Wulf's Book Reviews

The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell My rating: 5 of 5 stars “ The Burning Land ” is exactly what I wanted from the fifth book in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series : another fierce, fast-moving Uhtred adventure that keeps all the strengths of its predecessors while avoiding the weaknesses that occasionally slowed them down. I liked it very much indeed. More importantly, I enjoyed the entire journey. Every page gave me something: a battle, a sharp exchange, a political manoeuvre, a religious hypocrisy, or one of Uhtred’s wonderfully blunt observations. The setup is familiar but still effective. Alfred is ageing and ill, his heir remains untested, and the Danes see an opportunity to press their advantage. Uhtred’s position between Saxon and Dane, loyalty and independence, remains the engine of the story. Cornwell understands that Uhtred is most interesting when nobody can quite claim him, least of all Uhtred himself. His decisions feel personal, practical, and gloriously dangerous wi...

The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur My rating: 4 of 5 stars After the disaster that the latest “Bruno” turned out to be, “The Fiancée Farce” was exactly the palate cleanser I needed: warm, funny, queer, and far more wholehearted than its knowingly ridiculous premise might suggest. On paper, a marriage of convenience is one of the oldest romance contraptions in the book. In practice, Alexandria Bellefleur makes it feel fresh because the romance is built not on trope, but on trust. What charmed me most was not simply that Gemma and Tansy want each other. It was that they begin, almost instinctively, to tell each other the truth. » these days, she was nothing if not brutally honest with herself « That matters. A lot of contemporary romances, including very good ones, still run on people withholding the one thing that would make the relationship real. “The Fiancée Farce” takes the more generous route. Tansy begins from a lie, yes, but the emotional shape of the novel comes from t...

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire My rating: 5 of 5 stars Not the fantasy of going through the door, but the heartbreak of coming back. Every portal fantasy asks what lies beyond the door. What Seanan McGuire asks instead is what happens after the door shuts behind you, and that shift gives “Every Heart a Doorway” its bruised, peculiar power. » Children have always disappeared under the right conditions. « I went in expecting something wistful and whimsical. What I found was weirder, sadder, and much sharper about loneliness, belonging, and the violence of being told that your deepest truth is nonsense. » Narrate the impossible things. « That line feels like the novella’s method in miniature. McGuire writes with the economy of a fable, but not the emotional simplicity of one. The prose is lean, clean, and surprisingly cutting. Eleanor West’s school is not a cosy sanctuary for charming misfits so much as a halfway house for children who have already found the worlds that suite...

Wicked Women by Angela Marsons My rating: 5 of 5 stars “Wicked Women” is one of those rare long-running-series instalments that makes you feel, within a handful of pages, that you have come home. As the twenty-third novel in the Detective Kim Stone series , it has every right to coast on familiar beats, but it does the opposite. Angela Marsons drops you straight back into Kim Stone’s world with that familiar, brisk authority - sharp observation, sharper dialogue, and a case that refuses to sit still. The premise flirts with witchcraft, but the book’s real trick is how elegantly it keeps the supernatural at arm’s length: present as culture, performance, fear, and suggestion, yet never allowed to bulldoze the procedural logic. Like Kim, I do not believe in witches, and I loved how the novel leans into that scepticism while staying delightfully ambiguous. » ‘But no one really believes in them,’ Kim stated. « That line sets the tone: we are here for evidence, motives, and human choices, ...

The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I flew through “The Scholar”, and it felt like McTiernan sharpened everything that already worked in " The Ruin ", the pacing, the mounting pressure, and the uneasy sense that every answer creates a worse question. Cormac Reilly is pulled into the death of a young woman linked to Galway University and a pharmaceutical dynasty with money, influence, and far too many reasons to want the truth managed. The investigation is the kind I love, official interest, media heat, colleagues second-guessing every move, and the creeping suspicion that the system is designed to protect itself first. What really sells the suspense is how personal it becomes. Cormac’s relationship with Emma Sweeney adds an edge of emotional risk to every decision, and the novel keeps nudging you into uncomfortable questions about bias, loyalty, and what “objectivity” looks like when the stakes are human. The atmosphere is crisp and chilly, even when the...

