My Review for To Bleed a Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker, read by Chelsea Stephens and Troy Duran

 

"The sky is a velvet blanket littered with stars that wink at me for the first time in a week."

To Bleed a Crystal Bloom was the March read for #thatbonkersbookclub and… I was disappointed. 😕 It’s a Rapunzel retelling, which I honestly found a little strange and quite dark. 🕯️ Our protagonist has been locked in a tower since she was two, but now has this odd fascination with the man who put her there, as well as a weird creature living in the sea. 🌊

I just found the story boring. 😴 Nothing grabbed me, nothing made me want to keep reading—but I did, because I kept hoping it would get better. It didn’t… at least not for me. 🤷‍♀️ When we discussed it, the majority of us felt the same way, and at least two of us got the ick from the relationships, 😖 never mind the nauseating references to other things I never want to think about ever again. 🤢

A lot of it felt random and unexplained, and maybe that comes in the next book—but I won’t be sticking around to find out. 🚫 Sorry, Sarah, you didn’t hook me with this first instalment, and I won’t be coming back for more.

I do have a pretty copy of When the Moon Hatched on my shelf (and the next one on preorder 👀). I’ve heard that one’s much better, so I am looking forward to it ✨—but yeah… no more Crystal Bloom for me ❌📚

About the Book

"What a pretty flower to keep locked in a big, rocky tower."

Nineteen years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else.

Small. Fragile. An enigma.

Now ward to a powerful High Master who knows too much and says too little, I lead a simple life, never straying from the confines of an imaginary line I've drawn around the castle grounds.

Stay within. Never leave.

Out there, the monsters lurk. Inside, I'm safe...though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily. Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who's utterly unavailable.

My savior. My protector.

My almost executioner.

I can't help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground. When voracious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. But in a castle puddled with secrets, none are greater than the one I've kept from myself.

No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds.

To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel reimagining full of immersive imagery and breathtaking angst.

About Sarah - by Sarah

Originally from New Zealand, I've been living in Australia for the past ten years! My husband and I have three children together, so when I'm not writing we're out and about having family adventures.

I love sushi, peppermint tea, and plants—our house is basically a jungle. My other great love is anything snow related. We try to get away as often as we can on family snowboarding trips, and our dream is to one day have a house somewhere it snows through the winter months!

There's just something about the snow that feels magical. 

I get back to New Zealand as much as I can to spend time with my family, so that's always a treat. Aside from that we live a pretty quiet life here on the Gold Coast.

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My Review for Fairytale by Stephen King, read by Seth Numrich

“I think all worlds are magic. We just get used to it.” ✨🌍

#thatbonkersbookclub chose Fairy Tale as the read for The Chiller Shelf for March (it may even have been my suggestion—I can’t remember! 🤔📚). Either way, it’s definitely my favourite of the three Stephen King novels I’ve read so far. 🙌 In my mind, it leans far more toward fantasy than horror, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. 🐉✨

I both read and listened to this one, but definitely leaned more towards the audiobook. 🎧📖

The first half of the book follows a normal kid who’s had a pretty tough childhood 💔 and has had to grow up fast. He then takes it one step further by agreeing to look after an older man who needs extra care after an accident. 🏡🩹

The second half is where the fantasy world kicks in—and wow, does it kick in. 😳⚡ We go from a normal world with a normal kid to a portal into another world where everything is very much not normal. 🌌🚪✨

Slight spoiler (but necessary!): Radar is one of the main characters—she’s a dog 🐶💛—and she doesn’t die. 🙌✨ Nothing bad happens to her, and she lives happily ever after. 🥹🌈 Honestly, that’s the most important thing in this book! If you’re an animal lover, you’re safe to fall in love with her—I promise. 🐾💛

If you’ve never read a Stephen King novel and you’re not sure how you’ll feel about his writing (that was me three books ago 😅), this is a great place to start. 👍📖 It’s long, yes, and there’s one section in the middle that could have been shorter, but it’s far from a scary read 😌 I really hope he writes more fantasy—he’s clearly good at it! ✍️✨📚

About the Book

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets Howard Bowditch, a recluse with a big dog in a big house at the top of a big hill. In the backyard is a locked shed from which strange sounds emerge, as if some creature is trying to escape. When Mr. Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie the house, a massive amount of gold, a cassette tape telling a story that is impossible to believe, and a responsibility far too massive for a boy to shoulder.

