3.5 stars
The second book in the Knight Games series is heavier on the Supernatural elements and much less focused on the amorous life of Grateful and there are far less toe-curling passages to endure this time around. We do get to meet a few new supes - including a Werewolf detective and a fairy bordello owner. We also get to find out more about the burgeoning Vampire community set up close to the Hellmouth that it is Grateful's task to guard.
I was disappointed to note that one of the themes of the book (Grateful losing the graveyard house) was also repeated here. We've already done this one and there was never any actual fear that the mysterious Mr Nekomata would succeed in ousting Grateful from her attic. It just felt a bit like a lazy plot point to try and dredge up more tension - not really necessary when you factor kidnapping and torture.
On the whole Grateful is a lot easier of a person to like in this book, maybe because she is away from Rick for big parts of it and she seems to think more with her head than other, less salubrious organs. The plotting is generally tighter and conversations seem to have a point to them, even if it doesn't seem terribly important at the time. The fictional world the characters inhabit is fleshed out a lot more and is starting to feel solid and to have a good sense of it's own mythology.
All this gives me hope for the third installment of the series. I can't honestly say that I am waiting for it with bated breath but I am much less trepidacious than I was after the first book.
Sunday, 29 July 2018
Jar Of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
Although I have become relatively jaded to this genre of novel, I found that I really enjoyed this tale and got sucked right in to the story from the off. I think that it helped that we start the tale almost halfway through, the past is dealt with not in a flashback form that has become prolific but rather in the thoughts of the main character as she struggles to come to terms with her life as it is now.
Georgina appears to have everything, a stellar career, a wealthy fiance and all the material possessions she could want. Outward appearences are deceptive though and a dark secret from her past constantly shadows her days. When she is arrested at an important board meeting by a school days friend her life begins to unravel and those far off days of being 16 again are at the fore-front of her mind; especially now she seems to have been involved with the murders committed by the Sweetbay Strangler.
We start with the trial of Calvin, the aforementioned murderer, and the deal done by Geo's lawyers to get her 5 years in prison in exchange for her testimony. The story putters along quite nicely as we follow her through those 5 years in prison, the friendships she makes there and the sheer regimented horror of the days. Even the more gruesome aspects are dealt with in such a matter of fact way that they feel neither gratuitous or voyeuristic; they also give you an insight in to the person Geo pretended to be on the outside and on the inside juxtaposed against her real personality.
The plot is well conceived and has plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep you guessing. Unfortunately, the final denouement was spoilt slightly by the perpretrator of the new murders being flagged up a little too obviously (at least to me). The subtle shifting of focus from present day to the past is done well and usually through the form of memories rather then flashback chapters. This does make you doubt what you read as you can never be sure just how reliable a narrator Geo is. Although, she never fails to show herself in a less than flattering light maybe this is all just self-deprecation to get us on her side.
The peripheral characters are believable and rotate in and out of her life ina naturalistic fashion. I particularly enjoyed the backwards and forwards between Kaiser and Geo and their relationship felt realistic; to a point. Even with their history I am not convinced that a member of law enforcement would be so eager to associate with an ex-con.
The writing was free flowing and I feel like the author really brought Geo's voice to the page. It never felt constricted or contrived to show off a literary turn of phrase, it just felt like a master storyteller entertaining us by making us believe the fictional people were real. There is a lot of sub-text here and it is so well stitched together that you just go with it and allow the plotlines to consume you as you wonder how they fit together.
This is certainly an excellent example of the genre and one I would not hesitate to recommend. Even if you think you have read more than enough of murder and detective work this one serves to intrigue and does have a genuinely fresh spin for you to enjoy.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Georgina appears to have everything, a stellar career, a wealthy fiance and all the material possessions she could want. Outward appearences are deceptive though and a dark secret from her past constantly shadows her days. When she is arrested at an important board meeting by a school days friend her life begins to unravel and those far off days of being 16 again are at the fore-front of her mind; especially now she seems to have been involved with the murders committed by the Sweetbay Strangler.
