Browsed by
Tag: standalone

Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman


The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Ocean at the End of the Lane was the very first Gaiman book I ever read. I’ve sense read nearly everything he’s written, and have discovered that my favorite way to ingest his stories is via audio when he reads the books himself. His voice is divine, and I’ve found that listening to him tell his own stories adds to the magic for me. So what better way to revisit the novel that first charmed me into reading his work than by trying it on audio? It was the right decision. I was once again transported into this nameless boy’s childhood adventures, and Gaiman’s voice merely added to the charm of the tale.

“Words save our lives, sometimes.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: Hellmouth by Giles Kristian

Book Review: Hellmouth by Giles Kristian

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

Cover art designed by: Stephen Mulcahey

HELLMOUTH: A novella by Giles Kristian

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical fiction, Horror

Pages: 52 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 19th February 2021 by Giles Kristian (Self-Published)


Hellmouth is a bloody terrifying blend of historical fiction and horror.

“In the absence of light, darkness prevails”

Read More Read More

Book Review: From a Buick 8 by Stephen King

Book Review: From a Buick 8 by Stephen King


From a Buick 8 by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From a Buick 8 was way more interesting than I expected. Honestly, this is one of the few novels in King’s backlist that I would have had no qualms skipping if it hadn’t been on the suggested expanded Dark Tower reading list I found here. I had no desire to read about a supernatural car. Freaky inanimate objects don’t really do it for me. Most of the time, anyway. I should’ve remembered the topiaries in The Shining. Because this unnatural Buick ended up being pretty darn creepy. I was expecting Christine or James Dean’s Little Bastard. That’s so not what was delivered.

Read More Read More

Book Review: Near the Bone by Christina Henry

Book Review: Near the Bone by Christina Henry


Near the Bone by Christina Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Near the Bone is the story of Mattie, a young woman living alone on a mountain with her abusive, much older husband. Something isn’t right on the mountain. Something besides the abuse Mattie can never seem to escape. A new creature has made the mountain its home. It’s huge, a master at staying hidden, and far too intelligent to be a bear or any other average predator. Can Mattie find a way to escape them mountain, and leave both of her monsters behind?

Read More Read More

Book Review: The One by John Marrs

Book Review: The One by John Marrs


The One by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The concept of soul mates is not one that I believe in. I love my husband with every single fiber of my being, but I can’t fathom there only being one right person out there for anyone. There are too many things that could potentially go wrong. What if your soul mate dies of cancer before they graduate high school? What if they live halfway around the world? Those kinds of questions are just scratching the surface of what Marrs explores in The One.

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Book Review: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

Cover art illustrated by: Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Self-help, Philosophy

Pages: 128 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 10th October 2019 by Ebury Press (UK) and 22nd October 2019 by HarperOne (US)


Well, isn’t this just incredibly wholesome and hopeful.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy was a book that I spotted several times on many best-sellers list. However, I was never interested in it; I never expected or planned to read this book. This was a book gifted to me by my co-blogger, TS; she insisted her co-bloggers receive this wonderful gift, and I’m really thankful for her generous gesture. Why? Because I surprisingly loved it. It arrived at my doorstep earlier today; I took a peek and ended up being charmed thoroughly to the end.

Read More Read More

Book Review: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Book Review: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

ARC provided by Goodreads and the publishers—Ballantine Books, Cornerstone—in exchange for an honest review.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Science fiction, Space Opera, Hard Sci-fi

Pages: 496 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 4th May 2021 by Ballantine Books (US) and Del Rey (UK)


Andy Weir is back with a new novel suitable for fans of The Martian.

“Stupid humanity. Getting in the way of my hobbies.”

Read More Read More

Petrik’s Top 20 Books of the Year (2020)

Petrik’s Top 20 Books of the Year (2020)

The featured image above was specifically designed by Felix Ortiz for Novel Notions’ Top 20 Lists. Check out his portfolio, he’s brilliant.


This list is also available on my Booktube Channel if that’s what you preferred: https://youtu.be/1gXaV7SQVio

 

Click here if you want to see the list of all the books I’ve read this year: Petrik’s Year in Books (2020)

Read More Read More

Book Review: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Book Review: We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Thriller, Literary fiction, Crime fiction

Pages: 344 pages (Kindle)

Published: 26th March 2020 by Zaffre


Melancholic, compelling, and so beautifully written.

Read More Read More

Book Review: Why She Wrote by Hannah K. Chapman and Lauren Burke, Illustrated by Kaley Bales

Book Review: Why She Wrote by Hannah K. Chapman and Lauren Burke, Illustrated by Kaley Bales


Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers by Lauren Burke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, Chronicle Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Why She Wrote is not a book I would have stumbled upon without NetGalley, and I would have been missing out. This collection of graphic biographies takes 18 women who wrote and, in sets of three, seeks to illuminate their lives and motivations just the tiniest bit. I really like the way this is presented. Each author gets a page-long bio, followed by a short comic answering the titular question of why she wrote, and finished off with a list of published works and important facts. It reminded me of Rejected Princesses, though I can see where it would have even more in common with Monster, She Wrote, which I have yet to read.

Read More Read More