The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson

Rating:

4 Stars

Themes:

Thriller, Mystery, Crime, British Literature, Detective

Thoughts:

I love that Matheson doesn’t shy from tackling issues of race and religion that many other authors tend not to highlight. The initial victim is Caleb Annan who is a black man and a pastor killed in London which already makes the case a potentially charged case which is not helped by a local MP intervening and insinuating that Henley is essentially a race traitor for spending time to identify the tortured to near death white man also found at the scene. Henley, Pellacia, and Ramouter can all be seen struggling and coping with the mental health issues and trauma arising from their encounters with Olivier in the previous book in different ways to also highlight mental illnesses further (on top of the handling of the illnesses of some of the victims in the case).

Comments

Vincent: A Graphic Biography by Simon Elliott

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Comic, Non-Fiction, Biography Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great little book on Vincent van Gogh. It is very detailed containing pieces of his life such as changing careers and failed love interests that are often not considered when we think of van Gogh, instead favouring his art and mental health. The illustrations were really well done and at times helped to bring levity to the story which isn’t often the happiest of lives.

The War of Sober by Edward Rand

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Addiction, Psychology Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great book not just for addicts trying to establish and maintain their sobriety but also psychologists, counsellors and the people working with them. It approaches the experience of addiction from the perspective of going to war and may help those who can’t get along with the 12 steps, contingency management or other forms of therapy traditionally used. It’s also helpful to have Edward detail his own experiences and approaches throughout so it feels less clinical and shows he does know what he’s talking about when he mentions the difficulties so it comes across less patronising than some self-help addiction books. Favourite Quote: "It doesn't matter what happened yesterday. Win or lose, if we are still alive, we must decide to be different today and then make the correct choices today, because friends, ...

Broken Glass by Sarah Kay

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Poetry Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This collection is mixed for me, some of the poems were really good and all were definitely emotive but I think so many poems on the Hamas attack and subsequent war which is highly politically charged a little difficult to tackle. Favourite Quote: "What good is it to open my heart when in the end, you will stab it in the back?"

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