Books · interviews

Book Author Interview – Katie Lowe

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Hello All!

I have the pleasure to give to you an exclusive interview with KATIE LOWE, the author of The Furies, a book which I love and cherish!

Katie Lowe is a writer living in Worcester, UK. Her debut novel, The Furies has been published by Harperfiction (UK) this May. I have the pleasure to have this amazing short e-interview with Katie, while we discuss who she is, what inspired her to become an author and find out more about her first book.

Who is Katie Lowe?

Well, at the moment, first and foremost, I’m a novelist – spending almost all of my time working on my second book. I’m also about to start my PhD in literature – on the subject of female rage in literary modernism, and contemporary women’s writing – so I’d also say I’m an avid reader!

I live in Worcester, in a lovely little house with my sister, who’s an incredibly talented musician… So I consider myself to be a pretty lucky person, all things considered.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I think in one way or another it’s what I’ve always wanted to be – there’s a photo of on my eighth birthday in front of the typewriter I’d begged my parents for, because even back then, apparently, I took myself very seriously as a writer!

With that said, I always thought I’d write non-fiction – so for a long time, my great dream was to become an academic, or a journalist. It was only when my agent suggested I try my hand at fiction that I even considered I might be able to do it – and even then, I had to work at it for a good four or five years before I figured out how, exactly, fiction works… And that I could have a lot of fun doing it.

What particularly inspired you to write ‘’The Furies’’?


I knew I wanted to write a book about young women – particularly teenage girls – because I remember that period of my own life as being pretty emotionally intense, and full of potential. And the idea of witchcraft as a form of rebellion seemed to me too interesting not to write about. I find it a really powerful idea, personally, to have this history of (often forgotten) women who’ve positioned themselves as outsiders, even in the face of truly terrifying consequences… So I wanted The Furies to, in some way, explore that.

What message do you want to give to your readers through ‘’The Furies’’?

I don’t think there are any characters in the book that are particularly aspirational, or who’d serve in any way as role models – so I’m not sure it’s got an enormously positive message, in that respect. But what I’d love for it to do is to show that women – even, and especially, young women – have real agency, and power, and that they only have to believe in their own ability to harness it to make incredible things happen… Though whether that’s a good thing for the girls in this book, I’ll let your readers decide!

How do you deal with a writer’s block?

To be honest, I’ve never really found writer’s block to be a huge issue – partly because, up until quite literally the last month, I’ve always had to find time to write outside of work, using free minutes here and there… So each time I’ve sat down at my desk, I’ve been desperate to get going.

However, I’ve definitely found myself stuck on plot points, or other technical issues, while writing before – and for me, the best way to keep going is to go and do something else. So, for instance, if I’m stuck on how to move the plot forward, I’ll go back to another part of the book and focus on the description, the dialogue, or something else, and polish it up – and usually while I’m working on that, something will click with the bigger issue, so I can pick up where I left off.

What is the most challenging part when writing a book?


For me, it’s definitely plot. I so admire writers who can put together a really gripping, twisty plot – and it’s what I wanted to learn how to do with The Furies (though I’ll let you decide whether I’ve succeeded!) Writing flowery descriptions and spending time in character’s heads – that, for me, is all a joy – but the mechanics of getting a story from beginning to end in a way that’s believable, and yet unexpected… It’s definitely the biggest challenge, for me – and yet also the most satisfying thing to get right.

What kind of books do you want to read?


Given my PhD topic, this might be a fairly predictable answer – but I love books with complex, angry women – ideally who aren’t particularly likeable, either. I don’t know what that says about me, as a person, but… Here we are.

I also love books that give me an insight into a world, or a situation, that I know nothing about. I think there’s nothing better than closing the last page of a book and feeling like you truly experienced something you’d never have had the opportunity to, otherwise.

What was your favourite read in 2018?

