Under Story - Chloe Benjamin

 

Description

At an isolated research station in Antarctica, biologist Laurel Salter washes dishes for a living ten hours a day, six days a week. She tells no one why she left her career, or why her marriage ended.

But even in this remote outpost, Laurel can't outrun her past. When a strange light appears across the ice and draws a group of physicists to McMurdo, her former husband, Eli, won't be far behind.

Laurel is captivated by the Arc: its surreal glow; the way it seems almost alive. And though Eli is reluctant to test her wildest theory, Laurel is convinced that the Arc leads down a rabbit hole and into a world they can barely imagine. Can she persuade him to risk everything to fix the burden that hangs between them - to turn back the clock and live their story a second time?

And this time, live it differently.

Once read, never forgotten, Under Story is a genre-defying exploration of the promise of this life, what might lie beyond it, and how far we would go for more time with the people we love.

Review

I have a confession to make: I actually started reading this book several months ago, but after getting to around 30%, I just couldn’t get on with it. I found myself struggling to engage with the story and, in the end, I put it aside to read other books. I’m not usually one to abandon a book, so I did wonder whether I would ever go back to it. Eventually, though, I decided to give it another try.

When I picked it up again, I quite quickly reached the second part of the book, and initially things did seem to improve. The story became more interesting and I found myself wanting to see where it was going. Unfortunately, though, some of the issues I had with the first part remained.

At 512 pages, I also felt that the book was simply too long. There were times when the story felt very drawn out, and I found myself wondering when it was going to move on. I think the book could have been considerably shorter without losing the main story or the ideas the author was trying to explore. For me, the length contributed to the feeling that the story was sometimes plodding rather than moving at a pace that kept me interested.

Another issue I had was the amount of science. I appreciate that the scientific elements are important to the story and that the author has clearly put a great deal of thought into the ideas behind it, but there was just far too much of it for my liking. At times I felt that the science took over from the actual story, and I found some of it quite difficult to follow. I also wasn’t convinced that everything being presented was actually possible.

The second half of the book definitely asks you to suspend your disbelief. There is a particular premise introduced that I really struggled to get my head around. I can’t say too much about it without giving away a major part of the story, but I found it difficult to accept, even within the fictional world the author had created. Perhaps other readers will be more willing to go along with it than I was, but for me it made it harder to become fully immersed in the story.

Unfortunately, I didn’t particularly like the two lead characters. I found both of them to be quite selfish and self-centred, and I struggled to sympathise with their decisions or become emotionally invested in what happened to them. When I don't particularly connect with the main characters, I find it much harder to care about their journey, and that was certainly the case here.

Having said all that, I’m glad I went back to the book rather than leaving it unfinished. There were moments when the story grabbed my attention, particularly as it moved further into the second half, and I can appreciate the ambition behind the ideas. There is certainly an interesting concept at the heart of the book, even if it didn’t completely work for me.

Sadly, though, Under Story just wasn’t a book that worked for me. The combination of the length, the drawn out pacing, the amount of science, a premise that I struggled to accept and two main characters I didn’t particularly like made it a difficult read. I’m pleased I gave it a second chance, but ultimately I was left feeling that the book could have been shorter, tighter and more engaging.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

The Best Of Enemies - Julie Mae Cohen

 

Description

Gwen keeps a list of enemies. Not that she'd ever hurt any of them - she just likes knowing if karma catches up.

So when her childhood bully drowns in sewage, Gwen's quietly satisfied. But then another foe dies. And another. Soon, everyone who's ever crossed Gwen - from sworn enemies to obnoxious strangers - is meeting a bizarre end.

The police think Gwen's involved, but she's terrified. Someone's turning her private grudges into a murder spree, and if Gwen doesn't stop them, her newly rebellious daughter could be next . . .

Review

I think we all have a few people we secretly wish karma would catch up with. Gwen has taken this idea a little further than most of us, though. She keeps a list of people she thinks deserve some bad karma, along with exactly how she thinks it should happen.

So when the people on Gwen’s list begin to die in precisely the ways she had imagined, she is understandably terrified. She never really intended any of them to come to harm, and certainly never expected (or wanted!) them to die. What starts off seeming like a series of coincidences soon becomes much more sinister.

I was intrigued by the mystery of who could possibly be behind the deaths. At first, it really does seem as though the deaths are just unfortunate coincidences, but as more and more people from Gwen’s list turn up dead, it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that there isn't something much more deliberate going on.

I have to admit that I struggled with Gwen as a character. I didn't particularly like her, and at times I found it difficult to connect with her, which made the book a little harder to get into. However, I persevered and I'm glad I did because the story became more and more intriguing as it progressed.

