The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy Book Review

On the first page we discover that in the space of a few months, Ariel Levy has lost her son, her marriage has fallen apart and she's lost her home. Levy then builds up to these events, recounting tales from her childhood and early adult life.

I loved the writing style, I really connected with it and liked how it flowed. I enjoyed the first half of the book and the stories told (which can be hit or miss when you don't know anything about the person before picking up the book). But towards the second half it fell apart a bit for me. It felt a bit chaotic, which is a bit understandable as there's a lot of grief and coming to terms with big changes. However this meant that there were times when something was mentioned but not expanded upon until a bit later, meaning things felt a bit inconsistent and confusing. There is a lot of privilege and entitlement that seeped through too that made me disconnect with Levy. Especially when she talked about money. I go into that in more detail in my Goodreads post which you can read here.

That said, I did enjoy the writing which is why I gave it 3 stars. I probably would have given it 2 if I didn't. 

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Cruel Acts by Jane Casey Book Review

Leo Stone was convicted a year ago of murdering 2 women and sentenced to life with no chance of parole. However his original trial is deemed a mistrial as it comes to light the jury, against advice, looked up Stone's previous criminal convictions and clouded their judgement. Stone is released and it's up to Detective Maeve Kerrigan and her colleagues to reexamine the evidence for a pending retrial. There is also a potential 3rd victim, who's body was never recovered and was only linked to Stone in a dubious manner which Maeve is determined to investigate more thoroughly.

I read the first chapter as a sample on another website and couldn't wait to get my hands on this. I was hooked from the word go! I love Casey's writing, about midway through the novel I thought I had it all figured out perfectly but there were more layers and surprises to go. Everything feels right, there doesn't seem to be shocks or twists just for the sake of them which I find happens sometimes with this genre. I enjoy Maeve and Josh Derwent's relationship most of the time, it's interesting and there's a chemistry there that is laced with love and hate. It shows how easy it is to trust someone's instincts or respect their work manner but at the same time be absolutely driven mad by them! I do wish we saw a bit more of Maeve's personal life. I know work is pretty much her life in some sense but I think Maeve could do with loosening up a bit. That said, it's a cracker of a book and I'm already looking forward to book 9!

Recipes for a Nervous Breakdown by Sophie White Book Review

I'll admit, my Irish Authors Month in March did not go well. At all. I finished two books in March, with only one of them being Irish (Things in Jars by Jess Kidd). Nothing from the TBR took my fancy. And then I remembered this book. I was at the Irish Book Awards when it was nominated in 2016. And Chloe from NurseFancyPants rated it highly too so I decided to get it from the library in a bid to break my reading slump.

Part memoir, part cookbook, Recipes for a Nervous Breakdown is a searingly honest account of Sophie White's experiences with mental health, her tempestuous relationship with her mother, the devastation of her father being diagnosed with early onset dementia, marriage and motherhood. It genuinely made me laugh, cry and ponder on events in my own life.

We also learn about how Sophie came to train as a cook and each chapter has recipes inspired by the subject of that chapter. I loved this format! For example when it came to the recipes for the chapter on her relationship with her husband, Sophie says she could have picked more traditionally romantic foods but instead chose curries as it sums them up better and honestly, I felt that. I've already earmarked a few recipes I want to try out. The photography in the book is beautiful too which is a bonus. A well balanced book.

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Things in Jars by Jess Kidd Book Review

Things in Jars in Kidd's 3rd novel. Set primarily in 1863 Victorian London, we follow Bridie Devine, flame haired detective living with her 7ft tall housekeeper Cora. Bridie is still recovering from her last case so she's surprised when she's approached to find Christabel Berwick. But Christabel is no ordinary child, she has teeth like a pike, a burning bite, attracts snails and newts and can pull the deepest of memories out of your mind. Throughout this mysterious case, Bridie is accompanied by the ghost of of a tattooed pugilist Ruby Doyle. Bridie and Doyle takes us around London trying to find Christabel and to discover who and what Christabel is.

This is my first Kidd book and at first I wasn't sure what to expect. There is such whimsy and fun in the writing at times but not too much that it was overly try hard. Once I got used to the flow and bounce of the prose I really enjoyed it. Kidd conjures up Victoria London so well, the sights, sounds and smells of city leap off the page. I loved Bridie. Smart, feisty, complex and quirky without feeling like a stereotype. We learn of Bridie's past too, how she came to possess the knowledge and skill of surgery that would see her working in the medical profession if she wasn't a woman. While there's plenty of fun in the book, Kidd also does an excellent job with the villains in this, the fear was palpable at times.