Because within the shed is a portal to another world—one whose denizens are in peril and whose monstrous leaders may destroy their own world, and ours. In this parallel universe, where two moons race across the sky, and the grand towers of a sprawling palace pierce the clouds, there are exiled princesses and princes who suffer horrific punishments; there are dungeons; there are games in which men and women must fight each other to the death for the amusement of the “Fair One.” And there is a magic sundial that can turn back time.

A story as old as myth, and as startling and iconic as the rest of King’s work, Fairy Tale is about an ordinary guy forced into the hero’s role by circumstance, and it is both spectacularly suspenseful and satisfying.

About Stephen

Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. He made his first professional short story sale in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories. In the fall of 1971, he began teaching high school English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels. In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co., accepted the novel Carrie for publication, providing him the means to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world's most successful writers. King is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to the American Letters and the 2014 National Medal of Arts.

Stephen lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. They are regular contributors to a number of charities including many libraries and have been honored locally for their philanthropic activities.

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My Review for Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

“Good Luck is rather particular who she drives with, and mostly prefers those who have got common sense and a good heart…”

Black Beauty was my March read for #classiclitbookclub. 🤎 I’m pretty sure I’ve read this before, but not for many, many years—and definitely not with the same understanding I have now.

Also, how pretty is this Wordsworth Collector’s Edition ? ✨ It’s such a lovely one to have on the shelf and made the whole reading experience feel a bit more special.

Told through Beauty’s own voice, I slipped so easily into his world, starting from his early days as a young colt. 🐎 It’s set in a time when horses were part of everyday life—used for work, travel, and everything in between—and honestly… I wasn’t quite prepared for how differently they were treated.

Some owners showed real kindness and care, but far too many were cruel, pushing them harder and harder just to get more out of them. 💔 It made parts of this really difficult to read at times.

I absolutely loved his kinder owners—the ones who gave him extra straw to sleep on, warm bran mash in the cold, and genuine affection. 🥹 Those moments felt so comforting, especially against the harsher ones where he was overworked or neglected.

It’s such a simple story in a way, but also really powerful. It highlights that bond between humans and animals so beautifully, and just reminds you that kindness and patience go such a long way. 🤍

If you’re an animal lover (especially horses), this one is definitely worth picking up. Just maybe go in expecting a few emotional moments. 🥺✨

About the Book

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. Black Beauty is a perennial children's favourite, one which has never been out of print since its publication in 1877. It is a moralistic tale of the life of the horse related in the form of an autobiography, describing the world through the eyes of the creature. In taking this anthropomorphic approach, the author Anna Sewell broke new literary ground and her effective storytelling ability makes it very easy for the reader to accept the premise that a horse is recounting the exploits in the narrative. The gentle thoroughbred, Black Beauty, is raised with care and is treated well until a vicious groom injures him. The damaged horse is then sold to various masters at whose hands he experiences cruelty and neglect. After many unpleasant episodes, including one where he becomes a painfully overworked cab horse in London, Black Beauty finally canters towards a happy ending. Although Anna Sewell's classic is set firmly in the Victorian period, its message is universal and timeless: animals will serve humans well if they are treated with consideration and kindness. 

About Anna

Anna Sewell (1820- 1878) is the well-acclaimed author of the children’s novel, Black Beauty which sold over fifty million copies world-wide. Born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England to parents, Mary Wright Sewell and Isaac Phillip Sewell. When Anna was fourteen years old, she suffered a severe ankle injury in a fall which left her unable to walk without crutches for the rest of her life. She directed all her energy and focus towards writing and her love of literature. She began to write poetry and short stories, many of which were published in local newspapers and magazines. The book was finally published in 1877 when Sewell was fifty-seven years old, just a year before her death. While Sewell did not live to see the immense impact and popularity that her book created but she left behind a rich legacy which inspired people to be more compassionate towards animals and advocate for their rights.

