philantrop's reviews
1806 reviews

The Bunk Up by Andie M. Long, D H Sidebottom

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slow-paced

0.25

Regressive, Reckless, and Ridiculous: Meet the Worst Book I've Ever Read


In all honesty, this is the worst book I’ve ever read. It’s so backwards-leaning, demented, idiotic, and irresponsible, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Long and Sidebottom are actually Trump and Musk respectively.

Daisy is our female protagonist who has just been cheated on by her boyfriend, been fired from her job, and, encouraged by friends, now wants to take a holiday. To give you a first idea of what Daisy is like, let’s examine her thoughts about that:

»My pout returns when I remember she’s right. I have no job to try and take holidays from. I have no boyfriend to seek permission from.«

The male protagonist, Frazer, is by no means better. 

»From what I know, Nigel is a prize ass, anyway, and I’m sure no mother could be proud of a son who wears brown corduroys and a feather fucking earring while he sticks toenail clippings to bits of cardboard – all at the same time.«

His behaviour resembles that of a reckless, careless, horny teenager. He doesn’t mind “forgetting” using a condom much and when asked to visit the local pharmacy for the pill after, he refuses because he’s a man…

Daisy's reaction to this is… surprising as well: She starts hopping, “Trying to get it all out. You know, fling it downwards!” as a means of birth control.

Frazer also thinks “pulling out” is a valid method of contraception, and so does Daisy, as she doesn’t even react to it. He also doesn’t mind jumping the next available female despite harbouring very strong feelings for Daisy. To get rid of said woman the morning after, he behaves extremely rudely and insultingly to her.

There’s also a notable side character called Frank. Frank seems to be a middle-aged white male of the “disgusting sexist” variety. Whenever and wherever he sees a woman, he greets her like this:

»Frank is sitting at his spot on the bench, and lifting a hand in greeting to me, he shouts out, “Morning, sugar tits.”«

And this is by far the most “harmless” greeting…

Fittingly, the writing feels cheap and bland, with absolutely no highlights and humour of this type:

»He makes money out of used loo rolls and my life is so shit I need the toilet tissue.«

There’s a lot of sex and I usually don’t complain about smut but the sparse and barren language as well as a complete absence of noticeable, credible desire or at least lust gives it a mechanical, transactional, and sometimes clinical feeling. Let’s take a look at Daisy’s and Frazer’s first “encounter” (abridged):

»“Show me your dick and I’ll sign the piece of paper.”
[...]
“Oh yeah. Okay then. Here goes.”
[...]
He winks at me. “Fine with me. Listen. This is going to sound weird, but can I touch your boob just a little bit?”
[...]
“Okay.”
[...]
“I want to touch it.”
[...]
“You can if you want but then you’ll have to excuse me to go to the loo and know I’m going to think about your body as I beat off. I’ve gone past the point of no return here.”«

This, fellow readers, is how they fall in insta-love. It is also the moment when I started feeling nauseous.

Even though this is more of a novella, there’s still tons of filler material, e. g. Daisy going on a dinner date (a disaster both story- and novel-wise) during which she complains about the size of one of the waiter’s eyes…

»The waiter huffs loudly and shifts from one foot to the other. I’d feel sympathetic for him but he definitely has one eye bigger than the other and looks down right shifty.«

The authors go on, and on, and on to put every single shitty cliché into their novel…

»Shirley reaches out and pats Daisy’s hand. “Aww, darling, you should have said if you’re premenstrual.”«

… to “dumb blondes”...

»Maybe because, a, your dick definitely does NOT taste of lychees like you promised.«

… and great, loving parenting styles…

»Your brother ran away at thirteen when I told him he couldn’t dye his hair pink. He did the same at fourteen when I told him his new earring looked stupid. It was a peacock feather, for God’s sake.«

There’s even blackfacing…

»Kathy and I are dressed in hoodies and jeans. We’ve put the darkest fake tan on our faces and hands so we look a different race altogether from a distance. That’s what we’re going to be all night long.«

This could go on for all of the 260 pages of this irredeemably bad book, one of the very few without any redeeming qualities at all. 