We start with the trial of Calvin, the aforementioned murderer, and the deal done by Geo's lawyers to get her 5 years in prison in exchange for her testimony. The story putters along quite nicely as we follow her through those 5 years in prison, the friendships she makes there and the sheer regimented horror of the days. Even the more gruesome aspects are dealt with in such a matter of fact way that they feel neither gratuitous or voyeuristic; they also give you an insight in to the person Geo pretended to be on the outside and on the inside juxtaposed against her real personality.
The plot is well conceived and has plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep you guessing. Unfortunately, the final denouement was spoilt slightly by the perpretrator of the new murders being flagged up a little too obviously (at least to me). The subtle shifting of focus from present day to the past is done well and usually through the form of memories rather then flashback chapters. This does make you doubt what you read as you can never be sure just how reliable a narrator Geo is. Although, she never fails to show herself in a less than flattering light maybe this is all just self-deprecation to get us on her side.
The peripheral characters are believable and rotate in and out of her life ina naturalistic fashion. I particularly enjoyed the backwards and forwards between Kaiser and Geo and their relationship felt realistic; to a point. Even with their history I am not convinced that a member of law enforcement would be so eager to associate with an ex-con.
The writing was free flowing and I feel like the author really brought Geo's voice to the page. It never felt constricted or contrived to show off a literary turn of phrase, it just felt like a master storyteller entertaining us by making us believe the fictional people were real. There is a lot of sub-text here and it is so well stitched together that you just go with it and allow the plotlines to consume you as you wonder how they fit together.
This is certainly an excellent example of the genre and one I would not hesitate to recommend. Even if you think you have read more than enough of murder and detective work this one serves to intrigue and does have a genuinely fresh spin for you to enjoy.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Friday, 20 July 2018
The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
We meet the crew of the Anomaly Files as they meet up at a desert motel prior to filming at the Grand Canyon. The whole story is told from the point of view of the protagonist, Nolan, who presents the show and researches the coinspiracy theories that he prefers to think of as anomalies - hence the titel of the show, and the novel. He has his usual crew with him - the irascible Ken (producer and director), Pierre (cameraman), Molly (Girl Friday, production assistant and voice of reason much of the time) but now they are making the move from webcast to Cable TV they also have Feather (there on behalf of the sponsors) and Gemma (web journalist with a huge dose of scepticism) on board.
As they set off for the Grand Canyon we already have a good fix on the characters and even though they are sketchily drawn on the page you do get a really good sense of who these people are. I found this rather unusual as somehow Nolan's viewpoint doesn't cloud the personalities of the people around him, he lets their interactions speak for themselves and the reader gets to make their own judgements despite Nolan's prejudices. The relationships are beautifully drawn - particularly between Nolan and Ken.
It all starts off quite well with the scene set for the reader about the nature of the expedition (finding the Kincaid Canyon) and Nolan's belief that science doesn't always tell us the truth - just the truth scientists want us to know. You do want to feel really cynical about the whole thing but such is the verve of the writing you find yourself being sucked down Nolan's particular rabbit hole quite willingly. Couple this with tantalising details about Newspaper Rock and known details about Ancient Civilisations being used to bolster the story and you rapidly become immersed.
The story soon becomes particularly preposterous and a huge suspension of belief is required by the reader. But I found that I really didn't care that the science had become muddy and the scenarios ever more far-fetched I just wanted to know what happened next. I had to turn that next page, start that new chapter and keep bowling on through until I got to the end. An end which doesn't disappoint but keeps on in the "Boys Own Adventure" vein right up until the very last.
This book is a guilty pleasure. It shouldn't entertain, it should make you put it down in disgust at the sheer ridiculousness of events. Such is the joy of the writer in outdoing himself in each chapter and yet never losing the sense of character amongst the increasing absurdity you willingly take his hand and follow with a huge grin on your face.
This is what a book should be - complete, pure escapism that makes you happy just to be along for the ride. You trust the author implicitly and he never lets you down. So, put your common sense and sceptism aside, grab a BIG glass of wine (and a cheeseburger), ring in sick to work and get reading - you are in for a bumpy, thrill filled ride that you will not want to put down.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
As they set off for the Grand Canyon we already have a good fix on the characters and even though they are sketchily drawn on the page you do get a really good sense of who these people are. I found this rather unusual as somehow Nolan's viewpoint doesn't cloud the personalities of the people around him, he lets their interactions speak for themselves and the reader gets to make their own judgements despite Nolan's prejudices. The relationships are beautifully drawn - particularly between Nolan and Ken.