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold My rating: 5 of 5 stars There’s a dragon in the land, and the prince needs to vanquish it in order to free the fair maiden. They triumphantly return, marry, and live happily ever after. I’ve never really questioned the scenario or really thought about it. With “ Damsel ” by Elana K. Arnold , this changed: The dragon’s lair is actually beautiful. Our damsel, Ama, isn’t all that much in distress - at least until the arrogant, self-serving prick of a prince, Emory, picks her up. As the story proceeded, I grew increasingly uncomfortable about how Ama is treated not only by the prince, but by everyone around her. All of her needs and wishes are dismissed at best, punished at worst. Ama is treated like a vessel; she has no “value” as a person but as a means to an end. (If you’re living in the US right now, Emory, under another name, is your king.) Ama is literally and metaphorically hurt by this, but never broken. In a furious, angry finale, she transcends the conf...

by Angela Marsons My rating: 5 of 5 stars Kim Stone #12 to #21 I went down a rabbit hole with Kim Stone . After eleven novels starring Angela Marsons' brilliant, abrasive, sympathetic Detective Inspector, I was so enamoured with these characters, the mysteries, and all the other greatness that make these novels, I just couldn’t get enough of them. Every waking minute that could be spent on the novels, would be. Ok, a few times I would start to despair at the loss of the rule of law in the USA, witnessing how people like you and me are impacted by what that despicable orange person does. And then I would immediately return to Kim Stone and her team. Penn, Stacey, Bryant (whose given name I now finally know!), Frost, and, interestingly, Leanne - they all have their moments. The stories always address relevant contemporary issues, they’re believable, suspenseful and thrilling. I cannot review those novels individually anymore because once I had finished one (without taking the time f...

Dead Memories by Angela Marsons My rating: 5 of 5 stars A clever and chilling thriller that blends psychological depth, intense suspense, and emotional storytelling as Kim Stone’s past is dragged back into the present. “ Dead Memories ”, the 10th instalment in Angela Marsons' brilliant “D.I. Kim Stone” series , was yet another great read. As I state so often in these reviews - this one is the best one yet. This time, Kim is brutally haunted by her past: A murderer is recreating the traumas of Kim’s time in the child care system. Many of these have already been featured in earlier novels but some of them are new to the reader and truly horrible. While this novel is not as dark as some of its predecessors, there is one scene of sexualised violence against a child. You have been warned. Marsons wouldn’t be Marsons, though, if she didn’t manage to create an extremely well-balanced, suspenseful, and, at its core, very humane novel out of this. Apart from the well-established team by n...

Anything for You by Samantha Brinn My rating: 5 of 5 stars Anything for You: A Feminist Utopia Wrapped in Warmth and Wit. I just wish it wasn’t fiction. “ Anything for You ” by Samantha Brinn is the third instalment of the “ Laws of You ” series and continues the story of Hallie, Julie, Molly, and, in this novel, Emma. These four female protagonists are best friends (or “found family” as they regard each other) and share a law practice. They’re all strong, capable, empathetic women in their late twenties or early thirties with distinct personalities and well-established backgrounds. They basically read a little too well to be true but that’s part of my enjoyment of these novels, and we’ll get to that in a moment. Beyond that, they’re part of a group of friends and partners most of whom appear in every novel. While I usually much prefer small cameo appearances, this different approach works brilliantly here: While Brinn’s focus is clearly on the respective protagonists, she effortles...

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...

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...

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez My rating: 4 of 5 stars If you came here looking for the third instalment of Abby Jimenez' “ Part of Your World” funny and fluffy romance series, you’d be both right and wrong. While starting out on a fun premise, “ Just for the Summer ” evolves into areas that are anything but fun and light, and—for me—Jimenez pulled it off really well. Justin and Emma both feel “cursed” - they date someone and once it’s over, their respective ex meets their “soulmate”. When they realise they share this, any romance’s direction is clear: they have to date each other to “break” the “curse”, and, afterwards, meet their respective soulmate. During the early parts of the novel, they meet, they like each other, and proceed to date—it’s all nice, light, and (mostly) easy… » I dropped to one knee. She sucked in air. “Uh, what are you doing?” she said, her eyes darting around. “Romance.” “Justin, stop it,” she whispered. “Get up! Get up!” I took her hand and d...

Man kann auch in die Höhe fallen von Joachim Meyerhoff Meine Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen Aus dem Scheitern erwächst Größe – Ein literarischer Höhenflug voller Herz und Verstand! Joachim Meyerhoff hat sehr viel erlebt und darüber schreibt er in seiner Reihe “ Alle Toten fliegen hoch ”, die — mit Ausnahme seiner “ Hamster im hinteren Stromgebiet ” — für mich zu den Höhepunkten deutschsprachiger Literatur gehört. In den “Hamstern” schrieb er über seinen Schlaganfall; im vorliegenden Band nun verarbeitet er in gewohnter und doch immer wieder begeisternder Art seinen Rückzug von Berlin aufs Land zu seiner 86-jährigen Mutter. Eigentlich gekommen, um mit ihr auch über ein wirklich übles Geschehnis zu sprechen, kommt Meyerhoff erst ganz am Ende des Buches dazu. Vorher erfahren wir von seinen Versuchen, zu sich selbst zurückzufinden, zum Schreiben zurückzukehren und, nicht zuletzt, viel über seine bemerkenswerte Mutter. Mit viel Humor, von subtil bis grotesk, schreibt er sich fre...