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My Review for Wisteria by Adalyn Grace, read by Kristin Atherton

“I am not trying to take you from the life that you know. All I'm trying to do is show you a world that you deserve to see". 

#thatbonkersbookclub chose Wisteria for February’s “Sequel Shelf” 📚 It’s the third and final full-length novel in the Belladonna series, which is a series I’ve really loved! ✨

Wisteria focuses on Blythe and Fate and their forced relationship — one that slowly evolves with understanding and time spent together. Blythe has never been my favourite character in the series by any stretch, but she did grow on me in Wisteria. I know lots of people loved her, but for me she was always a bit… meh! 🤷‍♀️

Fate (aka Aris) was well grumpy 😤 Quite frankly, he needed a good kick up the a**e to stop him treating Blythe the way he did. I mean, come on — did he really need to be that harsh?!

This is a difficult review to write without including spoilers, but my favourite thing had to be the front door that leads anywhere you want it to 🚪✨ Just imagine how useful that would be!

There’s still the novella Holly left to read and, although I don’t usually read novellas, I’ll definitely finish the series by picking it up 📖

One last stop in this unique world… and I’m not quite ready to leave it yet. 🌙

About the Book

#1 New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace delivers a sensational conclusion to the deathly and decadent Belladonna trilogy, with dramatic twists and a seductive new romance that will set listeners' hearts ablaze.

Blythe Hawthorne has never let anyone tell her what to do—not society, not her overprotective father, and certainly not the man she’s bound herself to, no matter how rude and insufferable he is. In fact, she’s determined to be a thorn in his side for the rest of her days, even as he ensures that her life in his palace is anything but a fairytale. But as Blythe discovers a new side of herself linked to his past, she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to let an unexpected spark ignite…and to discover the truth about who she really is.

About Adalyn

Adalyn Grace is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, IndieBound, and International bestselling author of the Belladonna series and the All the Stars and Teeth duology.

Prior to becoming an author, Adalyn spent four years working in live theatre and studied storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation’s popular series The Legend of Korra. 

Local to San Diego, Adalyn spends her non-writing days by watching too much anime, and by playing video games with her two dorky dogs.

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My Review for The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin

“It's accepting the value of things – an old pot, an old person – and understanding that those things have wisdom, that they have seen things. They have value in being.”

The Little Teashop in Tokyo has been on my shelf for a couple of years after I found it in a charity shop one day. It was February’s choice for #thatbonkersbookclub, so I finally had the opportunity to dust it off (literally) and dive into cherry blossom season in Japan.

It was a quick, cute read, and I loved hanging out with Fiona as she enjoyed her prize-winning trip to Japan. The family she stays with are instantly loveable characters, and I found it fascinating to discover their way of life — the simplicity of their home and the warm welcome Fiona receives the moment she steps over the threshold.

I was intrigued by the many tourist spots that Fiona and her mentor, Gabe, visited. I’m not sure whether I’ll ever visit Japan, but if I do, I’d definitely want to go during cherry blossom season!

About the Book

Grab your passport and escape to the land of dazzling skycrapers, steaming bowls of comforting noodles, and a page-turning love story that will make you swoon!

For travel blogger Fiona, Japan has always been top of her bucket list so when she wins an all-expenses paid trip, it looks like her dreams of the Far East are coming true.

Until she arrives in vibrant, neon-drenched Tokyo and comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago, gorgeous photographer Gabe.

Fiona can’t help but remember the heartache of their last meeting but it’s not long before the Japanese art of contentment and a special, traditional tea ceremony work their magic…

Amidst the temples and clouds of soft pink cherry blossoms, Fiona and Gabe start to see life – and each other – differently.

About Julie

Julie Caplin also writes contemporary romance as Jules Wake. 

