michelles_book_nook's reviews
260 reviews

The Prison Doctor: The Final Sentence by Dr Amanda Brown

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

⚠️ TW: self harm, mental health, homophobia, brief mentions of war ⚠️ This book is so eye opening to a side of heathcare that I knew nothing about and I found it really interesting. This book follows Dr Amanda Brown as she works in Foreign National Prison and all the people she comes into contact with. Yet again Dr Brown gave us an incredibly interesting, emotional and heartbreaking read that I couldn't put down. And it included tales of certain prisoners that truly hit my heart and will stay with me. However I felt this one was a but disjointed because rather than focusing on one part of her career like her previous books, this one switched between her time in the Foreign National Prison and her time as an out of hours doctor and unfortunately this did impact of the flow while reading which is why I dropped it down a star. Overall, I really loved reading this book and highly recommend it.
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My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissay

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

⚠️ TW: racism, institutional trauma, mental health, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse and brief mentions of self harm ⚠️
This book had me welling up with tears so badly 😭 This book follows Lemn who was placed in care in the 60's during a particularly horrible time for young mothers and his heartbreaking story of his life and how he had to fight to succeed despite the cruelty and failings he had to endure at the hands of the care system. There are truly no words to explain the things that take place within this book but unfortunately this is a true story not only for Lemn but for so many other children raised in care. And despite this being a harrowing and emotional read it is also one of hope. Also, stories like this are really important to discuss and document so that they can be used as learning experiences and not allowed to occur ever again. Overall, I highly recommend giving this quick read from the new 2022 collection a go but please make sure to read the trigger warnings first.
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Bunny by Mona Awad

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

⚠️ TW: drug use, murder, animal abuse ⚠️ Sometimes books leave you completely dumbfounded and this is definitely one of them 🤯 This book follows Samantha Mackey who is a scholar student at the highly elite Warren University who prefers her dark imagination to the world she is trapped in and the people that surround her, especially an unbearable clique known as the bunnies. Until the day she receives an ominous invitation that sends her down one hell of a rabbit hole. Wow this book is an absolute rollercoaster of a mind f*ck and I have no other way to describe it but it really wasn't for me unfortunately. I appreciated and enjoyed the snide undertones and outright mocking of clique culture, sororities and the world of the elite and ivy league institutions but other than that I was just constantly thinking what the heck is going on. I kept reading in the hope something would click and make some sort of sense but unfortunately it didn't, but i weirdly couldnt stop reading either. Despite that I did really like Samantha and Ava. However, everything was so overly erotic and sex crazed to the point it was just plain strange in my opinion. Overall, I personally wouldn't recommend it but please don't let my review put you off reading this book because I know a lot of people have loved it.
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The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book fills your heart with all the myths, folklore and fairy-tales you could possibly wish for. The Language of Thorns is a beautiful collection of midnight tales and dangerous magic of the Grishaverse. Leigh Bardugo is an amazing fantasy mastermind who will make you feel like a child listening to bedtime stories that transport you to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, haunted towns and hungry woods, talking beasts and gingerbread golems, mermaids who summon deadly storms and magical rivers that do a lovestruck boy's bidding for a terrible price. I absolutely loved each and every story and they had me completely captivated and reminded me of the Grimm fairy-tales. Overall, I highly recommend reading this beauty and immersing yourself in Bardugo's incredible stories.
The Lives of Saints by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark hopeful informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: self-harm, murder ⚠️ This book is so stunning both visually and with its stories. The Lives of Saints, or Istorii Sankt'ya as it is referred to in the Grishaverse books, is a collection of tales about the saints from the Grishaverse and how they gained their sainthoods. This book is so amazing and helps you to become even more wholly immersed into the incredible fantasy world of the Grishaverse by learning of the stories mentioned so regularly throughout the books. Also, this book is fully illustrated and is just so beautiful and such a keepsake for anyone that adores the Grishaverse and its books. Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough and is one I will definitely read again.
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Big Panda & Tiny Dragon by James Norbury

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Wow this book is truly a treat for the eyes and the mind! This stunning book Big Panda and Tiny Dragon as they adventure through the seasons of the year together. And even though they often get lost it leads them to discover beautiful things both in nature and themselves. They explore the hardships and happiness that connects us all while learning to live in the moment, how to be at peace with uncertainty and how to find the strength to overcome life's obstacles together. This book is so relatable and can be linked to so many aspects in life and the messages and incredible illustrations behind this precious story will truly stay with me. I'm not usually one to share quotes from books but these two in particular really stood out to me. "Just because you don't know where you are going, it doesn't mean you are lost" and "Even a damaged tree can produce the most beautiful blossoms". I highly recommend reading this book and it is one I will treasure forever and most likely re-read a lot ❤
The Nurse by J.A. Corrigan

