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 Reality Check by Lizzie Huxley-Jones. Thank you to for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wedded Bliss is everyone’s favourite reality TV show, where couples match, marry and compete for a grand prize.
Dolly is in it for money. She doesn’t want a husband, but a partnership launched on international TV could definitely help her influencer career. Model Warren might just be her man.
Carys is in it for love. It’s not like she’s had much luck in the romance department, so why not trust the show’s matchmakers with her heart? Could handsome veterinarian Patrick be the one?
The tension building between them is as hot as the competition and the two women can’t deny their chemistry. For Carys, it’s an awakening, but any change of plan could ruin everything for Dolly. Will they find reality TV fame or the reality of love?
Publication Date: 9th April
CW: sexism, misogyny, ableism, fatphobia, homophobia
My Thoughts:
Reality Check is a ray of sunshine in book form. This was such a gorgeously romantic read that swept me off my feet.
Huxley-Jones is great at writing relationships. The way the dynamic builds between Dolly and Carys is so heart-warming. Their chemistry is scorching and I loved all the little flirty moments spread throughout. They have a wonderful meet-cute that instantly gives you a sense of who they are and how they navigate the world. Dolly is slightly more pragmatic, coming into this with a clear goal and a steer on her heart. Carys is coming in slightly more optimistically and looking for love. Their approaches reflect who they are and what is riding on their shoulders as they come into. Their dialogue is authentic and snappy. The feelings that evolve are revealing for both of them in different ways and I enjoyed seeing how they changed over the course of the story. The romance is the type that gives you a warm glow in your heart and puts a smile on your face.
I also enjoyed the way we explore the set-up of reality television and how it treats people like characters, right down to manufacturing storylines and trying to create the most drama. The story combines this bubbling dynamic with sharp insights about the realities of reality TV and the way editing & production completely twist the narrative. Dolly is hyper-aware of the role she is being expected to play and how facets of herself would influence this simply because of who she is. There is plenty to delve into here around body image, sexuality and expected gender norms. Those that stray outside of the ‘perfect’ boxes are often not treated kindly in these spaces and Huxley-Jones displays this with heart-breaking honesty.
Reality Check is such a joyous book that celebrate love in all its forms and feels like a warm hug.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone? by Louise O’Neill. Thank you to Bantam for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
2002
Twin sisters Madeline and Chelsea Stone are joint stars of the AtomicKids sitcom Double Trouble, but everyone knows it’s Maddie who shines most brightly. Until Chelsea beats her sister out for the role of a lifetime and is catapulted into the spotlight. But just as Chelsea’s star reaches impossible new heights, Maddie disappears.
2025
Chelsea Stone retired from acting after her sister’s disappearance – but living life under the radar is easier said than done when you’re the most famous woman of your generation.
When a storage locker is found containing heart-breaking truths about the year Maddie went missing, Chelsea feels a flicker of hope for the first time in twenty years.
This is her chance to discover what really happened to her twin, but to follow the trail, is she ready to face the past and step back into the spotlight?
Publication Date: 9th April
CW: death, grief, suicidal ideation, addiction, abuse, manipulation
My Thoughts:
Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone? is the type of book you cannot wait to talk about. It is rich and layered with plenty of thought-provoking topics to discuss.
I have loved O’Neill’s work for many, many years but this might just be the most affecting piece of her work I’ve read. It is incredibly timely and hard-hitting in terms of the themes explored and how they dovetail with this exploration of fame. O’Neill examines abusive relationships in a few different forms, giving nuance to the perspectives of the victims and showing how someone can get caught up in this manipulative spiral. We move between the past and present to chart exactly what happened to Madeline and what other factors were at play. It is reminiscent of I’m Glad My Mother Died in terms of the dialogues it opens and some of the shared thematic explorations but from a different angle. That sisterhood underpins everything and you can feel the reverberations of it with Chelsea’s dynamics with her friends, her mother and her husband.
I really loved Chelsea as a protagonist. It’s interesting to explore the what happens next after childhood stardom and the ripple effects this has had on her life, before you add in the mysterious disappearance of her sister. This obviously has plenty of true crime theories around it and O’Neill explores those two worlds in vivid, unrelenting detail. You really see the effect they have on the real people involved and can draw the parallels in the way stories are twisted and narratives are manipulated. Chelsea is deeply protective of those she loves, most prominently her children, and seeing that come into play is astounding. She has been running for so long from her secrets and now they are finally catching up with her.
Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone? is a book that stole my heart and hasn’t returned it quite yet. It is an ode to sisterhood and the fragility of relationships with those we love.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson. Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My name is Ernest Cunningham. I’ve spent the last few years solving murders. But a bank heist is a new one, even for me.
The doors are chained shut. No one’s coming in or out. Which means that when someone in the bank is murdered, hostages become suspects.
Turns out, more than one person planned to rob the bank today – and you can steal more from a bank than just money…
Who is stealing what? Who is not only a thief, but also a killer? And can I crack the case, before time runs out?
Publication Date: 16th April
CW: death, murder, violence, terminal illness, shooting, suicide, self-immolation
My Thoughts:
Everyone in This Bank is a Thief is a riot of a read. It continues this darkly hilarious and formally innovative series and I will continue reading this world for as long as Stevenson wants to deliver stories set within it.
If you haven’t already picked up the Ernest Cunningham series, you are missing out on one hell of a ride. This whole series is darkly hilarious and just a blast to read. It has this highwire act of taking the mick and paying homage to the crime genre while also delivering compelling mysteries. The use of footnotes and callbacks is inspired. Anyway, I did a reread of the first two books before picking up this new story and had just as much of a good time as my first read. These books are so clever and every time you reread them, there is something new to discover.
My expectations were through the stratosphere, but this latest instalment is another knockout. I love the way Stevenson somehow keeps finding new ways to play with the genre. Here is a love letter to the heist genre and yet again, this is a twisted web of secrets and lies and robberies. It is so well put together and a seamless read. Stevenson packs the pages with deception and twists that leave you reeling. Even the narration takes a bit of a turn here with an unexpected direction that changes the stakes of the story from previous tales.
Everyone in This Bank is a Thief is the most ingenious heist story you will read this year. It is addictive reading with plenty of unexpected surprises up its sleeve.
A Short Book Lover 