Snow - or should that be "Slow"?

Any form of art is, as we all know, subjective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that. So, if Snow, by Orhan Pamuk is one of your all time favourite books, then please look away now. Highly lauded with multiple 4 and 5 star reviews, I was hopeful that, despite my husband's warnings, this was a book I could get my teeth into. It's opening premise is great - we journey with Ka, a poet and political exile, as he travels on the bus to Kars, a town on the Turkish border. It is snowing hard and memories of his childhood in this place bubble up. He has been assigned to write a story about a worrying "epidemic" of young religious girls who are committing suicide, supposedly as a result of being forbidden from wearing their headscarves. However, when the town is cut off due to a blizzard, Ka finds himself caught in the middle of religious and political turmoil, including a theatrical coup. In the midst of this, Ka falls in love with the beautiful Ipek, who he tries to persuade to come back to Germany with him when the roads reopen again. Obsessed with the snow and his burgeoning love, Ka starts writing poems and hits a creative goldmine over the three days that the action takes place. But Ka cannot ignore the politics and is unwittingly caught between both sides. Needless to say, this doesn't end well. When I read what I've written so far, it sounds like a good story, and the bones of it are, but unfortunately, for me, the execution of telling this tale was dreary, depressing and dull. There is so much focus on the snow that it starts to get really irritating. Ka has no backbone. Other characters feel incredibly shallow. There is a lot of sitting around expounding on the beliefs of the different sides. Repetitious, confusing and frustrating. It left me not caring about any of the characters at all. It took me ages to read because I just couldn't get into it, which made me dislike it even more! I don't think I've ever given up on a book before, but this one was pretty close. If it hadn't been for trying to get through the PopSugar challenge, I probably would have put it to one side and moved on! So glad it's over!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 24: A book with a weather element in the title.

My STAR rating: TWO.

Length: 448 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband (he did warn me!)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Go-Between - Sublime!

From the famous opening line - The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there - to the very last word, The Go-Between by L P Hartley is an absolute corker of a book. The story is narrated by Leo Colston, who is around 60 years of age, but whose memories of childhood are brought into sharp focus by the diary he kept during the year 1900. We first see Leo at school where he is bullied into misery until the bullies are vanquished by, so he believes, a magic spell he casts on them. This gives him a bit of celebrity and when one of his few friends, Marcus Maudsley, invites him to stay over the summer, he is thrilled. Leo is desperate to fit in with the Maudsley's whose circle includes a Viscount who is about to propose to Marian, Marcus's older sister. When Marcus becomes ill, Leo has time on his hands and the beautiful Marian pays him such lavish attention that he would do anything to please her, and so he begins to act as a messenger between her and local farmer, Ted Burgess. Set in a more innocent time, Leo is blissfully unaware that he is aiding an illicit love affair. As events unfold, Leo finally realises what's going on, and the bitterness he feels at the betrayal to both himself and the Viscount (who he very much admires) comes to the surface with devastating results. This is a sublime book that cannot help but affect the reader. You can really feel the heat of the summer, the rawness of the betrayal and the utter sadness of the characters who are locked into what is expected of them, but desperate to somehow find a way out. This is a beautifully observed study of class, and childhood, at the turn of the 20th Century. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book, and as an added bonus, I used the audio edition narrated by the sublime Sean Barrett.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 20: A book by a local author.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 336 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Diary Of A Bookseller - I wish my diary was so amusing!

When Shaun Bythell, owner of the largest second hand book shop in Scotland, decided to start noting down his thoughts about books, customers, his employees and life in general, I'm not sure he envisioned it turning into a book that might appear on his own shelves. However, that's exactly what happened. This memoir is a day to day account of the trials and tribulations of running his shop in a place called Wigtown. If you've ever worked in a shop, cafe, or call centre - indeed anywhere you have to deal with people using your service - you cannot fail to empathise with the author. The many and varied anecdotes - from the banal to the exotic - are at times hilarious and at others, deeply touching. I never thought I would become fascinated by the number of online orders received, customers who visit the shop and the till receipts logged for each day ... but I did. Boy were there some slow days! The Diary Of A Bookseller, should become compulsory reading for anyone contemplating life as a bookseller. There are some sobering passages and it's clear that you have to develop lots of different strings to your bow to make ends meet ... mostly thanks to the all-consuming behemoth that is, Amazon. Buy direct from the high street where you can! Each month is prefaced by a quote from George Orwell's Bookshop Memories - an essay about his time in a second hand bookshop. It's scary how little seems to have changed! A slice of life showing the best and worst of humanity, all within the confines of a drafty, literary sanctuary, where the customer is definitely NOT always right! A really enjoyable book that is still making me smile as I write this blog as I keep remembering "Foodie Fridays", where Shaun's skip-diving employee would offer a weekly treat foraged from a supermarket bin. Delicious!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 39: A book that involves a bookstore or library.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 320 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.98.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Close Range: Wyoming Stories Volume 1 - Brokeback Mountain

Close Range: Wyoming Stories Volume 1 is a collection of short stories about the hard life experienced by the people of Wyoming, both in the past and the present. The landscape may be beautiful but it is also harsh, and to make a living from the land you need to be tough. It may be cowboy country, but the romantic image that type of lifestyle may conjure in the mind is far removed from reality. Drought in summer, deep snow in winter and a new breed of landowner who doesn't actually want to work the land are the foes faced by those who have lived and breathed Wyoming for generations. Annie Proulx has not made this an easy read, and it is full of grisly incidents, bad behaviour and unneighbourly treatment. I found it hard to like any of the characters and felt little sympathy for most of them. The highlight of the book is, unsurprisingly, Brokeback Mountain, which had an element of tenderness and love which didn't come across in any of the other stories. One summer, Jack and Ennis are sent to look after the sheep on the mountain and almost instantly, are drawn together. They spend more time with each other than the sheep, but at the end of summer, they go their separate ways thinking that is that and get on with their own lives - including marriage and children. But when the opportunity to meet up again happens, the old feelings emerge and the short time they get to spend with each other over the ensuing years is more precious to them than anything else. I can see why this story is placed at the end - I might have given up on the rest of the book if I hadn't known this was coming! Not my favourite book of the year, but it was nice to see where the inspiration for an excellent film came from.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 1: A book made into a movie you've already seen.