And then came the twist! The ending completely caught me by surprise, and I definitely didn't see it coming. 

Overall, although I had some reservations about the main character and found parts of the book a little difficult to get through, the mystery kept me reading and the unexpected and gripping ending made it worthwhile.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Time Travel for Beginners - Jaclyn Moriarty

Description

On a bustling road in Sydney, between a gelato bar and a chemist, lies an unassuming shopfront known simply as the Time Travel Agency.

Anna – possibly lightly concussed after a chance encounter with a car, possibly thinking clearly for the first time in a long time – quits her miserable job and agrees to work at the unusual business.

Teddy just can't seem to get up since his wife left him for his brother. When he spies an advert promising journeys into your past, he figures he can at least learn what went wrong.

And Jade can't stand the place. Behind the cosy waiting room and the smell of freshly brewed coffee, all the agency has to offer is false hope.

Over the course of one winter, three lives converge around this unusual agency claiming to offer a chance to revisit past choices. But is it a hoax? And if it's real, what is the catch?

Review

I love time-travel books, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I found the book rather too long, with a lot of time devoted to one character’s life events, which at times felt like it distracted from what I thought was the most interesting part of the story—the time travel itself.

The idea of a Time Travel Agency was a good one. It’s not a completely new concept, but I liked the way it was developed here. I particularly enjoyed the scenes set inside the Agency and the actual time-travel sequences, although I would have liked there to be much more of them. For me, this was the most intriguing aspect of the book, and I felt the story could have made more of it.

Katya, the owner of the Agency, was by far my favourite character. She was very well written and I found myself much more interested in her and the Agency than in some of the other storylines.

There was also an interesting counselling element to the Agency. The people who travelled back in time didn’t simply revisit events; they were also encouraged to examine their experiences and how their memories of them had been affected. I found the exploration of false memory particularly interesting, and this added a more thoughtful dimension to the story.

The pace picked up considerably towards the end, when the different strands of the story began to come together. There was more action and, thankfully, more time travel, which I enjoyed. However, I had guessed the main twist quite early on, so the eventual reveal didn’t come as much of a surprise.

Overall, there were some really interesting ideas here, and I enjoyed the concept of the Time Travel Agency and the character of Katya. I just wish the book had focused more on those elements and had been a little shorter and faster-paced. As someone who loves time travel, I wanted more of the time travel itself, and that was ultimately what I felt was missing.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

The Correspondent - Virginia Evans

Description

84 Charing Cross Road meets A Man Called Ove in this heartwarming, witty story about the life of an extraordinary woman, told through her letters.

In her letters to family and friends we come to know the life of Sybil Van Antwerp- stubborn, cantankerous, opinionated, always steadfast in her belief in the power of the written word.

But as the clock begins to tick for Sybil, the need for a few post-scripts to the life she's led becomes apparent. Fixing her difficult relationship with her children. Taking a final chance at romance. Atoning for an old legal case which has come back to haunt her. And finally, reckoning with a devastating loss that she has spent the last thirty years holding close to her chest.

Review

I honestly can’t remember the last time I loved a book this much. I’ve read it at every opportunity over the past couple of days and have been genuinely reluctant to put it down, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again.

The story of Sybil, told through her letters, might not sound like the most exciting premise, but it was absolutely wonderful. I loved all the different people she wrote to, the letters they sent back, and the way her story gradually unfolds through this collection of correspondence. There was something so intimate and absorbing about it.

At one point, someone in the book compares Sybil to Helen Hanff, and that really struck a chord with me because I love Helen Hanff’s books too. I also think there’s a little bit of Olive Kitteridge about Sybil who is another another character I can’t get enough of. Perhaps that’s part of the reason I found her so utterly compelling.

I loved this book and would happily have carried on reading Sybil’s letters for many more pages.

Thanks to my local library for lending me this book. I am giving it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion vol 1 - Beth Brower

 

Description

'I’ve arrived in London without incident. There are few triumphs in my recent life, but I count this as one. My existence of the last three years has been nothing but incident.'

The year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighbourhood of St. Crispian's. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Review

Set in 1883 orphaned Emma has returned to St Crispian's to claim her inheritance. She is only 20 years old, so has a few months to go yet, but she is certainly very wise for her years. She wastes no time in setting about what is due to her. Unfortunately her obnoxious cousin Archibald has not been too careful in protecting her inheritance. 

There are some supernatural occurrences along the way. Not explained but rather taken as granted, so I wasn't sure about them. Maybe this progresses in further volumes.

