The Night I Met Father Christmas - A Magical Christmassy Treat!

The Night I Met Father Christmas, by Ben Miller, is a great read for anyone wanting a sprinkling of Christmas magic. Jackson is a boy who knows all about Christmas ... the elves, the flying reindeer, the workshop in the North Pole ... but there's one thing that puzzles him ... how did Father Christmas BECOME Father Christmas? All that is about to change when, on one Christmas Eve, Jackson gets to meet Father Christmas who has, of course, come down his chimney and twisted his ankle. Jackson is keen to help and, in the process, quiz Santa about his origin story. And so we enter a fairy tale retelling of "A Christmas Carol" featuring Torvil, a mean-spirited elf, who is visited by three Christmassy spirits (yes, a snuffly reindeer is one of them!) who show him his past, present and future ... inspiring Torvill to change his ways and embody the spirit of Christmas. This is such a fun story, with plenty of heart and humour and great characters who, although magical, are totally believable. If you haven't read A Christmas Carol, it doesn't matter, this story completely stands on its own merits. It's aimed at a younger audience, but is still immensely readable for children of ANY AGE! Highly recommended to give you a lift during the long, dark nights of winter, especially if you get the chance to listen to the audio edition (which I did) narrated by Ben Miller himself. It's an absolute treat of a book, and one which I didn't want to end, which is always a good sign! It might well become a new Christmas tradition for me to read this every year! Ho ho ho!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 304 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Confession - The Trouble With Relationships ...

The Confession, by Jessie Burton starts in 1980 when Elise Morceau meets Constance Holden on Hampstead Heath. She falls under the spell of Connie, who is a successful writer and, when Connie's novel is picked up and destined to be turned into a Hollywood film, Elise accompanies her to LA for the duration. Initially dazzled by the surreal life in Hollywood, Elise is soon spending more and more time on her own and soon tires of playing second fiddle to everything and everyone, becoming increasingly unhappy and resentful. When she spots Connie canoodling with the leading lady from her film, Elise makes a rash decision that changes everything. In parallel to this story is one set 30 years later, where Rose, Elise's daughter, is also adrift in an unhappy relationship and unfulfilling job. She is pretty rudderless and has always wondered about her mother, who she'd never known. When her father mentions that maybe Constance Holden might know what happened to her mother, Rose sets out to find the author and, through a case of mistaken identity, actually goes to work for her as an assistant, using a pseudonym. The two get on very well and Rose really likes her life with Constance, and ends up living with her. But when Constance finds out who she really is, Rose thinks she might have blown her chance of unravelling the mystery of why her mother abandoned her. This was an interesting read, and I really enjoyed the relationship between Rose and the older Connie. However, I found it hard to warm to the Elise and Connie relationship which felt quite toxic. I also found it difficult to relate to either of them and wanted to give them both a "good shake" to get them to actually talk to each other ... but how often do we regret not doing so in our own lives? After all, we all make mistakes. I was also disappointed that everything wasn't wrapped up in a bow by the end of the novel, and I felt like we were left hanging. I suppose that's also true to life - we don't always find the answer to the question we are asking. An interesting study of relationships - both real and hoped for - that is well written and that will keep you turning the page.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 480 print pages.

Price I paid: £1.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Spy Who Loved Me - Interesting Change of Pace

The Spy Who Loved Me, by Ian Fleming is a very different kind of Bond book. The narrator is Vivienne Michel, a French Canadian woman who was raised in the UK and embarked upon two love affairs (one when she was very young and the other at her workplace) which both ended badly. To get away from things, she goes travelling and heads to the USA, where she embarks on a road trip on her Vespa. As her budget is very tight, she is persuaded to boost her funds by caretaking at the Dreamy Pines Motor Court motel for the night. Left all alone, two hoodlums appear and proceed to rough her up and threaten her with even nastier things - why, she doesn't know. But then, who should appear knocking on the door ... Mr James Bond, who has had a flat tyre and is seeking refuge for the night. He immediately picks up that something is afoot and goes into "protection" mode. Things come to a head in the middle of the night when the hoodlums attack Viv and set the motel on fire. Bond rescues her and, when she is safe, goes to sort the two thugs out. But Bond seems to be a little off his game and nearly comes a cropper, and it's only when Viv steps in that the tables are turned. We think all is okay and, of course, at that point, Viv and Bond end up in the shower together where ... well, you can imagine the rest. But just when you think all is sunshine and roses, there's a sting in the tail ... I think I enjoyed this book more than the previous Bond tomes as it isn't really a spy novel at all - the driver for the criminals is insurance fraud! Bond doesn't make an appearance until over halfway through the book and he really isn't on his A game. Viv is an interesting character and plucky too, but, of course, she does fall for Bond, which kind of annoyed me ... surely he's not THAT irresistible!!!! Anyhow, it's full of Fleming's usual detail - clothes, food, scenery ... which is always enjoyable. This is still very much a book of its time where the author's attitude to women is pretty clear and is one that would make most modern audiences wince. It kind of feels like a writing exercise where the author has tried to put himself in the shoes of a female character - and as such, it's not entirely successful, but there are some good moments. An interesting change of pace to the other Bond books and, one last thing, if you are expecting this to be "just like the movie" then look away now - it bears very little resemblance to it at all. The version I read was narrated by Rosamund Pike, who did an admirable job.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 128 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, print.

