The Tenth Circle - not as hellish as it should have been!

It's quite a while since I read a Jodi Picoult story and, having enjoyed them in the past, I was looking forward to diving back in. Daniel is a comic book artist who seems to have it all - a job he loves, a beautiful wife who teaches Dante's Inferno at college, and a daughter, Trixie, who is the apple of his eye. But Daniel has a past, and it's not particularly pretty. Raised in Alaska, he was the only white kid in a native Eskimo village ,where to be different meant merciless teasing. He fought back, becoming to baddest kid around, until he finally escaped. Life was pretty wild until his girlfriend became pregnant and Daniel made a monumental effort to change his ways and become a responsible adult, taking on the role of devoted husband and father. Fast forward 15 years. One evening, Trixie is date raped. On top of this, Daniel discovers that his wife is having an affair. The rage that Daniel has so successfully suppressed comes boiling to the surface once again, and Trixie discovers a side to her father that she has never seen before. When her rapist turns up dead, suspicion falls on both father and daughter, especially when Trixie runs away. Daniel sets out to find her and calls on all his childhood experiences to bring her home. The Tenth Circle didn't quite flow for me in terms of story arc, plus the characters weren't totally believable, or indeed, sympathetic. Usually Jodi Picoult can tap effortlessly into my emotions, but for some reason, this book left me cold. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the inclusion of some of Daniel's comic book work felt, to me, intrusive and unnecessary. Not one of her finest, but it won't stop me reading more Jodi Picoult in the future.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from my Mum.
Formats available: print; audio CD; audio download; ebook.

A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs - Fascinating!

A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs, by Ellie Sans and Clare Chadburn is a fascinating podcast series for anyone who has a passing interest in dinosaurs. Much of what we know about these almost mythical beasts will have been gained from our childhood, but over the last 20 years, paleontologists have made amazing discoveries using cutting edge research that might just blow your mind! New types of dinosaurs have been discovered, from small cat-sized ones to enormous ones covered in feathers - yes, I said feathers! Filled with interviews from a range of experts, the narrative is woven together by Professor Ben Garrod, whose enthusiasm and wonder about this subject is truly infectious. As the series progresses, we learn more about how these creatures looked, lived and evolved, and we seem to be learning together. He even debunks some misconceptions ... if you thought Jurassic Park gave you the lo-down on the fearsome velociraptor, think again! And if you thought dinosaurs were long-gone, then, my friend, you are in for a big surprise ... you remember when I said some had feathers ... yes, those things tweeting outside your window - dinosaurs are still among us! I heartily recommend this to everyone, and the only reason it didn't get 5 stars was that I wanted more!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 2 hours 50 minutes.
Price I paid: FREE.
Formats available: audio download, audio CD, ebook.