As someone who enjoys books set in the Victorian times, especially with a female protagonist, it's up there with my favourites. The supernatural, mythical element added something new and fresh. I'd love to see these characters again for another book! Charming, strange but beautiful.

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Book Review

Daisy Jones and The Six tells the history of the rise and fall of legendary 70s rock band. The book's format is very unique, transcribed as oral history from the band's members and other people in their lives such as family, manager and their sound editor to name a few. We hear how The Six formed, Daisy Jones's history, how she came to collaborate with them and how it all came crashing down so suddenly.

This story is the epitome of sex, drugs and rock n roll. The descriptions are so rich and delicious, from the fashion choices (denim on denim for Billy, the long luscious locks for the Daisy along with all her bangles and big hoop earrings) to the simmering and sometimes explosive tensions between band members. There's one scene where they are shooting their album cover and it's clear that the photographer is focusing on Billy and Daisy and while the other band members hate it, there's nothing they can do about it. It reminded me of the Don't Speak by No Doubt music video. Though let's be real, while reading this there's only one band on your mind, Fleetwood Mac. It's so evocative of their story, Jenkins Reid takes elements of it and makes it her own. I liked that there were layers in the band's story. Going in I thought it might be one dimensional but so much is touched on, who despised who, those that had more of a love/hate relationship, who was there for the good times, who loved who. You go in thinking that the downfall of the group is going to be one thing but see that it's a combination of different personal relationships as well as individual demon's that causes the implosion.

The writing style is done where the people are interviewed individually and then the story is told in chronological order. I liked the nuances where one person recounted an event one way only for the next line to be a different character relating it a different way. The only problem I had with this  format is that it would have been cool to have the individual interviews but also have sections where two or more people were interviewed together so you could see more of a discussion between them about the events. It would have added a nice extra layer, to see the characters interact with each other some bit rather than to just hear how they had previously interacted. I also thought the climax would have a much bigger impact, possibly because I was expecting something like The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo so I was a bit disappointed by that. However this book still has me super excited about a number of things

1) the audio book has multiple narrators, one for each character, which I think sounds like such a fun way to consume this book, like an audio documentary. I might listen to it again once it's released.

2) It's being made into a TV series because Reese Witherspoon loved the book so much and if done correctly it'll be such a visual treat

3) The end of the book has song lyrics and if they can nail the Fleetwood Mac vibes then it'll be incredible

4) There's a Spotify playlist to go along with this book which I just love the idea of. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas has a playlist too and I think these touches for books, especially books with music at the centre of the story, is such a cool

You know you've read a good historical fiction book when you want to know everything about what you've just read. Reading this book will make you want Daisy Jones and the Six to be real. You'll want to know everything about them. Unfortunately as they're not real you'll have to do what I'm doing now, Googling 60s Sunset Strip, 70s fashion, delving into the history of Fleetwood Mac while listening to the Rumours album, waiting for the TV show to be released.

March 2019 Irish Authors TBR

After the incredible 3 month long January and 4 hour feeling Februrary, we're finally in March. And I love to read Irish authors in March. Why this month? Probably because of St. Patrick's Day to be honest. And I like that we're now into the 3rd month of the year and it's a good time to have a themed or set reading month. With all the excitement of new releases and reading challenges with the new year starting, there's no way I'd be able to focus on a themed month in January or February.

I started reading only Irish authors back in March 2014 and since then I pretty much only read Irish authors. Every now and again towards the end of the month I might pick up something else and I like not being too tied down to the theme. I've mainly tried to stick to people born in Ireland but I think after this year I'll start branching out to people of Irish descent too. I have some books I own that I want to try read, I might not get around to all of them but thought I'd put together a TBR list for this month for some of the choices I'll probably pick up. Let's start with the physical books.

I own a nice stack of books by Irish authors but these are the ones I think I'll try focus on this month.

1. The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir by Lesley Allen. I got this free when I went to the Irish Book Awards in 2016. I don't know much about it, the book starts off with the main character Biddy ringing in to a TV show on the subject of bullying and she tells her story.

2. We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan. I couldn't tell you what this book is about without having to look it up first. To be honest I don't even know if I looked at what it was about when I bought it! I probably picked it up as I've enjoyed Sarah Crossan's other books One and Moonrise. That and it was a good price.

