KJK Reads

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Graphic Novel, Classics Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I read the original Animal Farm back in secondary school and have been meaning to reread it so this book with a graphic novel twist kept it interesting and feeling new while still experiencing the story and its message again. The illustrations were amazing and the black and white theme added to the eeriness when red for emphasis or blood emerged. I think it may end up making a great companion to many young students too with adding images to the words they read in class.

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Childrens Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great little educational book with loads of facts that were even new to me. I think I’d have benefitted from this when I was younger as we all had to do bike safety at school and I never saw the big appeal of a bike but knowing just what it meant to be a girl doing it I’d have appreciated it so much more. I liked how there were different benefits to and alleged risks of girls on a bike throughout history and the way in which each page was structured. I also appreciated that the illustrations were not only pretty but also fairly representative as there are different races and religions portrayed.  Favourite Quote: “Wind in your hair is just wind. Unless you were a girl on a bike. Then it was freedom and possibility.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Fairy Tales Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is such a fun book with the original and often bloody endings of many fairytales both classics and lesser known being brought together in one collection. While many of these stories are nothing new since many are from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, the inclusion of some older and different cultures folklores as well meant there was something new to me in here such as the Mongolian and Inuit tales. The illustrations are amazing and really add to the overall book and I found myself looking forward to the next one. However, the pages have many different colours and at random points which wasn’t mentioned in the blurb at all but can make the book inaccessible to many with eye and brain conditions. 

Rating: 4 Stars  Themes:  Non-Fiction, Memoir Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book explores trauma from many different angles, from the trauma that Hodges herself faced while growing up to the traumas that are experienced by the people she helped through her different emergency service jobs she has had. The book itself isn’t really linear but that does help to give us an insight into the author's mind, as she mentions in the book that her brain works in a nonlinear fashion, which adds to the overall effect of the storytelling. I appreciated the glimpse into her emergency shouts at the beginning of each chapter with the comedic element of the cases to help bring some levity to the darker subjects in the book.

Rating:  4 Stars Themes: Cookbook Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great cookbook which may become a staple in busy periods. The recipe shows time and servings right under the title so we can see which recipes will fit in the time I have to cook on that day. I appreciated that calories and health details are also provided which I have noticed previously aren’t included in all cookbooks which while I can appreciate them not being there so as not to trigger those in eating disorder recovery but it makes it difficult for those macro counting. I also liked that there was a photo for each dish under the title so I have an idea what it’s supposed to look like. The recipes are all easy to follow and with 92 recipes there’s something for everyone included.

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, True Crime  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Although this book is full of Zodiac knowledge that those with in depth knowledge will likely know, those who are just getting into the case or only listen to a few podcasters will likely learn a thing or 2. The research and thus facts provided are extremely detailed right down to the type, placement and orientation of stamps and colour of pen used. I appreciated that there were detailed backgrounds and life stories provided for the victims as some true crime channels can get so tunnel visioned on the mystery or killer that they almost footnote the victims in their own deaths. Butterfield doesn’t try to force any particular narrative or suspect but provides them all and allows the reader to come to their own conclusion. Gordon was a great choice for the audiobook version as while he isn’t overly dramatic or putting emphasis on bits he also...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Cookbook Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I am so happy that I was able to read this and have a feeling that I will be purchasing a physical copy to refer back to in the future. As someone who loves Indian foods and spices this book was just perfect. There are only 55 pages of text before we get to the recipes but Sarasin managed to pack those pages with so much information and half of that is focused on Indian food and cuisine so there is more to digest than just the author's story which I have noticed in a few other cookbooks I’ve used. I also appreciated the glossary at the front and index at the back which makes it easy to be able to find what you want regardless of where you open the book. There are so many different recipes included in this book that there’s something for everyone especially with ‘Breads and Beyond’ and ‘Deserts & Beverages’ being included as separate chapters. I also a...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Cookbook, Cocktails Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a fun bookish collection of cocktails that are perfect for a boozy book club or a girls night in. I like that the cocktails were split up by spirit and especially appreciated that there are alcohol free options included as not everyone is able to drink but there’s still fun titled mocktails here which many other cocktail books don’t think to include. I’m glad there was a bit on making our own syrups as I had no experience in doing this before and found the illustrations after each cocktail pretty but maybe a few real pictures would have been great to show how they actually look and not just an artistic interpretation.

