Listening in 2023
2023 in music: A diverse blend of genres and artists, marked by innovative sounds, global influences and firm favourites
Reading when I can, Blogging if there's time, Listening on repeat
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90’s R n B: H-Town and Smooth
Exploring R&B hits: ‘Undercover Lover’ by Smooth’s sultry vibes and ‘Knocking ‘da Boots’ by H-Town’s classic groove. A throwback to the golden era of R&B.
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Single – Sunflower by Post Malone ft Swae Lee
Sunflower by Post Malone, featuring Swae Lee is a beautiful song featuring on a jam packed soundtrack full of songs that you want to hear again and again. It’s from 2018, I’m sure you’ve already heard it and if not, why not? Either way, stay where you are and watch the video here.
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Album – Human by Death
Human by Death is one of the few albums that with no hesitation, I listen to from beginning to end. It flows as a story being told, a mood that develops and equally as individual songs that make you sing along with, nod your head to, then mosh because it’s inevitable and necessary. If you don’t get it, that’s perfectly fine. However don’t dismiss the music without giving it a listen
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Single – The Spell of Mathematics – Deftones
The mood they create in their songs is an all encompassing atmosphere which surrounds you in a bubble. Deftones goes heavy, pulls in melody and Chino Moreno’s high notes, juxtaposed with the low, gives you a distinct blend of amazing. Plus, when you delve into the lyrics, well it’s a revelation: these guys understand, they get it, they know.
The Spell of Mathematics is all that and more. -
Single – Chop Chop – Killing Joke
Listening again to songs that you heard when you were a teen because you choose to/ bought the album yourself is special.
Killing Joke is one of those bands for me.Picking one Killing Joke song is hard. Don’t judge me for having the gall to do so. I realise that there are other excellent choices available.
Is Chop Chop on your shortlist?
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Singles – Racks and Damage – H.E.R
H.E.R’s lush voice, sweeps you up and engages you in a story that you want to hear. These singles are just two of this talented artist’ back catalogue.
Take a few minutes out of your day, to listen one or both songs and be wowed. -
Tune Tuesdays or TuneDay?
There’s always a song or two drifting in & out of my head. Why? There are reasons. But that’s not important. In an attempt to share the love, I’m going to make it your problem as well as mine. Welcome – your introduction to #Tuneday or maybe #TuneTuesday
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Catch Up: The Pause
When you notice you’re in a reading slump, what do you do? In my case, I navigated my way through by listening to music and other distraction tactics. Read on to find out how well that worked.
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Band – Danzig
The early 1990’s was great for me, I was looking and finding new bands that felt like they were just for me irrespective of genre.
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Single – Cool Nuh
I heard this song last week and thought that it had missed a trick not coming out in summer. But on reflection, the timing is cool. Big Up Frisco feat. Spragga Benz for -Cool Nuh, it’s a tune!
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Single – Welcome To The Party
The lyrics for Pop Smoke ‘Welcome To The Party’ discuss drugs, violence and guns. On paper not for me. But the production changes all of that.
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Album – We Are Not Your Kind
We Are Not Your Kind,:the stylistic and musical range is so wide, I’m sure there’s an entry point even for those who are not fans of metal. How can you not like one of these songs? It’s unfeasible.
Review – Hitched by J. F. Murray
A Vegas mix-up in “Hitched” leads to marrying a first love. It’s a rom-com rollercoaster full of laughs, quirky characters and love’s surprise twists.
Review – The House on Rye Lane by Susan Allott
“The House on Rye Lane” entwines timelines into a chilling narrative, where a house in Peckham exudes dread, ensnaring characters in its eerie curse. Recommended.
Review – Saint Valentine the Kindhearted by by Ned Bustard
“Saint Valentine the Kindhearted” revives the true spirit of Valentine’s Day, celebrating the saint’s life and love beyond the commercial.
Review – Black Voices by Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor
Black Voices by Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor is more than just a book; it’s a journey through Pan African culture, brimming with insightful quotes and stunning art.
