Where the Dead Men Go by Liam McIlvanney Review

Title: Where the Dead Men Go

Author: Liam McIlvanney

My Rating: 4.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is the second book in the Conway Trilogy

Genre(s): Crime, Mystery, Glasgow, Journalism

Description/Blurb:

After three years in the wilderness, hardboiled reporter Gerry Conway is back at his desk at the Glasgow Tribune. But three years is a long time on newspapers and things have changed - readers are dwindling, budgets are tightening, and the Trib's once rigorous standards are slipping. Once the paper's star reporter, Conway now plays second fiddle to his former protégé, crime reporter Martin Moir. 

But when Moir goes AWOL as a big story breaks, Conway is dispatched to cover a gangland shooting. And when Moir's body turns up in a flooded quarry, Conway is drawn deeper into the city's criminal underworld as he looks for the truth about his colleague's death. Braving the hostility of gangsters, ambitious politicians and his own newspaper bosses, Conway discovers he still has what it takes to break a big story. But this is a story not everyone wants to hear as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games and the country gears up for a make-or-break referendum on independence. 

My review: 

I haven’t read the first book in this series which might be why I wasn't hooked straight away but I've got to say that this book really grew on me while I read it. For the first couple of chapters I kept wondering when the story was going to pick up pace but I grew to appreciate the pace of the story telling. The slower pace made the events feel more realistic, the main character/narrator Gerry is a journalist not a policeman so he doesn't have a team of people to help him make discoveries, and he doesn't have access to all of the details. He makes his discoveries slowly; a newspaper story that doesn't make sense, unusual phone numbers, a policeman who hears thing. The reader gets to feel the frustration that Gerry feels at the lack of progress, this helped me connect with Gerry, I could understand why he had to miss a few of his sons’ events, I could see why his marriage fell apart and what could happen to his current relationship without it needing to be spelt out in plain letters.

McIlvanney is quite heavy on the description in parts of this book which I know isn't to everybody’s taste, but as somebody who hasn't yet lived in Glasgow or even a city of a similar size for a reasonable length of time I found the detail helped me with getting to grips with elements of the plot and picturing the locations in my mind’s eye.

All in all this is decent crime novel, and I’d say this book is well worth a read, especially during a holiday or when you’re on a long journey, where you can appreciate the pacing of the plot. Although I haven’t read the first book of the trilogy yet I'm going to tentatively recommend reading it and working through the books as the character and story development were really quite enjoyable once I got into the book properly. 

The Advent of Murder by Martha Ockley review

Title: The Advent of Murder

Author: Martha Ockley

My Rating: 4/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is 'Faith Morgan mystery' book two. 

Genre(s): Mystery, British literature. 

Description/Blurb:

Faith Morgan, former policewoman and vicar of the small English village of Little Worthy, goes to visit one of her parishioners at his farm, only to discover the house surrounded by police cars. A body has been found in the local river and farmer Markham is charged with murder.

Though busy with preparations for Christmas, Faith is called on to investigate when it's found out that the victim is also a member of her congregation--Lucas Kemp, a member of the choir.

Faith's informal inquiries lead her to uncover a hotbed of tensions and romantic rivalries in the choir, questions about drugs, and a run-in with an unsavory uncle--which leads to a dramatic rescue by Ben, Faith's former detective partner and ex-boyfriend.

My review: 

Goodness knows why but throughout this book I kept thinking of ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ and imagining the main character as looking a bit like Dawn French, I can’t even remember what Faith was meant to look like according to the book so it looks like she’ll always be Dawn French to me.

 

I haven’t read the first book in this series but I don’t think that it really held me back, Faith’s connection to each character was well described and although events in the previous novel were alluded to they weren't really a big part in this novel. The author also left me in the dark enough to be able to go back and read the previous novel.

 

The characters in this book where surprisingly realistic, I could imagine meeting most of Little Worthy’s in an English village. In fact Pat reminded me of one of my Brownie pack leaders, so you know. It’s a very middle English novel, mostly wealthy villagers and a nice little parish church.