When I'm with You by Samantha Brinn My rating: 5 of 5 stars I read my first romance novel at the tender age of 43. I had realised I couldn’t claim to read anything till I had tried romance at least once. It was fun, light, spicy, and provided a nice diversion. Since then, I’ve read a lot of the “big names” in romance and enjoyed a good lot of them. Along on my Goodreads feed comes “ When I'm With You ” with a mediocre cover by Samantha Brinn — a name that was completely unfamiliar to me. On a whim, I decided to make it my next read, since I was looking for a pleasant diversion. What I got was a novel that actually plays in a completely different league than pretty much any other romance I’ve read so far. From page one to the very last one, I was captivated: Both Julie (30), a sharp-tongued, quick-witted, strong, fierce, meticulous lawyer, and Asher (31), a football quarterback (don’t worry, I don’t know what that means and still don’t care) have their respective i...

The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly My rating: 5 of 5 stars From Sartre to Connelly : Last year, at a meeting, a colleague told me she had found my website and mentioned how diverse my reading was. I guess she was right. (Hi, Barbara!) I came from an exhausting read and needed something to just plain enjoy, to read-wallow in, and to indulge in - and “ The Last Coyote ” was pretty much the perfect book for that. Harry, on leave for attacking his superior, Pounds, makes it his mission to finally solve his mother’s murder. Most of the people from back then, the 60s, are dead and/or unwilling to talk. The rest are still among the high-and-mighty and Bosch doesn’t play nice with the latter kind of person. Harry also attends mandatory counselling sessions with a therapist. I really liked this part of the narration on many levels: In 1997, getting professional help and allowing others to help was still not entirely normalised. Maybe not quite stigmatised anymore, people, espec...

Existentialism Is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre (Please note that Sartre consistently speaks of "man". Ironically, Simone de Beauvoir's partner of 51 years is unable or unwilling to include women in his language at least. Nevertheless, the essence of his will includes any gender.) » Man is nothing other than his own project. He exists only to the extent that he realizes himself, therefore he is nothing more than the sum of his actions, nothing more than his life.” « “ Existentialism is a Humanism ” is originally a lecture by Jean-Paul Sartre , first delivered in 1945, aimed to clarify misunderstandings about existentialism. He adeptly defends the philosophy against critiques of it promoting despair, amorality, and nihilism. The book is built on the existentialist premise that " existence precedes essence ". Or, in Sartre’s own words: » We mean that man first exists: he materializes in the world, encounters himself, and only afterward defines him...

Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende My rating: 5 of 5 stars Isabel Allende - I’ve been in love with her work since I first encountered her “ House of the Spirits ” decades ago. I still feel its echoes in my soul. At a mere 5414 words, this is the shortest story of hers I’ve read but it is quintessential Allende: Charming, magical, life-affirming, and just plain fun! Go on and read it - if you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you get it for free. Everyone else gets it for a fair EUR 1,99. Five stars out of five. Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam View all my reviews https://turing.mailstation.de/lovers-at-the-museum-by-isabel-allende/?feed_id=3162&_unique_id=6623820e4ac48

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet: The Classic Memoir of a 1930s Vet by James Herriot My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is pure “comfort food” for me: James Herriot's memoirs are like a soothing, nurturing balm for the soul for me. Nestled within the pages of this book is not only the continuation of the endearing sagas I came to love from his previous work but also a wealth of humour, warmth, and genuine affection for both animals and humanity. » It was to a moribund horse, and Mr. Sidlow, describing the treatment to date, announced that he had been pushing raw onions up the horse’s rectum; he couldn’t understand why it was so uneasy on its legs. Siegfried had pointed out that if he were to insert a raw onion in Mr. Sidlow’s rectum, he, Mr. Sidlow, would undoubtedly be uneasy on his legs. « What strikes me most about Herriot's writing is the effortlessly vivid way he captures the life of a country vet in Yorkshire. His narrative weaves intricate tales that both amuse ...