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 While We’re Young by K. L. Walther. Thank you to Electric Monkey for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.
With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.
In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly’s finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?
Publication Date: 13th March
CW: grief, death of a parent, infidelity
My Thoughts:
While We’re Young was a wonderful and heart-warming YA contemporary romance about reconnecting with those you love and living life to the full.
This felt like the best ice cream sundae you’ve had, with a perfect lightness of touch to the events. It had strong Ferris Bueller vibes, tapping into that sense of anarchy in a contained and fun format. Walther gets that bittersweet moment of standing on the cusp of adulthood, knowing your life will change forever and trying to cling on to those you love. It captures that boundless sense of freedom and wonder and sunshine. I love the focus on both platonic and romantic relationships. There is a keen sense of friendships needing to be mended as well as the knotty romantic entanglements to unpick. It is an entertaining and deeply romantic read, but celebrating love in a myriad of forms.
However, this is not a book that is afraid of getting into tougher topics as well. I really liked the depiction of grief – it is heartfelt and nuanced, impacting each of our protagonists in a different way. Everett is feeling it most at the forefront and assuming that pressure of staying near and supporting those who he loves. It is a considered and beautifully executed throughline that reminds you that the world is not all sunshine, though it does have hope at its core. It balances some of the frivolity a little but also emphasises it as a reminder to live life to the fullest if you can. Walther also heavily focuses on families and how those relationships can be challenging, with pressure to uphold a certain standard and achieve what is perceived to be your dreams. All of the families here have their own stuff going on. It is difficult at times and confronts real topics teenagers face in their lives.
While We’re Young is a flirty and fun-filled book that also has plenty of heart and grit.
Next up, I’d like to talk about They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran. Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ever since a hurricane devastated the small town of Mercy, Louisiana, a red algae bloom has taken over. Mutated wildlife lurks in the water that rises by the day, but Mercy has always been a place where monsters walk in plain sight. Especially at its heart: the Cove, where Noon’s life was upended long before the storm at a party her older boyfriend insisted on.
Now, Noon is stuck navigating the submerged town with her mom, who believes their family have been reincarnated as sea creatures. Alone with the pain of what happened that night at the cove, Noon buries the truth: she is not the right shape.
When Mercy’s predatory leader demands Noon and her mum capture the creature drowning residents, she reluctantly finds an ally in his deadly hunter of a daughter and friends old and new. As the next storm approaches, Noon must confront the past and decide if it’s time to answer the monster itching at her skin.
Publication Date: 13th March
CW: death, grief, body horror, drowning, sexual assault, rape, racism, neglect, domestic abuse, injury, violence, gore
My Thoughts:
They Bloom at Night sent shivers down my spine. This climate horror delivers plenty of thrills, suspense and surprises.
I adored She is a Haunting and Tran returns in full force here with this ocean horror that is eerie, disquieting and delivers the goods. This is excellent YA horror. I really like how much we delve into the intersection between capitalism, colonialism and climate crisis. Even in this altered world, rich men seek to exploit the world around them for their own gain. It is a deeply angry book that looks to burn down those power structures by highlighting how they affect people.
Noon is a fantastic protagonist within this. She has been changed by a secret she holds deep within her heart but cannot let this show for fear of upsetting her grief-stricken mother, obsessed with rediscovering the people they have loved and lost. The throughline of grief is wonderfully depicted with nuance and sensitivity. Grief brings out differing responses in everyone it affects, which is on full display here.
I loved the unnerving feeling of inevitability that the book possessed. From the first page, it feels like the events have been set in motion, leading towards the outcome that was always destined to happen. Of course, as a story, the course is set by the author already, but as a reader, you wish for it to change anyway. It also matches the book’s fascination with fate and the expectations of where our lives may lead. This blends Vietnamese folklore with the speculative story within, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality even further.
They Bloom at Night bares its teeth, sinks them in and does not let go. It is horror at its finest – holding a mirror up to our society and warning of the monsters within.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall. Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Nicola Bridge moves back to Dorset after years as a CID detective in the big city, the last thing she expects is for the picturesque village of Fleetcombe to become a grisly crime scene.
Jim Tiernan, landlord of the White Hart pub, has been found dead, the body staged with macabre relish on an isolated country road. As soon as she starts asking questions, Nicola realises everyone in the village has something to hide.
Frankie, the hairdresser who isn’t a skilled enough actor to conceal they’re lying about the night of the murder.
Eddie, the delivery driver whose heart starts racing every time he drives past the crime scene.
Deakins, the embittered farmer still living in the shadow of a supposedly murderous ancestor.
And even the little girl, hidden at the top of the playground slide, who’s watching them all.
Whispers. Rumours. Lies. But Nicola knows that somewhere among them, a killer is hiding in plain sight.
Publication Date: 27th March
CW: death, murder, violence, infidelity, injury, gore, racism, xenophobia, transphobia
My Thoughts:
Death at the White Hart leaves dirt under your fingernails in this taut, tense and striking thriller.
I was craving a good thriller. This delivered me an excellent one – gritty and raw, tied up in the messiness of humanity and our tangled relationships.
This has all the elements of your classic small town mystery set-up: long-held secrets, increasingly claustrophobic atmosphere, petty grudges, rivalries and even a touch of old folklore horror. Chibnall takes all of these and dials them up to eleven. His characterisation is stellar, as you would expect from his previous work. These people spring to life – there is that touch of authenticity to the dialogue that makes it catch your ear. You find yourself caring about these characters and the town in which they inhabit. They are messy and flawed and all the more believable because of it.
The actual mystery is well-constructed and compelling. Right from the start, you are hooked. That opening sequence was excellent and from there on I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put this down. Chibnall leads the reader and Nicola Bridge on a merry dance through this grisly murder and the complex context behind it. There are plenty of twists and turns to uncover. Overall, I loved the writing style in this. It felt engaging and cinematic with a visual element that captures your attention. You could easily see this adapted for the screen. For me, the standout was the balance of action and emotion. You are interested in the dark shadows of the idyllic locale because of the people involved. Chibnall has a deft hand for this push and pull without losing momentum.
Death at the White Hart is a pitch-perfect thriller that will keep you glued to the pages.
A Short Book Lover 
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