Beware of the book dragon!

Deep Water is Sarah Epstein's latest mystery thriller book, which focuses on a boy, Henry Weaver, who goes missing in a small town in New South Wales, Australia. This gripping tale is full of secrets and makes for an entertaining read! The question ‘Where is Henry Weaver?’ was always on my mind when I read this book. It was gripping and I wanted to get to the bottom of what happened to Henry so quickly that I may have given myself book whiplash! The descriptions of the town, The Shallow, made the feel of the book seem extremely moody- something that is mirrored in some of the characters, something I really liked about this one. The characters were all morally grey and not at all fluffy (and sunshine and rainbows), which made me understand and empathise with them. Chloe Baxter, one of our main characters, was portrayed as often bossy and rather inquisitive- something I sometimes find in myself. I loved that Chloe attempts to do the right thing and find out what happened to her f...

Here's the stats for Wednesday the 22nd of April to Tuesday the 28th of April 2020! Books I've finished this week: 1. Dead Popular 2. Snow Books I've started this week: 1. Shatter City 2. Incarnate Reading goals update: 4/12 classics tbr 5/12 goodreads tbr 6/12 #loveozya tbr Reading stats: Smallest amount of pages read in a day: 39 (this was on Saturday the 25th) Largest amount of pages read in a day: 151 (this was on Friday the 24th) Total pages read this week: 785 Average pages read per day: 112.1 pages

You’re at a prestigious boarding school, you’re head house prefect, and you’re popular. Life sounds pretty brilliant for Kate Jordan-Ferreira in Sue Wallman’s Dead Popular, right? Not all is as it seems in this twisty young adult mystery. Kate is in fifth form at Mount Norton, a highly prestigious school known for its artwork, and is chosen as the house prefect for Pankhurst house. Everything is as it seems, having the top room with the nicer coloured sheets, her best friends as vice-prefects, and being in perfect position to claim Hugo from one of the other houses as hers. Well, that was the plan before Wibbz, the Pankhurst housemistress was fired. The new housemistress, Ms Calding, aims to change all that- starting with making sure that everyone’s adhering to the house rules. Although she’s supposed to be a role model, Kate is now forced to go behind the new housemistress’ back to plan the annual Pankhurst party, following the party Veronica, the previous year’s prefect, threw la...

Oh how this made me feel the pressure that was put on our dear beloved Cormac Reilly! This third installment in the series was excellent to listen to on audio- it was tense, captivating, and had the investigation and police procedural elements that I really loved from the first books in the series. I truly loved how there was many things going on, and I could piece together everything as it went on.  I loved the different perspectives throughout the book, but I still want more of Reilly! I felt so sad in parts of the book where Reilly was put through tough or demanding situations, but I love how the whole suspension thing didn't stop him from doing anything- some advice I sorely need at this point in time. I hadn't had a clue who was to trust until the end of the book, which is something I really enjoyed, as it kept me guessing throughout! I also loved how the audiobook made it so easy for me to imagine the setting (Ireland) and the characters, which truly brought Mc...

Here's the stats for Wednesday the 15th of April to Tuesday the 21st of April 2020! Books I've finished this week: 1. House of Earth and Blood 2. Beyond the Break 3. Lady Chatterley's Lover 4. Night Owls and Summer Skies Books I've started this week: 1. Dead Popular 2. Snow Reading goals update: 4/12 classics tbr 5/12 goodreads tbr 6/12 #loveozya tbr Reading stats: Smallest amount of pages read in a day: 96 (this was on Tuesday the 21st) Largest amount of pages read in a day: 201 (this was on Wednesday 15th) Total pages read this week: 886 Average pages read per day: 126.6 pages

A gut-wrenching thriller, that sounds so dark that couldn't be true! I enjoyed the different perspectives, alongside the descriptions that were given to me, whilst on audio. Although it was hard at times to follow, I felt rather engrossed in the story as a whole. The gritty, crime and poverty filled nature of the setting, Atlantic City sounds like it has happened in real life (I can't say for sure, I live across the world). I loved the whole premise behind Lily's motives for coming back to Atlantic City after having (what felt like) it all previously. I also enjoyed the young voice in Clara, as well as understanding why Luis has it tough in the city whilst also being deaf. Overall, a truly thrilling listen, that had me gritting my teeth! Rating: 3.5/5

