KJK Reads

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Children's, History Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great short guide for kids interested in science, or to show minority children that people like them can and have loved science before them. I appreciated the short introduction on science which will be great for those trying to inspire their children with a subject they have to study until they are 16 and it was amazing to see just how early there were women in scientific fields, specifically Hypatia from 334-415. This is complimented with some awesome illustrations that will likely make the book even more appealing to children.

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Short Books, Children Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is absolutely beautiful and that’s really all that needs to be said. It’s beautifully illustrated and has a sweet story with important messages on friendship, big feelings and questions such as allowing space for big feelings for a while and the fact not every question will always get an answer. 

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Cook Book Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is an amazing cookbook and a must read for anyone who loves Indian cuisine. I loved the characters of the two authors being provided next to an introduction of them and then dotted about through the book at the perfect moment. I appreciated that they took the time to talk us through the basics without talking down or making us feel bad for not knowing, especially since chop and roughly chop can mean different things to different people as well as information on the linguistics and common words that will be used. The recipes are easy to follow and I liked that there were also some fun facts like “a note on courses” and “the great curry debate” sprinkled throughout as well as their food and life stories. 

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Memoir Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I myself had no close interaction with anyone younger than 8 when COVID hit so this is a new and interesting point of view to me looking at how a toddler navigated such an unprecedented time. Buckley remains respectful in remembering and reminding the readers of the death tolls, changing rules and uncertainty that filled the news at the time. There are definitely quite a few comedic elements that we expect from a toddler’s life, especially around things like potty training,and Noah is such a little character. Having the book done through a diary for Noah is an approach I haven’t seen done before which made it interesting.  Favourite Quote: “It feels as though the record total of daily deaths is being broken each day.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Mental Health  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a hell of a powerful read, providing us with a brutal look into the mental health of America over a holiday weekend (labour day). Swain is somewhat blunt, especially on the tough decisions he had to make that weekend but it provides a real insight into the crisis mindsets of that extremely long shift. Swain himself started to seem a little burnt out as the shift wore on such as losing compassion to addicts and the impulsive thoughts of violence from his OCD, but for 72 hours on shift or on call, most of it while ill I’m sure most people would be the same. I did notice that there was a lot of his non-working focus on alcohol but since it is a holiday weekend most people’s minds would likely be on when they can get a drink. Also the statistics on emergency and crisis workers mental health and coping mechanisms makes it und...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Short Story, Cozy Mystery Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I’m starting to think maybe Leigha and Calvin should stop going on holiday for everyone else’s sake. I’m liking her more and more every time I join her on a journey and they make a great couple too. I really hope there’s another book as not only do I think that last line was perfect for another installment but I’m not ready to say goodbye to Leigha yet either. Another great cozy installment to the Victims on Vacation series. Favourite Quote: “We are on vacation. And we both need a break. We are here to relax, after all. But honestly, what's more relaxing than solving a mystery?”

Rating: 2.5 Stars Themes: Thriller, Mystery Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I was intrigued with the premise of a dying crime novelist with a crime in his own past and having main characters who love books and quote them often also intrigued me. The flips between different POVs and timelines with unreliable narrators gave me a disjointed feel that no doubt Nicky felt herself at the time too. I did not see those twists coming but I think that’s because there was little to no indication of them throughout the story so it wasn’t possible to pick up on clues and solve it myself. It also felt drawn out and could have been shorter while making the same points which is ironic since there is a mention of not making books go on too long. Favourite Quote: “Life is a thriller. The ending is fatal and the conclusion is final.”

