The Lost Apothecary - Sarah Penner // Book Review

  

The Lost Apothecary
Sarah Penner || Publication Date - 20.01.2022

When women don't have a voice or power, there is one place in service just for them. Any ailment they have, can be taken care of.

Historical | Fiction | Mystery

Taking place simultaneously in 18th century and modern day London, this story follows a brief snapshot into the lives of Caroline, Nella and Eliza.

Aspiring historian Caroline is breaking away from her Husband who has been unfaithful to her. The revelation happened just before the couple were planning to spend their anniversary in London. She decided, despite the situation, to continue her plans and get on the plane without him and enjoy some time to herself as far away from him as possible.

While in London, she meets a group of people who are passing the afternoon away digging in the mud around the river Thames, looking for treasures or historical items. Caroline stumbles on a vial which doesn't look like much, however, when she takes this to a Librarian a local buried mystery surfaces.

Now we introduce Nella, an 18th century apothecary who has her shop hidden away behind a fake wall in the small streets of London. Her mother, the previous owner of this shop, is known in the female community for being able to heal and relieve any ailment. Nella has inherited all her mothers knowledge and burdens as she continues to work for the women of London.

When Eliza shows up at her shop requesting assistance with the removal of her mistresses burden, the man of the house, Nella provides her a poison. However, despite Nella having done this a multitude of times, this time is different and the safe stowaway shop is now in jeopardy from being discovered, from the 18th century police and present day Caroline.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

As much as I'm not fond of books which switch perspectives a lot for every chapter as this one does, the way this book had been set out made it easy to follow. I personally find it challenging to keep track of multiple storylines happening at the same time.

Each of the 3 characters who are focused on in this book did act as if they were their own person. I enjoyed each of them individually, however, sometimes it felt hard to connect with the adult characters due to their pursuit of motherhood, a sentiment I do not share. This sole similarity was much of the character's motives when it came to their decisions and I personally believe is the catalyst for this story even existing.

The premise of the book was very promising, however, the ending does feel quite lacklustre. There was also not a lot of depth when it came to the plot. It was very surface level, and I feel that the characters quite honestly deserved more, especially when it came to Nella and Eliza. The last few chapters seemed a bit of a rush to close the book. The ending events described by Caroline, which she read in through a newspaper article, I wish were told through Eliza and Nella's perspectives as additional chapters.

Overall Thoughts

I thought this book was interesting and honestly a decent read. As I had previously mentioned, I do wish that it had a few more extra chapters to really give Nella and Eliza a nice closing to their stories. Having their final events told through Caroline in present day just didn't do them justice in my opinion.

If you want a historical fiction which underlines and gives voices and power to women in the 18th century then this would be right up your alley. It was a lovely sentiment despite murder being involved and was an interesting take on women supporting other women in their own specialised ways.

The Staircase In The Woods - Chuck Wendig // Book Review

The Staircase in the Woods

Chuck Wendig || Publication Date - 29.04.2025

What lengths would you truly go to for your friends?

Fiction | Horror

Three dysfunctional friends are living their separate lives when they receive an email from their fourth friend Nick, telling them all he has cancer and to use the plane tickets he has purchased them to see him one last time.

He's promised them a weekend of alcohol, drugs and debauchery as a final farewell before his terminal diagnosis finally takes him away. However, upon arrival to the party, nothing is going to be the same again.

Nick has brought his friends to a remote part of the woods, and convinces them that the resort he has booked for them all is only a short hike away. What they don't know is he has lured them to an impromptu campsite next to an abandoned staircase. Very similar to the staircase which claimed Matty a few decades prior.

What follows is a fever dream of trauma, horrors and facing their own worst demons as they try to find the friend they abandoned all those years ago.

The Review (May Contain Spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

I have been craving the type of book lately that gives me the absolute creeps and Chuck did not disappoint. The atmosphere in this novel is truly eerie. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a Staircase the same again...

The characters that are being focused on in this novel are fucked up in so many ways, however, their bond is wholesome and chaotic. I love their idea of The Covenant. It's gone from a pact to help each other through their lives major setbacks, to invoking unbridled and messy situations. It really opens up the question of "What would you REALLY do for your friends?". The novel explores so many various forms of trauma and character personalities that it's hard not to find an experience through them to relate to. I felt this added even more layers to the horrors the characters are being exposed to, as they are actively being forced to face them head on.

I love how these chapters are set out. It's coasty for a couple of chapters and they continue to get shorter as something looms. Then you're back to longer chapters which keeps building in a sense of dread, and because they keep getting shorter, the pace quickens making everything seem much more urgent and tense.

If there's a single triumph from this novel - I am truly proud to say it gave me the ever loving creeps. I had yet to find a book which actively made me feel uncomfortable, and this gave it to me in spades. Chuck's writing and how immersed I felt during the story truly gave me the feeling I had been searching for when it came to being given the heebies. And deeply I want to thank him 😂

Overall Thoughts

This was an absolute banger of a novel. From start to finish I was gripped by the situation, the characters and the calamity which ensues through the book. So many emotions were felt while reading, all overshadowed by a pressing sense of dread, and it was perfect. As I've said above, this is probably the first horror novel that actually left me physically uneasy while reading. I'd been craving something to make me feel this way and I loved how Chuck's writing imbued me with unease.

If you're looking for a book surrounding dysfunctional friends and a fucked up house, look no further than this. I highly recommend you pick this novel up for yourself, it was a damn good time and I'm so glad I got to read it.