It all starts off quite well with the scene set for the reader about the nature of the expedition (finding the Kincaid Canyon) and Nolan's belief that science doesn't always tell us the truth - just the truth scientists want us to know. You do want to feel really cynical about the whole thing but such is the verve of the writing you find yourself being sucked down Nolan's particular rabbit hole quite willingly. Couple this with tantalising details about Newspaper Rock and known details about Ancient Civilisations being used to bolster the story and you rapidly become immersed.
The story soon becomes particularly preposterous and a huge suspension of belief is required by the reader. But I found that I really didn't care that the science had become muddy and the scenarios ever more far-fetched I just wanted to know what happened next. I had to turn that next page, start that new chapter and keep bowling on through until I got to the end. An end which doesn't disappoint but keeps on in the "Boys Own Adventure" vein right up until the very last.
This book is a guilty pleasure. It shouldn't entertain, it should make you put it down in disgust at the sheer ridiculousness of events. Such is the joy of the writer in outdoing himself in each chapter and yet never losing the sense of character amongst the increasing absurdity you willingly take his hand and follow with a huge grin on your face.
This is what a book should be - complete, pure escapism that makes you happy just to be along for the ride. You trust the author implicitly and he never lets you down. So, put your common sense and sceptism aside, grab a BIG glass of wine (and a cheeseburger), ring in sick to work and get reading - you are in for a bumpy, thrill filled ride that you will not want to put down.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
The Bluebell Bunting Society by Poppy Dolan
This is more of a coming of age story than anything else. Admittedly, the coming of age isn't a teenage one but when you are heading oin the downhill slope to the big 3-0 it feels like adulthood is ready to sit on your shoulders and that is very definitely a coming of age. Certainly Connie seems to feel that way - then again, the character appears to be rather immature for her actual age in years and seems to have retreated to a safe existence after a failed relationship in the big bad city. Connie isn't as dreary a character as this summation makes her sound though, she just has a slightly skewed sense of priorities. On the one hand she wants to "do good" and "help people" and keep Bluebell Hall running so that the community can enjoy it; on the other she wants nothing more than to hide in safe old Hazlemere behind the ghost of her Gran and behind the needs of her mentally ill mother.
It isn't all doom and gloom though, the rest of the cast pull you through the worst of Connie's wallowing. Her relationships with Susannah, stevie and Luce are old ones, comfortable ones but it doesn't mean that these people are afraid to call Connie out on her decisions. Indeed the little glimpses of humour in the book (not as many as the blurb would have you believe but there are a good handful) generally come from one of these three setting her straight on her misconceptions and self-delusions. Her new friendships with Flip, Polly and Dom are also quite telling and although Connie seems to fall in to friendship far too easily they are fairly realistically drawn. We won't go into the relationship with Alex as it is too trite for words and from the first moment we see him through Connie's first interaction with him you know how that will end.
The plot itself is neither here nor there really. There is a whole background of trying to save the cherished Village Hall - well, cherished by Connie and a handful of others but definitely not by the village as a whole. This is merely the device to serve to bring the characters together and to move the story along. It serves as a handy meeting place and as a hiding place for that matter. What fate ultimately befalls it really isn't that important - even Connie doesn't seem that bothered really. It is the characters that are important here and how they relate to each other and deal with the ups and downs of a few months in thsi snapshot of their lives.
I didn't find this to be immersive reading and it was easy enough to pick it up for a chapter or two and then lay it aside in favour of something else. In fact, this has probably led to me giving it a higher rating than if I had read it in one or two chunks as I think Connie's personality would have made me exceedingly grumpy if I had to suffer it for more than 2 or 3 chapters at a time.
This is the first of Poppy Dolan's books that I've read and I am pretty much ambivalent out reading any more. I may give them a go but there was nothing in this book that lit a spark for this reader and made me interested to see what else was on the author's bookshelf.
