I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was a few weeks ago. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about A Very Lively Murder by Dahlia Watson. Thank you to Constable and Little, Brown Book Group for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
One murder mystery movie. Three Dahlias. And a whole cast of suspects…
Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role – Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing – with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. There’s something very wrong on the set of The Lady Detective – which means it’s time to call in Caro Hooper, so the three Dahlias can investigate.
In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots in London, talk show appearances and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best – surrupticiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star…
But before they can prove it, another murder rocks the production. And this time, with a storm raging, the river flooded and the bridge washed out, there are no police to rely on so it’s up to the three Dahlias to stop a murderer in their tracks… before another victim is claimed.
Publication Date: 6th July
TW: death, murder, racism, sexual assault, suicide, rape, blackmailing, gaslighting, sexual harassment, violence
My Thoughts:
A Very Lively Murder blew me away. This is such a well-crafted and wonderful mystery, with plenty of twists and turns.
I recently raced through and adored The Three Dahlias, loving that blend of cosy Golden Age style of crime stories with a social commentary of the dark side of fame and fandom. It was just dynamite and I knew I needed more, so instantly went to continue my binge and requested the follow-up. This is an excellent continuation of the story, drawing on the huge cliffhanger from the first book. You are unsettled from the start and Adler keeps going from there.
I also really loved the character development here. We get more insights into their pasts, relationships and complicated relationships with the role of Dahlia. This offers so much depth and rich exploration of the central themes, while also keeping the pace racing through. All three of our Dahlias feel even more settled in their narrative voice. They are so distinctive, yet share common characteristics that mark them clearly as the Dahlia Lively.
Watson has concocted an excellent recipe for success here. It just builds from moments of danger to full blown paranoia and an intense, claustrophobic atmosphere that heightens everything. I enjoyed how Watson kept that dangling exploration of fame, legacy and learning to live within your own light. This has such a cutting edge with social relevance that I really appreciated, as well as some nuanced reflections on controversy from inclusive casting. There is an extreme danger to weaponised nostalgia, which is often used against marginalised people and Watson is keenly aware of this.
A Very Lively Murder is an incredible, crystallised moment of reflection and the Golden Age of Crime. As long as Watson keeps writing these, I will eat them up.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Bellies by Nicola Dinan. Thank you to Transworld Publishers and Random House UK for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It begins as your typical boy meets boy. While out with friends at their local university drag night, Tom buys Ming a drink.
Confident and witty, a charming young playwright, Ming is the perfect antidote to Tom’s awkward energy, and their connection is instant. Tom finds himself deeply and desperately drawn into Ming’s orbit, and on the cusp of graduation, he’s already mapped out their future together.
But, shortly after they move to London to start their next chapter, Ming announces her intention to transition. From London to Kuala Lumpur, New York to Cologne, we follow Tom and Ming as they face shifts in their relationship in the wake of Ming’s transition.
Through a spiral of unforeseen crises – some personal, some professional, some life-altering – Tom and Ming are forced to confront the vastly different shapes their lives have taken since graduating, and each must answer the essential question: is it worth losing a part of yourself to become who you are?
Publication Date: 6th July
TW: transphobia, racism, homphobia, death, disordered eating
My Thoughts:
Bellies is a softly spoken literary story that is stunning, devastating and all too human.
I loved this quieter, introspective literary novel that wholly thrived on the complexity and human fallibility of its two protagonists. This is entirely the story of Tom and Ming. They are often annoying, self-centred and unable to see their own failings. They are also joyful, creative and brilliant people. You go from loving to hating them within seconds. However, most of the time, you just see someone so human and beyond these fallible trappings of character type and narration. Dinan takes a multitude of generic conventions and plays with them expertly, feeding into them, subverting them and ultimately using them to propel these characters to greater depths and heights.
This is a novel all about the devastation of the breaking and mending of relationships. It charts our progression as we grow, change, break and begin to heal. Dinan takes that quintessential coming of age storyline and transports it somewhere new and current. She brings incredibly current and sometimes complex issues and considers them sensitively and through multiple perspectives. There are no clear-cut answers, just as all of these relationships are tangled, messy and tangibly human. Dinan has such clear skill in translating these everyday moments to the page. The dialogue sparkles, crackles and bring a knife to your heart in various moments. You can see exactly what point in their life each character is at on each page. These are so recognisable as moments, figures or just emotions as experienced in our life.
Bellies is a thoroughly modern look at the classic coming of age narrative. It explores how relationships define our lives today, mostly importantly – the relationship we have with ourselves.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Black Heat by Bex Hogan. Thank you to Hachette Children’s Group for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Exile. Rebel. Healer. Three underestimated women, destined to be brought together by revenge in this dark and thrilling new YA fantasy.
Marzal – an exiled daughter with a plan for her return.
Rayn – a rebel blacksmith with a blade of blood.
Elena – a gentle midwife with a fiercely protected secret.
Each young woman wants peace for their country, but in times of war, not everyone fights by the same rules. As their countries burn around them, and the stakes of victory rise, each woman will have to decide how far she is willing to go for peace.
But the desire for revenge also burns deep.
Publication Date: 6th July
TW: death, murder, sexual harassment, sexism, violence, gore, warfare
My Thoughts:
Black Heat is a YA fantasy standout of the summer for me. It sizzles with suspense and interweaving narrative threads that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Bex Hogan just cemented why she is such a force within YA fantasy for me. She always has such inventive magic systems, lushly described fantasy worlds and intriguing characters. This is a book that truly thrives in its three distinct and fascinating narrative voices. All of their stories allow you to glimpse hints of the larger picture and the wider forces at play. I enjoyed how much of this story was governed by the principle of fate, destiny and the roles we were born to play. This added an element of mystery and suspense, as you were unsure who would end up fitting which part. It also allows for an interesting discussion around free will, which has a meta sort of layer in a fantasy story.
This, like Hogan’s previous books, is not afraid to go there in some incredibly dark and unsettling book. Hogan drenches the book in blood with some scenes that will stay with me for a long time. It is brutally honest about the horrors of war and the way it impacts all those around it, including the innocent. That mesh of politics and ethics into this fantasy narrative is something like catnip to me. It is irresistibly, especially the way that these political machinations have terrible real world consequences that you watch play out in real time across the three narratives. Hogan also delves deep into a world where violence against women is naturalised and institutional sexism runs rife across everything. This adds another element to that discussion of fate and breaking free of your expected role, no matter the repercussions.
Black Heat is taut, thrilling and trepidatious. This fantasy standalone is dark, brooding and bloody – all of the key ingredients needed for a standout on your shelves.
A Short Book Lover 
5 thoughts on “Mini Review Monday #110”