3. Beatlebone by Kevin Barry. I've read Dark Lies the Island the author, a collection of short stories that were haunting at times. Beatlebone is a fictionalised account set in 1978 of John Lennon going to the island he bought off west coast of Ireland. 

4. Solar Bones by Mike McCormack. Most of the people I follow on Goodreads have said not to read the blurb when it comes to this book which is what I've done. I bought this in 2017 and showed it in a haul post (which also included The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir). I've read half of those books, proving I'm rubbish when it comes to reading the books I buy.

Now on to the ebooks and audiobooks

1. Things in Jars by Jess Kidd. I featured this in my most anticipated reads for 2019 and I'm happy to say I have an ARC and I've already started it. Set in Victorian London with a female detective investigating a missing child, I'm really enjoying it so far.

2. The Wych Elm by Tana French. Another book featured in my most anticipated post, I love Tana French and I'm hoping her first book not set in the Dublin Murder Squad world doesn't disappoint.

3. When All is Said by Anne Griffin. This has been on my radar for the last week or so, mainly because it keeps popping up on the Rick O' Shea Book Club. 84 year old Maurice sits at a hotel bar and orders 5 different drinks, toasting a different person who impacted and shaped his life. In doing so we hear his life story. It's intrigued me so I requested a copy on NetGalley.

4. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. If you haven't heard Sally Rooney's name, then you probably live under a rock. I got this as an audio book during one of Audible's 2 for 1 sales.

There's a few other books I might pick up over the month. I'm mainly hoping I can get an early copy of Cruel Acts by Jane Casey as I've read the first chapter and I loved it. I have no non-fiction here so I might need to find one to break the month up too. 

If you've read any of these books let me know, it might help me pick it up faster!

Anticipated Book Releases 2019 January-April

There’s something about the beginning of the year, new year new book releases new reading challenges, that gets me hyped about reading. I love seeing if any favourite authors have upcoming books and coming across books from authors I haven’t heard of before. I’ve come across so many releases that I’ve split them into different blog posts. This one will concentrate on the first four months of the year.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

I really enjoyed One of Us is Lying, which was a murder mystery meets a mixture of The Breakfast Club and Gossip Girl. So I’m looking forward to reading the next book from the same author. I don’t know too much about it as I want to go into it cold. Ellery has to move in with her Grandmother in Echo Ridge, a town that has mysteries (her aunt disappeared from there at the age of 17) and dark secrets (5 years ago a homecoming queen was murdered). Of course, secrets have a way of coming out and causing mayhem. This book is already out, it was released January 10th and I’m on the wait list at the library

Duped: Double Lives, False Identities and the Con Man I Almost Married by Abby Ellin

After discovering that her fiancé was lying about who he was, Abby Ellin explores her own story, looks into the art of lying and talks to other people who have had similar stories. It sounds so fascinating, I’m always floored when I hear stories about people who have successfully lived double lives. January 15th






The Dead Queens Club by Hannah Capin

Take the story of Henry VIII and his wives, put it in a modern high school setting and you get a story that’s being billed as The Tudors meets Mean Girls. There’s a lot of mixed reviews for it on Goodreads but I’m just hoping for some campy good fun! January 29th







On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give was one of my favourite books from 2017. There’s a reason it’s so hyped and it’s well deserved. The story and characters are fantastic and the messages in the book are so so important. I was disappointed On the Come Up was pushed back from its release last year but I’m sure the wait will be well worth it. 16 year old Bri is the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died before he hit it big. Bri really wants to become a rapper and when her mom loses her job and bills start piling up, Bri no longer just wants to hit it big, she needs to hit it big. February 5th


The Wych Elm by Tana French

I mentioned this book in my September to December 2018 Book Releases post. It seems it was released in the US last October, as The Witch Elm, but it’s due to be officially released here in February as The Wych Elm. It’s Tana’s first stand alone novel, it’s not part of the Dublin Murder Squad series. I’ve heard it’s very slow paced and atmospheric but worth reading. As I’m a big fan of Tana, I’ll definitely be picking it up. February 21st




Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Written as an oral history of a fictional band, Daisy Jones and the Six, it tells the story of their rise in popularity and why the band split at the height of fame in the 70s. The concept sounds super unique, I’m getting a Fleetwood Mac vibe off the whole thing and it’s already been opted for a TV series by Reese Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine. And she has soon good taste in books judging by her book club! If that wasn’t enough, given that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was one of my favourites last year, it makes me even more hyped about this book. March 7th