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

⚠️ TW: murder, suicide, drug use, racism, homophobia, misogyny, stillbirth, pregnancy/postnatal complications, infertility ⚠️ This book is so complex that your brain will be flooded. This book follows Rose Marlowe who is a nurse, loving wife and a self confessed merciless killer, but as she tells her story to former journalist and true crime writer, Theo, he poses the question as to if she is a heartless killer or an innocent victim. This one was a bit hit and miss for me. I enjoyed it but there were also quite a lot of bits I didn't. Personally I loved that it was set in our local area so a lot of the locations were familiar even if they aren't explicitly named. I also really liked that it made you consider a lot of moral and psychological dilemmas while maintaining a compelling storyline which included some Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome representation which is a condition I have myself. However, the things I didn't like were little things in some ways like the misogyny in the medical field when it comes to women, a snide remark that was made regarding the nursing profession and how it was somewhat inferior to medicine like it was some sort of consolation prize and isn't a worthy career and a gendered quote regarding one of the characters bookcases, how "quite a few I wouldn't have envisaged on a bloke's shelf" which made me question why we're gendering books 🤷🏼‍♀️ and mainly that there were just so many characters to keep track of! Overall, it is a compelling read and even though I guessed the majority of twists it still made me want to continue reading and I can see why others have really enjoyed so please don't be put off by my review.
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Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous emotional reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: arranged marriage, suicidal thoughts, brief mentions of miscarriage and stillbirth ⚠️ Wow, Leigh Bardugo has created absolute perfection with this one!! 😍 This is the second book in the King of Scars duology and follows Nikolai, Zoya and Nina as they all fight to forge a future in the darkness or risk watching their nation fall. As a King, a General and a spy they all have battles to fight both for themselves and their nation, but as everything becomes treacherous can they manage to find a balance and still come out victorious. This book was mind blowingly gripping, so fast paced and such a rollercoaster. So much goes on within this book that it's hard to review without spoilers but omg if I could give this more stars then I absolutely would. It is the perfect finale (potentially) to the Grishaverse books and I loved it so much! However it also broke me. I thought KOS was bad for making me cry but this one took it to a whole different level. Despite it giving me emotional damage, it also gave so much more by making me smile until my cheeks hurt, swoon like a lovestruck teenager and have my heart beating out of my chest with suspense. As well as providing some amazing representation for the LGBTQ+ community 👏🏼 Honestly everything about this book was perfection for me and I cannot recommend it highly enough!
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King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ TW: arranged marriage, child marriage and brief mentions of miscarriage and stillbirth ⚠️ Firstly, WOW! Leigh Bardugo did it again and left me not being able to put down one of her books 🙈 This book is the first in this duology and it primarily follows Nikolai and Zoya after Ravka's civil war but no one knows what he truly endured during that bloody time in his country's history and he intends to keep it that way. However as enemies gather at Ravka's weakened borders he needs to find ways to refuel his country's dire finances, forge new alliances and stop the rising threat to the Grisha Army. Yet as the days go by the dark, ominous magic inside him threatens to destroy everything he has built before his enemies can even begin which leaves him with no other option but to risk everything in order to save himself and his country before it's too late. This book was incredible and has easily become one of my favourite Grishaverse books. So much happens and it is hard to review without giving spoilers but Leigh Bardugo absolutely smashed it! It had me crying, swooning and my heart beating out of my chest with suspense and anticipation. The two main things above everything that I loved most about this book are the brilliant multiple storylines between Nina and Nikolai and Zoya and I loved that we got to know more about Zoya and Nikolai and their back stories from childhood. Also, as with the other Grishaverse books there is so much great representation for the LGBTQ+ and disability communities which I love to see. And omg that ending! Overall, I highly recommend reading this book and I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this duology.
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The Enigma of Ted Bundy: The Questions and Controversies Surrounding America's Most Infamous Serial Killer by Kevin M. Sullivan

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dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I love a great true crime read and this one definitely hit the spot! This book follows Ted Bundy and his crimes as well as those who had near misses and close encounters with him. I found this book really interesting and even though I've read a lot on TB, I still learnt things I didn't know before like a couple of (potential) encounters such as Michele Komen and Cheri Ranes. Sometimes it can be difficult to get non-fictions right by making sure they have a good balance of interesting information while at the same time as not being too slow or dragging out points but I think Sullivan really perfected that balance in my opinion. Overall, this is a great true crime read and I highly recommend it. Just one tip though, Sullivan has wrote a number of books on TB over his career and he is well known for not repeating previous information in more than one book so if he is new to you or you're new to the Bundy case then I would definitely recommend reading his Bundy books in order.