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 One Bad Apple by Jo Jakeman. Thank you to Constable for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Publication Date: 19th September

TW: death, murder, violence, cheating, manipulation, abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, bullying, drowning, grief

Goodreads | Waterstones

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My Thoughts:

One Bad Apple was a juicy and riveting mystery unravelling the secrets hidden in the hallowed halls of Aberfal Boys High School.

I am a sucker for mysteries and thrillers that play with different narrative styles, often combining various points of view with media excerpts i.e. podcast transcripts, interview clips and text messages. Jakeman delivers these with aplomb, letting the reader have an eagle eye of the police interview, individual perspectives both leading up to and following on from that fateful day and most excitingly, the classic WhatsApp group. This just gives such an insight into the group dynamics from just a few texts, as well as adding layers to both the characters and the overall mystery. It is a showboating competition hidden behind smiles and forced serenity. Everything is about status with a distinct emphasis on class. Jakeman just nails that school parent competition dynamic and how covert yet deeply unsubtle it is. The tension is high and the paranoia is tantamount. Rumours are flying and fire is spreading, letting you get caught up in the minutiae of everything unfolding. 

It is such a well-paced and compelling mystery. The suspense is great and the stakes are growing higher by the page, particularly as you get more involved with these characters and come to care about their lives. Of course, the added dynamic is the fascination with the idea of elite private schools. For many of us, they just seem otherworldly and the peek behind the curtain is fascinating. The popularity of media like Succession and Saltburn shows that desire to unpick the secrets of the elite and I think this is magnified in a British context, as class colours everything in our culture. It insidiously twists everything, often in unexpected or unspoken ways. Of course, nothing is as picture-perfect as it seems here with a myriad of secrets to discover. It is just so humanly messy in the way these different relationships are all entangled. 

One Bad Apple keeps the surprises coming, building masterfully to an excellent denouement that is shocking and satisfying at the same time.

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Next up, I’d like to talk about The Dagger and the Flame. Thank you to Nina Douglas and Simon and Schuster for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Publication Date: 26th September

TW: death, violence, murder, fire, abuse, domestic abuse, grief, guilt, PTSD

Goodreads | Waterstones

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My Thoughts:

The Dagger and the Flame made me understand the current obsession with romantasy. This was such a sumptuous and swoon-worthy fantasy that truly delivered on its promise of enemies to lovers. 

This was my first Catherine Doyle book but it certainly will not be my last. This book crackled with tension – both from suspense and romance. I absolutely adored this fantasy thriller centring on shifting power dynamics between two rival factions with an exhilarating mystery at its heart.

The characterisation was off the charts. I really connected with Seraphine, who is reeling from the death of her mother and determined to find out what led to that terrible night. She is fierce and determined, with a kind heart and a deep well of loyalty to those she loves. Her intelligence sparks off the page and I loved reading her observations as she learnt more about this criminal underworld and finding her place in it. On the other side, we have the brooding and tortured Ransom, who is haunted by the ghosts of his past. He could have so easily fallen into a complete cliche but Doyle gives him layers and nuance that elevates him into a relatable and emotive character. His past has defined him and he is still running from the consequences of his actions. Both of them are deeply marked by grief. I enjoyed how Doyle explored the longer-term ramifications of this and how death can leave a stain on your being. You are forever changed by the experience of grief.

 Of course, death leaves a literal bloody stain in this world with the duelling factions. I really enjoyed the world-building and magic system at play here. It is an addictive one, mimicking that pursuit of power but asking what it may cost you to succeed. Doyle makes it abundantly clear that this is also a world of duplicity, lies and scheming. You cannot fully trust what you are seeing and betrayal is the name of the game. Within this, there is an excellent mystery plot as we discover the full truth of that night and what it means in a wider context for this world. It is intense and the tension could be cut with a knife. While it does deliver some growing chemistry and tension between our two protagonists, it is somewhat of a doomed relationship from the start. They are on rival sides of a city balanced on the edge, where anything could set off the scales and plunge everyone into all out war. 

The Dagger and the Flame delivered everything I wanted from it and so much more. Doyle is a force to be reckoned with here and I’m already eagerly awaiting the sequel.

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Finally, I’d like to delve into The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker. Thank you to Hodderscape for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Publication Date: 1st October

TW: death, violence, blood, murder, graphic violence, gore,  death of a loved one, fire, self-harm, grief

Goodreads | Waterstones

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My Thoughts:

The Blood Orchid follows up the bloodthirsty beast that was The Scarlet Alchemist and not only matches its excellence, it elevates it.

This has not been a duology that holds back. Blood runs through each page and under the nails of our protagonist, Zilan. For her, alchemy has always meant sacrifice and made the boundaries of life and death liminal. She has been driven by revenge and wanting to protect her family at any cost. That pursuit of power comes from a long-held survival instinct that morphs into a thirst for validation in a world that wishes to destroy her. In this duology, her character arc is astounding and I love how it develops over the course of the two books without compromising that calculated, scheming nature we met in the first few pages. There is no shortage of death and destruction here either, as we deal with the ramifications of that incredible final act from the first book. I adored the deeper world-building we explore here and the way we tap more into the history of alchemy and how it has shaped the political power structures of this country. It is a legacy of suffering and pain that runs deep in this world. 

Lee Baker does not shy away from tackling the consequences of these actions on the wider population. They are often used as pawns in these mystical, mind-bending games of magic and abilities beyond our comprehension. Zilan is keenly aware of the blood seeping through her pores and the devastation she has wrought from her decisions. Those ideas of choice and sacrifice are tantamount to this book, particularly in the weighing up of an individual against a mass collective. We examine in-depth the corrosive influence of power, continuing the thread from the first book, as alchemy moves in different spheres. The action scenes are exciting and well paced, with cinematic flair. 

The Blood Orchid sharpens its claws and prepares to draw blood in this electrifying ending to an intense and intriguing duology.