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Cookbook Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a great cooking companion for when you want a meal that feels like a warm hug. There’s some cozy classics like spaghetti meatballs and chicken and mushroom pie but also some that may not be as easily thought of meaning many of us stand to learn something new such as Kedgeree, Aubergine Bake and Red Lentil Dal. The recipes are easy to follow and having the tips at the end is a great touch. I also like that there is prep time, cooking time and dietary needs included in the corner making skimming through it looking for something to fit your time frame easy.

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Cookbook, Cocktails, Christmas  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is going to be my Christmas companion to get me through the season. The cocktail and chapter titles are so fun and festive although I think I may get a few funny looks handing a glass over and saying fancy a ‘I’d Rather Be Home With My Dog’. All the drinks sound amazing and I even like the festive twists on the classics. I appreciate that there’s a photo with each so I have serving/styling ideas which will likely come in more than helpful after drinking a few of these. Christmas time can’t come soon enough now to get properly stuck into these. 

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Fitness, Exercise  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I am soo glad I have found this book. I am someone who used to absolutely love yoga before I became disabled but now my limited mobility makes it harder to join in with routines as there’s usually ones I can no longer do included. But this book has individual exercises targeting different parts of the body as well as routines in the last chapter that are accessible for me so I can enjoy yoga again. I liked that there were benefits and safety reminders included before the step by step guide and really appreciated the way the images demonstrated each exercise so it was easy to make sure I was doing it right. 

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Short Stories, Christmas  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I’m loving the fun and furry twist on the Christmas classic. The full song is also provided at the end so we need a song/audio version published next. Although I’m glad it’s not my house as I don’t think it’s big enough for that many dogs no matter how cute they are. The illustrations are fitting for each dogs activity and full of creativity which contributes to the overall fun of the book.

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Thriller, Short Story Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really fell into this book, I was so engrossed that I forgot there was someone else in the room with me (until they spoke) because I felt there with Sloane trying to figure it all out. I couldn’t figure Theo out until the last minute and went from really feeling for Sloane to rooting for her. Vargas couldn’t have picked a more fitting setting than that cabin and I don’t think I’m going to one ever again now. I also liked the last chapter as it leaves it open for a future installment which would be great or just allows us as readers to decide. Favourite Quote: "But hope is a dangerous thing. It has teeth. And right now, it feels a lot like panic."

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Romance, Christmas, Short Stories  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Definitely an interesting twist on a Christmas romance. Viola and Duke are such big and well thought through characters who work so well together that by the end you really end up rooting for it to work. I did feel for Duke at a few points as the situation with the twins left him questioning himself and I found myself hoping Viola would trust him at those points but the way it actually came out was much more dramatic which naturally leads to a much more dramatic and heartwarming ending. It took me a while to figure out who Olivia could be but at the first proper hint I figured it so I was also hoping for them to figure it out before the end and at one point checked the pages to see if they had enough pages for it. I also liked the way in which Viola’s toxic relationship was handled as it highlighted the toxic behaviours which may...