 

Despite the book having a Christian theme non-religious people can still enjoy this book quite easily. Yes, Faith is a vicar and she does have strong beliefs herself and she does spend a lot of time thinking about church related tasks but the novel itself doesn't preach religion. It’s just a light hearted crime novel set at Christmas time, it also does the job of getting you in a wintry mood even though at the moment for me it’s still summer.

 

I’d recommend this to anybody who enjoys a light mystery with a main character who has a strong resolve to stick to their morals despite this sometimes creating a bit of a dilemma for them.

The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler review

Title: The Bookstore

Author: Deborah Meyler

My Rating: 2/5

Part of a series? Not at the time of writing this. 

Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, Chick lit, New York.

Description/Blurb:

Impressionable and idealistic, Esme Garland is a young British woman who finds herself studying art history in New York. She loves her apartment and is passionate about the city and her boyfriend; her future couldn’t look brighter. Until she finds out that she’s pregnant.

Esme’s boyfriend, Mitchell van Leuven, is old-money rich, handsome, successful, and irretrievably damaged. When he dumps Esme—just before she tries to tell him about the baby—she resolves to manage alone. She will keep the child and her scholarship, while finding a part-time job to make ends meet. But that is easier said than done, especially on a student visa.

The Owl is a shabby, second-hand bookstore on the Upper West Side, an all-day, all-night haven for a colorful crew of characters: handsome and taciturn guitar player Luke; Chester, who hyperventilates at the mention of Lolita; George, the owner, who lives on protein shakes and idealism; and a motley company of the timeless, the tactless, and the homeless. The Owl becomes a nexus of good in a difficult world for Esme—but will it be enough to sustain her? Even when Mitchell, repentant and charming, comes back on the scene?

My review: 

Warning this review may be a bit harsh.

This book made me feel seriously guilty for reading books on my ipad, the second hand bookshop in this story is built up so well, you can imagine the atmosphere and how the small number of staff care for and interact with each other really pulls on the heartstrings when you think of all the business they must have lost through eBooks and websites like Amazon.

Reading this left me quite frustrated at times, I lost count of the number of times I wanted to shout at Esme (the main character) or slap some sense into her. She makes bad decision after bad decision in her relationships; she could have got rid of the boyfriend to save herself all the games. The relationship with Mitchell didn't really make much sense anyway. The author puts Esme across as this intelligent women who’s independent enough to cross the Atlantic to further her education and then decide she’s capable of raising a baby on her own, yet she becomes completely dependent on the love/approval of a man who to be quite frank is a complete arse (not to mention not particularly well developed as a character). I know this is a trait that is fairly common amongst chick-lit romances but at least the author could give us a consistent character.

Another slight niggle I had with the book were the frequent literary and art references, some of them quite obscure. I don’t usually mind the odd reference, they’re one of the reasons why I found jasper fforde’s ‘Thursday Next’ books so enjoyable, however there is a point where they get too much. They didn't really add too much to the plot other than to verify Esme’s knowledge of Art History so the reader is able to just over look them and move on but if you are the curious type and not a literature or art buff you may find yourself having a sneaky Google every now and then.

The author appears to make the occasional attempt at social commentary in the book through the bookstore owner’s habit of paying a couple of homeless people to do odd jobs such as clean the windows and then through Esme’s thoughts on these people and the life they live (don’t want to give out too many spoilers).

While I do have to say that this book wasn't 100% to my own personal taste, I have to give this book 2/5 instead of say 1/5 is because I do believe that some people, particularly fans of chick-lit, might enjoy it. I didn't find any structural problems such as odd spelling or grammar which would make the book difficult to read, all my nit-picking was with the characters and story itself so I can see somebody picking this book for a slower paced holiday read.

The Darkness of Shadows by Chris Little Review

Title: The Darkness of Shadows

Author: Chris Little

My Rating: 3.5/5

Part of a series? Not at the time of posting

Genre(s): Urban fantasy 

Description/Blurb:

Natalie’s parents weren't the nurturing type—and she has the physical and emotional wounds to prove it. For sixteen years she’s hidden behind a wall of sarcasm and decadent desserts, but now her father is back, and she has only one thought: to kill him before he can hurt the family that took her in.