My STAR rating: TWO.

Length: 320 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Life Without Limits - where does she get the energy?

I took a bit of a punt on this book as it was in a 2-for-1 sale on Audible and I needed a book about a sport for one of the Popsugar Challenges, so I thought I'd got for something I knew nothing about. A Life Without Limits is the autobiography of Chrissie Wellington, a sporty girl from Norfolk, who, in 2007, became a world champion Ironman, almost from nowhere. Why is this so remarkable ... well, an Ironman is a long-distance triathlon consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and finishes with a marathon length run! I have absolutely no idea how anyone can complete such an epic race, so let me say here and now that I am in total awe of people who participate in such sports. This book takes you through Chrissie's life, beginning in Norfolk, where, as a sporty child, she enjoyed swimming and did compete at school level, but was not what you would call an outstanding talent. As a young adult, she developed an eating disorder that stayed with her for several years and despite this, continued to push herself physically in the sporting world - although she preferred the social side of it more than anything else. She had a thirst for travel and was interested in overseas development, which took her to Nepal, where she started to ride a bike. Over time, she drifted towards the triathlon, where she realised that she might actually have a talent. She started to train more seriously and took the brave decision to become a professional athlete and aim for the Olympics. The training was brutal, but she strangely enjoyed it, but began to realise that Ironman was really what she was built for. With almost no race experience behind her, she became the world champion in Hawaii in 2007, completely smashing the best time by a woman. And from that point on, she was virtually unbeatable until her retirement in 2011, beating record after record. This is a remarkable story of a remarkable woman. On display is her incredible drive to push and push and them push herself some more - almost beyond the edge of her physical and mental capabilities. I don't know why, but I found this to be a bit of a dry read. I was longing for a bit more  depth in terms of the feelings and thought processes rather than what, at times, felt like a list of spectacular achievements from around the world. Many people will find this an inspirational book, but I fear it left me feeling totally inadequate in some ways - which I'm sure says more about me than Chrissie. However, what it did make me think was that we all have our own strengths - it's just a matter of finding what yours is and then striving to keep on improving to become the best you can be. You never know, this book might spawn more world champions in the athletics sphere, but sadly, I won't be one of them.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 19: A book about or involving a sport.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.98.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3 CD, ebook.

Americanah - an eye-opening love story

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a novel centred around a deep love that endures despite years of separation. Ifemelu and Obinze meet when they are teenagers and still at school in Lagos, Nigeria. They soon fall in love and seem destined to remain a couple, and after university, and following the path set by their peers, they plan to move out of the country to free themselves of its military regime. Ifemelu goes to America, but finds it hard to adapt to her new home where she experiences racism for the first time in her life. Obinze was to have followed her to the States, but in post 9/11 America, he cannot get a visa. He goes to the UK instead and finds it equally challenging to find his place in London, where he is living illegally, and finally gets deported back to Nigeria. Ifemelu struggles to make ends meet and during a particularly desperate time, takes on a job which she immediately regrets and enters a period of depression. She cuts off all contact with Obinze, who is devastated. Over the next 13 years, they form new relationships and develop differing careers. However, Ifemelu is increasingly drawn back to her homeland and finally gives up everything and returns to Lagos, with the hope that one day, she will be able to meet Obinze once again. This is a huge novel, full of emotion and heartache, and is sometimes hard to read. There are lighter moments too, of course. I really cared about the main characters, who were ably joined by a fascinating supporting cast. It's also a study of immigration - the challenges, threats and abuse suffered by people who are just trying to live their lives in a new country. It's also an eye-opener for anyone interested in cultures that may not be familiar to them. An enjoyable, expansive read that I would be more than happy to recommend to anyone.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 32: A book from a celebrity book club (Reese Witherspoon).

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.98.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3 CD, ebook.

Her Fearful Symmetry - good entertainment for a rainy afternoon!

When Elspeth Noblin dies, she leaves her London flat to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina Poole. This comes as a great surprise to the twins who never even knew they had an aunt, let alone, that she was their mother's twin. The conditions of the will are that the twins move over from America and live in the flat for at least a year - without letting their parents (and especially their mother) into the flat for the duration. (There is a reason for this which is slowly revealed - though I'm not sure it was a big surprise by the time it did). Excited and nervous, Julia and Valentina find themselves in the flat which overlooks Highgate Cemetery. Their neighbours are Martin, an obsessive-compulsive who doesn't go out and whose wife has left him, and Robert, who was Elspeth's lover, and who takes tourists round the Cemetery. The twins have quite different personalities - Julia is the more outgoing, but has a tendency to be a bit of a control freak. Valentina is quieter, and nervy, but also has health issues.  However, underneath this, Valentina wants to find her own way in life and not always be doing what Julia wants or decides they should be doing. The residents of the flat soon discover that they are not alone - the ghost of Elspeth is lingering, and she has a plan of her own! Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger, is a study of grief, twins and the dangerous relationships we can fall into when we are not paying attention. By no means perfect, I really enjoyed reading it at the time, though I have to admit, I haven't really dwelt on the characters or plot since finishing it. Maybe it was because many of the main characters are not particularly likeable, and there are some massive leaps of faith the reader has to take to go along with the unlikely events of the story. But overall, a good book to take on holiday, or while away a rainy afternoon with. Not earth shattering, but suitably entertaining.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 30: A book with characters who are twins.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 496 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from the library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

A Prayer For Owen Meany - masterful prose!