There was one moment, though, that made me laugh out loud but, unfortunately, it was unintentionally funny and only serves to show how, uhm, “intellectually challenged” these authors are:

»She then turns over and is out as if someone has put a chlorophyll-filled tissue in her face.«

Dear Andie and D.H., the word you were looking for is “Chloroform” which firmly belongs to the 19th and early 20th century from which your novel’s jokes, ideas about gender, sex, and societal norms also come. 

Your verbal diarrhoea is disgusting and solely garners one star out of five because I can’t give none. 




Broken Bones by Angela Marsons

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Not as sharp as before, but Kim Stone’s grit keeps me hooked.


Angela Marsons’ “Broken Bones” follows Kim Stone and her tireless team as they delve into a network of crimes that expose the darkest corners of society. While its predecessor left me enthralled, this one felt like a slight step back in terms of sheer suspense, character development, and immediacy of action.

“Broken Bones” deals with issues of desperation, abuse, and exploitation, exploring the ways marginalised people navigate a world indifferent to their suffering. Among the novel’s many strengths, Detective Kim Stone continues to stand out. Her tenacity, resilience, and willingness to challenge perceptions radiate in every chapter. 

»He turned to look at her. ‘You’re advising me on positivity?’
‘Oh, the irony,’ she observed.«  

The novel also examines the complexity of human behaviour. In a powerful scene, Kim reflects on the limitations of stereotyping:  

»’A contradiction, eh?’ Bryant asked.
Kim shook her head. ‘Just a person, Bryant. Full of likes and dislikes, fears and hopes. I’m still waiting to meet the stereotype.’«  

Despite these positives, the pacing felt uneven. At points, the plot unfolded methodically, building tension. Yet the resolution lacked the satisfying intricacy I’ve come to expect. Subplots occasionally dipped into predictability, and the shadow of the previous, stronger instalment loomed large. Marsons sets a high bar, and while “Broken Bones” meets it in parts, it falls short of being as impactful as its immediate predecessor.

All in all, I enjoyed “Broken Bones”—its gritty realism, memorable characters, and moments of raw emotion make it a worthy read. However, it wasn’t as consistently enthralling as I’d hoped, and I missed some of the edge that made earlier books exceptional.

Four stars out of five.




Dead Souls by Angela Marsons

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dark mysterious 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

I've followed Angela Marsons' Kim Stone series from the beginning, and "Dead Souls" was, so far, its best instalment. 

What sets this entry apart is the fascinating dynamic created by forcing Kim Stone to work alongside her long-standing nemesis, Tom Travis, and his team. This unexpected partnership generates tension throughout the story, while Kim's own team tackles separate cases that eventually interweave.The culmination, involving the abduction of one of Kim's team members, had me perched on the edge of my seat.

Marsons has always excelled at pacing, but here she's outdone herself. The narrative flows with the precision of a well-oiled machine, never feeling rushed yet maintaining a constant sense of urgency. While the subject matter is undeniably dark—dealing with xenophobia, racism, and hate crimes—it doesn't descend into the gratuitous territory that sometimes plagues contemporary crime fiction.

It feels almost eerie to have read this in January 2025, considering a convicted felon, an insurrectionist spared jail and disqualification from office by his election, is about to become president of the USA in less than a week. and his “tech bro” is openly supporting Nazis in Germany and the UK.

Back to fiction, though: The character development continues to impress, with both familiar faces and new additions being rendered in compelling detail. I particularly appreciated how Marsons uses the team's separation to spotlight individual character growth while maintaining the series' distinctive group dynamic.

Comparing this to previous entries in the series, such as "Broken Bones" or "Evil Games", "Dead Souls" shows a marked evolution in both storytelling sophistication and thematic depth.

For readers new to the series, while this book can stand alone, I'd recommend starting from the beginning to fully appreciate the character relationships and their development. However, long-time fans will find this a particularly rewarding entry that pushes beloved characters into new territory while maintaining everything we've come to love about the series.

Five stars out of five.



The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

Hope and New Beginnings: Why You’ll Fall in Love with ”The Wedding People”

I knew absolutely nothing about “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach. I just liked the cover. Once I had started reading it, I didn’t want to stop—for anything or anyone. Now that I’ve finished it, I’m suffering from a severe bout of book hangover.

