I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. 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 Then There Was One by Wendy Cross. Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s UK for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Let the games begin.
Every inhabitant in the Quadrant knows about The Pinnacle, a reality TV contest set on a remote planet with a five million cash prize. For three desperate entrants, winning would mean the world:
Rich-girl BEX can finally leave her broken family behind.
For politician’s son ZANE, it’s his only opportunity to save his mother.
And it’s outcast RAYA’S last chance at a better life.
But as the competition starts, the contestants are quick to discover that this year’s game has unscripted and DEADLY consequences.
And the only thing they’re truly competing for, is SURVIVAL.
Publication Date: 1st February
TW: murder, blood, violence, death, body horror, abuse, physical abuse, classism, adultery, child death, traumatic flashbacks
My Thoughts:
Then There Was One was an unputdownable YA murder mystery mixed with a touch of dystopian and social commentary.
This was like a dystopian sci-fi murder mystery that was such an exhilarating read. It reminded me of aspects of The Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies. Cross kept me hooked with twist after twist, as well as pacing that was spot on. The stakes always felt like they were escalating and it was interesting to see each character’s secret revealed. It had that classic Christie feel for me (very much the style of And Then There Were None) but with a distinctly dystopian twist. From the reality television set up, I was hooked. Recently I seem to have been devouring reality TV goes wrong esque books and Then There Was One, as well as the return of The Traitors, kicked it off for me so well. It adds an edge of paranoia to proceedings, as the awareness of surveillance is heightened further once bodies start to pile up.
The concept at the core of the book is also deeply fascinating for me. There’s explorations of retribution, vengeance, justice and the punishment fitting the crime – but also contrasting an examination of the lengths to which people are pushed in order to survive. They crack the surface of humanity to reveal the dark and ugly truths hidden within. Each character is placed under immense pressure and it is no surprise when infighting starts to get out of hand. Of course, there are some exquisite twists in store. Cross has pulled off a brilliant stunt that is cleverly foreshadowed but really shocked me. It builds and builds relentlessly and I really enjoyed the ending. It was just enough to feel satisfied but also have a hook to potentially return to in the future.
Then There Was One joins a growing subgenre of reality TV mixed with murder that I am thoroughly enjoying losing myself in. It was pacy, twisty and dark – all of which I adore in a YA murder mystery.
Next up, I’d like to talk about The Trials of Lila Dalton by L.J.Shepherd. Thank you to Pushkin Press for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lila Dalton has no memory of how she got to this courtroom. The man in the docks is accused of mass murder, and she’s his barrister – but she can’t remember anything about the case. She can’t remember anything at all.
Lila is stranded on an island hundreds of miles from the UK, where the most serious crimes go to trial. The next plane out doesn’t leave for days.
And she’s being watched. Someone keeps breaking into her hotel room to leave cryptic notes, threatening her with deadly consequences if she doesn’t get her client off…
Can Lila Dalton win her case and solve the mystery of her own identity?
Publication Date: 1st February
TW: terrorist attack, murder, death, grief, conspiracy, sexual assault, rape, amnesia, gaslighting, sexism, misogny
My Thoughts:
The Trials of Lila Dalton is a mystery that turns your brain inside out in all the best ways.
This has such an ingenious concept at its heart. That amnesia trope is played with in a really exciting and intriguing way that builds suspense and has a well-earned payoff. I’m trying to be vague because this is a book you should go into knowing as little as possible. It honestly gives you the best reading experience to be as startled and bemused as Lila herself. She is a complex and often unreliable character, made even more so to be as naive and confused as the reader may be to start with. Her determination and intellect comes across in these brilliant flashes, as well as through her indomitable mindset. Yet she is also deeply human and three-dimensional. The circumstances within which she is placed are beyond extraordinary, but they serve to highlight both her best and worst possible aspects.
For me, the final third of the novel sizzled with so much suspense and spilled its nefarious secrets. One trial contains much more than initially meets the eye. The way the throughline gradually builds into the dominating force of the narrative is executed beautifully too. That closing chapter solidified this as an excellent read for me. The way certain things paid off was wonderful. It was truly a cinematic read for me, even reminding me of some of my favourite films (aspects of Total Recall and Memento definitely came to mind at times). Shepherd’s writing is so all-consuming and engaging that it was difficult to break away. It was compulsive reading through and through.
The Trials of Lila Dalton utilises its fascinating concept in such brilliant ways – it consumed my reading day and my every waking thought until I had turned that final page.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Where The Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek. Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s UK for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters.
After Liska unleashes her own powers with devastating consequences, she is caught by the demon warden of the wood – the Leszy – who offers her a bargain: one year of servitude in exchange for a wish.
Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska makes an unsettling discovery. She is not the first person to strike this bargain. And if she wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts of his past. Those who enter the wood do not always return.
Publication Date: 29th Februrary
TW: murder, violence, death, gore, grief, loss of a loved one
My Thoughts:
Where The Dark Stands Still was a gorgeously spun tale full of darkness and love in a folklorish, fantastical Gothic romance story.
Poranek created such an atmosphere in a very small space of time. Even the settings feel so alive – in particular I adored the descriptions of the Driada and the House under the Rowan Tree. I loved how Poranek infused the story with aspects of Polish folklore. Her prose was evocative and stunning. The book tingled with magic and imagination – creativity flying off the page and creating a wonderful world, but one full of death, destruction and a darkness that sends shivers down your spine. This was a magical fairy tale of a book and by that I mean containing the beauty and wonder, but also the darkness and horror touches of the Grimm tales. This is not a book that shies away from brutality. There are heavy themes around sacrifice and finding your place in a world that entirely rejects you.
Liska Radost was an excellent protagonist – smart, determined and gentle. She is caring and loving. Considered an outcast for her magic, she has to learn to love all aspects of herself, including her healing abilities. Her journey was incredible to read and showed so much development. I loved how much time Poranek invested in her characters – they really felt like they could breathe and grow at their own pace without sacrificing the dread and suspense of the story. Like Liska, the Leszy is an incredibly interesting and complicated character. There is a dynamic that grows between them, which I really enjoyed reading. It all built to a conclusion that felt perfectly pitched to hit the right note of biting and beautiful.
Where The Dark Stands Still completely cast its spell over me. It was breathtaking and bittersweet.
A Short Book Lover 
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