A book that I absolutely adored – by which I mean, kept bringing up in conversation, without any context, and forcing it into the hands of almost-strangers – was Suicide Club by Rachel Heng. It’s an incredibly well-written book, with a brilliant premise – but it’s also deeply bittersweet, and asks a lot of questions about how, and why, we should want to live. I loved it.

Thank you for your time, Katie! It was a pleasure.

If you want to read my thoughts about The Furies, click here.

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Book Review · Books

The Furies by Katie Lowe

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★★★★

A high-school mystery full of suspense. A murder, a questionable friendship and witchcraft. The Furies is a modern take of all witchcraft legends and curses!

When a teenage girl is found dead, sitting on a swing, with no clues of how the death occurred, we are set up to trust no one from the very beginning. The story begins with Violet, who start the story from the very beginning, until finally leading us to how and why this murder happened. She comes to the new school and she becomes friends with an elite group of girls and a secret advanced study group, that focuses on witchcraft and influential witches connected to the school.

From the fist to the last chapter, you can feel the suspense. The story is unique and it certainly kept me on my toes. I had trouble with who the narrator is, and in each chapter it’s Violet, but because it was written in first person and her tone changed, I kept looking for clues as to whether the narrator has changed or not. The names are also not mentioned often, which added a bit of agitation at times.

I loved every part of the book that included witchcraft. There were awful lot of scenes about this, so trust me, I was more than satisfied. From witchcraft history, to a secret society, to performing rituals, The Furies will teleport you in that world.

I liked how the friendships were developed, but I didn’t cheer for them. I could perfectly understand how all girls felt and why they all made certain choices, and that is due to the excellent writing skills Katie has. Furthermore, I felt different emotions for them all, loved them, hated them and pitied them.

It’s worthy to mention that I couldn’t help but be annoyed with Violet, for never saying no, for settling, for being so naive and so needy to be accepted. It couldn’t be helped that I was angry at her for knowing things and choosing to do nothing about it. I felt so angry at the girls, for all the drama caused and for discouraging people around them. I can’t help but feel conflicted with Violet though, because despite everything, she belonged in that group, and with those friends. As wrong as it may sound, she did fit. But with time, she did change and she did find her true self. And her development was the gem that made me really fall in love with this book.

And then it struck me…

After all, I wasn’t mad at Violet. I was mad at all of us that have been in such position and chose the wrong things. I felt upset at all of us, who have changed themselves to fit in a group and forgot who they really are. To all of us, who were too afraid to say no to the popular girls in high-school.

I highly recommend it to all girls in high-school, to all mums and to everyone that loves witchcraft and mystery. You will definitely love this book!

Thank you to Katie Lowe, and the publisher, HarperCollins, for sending me a free hardcover copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had the amazing opportunity to do an Exclusive Interview with Katie – you can check it out HERE.Book Author Interview – Katie Lowe

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Books · Down The TBR Hole Tag

Down The TBR Hole #33 | Down The TBR Hole Tag

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Hi Everyone! Welcome to the 33rd edition of my Down The TBR Hole Posts.

How Down the TBR Hole works: 

❤ 1. Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
❤ 2. Order on ascending date added.
❤ 3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
❤ 4. Read the synopsis of the books.
❤ 5. Time to Decide: keep it or should it go

Here’s the next patch:

down the tbr hole book blog books clockwork angel cassandra clare throne of glass sarah j maas evrything nicola yoon simon vs the homo sapiens agends diary of difference diaryofdifference

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

I am not sure about Everything, Everything. I think I am past these types of books? What do you think, should I keep it?

Verdict: REMOVE ✖

Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes

I am letting Hidden Pieces go. It reminds me of a few other books I’ve read, and I am not sure I will fully enjoy it.

Verdict: REMOVE ✖

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) by Cassandra Clare

I am definitely keeping this one! I will actually read the full The Dark Artifices series in June, so brace yourselves – my reviews will be coming!

Verdict: KEEP ☑

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas

I read A Court Of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and I really loved it. I should continue that series and start this one as well!