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Horror, Short Stories Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book confused me a bit more than the first two. I didn’t remember who Elias is or if we’d met him before and didn’t understand why Melanie’s daughter was now only referred to as the girl when she’d had a name in the first two books. However, it’s a story that keeps you reading and almost has campfire ghost story vibes. Overall I thought it was an interesting concept, especially with the ending possibly lending itself to a spin off.   Favourite Quote: “Blood is not enough. Memory's roots reach for the earth.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Non-Fiction, Memoir Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I appreciate that no book is for everyone but I think this is a book that everyone should read. Emily is brutally honest with her experiences through experiencing a narcissistic relationship itself and the continued manipulation while trying to leave in a way that will likely help others who are questioning things themselves to identify with and hopefully save someone else from giving years of their life to a facade like she did. She also tackles both cyberstalking and cyberbullying and the toxic nature of some fandoms through her own experience with a fandom turning on her so that we can see the human and real life impact of the actions some take online. In a way she puts a surviving human face to cyberbullying in a way that many others don’t get that shows the potential life long damage behaviours like this have. I was rooting for Emily throughou...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Short Stories, Horror, Supernatural  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book, much like the first in the series, builds up tension throughout being unnerving right until the end/ Tyo’s writing leads itself well to the genre and she weaves an interesting tale. This book has started to answer the question of where/why to the entities in the house building on the last one and it feels like it ended in such a beautiful and almost fable way but knowing there’s another book I can’t wait to find out what other secrets the house has to share. Favourite Quote: “Lena Hearst had never believed in ghosts Not the sheet-draped kind. Not the kind who wailed in graveyards or haunted forgotten roads. But she did believe in absences-the kind of quiet that presses in on you when you're alone and wondering if you really are.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Mystery, Rewritten, Short Stories  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. It’s great to see Miss Marple’s wit and investigative genius back on the page with popular writers taking up the challenge of keeping the character’s spirit the same while writing their own stories for her. I took to some stories more than others but that’s only natural since I’m the same with all mystery writers and no one can like everyone’s writing styles but that didn’t mean that any were bad stories, just not my go to style. Overall, I do think all the authors did a great job with the character which was no doubt an intimidating challenge given how beloved Christie’s Miss Marple series is.  Favourite Quote: “One is aware there is a great deal of wrong doing in cities and larger towns, of course. The newspapers are desperate to make sure that we do not miss a single grisly detail. But I wonder if there aren't more terrib...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Poetry, Mental Health  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This poetry collection is a journey of struggle to hope and recovery. It is a great analogy to have the small ghost being you haunting your own life and I think I’d have used it myself if I’d have read this when I was struggling the most. The illustrations and photos compliment the poems perfectly and seeing the legs under a sheet definitely made me think about the ghost before haunting your own life was mentioned.  Favourite Quote: “It will not always feel like this - and when it does feel like this, you will learn to bear it despite your tender heart and your sore shoulders, I promise it's worth it to stay. You will not always be the ghost haunting your own life. I believe in you.”

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Cookbook Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The advice in the essential tips and techniques and the ingredients section can be really useful to people new to baking or especially new to making cookies. The sections titles seem a little strange but the paragraph below did explain it a little with cut it out being those made with a cookie cutter. I did like the fact that there were bar recipes at the end although it does make the book being titled simply cookies a little misleading with the final chapter being on other bakes such as brownies and cheesecake bars. 

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Cookbook  Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is such a fun cocktail book with each cocktail having a twist on the name as a reminder as to why you may have left the ex or a reminder as to why you wouldn’t want to go back there. The budget, classic and perfect options for each spirit at the beginning is great as often drinks books either advise the expensive only or just say the spirit and expect you to already know which is best in each price range. There were some really specific titles such as the terrible texter, it didn’t mean anything and dead weight as well as some more I’d imagined such as love bomb and gold digger. The pictures alongside each recipe make each one look really appealing and also gives us decoration suggestions. 

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Colouring Book Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a lovely little colouring book as a way to learn about the Tarot deck while colouring. I like that there is the deck the card is in above the card and a small description below each as it allowed me to learn a little as I am still a novice to this world. I like that the pages are single sided as it means there’s no worries about colours bleeding onto the next picture although I’d still pop a piece of card behind when colouring incase my pens are prone to bleeding and ruin the next pic. Each card is not overly complex but are still beautiful in their details which is great as sometimes I like to use thicker markers not gel pens which I can’t do in overly detailed books.