It isn't all doom and gloom though, the rest of the cast pull you through the worst of Connie's wallowing. Her relationships with Susannah, stevie and Luce are old ones, comfortable ones but it doesn't mean that these people are afraid to call Connie out on her decisions. Indeed the little glimpses of humour in the book (not as many as the blurb would have you believe but there are a good handful) generally come from one of these three setting her straight on her misconceptions and self-delusions. Her new friendships with Flip, Polly and Dom are also quite telling and although Connie seems to fall in to friendship far too easily they are fairly realistically drawn. We won't go into the relationship with Alex as it is too trite for words and from the first moment we see him through Connie's first interaction with him you know how that will end.
The plot itself is neither here nor there really. There is a whole background of trying to save the cherished Village Hall - well, cherished by Connie and a handful of others but definitely not by the village as a whole. This is merely the device to serve to bring the characters together and to move the story along. It serves as a handy meeting place and as a hiding place for that matter. What fate ultimately befalls it really isn't that important - even Connie doesn't seem that bothered really. It is the characters that are important here and how they relate to each other and deal with the ups and downs of a few months in thsi snapshot of their lives.
I didn't find this to be immersive reading and it was easy enough to pick it up for a chapter or two and then lay it aside in favour of something else. In fact, this has probably led to me giving it a higher rating than if I had read it in one or two chunks as I think Connie's personality would have made me exceedingly grumpy if I had to suffer it for more than 2 or 3 chapters at a time.
This is the first of Poppy Dolan's books that I've read and I am pretty much ambivalent out reading any more. I may give them a go but there was nothing in this book that lit a spark for this reader and made me interested to see what else was on the author's bookshelf.
Welcome to Castle Cove by Kory M Shrum
Although slightly too old for the choose Your Own Adventure novel craze I do have very fond memories of it and thoroughly enjoyed it 20+ years ago. I was, therefore really looking forward to this modern, adult take on a forgotten genre. Even better when read on an e-reader there's none of that nasty desire to just peek at the choices before you decide which way to go - you have to choose and commit right now.
Sadly, that is where my enthusiasm for this novel begins and comes to a crashing and abrupt halt. The chapters are exceptionally short so you have little information on which to make your choice and no real gut feeling to go off either as we never really get under the skin of the character. So, go methodically think I - choose "safe options" for the first run through and just get a feel for it. However, this meant that everything just becomes completely confusing in very short order. People are introduced in later choices that it is quite clear the character you are supposedly inhabiting already knows but you haven't got Clue One who they are. So making your next choice is just a case of "get me to the end as soon as possible as I have no idea what is going on here".
So, second read through and I decide to make more honest choices try and get more of an event out of it. This did work to a lesser extent. I found out a little more about Castle Cove but then clearly made a wrong decision as I was suddenly in a completely different section of the story with no idea who the people where around me and just wanted to step back a choice so that it made sense. No, that isn't the spirit of the book so lets get to the end. Started a third attempt and it was just a rehash of my previous experiences with the exception that because I'd had 2 goes at deciding my destiny I kind of knew who these people were.
The whole experience left me feeling rather cheated. I came away feeling that the wuthor had generated an idea for a strange town and started working on a novel based on that idea but had ended up with a set of disparate parts and just couldn't find a way to bring them in to a cohesive narrative. So spend a month or two with a pad and paper and take the nostalgic route and we get this rehash of an old idea. I am sure it would have been much quicker to persevere with a traditional novel and, for my money, I think it would have made a better reader experience.
This was very definitely not for me as the narrative becomes lost after the first 3 choices as not enough thought has been given in to the introduction of characters, places and themes to fit the choices which means you can suddenly crash in to a location or a character that it is clear the fictional you knows but you have never met on the page, or screen, before. Needs a lot more thought and work to allow each storyline to make some sort of sense unless you have read through it multiple times and are nearing the end of your possible choice combinations. Sadly, I was too disappointed and disillusioned to try it more than three times and will not be returning for more.
