#130 What Beauty There Is

 What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson 

Today im bringing you a spotlight post for 'What Beauty There is' by the lovely Cory Anderson. Unfortunately there was a few issues with the netgalley link and i only received my physical copy (which im super grateful for, thank you so much Dave, Cory and the guys over at Penguin) I have started the book but havent finished it in time to post a review, lets blame toddlers and a stressful house move! I must say though that i have been really enjoying what ive read so far and usually if i wasnt so unusually busy i would have flew through this, i will post a proper review on Goodreads and Amazon when i do finish. A massive shout out to the author as shes been so engaging over on instagram and its been so lovely to see! 

• Publisher: Penguin 
• Page count: 360
• Release Date: 8th April 2021
• Genre: YA mystery/thriller 

Blurb (taken from Goodreads) 

Winter. The sky is dark. It is cold enough to crack bones.

Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.

Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Trust no one. Now Victor Bardem is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up Jack's trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or help the brothers survive.

Choices. They come at a price. 

Author 

Cory was born in Idaho and grew up an outdoor-girl in the rugged Middle Rockies. Her father, a park ranger, encouraged her to explore the woods and find “what beauty there is” in the world. He taught her to camp, and how to survive in the forest in winter. She later learned they didn’t have a lot of money, but as a child she never knew it. She had two best friends: Nature, and books.

All Cory’s life she’s felt the strong bonds of family and siblings. Her writing is based in these close relationships, and in the gritty experience of growing up in the wild Rocky Mountains. 

(continued on the authors website here) 

Links:

Twitter

Instagram

Amazon UK 

#129 The ABC Murders

 The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

Ive very recently gotten into Agatha Christie's books and ive heard a lot about this book in particular so it was one of the highest on my list to check out. Ive since made a list of both the Poirot and Miss Marple novels and im trying to pick them up and read them in order now. Since reading this one i have also picked up The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Poirot #1) and Murder at the Vicarage (Marple #1), the only other AC books ive read are And then there were none and Murder on the Orient Express so im developing quite a taste for her books to say the least!

The ABC Murders is a Poirot novel written in the 1930's and is the 13th book in the series and from what ive seen on Goodreads, Booktube and Bookstagram this is one of the most beloved AC novels. The book starts off with Poirot receiving an anonymous letter from someone who only refers to themself as 'ABC' and he claims that he will commit a series of murders that both Poirot and the police will not be able to solve. The main plot of the book is that the murderer kills a person with a name beginning with A, the victim also lives in a place beginning with the same letter. The second victims name begins with a B and so on. Poirot is immediatley at a loss of how he will solve these murders and apprehend the murderer. 

Ive heard that this book is very different and unique from the main series that AC has written. Having only read a few Poirot novels i havemt fully got a sense of the style just yet but what i do know is that Poirot is a good detective, very observant and a little bit of a know it all, of all the other Poirot books ive read there is a basic investigation which Poirot tends to keep his cards to his chest and then there will be a chapter towards the end where Poirot reveals the murderer and explains how he worked it out. The ABC Murders is a little different in the sense that Poirot seems stumped for the majority of the book. The killings in this book are very random whereas in the other books there also seems to be a motive and one person that benefits from the victims death more so than the others. There are also very minimal clues to go on which is another unusual aspect of the book. The other thing that sets this book apart is that it is following a serial killer whereas most of the other books revolve around a singular murder. All in all these elements made for a really good read. 

I found this book to be fast paced, interesting and an all round good read. It was a different read from her usual novels. I always love guessing the ending but the ending always has me stumped. I think this would be a good starting place for people wanting to check out AC! I cant wait to continue reading more by her. 

#128 The Castaways

 The Castaways by Lucy Clarke 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Harper Collins UK for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

When i requested this one i had no clue what it was about but the cover gave me The Island by CL Taylor (which was another Netgalley arc) and Lord of the Flies vibes. I really adore survival stories and find myself straying towards them more and more. After the first few chapters i realised this was a story about a plane crash that left the remaining surviving passengers stranded on an island off the coast of Fiji. 

The story follows the story of sisters Lori and Erin who were meant to be going on a luxery holiday to Fiji to escape their lives in London. Lori has just split from her husband after he admitted to having an affair and Erin is living from paycheque to paycheque doing a job that doesnt make her happy. The sisters are planning on taking the holiday to reconnect but when the night before the flight they have a huge argument only Lori makes the flight.

The story is told is past tense Lori during and the aftermath of the plane crash and present day (2 years later) Erin who has never given up on knowing what happened to sister and her search for answers. At the very beginning of the story the planes pilot Mike Brass turns up in Fiji very much alive with only one problem, hes not talking. Erin immediatley realises there is more to the story and flies out to Fiji to get her answers. 

Meanwhile in Lori's chapters we get to know the other survivors, Mike, Daniel, Felix and 4 month old Sonny. It has a very Lord of the Flies feel in that you dont know who you can trust and as rations dwindle the group become more and more tense. I was constantly wary of Daniel and Felix and less so but sometimes of Mike too and the fear of what might come of the baby was terrifying! 

For me the thing i really enjoyed about this was that the chapters felt like very different stories but they merged so beautifully. Lucy Clarke is an excellent writer and definitely one to watch. Just when i would find myself favouring one timeline over the other the author would draw me back in with a little twist or mini cliffhanger and i was constantly left wanting to know more. I enjoyed both sisters and they were so realistically done, they felt so real to me and that really amped up my enjoyment levels. This book is 100% worth a read, i wont say too much more as i dont want to ruin the mystery/thriller elements of it but pick it up and read it.