern has created worlds within worlds within universes in brilliant !!

this book makes you question everything and then, as it continues, answers every question you could have possibly thought of.

it has romance, it has fantasy and magic, it has sublime world- and character-building, it has a dark academia vibe, and it has stories that you will never forget.

this is absolutely my new favourite book wowie


second read (19/02/2022)
“Strange, isn’t it? To love a book. When the words on the pages become so precious that they feel like part of your own history because they are.”

it will never cease to amaze me the way that Erin Morgenstern is able to construct such a rich, vibrant, detailed world without ever info-dumping on the reader. this book is a love letter to whimsical and fantastical storytelling, to magic, and to the pleasure of academia and knowledge. The Starless Sea is the epitome of why i love reading.

i could talk about this book for eternity; about the wondrous journey that Morgenstern takes the reader on, and about the stories within this story. no other author has ever made me so damn confused, but then been able to answer every question i have ever had, and questions i had not even considered, in a way that was enchanting, dazzling, and never boring.

my favourite book ever. this book is a personality trait of mine. this book is embedded in my soul. this book is a part of me and i am eternally grateful for Erin Morgenstern’s writing ability.

“Violence should not be met with the silence of the oppressed.”

Cinnamon Gardens Nursing Home, in Westgrove, Sydney, houses an array of individuals from many different cultural backgrounds but to them, it is simply home. however, while love and non-judgement are the principles of the nursing home, the town of Westgrove is not without its racial prejudices. when a member of the Westgrove community accuses the owners of Cinnamon Gardens of racially motivated offences, many members of the public begin both a verbal and physical assault on not only the nursing home, but the residents and workers themselves. this story details the strength in community and friendship, and also the awful effects of racism in Australia.

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is a superb story about family, community, and race. this novel powerfully captures both the casual and explicit racism in Australia. there were moments that were deeply shocking and difficult to read but also moments that were reminiscent of conversations i’ve overheard in, disappointingly, everyday conversation. Chandran’s ability to dive so deep into the stories of an array of characters, but simultaneously maintain the reader’s interest, was spectacular! i thoroughly enjoyed learning about each character’s stories, upbringings, and the events they had lived through to make them who they were.

the last book set in Australia that i read was Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones. reading books set in environments that you are (at least vaguely) familiar with never ceases to provide a feeling of comfort. and it’s the simple things that are the most relatable; like Nikki’s chapter, where she discusses her thoughts about the ‘Hold On Pain Ends’ posters that ostensibly irritate both of us to similar extents.

my favourite characters are Maya, Ruben, & Uncle Mozammel (the latter appearing only briefly, but making such a huge and important impact). i adore them and everything they stand for; they, amongst many others in this story, are true heroes.

i honestly don’t really know what i thought of this book. there were moments i loved, and moments i disliked.

firstly, trigger warnings:
moderate biphobia, alcohol, sexual content
graphic sexual assault, manic episodes, mental illness, self harm

okay, let’s get started. i LOVE a shakespeare retelling, and i loved the way that this was split into five acts and included quotes from Julius Caesar at the start of each act. i also really liked the multiple POVs in this book and the short chapters in which they were included. it was great to be able to understand the plot from every main character’s perspective in an attempt to comprehend their behaviours. the plot twists, while brutal and awful, were unexpected and created a really interesting shift in the story. i also ADORED the nonbinary representation, with one of the main characters identifying as a demigirl and using she/they pronouns. having characters that identify outside of the binary gender spectrum makes me feel incredibly seen and having the characters use Antonia’s they/them pronouns as well was very validating. finally, i thoroughly enjoyed having the #MeToo Movement embedded into this story; it was done seamlessly and extremely well.

at times, i felt as though this book was trying too hard to be modern and progressive. also the main characters did not really face any legal consequences for their actions (which were incredibly toxic, harmful, and exploitative). i understood, and even liked, that this story was meant to have a happy ending, however the lack of consequence felt almost unrealistic.

so, that’s where i stand. in the middle, i suppose. and thus, i give this 3 stars.

(4.5 stars)

[some context on my reading of this play]
i have not read a Shakespearean play since i left high school and part of me feared that, without sparknotes and teachers guiding me through every Act, i would not have any idea what was going on. but that was absolutely not the case (partly thanks to my watching of the Globe production prior to reading it)! i have also never read a comedy by Shakespeare, so this was a breath of fresh, comedic air.

[the plot!]
Act 1 begins with an elderly Syracusan man, Egeon, being detained for travelling to Ephesus (where Syracusans are strictly not allowed). Egeon informs his detainer, Duke Solinus, that he is searching for his twin sons (the Antipholus') and their, respective, twin servants (the Dromio's). In order to be spared from execution, the Duke tells Egeon that he must pay 1,000 marks (money that Egeon most certainly does not have). The succeeding Acts follow the two sets of twins as they are frequently mistaken for each other and the entire play is terribly hilarious.

I thoroughly enjoyed this play, it often had me in hysterics (or silent hysterics, while i read this in the uni library). I loved it! It managed to be both an absolute mess, and a piece of comedic gold.

this play walked so that The Comedy of Errors could run

unfortunately i’ve had to DNF this book at about 1/4 of the way through. while the writing was immensely moving and hauntingly beautiful, the book was ultimately too violent and sad for me to continue. in the very first chapter, there was a scene that left me feeling sick to my stomach (and that was like page 4!!)! i think i may have been able to handle it better if, like most traumatic books i’ve read, it eased into the violence and anguish.

i’m grateful to Better Reading for giving me early access to this book in Australia, i just was not prepared for the intensity of this read.