2023 Wrap Up
2023, you’ve been great. You can see what I thought of it in my book wrap up video. 2024 you’ve got a lot to live up to
Review – Are You A Sleepy Monster by Guilherme Karsten
Join a monster’s bedtime routine in “Are You A Sleepy Monster?” A charming tale of turning fear into fun at lights out.
Merry Christmas 2023
Christmas wishes really do come true! Read on to find out mine. For those that celebrate, wishing you and yours the merriest of Christmas’ and a happy new year.
Christmas Viewing – 2023
Embracing the festive spirit, I’ve set a goal to watch a Christmas film or TV show daily. Is it ho, ho, ho or bah humbug? You decide
Review – Koku Akanbi and the Heart of Midnight
Koku Akanbi and the Heart of Midnight masterfully intertwines African culture and magic, exploring themes of identity, loss, and resilience in a captivating tale
Review – Scrambled Eggs by Happy Yak
Scrambled Eggs by Happy Yak serves up a delightful, whimsical experience that is only limited by your imagination. Perfect for creative types.
Review – Kane by Dick Wybrow
Kane by Dick Wybrow: A unique mix of humour and fantasy, exploring a man-wolf-dog’s life on a road trip, filled with emotion and witty dialogue
Review – The Cat Who Couldn’t Be Bothered by Jack Kurland
The Cat Who Couldn’t Be Bothered charmingly captures the contrast between a black and white cat with their colourful friends. A tale of inclusion and wellbeing.
Review – The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty
“The Hare-Shaped Hole” beautifully illustrates life’s ups and downs through Hertle and Bertle’s friendship, showing how grief is love with nowhere to go.
Review – Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Punching the Air powerfully explores racial injustice and the resilience of the human spirit, as co-authored by the inspiring Yusef Salaam
Review – Bernard and the Cloth Monkey by Judith Bryan
Bernard and the Cloth Monkey is a quietly harrowing look at a slice of West Indian culture in London’s 1990’s. The story of a fractured family is deftly revealed in present day conversations and as each daughter reminisce on their past
Review – A Million Aunties by Alecia McKenzie
Discover healing in “A Million Aunties” by Alecia McKenzie as art & Jamaican warmth help mend a heart from grief and loss. A tale where culture embraces recovery
Review – The Whistling by Rebecca Netley
Looking for a suspenseful ghost story? Look not further than The Whistling. The atmosphere and sinister occurances result in a cracking read.
Review – Jade Fire Gold by June CL Tan
Xianxia novels are high-fantasy stories that feature magic, demons, ghosts, magical beasts, immortals, and Chinese folklore and mythology. Jade Fire Gold is a really great read and I’m hoping there is a sequel or at the very least another book in this universe.
Review – The Venue by T. J. Payne
If a revenge wedding that spirals into a fight to the death is your kind of thing, then look no further than The Venue to keep you entertained.
Review – All Systems Red by Martha Wells
When you find a book that resonates, is fun, interesting, engaging and well written, you can’t help but wallow in the warm glow of bookish love. Murderbot is a character that will either grow on you (before the end of chapter 1) or you will adore instantly, there are no other options.
How I was introduced to Murderbot
The name Murderbot invokes so much curiosity. I’m glad that I took that first step to find out more about this complex and wry personality. Looking forward to more adventures with this character.
Review – A Family Matter by Will Eisner
A Family Matter depicts a dysfunctional family that that is too real for comfort. As we learn more about the characters in particular the patriarch Poppa and the long dead Momma, we despair about the reach of people who should never have been parents. This graphic novel is a challenging read but worth it.
Review – Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
“A cult is like porn, you know it when you see it”
But not everyone sees the tendrils of a cult at first glance and this is what makes Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism a good read – seeing how people get caught up in these groups. That and the fact that it widens the scope of cult to groups who use similar methods to engage their members and dominate their time and attention.
