Alison > Recent Status Updates

I know I've literally just started this but it's already creepy as hell. I love it (and am also scared)

Playing by Phoebe Wynn - A brilliant final story in this collection. Very much character driven and such a disturbing character Grace is.

Phobos - I think this could be my favourite story of the 12. Absolutely brilliant

Weekend at Bernie's by ML Rio - a story by this author was a big draw for me and I really enjoyed it. If you like your 80s movies you'll have an idea what this is about. I do love Rio's writing

The Professor of Ontography by Helen Grant - A little predictable but still an enjoyable story. I'm impressed the author squeezed so much into so few pages

Unknowable Pleasures by Susie Yang - I think I must be too tired or something as I didn't really get this story. I feel like I'm missing something but no idea what

Four Funerals by David Bell - hmmm not sure what to say about this as it's about a school shooting, and I don't really know how I feel about it. It is well written and I guess good to highlight the aftermath but I'm not sure a short story is the right place.

The Ravages by Layne Fargo - An interesting little story about love and betrayal set in archives. A little predictable but an OK read

X House by JT Ellison - Well written but not for me I'm afraid. I feel like the author tried to do too much in a small number of pages. There are two povs to contend with and it's quite heavy on description. I think the story told could actually work well as a full length novel, it's a good idea. It just needed more pages to add some depth

The Hare and the Hound by Kelly Armstrong - Not sure I would really call this dark academia but I did like it a lot. Possibly my favourite story so far, I do love a is someone going crazy or are there darker forces at work kind of tale. It also feels like a complete story, well written with fleshed out characters. Something I find rare in short stories.

Sabbatical by James Tate Hill - Really strange story that I really don't know what to make of. I think I liked it, or at least I enjoyed the apathy of the main character but overall it was really bizarre

Pythia by Olivie Blake - I'm a fan of Blake so her story was a big draw for me. It was however probably a mistake to read it while midway through Atlas Paradox. Pythia is quite complex for a short story, some difficult concepts and quite a few characters. It weaves together magic, technology, psychology, academia and social commentary. Maybe too complex for something so short but brilliant writing as always

Just started but already know this is going to increase my tbr.

1000 Ships by Kate Weinberg - A prequel to her book The Truants it definitely falls into the dark category. Despite feeling particularly short it does give a real sense of the characters. A little bit spicy, it's a story of betrayal, jealousy and revenge. Very much enjoyed so have added the Truants to my tbr.

Love Sally Thorne but really not sure I can read this

Miss Marple Takes Manhattan by Alyssa Cole - Quite a different take on a Miss Marple story, not sure it really worked for me. Much more social commentary than mystery (there's not much of a mystery at all). Didn't really like the way Marple was portrayed, it didn't feel like the character I love.

Evil in Small Places - Lucy Foley
I'm a Lucy Foley fan so really enjoyed this, Foley manages to cram a proper who dunnit with several suspects into not very many pages with clues along the way. 4.5/5

The Second Murder at the Vicarage - Val McDermid
Murder at the Vicarage is one of the few Marple books I've read so enjoyed revisiting the characters and it felt similar in style. Only criticism is the ending 4/5

I can't figure out what age the main characters are meant to be. At times it reads like they're ancient but then it'll say they took early retirement recently so they must be late 50s which is not that old.

Flipping to the end to see how long it is and accidentally read the last page. Probably shouldn't have done that

I am really struggling to get into this and don't know why

I don't really get this, did it never cross their minds to just not go after the guy?

Just figured out why I have a bad feeling about what's coming, it reminds me of One Day. Here's hoping this does not turn into the sobfest that was, I am fully invested in Poppy and Alex.

Who the hell thinks it's a good idea to confront their ex at their job? I'm sorry but this makes me so angry. Ollie is a truly horrible, self centred twat.

Maybe I'm odd but I don't really find the death of a dog or suicide all that funny

Did I just see a reference to the characters from a previous book? Please tell me they make an appearance.

I just want it to be over, Penny is so horrible and nasty to everyone. I honestly don't know what the guys see in her.

This book is making me sooo happy.

Given Knightley is my least favourite Austen hero the title probably should have put me off this but giving it a go

It's really bugging me that Nick uses Emma's name constantly when speaking to her. She's the only one there. I think she knows he's talking to her. Maybe I'm weird but I almost never use people's names when talking directly to them.

Been trying to figure out what this book reminds me of and it's The Belles. Lot of similarities

Well that was slightly terrifying. Note to self: if you're ever renting a room make sure there's a lock on the door

First impressions of this are very positive. I have already detected a few sparks so hopes are high.