I cannot believe it’s the end of 2024! These last few months have steamrollered by, leaving me flattened. I’ve been reading extra-slowly but audiobooks have been the saving grace. These reviews have been accumulating over the last few months. Reach out on IG and TikTok @aminasbookshelf if you’ve got any audiobook recommendations to save me from this reading slump. We need to start 2025 right!
The Plot: ‘The Ministry of Time’ is a time-travel spy-thriller. In the near future, a civil servant is deployed to a newly established, top-secret government ministry which has just discovered time travel. By gathering ‘expats’ from across history, they are trying to work out the effects of this new technology. Our civil servant is tasked with monitoring the expat known as ‘1847’ – a naval officer for the British Empire. Over the next year of tests and experiments, their relationship gets deeper and deeper. But can it withstand outside forces desperate to get their hands on the Ministry’s time-travel secrets? And, can they both really trust the Ministry at all?
Rating: Clever and quirky, this is a pitch perfect audiobook that will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers. Although it’s technically science-fiction, the setting is such a close future that it feels almost contemporary and I loved how the time-period was subtly inferred from references to the warmer climate (rather than long passages of explanation or world-building). With plenty of twists and turns, I had several gasp moments when a small clue led me to make big theories about what would happen next. At times, I found the main character naïve and, as the spy-thriller element ramped up, I needed her to be far more strategic. But I loved how her Cambodian heritage allowed for a nuanced exploration of race within the novel. With witty lines, high-stakes plot escalations, and a broad cast of loveable characters – shoutout to the feminist from the 1600’s – this is a book I’ll recommend to both my historical fiction and science fiction lovers.
The Plot: ‘The Guest List’ is a murder-mystery at a wedding on a remote island. It’s the wedding of the year as a smart, ambitious magazine publisher prepares to marry a handsome, charming TV star. From the designer dress to the lavish location, everything is set. But as the festivities begin, old resentments rise. And, when someone turns up dead, people start asking who didn’t wish the happy couple well…?
Rating: God, I listened to this ages ago and, to be honest, I can’t really remember it… But I think that’s the point of a book like this. It was an engaging, fun murder-mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. Lots of characters, lots of point-of-view, lots of motives for who-dunnit. But, at the end of the day, it’s not ‘War and Peace’. It’s not a literary tome that you’ll remember for years to come. And, that’s not a criticism by any means. If you want an easy, fun, thriller, then this is your book. It was a great audiobook for my current reading slump.
The Plot: ‘The List of Suspicious Things’ is a coming-of-age mystery about the Yorkshire Ripper. Set in 1970’s Yorkshire, a murderer is viciously hunting young women. Miv, a 12-year-old girl, is scared of the ripper, but she’s more frightened because her Dad is talking about moving away from Yorkshire altogether. Miv decides to hunt down the ripper, thinking if he is captured then her village will be safe and she can stay at home. With her best friend, Sharon, they make a list of suspicious people to investigate. However, the people in their local village have secrets lurking behind closed doors.
Rating: This is a sweet book, full of nostalgic references. Although some people have called it a murder mystery, it feels much more like a coming-of-age novel. Miv is a naïve character who’s investigation of her village neighbours uncovers some dark themes around bullying, domestic violence and racism. However, these themes are treated delicately and the overwhelming message is that you don’t know what someone is going through behind closed doors. I found it a tad slow-paced and my interest waned at points. It’s probably not the book’s fault, but I definitely missed some crucial reveals as my mind wandered. However, the mix of POV – particularly the Pakistani shop owner from Bradford – help sustain me. It felt a tad too sentimental and the mash-up of issues felt a tad YA. But, overall, it’s an enjoyable book and certainly a well-written, impressive debut.
The Plot: ‘Give Me Strength’ is a memoir about disordered eating and domestic violence. Alice Liveing is an Instagram influencer and fitness PT, best known for her ‘clean eating’ recipes. But, when she was celebrated as being the embodiment of health, she was hiding a dark secret. Now recovered from disordered eating, Alice shares her new approach to fitness and food, and discusses her abusive romantic relationship.
Rating: I’ve followed Alice on Instagram for years and really admire her vulnerability and openness in revealing her struggles with disordered eating. I found her story very relatable and the truth about her abusive relationship was extremely powerful. However, I wished this book was a bit more like a traditional memoir and provided more information and context on her life. For example, Alice goes from being a touring dancer to fitness influencer very quickly, with no explanation of her decision to transition from performing, or when/how she got her fitness qualifications. The key part of the story felt rushed and I kept wondering if I’d missed a section. I just wanted more from this book. It felt like a podcast interview or information already in the public domain rather than having the level of depth and introspection I’d expect of a memoir.
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