The narrator was engaging the topics discussed in such a way that it was like hanging out over coffee with a friend. Having a really good conversation with a topic that ran and ran eventually leading to a late lunch and then calling it quits only because you had dinner plans you couldn’t cancel. Enjoyable.
Review – Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
Tucked within a YA adventure story full of magic and intrigue is a powerful message on being you. Holding onto your principles despite the cost, and hoping but not expecting that those with closed minds/ who write you off, will eventually see you for who you actually are, not what they’ve assumed.
Wonderful start to a new series by B.B Alston, read with feeling by Imani Parks. Enjoyed it immensely.
Review – The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
The Heart Principle illustrates all the reasons why I love Helen Hoang’s books. Because she has characters who are funny, interesting and diverse. They represent the real world in a convincing way. I believe that these two are finding their way to love together. It’s a beautiful story that will make you glad you’ve read it.
Review – The Echo Chamber by John Boyne
The Echo Chamber is a laugh out loud story on the perils of modern society and social media’s influence on our way of life. Far fetched and very funny. Hold out for the audiobook and you won’t regret it
Review – Out Mouse by Valerie L. Egar
You will be amused and charmed by this tale of pest control. No preventative measures or exterminators rather polite notes. How very civilised
Review – How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
It’s not often that I will say I’m gleeful of the comeuppance of well deserving individuals, then compound it by confirming how amusing I find their murder. Once you’ve read How To Kill Your Family, you’ll understand why
Review – Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (A Graphic Novel Adaptation)
Kindred is about about Dana Franklin a black woman from the 1970’s who keeps accidentally travelling back in time and meeting with her slave-owning ancestor. Don’t imagine what happens, pick up up this graphic novel to read and see what this journey is like. You will feel all the feels.
Review – The Gatekeeper’s Staff by Antoine Bandele
The Gatekeeper’s Staff was heroic, dramatic, full of suspense and the best thing yet was that this world of West African folklore was a mystery. Get the audiobook and you won’t regret it
Review – Hematite by Victoria Maderna and Federico Piatti
Hermatite is a magical read, with all the classic vampire essentials, ending on a cliff hanger which leaves you quietly pacing, eager for the next instalment.
Review – Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
What is it like to be a black teen now? These difficult and topical themes were portrayed in a real, accurate and age appropriate way in Black Brother, Black Brother. A must read.
What are NetGalley Featured Reviews?
What are NetGalley Featured Reviews? Read on to find out more about this and Top Reviewer status
Review – My Name Is Leon by Kit de Waal
This version of the eighties isn’t rose tinted nostalgia. My Name is Leon is about a biracial child in care, how he gets there and how he comes to terms with the realities of his life. Tough in places, well observed and a terrific read.
Review – I Will Not Be Erased by gal-dem
Each story directly or indirectly, references a diary. Knowing you history, remembering your past is key to your present and defining your future. Importance of recording one’s thoughts equates with better knowing oneself
Review – The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
The Vanishing Half is a labyrinth of themes on racism, sexism, gender, motherhood, and so much more. It’s a compelling story about black twins who can pass for white, and it delves deep into the complexities of identity
Review – Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
Hench, like The Boys, set heroes in a world where they are three dimensional, showing their wants, desires and motivations.
Anna has been at their mercy and didn’t appreciate the experience nor the repercussions. Hench is her journey on fighting backing using modern methods including data mining and social media to take them down.
Hench is engaging, entertaining and a really fun read
Loving a book to death, or when you used to!
I loved Mills and Boon as a tween/teen and avidly consumed this sub genre of romance novels on a frequent basis. So much so that they were battered beyond recognition. Now I look at that time and think, why don’t I read that genre as much now. Why are some of my old favourites out of favour?
Words, Words, so many delightful words
Who isn’t fascinated by words?
If you’re ambivalent about it then this post if for you. Hopefully my enthusiasm will rub off and you will find one or two that you like.
A brief introduction to why I like words so much and which ones are taking my fancy. Hint – the more obscure the better!