Sadly, that is where my enthusiasm for this novel begins and comes to a crashing and abrupt halt. The chapters are exceptionally short so you have little information on which to make your choice and no real gut feeling to go off either as we never really get under the skin of the character. So, go methodically think I - choose "safe options" for the first run through and just get a feel for it. However, this meant that everything just becomes completely confusing in very short order. People are introduced in later choices that it is quite clear the character you are supposedly inhabiting already knows but you haven't got Clue One who they are. So making your next choice is just a case of "get me to the end as soon as possible as I have no idea what is going on here".
So, second read through and I decide to make more honest choices try and get more of an event out of it. This did work to a lesser extent. I found out a little more about Castle Cove but then clearly made a wrong decision as I was suddenly in a completely different section of the story with no idea who the people where around me and just wanted to step back a choice so that it made sense. No, that isn't the spirit of the book so lets get to the end. Started a third attempt and it was just a rehash of my previous experiences with the exception that because I'd had 2 goes at deciding my destiny I kind of knew who these people were.
The whole experience left me feeling rather cheated. I came away feeling that the wuthor had generated an idea for a strange town and started working on a novel based on that idea but had ended up with a set of disparate parts and just couldn't find a way to bring them in to a cohesive narrative. So spend a month or two with a pad and paper and take the nostalgic route and we get this rehash of an old idea. I am sure it would have been much quicker to persevere with a traditional novel and, for my money, I think it would have made a better reader experience.
This was very definitely not for me as the narrative becomes lost after the first 3 choices as not enough thought has been given in to the introduction of characters, places and themes to fit the choices which means you can suddenly crash in to a location or a character that it is clear the fictional you knows but you have never met on the page, or screen, before. Needs a lot more thought and work to allow each storyline to make some sort of sense unless you have read through it multiple times and are nearing the end of your possible choice combinations. Sadly, I was too disappointed and disillusioned to try it more than three times and will not be returning for more.
Thursday, 19 July 2018
The Plumberry School Of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley
This was such a treat to read, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. There is a lot going on here and the main thrust of the book is about how to cope with overwhelming grief and how it can completely derail your whole life.
Verity is a case in point. Until her best friend Mimi died suddenly she grabbed life by both hands and she found joy in the simple things. Mainly she found joy in cooking her friend. We join the story 2 years after Verity loses Mimi and then loses both her boyfriend and her job in quick succession. Her friend's mother, Gloria, offers her a lifeline by asking her to help her get things ready for the opening of her new venture - the eponymous Plumberry School Of Comfort Food.
Surprisingly the book isn't all happy, happy, jolly, jolly and it deals with quite tense subject matter - infertility, widowhood, sudden death. However, there is such warmth here that you feel in safe hands as you traverse the interwoven lives of Verity, Gloria, Gabe and Tom. All the characters are vibrant and multi-faceted and behave like real world people. The setting whilst idyllic isn't some 1950's throwback rural village, it is a very modern small town whose inhabitants mix the sense of community with modernity. Even though it is set in Yorkshire I think I'd like to live there (I'm Lancashire born and bred and, well, you know...).
There are some rather trite sections and things do seem to work out all for the best all too often. However, if this book had gone down the path that life often leads us it would no doubt lead you to a stiff drink or three - instead of a fish finger sandwich (white bread, ketchup on the fish). It is nice that things appear to work out for Verity in both her business and personal life, it is left on a delicious cliffhanger as to whether or not it all works out. Not enough of a one to make you beg for a sequel as some stones are best left unturned, but just enough to make you come up with certain scenarios when you've completed the book.
If you like an uplifting story with just the right amount of pathos then this will be a Gloria's read (if you've already read it that will make sense - promise!).
Verity is a case in point. Until her best friend Mimi died suddenly she grabbed life by both hands and she found joy in the simple things. Mainly she found joy in cooking her friend. We join the story 2 years after Verity loses Mimi and then loses both her boyfriend and her job in quick succession. Her friend's mother, Gloria, offers her a lifeline by asking her to help her get things ready for the opening of her new venture - the eponymous Plumberry School Of Comfort Food.
Surprisingly the book isn't all happy, happy, jolly, jolly and it deals with quite tense subject matter - infertility, widowhood, sudden death. However, there is such warmth here that you feel in safe hands as you traverse the interwoven lives of Verity, Gloria, Gabe and Tom. All the characters are vibrant and multi-faceted and behave like real world people. The setting whilst idyllic isn't some 1950's throwback rural village, it is a very modern small town whose inhabitants mix the sense of community with modernity. Even though it is set in Yorkshire I think I'd like to live there (I'm Lancashire born and bred and, well, you know...).