Phoebe Stone comes to the Cornwall Inn to kill herself. She just wants to splurge on herself one last time, dine nicely, enjoy the sunset and then overdose on… medicine. Before she can do pretty much anything of that, though, Phoebe finds herself amidst the chaos of the “wedding week” of the bride, Lila, the groom, Gary, and the eponymous “wedding people”.

Lila literally barges into Phoebe’s life and room, and sets Phoebe on a path that will drastically change her life. 

»No. You definitely cannot kill yourself. This is my wedding week.«

This premise had me hooked very quickly. What really sealed the deal for me, though, was not the “loudness” of the wedding. It was the raw and honest conversations that quickly started between Lila, who is outwardly controlled, controlling, and almost excessively extroverted, and Phoebe, who starts out as Lila’s polar opposite. Their conversations change their respective perceptions of their lives and futures. 

»Phoebe looks at Lila and Lila looks at Phoebe. The sadness of the story is so stark, her voice so monotone when she delivered it, they erupt into a laughter so intense it surprises Phoebe. Every time they are about to calm down, the bride says, “Herrbbbballl Essences!” and Phoebe starts laughing all over again. It makes her feel high.«

I deeply appreciated the sensitive and tender depiction of Phoebe’s state of mind that keeps organically and subtly changing throughout the novel. To me at least, Phoebe is immensely relatable.

»The bride doesn’t understand yet, what it means to be married. To share everything. To have one bank account. To pee with the door wide open while telling your husband a story about penguins at the zoo.«

Lila often comes across as abrasive, rash, sometimes rude, and always expressive, to say the least. She is loud and obnoxious among her wedding people. And, yet, in her conversations with Phoebe we get to see other sides of her: The deep-seated insecurity, her doubts and worries. Lila tries to drown all of it in her outward “loudness”, and by planning, executing, and controlling every little detail and leaving nothing to chance. 

It is testament to Espach’s empathy with her characters that Lila, too, is shown as a complex character in spite of all that. Like Phoebe, she embarks on a metaphorical journey that leads her to completely unknown shores and gives her depth. Early on, just styled “the bride”, she grows into (De)lila(h), a first-class character.

Gary, the groom, is Lila’s opposite: He basically stands somewhere in her vicinity and, like a spectator, leaves everything to her. His and Lila’s wedding is his second wedding and he has almost resigned to it. Whereas Lila is loud and outgoing, Gary is often a silent witness of the havoc she wreaks. In his interactions with Phoebe, though, we get a glance at the Gary he has buried along with his first wife. Just like the novel in its entirety, it felt exhilarating, joyful, and kind of triumphant to see how Gary burrows himself out of the “grave” he put himself into; the undeserved guilt he feels, the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed by Lila, and the deeply felt love for his child, Mel(anie), who wants to be called “Juice”.

Phoebe and Gary grow towards each other over the course of the novel. Here, again, Espach intricately weaves a narrative web that not only entangles the both of them but the reader as well. It was simply impossible for me not to enjoy their conversations that are very rarely openly intimate but exude a feeling of intimacy that, at times, made me feel like a voyeur. 

I could go on to describe my tender feelings for Juice, Jim, Patricia, Pauline the receptionist, Harry the cat, and many other side characters that are amazingly refined in their own rights and so unobtrusively shown in all their grief and overflowing joy of life (Juice), their restrained despair over what could have been (Jim), what should have been (Patricia), what strictly is in the present (Pauline), and what was (Harry). All of them formed an intrinsically plausible and irresistible world that felt real and life-like.

»“It’s not easy being angry at your own creation. It’s like being angry at yourself.”«

Espach’s writing style and language was superb and extremely accessible, yet neither simple or plain nor ornate. Espach writes just as openly and honestly as most of her characters are. It was an irresistible pleasure to devour her prose.

I especially liked the many shades of humour throughout the novel. From dry (and sometimes morbid) humour…

»“I know this is going to be the most beautiful fucking wedding, and if I wake up to your corpse being rolled into the lobby tomorrow morning, you should know I’ll never recover from something like that.”
“Neither will I,” Phoebe says.«

… to sometimes slapstick-like interludes (the first car made me laugh tears till I started choking) that I’ve not encountered before in decades of reading.

