I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was a couple of weeks ago. 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 Death Row Club by V. A. Vazquez. Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Plenty of people have lousy parents, but Nicola Fischer’s father has just been convicted of murdering five young women, including her best friend. Fired from her job and hounded by reporters, Nicola passes the time by doomscrolling and drunk-dialling Greer Woods, the alluring host of the hit show To Catch a Killer, who cracked the case and turned Nicola’s life upside down before disappearing along with her so-called ‘best intentions’.
When an email from Greer finally shows up in Nicola’s inbox, there’s no apology or explanation, just a cryptic invitation. The Death Row Club is an annual weekend getaway for the adult children of serial killers – and Nicola is the newest reluctant member. Desperate to escape her small town, she accepts the offer with barely a second thought, forging tentative bonds with her fellow club members, most of whom seem intriguing, and only slightly unhinged.
But when an uninvited guest shows up at their remote wilderness retreat, everyone is put on high alert, and the next morning paranoia turns to outright fear. Because one of their own is dead, and the rest of them are left with only one question.
If the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, which of them is the bad seed?
CW: murder, death, violence, PTSD, serial killer, gore, kidnapping, imprisonment
My Thoughts:
The Death Row Club takes an endlessly fascinating premise and turns it into a breathtaking, no-holds-barred thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The concept for this is excellent – take the children of serial killers, put them together in an isolated remote location and then the blood starts to flow. It is such a brilliant twist on the typical slasher set-up and adds a textural layer of emotion that is deep, rich and complicated. These people have been entirely transformed by the actions of their parents and seeing the differing reactions to this is fascinating. Instantly you have the tension between them and wanting to keep this secret.
Nicola’s father has been recently convicted following a true crime documentary and so she is at the start of this spiral with the intense pressure of the public eye and how that utterly destroys her life. You empathise with her quickly as she is caught up in this impossible situation, only to then land in another bloody scenario. The characterisation is great, with everyone standing out and having a distinctive voice. It is a great way to explore how traumatic events affect everyone differently and look at the different ways they handle their infamous parents.
I really enjoyed the way this explores the true crime industry, with a documentary having a key impact on the characters, plot and perception. You can very easily see how events are twisted to best fit the narrative and provide entertainment. There is a thin line between entertainment and exploitation which can get messy quickly in this space. Vazquez dovetails these thematic explorations with a pulse-pounding plot that feels relentless. There are some excellent twists in store and a narrative structure that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The Death Row Club is a perfect Summerween read, leaving a chill even in the heatwave. I know I will be keeping an eye out for further work from Vazquez.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Winners & Liars by Aleema Omotoni. Thank you to Scholastic for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Derin is a working-class student bound for Cambridge University. When her favourite professor, Alexander Darnley, and then his wife, Cornelia, unexpectedly die, all of their students attend the will reading.
They are instructed to compete in a series of challenges, based on Cornelia’s beloved historical novel, to win their stately home and its multi million-pound inheritance.
But the Darnley’s family are not happy to be missing out on their fortune and they don’t plan on letting it go easily.
And tensions continue to rise when on Derin’s first night at Kenfield House, she receives a note reading ‘There’s something else going on here that the Darnleys don’t want you to know.’
Derin must balance the thrilling games, scheming classmates and a cute Kenfield intern, all whilst realising that the history and secrets of Kenfield House might be soaked in blood.
Who will ultimately be the heir?
CW: death, murder, racism, sexism, grief, slavery
My Thoughts:
Omotoni is a name to watch in YA. Her work is sharp, slick and stylish. I thoroughly enjoyed Everyone’s Thinking About It, finding it a fresh, entrancing and enthralling read. It really dug into the typical Dark Academia story and unveiled the structural inequality it ignores. Omotoni offers another Dark Academia murder mystery here but with a brilliant new angle. As soon as I heard about the concept for this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I mean, it’s almost a mix of Bridgerton and The Inheritance Games but something entirely new and exciting at the same time.
This really delves into the darker side of history and the way those in power can whitewash a narrative to remove the bloodshed. Omotoni directly discusses racism, classism, homophobia and sexism and how these various forms of hatred can interact and overlap. She traces a line through history to draw parallels to the modern day. This is a book with something to say and I can only hope that readers are listening.
At the heart of it all, we have Derin who is a fantastic protagonist. She is driven to change her life and pull those she loves up with her. Her voice really connected with me and I was cheering her on throughout. She is smart, passionate and deeply loving. The grief she is experiencing is portrayed in a sensitive way and you can see how it has affected her worldview entirely. I also really enjoyed the gameplay and these scenes really shone. They were intricate and demonstrated Derin’s intellect, love for the series and ability to adapt to a situation. You were glued to the page as they played out and I have to commend Omotoni’s attention to detail. I was completely immersed and would happily have read more and more games. They told you so much about the world of this series but also insights into each character and how they navigate the world, mirrored in the way they approached the games.