This story, set in 1950's and 1960's New Hampshire, tells the tale of the strange force of nature that is Owen Meany, as told by his best friend, John Wheelwright. John relays this biography from a distance in both years (his present is 1987) and geography (his location is Canada). Owen is tiny, has an alarming voice (cleverly highlighted by the use of block capitals in the text), and seems wise beyond his years. Owen has a tremendous crush on John's mother, and she shows great affection for him too, helping him out with his school fees and treating him like a second son. But one fateful day, Owen and John are playing a Little League baseball game, when Owen strikes a ball that kill's John's mother. They remain friends, despite Owen's belief that he is an instrument of God and that there are no accidents - which John gives no credence to. As they grow older, Owen claims to know when and how he will die, and everything he does from that point onward seems to lead him up to that end point. In particular, he tries everything he can to make sure that John will be okay after he has gone and steers him in various directions, including ensuring that John is never called up for the Vietnam War. His other obsession is to solve the mystery of who John's father is - a secret his mother took to her grave. Owen is an extraordinary person and is, John states, the reason why he now believes in God. This is a book full of heart, with lots of tender moments highlighting how close two friends can be. But there is plenty of humour too, with lots of boyhood pranks and scrapes to enjoy. Rage and despair rub shoulders with joy and love as we journey with these two boys through their childhood, adolescence and adulthood. It is moving to see how, despite all the bad times, their bond of friendship remains unbreakable. There is so much to like about A Prayer For Owen Meany, by John Irving and yet, I only awarded it 4 stars. This is because, for me, there were some repetitive passages that were not necessary and seemed to stall the narrative. It's well worth the effort though, with fabulous characters and sparkling dialogue, and Irving has a way of engaging the reader that is quite masterful.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 36: A book set in the decade you were born.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 636 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from the library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

Artemis - thrills and spills on the Moon

Jazz Bashara is not your conventional hero. Officially, she's a porter working in Artemis - the first city to be built on the Moon. Unofficially, she is a smuggler of contraband goods. Full of schemes and serial bad decision maker, she has almost no money and is struggling to come to terms with the painful end to her most recent relationship. When one of her best clients offers her an enormous amount of money to sabotage the equipment of Sanchez Aluminium so that he can take over their business, she goes for it, figuring she's got nothing to lose. In true Jazz style - things do not go according to plan and she finds herself having to go into hiding to escape from the wrath of the shady people behind Sanchez Aluminium. They have murdered her employer, and are now on her trail too! The more she finds out, the more she realises that unless those people are stopped, the future of her beloved Artemis is under threat ... so she gathers a small team of friends and misfits to try and turn things around. But guess what ... things do not go smoothly and she risks destroying the very thing she is determined to save. Artemis, by Andy Weir, may be a love it or hate it book - the reviews on Goodreads and Amazon vary wildly. The less favourable reviews keep comparing it to his previous work - The Martian - but I haven't read it, so this is my first experience of Andy Weir's style of writing. And I have to say, it's a highly entertaining read. No, it's not high literature, but it is a fun ride with a good dash of science thrown in for good measure. The central character is a deeply flawed individual and doesn't make it easy for the reader to like her, but she grows on you, as does the setting - a city on the Moon ... what's not to like! Full of vim and vigour and humour up the wazoo, Artemis made me chuckle many times and it's definitely a page-turner! If you don't mind some bad language and a smattering of violence, then give it a go.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 28: A book with song lyrics in the title. (See Firedance, by Rainbow) 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 320 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.98.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3 CD, ebook.

Life After Life - so many ways that one life could go!

This is the story of Ursula Todd, or rather, it is the many stories of Ursula Todd - for in Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, we see the central character live her life, again and again, but in a kaleidoscope of different variations. She is born during a snowstorm in England in 1910, and in one version, she dies before she even takes her first breath, and in others, she lives. Many of the core events are the same, it's how she reacts or is affected by them that changes. In the lives where she gets older, she often gets a feeling of deja vu, or sometimes dread, and this can influence what she does - either resulting in saving herself or saving others - or occasionally, both! Inevitably, at the end of each story, Ursula dies. It's how long it takes her to get there, and what she does in the meantime that leads the reader to start pondering a deep question. What if you got the chance to live your life over and over again - what might you do to change the course of your life? This is an intriguing book, and it almost like a series of short stories - it's just that each story has the same character and the same starting point ... that snowy night in 1910. Beautifully written, with some heartbreaking moments, it was a book I raced through, but didn't want to end. I almost wish that I hadn't read it, so that I would be in a position to read it for the first time again! This was not the feeling I thought I would have at the start, as I found the repetition of "going back to the start" a bit jarring, but it didn't take me long to be pulled into Ursula's many lives and start rooting for her to take different turns along the road. Well worth the effort of reading, this book is one that seems to be staying with me for some time after turning the last page.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 35: A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner. 

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 640 print pages.
Price I paid: FREE, borrowed from my husband.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

Litte Doritt - Four months in the reading!

As usual with a novel by Charles Dickens, there is a cornucopia of characters and events to get your head around in Little Dorrit, some of which I could have quite easily done without. However, the main action centres on two families - the Dorrits and the Clemens. William Dorrit has been languishing in Marshalsea debtors' prison for many, many years, in fact his daughter, Amy was born there. Why so many years ... well, once you are in debtors' prison, you cannot get out until you earn enough money to pay back the debt, which, if you are in prison, is hard to do! Amy looks after her father and her two siblings as best she can, and earns some money through her needlework. It's a hard life, but she quietly gets on with it and is content when her father is content. Arthur Clemens has worked in China for 20 years, and returns to England upon the death of his father. However, his mother does not welcome him home and he becomes estranged from her, but not before he meets Amy, who has been working for his mother. He is intrigued and follows her back to the prison and makes himself known to the family, offering some support. They form a friendship, but their lives diverge when Arthur sets up in business with a friend, and William Dorrit inherits a lot of money. The whole family leaves the prison and start moving in very different circles - Amy does not find this change of fortune easy and struggles to find her feet, especially when her own father dies. Through no fault of his own, Arthur loses all his money and ends up, you guessed it, in the Marshalsea prison. This is where Amy, or Little Dorrit as she prefers Arthur to call her, finds him once again. There are sub-plots and shenanigans aplenty, which can become a tad confusing - well, I find them confusing anyhow. However, the main story and characters are a delight and this is a very enjoyable and accessible work. It has real heart and helps to shine a light on how easy it can be to fall foul of "the system" and how hard it can be to get back on track. Dickens was certainly taking a swipe at this at the time of writing (1855-1857), but much about the dip into poverty, and subsequent struggle to get out of it is still relevant today. This is a long book, and it has, unbelievably, taken me 4 months to read it in audio - probably due to me not finding as much time to read audio as I have in the past. However, if you have enough time to spare, then you could do worse than delve into the pages of this novel.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 31: A book mentioned in another book. (Mentioned in Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books)

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 848 print pages.
Price I paid: £1.99
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

