I absolutely loved My Best Friend's Exorcism. But I went into it thinking I wouldn't. As much as the author clearly loves the '80s horror aesthetic, the B-movie vibe of this book's packaging really undersells it.

The Bees is a well written and fascinating read, with compelling characters and clearly painstaking research. But while it pulled me in from the first page, I finished the book a little disappointed that it wasn't a little more powerful. 

Once more, Laura Purcell demonstrates she a master of the Victoria Gothic. With Bone China, she delivers yet another chilling story that creeps up on you, then leaves you wondering what is true and what is madness. 

I enjoyed Philippa East’s first novel, but I didn’t love it. But with Safe and Sound she’s taken what she had and built on it, hitting all the points that make it incredibly readable and almost impossible to put down. 

Jo Jakeman proves she is an author who just gets better and better. And with her third novel, she shows us she's a master of Domestic Noir.

“Forget what you think you know” is a well-known adage, but sometimes, if you truly want to improve yourself, it's actually bad advice. Because as Nova Reid's The Good Ally made me understand, sometimes we can't afford to forget what we know. Instead, we need to hold it and focus on how much of it is wrong

I knew nothing about A House of Ghosts or W.C. Ryan when I bought it. It was 100% a spur of the moment whim based on the cover. But boy, am I glad I did. Because while it’s not a book that’s going to change your life, it will nevertheless be an incredibly enjoyable read.

This is the first of Esther Perel's books I've actually read and boy can I see why she's such a big name. It took me three months to finish this book because every time I read any of it, I kept having to stop to make notes along the way.

I always love Alan Moore’s work, and with Neonomicon he demonstrates he truly understands what Cosmic Horror is supposed to be. In a word, horrifying. 

This was another book that I couldn't really fault. It has an interesting story, and was rooted in a folklore I'm not familiar with. It had a strong sense of heritage and culture outside of my own. Yet, I simply couldn't get lost in it as much as I would have thought I would. 

I found Polysecure to be one of those books that had some really intelligent and insightful things to say. You just need the stamina to be able to process everything it hands you.

I was suspicious of this book, as I am of any book “written” by a celebrity. But I found myself pleasantly surprised. Osman offers something perfectly crafted to appeal to anyone who has enjoyed a cosy Sunday afternoon detective show.

I haven't managed to get a lot of reading done this month. My mental health has put my mind in a place where concentrating hasn't been easy, which has pushed me more towards TV than books.

I enjoyed The Terror, but at times I felt this was almost despite the writing rather than because of it. The best description I can think of is this novel is “very Stephen King”. Whether this is a blessing or a curse is up to you. 

A fun dark read that’s just long enough to be satisfying without overstaying its welcome.

I went into this City of Thieves blind, not knowing what to expect. What I found was a well researched and entertaining story of a side of the Second World War that we don’t hear a lot about in the West. However, there was something about it stopping clicking with me as well as I thought it should have.  

If you are a reader who prefers beautifully detailed setting and description rather than consistent character and satisfying payoffs, this is the book for you. Where the Crawdads Sing wasn't a bad read, but Owen's experience as a non-fiction nature writer shines through. 

Does anyone else find it hard when they come to the end of a book or TV show?

When I finish whichever series or story I’ve been invested in for so long, I find myself at a complete loss for what to do next?