»“Well, I think it’s amazing,” Gary says. “How much work we’ll do just to feel something. I don’t think there is anything more human than that.”«

With the exception of maybe a few indulgent moments near the end of the novel, the pacing was excellent. A mixture of short and medium length chapters sometimes kept me reading from sunset to sunrise, losing sleep—the ultimate proof of a book’s enchantment. I quickly stopped caring about sleep, food, and other bodily functions.

If you’re looking for a novel that is both light and heavy, that spins an astounding tale of hope (at a certain point I was reminded of Emily Dickinson’s wonderful poem ““Hope” is the thing with feathers”), and new beginnings, this book is exactly what you need.

»To be alive, she must leave this hotel, despite the uncertainty of everything.«

Five exuberant stars out of five, and a place among my favourite books of all time. 



Blood Lines by Angela Marsons

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

"Blood Lines" by Angela Marsons initially grabbed my attention with its suspenseful and gripping story. It certainly is a page-turner, and for a while, I was convinced that this was a solid four-star read. The premise was intriguing, and the pacing kept me engaged, making it easy reading at first. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned as the story progressed.

»She was not as surprised as she should have been that Alex had come crashing back into her life.«

The return of Alex Thorne, an old foe, felt contrived, and Alex’ actions seemed almost universally outlandish. Why resurrect old villains when you can create new, compelling antagonists? And let’s be honest, she's unbelievably manipulative and cartoonish. It severely impacted my enjoyment to see such a lazy plot device used. It’s just more of the same, nothing new—and, of course, Kim fell for it almost every time…

If you—like me—didn’t enjoy “Evil Games” (Kim Stone #2) all that much, be prepared for more “blasts from the past”—including a dying scene so utterly clichéd to the extent that it induced secondhand embarrassment.

Then we have the storyline itself: the plot became increasingly contrived, and some connections Kim made were thread-bare. On a more positive note, the dynamics within Kim’s team are as engaging as ever. One of the team members, though, made several mistakes to the point where it became difficult to suspend disbelief; these errors had no real consequences – a "good bollocking" seemed to suffice, rather than any meaningful repercussions.

»Emotion. Because you have none you can’t even begin to understand how they affect people’s actions.«

This gross oversimplification of a sociopath's abilities, especially given that Alex had demonstrably understood emotions, and used them to great success throughout the novel, was grating to say the least. This also reflects badly on Kim’s understanding of her foe. 

Overall, "Blood Lines" had the potential to be a brilliant crime thriller. It started promisingly but ultimately failed to deliver on its initial appeal. 

Three stars out of five.



Failure to Match by Kyra Parsi

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-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

3.0

After the police procedural version of a “grimdark” novel, I needed “light” - and quickly! “Failure to Match” by Kyra Parsi got the job done.

Of course, everything was highly predictable and, yet, I enjoyed reading how Jamie fell in love with Jackson. In the beginning, I was highly sceptical considering character descriptions like these:

»Minerva Sinclair was a tall, willowy woman with stark white hair and cutting features, and her signature “look” consisted of cherry-red pantsuits, vintage cat-eye sunglasses, and knife-sharp stilettos. Per our client paperwork, she had her personal tarot reader (Imogen) on speed dial and kept her wrinkly sphynx cat (Harry) cradled against her bony chest everywhere she went, as per the guidance of her spiritual advisor (Velma).«

Or eye-roll inducing humour like this:

»Also, she’d literally named her hairless cat Harry, and I didn’t think she’d intended the pun.«

(Since it’s so bad: It's not a pun because "Harry" and "hairless" lack intentional wordplay or a double meaning, and it also makes no sense phonologically.)

All the characters were pretty much the literary equivalent of cardboard cutouts (Bensen, the stoic factotum; Mable and Molly, scheming twin sister housekeepers; the deceased evil, child-torturing father; Beatrice, man-eating, cheating wife who eventually left them all to go and live in Paris) and the story - matchmaker fails her customer but falls in love with him due to forced proximity and, ahem, his tongue - is almost as ridiculous as the title of the series “Bad Billionaire Bosses”.