But there’s more to his darkness than even his own daughter can understand, and a gun is no defence against magic that can raise the dead.

It turns out those scars he left on Natalie’s back were more than just a sadistic hobby. Now her father demands that she finish a ritual so ancient, so terrifying, that even the vampires and werewolves are nervous.

My review: 

An interesting take on the world of Urban Fantasy this. Our main character is not a superwoman; she doesn't go running off after the bad guys, she hobbles after them and for most of the book she’s in the dark about a few things regarding the world of magic. For a start for a long time Nat doesn't believe in the whole magic thing which is a bit of an issue considering her deranged father is quite good at it.

This is quite a good first novel from Chris Little, the plot is well constructed and the little of the mythology we do learn is easy to grasp as it follows some of the basic rules we’re used to but there are a few changes in there to keep it interesting. A couple of the characters do seem to be more of a stereotype than a well-developed character as Tina seems like a self-centred bitch stereotype without any more real development, there didn't seem to be a believable motivation for her more extreme actions. Nat’s father was a little better developed, and I get that he was meant to be some sort of insane, beyond reason sort of villain but the author had a chance to go into how he became that way while talking about the characters’ past and didn't go into it. The pace of the plot isn't really suitable for the type of reader who constantly needs something going on to keep them interested in the story, but I enjoyed it. I was able to sit back and relax for a bit before the next major event came along and added some more drama.

Overall, I’d recommend this to an urban fantasy fan who likes a book being filled with magic but is light on the mythology (saves you having to remember loads of obscure species names etc.). It’s  not a great read if you’re easily frustrated by books as at times you may feel an urge to yell at the main characters but it’s an enjoyable read all the same, you don’t have to be in love with all the characters to enjoy the book.

Not getting through these books as quickly as I thought

I was planning on doing blog updates on Wednesdays and Fridays but unfortunately that plan has gone to pot a bit and I've only had this blog a few days! Just call me unreliable and lazy… and maybe a few others things. Anyway, instead I’ll tell you about what I'm currently reading and hopefully get one of these read ready for review on Wednesday, if I ever get my head around the one (My name is Dee) that is, I spend half my time reading that book in a constant state of confusion. I'm really hoping that I’ll start getting it soon because it’s giving me some really odd dreams, the last one was some sort of weird mix between Terminator and Inception which was a tad more disturbing than you’d think.

Right back to the point before I start on some sort of one woman discussion/boring monologue about the scare factor of nightmares. Like I said I'm currently reading two books, one during the day when I find myself with nothing to do and one that I read in bed.

Day reading

Title: The Darkness of Shadows

Author:  Chris Little

Description/Blurb:

Natalie’s parents weren't the nurturing type—and she has the physical and emotional wounds to prove it. For sixteen years she’s hidden behind a wall of sarcasm and decadent desserts, but now her father is back, and she has only one thought: to kill him before he can hurt the family that took her in.

But there’s more to his darkness than even his own daughter can understand, and a gun is no defence against magic that can raise the dead.

This one is quite decent so far but I'm not even half way through so there is a chance that can all change. I'm quite glad that I'm not reading this in the dark. It’s not really a book that is suitable for people who don’t like fantasy or something a bit creepy. I don’t really want to say too much about this one yet as I'm not too sure what points are going to be relevant to the plot and I’d hate to give away any spoilers.

Bed time reading

Title: My Name is Dee

Author: Robin Wyatt Dunn

Description/Blurb:

My Name is Dee is a novel for the reader who enjoys noir action, intrigue and dark romance, for the child in all of us who wants to go on adventures, and for the fearful adult too who marvels at the terrifying scale of this universe.
Battling aliens, journeying between dimensions, exploring the
immensity of the human mind, and saving a woman are on the docket for John Dee in this noir adventure. 

This is the book I mentioned earlier in this post, the one I don’t quite understand, because of this I’m finding it a bit hard going. It might clear up later when I can start joining all the dots, I guess Dee is meant to be a smidge insane so maybe the author is making a point by making the book confusing. I like what I can understand. That isn't a lot though, I mean at the moment I’m trying to work out if the main character killed someone of is trying to save them. Ah well, I’m only a quarter of the way in (keep going over what I've read in a bid to understand it all) so there’s no use in giving up on the thing or ripping it to shreds. I might get it in the end, fingers crossed.

