Bookworm Banter

  Review of  Yellowface , by R. F. Kuang I really enjoyed Yellowface . The story follows June Hayward, a struggling writer whose friend and successful author, Athena Liu, suddenly dies. June takes Athena’s unfinished manuscript, rewrites it, and eventually publishes it under her own name. As the book becomes successful, June has to deal with growing criticism and accusations surrounding the manuscript, while constantly trying to justify her actions to herself and others. What makes the story particularly interesting is that June is also the narrator, so we experience the events through her perspective and see how she gradually rationalises her decisions. One of the things I liked most was how uncomfortable the book made me. June is clearly making unethical choices, but she does not see herself as a villain. Throughout the story, she repeatedly finds explanations for her behaviour and convinces herself that she deserves the success she is receiving. Because the reader is inside...

  Review of  Sapiens: A Graphic History , by Yuval Noah Harari I absolutely loved  Sapiens: A Graphic History . It explores the history of humans, from our earliest ancestors to the societies we live in today, and somehow manages to make thousands of years of human history feel genuinely interesting. It covers ideas like the Cognitive Revolution, the development of agriculture, money, religion, empires, and the ways humans have built increasingly complicated societies. Instead of just telling us what happened, though, the book constantly asks bigger questions about why humans became so successful and how we ended up creating the world around us. The thing I loved most was obviously the fact that it's a comic. I could have been reading a giant block of text about human evolution and immediately fallen asleep, but instead there are illustrations, dialogue, jokes, ridiculous situations, and characters explaining complicated ideas in ways that actually stick in your brai...

Review of The Witches of Cambridge , by Alice Hoffman This book. The Witches of Cambridge . I LOVED IT. No more to be said. To be more specific, the story follows Ava Abbott, a quiet young woman from Maine who arrives at Radcliffe College, and Lauren Bell, her complete opposite: confident, wild, and very much at home in Cambridge. The two are brought into the Lilith Society, a secret society of witches at Radcliffe that dates all the way back to colonial times. As they learn about their magical heritage, the history of the witches, and the dangers surrounding them, their friendship becomes just as important as the magic itself. There is also a mystery involving witches disappearing and the terrifying possibility that the witch trials of the past aren't actually as far away as everyone thinks. I also loved Ava and Lauren because they are such opposites. Ava is fascinated by love magic, drawn toward spells involving the heart and desperately wanting to experience love and everything ...

Review of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder , by Holly Jackson Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is one of my favourite mystery books I have ever read. The story follows Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a student who decides to investigate the murder of Andie Bell for her school project. Five years earlier, Andie was murdered and her boyfriend, Sal Singh, was blamed for it. Everyone in the town believes Sal was responsible, but Pip isn't convinced. With the help of Sal’s brother, Ravi, she starts investigating the case and quickly discovers that the story everyone accepted as the truth is much more complicated than it seems. What I loved most about this book was actually being part of the investigation. Pip doesn't just walk around having convenient detective thoughts while the reader watches; we get to see her interviews, notes, evidence, messages, maps, timelines, and theories. It made me feel like I was investigating the case with her. I was constantly making my own theories, cros...

Review of  The Midnight Library , by Matt Haig Matt Haig’s  The Midnight Library  is a thought-provoking novel about regret, choices, and the lives we imagine we could have lived. The story follows Nora Seed, who finds herself in a mysterious library where every book contains a different version of her life based on a choice she could have made differently. She is given the chance to undo her regrets by entering these alternate lives and seeing what would have happened if she had made different decisions. What I loved most about the book was the idea of actually being able to change the things you regret. Nora gets to go back and try different versions of her life—changing decisions, fixing mistakes, and exploring opportunities she wishes she had taken. I found this especially interesting because I think most people have things they wish they could undo or choices they sometimes wonder about. Seeing Nora actually get the chance to change them made me reflect on a lot...

  Review of Society of Lies , by Lauren Ling Brown Lauren Ling Brown’s Society of Lies is exactly the kind of mystery I love: murder, secret societies, dark academia, complicated relationships, and a suspicious number of people who definitely know more than they are admitting. The story follows Maya Mason, who returns to Princeton for her younger sister Naomi’s graduation, only to discover that Naomi has died. Maya refuses to believe that her sister’s death was an accident, especially after discovering that Naomi had joined the same exclusive society Maya had once been part of. As Maya starts digging into Naomi’s life, she uncovers secrets that connect the two sisters in ways she never expected. What I loved most about this book was how addictive the mystery was. I was constantly trying to figure out what was actually going on, who I could trust, and which tiny detail was going to become important later. Every time I thought I had worked something out, another piece of information...

  Review of The Christmas Pig , by J.K. Rowling J.K. Rowling’s The Christmas Pig is a surprisingly emotional story about a boy named Jack who loses his favourite toy, a stuffed pig called Dur Pig. On Christmas Eve, Jack discovers that his new Christmas Pig can talk and takes him into the Land of the Lost, a strange world where lost things go. Together, they set out to find Dur Pig, encountering everything from forgotten toys to things people have deliberately thrown away. What begins as a simple adventure becomes a story about love, loss, friendship, and learning to let go. What I loved most about this book was how imaginative the Land of the Lost is. Rowling takes completely ordinary objects and gives them their own personalities, histories, and importance. Something that seems useless to one person might be incredibly precious to someone else, which makes the world surprisingly emotional. I also loved the relationship between Jack and Christmas Pig. Their journey isn't just abou...