Review – The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
There are many things to like about The Memory Police, the narrative structure, the well drawn characters and world building. Another aspect that I can’t let go unsaid was the delicate way information was revealed. I didn’t realise just how chaotic the island was until I (the reader) was invested in the story and found myself, like the islanders equally wounded by this calamitous place. But its thought provoking insight into the power and relevance of memory is what lingers and will not be easily forgotten.
Review – Cabal by Clive Barker
Clive Barker takes a straightforward plot layers it with intent, infuses it with wonder and leaves you absorbed in a world that horrifies yet ultimately delights. This is his gift as a storyteller. If you haven’t already, get to know, Cabal one of his classic horror novels.
Review – Kit’s Rebellion by C J Grant
When you like the synopsis more than the book itself, you have to wonder why, especially when there are zombies galore.
Review – The Boy In The Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
The Boy In The Black Suit is fundamentally about life, setbacks and grief. When life is hard, how do you cope? As a teen whose mother has just died and a father has given up on being a recovering alcoholic. Life is difficult for Matt. The writing is good and the grief is real. making this a compelling read.
Review – The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee
The Silver Metal Lover is a love story about finding yourself and the person that compliments, brings out the best in you. Their relationship is beautifully developed within the constraint of a future world beset with environmental issues and discontent, So even though it breaks my heart every time I read it, there is such joy and hope in this sublime sci fi tale that I can’t help but love it.
Review – Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
“Hell is the absence of the people you long for”. Station Eleven shows us a world crippled by a virus and the survivors who remain in the aftermath. This is a perceptive and astute retelling of humanity struggle to come to terms with this loss and the future they have to create. A tremendous book. May’s Book of the Month.
Review – High-Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson
Teen sister detectives solve a murder mystery on their high rise London housing estate. Good plot, great characters, fantastic representation and excellent narration. Recommended.
Review – Hyenas by Michael Sellars
This zombie tale delivers an interesting premise on the genre with plenty of danger, thrills and gore. It invites us to question what makes us human. You will be fascinated as I was to know more about the assertion. Scary but thoughtful read.
Monthly Preview – May 2020
May looks good to go. I have a few ARCs scheduled and a couple in particular that I’m looking forward to, Michelle Obama’s biography to listen to before I see the Netflix special and catching up on anything I should have read.
No-Mod by Derek Porterfield
No-Mod takes place in a techno-religious city, where the marginalised include those without biomedical modification. Addie’s search for answers takes her on the run revealing more about this autocratic world than she had envisaged. Riveting YA read with little details that make it a pleasure to read. I am looking forward to the sequel.
Review – Corporate Gunslinger: A Novel by Doug Engstrom
Corporate Gunslinger seems so very timely about the power of corporations and overwhelming debt. Insurance companies already use small print to deny claims, thus it’s no stretch to imagine the possibility that they would eventually utilise skilled killers to ensure they don’t have to pay out. In no way does it seem strange that gunfighting is part of the American legal system.
Review – Cuckoo’s Egg by C.J. Cherryh
The cover for Cuckoo’s Egg is beautiful. It perfectly captures the essence of the book. It shows Duun, cradling Thorn as a baby. Between the artwork and back cover we already know it’s about an alien culture meeting human, however it’s the way it intersects, how the story is told which is very beautiful.
Review – Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin
This dystopia raises men to see themselves as first with no equal. The dismissive way women are perceived, spoken of and to permeates society at all levels. Fortunately perseverance and a dedication to the future generations leads a group to quietly rebel.
Review – On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Bri is a typical teenager, rash, impulsive but also thoughtful. I found her annoying in part but realistic at heart. You too will want Bri to win on talent alone and make the right choices, because she deserved it , but this isn’t a fairy tale, the reality is, being talented isn’t enough. On The Come Up is a fantastic read about making choices and fighting against stereotypes.
Review – Whipping Star by Frank Herbert
I haven’t read Whipping Star in about 15 years. But on picking it up I immediately remembered chairdogs, float homes and stage frozen Pan Spechi and what these terms meant. Perhaps because they’re descriptive as well as inventive is why they are still memorable for me.