The Paris Lawyer by Sylvie Granotier Review

Title: The Paris Lawyer

Author: Sylvie Granotier (translated by Anne Trager) 

My Rating: 4/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): European literature, Mystery.

Description/Blurb:

As a child, Catherine Monsigny was the only witness to her mother's death. Twenty years later as an ambitious attorney in contemporary Paris, she catches a professional break when her boss assigns her to major felony case in rural France. An immigrant stands accused of poisoning her husband, but her secrets are not the only ones hidden in the scenic rolling hills of Creuse. While preparing the defence  Catherine is reunited with images of own past and a high-intensity search for two murderers ensues. Who can she believe? And what will Catherine do with her past should she discover it?

My review: 
Granotier presents the reader with a wonderfully compelling story that I struggled to put down. I ended up finishing the book in just two days as I couldn't stop myself from trying to unravel the mystery of what really happened in Catherine's big case and the mystery that surrounds the murder of Catherine's mother. The description was spot on as well, it was easy to imagine the locations in France both the countryside and more slum like areas. 

There were a couple of slight errors in the translation but I imagine that it's quite difficult to translate a novel perfectly without losing anything from the story so to keep the meaning of it a few words may end up feeling a bit out of place.

I enjoyed the exploration of Catherine's relationships with the people in her life. The father who shuts out the path, the boss who acts as more of a father figure than the man who raised her and the lover whose moods are constantly changing, amongst others. 


I would recommend this novel to fan of mysteries, psychology and crime. This book could also be of interest to somebody who is interested in France and would perhaps recognise some of the locations.

The Grrrl of Limberlost by Annie Pearson Review

Title: The Grrrl of Limberlost

Author: Annie Pearson

My Rating: 3/5

Part of a series? yes, book two of the Rain City Comedy of Manners series

Genre(s): Adult fiction, Mystery, Social commentary, some comedy. 

Description/Blurb:

A murder in a Seattle coffee house. A murder on her father’s decaying boat dock on Puget Sound. All of this has nothing to do with Sam, she insists. She’s heroically fending off a criminal attack on the world’s cyber infrastructure—if she could only get anyone to answer the phone on Christmas day. 

After escaping exurban life on Limberlost Island a decade earlier, Sam became a rockstar among anti-hacker security programmers: appearing at BlackHat conferences in vintage t-shirts and combat boots; investigating international security conspiracies with the FBI and NSA. 

Now Sam is dragged sideways by chaos back on Limberlost Island: her brother accidentally embroiled her flakey father with gun runners; the boy next door came home as prodigal son, hiding from Eastern European gangsters; a porn farmer thinks he’s in love. 

Meanwhile, the local weather guru promises that the large cold air mass headed for the Puget Sound Conversion Zone will dump record snow. Seattle is always paralysed when it snows.

The Grrrl of Limberlost follows three self-absorbed voices through the frenzy and terror in their daily lives, mired in family losses and betrayals, while weaponised malware threatens to ruin Christmas. The key mystery: which voice is the unreliable narrator?

My review: 

Well this book was certainly something different. It took me a little while to get into the book because for a while you're having to maintain three separate storylines in your head but it gets easier to read when you can begin to see the links between the characters as their stories cross over though many things don't become entirely clear until the end and even then you're left assuming that you're right as not everything is written down in black and white.

I would recommend this to a person who likes a true mystery, who doesn't mind being kept in the dark for long periods. This book needs patience to be enjoyed, the reader has to be happy to lie back and let the story take its course, sure it's possible to pick up clues along the way but because of the twists and turns you can't put it all together half way through the book as you can with some other novels. This can be good or bad depending on how you like your books, personally I found it quite refreshing. Now I did have bit of a niggle with the comments to the blog in Nicky's story, the book starts off with these comments and it was a bit confusing to jump straight into this as I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but I can't really complain because it didn't take me long to grasp the idea and the comments actually added an interesting dimension to the story.

