I do love reading about different lives and times from the UK that are so different to my own, and Carribbean parents transplanted into the North of England in the 60s, leaving their eldest children behind is an incredibly powerful set up. I enjoyed following Mercy's life exclusively through her childhood. Though the book starts before her birth (I felt the echoes of Ian McEwan's Nutshell strongly) I thought the perspective and voice was strong and reasonably realistic, without being cheesy and I am sooo glad that whilst Mercy dealt with her fair share of abuse and traumas, it wasn't the defining character of the book. I never would have picked this up if it wasn't for the Women's Prize long list and I am once again grateful to be pushed out of my comfort zone.

Audiobook is read by the author and is perfect 💕

Characters 9/10 Atmosphere 8/10 Writing 9/10 Plot 8/10 Intrigue 7.5/10 Logic 9/10 Enjoyment 7.5/10

Whilst I didn't connect with Waldo in the way that I had hoped I would, I found the world and characters realistic and grounded. The writing style is quick and clear and concise, and I really like that. The voice is also really believable and unflinching; this is a teenage girl who cares about teenage things, but also a man double her age. It's a hard read at times because he's so foul, and I found the whole thing very believable- who didn't know of a teacher who slept with their student in school? Because of the reality of the story and the voice and the rawness and the writing, it doesn't feel so fresh and inspiring to me, but I think a lot of people will feel really seen by this book.

The audiobook is honestly too fast, and whilst I don't like an audiobook narrator to give me much in the way of emotion, I wish it had a little more variation in speed for effect.

Characters 7/10 Atmosphere 7/10 Writing 7/10 Plot 6.5/10 Intrigue 8/10 Logic 8/10 Enjoyment 7/10

Yes. Just yes. I want more books in which weird people are living their weird lives in a perfectly normal way. The absolute giddiness I feel getting a glimpse into a private world which never would have been shared with me in any other circumstance! The masterful nature of the writing makes Linda’s preposterous behaviour extremly believable. Her voice is clear. Her motivation is so well thought through, so tangible… a fully realised character and world.

Characters 9.5/10 Atmosphere 9/10 Writing 10/10 Plot 9/10 Intrigue 10/10 Logic 10/10 Enjoyment 10/10

What a tiny little delight this book was! I loved Emma, I loved her strange little world in Primrose Hill and I am so excited to read the rest of the series. A perfect, short palette cleanser audiobook and a series I will definitely be continuing.

Characters 9/10 Atmosphere 7/10 Writing 8.5/10 Plot 8.5/10 Intrigue 10/10 Logic 8/10 Enjoyment 10/10

Girl Dinner was at points a bit of a slog, at points painfully millennial, and overall not as clever, taboo or shocking as it seems to think it is. It's a bit of a fun romp and overall, once I switched to the audiobook, I rather enjoyed it. I longed for it to feel a bit more like a proper lit fic with a beautiful writing style and weird and nasty characters but it didn't scratch the itch.

Characters 6.5/10 Atmosphere 7/10 Writing 6/10 Plot 6/10 Intrigue 7.5/10 Logic 6/10 Enjoyment 7/10