Rating: 3 Stars  Themes: Short Story, Mystery, Cozy Mystery Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a sweet short and cozy read. It’s a rare case that after the motives have been investigated I actually fully supported the murderer and was impressed with the way in which they went about it. Gray managed to wrap the story up well which is even more impressive with how short the book is. Overall I think this is great for a quick read of a cozy mystery in paradise. Favourite Quote: “But women of a certain age tend to blend in without being noticed too much. You'd be surprised what people don't see.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Disability, Self-Love Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was an interesting book with a great premise. As someone with a body that doesn’t always work properly and is still learning to accept it, this is a great help to getting my head around my new normal in this body. I liked that the author provides her letter as an example before a space to do our own and her providing her story is a sweet touch. It’s awesome that it includes body systems such as the endocrine and lymphatic system that we often don't think about but can be just as important. I loved that joints and muscles were included since that’s where most my problems lay and are often missed out by others, but I was a little disappointed that connective tissues weren’t mentioned although I can figure one out myself with all the other examples.  Favourite Quote: “Your body has undergone profound changes since th...

Rating:  5 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, LGBT Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great book, I had no idea just how far back and how famous (or infamous) some transgender people went. I knew about Marsha but the rest were new to me and it’s great learning more. The illustrations were awesome and complimented the book well. Hopefully books like as this help to further educate people and reduce the ridiculous amount of hate transgender people receive.  Favourite Quote: “This is only a tiny portion of how diverse and vast our experiences can be. But the best thing about history is that it never stops.”

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Child Protection Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is an essential read from a former psychotherapist who has extensive experience with child sexual abuse in many forms. Ashman is able to highlight the importance of talking about this with children young in order to protect them and is able to give many examples and exercises to help parents start putting it in to practice.  Favourite Quote: “There are good people in this world. Good families. Good men and women But we have to stop pretending that child sexual abuse is rare. It's not. And it's not always violent or obvious. It's subtle. It's hidden in routines. In relationships. In plain sight And until we name it, we can't fight it.”

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Children's  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great book. As a kid who was called bossy and a know-it-all (although often in jest) enough to make me shy and quiet as a teen, I think rebranding these terms in a positive light to help children feel more confident in their own assertiveness. Having an A-Z meant that so many often used negatively terms are able to be made better and show just how positive these words can actually be in the right context. Hopefully this can help the next generation from becoming more shy and withdrawn than those before them were by the negative use of such words. Favourite Quote: “While I have no control over the words that are spoken I'm shaping a new narrative and will not feel broken. I'll remember that our words can build us up and empower So, plant a seed of good vibes and watch them flower.”

Rating: 1 Star Themes: Dystopian Fiction Thoughts: I adored the power but really struggled to get into this one. In general I appreciated the concept, especially with the drastic advances in technology in recent history and it was interesting to see the AI and society element as our use of AI expands. But the plot felt scattered to me and there was a lot going on.

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Holocaust, Memoir, Non-Fiction Thoughts: This book encompasses Syvia’s life from 4 ½ years old to a day shy of 10 inside the Lodz ghetto. This is the first book I’ve read by someone who managed to survive in a ghetto the whole war and one of the few books I’ve seen from a child’s perspective which gives a great simple insight into her experience without overcomplicated adult emotions and the format makes it even more impactful. This book is written in an easy to read format that makes it hard to put down despite handling such a difficult subject. Favourite Quote: “I wish I could rip the star off (carefully, stitch by stitch, so as not to ruin my lovely coat), because yellow is meant to be a happy colour, not the colour of hate.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Historical Fiction, Dual Timeline, Multiple POV, Feminism Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. There is a dual timeline in this book and I found myself desperate to know what’s happening in 1821 but not being as interested in 2024, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Philadelphia and even Issac but I wasn’t as invested in Mia’s tale. This made it feel a bit disjointed and frustrated when I really got into Philadelphia’s day or the trial and then the timeline changed and suddenly I was in a different time and country. I thought that the ending with the Yarrow where the tale all began like a full circle moment was a great touch but the modern romance felt a little unnecessary but I appreciate that some readers won’t read anything with no romance so can see why it was included. Favourite Quote: “Knowledge after all was only dangerous if wielded unwisely.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Children's Fiction Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I wish we had this book when I was a child since I had to have all my clothes labels removed and couldn’t handle sudden loud noises before most people knew much about it. This is great for teaching children and parents alike about how children can experience sensory overload and how to manage it safely. There are some great safe stims suggested and I like that it tells adults not to stop safe stims as it can be detrimental to the child since I know of some adults who shout at their child for stimming. The illustrations are also great with them being clear and makes it easy to see the sensory trigger that is being mentioned at each point. 