Winners & Liars is a brilliant YA murder mystery that would be a crime to miss.
Continuing on, I’d like to talk about Fellow Creatures by Emma Lowther. Thank you to Quercus for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Shannon Bell is a nobody. But she can act.
So when she’s accepted into one of London’s most elite drama schools, it feels like her chance at a life that’s far from her drab home town.
There, Shannon meets Victoria: dazzling, wealthy, beautiful Victoria. The two become inseparable, Victoria the shining centre of Shannon’s new world.
And suddenly, Shannon is no longer a nobody. Instead, she’s on the inside, part of Victoria’s exclusive set of promising young somethings. They spend their days competing for roles, and their nights vying for each other’s affections.
But when Victoria’s privilege begins to single her out from her peers, Shannon finds their friendship – and her jealousy – spinning out of control, with fatal consequences.
CW: death, murder, violence, death of a child, grief, sexual assault, rape
My Thoughts:
Fellow Creatures was a wonderfully tight portrayal of a toxic relationship and obsession brought to extreme measures.
It has such a captivating voice. Shanno pulls you in the tale she is weaving and you quickly find that you cannot escape. You feel for her as an outsider trying to strike out, get away from her little hometown and the tragedy she has carried for years. This is her chance and her acting talent might be the only thing that can make her stand out. From there, you have a classic Dark Academia style arc as she becomes enmeshed in this friendship group with different dynamics at play and some complicated relationships beginning to form. At the heart of it all is Victoria. The story between these two is so rich and layered and utterly consuming.
I also liked the way the pressures of drama school came into play and that forced sense of competition heightened existing tensions. It added a new texture to the classic beats and spoke to the dirty grit beneath the manicured fingernails. The acting industry is one that often seems so glamorous and a place of dreams but is built on a sense of who you know and who you are. We’re all aware of the headlines that expose the darkness and Lowther goes into this full throttle. Do ensure you check the content warnings if needed as it does go into tough territory but in a sensitive and nuanced manner.
It is also an accomplished psychological thriller that completes immerses you in these claustrophobic headspaces and difficult characters. Lowther’s pacing is wonderful and there are plenty of brilliant twists and turns in store. The story is relentless in its darkness and the stakes just keep escalating. I thought it had a fantastic ending and beware, this has a vicious sting in its tale too so do not make the mistake that you can let up in the last few pages.
Fellow Creatures is an assured debut from an exciting new voice whose work I cannot wait to continue.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves. Thank you to for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Travis lives an unassuming life with his cat in a small English town. Travis also happens to be the cosmic force of Death, visiting people in their final days and hours of life, before shepherding them into whatever happens next.
He listens to their stories, doesn’t judge, and never tries to change anyone’s fate… until he meets a young, single midwife called Dalia and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter, Layla. As he gets closer to this small, seemingly unremarkable family, Travis begins to learn what it is that makes life so worth living, and so what it is that is irrevocably lost in death.
CW: death, violence, car accident, death of a child, grief, suicide, suicidal ideation, terminal illness
My Thoughts:
Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is going to take the world by storm. This is a gorgeously written, evocative and rich story that completely engrosses you in its story and leaves you desperate to discuss it after the final page.
The concept here is staggering and the type of thing that stays with you. Reeves takes this and runs with it to create a deeply affecting story that tackles death head-on and ultimately has a gorgeous, life-affirming message. You’re instantly in the palm of Reeves’ hand and from there, the story he is spinning is astounding.
I am telling you now, I think this book is going to make waves. It is an exceptional debut that pulls your heart from your chest. There is this brilliant sense of dark humour and humanity that helps to alleviate some of the bleakness but it is also unafraid to face the reality that death will come for us all in the end. The characterisation is stellar and helps you escape into the story. In just a few lines, Reeves creates such full portraits of everyone you encounter. They remind you of people within your life or those you have a passing connection with. It is a rich tapestry of just how messy people’s lives can be and how everyone grapples with the ultimate question of mortality. There is an overarching narrative thread that weaves through these stories and the culmination of this is perfect.
Unsurprisingly, this is a book that grapples with the subject of death in quite some detail. It is an emotional devastating read at times and this only lands because of how brilliant Reeves’ writing and characterisation is. You are invested in these characters and have already lost your heart to them, but there is a sense of inevitability given the subject matter. That is also what Travis is grappling with throughout and the way this is portrayed is exquisite. The depiction of grief in particular is something that I will hold close to my heart for a long time.
Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is just incredible. Reeves is a fantastically exciting new voice and I cannot wait to see what he does next, but do not let yourself miss out on his debut.
A Short Book Lover 