It's been crazy busy at all levels, with work and life in general going at full speed and very little time to stop and take a breath. Commute still allows me to read, but I've been extremely delinquent in writing reviews. So, been a while, but here are a few quick thoughts on some recent reads:

Fierce Kingdom – Gin Phillips

It's been a tough time for London and the UK in general, following the string of terrorist attacks over the last few months. That made Fierce Kingdom a bit more poignant, focused on the incredible bond between mother and son in face of a terror attack at a zoo. What's interesting is that the author does not bother to stray too much away from the mother and child story… we are provided with little context and little understanding of what goes beyond the two as they hide from gunmen and seek safety. It has its moments, a scene with a trash bin is quite harrowing, which truly showcases the lengths a mother would go to protect their child. Found the book very enjoyable, albeit perhaps a bit short and the ending could've been better developed. Still, recommend it. 4 out of 5.

Sea of Rust – Robert C Cargill (via Netgalley)

An interesting take on the typical robopocalypse… where robots indeed take over the world, but now we get to see the side of the robots and the unintended consequences of their uprising. I'm a fan of Cargill's previous fantasy books, and was interested in his foray into science fiction. However, despite the creativity of the plot, wasn't fully hooked into the story. I blame it on the slightly annoying, and perhaps a bit too human, voice of the narrator / main character Brittle. I'm starting to struggle with first voice stories… and think this would've benefited from a third voice narrator that could tell the story without need of humanising the character. 3.5 out of 5.

The Secret History – Donna Tartt

So I finally got around reading The Secret History… considered a modern classic, it had shot up my reading list after I read The Goldfinch. A different take on a murder mystery, where we know from the start who got killed and by whom, but not the why… and we go through the novel as the characters cope with guilt (or lack thereof) of what they've done. It was good, but I wasn't that blown away. Once again expectations failed to meet reality, and I was left wanting more. 4 out of 5.

The End We Start From – Megan Hunter (via Netgalley)

A beautifully written novel, haunting in every way, a unique take on the end of the world told through the special bond of mother and child… but is this really a novel or a novella? One has to wonder why it was so short, almost as if you read an advanced outline rather than the full thing. If the one critique you get is that you wish there was more, then you're doing something right… but perhaps this took that concept a bit too far. Could've been a great, but in my eyes it fell short. 4 out of 5.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry – Gabrielle Zevin

This one is for all book lovers out there. A simple yet lovely story about a bookseller dealing with the challenges on keeping an independent bookstore afloat whilst dealing with the death of his wife… yet when he finds a special someone left behind in his shop, his life becomes quite extraordinary. A quick, feel-good story that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feel inside. 4 out of 5.

Sea – Sarah Driver (via Netgalley)

"Sea" was being compared to "His Dark Materials"… those are very high expectations to live up to. Nonetheless, Sea is an entertaining story, with a unique character in Mouse and a solid new world where the tribes of the sea, land and sky connect in an interesting story. However, and perhaps this is me being overly demanding, a bit more character development (particularly on the villains) and more background would've made this a much much better book. I enjoyed, and will keep an eye out for the next in the trilogy. 4/5.

The Spider Network – David Enrich (via Netgalley)

David Enrich had unrivalled access to Tom Hayes, and it shows across The Spider Network… perhaps a bit too much, as you can't help to see some bias towards Hayes and how much of a "victim" he was in the LIBOR scandal. Notwithstanding, this is a very very solid book, with unique insights no only to the scandal and the live of Hayes and his cohorts, but also to the wider financial culture post 2008 crisis. And yes… we will never learn. If you are interested on understanding what the LIBOR scandal was, and what repercussions it had on the financial system and the wider world, this book is for you. Very well researched, and very well told. Strongly recommended. 4.5/5.