Verdict: KEEP ☑

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood, #1) by Becky Albertalli

Yes – this is definitely a book I have on my wishlist, and also definitely a book I want to read soon!

Verdict: KEEP ☑

The V Girl by Mya Robarts

 I am intrigued by this book, and can’t remember a book that is similar to this. I would definitely love to read it! Has anyone read it? What did you think?

Verdict: KEEP ☑

Puddle Jumping (Puddle Jumping, #1) by Amber L. Johnson

Nope.

Verdict: REMOVE ✖

Some Lucky Woman: Jana’s Story (What’s Luck Got To Do With It #1) by Carmen DeSousa

I don’t usually read these type of books, but I already own it on my Kindle, and I might as well read it.

Verdict: KEEP ☑

Menagerie by Kristy Tate

I might read this someday. I will keep it on my list, but I am not completely fussed about.

Verdict: KEEP ☑

Plagued: The Midamerica Zombie Half-Breed Experiment (Plagued, #1) by Better Hero Army

I think I will enjoy this one for some reason…

Verdict: KEEP ☑

flower-divider-flower-dividers-clip-art-flowers-line-divider-stock-vector-illustration-of-elegantI only removed 3 books this time around and currently have 368 books on my TBR list. This is how my TBR list looks now.

Which books would you keep or remove? Let me know in the comments.

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Book Review · Books

The Man In The Mirror – Georgia Le Carre

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★★★

Have you ever wanted a steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling? You might not get the Disney fantasy, but you will get the true love part. Or will you?

Charlotte is a nanny and she goes in a rich family to take care of a little boy. His mother is demanding and his father stays in his room at all times.

Mr. King survived a fire accident and half of his face is covered with a golden mask, to hide the sad memories. He almost never goes out and his son is scared of him. Also,he only visits him at night.

He always talks to his son’s nannies through the intercom, to ask about his day. But with this nanny, it feels different. He can’t wait to hear her voice.

Compared to ‘’Nanny and the Beast’’, The Man in the Mirror is not as steamy, and the love relationship feels a bit more realistic. However, the story is still under developed for my tastes.

The nannies in Georgia’s books are represented in a bit of an unrealistic way. As a nanny, I think you will always influence the child you spend time with. Bear in mind, you spend all day, every day with them. But there are rules and boundaries set by the parents, and you do not cross those. The author somehow forgot about this part, it seems.

The Man in the Mirror opens up plenty of topics for discussion and in the end, it is a quick and enjoyable read. Georgia’s books are the ones that you pick up, wanting to have a quick read moment and relax.

If this book sounds intriguing, go and grab your copy, and let me know in the comments whether you enjoyed it.

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Book Review · Books

Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan

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Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel is a book that not all kinds of readers will relate to. You either love it or hate it. And me, well, I really wish I loved it.

The book flows in two parallel timelines: Tilda in the present and little Tilly in her childhood. Tilda has a broken relationship with her mother, who killed her dad. After her mum dies, Tilda goes to a place called Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel, to find the truth of what happened in the past.

The writing style of when Tilda is little was hard for me to connect to. If felt as if the grown up version was talking in both timelines. The book is very slow, with no major plot twist, which made it boring. We had the whole ending dumped in the last chapters, with no anticipation. She is a girl that clearly has a troubled past, and she has with her a sense of mystery, as she is able to see what other people can’t. She is very attached to her father, even though he was absent most of her life, and she spent her childhood and teenage years holding a grudge against her mother.

And yet, I didn’t care about her.

In fact, I didn’t care about anyone in this book, and by the end, I just wished for the story to finish. I am sad that I couldn’t relate to this book, and I wish I liked it. But I didn’t. Moving on. A shame though, it has such a beautiful cover.

If the synopsis seems interesting to you, I would still encourage you to give it a go and let me know what you thought. You opinion is also valid.

Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press, for sending me an ebook, in exchange for an honest review.

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