The characters were generally quite well fleshed out, not all of them were likeable or relatable but this helped add to the suspense in my eyes. Nicky felt a bit misguided, even a bit delusional at times so you can't really predict what he's going to do next. Matt's character was another one who added to the suspense, you think you know him and can begin to see where he's going from then something from his past comes to light and you have to go over all his actions in you head in this new light. This really helped keep the book interesting, though there were still a couple of places where the plot development felt a little slow.

This book is worth a read if you enjoy a bit of a mystery and have a spare few hours, I don't see it becoming a world famous classic but it's enjoyable all the same.

Unleashed by Emily Kimelman Review

Title: Unleashed

Author: Emily Kimelman

My Rating: 3.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is book one of the Sydney Rye series

Genre(s): Mystery, Dogs, Chick lit, Crime, Adult themes. 

Description/Blurb:

When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller's dog-walking business on Manhattan's exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.

But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim--and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.

When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit--cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.

My review: 

It took me a while but I've finally worked myself up to reading Unleashed. I was a bit worried about something horrible happening to the dog leaving me a blubbering wreck but it wasn't too upsetting on the animal front, the human front was a different matter but that’s easier to handle.

I finished the book last night and it’s taken me a while to figure out how I feel about the book as a whole. I loved the character of Joy, she felt like the everyday person you'd meet on the street, her move from witness to investigator wasn't an instant one and while it wasn't a completely gradual transformation it was slow enough to appreciate the situation Joy was in and understand why she might be curious. After all, the investigating starts with gossip and who doesn't like to hear the latest gossip?

A couple of things didn't sit quite right with me though, the motive behind the murder and how the person spotted near the seen managed to get away without being seen seemed very much like the sort of thing you'd find in a children's book which made me do a little bit of a double take when the clues started to come together. I'm not saying that these parts weren't well written though, because they were and the momentum of the story does pull you along so you don't have any real time to wonder where Kimelman came up with the motive.

Overall I'd say that this book is quite a fun read, it's not overly long (I managed to finish it by using it as bedtime reading for a couple of nights) or complicated. There are just enough characters that Joy can have relationships with other people and progress the story but few enough characters that it doesn't take long for the reader to remember who is who. Also Joys rescue dog Blue is a little bonus to any dog owners, the way his actions are described are spot on and I think most dog owners can relate!

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery that isn't all darkness and gore or somebody who just fancies an interesting/quirky read.

Decisions, decisions...

I know this is going to sound a bit daft and more than a bit whiny but I can’t help it. I'm having some sort of miniature crisis over which book to read next. I've been sat here for about half an hour trying to decide. The worst thing is, I know I’ll end up reading (and reviewing) them all eventually anyway so why is making a simple decision so hard?

I can feel all sympathy/patience with me draining away from here with every word I type so I’ll try and explain my little dilemma, you never know I might be able to actually pick up one of the flipping books and read it by the time I've gone through it all again, or someone reading this could give me a suggestion/kick up the backside and get me reading/reviewing again.

Option 1:

Unleashed by Emily Kimelman

Description:

When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller's dog-walking business on Manhattan's exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.

But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim--and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.

When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit--cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.

Why I'm hesitant to read it:

It’s all down to the dogs, the main character has adopted a rescue dog named Blue and I know if anything happens to that dog, even if it survives I’ll be in tears. Honestly even the dog trust adverts seriously pull at my heartstrings, if a dog is harmed is this novel I’ll become a useless, snivelling wreck.

Option 2: 

Wicked Wives by Anna-Lou Weatherley

Description:

When the ‘Blue Angel’ yacht is found abandoned off the coast of Antigua and Playboy and Casino owner, Tom Black, who was on board is pronounced missing, foul-play is suspected. After all, the serial gambler and womaniser has made plenty of enemies.

As events come to light however, the finger of suspicion points to three women in particular – and the men they’re married to.

Ellie Scott, the beautiful socialite with a dubious past; Loretta Fiorentino, the fame-seeking gold-digger and Victoria Mayfield, the glamorous successful author.

