Reading is wonderfully, gloriously messy.
Honest reviews, cosy reading lists and all the bookish feelings, from one bibliophile to another.
The latest reviews
All reviews-
Chopsy: Resistance Tales of a Working-Class Woman · Maya Jordan
A book for all of us Chopsy women
This book is one that I didn’t know I needed in my life, but I’m so pleased to have stumbled upon it. Maya’s memoir is evocative and powerful. Being a proud, educated, and slightly chaotic,…
Alison
Rated 5 out of 5 23 Jul 2026 Spoiler free
-
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow · Gabrielle Zevin
There are books you read, and then there are books that quietly rewire something in you.
There are books you read, and then there are books that quietly rewire something in you. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow was exactly that for me. Gabrielle Zevin has written something…Alison
Rated 5 out of 5 22 Mar 2026 Spoiler free
-
Not Everyone Stays in the Light · A N Butler
Highly recommended to spooky-season readers
I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of Not Everyone Stays in the Light, thanks to @whimsywordspr and @annbutler2023. Released on 31st January, this is a perfect pick for anyone who loves…Alison
Rated 4 out of 5 30 Jan 2026 Spoiler free
A stunning, immersive audiobook performance
“The Audible exclusive audiobook of 1984, narrated by Andrew Garfield and an ensemble cast, is a brilliant experience. Garfield's portrayal of Winston Smith is masterful, capturing his emotional struggle and inner…”
Alison
1984 by George Orwell
Rated 5 out of 5 Reviewed February 2025 Recently shelved
The whole shelf
Shelf spotlight: Contemporary
My highest-rated contemporary reads. A different corner of the shelf gets the spotlight each week.
Pick my next read?
There are 2 books waiting patiently on my TBR pile. Spin the shelf and see what fate suggests.
Wants and Needs
by Roxy Dunn
See this book
Spectacular Things
by Beck Dorey-Stein
See this book
This month in books
From the journal
All postsAlisonLiverpool Appreciation Post
Long before the almighty Reds took hold of my heart (as painful as that is right now), I loved so much about the culture of Liverpool. From being brought up listening to The Beatles to discovering Willy Russell, one of…
Read the post
Hi, I'm Alison. The messy reader.
A bookworm in Cumbria with an ever-growing TBR pile and a habit of starting new books before finishing the last one. I read across all genres, with a soft spot for contemporary fiction, gripping thrillers and anything that makes me cry on public transport. Honest reviews, real reactions, no pretension.