Autumn is here and I’m very much entering a new season of life. Heading into my third trimester is no joke. I’ve really struggled with mobility and fitness during my pregnancy so audiobooks are a brilliant way to keep myself company. Although everyone says you have no time for reading post-partum, part of me is cheekily hoping that audiobooks will be my companion during late-night feeds and long walks with the baby. Let’s see if I end up laughing at myself in a few months, but in the meantime DM me your recs to @aminasbookshelf on IG and TikTok.
The Plot: ‘Julie Chan is Dead’ is a contemporary mystery about a woman who steals her twin sisters’ influencer lifestyle. Separated at a young age, identical twins Julie and Chloe rarely spoke, except for one viral video. When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied. Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends.
The Review: I enjoyed this novel so much. It was the perfect accompaniment to gardening. Addictive, juicy and moreish, it delivered where so many influencer novels fall short. Often influencer stories are flat because their lives are so privileged and boring. Despite the outward flashiness, they end up being too introspective and ‘woe is me’. Yet the exciting premise of this book included all of the rich, bombastic elements of influencer lifestyle but paired it with a fun plot that unfolded dramatically. The narrator pulls you in with her engaging, sarcastic tone and, like her, you get swept up by the influencer friendship circle.
My main critique is that the book sort of ‘jumped the shark’ at the end. I don’t think it needed to get into cults, mysticism –there were enough plot points and characters to develop without it going so extreme. Plus, the mouse thing was simply weird. I worry that calling this novel a thriller or crime means it won’t reach the right audience. I think it’d appeal more to fans of fun, light-hearted contemporary mysteries than serious thrillers. I’d recommend it to fans of ‘My Sister, the Serial Killer’ by Oyinkan Braithwaite or ‘Someone Had to Do It’ by Amber and Danielle Brown.
The Plot: ‘So Thrilled for You’ is contemporary fiction about four friends who are reunited at the baby shower from hell. Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi have been friends since university. Now in their thirties, life is pulling them in different directions. It’s Nicki‘s baby-shower but her marriage is in turmoil. Lauren is finding motherhood far harder than she imagined. Charlotte is desperate to conceive after years of trying. Steffi is happily child-free but feels judged by her friends. When a fire starts, the police put together the facts to try and find the cause.
The Review: Listening to this book while walking through the fields during a heatwave was really fun. As a woman in her mid-thirties, I completely understood all of the characters and relationship dynamics. The uncertainty and competitiveness around having children can be so palpable and you don’t want anyone to feel bad for their life choices. Each character felt realistic and I enjoyed each of their POVs (although Nicki was a bit annoying). In particular, I related to Charlotte – although everyone acts like she’s annoying or cringe, every friendship group needs a Charlotte to organise them! My main issue is that I didn’t believe the police investigation. There’s no way four middle class white women would have been suspected of any wrongdoing. Although I liked the interview format and multi-POV, it was a stretch. I discovered I was pregnant with my first child while listening to this book so it felt like perfect serendipity.
The Plot: ‘Take It Back’ by Kia Abdullah is a courtroom thriller about race, disability and sexual assault. When Jodie accuses four boys in her class of sexual assault, she’s worried no-one will believe her. She’s been always bullied because her disability affects her appearance and even her mum and best friend are sceptical about the allegations. When a top lawyer, Zara, takes on the case she’s determined to support Jodie. But the boys accused are handsome teens from hard-working immigrant families in Zara’s own community. As the criminal trial begins, a media storm about Muslim grooming gangs flares up and Zara doesn’t know who to trust.
The Review: This wasn’t my favourite Kia Abdullah book, but I cannot stop thinking about it. The premise is excellent and spotlights an important political issue. As someone who works in child protection, I am extremely sceptical of false and exaggerated narratives around ‘grooming gangs’. The evidence shows that most child sexual abuse is carried out by a male family member who is known and trusted. This novel rightly and expertly exposes how racists narratives can be manipulated in the media. I also found the portrayal of Jodie’s disability interesting and all of these elements made a compelling moral dilemma about the intersection of disability, racism, stereotyping and sexual assault. However, I didn’t like our protagonist lawyer – I found her off putting and wasn’t invested in her personal storyline outside of the main dramatic question. Usually, I’m fine with unlikeable characters but, on a personal and subjective note, I just didn’t vibe with her. The twists in the main storyline; however, grabbed my attention and I just didn’t know who to side with. And that ending. Wow. I don’t know what to make of it. It shook me. It grabbed me. I physically gasped. I don’t know if I agreed with it and it’s left me morally torn, but it definitely worked for an unpredictable novel.
‘The Make Believe’ is a memoir about an actress who suffers a psychotic breakdown after joining a cult. Hannah Murray is best-known for her roles as Cassie on SKINS and Gilly on GAME OF THRONES. But for the past few years, she’s been deeply involved with a cult disguising itself as a wellness organisation. Preying on the vulnerable by telling them magic is real and they are special, the cult consumed Hannah until she was sectioned for a psychotic break and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The review: This is a deeply personal memoir so it’s very hard to critique. The story was compelling and moving, and I empathised with her mental state. The drive to be singled out and the saviour complex was extremely relatable; who doesn’t want to be magic? I thought it was important that she acknowledged the egoism and narcissism inherent in joining a cult that tells you that you are special. The intersection with bipolar disorder was interesting – it made Hannah vulnerable prey and predisposed her to joining the organisation. I did feel my interest wane towards the end as it was quite repetitive. I’d recommend it to fans of ‘The Unbearable Lightness’ by Portia de Rossi or ‘The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting’ by Evanna Lynch.
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