Circe - Greek myth and mayhem brought to life

Earlier this year, I read The Song Of Achilles and enjoyed it so much that when I saw a new book by the same author - Madeleine Miller - I couldn't resist it for Popsugar prompt number 18. And I'm pleased to say, I was not disappointed. Ms Miller has a style of writing that really appeals to me. From the opening page of Circe, she immediately transports the reader into the world of Greek myth. However,  you do not need to be well versed in the legends of gods, monsters and mortals to enjoy this retelling of Homer's Odyssey. The story focuses on what is a relatively minor character from the legends - Circe - who is the daughter of a god and a nymph. Overlooked by her father, mother and siblings, Circe tries to make her own way in her immortal existence, but finds herself drawn to the human playthings of the gods. She discovers that she has power and uses it to devastating effect, causing her to be outcast on the island of Aiaia. Realising that it is her lot in life to be a witch, she tries to become the best witch she can possibly be. Her encounters with men who visit the island usually end up with her turning them into swine. However, this isn't always the case and when Odysseus arrives with his men, he becomes her lover. This sets her on a fresh path - that of motherhood, where all the trials and tribulations of being a single mother are laid bare. And it doesn't matter one jot whether you are a goddess or not. Will Circe ever find the happiness and companionship she craves? Circe should be a hard character to feel sympathy for, but she is written so well that you cannot help rooting for her, even at her most destructive. Some may crave the role of eternal goddess, but what would you do with your time? Who would be your friends? Could you find love and contentment? This book can be taken as a rollicking good yarn, with action and adventure all the way, but there are so many things that Circe makes you consider about the role of women in the world, the challenges of motherhood, love and fidelity. An enjoyable read, I am definitely going to look out for anything written by this author.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 18: A book that's published in 2018.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.00 (borrowed from library as an ebook)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - a book with real heart

In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the story unfolds through the correspondence of Juliet Ashton, an author who has been struggling to find a topic for her new book. It is 1946, and she, like everyone else is trying to rebuild her life after the war. When she receives a letter from from Guernsey, she finds herself drawn to the sender and cannot resist replying. She discovers how the people of Guernsey coped with the occupation of their island by the Germans, and how the ridiculously named Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was formed. Soon, others from the society are sending her letters too, and we see each character come to life in their own words. There is bravery, heartbreak, love, loss and a great deal of humour. Juliet is drawn more and more to these people and decides to travel to Guernsey to meet them, leaving behind a dapper - but pushy - American who is determined to marry her. Now on the island, she is drawn into this special circle of people - becoming part and parcel of their lives. Can she ever go back to her old life? Started by Mary Ann Shaffer, this book was finished by her niece, Annie Barrows, when Ms Shaffer became too ill to complete it. Sadly, she didn't live to see its publication and subsequent success. This is a very enjoyable read, with a whole host of great characters on show. I thought it would feel very bitty due to the nature of the action taking place via letters and telegrams, but somehow, this engendered the novel with great pace. It may not be a thriller, but it is definitely a page-turner. The authors make you care about the characters that inhabit the book, and you can't wait to find out what happens to them. It's always a good sign when you are a bit sad that you have finished a book (great contrast to my feelings on Moby Dick!) A book with a lot of heart that didn't disappoint.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 18: A book written by two authors.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 256 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.00 (borrowed from library as an ebook)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio, audio CD, CD-ROM, ebook.

Moby Dick - I thought it would never, EVER, end!

In case you were wondering why I haven't posted a review in some time, I can sum it up in two words ... Moby Dick! Little did I know how time consuming this tome would be. Written in 1851, this is a classic book, that I downloaded ages ago and thought I must read at some point. So, when one of the prompts in the Popsugar Challenge was to read a book set at sea, I thought ... boom ... already got one ready to go! I know that many people love this book and the reviews on Amazon testify to this, but I found it to be plodding and full of completely unnecessary information. It started well with the narrator, Ishmael, finding himself in Nantucket, and determined to go to sea on a whaling boat. Yes, the language was "of the time" but that was fine. However, once he'd found his boat - The Pequot - things took a distinct downturn. There were huge passages of information about different whales, different whaling nations, how to slaughter a whale and on and on and on ... I kept turning the pages thinking, "Where has the story gone?" Finally it would reappear and, once again, I'd start to get into it - but a few pages more and off we would go on another tangent. I found this deeply irritating and exceedingly dull. The eponymous whale is mentioned throughout, but we don't actually encounter this fateful creature until very, VERY late on. By which time, I was rooting for Moby to come and destroy everything and everybody. The author, Herman Melville, has given the world a book about the danger of an obsession so deep rooted that it can send someone over the edge of reason, as well as take others with him. (Personally, I couldn't understand why anyone would follow Captain Ahab to his doom - he just annoyed me from the get go and I struggled to find any redeeming elements in his character). However, I felt that the author was entirely too obsessed with "informing" his audience about the tiniest details about whales and whaling, that it took away from the story. I know I may be in a minority, but overall, my recommendation would be ... don't bother. There are SOOOO many better books to read. Unless you HAVE to read this book for a literature course, please, please avoid it. There, I've said it. Sorry Mr Melville, not for me!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 25: A book set at sea.

My STAR rating: TWO. (I gave this two because the actual story element is good - there is just way too much asides and ramblings that just get in the way for me.)

Length: 544 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.00 (thank goodness I didn't pay for it!)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio, audio CD, ebook.

The Secret Life Of Cows - gentle musings

The Secret Life Of Cows is a series of observations made over many years on Kite's Nest Farm where author, Rosamund Young, lived and worked with cows, sheep and chickens. This book focuses primarily on the lives of the cows - of which there are many generations. When the Youngs started to really observe their cows, they realised that each had their own character and was very much an individual, with their own preferences for other cattle and indeed humans. They have friends, they like to play, but above all, they like to eat. The farm is a great advert for looking after livestock in a way that allows them to exhibit their natural instinct for when they want shelter, when they want food and what type of food they want, when they need help from humans ... and when they just need to be left alone. For anyone who has an interest in animals, this is a book that you will enjoy. I would have preferred more of a narrative thread rather than the bitesize chunks that don't really link with each other. This made for a disjointed read. So, more of a coffee table book in my opinion - something you can pick up and put down over a long period of time to absorb short musings on all things bovine. It's gentle, takes no time to read and may change the way you think about cows when you next see one in a field.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 26: A book with an animal in the title.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 140 print pages.
Price I paid: free, this was a present.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