Julie Caplin is addicted to travel and good food. She’s on a constant hunt for the perfect gin and is obsessively picky about glasses, tonic and garnishes. Between regular gin tastings, she’s been writing her debut novel which is set in just one of the many cities she’s explored over the years.

Formerly a PR director, for many years she swanned around Europe taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it. These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for the trilogy, The Little Cafe in Copenhagen, The Little Brooklyn Bakery and the The Little Paris Patisserie.

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My Review for Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison read by Joe Morton

“All it takes to get along in this here man's town is a little shit, grit, and mother-wit.”

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison_ was February's read for #classiclitbookclub 📚, and I decided to listen to this one — which turned out to be a very good decision 🎧. I really enjoyed Joe Morton’s narration; he did a fantastic job capturing the many different accents as our unnamed protagonist moves from the Deep South 🌾 to the hustle and bustle of New York City 🗽.

We never learn the protagonist’s name, even when he is given a new identity. I believe this reflects the invisibility he feels — as a Black man coming of age in a world with deeply blinkered views about how he should behave in the presence of “white folk.”

Few books stay rent-free in my head 💭, but this may just be one of them. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy but you’re worried about struggling with the colloquial language, I highly recommend the audiobook 🎙️. This is definitely a book I’ll return to, and one I suspect will reveal something new each time ✨.

About the Book

Ralph Elllison's Invisible Man is a monumental novel, one that can well be called an epic of 20th-century African-American life. It is a strange story, in which many extraordinary things happen, some of them shocking and brutal, some of them pitiful and touching - yet always with elements of comedy and irony and burlesque that appear in unexpected places. 

After a brief prologue, the story begins with a terrifying experience from the hero's high-school days; it then moves quickly to the campus of a "Southern Negro college" and then to New York's Harlem, where most of the action takes place. 

The many people that the hero meets in the course of his wanderings are remarkably various, complex and significant. With them he becomes involved in an amazing series of adventures, in which he is sometimes befriended but more often deceived and betrayed - as much by himself and his own illusions as by the duplicity and the blindness of others. 

Invisible Man is not only a great triumph of storytelling and characterization; it is a profound and uncompromising interpretation of the anomalous position of Blacks in American society.

About Ralph

Ralph Ellison was a scholar and writer. He was born Ralph Waldo Ellison in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, named by his father after Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ellison was best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953. He also wrote Shadow and Act (1964), a collection of political, social and critical essays, and Going to the Territory (1986). For The New York Times , the best of these essays in addition to the novel put him "among the gods of America's literary Parnassus." A posthumous novel, Juneteenth, was published after being assembled from voluminous notes he left after his death.

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My Review for The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

“A home isn't always the house we live in. It's also the people we choose to surround ourselves with.”

If I could give The House in the Cerulean Sea a thousand stars, I absolutely would! And honestly—who says I can’t? A thousand stars it is! ⭐️✨

I adored everything about this book: the descriptive writing 📖, the unbelievably imaginative characters 🧠💫, the storyline, the setting 🌊🏝️, the artwork on the cover 🎨, the cosy feel of home 🏡 and—most importantly—the fact that there’s more to read!

The only thing I didn’t adore was how fricking long it took me to actually read it 😅. This book has been sitting on my shelf for at least two years! Finally, thanks to the amazing #thatbonkersbookclub (previously known as #thatindiebookclub), I’ve taken it off the shelf and absolutely devoured it 📚💙.

I haven’t felt this way about a book since I first read Harry Potter almost thirty years ago, but The House in the Cerulean Sea has completely captured my heart 💖. It’s all about belonging and family, and about people accepting others for who they are—no matter how different they may be 🌈. I really enjoyed Linus as a character: a completely unassuming kind of guy who tries to live by the rules, but very quickly, after arriving on the island, those rules go out the window and Arthur’s rules take precedence.

There were so many funny moments throughout the book—I laughed out loud more than once 😂—and I also found myself clutching my heart during the parts where the children 😈🧝‍♂️🐙🐉 were made to feel so unwelcome and different. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! I clearly need to do some research 🔍 because I have absolutely no idea how many there are!

