Wulf's Book Reviews

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...

You, with a View by Jessica Joyce My rating: 4 of 5 stars After two extremely bad novels, I needed a winner to overcome a severe reading slump - and this one served very well. Amusingly, the one genre I never used to read - romance - led me straight back to reading. Noelle, going on 30, has lost her beloved grandmother Kathleen, her job and her flat; the latter, adding insult to injury, leading to her moving back into her childhood bedroom at her parents’… At that point, still deeply grieving, Noelle finds out that Kathleen had a great love before her eventual husband. Her curiosity piqued and in continuation of an old secret-trading game Noelle and granny played, she finds Paul, her grandmother’s old lover, and his grandson - her college “nemesis” Theo. Theo has become a hotshot entrepreneur, a Forbes' 30 Under 30 - you get the gist. There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark, though… Together, our three protagonists go on a roadtrip to the core of their respe...

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa My rating: 5 of 5 stars First and foremost, “ The Travelling Cat Chronicles ” by Hiro Arikawa is a tranquil novel that narrates the tale of Satoru and his feline companion, Nana. While the main plot revolves around Satoru searching among his friends for someone who can care for Nana, we are enlightened through flashbacks about the origins of these friendships. » Yoshimine changed the subject. “What’s your name?” “Satoru Miyawaki. Nice to meet you.” He didn’t have to say anything like Let’s hang out, for by this time they were already friends. « From primary school to university and beyond, the amiable and empathetic Satoru effortlessly forges friendships wherever he ventures. However, it is beyond doubt that the most profound and significant bond in his life is with Nana. They share a mutual trust and affection that transcends words and species. They also support each other through difficult times and enjoy each other’s compan...

Visible Amazement by Gale Zoe Garnett My rating: 5 of 5 stars With a meagre 95 ratings and 16 reviews on Goodreads, “ Visible Amazement ” by Gale Zoe Garnett can probably safely be called an “insider tip” or “Geheimtipp” in my native German. It might also be due to the somewhat problematic subject matter… So, to get it out of the way immediately: Roanne tells everyone she’s just turning 16 whereas, in fact, she is 14 and Pascal with whom she proceeds to have a sexual relationship is 42. This is in many ways, a significant and, yes, troubling aspect of the novel that raises important questions about consent, power dynamics, and the sexualisation of young girls. The portrayal of the relationship between Roanne and Pascal is done carefully and in a complex and nuanced way, exploring the emotional and psychological dynamics at play. At this point, you should choose: You can follow me and choose not to render judgement. I will neither condemn nor condone this relationship whi...