The Night Circus - magically dangerous

Ever wondered what the world could be like if magic was real? Well, in The Night Circus, we get a little taste of such a world. At heart, this book is a love story between two characters (Celia and Marco) who are trapped at an early age into a deadly competition by two "gentlemen" who have, for an interminable amount of time, been debating about which type of magic is the superior. Each child is trained in the different magical methods and, after many years, the results start to appear in the form of The Night Circus - a mysterious circus that only opens after sunset. Now grown up, they each create different attractions in the circus and also start to influence and adapt each others creations. They become aware that they are competing with each other, but cannot help but fall in love - even before they really know who the other is. Their world is full of interesting people - from the performers in the circus, to the audience, some of whom become ardent followers (Les Reveurs). The circus gets bigger, and more people become unwittingly embroiled in the competition, and Celia is the one who starts to really feel the strain of holding all the magical elements of the circus together. When she and Marco discover that the competition can only be won by the death for the other, they desperately try to find a way out. Author Erin Morgenstern has created a story which has a fairy tale quality. At times dreamy, and at others dark, the action weaves around time and space which can leave the reader (well, this reader) a little discombobulated. There is a lot to take in and I am sure I missed things, or didn't quite realise the significance of an event at the time. Full of fascinating characters and imaginative scenes where the magic takes centre stage, there is much to admire about this book. And apart from the odd sense of confusion, I did enjoy The Night Circus - but I think I might have enjoyed it even more if it was told in a more linear fashion.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 8: A book with a time of day in the title.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 656 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Look Who's Back - disturbingly funny!

It's always interesting when you read a story about a person who feels a bit like a fish out of water, but what if the author takes this one step further, using a person that history would rather forget? That's the risk Timur Vermes makes in Look Who's Back, when he brings Adolf Hitler back from the grave, 50 years after his death. It's 2011, and Hitler wakes up in a park (we, and he, have no idea how or why). Somewhat disorientated, he slowly realises that this is not the Berlin he is familiar with. He comes across a newspaper vendor who assumes he is an out-of-work actor playing the role of his life by never breaking character, and touting for business in the area. Hitler does not disabuse him of this assumption and finds refuge with this man. The advantage of this for Hitler is that he gets to read all the newspapers and starts to catch up on the events of the present day - barely believing that his beloved Germany is now run by a woman! The vendor makes an introduction to one of his regulars, and Hitler is recruited for a satirical TV sketch show, where he becomes a sensation. Some viewers are offended by what he says (as they should be), but most think it is hilarious ... little do they know that, being who he actually is, he really means every word he says. What his employers think of as burning satire is, for him, a vehicle to reach the masses with his fervent nazi beliefs. Despite it's subject matter, this is a deeply funny book wrapped around a cautionary tale. The people we may think hold the oddest of views, can express themselves in such a way that at first you may think it's funny, and nobody could possibly take it seriously. However, hear it often enough and it can start to take traction and resonate with so many people that it can turn the world upside down. The humour comes in seeing Hitler trying to get to grips with the modern world, and also his reaction to the politicians and society he sees around him. This makes him determined to put the German people "back on track" and makes it his mission to do so. I read the audio edition, narrated by the marvellous Julian Rhind-Tutt, who almost explodes during the increasing rants from Adolf. I really enjoyed this book and felt it was over all too soon.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 6: A novel based on a real person.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 384 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Devil's Star - Harry Hole, how I've missed you!

It's sometimes hard to like Harry Hole, the alcoholic Norwegan detective who takes centre stage in The Devil's Star, by Jo Nesbo. To say he is on a mission to self-destruct is putting it mildly. He hasn't turned up for work for a couple of weeks. Instead, he's been on a bit of bender following the collapse of his case against fellow detective, Tom Waaler, who, he is convinced, is responsible for the death of his partner. His love interest, Rakel, cannot take his erratic behaviour anymore and has thrown him out of her home. His boss has been incredibly understanding, but can't cover for him anymore and puts him on notice to quit the force. However, it's the height of summer, and due to the high amount of staff on holiday, Harry is hauled in to investigate the murder of a young woman. She is missing a finger, and also has a star shaped diamond wedged under one of her eyelids. Oh, and guess who is also on the case ... yes, the smarmy Ton Waaler! While Harry battles to remain sober, his fog clears, he starts to see a pattern developing that shows that a series killer who seems to have a fascination with the devil's star is on the loose. There are twists and turns aplenty, and lots of red herrings too. The reader feels like they are on the investigative journey with Harry as he sifts through evidence and interviews the witnesses. Just when you think you've worked it out, something knocks you bandy. It's a great read, although it really helps if you have digested the previous books in the series, so that you can understand how Harry has got to where he is, and also how the different relationships he has with people in his working and personal life all fit together. Harry is a troubled, deeply frustrated soul, but you cannot help but root for him, which says something about the skill of Nesbo as a writer. Satisfyingly complex, this is well worth the effort.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 5: Nordic Noir.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 522 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

On The Brinks - darkly funny

Even though I am a big fan of crime and thriller fiction, I was not looking forward to the challenge of reading a True Crime book - I'm strangely happy with bad things happening to people, but only if I know it's not real! Whenever I searched for True Crime, the options that came up were, primarily, books about serial killers ... urgh! So, when I happened upon On The Brinks, by Sam Millar, which was about a famous robbery, I grabbed it with both hands. It is, in effect, the autobiographical account of Sam Millar, from his childhood growing up in Belfast, to his unexpected involvement with the IRA, followed by a long incarceration in the notorious Long Kesh prison. On his release, he goes to America and starts a new life and a new family. Unfortunately for him, he just cannot resist the chance to make a lot of money in one go by stealing from the Brink's Armored Car Depot in Rochester, New York, and manages to get away with $7.4 million. This book is a great read from start to finish. The funny details of childhood and the grim realities of the treatment meted out on political prisoners in Northern Ireland are put before the reader in the same chatty style. There is humour alongside heartache and you keep having to remind yourself that this story is true. The people who populate this book are so well observed that you feel yourself empathising with the most unlikely of characters. I found myself disappointed when I finished, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because it was over too soon! I can heartily recommend this book - yes there are sweary bits, yes there are violent bits, but the journey the author goes on is so incredible, that all is forgiven.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 2: True Crime.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 464 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library.
Formats available: print, ebook.