About the Book

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

About T.J.

TJ Klune is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award–winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets, the Green Creek Series for adults, the Extraordinaries Series for teens, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

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My Review for Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

“I’ll never get used to anything. Anybody that does, they might as well be dead.”

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is our first read of 2026 for #classiclitclub 📖✨ and despite it being one of my favourite films, I’d never read the book. It’s rare that I enjoy the film more than the book, but for this one, I’m making an exception. In my opinion, the film is way, way better. 🎬💔 Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly is iconic ✨, and while reading the book, I couldn’t help but hear Holly’s lines in Audrey’s voice.

I think Holly is incredibly lonely and somewhat immature—although I’m pretty sure she knew exactly what she was doing when she relayed Sal’s weather report. 😉 Holly is running from a life she didn’t like and ended up in New York 🗽, where, let’s be honest, she keeps on running—though maybe not physically. As one of our book club members said, Holly is a survivor 💪, and given what she’s come through, she’s had to do whatever she can to get by, whether that’s mixing with criminals or taking up with unsuitable men. 💍🚬

About the Book

It's New York in the 1940s, where the martinis flow from cocktail hour till breakfast at Tiffany's. And nice girls don't, except, of course, for Holly Golightly: glittering socialite traveller, generally upwards, sometimes sideways and once in a while - down. Pursued by to Salvatore 'Sally' Tomato, the Mafia sugar-daddy doing life in Sing Sing and 'Rusty' Trawler, the blue-chinned, cuff-shooting millionaire man about women about town, Holly is a fragile eyeful of tawny hair and turned-up nose, a heart-breaker, a perplexer, a traveller, a tease. She is irrepressibly 'top banana in the shock deparment', and one of the shining flowers of American fiction.

About Truman

Truman Capote was an American writer whose non-fiction, stories, novels and plays are recognised literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "non-fiction novel." At least 20 films and TV dramas have been produced from Capote novels, stories and screenplays.

He was born as Truman Streckfus Persons to a salesman Archulus Persons and young Lillie Mae. His parents divorced when he was four and he went to live with his mother's relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He was a lonely child who learned to read and write by himself before entering school. In 1933, he moved to New York City to live with his mother and her new husband, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born businessman. Mr. Capote adopted Truman, legally changing his last name to Capote and enrolling him in private school. After graduating from high school in 1942, Truman Capote began his regular job as a copy boy at The New Yorker. During this time, he also began his career as a writer, publishing many short stories which introduced him into a circle of literary critics. His first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, published in 1948, stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks and became controversial because of the photograph of Capote used to promote the novel, posing seductively and gazing into the camera.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Capote remained prolific producing both fiction and non-fiction. His masterpiece, In Cold Blood, a story about the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, was published in 1966 in book form by Random House, became a worldwide success and brought Capote much praise from the literary community. After this success he published rarely and suffered from alcohol addiction. He died in 1984 at age 59.

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My Review for A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, read by Martin Jarvis

“A multitude of people and yet a solitude.”

December's choice for #classiclitbookclub was A Tale of Two Cities, and I have to be honest—having finished it, I don't think Dickens and I click! 😬 This was tough, slow-going, and, quite frankly, boring. I tried to mix it up: I read some, but listened to most of it—let's be honest, it was the only way I was going to get through it! 🎧 That's fifteen hours of my life I'm never getting back. ⏳

I don't know whether it was the subject—the French Revolution 🇫🇷—or the writing, maybe some of both. I know people who love Dickens, so I’ll give others a go at some point, but this one will never be on my list again—sorry, not sorry! 😅

While I didn't enjoy most of the book, I did have a soft spot for Dr. Manette and his daughter Lucie ❤️, who comes to his rescue after many years of imprisonment in France and helps him regain relatively stable mental health. But yep, that was about it.