And, yet, there were some ideas expressed, some pictures painted, some writing skills acquired in the process that—despite all the stupidity—made me enjoy this novel and recover from the kitten and child torture of my previous read.

»You know how sometimes you manage to convince yourself that you’re fine and that everything’s under perfect control when, in reality, you’re barely hanging on by a frayed thread? And then something really small happens, or someone says something seemingly insignificant, and it makes you break in half?
Well, I broke in half.«

There’s a fine line between intentional cheesiness and downright cringe-worthy missteps, and the author walks that line with a precarious yet daring confidence. At times, the rope stiffens beneath her feet, granting balance; at others, it sags, pulling her dangerously close to a full tumble into cringeworthy territory (which she skirts more often than not). Yet, despite the wobbles and near-falls, she completes the tightrope act with a redeeming bit of flair.

Three stars out of five.




Lost Girls by Angela Marsons

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I read "Lost Girls" by Angela Marsons because I really like Kim Stone as an investigator. Stone is often harsh at least, sometimes to the point of callously offending anyone who hasn’t earned her respect. She is also desperately compartmentalising her gruesome childhood and youth to be able to merely “function”.

I simply cannot help but root for such a person. As for the three novels I’ve read by now, I’ve generally found Marsons’ books to be a reasonably decent way to pass the time, offering a reliable dose of police procedural with Kim Stone at the helm.

However, this one felt a bit of a misstep, venturing into territory that, for me at least, felt unnecessarily grim. Marsons herself states, »Each story is intended to entertain and take the reader on an exciting, interesting journey. There are some subjects in the books that are difficult to stomach but I aim to treat each situation with respect and sensitivity and not sensationalism.«

It's a noble aim, but I’m not entirely sure this novel hits the mark. The rest of this review will be full of revealing quotations and unabashedly present spoiler after spoiler. You have been warned.

The premise of “Lost Girls” hinges on the abduction of children. We follow Kim Stone and her team as they try to unravel the mystery, but we also get glimpses into the world of the kidnappers, a choice that, frankly, didn’t work for me. As one of my notes states regarding the kidnappers' perspective, it was just too unsubtle and flat-out violent. “Subject One” is depicted as an “evil genius” type of criminal, whereas “Subject Two” is sculpted as a sociopathic “killing machine”. Both remain at this generic level of characterisation. While their respective motives are somewhat clear, there are no convincing explanations and, in the case of “Subject Two”, a strongly hyperbolised attempt to make him feel plausible.
The choice of “Subject Three” seemed completely absurd to me.

I cannot even quote from these passages because they’d display extreme violence against young animals and children. A level of brutality is shown that I cannot help but feel reflects back on the author.

There were signature “Kim moments” where the dialogue felt amusing, such as this, in which she speaks to her superior:

»She tipped her head. ‘How could you have been so sure?’
‘Because you were told you couldn't have it – and you don’t like that one little bit.’
Kim opened her mouth and closed it again. For once she could not disagree.«

In "Lost Girls", however, the relentless focus on the darker aspects often overshadowed the more nuanced elements. For example, I found the parents quite interesting, especially Karen and Robert, but they remain sadly underused.

The level of depravity explored felt excessive, or, as Marsons puts it, it is »a level of depravity that went beyond any case [Kim had] worked«, and indeed, it's a level I don’t particularly want to read about. There's a disturbing element to making the victims young children. As a father of three I was deeply horrified. While I appreciate that crime fiction often delves into unpleasant realities, this felt gratuitous at times, leaning towards shock value rather than serving the story.
At around the halfway mark, I even considered a DNF, given the excessive violence.

Kim Stone’s character, while usually compelling in her relentless pursuit of justice, verged on being almost unlikeable here. There’s a scene where she’s contemplating a victim:

»Kim had to agree but this was a crime scene she viewed dispassionately. Inga had made choices. She had been party to the abduction of innocent children. Yes, this pitiful figure had felt fear but she was now free of that fear. For two little girls, it went on. She hoped.«

This reaction seems cold-hearted and devoid of empathy, overstating Kim's character. While her tough exterior is part of her appeal, the dispassionate view of the crime scene felt a bit much this time around. It’s one of my core convictions that absolutely nobody deserves to die - no matter what someone did. This point of view also was reflected in the first Kim Stone novel. By Kim herself.