The Power - turning the world upside down!

In this disturbing novel, teenage girls develop the ability to deliver electric shocks ... which becomes known as The Power. Men fear this phenomenon and try to seek ways to control those exhibiting this power. However, when the girls discover that they can trigger the ability in older women, the men lose any control they previously had, and things start to go terribly wrong. Society begins to unravel and the world becomes a very different place. Politics, religion and the criminal underworld are taken over by women, with alarming results. The centuries of male domination and unfair and violent treatment of women comes home to roost as the "gentler" sex  stop being so gentle, and revenge is meted out without mercy. This momentous change is seen through the eyes of several main characters: Allie, a foster kid who was abused by her carers but who has become the focal point of a new religion; Margot, a politician who exploits her position as well as her daughter; Roxy, the daughter of a gangster who is betrayed by her family; and Tunde, a male reporter who sees the writing on the wall as the story unfolds across the world. The Power, by Naomi Alderman is often a tough read, where the premise is, I suppose, that power always corrupts, no matter who holds it. But if women did hold the power, would men be treated so appallingly as women have been throughout history? I would like to think not, which is why I found this book a bit dispiriting at times. It is, however, gripping and the main characters are compelling. I really wanted to find out what happened to them all in the end. This is a book that stays with you, and some parts still give me the shivers. It would be extremely interesting to hear the reaction of men who read this book ... would they recognise the situations the characters find themselves in, and wonder what their fates would be if they were women in today's world?

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 15: A book about feminism.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - no ruby slippers!

Having seen the 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz many, many times, I was curious to find out how that adaptation differed from the book by L. Frank Baum which had inspired it. Whilst the main characters and the story arc are familiar, there are some distinct differences too. We begin with young Dorothy and her doggie companion Toto, who are swept away in their Kansas house to the strange land of Oz. On arrival, she has, quite accidentally, killed the Wicked Witch of the East and is, as a result, feted by the oppressed Munchkins. She is given the witch's slippers - which are silver and not ruby (as in the film). She is desperate to get back home to Kansas, and is told to go to the Emerald City and ask the all-powerful Wizard for help. And so she heads off, meeting three new companions along the way - the Scarecrow who would like to have a brain, the Tin Woodman who is desperate for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion, who needs to find some courage. Dorothy is sure that the Wizard will help them too, and so they join up and head off to the City together. The journey is not a smooth one, and they meet different people and hazards along the way, each helping the other. When they finally get to meet the Wizard, they are told that they must kill the Wicked Witch of the West in order to be granted what they have asked for. Dorothy is against this course of action, but soon understands that there is no other way for her to get home. The Witch is, indeed, wicked and will not go quietly - bringing all her resources to bear to destroy them ... including the Winged Monkeys. There is lots of action and fun to be had in this book, but there is darkness and violence too. A very black fairy tale indeed. I did enjoy it for the most part, but there were sections of the journey that fell a little flat for me and at times it felt a bit like ... and then this happened, and then this happened ... rather than the story flowing naturally. Good characterisation of the main characters and some magical and unexpected elements make The Wonderful Wizard of Oz an enjoyable, but not spectacular read.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 33: A childhood classic you've never read.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 272 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Surprisingly uplifting!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a book that creeps up on you. At first, I felt a little uncomfortable looking at the life of an exceptionally socially inept individual who is a constant source of amusement to her work colleagues. She is a creature of habit - wearing the same outfit to work each day, eating the same lunch and spending every weekend in a solitary vodka-induced haze. The only real contact she has with another human is via a mid-week phone call with her Mother - but there is no comfort to be found there. There's no love in her life and no friendship either, but she seems "completely fine" with this. And why not? She has never experienced these things so how could she possibly miss them? So far, so seemingly bleak. But do not abandon hope, for author Gail Honeyman works her magic, and brings you into Eleanor's world bit by bit until you start to understand why she is the way she is, and a wave of empathy washes over you. When an unexpected friendship develops with Raymond, the IT guy from work, Eleanor starts to broaden her horizons and finally starts to face up to the past which has shaped her life and left her with deep mental scars. This is, at times, a painful read, but is also funny and heart warming without any fear of it getting sickly sweet. Eleanor is a fantastic character and one that I suspect many of us will recognise - we all know someone who seems a little bit odd! However, this is a celebration of and a reminder to us all that small acts of kindness to people you meet might just save someone. So worth the effort, I thoroughly recommend this book to one and all. It truly deserves all the plaudits it has received and has earned its place at the top of the bestseller lists.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 16: A book about mental health.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

Death Masks - Witty urban fantasy

Harry Dresden is a Private Investigator working in Chicago - but he has a unique USP - he's a wizard! Whenever something too weird for the police shows up, Harry is called in to help out. In Death Masks, his fifth outing in the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Harry's world gets very complicated when he is challenged to a duel by the champion of the Red Court of Vampires, is hired by a priest to find the Turin Shroud which has been stolen, is called in by the police to help identify a mangled, headless corpse AND his ex-girlfriend (and semi-vampire) Susan comes by for a visit. There are thieves, daemons, vampires and knights all vying for Harry's attention, and many of them seem to be trying to kill him. Through all the twists and turns, thrills and spills, Harry maintains his dark sense of humour, which always gives these books spikes of wit and lightness even when things look their most bleak. There is a lot to take in, with, I suspect a new mortal enemy, the apparently unstoppable Nicodemus, making his first appearance in this series ... and what a foe! Harry battles the forces of evil with his magic and a smattering of brute force, as well as trying not to be on the losing side of his duel to the death. There is also a lot of emotional heart in this book, with Harry trying to come to terms with personal loss in a variety of forms. I am really enjoying this series of books and find that Harry is an engaging character. I would, however, like there to be more use of the female characters, who are woefully underused, although Susan did get more of the spotlight than usual in this episode! Highly enjoyable for anyone who likes gritty, action-packed urban fantasy, with a streak of funny running through the middle. I highly recommend the audio edition, narrated by James Masters who fits this role like a glove!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 9: A book about a villain or antihero.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 448 print pages.
Price I paid: free, as part of Audible free introductory offer.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

War of the Worlds - how soon it all falls apart!

