A curly hair ginger girl sitting on a beach surrounded by books, reading, with a small puppy dog by her side.

Between the Pages

A Literary Journey Through Book Reviews

  • How I Like to Review Books 

    If you’ve ever wondered how I turn my thoughts into a full book review, it all starts long before I sit down to write. From choosing the right book to scribbling quick notes and shaping my final rating, reviewing is a process that grows with every page. Here’s a simple look at how I do… Read more

  • Station Eleven

    Station Eleven is a haunting and reflective dystopian novel that explores life before and after a devastating pandemic. Through interconnected characters and shifting timelines, it focuses less on action and more on the emotional weight of survival, memory, and human connection. While its structure can feel disorienting at first, the story gradually weaves together into… Read more

  • The Book Club Murders

    *Advanced Reader Copy* I went into The Book Club Murders not quite knowing what to expect, but it quickly won me over with its humour, charm, and intriguing premise. Following a book club that suspects they have stumbled across a real-life serial killer, the story balances light-hearted moments with genuine suspense. With a cast of… Read more

  • One of Our Own

    As Felicia gains the girl’s trust, more details begin to surface, bringing the tragedy far closer to home than she ever anticipated.” This one really stuck with me. One of Our Own is emotional, engaging, and hard to put down, even if you can see where it’s going. Read more

  • Limitless

    From the unpredictability of military life to the demands of astronaut training, Peake embraces uncertainty and adapts to whatever comes next. It’s a simple but powerful reminder to take life as it comes. Read more

  • The Apothecary Diaries #1

    In a palace where a single misstep can mean death, Maomao’s sharp mind and sharper tongue set her apart. What begins as survival soon becomes something far more dangerous as secrets unravel, poisons linger, and court intrigue tightens its grip. Read more

  • Orbital

    Orbital by Samantha Harvey is a quiet, reflective science-fiction novel that follows a group of astronauts observing Earth from space, focusing more on their thoughts and emotions than a traditional plot. While it explores powerful themes like grief, human connection, and the fragility of our planet, I often felt a little disconnected despite some thought-provoking… Read more

  • Jess and Norma

    There’s something incredibly special about Jess and Norma. It feels less like reading a book and more like sitting down with them, listening to their stories unfold in their own voices. Warm, honest, and deeply personal, this memoir captures not just their journey, but the unbreakable bond between them. It’s comforting, moving, and at times… Read more

  • Never Let Me Go

    Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro is a dystopian novel that follows Kathy from her school days to her work as a carer and eventually a donor. The story’s ambiguity can be confusing at first, and I even had to Google a few details to follow along. Kathy’s emotionally distant narration made it hard… Read more

  • What’s Your Dream

    I discovered Simon Squibb on social media, where he asks people, “What’s your dream?” His book mixes practical advice with personal stories, sharing successes, mistakes, and tips for avoiding them. It’s inspiring and motivating, though occasionally pushy, and some ideas are controversial. I appreciated his reminder that everyone’s journey is different. Overall, it made me… Read more

  • How to Kill A witch

    How to Kill a Witch by Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi is a well-researched and thought-provoking look at the persecution of those accused of witchcraft, with a strong focus on the Scottish witch trials. Blending real cases with careful speculation, it highlights the injustice faced by many, particularly women. While the pacing can be slow… Read more

  • Should Books Have Age Ratings Like Films? 

    In a world where colourful covers can hide complex and explicit themes, how do we know what’s truly suitable for younger readers? As “spicy” BookTok recommendations continue to blur the line between Young Adult and Adult fiction, it raises an important question: should books come with age ratings like films and games? Read more

  • A Long Way To A Small Angry Planer (Wayferers #1)

    There’s something incredibly special about A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. It isn’t driven by high-stakes action or constant tension, but by the quiet, meaningful connections between its characters. Each member of the Wayfarer crew feels real, flawed, and deeply human, despite coming from entirely different worlds. It’s a story that reminds you… Read more

  • Chain Gang All Stars

    Chain Gang All Stars is set in a near-future America where prisoners can earn freedom by surviving a televised death-match programme. The story follows teammates and lovers Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker as rules shift and protests rise. While the large cast and frequent perspective changes can feel confusing, the central relationship is… Read more

  • Project Hail Mary Film Review

    After giving the book a full five stars last year, I was both excited and a little worried to see the film adaptation of Project Hail Mary. Would it capture the humour, tension and science that made the story so compelling? Thankfully, the film manages to stay true to the spirit of the book while… Read more

  • Take it Back (Zara Kaleel #1)

    ke It Back is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that follows Zara Kaleel, a former barrister who leaves behind one of London’s brightest legal careers to work at a rape crisis centre. When she begins supporting Jodie Wolfe, a vulnerable sixteen-year-old who accuses four Muslim boys of rape, the case quickly spirals beyond the courtroom.… Read more

  • Spark of the Everflame (Kingdreds Curse #1)

    Spark of the Everflame is an accessible fantasy romance that feels very much like the foundation of something much bigger. While parts of the story are predictable, the political tension, layered world-building, and Diem’s coming-of-age journey left me with more questions than answers — and just enough intrigue to want to continue the series. Read more

  • The Favourites

    I went into The Favourites expecting a straightforward romance set on the ice — what I found instead was a dramatic, twist-filled story of ambition, obsession and destructive love. Set against the glittering but ruthless world of competitive skating, this modern reimagining of Wuthering Heights delivers betrayal, sabotage and shock after shock. Just when you… Read more

  • Dungeon Crawler Carl

    When aliens turn Earth into a live-streamed dungeon survival game, Carl and his gloriously dramatic cat, Princess Donut, are thrown into chaos, carnage, and completely unhinged quests. Brutal, absurd, and laugh-out-loud funny, Dungeon Crawler Carl is a love letter to gamers everywhere — packed with RPG mechanics, savage humour, and a cat who absolutely refuses… Read more

  • Parable of the Sower

    Written in 1993 but set in 2024, Parable of the Sower feels less like dystopian fiction and more like a chilling forecast. As society fractures under climate change, inequality, and violence, Lauren Olamina begins to build a new belief system from the ashes — proving that even in collapse, something new can grow. Read more