The only other Dickens novel I’ve read is A Christmas Carol 🎄, which I did enjoy—but now I’m thinking that was mostly because I already knew the story. 🤔

About the Book

A Tale of Two Cities is Charles Dickens’s historical novel set against the turbulent backdrop of London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The story follows the intersecting lives of Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who renounces his family’s oppressive legacy; Lucie Manette, whose compassion and devotion inspire loyalty and love; and Sydney Carton, a dissolute English lawyer burdened by wasted potential and self-contempt. Central to the narrative is Dr. Alexandre Manette, Lucie’s father, whose long and unjust imprisonment in the Bastille embodies the cruelty of institutional tyranny.

As revolutionary fervor escalates into violence, Dickens explores themes of injustice, fate, resurrection, and personal sacrifice. The novel contrasts the social order of England with the chaos and vengeance of revolutionary France, illustrating how both systems can fail the vulnerable. Culminating in a powerful act of self-sacrifice, A Tale of Two Cities remains a profound meditation on redemption and the capacity for human goodness amid historical upheaval.

About Charles

Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was a prominent English novelist and social critic, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian era. Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens experienced financial hardship early in life when his father was imprisoned for debt, forcing the young Dickens to work in a factory. These experiences deeply influenced his writing and fueled his lifelong concern for social injustice, poverty, and the treatment of children.

Dickens rose to fame with the publication of The Pickwick Papers and went on to write many enduring novels, including Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities. His works are known for vivid characters, sharp social commentary, and a blend of humor and moral seriousness. Hugely popular during his lifetime, Dickens also gave public readings of his work, further cementing his celebrity. He died in 1870, leaving a lasting legacy as a writer who brought the struggles of ordinary people to the center of English literature.

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My Review for Good Spirits by B.K. Borison, read by Karissa Vacker and Will Watt

“Sometimes bridges aren’t meant to be rebuilt.”

Good Spirits was December's pick for #thatindiebookclub, and since I already had it on my Libro FM shelf, I decided to listen 🎧.

I loved it! Going in with zero expectations, I was completely blown away 😍. It's cute, ghostly 👻, magical ✨, and fun 🎄. I was so proud of Harriet as she finally stands up to her family. Nolan gives her the confidence to do so, and in return, she has a huge, positive effect on him 💛.

The narrators were fantastic—especially Nolan! I’m a sucker for an Irish accent 🇮🇪, and it made his character even more charming and enjoyable to listen to.

December seems to be my month for reading books featuring the undead 🧟‍♂️—but in a cutesy, romantic way 💕. Listening to Good Spirits gave me cosy, “relaxing by the fire under a warm blanket” vibes 🔥🛋️, especially with the rain 🌧️ (yes, more likely in the UK than snow ❄️) falling outside.

If you’re into fun, romantic Christmas stories with lots of ghostly magic ✨👻, join the party and grab a copy!

Thank you to Avon Books and Libro FM for the opportunity to listen to and review Good Spirits by B.K. Borison.

About the Book

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm

About B.K. Borison

New York Times, Sunday Times, and USA Today Bestselling author B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for.

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My Review for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, read by Tom Parker

“No, my friend. We are lunatics from the hospital up the highway, psycho-ceramics, the cracked pots of mankind."

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was November’s read for #classiclitbookclub, and I opted for the audiobook. I found a great copy on Libby narrated by Tom Parker, who absolutely nailed it 🎧.

I went in with zero expectations — classic me, never reading the synopsis 😜 — and it’s not a book I ever came across in school. So I was genuinely surprised when the opening chapters gave me The Green Mile vibes (I know it’s a book too, but I’ve only seen the movie!) 🎬.

The story was incredibly eye-opening. From what I understand, treatments like electric shock therapy, lobotomies, and simply locking people away for having mental health issues were all considered normal at the time ⚡🧠. Horrifying, honestly. And the wildest part is that it really wasn’t that long ago. We’ve come such a long way since then.

Nurse Ratched, though… wow. She should’ve been running a prison, not a ward. The level of control and cruelty she wielded was unbelievable 😳🚫.

