Tag: historical fiction

Reviews

Hex Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Hex Review

Hex might be short, but it really packs a punch. Set in 16th century Scotland, it follows Geillis, a young woman accused of witchcraft and locked in a cold prison cell on the night before she’s executed. With her is Iris, a woman from the present day who somehow finds herself drawn back through time to be with her. It’s a strange but powerful connection that shows how little has changed for women across the centuries… the same fear, judgement and control still exist, just in different forms.

Fagan’s writing is raw and poetic, filled with emotion and quiet fury. Through Geillis’s story you feel the weight of injustice and the cruelty of those who twisted fear into power. Iris brings a more modern voice, one that reminds us that these stories aren’t as distant as we’d like to think. The blend of history and magic works beautifully, even if it sometimes makes you question where the line between truth and myth really sits.

The phrase “as they say, as they say” repeats throughout, and it’s one that lingers long after you finish reading. It captures how easily people accept things without question, how gossip and fear can become truth when repeated often enough. There were a few slower moments that didn’t add much, but they don’t take away from the overall impact. The story still hits with force, leaving behind a mix of sadness, rage and admiration for the women who refused to stay silent.

Hex is unsettling, powerful and unforgettable. It’s the kind of book that gets under your skin and sits with you long after you’ve closed it.

⭐️3/5 stars A small book with a big impact!

Reviews

Harriet Tubman Live in Concert Review

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In an age of miracles where our greatest heroes from history have magically, unexplainably returned to shake us out of our confusion and hate, Harriet Tubman is back, and she has a lot to say. Harriet Tubman and four of the enslaved persons she led to freedom want to tell their story in a unique way—by following in the footsteps of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton. Harriet wants to put on a show about her life, and she needs a songwriter to help her.

I have been a fan of Bob the Drag Queen for ages, so when I heard he’d written a book I knew I had to pick it up straight away. I’ll admit, historical fiction generally doesn’t excite me but Harriet Tubman back from the dead making a hip hop album kind of did it for me and honestly, it worked way better than I expected.

The story follows Darnell, a queer music producer who’s trying to figure himself out, and somehow ends up working with Harriet and her crew of Freemen to help tell the story of the Underground Railroad through music. It’s set in the present day, but there’s a lot of history packed in, some of it I knew, but a lot of it I didn’t. It never feels like a history lesson though. The way it’s written makes it easy to take in without it feeling heavy.

I liked that Darnell’s character actually had some depth. You really see him grow over the course of the story, especially around how he sees himself and where he fits. There’s a lot in here about identity, race and queerness that really makes you stop and think, but it’s still a fun read too.

The audiobook was definitely something special, with Bob narrating it themself. If you’re into Black queer stories, or even just want to read something original with a solid message, this one’s worth checking out!

⭐️5/5 stars a stunning debut by Bob the Drag Queen!

Reviews

Carrie Soto is Back Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on Carrie Soto is Back Review

By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan. At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the ‘Battle-Axe’ anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

Carrie was so fascinating and entertaining to read from. I loved seeing her throughout the course of her career and her life and how at each of these stages she evolves and grows. She is unapologetic about her success and feels as though she deserves it because she put in the work and isn’t afraid to say that out loud.

Bowe I wasn’t as attached to at the start because he comes in a bit later in the story. I did warm up to him though and I appreciated how he challenged Carrie and he wasn’t afraid to tell her the truth at any turn. He really stepped up when she needed him the most and communicated effectively when he needed it to be reciprocated which was lovely. He was also going through his own emotional and physical journey before his inevitable retirement and I loved the way he ended his career.

Taylor Jenkins Reid so far is the only author that creates historical fiction work that I actually enjoy! This book was absolutely amazing and I loved experiencing Carrie’s comeback. The sheer will and determination she shows even though everyone is doubting her at every turn, having those negative thoughts bouncing around in her head and still prevailing was inspiring. I feel like you have to either like or have an appreciation for tennis to fully become invested in this story and luckily for me it just worked beautifully!

⭐️5/5 stars I loved this, Carrie is a breath of fresh air!

Reviews

Siren Queen Review

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Luli Wei is beautiful, talented, and desperate to be a star. Coming of age in pre-Code Hollywood, she knows how dangerous the movie business is and how limited the roles are for a Chinese American girl from Hungarian Hill—but she doesn’t care. She’d rather play a monster than a maid. But in Luli’s world, the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones on screen. The studios want to own everything from her face to her name to the women she loves, and they run on a system of bargains made in blood and ancient magic, powered by the endless sacrifice of unlucky starlets like her. For those who do survive to earn their fame, success comes with a steep price. Luli is willing to do whatever it takes—even if that means becoming the monster herself.

Luli was an interesting character for sure. I enjoyed that she maintained her values as much as she could whilst on the rise to fame. She could of easily accepted her place at the studio and became one of the changelings but she stood her ground and never fully gave in or gave too much of herself. You have to be a bit selfish to abandon your family and steal your sisters name in the hopes of becoming a star which made her more realistic and relatable.

The writing was simply beautiful. Lyrical, descriptive and so atmospheric I could picture every single scene with clarity. It was a little difficult to imagine the studio space especially the first time Luli and Greta head to the fires, but you definitely get accustomed to the style and whimsy of this reality. I think not fully being aware of what’s happening and being a disoriented pulls us into the story and we get more a feel of what Luli is dealing with.

This book really teeters on the edge of fantasy without being outright fantastical. It was in your face but it would be brief and unassuming and no one would react to any of it. The Hollywood setting is just so interesting and I would of loved if we could of explored a little more of the filmmaking process than what we got. Being a part of the interviews and the red carpets instead of just being told about them.

There just wasn’t really any kind of built up of anticipation or stakes that kept me invested. In the end I was just reading to pretty much finish the book as opposed to having an interest in how these events were going to unfold.

⭐️3/5 stars A solid story just a touch too long.

Reviews

Malibu Rising Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Malibu Rising Review

I am pleasantly surprised how much I loved this!

Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book. I had a vague idea of what it was going to be about but when we get into it it just delves so much deeper into the lives of the Riva’s than what I was expecting. First I just thought it was going to just be all about Nina but then the timeline shifts to when Mick and June meet for the first time and everything comes full circle and is just beautiful to read.

I liked Nina’s character, she’s probably my second favourite of the Riva children behind Kit. I just loved seeing her character progression over the course of the story. Feeling abandoned by her dad and seeing her mum spiral out of control and having to pick up the pieces and find a way to raise the rest of her siblings and come up with the cash to pay all the bills. Then in present day having what happened to her mother happen to her when Brandon comes crawling back.

The multiple povs were a great way to highlight each of the Riva’s and we get to see how different they are from each other but also how committed to each other they are. I really feel like even though they have their differences because of what they have had to deal with growing up their bond will never be severed and that was lovely to read. Also the fact that each of them had their own issues and dramas that they were going through separately but all come together and get exposed in the end. It was just so entertaining and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading.

Overall I was highly invested in the story. The countdown to the party was a great way to build up the anticipation and keep me wanting to read on to see what was going to happen next. The journey of the Riva children was traumatic and sad yet they were able to overcome all of the adversity together and managed to excel in their lives despite not having any contact or help from their father.

⭐️5/5 stars This is the kind of historical fiction that I can get behind!!