Wulf's Book Reviews

Dying Truth by Angela Marsons My rating: 5 of 5 stars Murder at an elite British boarding school where secret societies wield immense influence and control over practically every single pupil—for their entire life. A shady principal, a counselor with secrets, and Joanna Wade, still coming on to Kim. » The Spades filed silently into the candle room. « Now imagine Kim “invading” the venerable halls of the school, disrupting the supposed peace and, in her usual manner, penetrating the complex interconnections against all resistance by celebrities, school officials, pupils, and pretty much everyone - with unexpected exceptions… This is the premise of " Dying Truth ", Angela Marsons' eighth instalment in her Kim Stone series and it plays out just as brilliantly as it sounds. I know I also wrote about the previous novel but it’s true for this one as well: It’s the best novel of this series so far. From the outset, the boarding school provides a gothic, almost claustrophobic...

The Bunk Up by Andie M. Long My rating: 0 of 5 stars Regressive, Reckless, and Ridiculous: Meet the Worst Book I've Ever Read In all honesty, this is the worst book I’ve ever read. It’s so backwards-leaning, demented, idiotic, and irresponsible, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Long and Sidebottom are actually Trump and Musk respectively. Daisy is our female protagonist who has just been cheated on by her boyfriend, been fired from her job, and, encouraged by friends, now wants to take a holiday. To give you a first idea of what Daisy is like, let’s examine her thoughts about that: » My pout returns when I remember she’s right. I have no job to try and take holidays from. I have no boyfriend to seek permission from. « The male protagonist, Frazer, is by no means better. » From what I know, Nigel is a prize ass, anyway, and I’m sure no mother could be proud of a son who wears brown corduroys and a feather fucking earring while he sticks toenail clippings to bits of cardboard ...

Broken Bones by Angela Marsons My rating: 4 of 5 stars Not as sharp as before, but Kim Stone’s grit keeps me hooked. Angela Marsons' “ Broken Bones ” follows Kim Stone and her tireless team as they delve into a network of crimes that expose the darkest corners of society. While its predecessor left me enthralled, this one felt like a slight step back in terms of sheer suspense, character development, and immediacy of action. “Broken Bones” deals with issues of desperation, abuse, and exploitation, exploring the ways marginalised people navigate a world indifferent to their suffering. Among the novel’s many strengths, Detective Kim Stone continues to stand out. Her tenacity, resilience, and willingness to challenge perceptions radiate in every chapter. » He turned to look at her. ‘You’re advising me on positivity?’ ‘Oh, the irony,’ she observed. « The novel also examines the complexity of human behaviour. In a powerful scene, Kim reflects on the limitations of stereotyping: » ’A ...

Dead Souls by Angela Marsons My rating: 5 of 5 stars I've followed Angela Marsons' Kim Stone series from the beginning, and " Dead Souls " was, so far, its best instalment. What sets this entry apart is the fascinating dynamic created by forcing Kim Stone to work alongside her long-standing nemesis, Tom Travis, and his team. This unexpected partnership generates tension throughout the story, while Kim's own team tackles separate cases that eventually interweave.The culmination, involving the abduction of one of Kim's team members, had me perched on the edge of my seat. Marsons has always excelled at pacing, but here she's outdone herself. The narrative flows with the precision of a well-oiled machine, never feeling rushed yet maintaining a constant sense of urgency. While the subject matter is undeniably dark—dealing with xenophobia, racism, and hate crimes—it doesn't descend into the gratuitous territory that sometimes plagues contemporary crime fi...

The Wedding People by Alison Espach My rating: 5 of 5 stars Hope and New Beginnings: Why You’ll Fall in Love with ”The Wedding People” I knew absolutely nothing about “ The Wedding People ” by Alison Espach . I just liked the cover. Once I had started reading it, I didn’t want to stop—for anything or anyone. Now that I’ve finished it, I’m suffering from a severe bout of book hangover. Phoebe Stone comes to the Cornwall Inn to kill herself. She just wants to splurge on herself one last time, dine nicely, enjoy the sunset and then overdose on… medicine. Before she can do pretty much anything of that, though, Phoebe finds herself amidst the chaos of the “wedding week” of the bride, Lila, the groom, Gary, and the eponymous “wedding people”. Lila literally barges into Phoebe’s life and room, and sets Phoebe on a path that will drastically change her life. » No. You definitely cannot kill yourself. This is my wedding week. « This premise had me hooked very quickly. What really sealed the d...

Blood Lines by Angela Marsons My rating: 3 of 5 stars " Blood Lines " by Angela Marsons initially grabbed my attention with its suspenseful and gripping story. It certainly is a page-turner, and for a while, I was convinced that this was a solid four-star read. The premise was intriguing, and the pacing kept me engaged, making it easy reading at first. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm waned as the story progressed. » She was not as surprised as she should have been that Alex had come crashing back into her life. « The return of Alex Thorne, an old foe, felt contrived, and Alex’ actions seemed almost universally outlandish. Why resurrect old villains when you can create new, compelling antagonists? And let’s be honest, she's unbelievably manipulative and cartoonish. It severely impacted my enjoyment to see such a lazy plot device used. It’s just more of the same, nothing new—and, of course, Kim fell for it almost every time… If you—like me—didn’t enjoy “ Evil Games ” ( Kim ...

2024 in Reading — And Otherwise 2024 has been a challenging year on many levels that ended positively. On a global (rather than personal) level, the worst event was the election of Trump. I fear for friends and their children in the US. I fear for women in the US. As a queer man, I fear for the LGBTQ* community in the US (and worldwide). My thoughts and deeds are with you every day. On a personal level, I’ve tried to learn, to listen, and to be a better person. As of 31 December, I’ve been married to the best person I’ve ever met for 25 years. And I keep discovering just how unbelievably awesome she is even after all this time. I love you, C. Reading helped counteract the negative aspects of 2024 and enhanced the positive ones. Looking at my year in books, I’m especially amused by the stark contrasts: The great “ Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ” by Gabrielle Zevin was shelved by 2.5 million of my fellow readers, whereas “ Dashing All the Way ” by Chelsea Curto , a contemporary r...