Review – Who Goes Here? by Bob Shaw
Who Goes Here? is funny, that has to be mentioned first. Not that you wouldn’t have noticed as it permeates the whole book: the characters, dialogue and situations are humorous and well articulated. But before you get the wrong idea, this isn’t a gagged filled romp with set pieces.
Review – When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
This book is a must for those who love well written psychological thrillers, that pulls on the heartstrings but not gratuitously so and with characters that you are rooting for. It will make you feel big emotions, be judgemental and sincerely consider your views on several serious issues. What a gripping read!
Review – Dewdrop by Katie O’Neill
Dewdrop is a joyous story about being a good friend, an encouragement to those around you and being you – the best you can be. In the sweetest of ways this is age appropriate mindfulness and resilience training.
Review – Goldilocks by Laura Lam
We are taken on a journey of quiet intensity as these women are faced with the knowledge of what they have done, why and the catastrophic consequences of their plans not being accomplished
Review – Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver
As the novel is interspersed with vignettes on cults, their leaders, serial killers and victims, Will Carver has thoughtfully given us (the reader) enough context and examples to assist us in the hunt for the leader and other members of the group, so we are not reliant on the police who appear incapable of solving this in a prompt and satisfactory manner.
Review – Lizard’s Tale by Weng Wai Chan
I am a sucker for intrepid children who are resourceful and disarming. Whose small efforts make a big difference in their lives and in Lizard’s Tale, the world stage. These are children who have purposely decided to make a stand against obligation, expectations and gender roles.
Review – Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo eloquently shows that that love, abuse, the whole spectrum of the human condition is the same and gives no quarter for ethnicity or gender. Her understanding of human beings and ability to convey the complexity of human thought, behaviour and action, through a multifaceted, nuanced depiction of race and relationships in an accessible way, is a triumph.
Review – Orphans of the Tide by Struan Murray
Orphans of the Tide weaves a tale of history, loss, and love in a joyless, mysterious city, with fantastic world-building and charming characters.
Book Review – Malamander by Thomas Taylor
Eerie-on-Sea is revealed to be a wonderful place – thought I’m not sure that I want to live there, but would be extremely happy to visit – which is filled with peculiar happenings and strange wondrous everyday things, that the inhabitants take for granted.
Book Brief – Overlord Protocol by Mark Walden
There are twists and turns galore, robots, machinations and comeuppances.
Book Review – The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
I started to really like this book when things started to go wrong, culminating with the group trapped in the cave. That’s when it decided to get eerie, creepy and claustrophobic.
Book Review – Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo
This book masterfully depicts universal human traits and lies we tell ourselves, offering deep insights into personal and community life
Book Review – The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Thing Around Your Neck is a collection of short stories exploring the lives of Nigerians at home and abroad. Proving a touching, insightful, raw in places and agonising in others read.
Book Review – An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
An American Marriage is an exquisitely tender illustration of the complexity of marriage and family.
Book Review – My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Beneath the humour there are serious themes at play, it deftly masks the undercurrent of distress that is revealed subtly throughout the novel to explain why Ayoola kills and Korede doesn’t condone but neither exposes her. It really gets to the heart of the sibling relationship – the expectation of what you should, could and must do for family.
Review – The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
The Emperor and the Endless Palace is set across three time lines from ancient China to modern day Los Angeles. This doomed love triangle has little to offer.
Review – Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock by Maud Woolf
In “Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock,” Maud Woolf spins a tale of identity and autonomy wrapped in a sci-fi mystery about a celebrity and her clones.
Review – Queen of Freedom: Defending Jamaica by Catherine Johnson
“Queen of Freedom” revives Queen Nanny’s story, highlighting her pivotal role in the Maroons’ fight for liberty in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains.
Review – Baby Dragon Finds His Family by Sheryl Bass
Looking for family? Join Baby Dragon on his quest for relationships and belonging.
