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 The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe. Thank you to Hachette Children’s Group for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nora O’Malley has survived… senior year, that is. School’s over, but her life isn’t, which is weird since last she checked, her murderous stepdad Raymond is finally free.
Determined to enjoy summer before her (possibly) imminent demise, Nora plans a backpacking trip with Iris and Wes. And Wes’s girlfriend tags along. Amanda’s nice, so it’s not a huge issue. Until she gets taken. Or rather, mis-taken… for Nora, that is.
Now they’re deep in the woods. Raymond has a hostage. Nora has no leverage. Iris is carving spears out of sticks. And Wes is building booby traps.
It’ll take all of them to make it out alive.
But someone is lying. Someone is keeping secrets. And someone has to die.
Publication Date: 11th April
TW: childhood abuse, PTSD, traumatic flashbacks, suicide, assault, violence, injury detail, kidnapping, assault, death
My Thoughts:
The Girl in Question is a book with true bite. It’s gritty, gripping and gives you one hell of a reading experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Girls I’ve Been and this follow-up was just as twisty, dark and deliciously full of vengeance. You can never fully trust everything you are presented with in this world of false identities and shifting allegiances.
Nora came into my life and stole my heart. I really liked her moral grayness and how she valued survival above everything initially, but learnt to trust and love again. Here, she is now turning to face that past once and for all. There is a deep-seated rage that I adored in this book. It is unapologetically angry at the monsters of this world, yet still holds a kernel of hope for the future. I also really enjoyed Iris’ narrative along this same thread – that opening sequence was heart-pounding and shows an evolution of the character into new territory.
As previously, the pacing and atmosphere was off the charts. The isolated setting gave it more of a survivalist feel than the ticking time bomb of the bank in the first book. I was glued to the pages, desperately hoping for everything to work out for our central characters. There are also incredible twists and turns in store. This is such a layered story, with even more secrets and lies to uncover. I love how Sharpe utilises long reaching consequences from earlier actions, creating a ripple effect of mayhem. Everything has its place and nothing is ever fully left to chance. This is a book that wallows in ambiguity and morally gray territory. In particular, the final third was such a brilliant culmination of everything that had gone before, adding a final few curveballs for the reader as well. It focuses on facing your trauma and learning to live with its effects on your life. Sharpe keeps it raw and real, but always allows for some element of hope within it.
The Girl in Question brings one of my favourite YA characters back into my life and for that I am grateful. A breath-taking, brilliantly riveting read once again.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Smile and Be a Villain by Yves Donlon. Thank you to Victory Editing for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark… and that ‘something’ is magic.
HELSINGØR, 1536.
Ophelia is a disgraced handmaid to the queen, the cast-off lover of Prince Hamlet. She is also a witch, and a good one at that. And she can see that Denmark is rotting from the inside out, afflicted by dark magic.
WITTENBERG, 1536.
Hamlet is a useless son, a failed heir. He is the prince of a nation about to fight a war they won’t win.
He doesn’t know about magic, but if he did he would use it to destroy their enemies—no matter the consequences.
As Hamlet and Ophelia find themselves increasingly torn apart, they must decide: how much are they willing to sacrifice in order to save Denmark?
And, by the end of it all, will they be beyond saving?
Publication Date: 16th April
TW: queerphobia, outing, emotional abuse, physical assault, death, substance abuse, slavery, anti-Semitism, animal death, war (taken from start of the book)
My Thoughts:
Smile and Be a Villain adds a new dimension to Hamlet in this queer, fantastical and quite spectacular reimaging of the classic tale.
I adored this fantastical reimagining of Hamlet – which is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays. I do not think I talk enough about just how much I love the Bard and seeing how his works continue to inspire and create dialogue with new stories. Donlon takes the beating heart of Hamlet and reframes it to focus on the bubbling threads of family, trauma and the weight of legacy. It is just exquisitely written. This is such a rich world with a fascinating magical system at play. The way the world is weaved is lush and imaginative & allows the story to go into some wickedly fun territory. There are layers of manipulation which, alongside the fantasy, allow for lines to be blurred further and add that surreality to a narrative steeped in psychological exploration already.
As the author’s note describes, choosing to set this book in a particular timeframe adds a new level of political tension and foreboding to the narrative. It also has this deep sense of pathos in seeing these versions of these characters, with our pre-established views of where their stories will go. You feel an overwhelming sense of inevitability, only for Donlon to trick and surprise you. After all, this is not the story you know. However, I did really enjoy the very meta thread about fate and the endless loop of stories – are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past or can we break the cycle?
Also, I have to shout out the fantastic characterisation here. In particular, I really loved Ophelia and Hamlet’s characters here. They had such a different and deeply fascinating take. Donlon adds these extra details that create a new and exciting image. I’m very excited to see where Donlon may take this in the sequel. The character of Fortinbras is given a lot more to play with here, as are Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. It’s extremely exciting to see how it might interact with the play’s events.
Smile and Be a Villain is absolutely fantastic and truly gives a new side to a very familiar tale.
Finally, I’d like to delve into The Light That Blinds Us by Andy Darcy Theo. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s UK for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
After a childhood haunted by disturbing hallucinations of the Shadow Man, Alexis Michaels’s only comfort is the blue amulet he’s had since before he can remember. Now, the visions have gone, and Alexis craves a normal life.
But when a trip to Stonehenge unites him with three other teens carrying similar gems, normality is abandoned when they are plunged into a hidden world of power-wielding Elementals, and told they are the chosen ones, destined to save the world from an eternal night. Trained by legends and guided by heroes, Alexis and his companions must venture on a perilous quest, facing tests of love, loss, and loyalty.
But a dark past plagues Alexis as they prepare to defeat an adversary more ominous than they could imagine, and a looming secret sets to corrupt the mission, their lives, and his mind.
Publication Date: 25th April
TW: mania, mental illness, hallucinations, fantasy violence, mind control, manipulation
My Thoughts:
The Light That Blinds Us is that classic YA fantasy tale, but elevated and given such an emotional core that really drew me in.
Our central quartet of characters is well defined and three dimensional. I loved how we got to see all of them develop over the course of the quest, particularly with how their element interacted with their personalities. They were all fantastic. I would like to focus on Alexis and Demi, best friends and definitely something more there too. Demi was possibly my favourite character, bringing a quiet sense of steel and strength through her caring, loving nature. Do not underestimate her though as she’s one hell of a fighter too! Alexis was a fantastic protagonist – the story Theo is telling through his portrayal is excellent, impactful and nuanced. The mental health storyline through this is considered and necessary. I just loved it with every fibre of my being. Alexis himself is haunted by secrets and shadows of the past. He has such a sense of humour and heart, as well as an all-consuming loyalty and passion to defend his friends.
This checked every box for me. It has such great characterisation, a vividly imagined world and fleshed out and fascinating magic system. Every new space we got to explore was so richly described and evocative for me. I could almost feel the earth beneath my feet. There is also an intriguing throughline about family and legacy, which we get hints of but I can definitely see where it will be expanded on. We have some excellent twists and turns throughout the story. Every chapter heightened the tension and you could feel the pressure of the quest weighing down on all the characters. The darkness is insidious as well, particularly with how it warps familiar characters. I am beyond excited to see where the sequel takes us!
The Light That Blinds Us is a twisty, character focused and fantastically crafted YA fantasy novel that I hope will get the love it deserves.
A Short Book Lover 
I haven’t heard of any of the books before but they certainly sounds like amazing reads. Thanks for the min reviews, I will have to check out these for myself.
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