Why I'm hesitant to read it:

I don’t really have a good excuse for this one, in fact at the moment it’s the one I'm most likely to read but I have been on a bit of Chick-lit binge lately and it’s starting to make it a little boring so to give this book a fair review I need to read a different genre for a bit. After all, you can have too much of a good thing.

Option 3:

The History Keepers: Circus Maximus (The History Keepers, book 2) by Damian Dibben

Description:

The History Keepers are in terrible danger once more. Stocks of Atomium - the crucial ingredient which allows them to travel through time - are perilously low, and the agents must embark on a risky mission to find more. And now a new and even more evil member of the Zeldt family is planning a hideous take-over of the Ancient world, and they are forced to travel further back into history than ever before in order to save the day. Well, all of the days actually.

Why I’m hesitant to read it:

To be honest, this one is mainly being lazy. This book is the second in a series so if I chose this one I’d end up reading the first as well. Also I have a bit of an issue with starting books with time travel because it takes me a minute to get out of the Doctor Who mind-set of fixed points in time and wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff.

Option 4:

Stormbird (Wars of the Roses, book 1) by Conn Iggulden

Description:

In 1437, after years of regency, the pious and gentle Henry VI, the Lamb, comes of age and accedes to the English throne. His poor health and frailty of mind render him a weakling king -Henry depends on his closest men, Spymaster Derry Brewer and William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, to run his kingdom.

Yet there are those, such as the Plantagenet Richard, Duke of York, who believe England must be led by a strong king if she is to survive. With England's territories in France under threat, and rumours of revolt at home, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see the country slide into ruin. With a secret deal struck for Henry to marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou, those fears become all too real.

As storm clouds gather over England, King Henry and his supporters find themselves besieged abroad and at home. Who, or what can save the kingdom before it is too late?

Why I'm hesitant to read it:

I wouldn't have a problem with jumping straight into the book if I had a complete copy, I loved studying the war of the roses and the Tudor period at school so I can see myself enjoying a book set in this period. However the copy I have is just a preview as Stormbird isn’t due to be published until October so I could read the preview, get really into it, then end up having to give up on the story until October. That would be tough, waiting for a sequel to appear can be difficult enough. If you can suffer a form of withdrawal with reading then that’s what ends up happening to me.

So there you have it, an awful lot of whining, now I'm off to interact with the big wide world before considering giving myself a slap and resorting to eeny meeny miny moe.

Bitter Orange by Marshall Moore

Title: Bitter Orange

Author: Marshall Moore

My Rating: 4/5

Part of a series? No, though there might be one day 

Genre(s): Sci-fi 

Description/Blurb:

Seth Harrington can be invisible or undetectable, but he is not a superhero. The ability only works in morally grey situations; the rest of the time, he can't turn it on and off at will. He can use a movie ticket stub to buy a coffee or a one-dollar bill to pay for a cell phone. He can stop muggings in plain sight, unseen, but only with worse violence. But this only adds to his confusion about his place in the world. Still reeling from the horrors of the September 11 terrorist attacks and ambivalent about his future, Seth is at a crossroads: Can he be one of the good guys by doing bad things, or are his new found powers part of someone else's malevolent agenda? There are no easy answers or expected outcomes in Marshall Moore's exploration of urban life and the ways that people can disappear.

My review: 

I was interested by the take on 'super powers' presented by this book. Our main character Seth is not your typical superhero, well he's not a superhero at all, his power of invisibility only work in morally grey situations such as to stop an attack by harming the attacker. Events are further complicated by the influence of Seth's room-mate Sang-hee who encourages Seth to explore his new found powers and the slightly unbalanced tattoo artist (and former one night stand) Elizabeth who seems desperate to remain in Seth's life.

One of the great things about this book is that Moore keeps the reader guessing until the end of the book and the reader learns as Seth learns, we aren't told anything through narrative before the character knows so each twist Seth experiences the reader experiences too.

At times it's almost possible to forget that this is a science fiction novel and not a commentary on modern life as the reader learns more about Seth and his past and through the reactions to Seth's attempts at redemption after using his power.

I'd recommend this book to a science fiction fan or to somebody who finds the usual super hero characters a bit too unbelievable and would rather read about somebody who would react to having super powers the way the average man on the street would. However this isn't a book that provides instant gratification plot wise so you have to be able to handle being left without answers until the end and even then being left with a question or two.