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great way to learn more about the Pagan calendar and as someone with Celtic ancestors I enjoyed learning more, especially on things such as Samhain which I already knew quite a bit of but still learnt something and some new festivals too. I liked the way the traditions were woven through the story then explained again at the end so they can be used by the reader regardless of their learning style and they can refer back to a specific event or task in the future and the illustrations are beautiful.  Favourite Quote: “We no longer rely on nature as much for food or warmth, yet each season continues to welcome gifts of nature into our lives, from blossoms and harvests to sunshine and rain, as a reminder that magic is everywhere”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Memoir Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is not the easiest read and at times felt almost unbelievable to a Westerner but Pereverzin is able to share his real life as an innocent framed man for 11 years in an impressive way. Pereverzin manages to keep his facts straight when he is telling them despite his feelings experiencing it while still getting the emotional impact across and even at times having a comedic twist to make the reader feel at ease. It’s a personal and insightful into the injustices in the Russian justice system and the damages they cause. Favourite Quote: “How on earth could all this have happened?"The number of times I have asked myself that. It boggles the mind quite how far Russia lags behind the civilised world, where the justice system is the bedrock of a harmonious society. When each citizen can appeal against an official's action or inaction, this, i...

Rating: 3.5 Stars Themes: Romance, Magical Realism  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I didn’t know what to expect going in to this book having never read a Ready book and not much experience with magical realism but this was such a sweet read. Anna is a character I almost instantly loved, putting helping her friends and family and doing what is right first and let's be realistic who wouldn’t make a wish reading that note, even if just for a laugh knowing it won't work. Max took me a little longer to warm to but that’s definitely how he was wrote and as we Anna broke down his walls more I began to like him more too. I have to admit I kind of guessed what would happen after Max’s wish in Paris but that still had a twist to me which is a credit to Ready’s writing that I understood the characters so well after such a short time. The ending was soo sweet and after that epilogue I loved them together and knowing the progr...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Humor, Poetry, Philosophy  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Soph herself notes this is “like a shitpost, but published” and the format of jumping around and disorganised thoughts definitely feed into this. There are a lot of important thoughts in here, reminders of the importance of being ourselves and how our thoughts can filter the world around us. There are also a few ones that creeped me out like the eyes and brain thing which I didn’t already know. I also loved that Soph included some of her art in the book as she references being an artist and they were not only beautiful but complimented the book well. Favourite Quote: “ ”everything happens for a reason” always felt like such a cruel sentiment that my suffering should serve a greater purpose like you can have your “greater purpose” …just leave me out of it”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, I'm a Celebrity Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was such an interesting read. I was getting serious I’m a Celeb vibes especially when it was in Gwrych Castle in Wales during COVID but with much less health and safety which already made it feel eerie but comfortingly familiar at the same time. There is a great build of tension through the game show and then the storm that I forgot there was even a murder mystery element until the death happened. I have to admit that even though I read a lot of books like this and love being able to solve the mystery myself I couldn’t suss it out early in this book and definitely didn’t see the ending coming. I am interested with the last chapter being left the way it is if there is going to be another book or if it’s being left to our imagination as readers and our interpretation of the character and her motives. 

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Children's Non-Fiction Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great way to teach children important lessons with a story that many can relate to or aspire to (like the magic of the garden) rather than listening to adults. It’s great that it’s written to the children on their own to help them feel much more independent and likely to take in the lessons, especially with them being short installments for them to fit in whenever they have time. I like the affirmation and activity at the end of each story and loved the free book for inspiring stories for young achievers a great addition.