There are some rather trite sections and things do seem to work out all for the best all too often. However, if this book had gone down the path that life often leads us it would no doubt lead you to a stiff drink or three - instead of a fish finger sandwich (white bread, ketchup on the fish). It is nice that things appear to work out for Verity in both her business and personal life, it is left on a delicious cliffhanger as to whether or not it all works out. Not enough of a one to make you beg for a sequel as some stones are best left unturned, but just enough to make you come up with certain scenarios when you've completed the book.
If you like an uplifting story with just the right amount of pathos then this will be a Gloria's read (if you've already read it that will make sense - promise!).
Where The Light Gets In by Lucy Dillon
This was a bit of a mixed bag of a read for me. I wasn't really disappointed in it as such (even though I have thoroughly enjoyed other books by this author) I just couldn't really connect with the people or the place. The story arc didn't really grab me either if I'm being honest and it all felt a little bit contrived - what really galled me is that Lorna (our main character) mentions that the accounts for the Gallery don't tally but this is never resolved. It did make me wonder if the editor had snipped a side story out as they are never referred to again. It is made perfectly clear up to this point that Lorna is meticulous in her approach to work so it is pretty much unconceivable that she had made an error of what we are led to believe is some magnitude judging by her panic over paying the taxman.
That aside there are some well drawn characters in the book. I particularly liked the depth of Samson who had such a changeable personality he felt completely real; his brother Gabriel on the other hand is completely one dimensional and almost reminded me of a Regency Villain so few where his redeeming features. The real chracters here are Joyce Rothery and Betty, Betty may not be in the book for very long but she sure leaves a lasting impression from her few pages and Joyce is just the sort of old woman we all hope to live to be. Unfortunately Lorna herself is a bit wishy washy and I just couldn't empathise with her and her supposed trials and tribulations. She is also a little bit of a doormat and for some reason that actively repels me in a character.
The sections dealing with Lorna trying to rejuvenate the local Gallery and bring new life to it are quite interesting and the plans she makes for Art Week are so seemingly simple and yet very powerful. I also really liked the yarnbombing theme and it almost made me want to attempt learning to knit - again (much to my grandmother's disgust I never could get an even tension - much like Lorna in the book). I think it was these interludes of life in the shop that kept me interested in the tale.
I enjoyed chunks of the book but parts of it left me feeling all a bit meh and made me want to skim through. I persevered with it though but ultimately did not feel rewarded on completing the tale. I am sure if you can connect with the main character you will garner much more enjoyment from the book than I did.
That aside there are some well drawn characters in the book. I particularly liked the depth of Samson who had such a changeable personality he felt completely real; his brother Gabriel on the other hand is completely one dimensional and almost reminded me of a Regency Villain so few where his redeeming features. The real chracters here are Joyce Rothery and Betty, Betty may not be in the book for very long but she sure leaves a lasting impression from her few pages and Joyce is just the sort of old woman we all hope to live to be. Unfortunately Lorna herself is a bit wishy washy and I just couldn't empathise with her and her supposed trials and tribulations. She is also a little bit of a doormat and for some reason that actively repels me in a character.
The sections dealing with Lorna trying to rejuvenate the local Gallery and bring new life to it are quite interesting and the plans she makes for Art Week are so seemingly simple and yet very powerful. I also really liked the yarnbombing theme and it almost made me want to attempt learning to knit - again (much to my grandmother's disgust I never could get an even tension - much like Lorna in the book). I think it was these interludes of life in the shop that kept me interested in the tale.
I enjoyed chunks of the book but parts of it left me feeling all a bit meh and made me want to skim through. I persevered with it though but ultimately did not feel rewarded on completing the tale. I am sure if you can connect with the main character you will garner much more enjoyment from the book than I did.
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Lego Tony Stark's Sakaarian Iron Man 76194
I know nothing about the "What If" TV show but what I do know is that I absolutely LOVE Mechs and Lego always manage to put somet...