The Express Diaries by Nick Marsh Review

Title: The Express Diaries

Author: Nick Marsh

My Rating: 5/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Horror, Mysetry, Lovecraftian. 

Description/Blurb:

EUROPE, 1925. The continent still licks its wounds from the devastating war that raged across it a few years before. Meanwhile, in London, an ageing professor has uncovered the clues to the whereabouts of pieces of an ancient statue, all but forgotten by history.

When his investigations lead him to fear for his life, he enlists the aid of an unlikely group of allies; a retired colonel, a secretive academic, a magician’s wife, and a Yorkshire matriarch with her reluctant assistant.

Together they will journey across Europe to recover the long-lost statue. They will travel in style, on the most luxurious train the world has ever seen. Unbeknownst to them, however, their activities have already attracted the attention of a sinister cult, desperate to acquire the artefact for their own dark purposes, and now a terrible creature, trapped for centuries, senses that the opportunity for revenge has come at last... 

My review: 

I had no idea a novelization of a role playing game could be so good, not that you see too many in the first place. 

The diary entries felt quite realistic, all the characters had their own voice and way of phrasing things which meant that it was possible to completely forget that they were (mostly) written by one person. The newspaper clippings, portraits etc. could be a collection of art work in its own right. 

The story itself was an easy read (as long as you don't mind one or two disturbing mental images), beautifully written and the characters had clear individual personalities with even some of the minor characters being fleshed out rather well. 

I have to say that this book is a must read for a Lovecraft fan or somebody who enjoys fantasy stories set within a version of this reality.

The Other Side by Sabrina D. Guthrie Review

Title: The Other Side

Author: Sabrina D. Guthrie

My Rating: 3.5/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Quick-read, Fantasy, Romance.

Description/Blurb:

Starting college wasn’t supposed to include the spirit realm but when Brynn’s apartment turns out to be haunted, she is startled to discover she can see spirits, and they can see her. 

The dead leads her down a road of discovery, and when her life becomes entangled with a mysterious stranger who turns out to be her guardian angel, she soon finds herself choosing between letting go or giving in to a forbidden attraction.

My review: 

This is a wonderful short love story with some light urban fantasy elements. I really enjoyed reading it as a way to fall asleep at night, it wasn't scary enough to make me worry about nightmares and there's nothing like a nice battle for love and good over evil to help a person feel all warm and fuzzy.

I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a bit of light fantasy and for fans of romance.

Dawn Undercover by Anna Dale Review

Title: Dawn Undercover

Author: Anna Dale

My Rating: 3/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Children, Spy, Mystery.

Description/Blurb:

Dawn Buckle spends most of her days trying to get people to notice her, but whether at home or at school, it's as if she's invisible. And that's exactly what makes her the ideal recruit for S.H.H. (Strictly Hush Hush)--a secret intelligence agency. How the world's most forgettable girl transform herself into a world-class spy (and brings in a surprising double agent) makes for a rollicking read.

My review: 

My mother got me a copy of this when I was younger because of me going through a bit of a spy phase (still love James Bond films now) and I was hooked. I think I read the book in a weekend and spent the next couple of weeks making up secret codes with my friends. Though looking back this is more a mystery than a spy novel I found it gripping and despite the main character being female the book wasn't girly so I would happily recommend it to any child/young adult who is interested in mysteries.

How Blended are Dust and Fire by Kieran McKendrick Review

Title: How Blended are Dust and Fire

Author: Kieran McKendrick

My Rating: 3.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is the introductory book for the Purgatory series

Genre(s): Fantasy, Dystopian, Adult themes.

Description/Blurb:

Geraint of Family Tumen, kereit Halaka, Kypchak Kishyn comes of age in the summer of the Tanaiste, the gathering of all the Dhervina in the sacred valley at the center of the world. It is the summer when he will learn if he is to be accepted as full Dherina, or banished.

As he enters the valley, he discovers he has an unusual gift – the ability to hear crystal, an ability usually held only by the femal Guardians of the Dhervina.