I really loved Chief as the narrator. The fact that everyone assumed he was deaf and mute — giving him a front-row seat to everything — added such a clever layer to the story 👀.

I’d definitely like to watch an adaptation. One’s already been recommended to me, so I might give it a go soon 🎥.

About the Book

Tyrannical Nurse Ratched rules her ward in an Oregon State mental hospital with a strict and unbending routine, unopposed by her patients, who remain cowed by mind-numbing medication and the threat of electric shock therapy. But her regime is disrupted by the arrival of McMurphy – the swaggering, fun-loving trickster with a devilish grin who resolves to oppose her rules on behalf of his fellow inmates. His struggle is seen through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a seemingly mute half-Indian patient who understands McMurphy's heroic attempt to do battle with the powers that keep them imprisoned. Ken Kesey's extraordinary first novel is an exuberant, ribald and devastatingly honest portrayal of the boundaries between sanity and madness.

About Ken

Ken Kesey (1935–2001) was an American novelist and a defining voice of 1960s counterculture. He rose to prominence with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a novel inspired by his time working in a psychiatric hospital and participating in early psychedelic-drug studies. In the mid-’60s, Kesey helped spark the psychedelic movement through his cross-country trip with the Merry Pranksters aboard their wild, painted bus “Furthur,” hosting the legendary “Acid Tests.” Beyond his cultural impact, he wrote several other works — most notably Sometimes a Great Notion — and became known for blending rebellion, imagination, and storytelling into a uniquely American legacy.

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My Review for Foxglove by Adalyn Grace

“When everything went to hell, at least she could always count on scones.”

I honestly wasn’t expecting to enjoy Foxglove more than Belladonna, but I did! Why did I wait so long to read this series?! 🤦‍♀️ We created a “sequel shelf” at #thatindiebookclub, and thank goodness we did. This one has been sitting there ever since we read Belladonna last year — such a good idea, because otherwise I know I’d never have picked it back up!

I also seem to be on a bit of a run reading about the undead 😁. First this one, and now I’m listening to Good Spirits. Apparently I’m leaning into a theme! I ended up switching between reading and listening to Foxglove because once I’d started, I didn’t want to take a break — but unfortunately real life insisted I get on with things 😅.

I still struggle with the whole “human getting it on with Death” situation 😂. Signa continues her very weird relationship with Death, but this time Fate throws himself into the mix — and what an arrogant twonk he is! (Google it if you’re not British 😆.) Without giving anything away, I thought Byron was a bit of an ass for most of the book 🙄, though fine… maybe he redeemed himself at the end.

I loved the dual points of view, switching between Signa and Blythe, and in this one Blythe definitely makes her mark in more ways than one ✨. More powers appear, more mysteries unfold, and that massive twist at the end will have you popping out to buy the next book immediately 📚💨.

About the Book

A duke has been murdered. The lord of Thorn Grove has been framed. And Fate, the elusive brother of Death, has taken up residence in a sumptuous estate nearby. He's hellbent on revenge after Death took the life of the woman he loved many years ago...and now he's determined to have Signa for himself, no matter the cost.

Signa and her cousin Blythe are certain that Fate can save Elijah Hawthorne from prison if they will entertain his presence. But the more time the girls spend with Fate, the more frightening their reality becomes as Signa exhibits dramatic new powers that link her to Fate's past. With mysteries and danger around every corner, the cousins must decide if they can trust one another as they navigate their futures in high society, unravel the murders that haunt their family, and play Fate's unexpected games—all with their destinies hanging in the balance.

Dangerous, suspenseful, and seductive, this sequel to Signa and Death's story is as utterly romantic as it is perfectly deadly.

About Adalyn

Adalyn Grace is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, IndieBound, and International bestselling author of the Belladonna series and the All the Stars and Teeth duology.

Prior to becoming an author, Adalyn spent four years working in live theatre and studied storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation’s popular series The Legend of Korra. 

Local to San Diego, Adalyn spends her non-writing days by watching too much anime, and by playing video games with her two dorky dogs.

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