arwenundomiel03's reviews
159 reviews

Hitler's Canary by Sandi Toksvig

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? No

5.0

This was a fantastic last minute discovery and final book of the year. Even better because it is an audiobook and was read by Sandi Toksvig! It was really interesting to learn about the German occupation of Denmark and especially about the Danish resistance and how they rescued Danish Jews and helped them escape to Sweden. I also particularly liked the fact that so much of this was based on Sandi’s actual family and was true. She said at the end that the only parts that she had to embellish was due to her father no longer being alive to tell her the stories any more. I can absolutely recommend it; although it is quite dark and graphic at times. 
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The Snowman: Inspired by the original story by Raymond Briggs by Michael Morpurgo

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adventurous emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was such a sweet retelling of The Snowman and brought it to life so brilliantly. 
Doctor Who: Eden Rebellion by Abi Falase

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

This was a spectacular read. It was really interesting to read a book about characters that have telepathic experiences- but to have it described in a way of taking on and physically experiencing each others emotions. It resonated a lot with how I experience life. I also found the descriptions of the sensory experiences of the world really interesting and again something that I resonated with. I particularly loved the consistent use of Mavity rather than Gravity, and was interested to read in the acknowledgments that the book was based on, or drew heavily from, the colonisation of Hawaii and the Caribbean. 
Come Close by Sappho

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emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

3.5

Som en gnista by Elle McNicoll

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing 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? Yes

5.0

Jag är så stolt att jag ha läst det här boken. Det är den först novel att jag ha läst på svenska (kanske faktiskt på något annat språk!!) och det var självklart  fantastisk. Det är min favoritbok, och jag ha reviewed det innan, så jag ska inte säger för mycket nu, men jag älskade det - det var juste så bra på svenska än på engelska och gett mig en stort ’sense of achievement’ eftersom det var den först novel på svenska jag ha läst någonsin!!!
I Haven't Been Entirely Honest with You by Miranda Hart

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challenging emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.0

This, I have to say, was not the book I was expecting it to be, but it was impeccably timed and very enjoyable nonetheless. I was expecting it to be more of a comedy book - like her other one I had previously read, but this was actually more of a self-help book - but it was a really good one. There were a few things I didn’t like so much - the use of the term Highly Sensitive Person for one, but there was a lot of it that I really agreed with and have tried to take on board. I have in fact already used part of it (trying to sit with my emotions and not apologise for them when I don’t need to) this week and it came off really really well - I didn’t stay grumpy for long but allowed myself to feel it and not admonish myself for it either. 
Some of the audio recording do sound like she has recorded it at home - which took me by surprise the first time the audio changed, but it was kind of charming and certainly didn’t effect my enjoyment of the book. I can absolutely recommend!
When Sharks Attack with Kindness by Andrés J. Colmenares

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

This was a very cute read. I obviously particularly loved the shark characters, and in particular the shark and pilotfish pair, because they were adorable and such good friends. I loved several of the comics, and some of them I had seen before, so it was cool to come across ones that I did recognise! Some of them felt a little out of the theme, but mostly, an extreme cute little read!
Ghosts: Brought to Life by Simon Farnaby, Ben Willbond, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard, Martha Howe-Douglas, Mathew Baynton

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emotional funny informative lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

5.0

An absolute 5 star read. I love a good behind the scenes book, and this really was a good behind the scenes book. I loved exploring and learning more about the show, and what went into it, the joy that everyone had making it and how genuine all of it was. There were some fantastic facts in there too which were both remarkable and enjoyable. I can absolutely recommend reading it - whether you’re a fan of the show or not (although maybe watch it first!!). 
The Autist's Guide to the Galaxy: navigating the world of ‘normal' people by Clara Törnvall

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informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.5

This was a very interesting read. I definitely didn’t relate to everything in it, and I didn’t enjoy the way that some things were written as though they were fact, or a fact for everyone, when they are a fact for some people and not others. I did enjoy the way that being autistic was written as the norm in the book, and that being NT was not - it was interesting to see it flipped on its head and see a familiar format from a different pov. As much as it is designed and written for autistic people, I would definitely also recommend it to non-autistics, as it is really good and engaging educational tool. 
The Chocolate Box - a Hercule Poirot Short Story by Agatha Christie

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mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I did really like this one - I’m just not giving it as high a rating as others because it was slightly less engaging and hooking as other poirot stories. I really enjoyed it as a concept though, and thought it was a brilliant way of doing a short story - writing it from the pov of Poirot telling Hastings a tale, rather than exploring the plot in the first person. It allowed for greater licence for it to be a short story (omitting parts that maybe wouldn’t have been and it been a full length story). I also think it didn’t really have the ability to be expanded further as a story or concept, so it was a good idea on her part to keep it as a short story.