The BookBum Club: January Theme Reviews

Hello everyone! I’m here today to bring you all the reviews for The BookBum Club’s January theme. There seems to have been an abundance of new faces joining the club this month! It really means a lot to see so many people joining in with this little project of mine. Thank you all so much!

As before, everyone’s reviews with small snippets are below. They are all linked to the actual review, so please follow them and have a read!

---

On blogs:

I read NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

“A darkly disturbing thrill ride of a book! I was expecting it to spook me out a little more than it did, but it was super enjoyable even still.”

 

Nicole read Mister Tender’s Girl by Carter Wilson

“Mister Tender’s Girl hooked me from page one and wouldn’t let me put it down. Even when I had to, because being a responsible adult includes work and other such nonsense, I simply could not stop thinking about it.”

 

Ali read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

“I am an emotional wreck right now, having finished Dark Matter last night. I am almost certain I just read my favorite book of 2018 in the very first week after absorbing every single page.”

 

Misty read Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerry Maniscalco

“I thought this was an amazing debut and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series which I hear is even better.”

 

Marija read Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

“Overall, there were some amazing stuff here. The fandom, the concept of the story, the romance really worked for me. However, I did not really like Eliza as a character and the writing left me feeling annoyed at times.”

 

Nicole read Warcross by Marie Lu

“This is an amusing book. I wasn’t sure at first, because the romance in the book seemed a bit too insta-love-ish. However, once the start of the relationship was established, it got a lot less eye-roll-worthy and became more interesting to read.”

 

Vikki read Caraval by Stephanie Garber

“This book was such a wild read. There were so many ups and downs, it was just amazing. I needed more and more and more and I’m so thankful there’s a sequel because I need it.”

 

Alex (PaperbackPiano) read The Dollmaker of Krakow by R. M. Romero

“I knew as soon as I read that blurb that this was MY KIND OF BOOK. But I wasn’t prepared for how utterly beautiful and heart-breaking it would be. The Dollmaker of Kraków shattered my heart into a million pieces and I can’t adequately express how much I love it.”

 

Cathy read Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

“I found some of the stories bleak, many thought-provoking, others heart-warming and hopeful.  In every case, I felt as though I was reading about real people.”

 

Kate read Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

“This book was everything I hoped it would be, I’ve heard a lot of good things about Leigh Bardugo but haven’t had the chance to read anything until now. With so much good press I sometimes get a little worried that it’s going to fall totally short of the mark, thankfully though this lived up to my expectation.”

 

Jenna read Friendship is Like a Seesaw by Shona Innes

“Innes’ Friendship is Like a Seesaw is a beautifully illustrated children’s book, which highlights the key points regarding the development of friendships for both children and adults.”

 

Emma read The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid

“I honestly do not know why I haven’t read a Val McDermid book before, but after reading ‘The Mermaids Singing’ I will certainly be reading more! It’s dark, grim and completely f**ked up, which is exactly how I like my crime reads.”

 

Rita read This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins

“This book is mind blowingly good. It offers a deep, thorough, and careful analysis of American culture, society and history like no other book I have ever read.“

 

Olivia read Inda by Sherwood Smith

“I’m giving Inda five stars despite a few minor complaints, simply because the ending made me well up. I’ll definitely continue with this series.”

 

Joana read The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale

“You guys have no idea how much I loved this book! I hadn’t even heard of it, but it was recommended to me and I decided to try it out. This was AMAZING!”

 

Nicki read It Started With A Tweet by Anna Bell

“This is my first book by Anna Bell and it certainly won’t be my last. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a feel good read that’ll make you think.”

 

Joce read When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandyha Menon

“Basically: READ THIS BOOK! It has all of the elements for a perfect light read that will leave you smiling for hours afterwards.”

~

On Goodreads:

Kate read The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

“What a great book! If you are looking for a romantic thriller with some history behind it that ties up beautifully in the end, then this is the book for you!”

 

Cat read I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

“What a rollercoaster of emotions… This book made me feel everything – inspired, sad, angry, happy, hopeful.”

 

Hafsa Z.U read Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land

“Overall this was definitely one of the best books that I could’ve read at the start of the year and I’m so glad I went out of my comfort zone and picked this up!”

 

Quirkyreader read Five Against Arlane / Lord of the Green Planet by Tom Purdom, Emil Petaja

“This Ace Double was one of those weird what in the heck did I just read books. And books of that nature are always hard for me to rate, so I don’t even try.”

 

Katherine read One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

“I’m so happy! When was the last time I read something and felt happy?? I gave this book 5 stars because I believe it completely nailed its goal.”

 

Denise Baer read A Drop in the Ocean by Jenni Ogden

“I was generous with the 2-star rating. This book touches on interesting subject matters, such as turtles and Huntington’s disease, but that was as far as my interest went.”

 

Magical_Bookworm read They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

“I absolutely loved this book. It is now one of my favorites.”

 

Holly B read Under the Dome by Stephen King

“This was my first book by King and enjoyed it, although it was over 1000 pages long with many characters to keep up with.”

 

Marina read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

“For fabulous plots and immortal characters, Dickens deserves the recognition he still receives. But I do feel a new admiration for those who adapt and abridge his stories to make them more accessible to the people of today.”

 

Alex read Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

“This isn’t the easiest book to read, particularly initially, due to the intricate worldbuilding involved,and I suspect it would be more enjoyable on a re-read.”

and others! You can read her other reviews here.

 

Callum read Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

“Highsmith’s prose is very good, and I would definitely like to try more from her. This book may not have had the ‘wow’ factor (there aren’t many twists plot wise for a crime book, as I said, but that’s because the focus is always far more on the psychology of the characters) but there was something about it that I suspect will linger with me for a while, and keep me intrigued in Highsmith as a writer.”

 

Lissa read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

“I dove in not really knowing what to expect, and was surprised and relieved by the feels I experienced during and even after (during my reflection) the book.”

and others! You can read her other review here.

---

There we have it! Those are the reviews from everyone who joined in for the month of January. Please let me know if you read a book for the Club but I missed your review! I will add it in straight away.

Don’t forget, you can join The BookBum Club at any point! We’re currently reading for the February theme BEAUTIFUL BOOK COVERS which you can read all about here, and join us on Goodreads too!