Unfortunately, he was born a dhavara in a family of normal sized people and into the Dhervina, a nomadic people, who consider dhavaras to be ostuda (bad luck).

At the same time, his sister Brys joins the Khutulun, the female-only kereit with far-reaching and shadowy powers.

This story tells what happens in the summer of the Tanaiste, how Geraint discovers his Talent and what happens when dreams and fear collide.

My review: 

I received a coupon for this book from the author and read the book while on holiday and loved it. It was interesting to see parts of the story through different viewpoints throughout the book as it really helped give the reader a grasp of the whole picture rather than what was known by a single character. Although this book is quite short the story itself is not compromised you can still get a good feel of the circumstances and history of the little tribe like society.

Hidden Children: Secret Survivors Of The Holocaust Review

Title: Hidden Children: Secret Survivors Of The Holocaust

Author: Jane Marks

My Rating: 5/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Non-fiction, History, Biography, WWII, Holocaust. 

Description/Blurb:

They hid wherever they could for as long as it took the Allies to win the war -- Jewish children, frightened, alone, often separated from their families. For months, even years, they faced the constant danger of discovery, fabricating new identities at a young age, sacrificing their childhoods to save their lives. These secret survivors have suppressed these painful memories for decades. Now, in The Hidden Children, twenty-three adult survivors share their moving wartime experiences -- some for the first time.

There is Rosa, who hid in an impoverished one-room farmhouse with three others, sleeping on a clay pallet behind a stove; Renee, who posed as a Catholic and was kept in a convent by nuns who knew her secret; and Richard, who lived in a closet with his family for thirteen months. Their personal stories of belief and determination give a voice, at last, to the forgotten. Inspiring and life-affirming, The Hidden Children is an unparalleled document of witness, discovery, and the miracle of human courage.

My review: 

This book contains some incredibly moving accounts from people who survived the Holocaust as children, although distressing in parts the accounts show some wonderful acts of kindness and demonstrate the bravery of those who were willing to help rescue Jews despite the threat to their own lives. The book really made the Holocaust seem that more real to me while I was studying Nazi Germany as part of a history GCSE and I would recommend this book to nobody who has an interest in that period.

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti Review

Title:  The Almond Tree

Author: Michelle Cohen Corasanti

My Rating: 4/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): War, Contemporary, Recent History. 

Description/Blurb:

Gifted with a mind that continues to impress the elders in his village, Ichmad Hamid struggles with the knowledge that he can do nothing to save his Palestinian friends and family. Ruled by the Israeli military government, the entire village operates in fear of losing homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other. On Ichmad's twelfth birthday, that fear becomes a reality. With his father imprisoned, his family's home and possessions confiscated, and his siblings quickly succumbing to the dangers of war, Ichmad begins the endless struggle to use his intellect to save his poor and dying family and reclaim a love for others that was lost when the bombs first hit."The Almond Tree" capitalizes on the reader's desire to be picked up and dropped off in another part of the world. It tackles issues that many Americans only hear about on World News or read about at The Huffington Post, such as the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the scholasticide that is being imposed upon the Palestinians in Gaza and the current Gaza blockade. But even more, it offers hope.

My review: 

I was a little but wary of starting this book after how the children's play 'Child of the Divide' (by Sudha Bhuchar if anyone is interested) had me a bit over emotional in my English lit class a few years back but today while sunning myself in the garden I settled down to read the story of the young boy named Ichmad Hamid who struggled through poverty to become an accomplished man dreaming of peace. 

I could not put this book down so I managed to read it all in one day. The story is wonderfully crafted by Michelle Cohen Corasanti to the degree where you begin to question if this is really a work of fiction at all as the characters are so believable and the tragedies they face in their war torn Palestinian village leave the reader moved, and seeing it through the eyes of Ichmad makes it all that more touching because he carries the guilt for some of the events he has witnessed despite being s victim of circumstance. 

Though at times this novel contains brutal depictions of the atrocities in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict it is also an inspirational piece. It shows how education can improve quality of life and Ichmad's father's teaching of cooperation, friendship and acceptance is something we can learn from and aspire to in order to attain peace in our own lives.