As I sit here writing this blog, the sky has gone dark, the wind is howling and it has started to snow! It almost feels like the end of the world, which is how the narrator of The War of the Worlds expresses his feelings after he experiences an invasion by Martians. Written in 1898 by H.G. Wells, this book provides the graphic first person account by a civilian who witnesses the arrival of a mysterious vessel close to his home. He, like others, are fascinated by the metallic object that sits within the pit created by its landing. The object starts to unscrew and excitement mounts as people are eager to greet these visitors from Mars. But the excitement soon turns to terror when the thing that finally emerges starts blasting a Heat-Ray at everyone and anything near it. Any attempt at communication by humanity is dealt with in the same way. More vessels land and panic increases with the realisation that the weapons of the military just cannot compete against such a force. The Martians cause devastation as they move on London, firing waves after wave of black smoke which kills everything it touches ... as if the Heat Ray wasn't enough. Within days, humanity is on the brink, with the Martians starting to capture people to use as food. The red weed that has travelled with them from their home planet also starts to thrive and overrun the countryside. It is all our narrator can do just to keep out of their way and survive without going insane. This book is very dark, holding nothing back from the reader as it describes the Martians and their activities, as well as the impact their invasion has upon humanity which pretty much goes to pieces both physically and mentally. However, this book is a great read and hard to put down. So ahead of its time, it still holds up today and, quite frankly, I feel is much more realistic in terms of the final outcome than something like the ridiculously gung-ho Independence Day (as enjoyable as that is). I heartily recommend this book which, if, like me, you only know parts of the story from the epic Jeff Wayne musical interpretation of it, will help to fill in some of the detail and get you closer to the action. The daddy of science fiction!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 22: A book with alliteration in the title. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 180 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3-CD, ebook.

La Belle Sauvage - A little disappointing!

As a massive fan of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, I could not wait to read La Belle Sauvage, The Book of Dust, Volume One, which takes the reader back into the parallel universe inhabited by Lyra Belacqua. In this opening salvo, Lyra is still a baby and is being looked after by the nuns at Godstow Priory. Opposite the priory, on the other side of the River Thames, sits the Trout Inn, where eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead lives with his parents and, of course, his daemon, Asta. Everyone in this world has a visible entity called a daemon, who takes the form of an animal and accompanies you throughout your life. Malcolm's pride and joy is his canoe - La Belle Sauvage - and he spends many happy hours on the river. His world is turned upside down when he sees a man dropping something, and when Malcolm finds it, intending to return it, he witnesses the man being detained by the authorities. He finds that the item dropped contains a message, which he feels is important, but doesn't understand. When he later learns that the man has been killed, he finds that local scholar, Hannah Reid, may provide some answers via her studies using an alethiometer. An air of menace begins to grow both at school and in the general population, and when Malcolm learns that Lyra is in danger he goes to warn the nuns, but events are overtaken by a flood. He rescues Lyra and, together with Alice, the servant girl from the pub, they try to get her to the safety of her father, Lord Asriel. I loved the first half of this book - it felt like an old friend who had come to visit after many years of being away. Malcolm is an engaging protagonist, though maybe unrealistically wise and more capable than his eleven years would suggest. The ground is laid for the future story to unfold and the action bowled along. I particularly liked the scenes between Malcolm and the nuns. However, during the flood scenes, things started to go awry for me. Yes this is a fantasy novel, but there were faerie-like characters and ethereal scenes that seemed at odds with the rest of the book and I didn't think they added anything to the story. In fact, I would go so far as to say that they were a bit confused and actually interfered with the main action. Maybe they will turn out to be significant further down the line? And so, by the end of the novel, I was feeling a little disappointed, which I almost cannot bear to admit. There is still much to admire and maybe, if you hadn't read His Dark Materials, the book would be more enjoyable. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next instalment will be better.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 17: A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 546 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from local library.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook.

The Song of Achilles - Tears before bedtime!

So you think you know all there is to know about Greek legend that is Achilles .... think again! In The Song of Achilles, by Madeleine Miller, our narrator is Patroclus, a gentle boy who happens to be the son of a harsh king. When he accidentally kills a bully, he is exiled to the court of King Peleus and meets Achilles for the first time. Achilles is everything Patroclus is not - handsome, athletic, confident and, as if that wasn't enough, he is also half-God - the result of a liaison between Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis! Despite their differences, friendship blossoms and the two become inseperable. When sent to an isolated training camp, they become closer still and they have their first sexual encounter. Initially full of teenage angst and uncertainty about their relationship, their feelings are so strong that they become devoted to each other on all levels. However, Achilles is destined to become a "hero" and his mother, Thetis, will not tolerate anything that threatens this destiny. They are separated for a while and Achilles is secretly married to Deidameia, but even this does not dull their feelings for each other, and when they do find each other again, Patroclus is determined never to leave his side. Eventually, Achilles' destiny comes calling, and so begins the Trojan Wars. Patroclus tries to protect him as much as possible - they both know that it is Achilles fate to die once the Trojan Prince, Hector is slain. But nothing can interfere with destiny for very long (at least not in Greek myths). Despite the background of war and violence, this is a book of incredible tenderness. Using Patroclus as the narrator throughout, gives the book a core of quiet determination - he knows and sees Achilles faults but, like anyone who is in love, he forgives them, even when it hurts. This book is a triumph - all the characters are well defined and the emotions believable. I would highly recommend it - although you may shed a few tears by the end.

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 12: A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 368 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio cassette, ebook.

Just One Damned Thing After Another - So much fun!

What would happen if historians developed the technology that would enable them to travel in time? That is the premise of Just One Damned Thing After Another, by Jodi Taylor, the first full length book in The Chronicles of St Mary's series. And what a start to a series. Madeleine Maxwell, known as Max, is recruited to St Mary's Institute of Historical Research, a secretive organisation that studies the past by actually going there! We follow Max and the other new recruits through their intense training and their first crucial missions. It's not easy, and many fall by the wayside but despite Max seeming to be at the centre of a few mishaps, she finally achieves her goal to literally see history unfold before her very eyes. However, it is not all plain sailing and there is a dangerous undercurrent of threat and betrayal, with colleagues and friends staring to lose trust in each other. It also turns out that being a historian is a dangerous business - history doesn't like to be messed with and if it thinks its path is going to be diverted, then it fights back. The body count starts to rise and the newbies are thrown in at the deep end. Max almost comes to grief during each mission she is on, but somehow manages to survive and start planning her next jaunt. This is such a fun novel - a mix of adventure and history. The characters are very entertaining and it's a joy to see the world through the eye of Max as she goes from rookie to experienced member of the team. There is oodles of action and great descriptions of the different time periods that they visit - everything from World War I to the Cretaceous Period. Even though it's action-packed, there is real heart at the centre of this book, with Max coming out of her shell and experiencing the first meaningful relationships of her life. I read the audio edition, which was highly enjoyable - the narrator giving Max the right amount of attitude and sarcasm. This book is so up my street, and I wish I had written it - I am totally hooked!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 prompt 23: A book about time travel.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 280 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, MP3-CD, ebook.

