Revolution presented the obsession with music and 18th-century France in the face of post-traumatic stress disorder and mental illness. The combination of these added so many layers, I was immersed in Revolution for the entire duration of the audiobook. Living in contemporary times, Andi’s grief over the loss of her brother was palpable as she and her mother had completely fallen apart.
A MAD, WICKED FOLLY by Sharon Biggs Waller
I absolutely adored A Mad, Wicked Folly. It is hands down the favourite book of mine thus far this year. The Victorian setting of Trouville, France, followed predominantly by London was glorious. There was such a great mix between history and fiction, I felt like I could see myself as an observer right there by Vicky’s side; at the same time, immersing myself in stunning storytelling. Victoria Darling could be such an impossible main character — rather naïve, really — and yet I found myself caring a great deal for her plight.
THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern
Let’s get the cliché part of this book review out of the way first: The Night Circus was absolutely enchanting! It was magical and beautifully written. This audiobooks was a treat for the senses, especially because Jim Dale narrated it and he sounds like the perfect traditional storyteller.
THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER by Leslye Walton
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender and I developed a love-hate relationship of sorts. The promises made in the prologue was wondrous and I was so excited to continue reading. By the time I reached the end I felt empty. I loved the style of writing adopted in the prologue. It captured my attention so vividly, I fully expected to fall in love with the rest of the story. Sadly, that didn’t happen.
SCREAMING DIVAS by Suzanne Kamata
Screaming Divas had a couple of elements that I particularly liked: music, friendship and diversity.
Music effectively tied all four main characters together despite all their differences. Trudy, Harumi, Cassie and Esther had very different musical backgrounds, yet they came together to form a punk band. Each one of the girls had something to bring to the table, which also led to a lot of conflict. I think that is one thing I particularly appreciated. They didn’t always get along, which added a facet of realness that I often find lacking in books.