Told with wit and in keeping with the language of the times, this is a nice little read. It is the first volume, setting the scene for the other volumes already available to read.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.  

Eden Falls - Ajay Chowdhury

Description

When Aisha’s husband vanishes in plain sight, she is pulled into a nightmare to find him in this race-against-time tech thriller...

'A clever, timely and thrilling page turner' Jo Callaghan
'Outstanding' Abir Mukherjee
'A first-rate thriller' William Shaw
'Pulsating' Vaseem Khan

After the murder of his best friend, newlyweds Adam and Aisha cut their honeymoon short. But just as they are about to board a flight home from Delhi, Adam disappears at the airport – seemingly kidnapped – leaving Aisha stranded without her passport, her phone, or answers.

When the FBI and India’s intelligence agency begin interrogating her, it becomes chillingly clear they know far more about Adam than she ever did. Her only clue is his final, haunting message: I’m sorry.

Thousands of miles away, Sara Wolf, a scientist stuck on a dead-end project at Princeton, receives a message she never expected from her former lover. It contains two words: Help her.

Bound together by suspicion, rivalry, and a man they both love, Aisha and Sara are forced into an uneasy alliance. Decoding Adam’s clues, they follow a trail that leads them across the United States - into a shadow world of weaponised AI, tech billionaires, and a secret no one is meant to find.

Eden Falls is a gripping, high-stakes thriller that spans continents and asks how far we will go - and who we will trust - when the truth can destroy everything.

Review

This is the first book I have read by this well known author. I was at times thrilled and at others baffled by this standalone thriller.

The book begins with a few students seeing a meteorite fall to earth. Seen as a discovery, but then declared a hoax. Fast forward to the airport in Delhi where Adam and his wife are having to cut their honeymoon short due to the murder of his best friend. What happens next is terrifying, her husband goes missing and she is left with no means of ID and cannot even leave the airport to be with her parents as she has no passport.

Once his wife manages to get back to the USA she teams up with his ex girlfriend Sara who is a scientist. It's not the easiest of alliances as you might guess but Adam has emailed Sara to tell her to help his new wife. 

I loved the interactions between the two female characters and their quest to solve the clues that will hopefully save Adam. For me these were the most thrilling parts of the book and real page turners. The science parts left me cold. Far too much language which although realistic bamboozled me. I decided to just read on and not understand. What I did understand was the underlying message of AI seemingly helping people by utter reliance on it,  but then being used to destroy them through others. That part felt very real and was a little prophetic. 

Overall I did like the book, a sort of Indiana Jones meets AI. It's just perfect to be made into a film. I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. The book is published on 23 July 2026. 

The Truth of Us - Sara Cox

 

Description

'Like all great storytellers Sara pulls the reader in and doesn't let go until the utterly satisfying, heart-swelling conclusion' Graham Norton
'Utterly brilliant. I inhaled it. I loved it' Claudia Winkleman
'Unputdownable' The Sunday Times

FRIENDS ARE THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE.

Manchester, 1982. The houses on the street are almost identical but number 51 has always been slightly neater, a shiny penny next to number 49. The people inside have their differences too but still their lives are entwined, most especially for young girls Abi and Christy. From questionable fashion choices, illicit nights out and doomed romances, growing up together they share everything. Including the secret that eventually tears them apart.

Two decades later, Abi's life is one of marriage, family and stability. Christy, always the wilder of the two, has travelled and partied and risen high in the world of TV. Until, unexpectedly, they're living next door to each other again. Is it finally time to confront the past and speak the truth?

The Truth of Us showcases Sara Cox's superb storytelling skills in an unforgettable story that spans generations but always stays truthful to the strong, funny and complex women at its heart.

Review

We meet Abi and Christy as adults when they end up living next door to one another in their childhood homes again. There are a lot of characters and I struggled at times to remember which parents belonged to which character. One of the main features of the story is the kitchen windows in each house. Over the years the girls/women see each other through it, a glimpse into each others lives. It fitted the storyline perfectly, but I couldn't visualize two houses that would have this layout and it really annoyed me.

I loved both of Sara's previous books. They felt original and different from other books I had read. I began to read this one and after a few pages I thought it formulaic - a story I had read before. But, I was proved wrong as the story progressed, it was more original than I had at first thought. However, the constant flipping back and forth with the time line was too much for me. One instance especially sticks in my mind when the book goes back sequentially, but then when we next go back it is to an earlier time.

I felt the story was very long and drawn out until about half way through when I began to really embrace the storyline and I actually wanted to continue reading. This I thought is the writing I was expecting from the beginning.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review. This book is published on 16 July 2026.