The raw fear experienced by the victims, Charlie and Amy, is palpable in moments like this:

»Amy cried out and Charlie pulled her close, unable to speak. The fear had paralysed her throat because a part of her had realised the truth.
Tomorrow they were going to die.«

While undeniably impactful, it ultimately felt unnecessary, included more for pure shock value than any real contribution to the story. 

There's a sense that Marsons, in attempting to tackle such a sensitive subject, perhaps lost her footing. She recognised the potential pitfalls, as evidenced by her statement, but the execution didn't quite land for me. Compared to other crime thrillers, this one felt heavier on the grim details without offering sufficient depth or nuance in other areas.

Ultimately, "Lost Girls" wasn’t a complete disaster, but it certainly wasn’t my favourite from Angela Marsons. The subject matter felt heavy-handed, and the relentless focus on violence detracted from the more engaging aspects of her writing.

Three out of five stars.




Die Einsamkeit der Seevögel by Gøhril Gabrielsen

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challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Gøhril Gabrielsens “Die Einsamkeit der Seevögel” verspricht in Titel und Klapptentext eine eindrucksvolle metaphorische Verbindung zwischen Natur und menschlicher Isolation, vermag diese jedoch kaum einzulösen. Der Roman greift mehrere gewichtige Themen auf, darunter sexualisierte Gewalt, Manipulation, die fragile Mutter-Kind-Beziehung, sowie ökologische Zerbrechlichkeit sowie diejenige der neuen Beziehung – und bleibt dabei doch oberflächlich und zerfahren.  

Bereits die Erzählweise ist teils überbordend und schwer zugänglich. Ein Eindruck, der durch Passagen wie die folgende verstärkt wird:

»Die Nachricht verschwindet. Ich sehe die Wörter vor mir: Zerstückelt, in unkenntliche Ziffern und Zeichen zerlegt, steigen sie zwischen den Schneeflocken auf, gleiten durch eine Wolkenlücke und weiter in den Satellitenhimmel, finden ihren Stern, der die Nachricht mit einem Blinken wieder zur Erde sendet.«

Die Naturbilder, die Gabrielsen eraufbeschwören möchte, wirken zwar bildreich, doch wie in diesem Beispiel oft schwülstig und weitaus mehr esoterisch als bedeutungsvoll. Statt mit sprachlicher Präzision zu überzeugen, verliert sich der Text im Nebel symbolischer Überladung, ohne klare Spuren für den Leser zu hinterlassen.  

Dabei hätte es durchaus Potential gegeben. Gabrielsen versucht sich an historischen Einsprengseln aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, jedoch fügen sich diese nicht organisch in die Gegenwartserzählung ein und fühlen sich „dahinfantasiert“ an. Die Vorstellung, wie Isolation und Naturgewalt den Verstand verzehren können, erinnert an Werke wie Emily Brontës “Sturmhöhe”: Die harschen Moorlandschaften und das erdrückende Gefühl der Einsamkeit dienen nicht nur als Schauplatz, sondern auch als Spiegel der psychischen Zustände der Charaktere. Während Gabrielsen dies eher bruchstückhaft inszeniert, liefert Brontë ein kohärentes Zusammenspiel zwischen Mensch und Natur, das die mentale Zerbrechlichkeit in Extremsituationen (obschon anderer Natur) weitaus greifbarer macht. Doch die emotionale Tiefe und Symbolkraft jener Geschichte wird von Gabrielsen nicht erreicht.  

Die vielfältigen, verstreuten und unverarbeiteten Ansätze Gabrielsens haben zumindest mich unbefriedigt zurückgelassen. Viel Potential hatte diese Novelle, aber leider wird es vollständig verschenkt. Schade!

Einer von fünf Sternen.



Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I decided to put in another festive romance reading “sprint” and, regrettably, I settled on Tessa Bailey’s “Window Shopping”. It endeavours to offer a festive romance wrapped in themes of redemption and self-discovery but, for me, falls short of expectations. While I anticipated a heartwarming holiday tale filled with charm, I instead found a collection of hurried resolutions, clichéd characterisations, and strained dynamics.