Sharpe's Devil - A Fond Farewell

And so dear friends, the day I have been putting off for so long has finally arrived. I've just finished reading the very last book in the epic series featuring one of my favourite characters of recent years - Richard Sharpe. In Sharpe's Devil, by Bernard Cornwell, five years have passed since the Battle of Waterloo, but instead of languishing in his hard won peaceful retirement in Normandy, Sharpe is on his way to Chile to find out what has happened to Don Blas Vivar. Vivar, an old friend from his military days, is reported to be dead, killed by rebel forces, but his wife doesn't believe it. She provides Sharpe with a treasure chest of money to find out the truth. Sharpe enlists his old pal Harper to join him and off they sail, via St Helena where he gets to meet the architect of many of his former grief - Napoleon Bonaparte, who is getting fat and frustrated in exile. Once in Chile, it soon becomes apparent that due to corruption and poor leadership, Spanish rule is on the verge of collapse. Thwarted and threatened at every turn, it looks like Sharpe's mission is destined to fail. However, a chance encounter with one of the chief rebels leads to Sharpe to realise that his only chance of ever getting to the bottom of things is to join forces with them. As always, this is an action packed adventure, with Sharpe and Harper surviving scrape after scrape - he certainly has the luck of the devil to come out of this one alive! You can't help but have a good time when you are immersed in the world of Sharpe. History, adventure and larger than life characters all make for an enjoyable read. There was a little bit of repetition on occasion, but maybe that is an indication that it really is time for Sharpe to say goodbye. Still enjoyed it though! I have followed all the highs and lows of this character, and I know I'm going to miss him!

POPSUGAR Challenge 2018 Prompt 3: The next book in a series you started.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 316 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.50.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, CD-ROM, ebook.

Lincoln in the Bardo - I've never read anything like it before!

Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2017, Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders is a book that will certainly not be to everyone's taste. Indeed, I was not at all sure about it for quite some time, but I am pleased that I persisted and stuck with it. It is February 1862, and the American Civil War is raging. Willie, the eleven-year-old son of President Lincoln, dies unexpectedly and is buried in a Georgetown cemetery. Grief stricken, the President visits the crypt on several occasions to hold the body of his child. What Lincoln doesn't know, is that the spirit of his son is still there, as are a whole host of others who have been buried in the same cemetery. They are in a kind of purgatory, or transitional state (the bardo of Tibetan tradition), although the spirits (excepting one) are under the impression that they are sick, rather than dead. The spirits are varied in their temperament and habits - some are kindly and compassionate, others are depraved and violent. They have seen what happens to children who do not transition, and when Willie's spirit starts to linger, they come together to try to save his soul. This story is told in a most unusual way, with excerpts from contemporary accounts setting the scene, interspersed with the complete fiction of the activities amongst the spirits in the cemetery. However, the fictional elements are also structured as if they were extracts from personal diaries. One has to admire the research that the author must have done to create this book, which he uses as a springboard to tell this story. I really think Lincoln in the Bardo will stay with me for quite some time. Thought provoking. Emotional. Unnerving. Maybe even a glimpse into what might come - not something many people will want to dwell on. I suspect that there are hints as to how Lincoln's thinking about the war was influenced by the experience of losing his son, but that may be a fanciful thought? This is not an easy book, but finding your way to the last page will, I believe, be a rewarding experience.

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompt 10: A book about death or grief

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 368 print pages.
Price I paid: £0, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD, ebook.

Norse Mythology - Excellent start to the year!

I am soooo pleased to have started the new reading year with a fab book. In Norse Mythology, author Neil Gaiman gives a tour de force rendition of the great tales of the north. He starts with the creation of the nine worlds and ends with the defeat of the gods at Ragnarok, which leads to the rebirth of a new time and new people. In between these two earth shattering events, we have a series of stories that follow the "life and times" of the Norse deities ... Odin, Thor, Loki and an endless array of others. There are giants, dwarves and some trolls thrown into the mix to keep things interesting. Many of the tales feature the cunning Loki who just cannot help but make mischief. He had many, MANY faults, but he is by far the most entertaining character in the book. Thor is on hand with his famous hammer to bash and batter anything and everything that gets in his way, and even things that aren't in his way, because, quite frankly, that seems to be what he takes most pleasure in. Odin may be wise in many ways, but seems particularly dumb when it comes to keeping Loki under control! In fact, for deities, all of them manage to get duped on a regular basis, and are made to look stupid more times than you would think possible. All of this makes for a funny book, although as the deities are a blood thirsty lot, it is also full of brutality. Action-packed and incredibly entertaining, I would have no hesitation to recommend this book to you - particularly the audio edition which is read by the author himself - fabulous!

This was POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompt Number 40: Your favourite prompt from the 2015, 2016 or 2017 POPSUGAR Challenge. I chose "A book that's published in 2017".

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 304 print pages.
Price I paid: £0.99 (and what a bargain!)
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Welcome to 2018

Happy New Year to one and all. Let's hope for a good one! After two years of trying to clear out my backlog of books that had been gathering dust on shelves and under beds, I felt the need for a new challenge. A couple of days ago, I happened upon The Popsugar Reading Challenge 2018, which contains 40 book prompts designed to broaden your reading. The prompts rang from "a book about feminism" to "a book with alliteration in the title". This list will definitely push me to read titles I wouldn’t usually seek out, which is great, so I have taken the plunge! And if some of the prompts can be filled by any of those tattered tomes still loitering in neglected corners of the house, then I am more than happy to kill two birds with one stone.

So, here we go ...