The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith perfectly nails cosy crime books with his other series (I’ve read a lot of the No.1 Ladies Detectives Agency as well as some of the other ones too). Scandi-noir crime novels are dark, bleak, moody with serious subject matters. This is being billed as the opposite, Scandi-blanc! Detective Varg and his department deals with cases that the other police deem not worth the time, things that seem strange or inconsequential. Like why the local business owner was stabbed in the back of the knee. It sounds like the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency if it was set in Sweden and I know I’ll probably pick this up if I’m looking for something gentle but different. March 7th


Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman

When Jessica joins a classical music ensemble as a violinist in New York City, she thinks it’s a dream come true. Until she discovers the whole thing is a sham, the microphones are never on and the music is coming from a CD that sounds suspiciously like the Titanic soundtrack. From what I can tell this book doesn’t just centre around the story but is also a memoir of her life. The story alone though as me intrigued as it sounds batshit crazy! March 12th




Microtrends Squared by Mark Penn

I read the original Microtrends book back in college, about 10 years ago. It focuses on how the behaviour of tiny groups of people can have a larger effect on the population (off the top of my head I remember soccer moms being one of the groups in the first book!). With so many changes and advances over the past ten years, it’ll be interesting to see what’s being proposed as the next big small things in society. And it’ll be perfect for the Book Riot Read Harder challenge for a business book as it’s all about microeconomics. March 20th


The Mobster’s Lament by Ray Celestin

The Mobster’s Lament is book 3 in City Blue Quartet. The first book is The Axeman’s Jazz (set in New Orleans) and the second book is Dead Man’s Blues (set in Chicago). I’ve only read Dead Man’s Blues but it didn’t spoil The Axeman’s Jazz for me (I have a copy of this actually, I didn’t know Dead Man’s Blue was the follow up when I started reading it, otherwise I would have started with The Axeman’s Jazz!). The Mobster’s Lament is set in New York City and I plan on picking up The Axeman’s Jazz before this one! March 21st



Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe

I’m a big fan of Stibbe’s books and this will be the 3rd book with Lizzy Vogel, the first being Man at the Helm and the second Paradise Lodge. Lizzie is now 18 and trying to be an independent woman. Though she has a lot to learn about the realities of life and love. I’m sure it’ll be a great mixture of Stibbe’s usual charm, dry wit and dark humour. March 28th





Sex Power Money by Sara Pascoe
Animal by Sara Pascoe is one of my favourite books on feminism. It’s not perfect as it doesn’t have a lot of experiences with intersectionality but a lot of it is from Sara’s own experiences and Sara acknowledges and addresses the lack of intersectionality by saying she doesn’t expect her book to be the definitive in feminism, she just wants to be apart of the conversation. I expect this will be a follow on look at feminism and I’m hoping it’ll be just as funny as Animal. The publisher’s catalogue says March 28th but Amazon says 27th August so fingers crossed it’s sooner rather than later! March 28th


Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

I’ve heard of Jess Kidd before and you probably have too (Himself and The Hoarder) but have yet to pick up any of her novels. This caught my eye as it’s a Victorian murder mystery with a female detective. Er, yes please! Sign me up! April 4th







The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion

This is book 3 in The Rosie Project series, book two The Rosie Effect came out 2o14. I enjoyed the previous two books, though as I was unaware this series was to be continued I’m not super hyped for it. However I’m sure I will pick it up at some stage as I am interested in seeing how the story progresses. April 4th






Cruel Acts by Jane Casey

Book 8 in the Maeve Kerrigan detective series and I can’t wait to read it! One of my favourite crime series and this book can’t come out quick enough. I read books 2-7 over the space of a month in 2017 so it really can’t come quick enough! April 4th







I’ve already started to keep tabs on the releases for May onwards but I’m going to wait to post these until the end of March or beginning of April. Let me know what new books you’re most looking forward to reading this year.

On another note, I wrote this post in January but then Open Writer, the programme I use to write and publish posts, developed some issue with Google changing something to do with how photos are uploaded or something. IDK. Anyway, I ended up removing the photos, adding this as a draft to edit on Blogger and then got super frustrated because I can NEVER get my posts to look the way I want them to using the Blogger editor. It took me ages, editing the HMTL to get the post to look semi decent and it makes me regret not choosing WordPress when I originally started the blog. Sigh