  Review of Project Hail Mary , by Andy Weir Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary is one of the most entertaining science fiction novels I've ever read. The story follows Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he's there. As his memories slowly return, he discovers that humanity is facing extinction, and he may be the only person capable of saving Earth. What begins as a mystery soon becomes an exciting blend of science, survival, and one of the most unexpected friendships I've ever read. What I loved most about this book was how effortlessly it combines science with storytelling. The science isn't just there to sound impressive—it drives the entire plot. Every obstacle is solved through observation, experimentation, and logical thinking, making the reader feel as though they're solving the problems alongside Grace. Despite the amount of scientific detail, the explanations are surprisingly eas...

  Review of Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men , by Caroline Criado Perez Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women is one of those books that completely changes the way you look at the world. Rather than telling a story, it explores how women have been overlooked in data collection for decades and how that affects almost every aspect of everyday life—from medicine and transport to workplaces, technology, and even disaster relief. Through research and real-life examples, Perez shows that many systems aren't necessarily designed to disadvantage women; they're simply designed with men as the default. What I loved most about this book was how eye-opening it was. I found myself constantly thinking, "I've never even considered that before." Things as ordinary as seatbelts, office temperatures, smartphones, and city planning suddenly became examples of a much bigger issue. What makes the book so convincing is that Perez doesn't rely ...

Review of Deception Point , by Dan Brown Dan Brown's Deception Point is a fast-paced thriller that blends science, politics, and conspiracy into a story that keeps you questioning everything. The novel follows Rachel Sexton, an intelligence analyst who is sent to verify NASA's astonishing discovery of a meteorite buried deep beneath the Arctic ice. What begins as a scientific investigation quickly turns into a deadly conspiracy, as Rachel and a team of experts discover that the truth behind the discovery is far more dangerous than anyone imagined. With assassins on their trail and no one knowing whom to trust, the story becomes a race to uncover the truth before it is buried forever. What I loved most about this novel was the constant suspense. Every chapter ends with a new revelation, making it almost impossible to stop reading. Just when I thought I understood what was happening, Brown introduced another twist that completely changed the direction of the story. There are red...

  Review of My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises , by Fredrik Backman Fredrik Backman's My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises is one of the sweetest, funniest, and most heartwarming books I've ever read. The story follows Elsa, a seven-year-old girl who feels like she doesn't belong anywhere except with her wonderfully eccentric grandmother. After her grandmother dies, Elsa is sent on a journey to deliver a series of apology letters to people she barely knows. Along the way, she discovers that the fairy tales her grandmother told her weren't just stories—they were inspired by the real people around them, each carrying their own struggles, regrets, and dreams. What I loved most about this book was the relationship between Elsa and her grandmother. Their conversations are hilarious, chaotic, and full of love, making it impossible not to smile while reading. Grandma is completely unpredictable, while Elsa is curious, witty, and endlessly lovable. Toge...

  Review of After the Funeral , by Agatha Christie Agatha Christie's After the Funeral is one of those mysteries where the drama begins before the murder is even confirmed. After the death of wealthy businessman Richard Abernethie, his family gathers for the reading of his will, each hoping to secure their share of the inheritance. Just as everyone begins to leave, his quiet, often-overlooked sister, Cora, casually remarks, "But he was murdered, wasn't he?" Everyone dismisses her as confused—until she is brutally murdered the very next day. Suddenly, what seemed like a peaceful family gathering turns into a race to uncover a killer hiding among people who all have something to gain. What I loved most about this novel was the family drama. Christie shows how grief quickly gives way to suspicion, greed, jealousy, and long-buried resentments. Every conversation feels loaded with hidden meanings, and every family member seems to be keeping secrets. The mystery isn't...

  Review of All My Sons , by Arthur Miller Arthur Miller's All My Sons is a play about guilt, responsibility, and the consequences of our actions. Set after World War II, it follows the Keller family as long-hidden secrets about Joe Keller's wartime business begin to surface. What starts as an ordinary family drama slowly develops into a story about morality, denial, and the price people pay for choosing personal success over doing the right thing. I can appreciate what Miller was trying to do with this play. The themes are powerful, especially the idea that our actions affect people far beyond our immediate family. Joe Keller's belief that everything he did was "for his family" creates an interesting moral dilemma, forcing readers to question where responsibility begins and ends. The ending is also genuinely impactful, tying together the central message in a way that makes you think long after you've finished reading. That being said... I honestly struggled ...

  Review of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd , by Agatha Christie Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of the most clever and frustratingly brilliant mystery novels I have ever read. The story follows Hercule Poirot as he investigates the murder of Roger Ackroyd, a wealthy man living in the quiet village of King’s Abbot. As the investigation unfolds, secrets, blackmail, and hidden motives come to light, making nearly every character a suspect. What begins as a classic whodunit gradually transforms into something far more ambitious. What I loved most about this book was how Christie constantly keeps the reader guessing. There are red herrings and false leads everywhere, but the real genius lies in how she handles the truth. Most mystery writers hide the answer from the reader. Christie does the opposite—she puts the truth directly in front of you and somehow convinces you not to see it. Every clue is there, every important detail is mentioned, and yet the ending still fe...