Review: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

More a 3.5 star book than a 4 star. This was a sweet summer read, with some very adorable moments in it, though parts of the plot were overly predictable. Still, worth a read.

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Review: Sherlock Holmes Volume One by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A wonderful collection of Holmes related adventures. As a watcher of the BBC TV series, it was great to see the inspiration for many episodes and was even better to read about those that haven't made it onto our screens. This Sherlock Holmes, in my opinion, is the best one and I can't wait to read more about him.

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Review: Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine

This novel is one of those that you just don't want to put down. Its simplicity contrasts beautifully with the complexity of the characters and you always come away wanting more. This is a brilliant work of fiction, I just wish there was more of it.

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Review: There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake

An odd mix of fantasy and crime. I was very intrigued with this novel when I started reading it, but after a while it became more confusing than entertaining. The plot was overcomplicated, though the ideas behind it were good.

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Review: Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

An inspiring, heart-wrenching novel on a topic we have heard about so many times, so much so that we have become desensitised to it, but in such a different way that it manages to breathe new life into an almost dead tale. This novel makes it worthwhile to hear about integration, despite the horrors it makes you confront.

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Review: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Given how much I loved 'Emma', this work of Austen was slightly disappointing. It took me a good hundred pages to become interested in the characters and, whilst the outcomes of many events were entertaining, I didn't care enough about those involved to share in their joy or sadness. Still, this was an insightful novel that has reaffirmed my gratefulness for not living in such a restricted society.

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Review: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

This book was a disappointment, especially given all the amazing reviews and ratings that I've been seeing. For me, there were too many characters, so I didn't feel like I genuinely knew some of them, and being told information in lengthy paragraphs quickly became old. My two biggest annoyances with this book were, firstly, constantly hearing about characters from past series (they had their own series, I don't need to hear every detail about their current lives) and, secondly, the levels of relationship drama; I felt like I was reading a sitcom. Of course, this novel was not all bad. The mystery and the glimpse into the lives of the Fey was interesting, it's just a shame it had to be mixed with so much pointless drama.

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