Stella’s characterisation was one of the main frustrations. She veers wildly between crippling insecurity and unconvincing strength, making her emotional journey feel inconsistent and unrelatable. Her conflict with her parents, which could have provided a rich emotional arc, is resolved almost instantly and without any meaningful dialogue or exploration. This lack of depth extended to Aiden as well. While he’s positioned as the quintessential romantic hero, his internal monologues hint at self-satisfaction that does not endear him. His protectiveness and confidence border on the caveman trope, which made certain interactions feel clumsy rather than endearing.

The chemistry between Stella and Aiden is another mixed bag. Aiden’s cavalier intensity might work in other contexts, but here it veered into cringe territory, especially with lines like:

»up and down the rigid stalk of his arousal«

Such phrasing, rather than adding to the tension, made the scenes unintentionally comedic. Worse still, the subplots and secondary characters were thinly developed. Stella’s friend Nicole, for instance, transitions from toxic to reformed in the blink of an eye after a short, unconvincing conversation. This superficiality pervades much of the narrative, undermining its emotional beats.

Yet another letdown was the lack of authentic Christmas spirit. While the premise suggested a cosy holiday backdrop, the festive vibes felt more like an afterthought. Instead of immersing readers in seasonal charm, the story felt rushed and mechanical, missing the emotional resonance that holiday romances often deliver.

While I appreciated Stella’s stance on “no favouritism,” there was little else for me to connect with.

Two stars out of five.




In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

3.0

On a mere whim, on 24 December, I decided I wanted to read a holiday romance during the holiday it depicts. Consulting my library, I quickly settled upon “In a Holidaze” by Christina Lauren which turned out to be a mixed bag but still effectively did the job. Between holiday chores (when my wife asked me to do something “steamy”, I didn’t expect it to involve the steam cleaner!). Late at night today, I finished it (the novel, not the cleaner). Mission accomplished. 

“Holidaze” started exactly as I hoped it would: Two families coming together in a cabin to celebrate Christmas, lots of holiday cheer, endearing characters—it was fun!

The “Groundhog Day” style time loop device was, thankfully, used sparingly, but this still was the first minor gripe of mine: 

»I believe now that the universe delivers random acts of kindness, and it’s on us to decide what to do with them.«

Attributing intention, kindness, or actually anything beyond its mere existence to “the universe” is misplaced. What we may interpret as kindness, cruelty, or serendipity is simply the happenstance of nature and probability.

Maelyn, the female protagonist, was amusing to read about and I really liked when she started not just going with the flow after a short “learning curve”, but, sadly, out of a sense of fatalism, started stepping up her game, actively taking responsibility not only for herself but also for the people around her.

»All I know is that the sound of my loved ones’ laughter bouncing off the hillside is the best sound I’ve ever heard. Another small victory.«

In contrast, Andrew, for whom Maelyn has been pining for merely 13 years, stays rather bland and generic. He is obviously into her but also never acted upon it and if Maelyn hadn’t taken the initiative, nothing ever would have changed. This is a part I really enjoyed:

»A rebellious streak races through me. “It’s more like, I see my life stretching out ahead of me and figure, why not go for what I want?”
“Jam and applesauce on your blintzes,” he jokes. “Cocktails on the porch. Snowball fights.”
The word rockets from me: “You.”
[...]
Adrenaline spikes my blood. “Yeah. Like that.”«

Communication, as always, is key, and at least Maelyn is good at it.

»“And if there’s one thing that we did perfectly, it was talking and being transparent and honest with each other right from the start. Right away, we talked. I can’t think of anyone else in the world I’ve ever felt that comfortable with.”«

Of course, there was the usual, somewhat frustrating, third-act breakup—imagine being held accountable for a drunken dream—and plenty of teenage behaviour.

Also, my aforementioned steam cleaner was a lot hotter and far steamier than this novel. Bah!

Nevertheless, this was a nice, fun, albeit easily forgettable holiday romcom which garners three stars out of five from me. Happy holidays!