I was super keen for this one, but it didn't live up to what I was hoping for. I knew it'd be a slow read for a lot of the book, giving it is the first one in a new series, however there was so. much. infodumping. I became really bored with the book within 200 pages as a result, which was a shame, but I pushed through anyways because I'm stubborn like Bryce Quinlan and her painful leg. Even though the world building was suboptimal, I did enjoy Bryce and Jesiba as characters. I enjoyed how Bryce was trying to navigate the world with Hunt being essentially being a pain in her right backside. I also was delighted to read that Hunt was a giant tease as well, and that definitely made the book a lot more bearable towards the end. Rating: 2/5

Here's the stats for Wednesday the 8th of April to Tuesday the 14th of April 2020! Books I've finished this week: 1. Deep Water 2. A Song Below Water 3. Murder on the Links Books I've started this week: 1. House of Earth and Blood 2. Beyond the Break Reading goals update: 3/12 classics tbr 5/12 goodreads tbr 6/12 #loveozya tbr Reading stats: Smallest amount of pages read in a day: 174 (this was on Thursday the 9th) Largest amount of pages read in a day: 258 (this was on Wednesday 8th) Total pages read this week: 1375 Average pages read per day: 196.4 pages

To celebrate the release of the new cover for Laila Lalami's Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, here's my tour stop for the book! Here's a brief synopsis: Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits evokes the grit and enduring grace that is modern Morocco. As four Moroccans illegally cross the Strait of Gibraltar in an inflatable boat headed for Spain, author Laila Lalami asks, What has driven them to risk their lives? And will the rewards prove to be worth the danger? There’s Murad, a gentle, unemployed man who’s been reduced to hustling tourists around Tangier; Halima, who’s fleeing her drunken husband and the slums of Casablanca; Aziz, who must leave behind his devoted wife in hope of securing work in Spain; and Faten, a student and religious fanatic whose faith is at odds with an influential man determined to destroy her future. Sensitively written with beauty and boldness, this is a gripping book about what propels people to risk their lives in search of a better future...

Here's the stats for Wednesday the 1st of April to Tuesday the 7th of April 2020! Books I've finished this week: 1. The Year the Maps Changed 2. Slay Books I've started this week: 1. Deep Water 2. A Song Below Water 3. House of Earth and Blood Reading goals update: 3/12 classics tbr 4/12 goodreads tbr 5/12 #loveozya tbr Reading stats: Smallest amount of pages read in a day: 137 (this was on Monday the 6th and Tuesday 7th) Largest amount of pages read in a day: 175 (this was on Wednesday 1st-Saturday 4th) Total pages read this week: 1129 Average pages read per day: 161.3 pages

Jumping into this book as an audiobook, I found that it was entertained enough by the supreme slowburn mystery that was unfolding from the get-go. I truly loved how both the past and the present were interwoven, and essentially converged at points.  I loved the detail that went into this book (from an audio perspective), as it felt that I was right there, on the island and then in the city with our main character Claire/Emily. I also loved the descriptiveness of Alison's tapes, with flashbacks to Claire's own past. I enjoyed the fictional island, and descriptions of its natives, and how the natives were framed (and then later cleared) for the death of Alison. It was also nice to see one of the suspects reappear in Claire's life, as you don't usually find out the suspects in a crime/mystery in that way until the end of the book, so that was super refreshing. Overall, an enjoyable listen that left me on a cliffhanger! Rating: 4/5

Here's the stats for Wednesday the 25th of March to Tuesday the 31 of March 2020! Books I've finished this week: 1. The Vanishing Deep 2. Above All Else 3. Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits 4. Infinity Son Books I've started this week: 1. Deep Water Reading goals update: 3/12 classics tbr 4/12 goodreads tbr 5/12 #loveozya tbr Reading stats: Smallest amount of pages read in a day: 80 (this was on Thursday the 26th) Largest amount of pages read in a day: 198 (this was on Saturday the 28th) Total pages read this week: 857 Average pages read per day: 122.4 pages