The Dictionary of Lost Words - Melancholic But Hopeful Too

The Dictionary of Lost Words, by Pip Williams is the tale of Esme, a child growing up without a mother but whose closeness to her father is very touching. She spends her childhood at her father's feet while he works on gathering words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Over time, she rescues "lost words" that are dropped or not being included and keeps them safe in a box. In her teens, and with the aid of a great array of extraordinary females including Lizzie, a servant who is a substitute mother, Ditte her aunt and Tilde, an actress, she realises that the majority of these words are "female" words and are often deemed vulgar. It becomes apparent that this huge and esteemed project of capturing the English language is being edited and skewed by the compilers - middle class, highly educated white men. So Esme seeks out the words that are in common use in the market or pubs and she adds them to her collection. Over the course of time, she has a child out of wedlock, who is adopted, which she never really gets over. However, love does come calling later on in life in the form of Gareth who works at the printers. He takes the words she has collected and creates The Dictionary of Lost Words, especially for her before he heads off to fight in the First World War. This is a book full of melancholy and loss - for words, for innocence and for lives cut down too soon. However, it is also full of hope and determination and the guiding principle that many things deserve to be remembered and celebrated. It is also a tribute to the brave, formidable and indeed the quiet women who were fighting for the right to vote in Great Britain at that time in their own way. A really enjoyable read on many levels and definitely one that I would recommend.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 412 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio, ebook.

Lethal White - In Safe Hands!

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith is the fourth book in the Cormorant Strike series. In this outing, it's 2012, London is gripped with Olympic fever and Strike is having to deal with a certain notoriety following the case he and Robin solved in the previous book. Then, Billy, a troubled young man asks for Strike's help to investigate a terrible crime he thinks he witnessed as a child - but before any real details can be gleaned, he bolts from the office. Not long after, Strike is contacted by a government minister who is receiving disturbing threats, and Robin Elliot - his former assistant and now partner in the business - goes undercover in Westminster. What appear to be two different cases seem to have a common link in the form of Billy's brother. But was there a crime all those years ago, or just the mixed up memories of a disturbed mind ... and what has that got to do with the minister? Strike and Robin are a great pairing, but their relationship is strained at the beginning of the book - with Robin now married to Matthew and Strike seeing someone. However, as the various cases in the book develop, so do their private lives and both end up in a different place to where we started. This is such a well written book, with twists and turns and characters full of vim and vinegar, whose dialogue is sharp and realistic. We also see class and privilege being explored and exposed for the unsavoury situations they create in society. The relationship between Strike and Robin is very well observed and the reader cannot help but root for them - both in their work and personal life. There is bravery in the face of pain and danger and the ending is immensely satisfying. Even though it is a long book, I almost didn't want it to finish and I'm really looking forward to finding out what happens next!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 784 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Proven Guilty - Never fear, Harry's here!

Proven Guilty, by Jim Butcher, is the 8th book in the Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden, the Chicago-based Wizard/Private Eye is once more called upon to save the day ... and possibly, the universe! Although Harry has few friends on the White Council of Wizards, due to the bloody and continuing war with the vampires thinning out their numbers, he is made a warden and is called upon to investigate rumours of black magic in the city. He comes across a Horror Film convention, and it is there that beings from the Never Never are utilising fear to enable them to cross into the human world and wreak mayhem. Mixed up in all of this is Molly, the daughter of his friend Michael, the wielder of one of the holy swords ... it turns out that she has magic and has used it on two people, with unintentional bad consequences - which makes her a target for prosecution and probable execution by the Council of Wizards. Can Harry save the city and Molly too? But to do so means crossing into the Faerie Kingdom of Mab, the Queen of the Winter Court who is decidedly unhinged. This book has so much going on, but it brings together many characters that we have become familiar with. There's Murphy, the cop who Harry regularly works with and with whom he has a flirtatiously deep connection that's always been there in the background but never quite come to fruition. In addition, there's his faithful dog, Mouse; Bob, his talking skull; and Thomas, his vampiric brother, who all pull together to keep Harry from killing himself. Surprisingly, previous bit part player, Charity, the mother of Molly, comes into this book much more. She and Harry really don't get on, but with Molly's life on the line, all enmity is put to one side. The characters may be familiar, but they are growing all the time with new information or sides we've not seen before. The black humour is very much to the fore, which cuts through the danger and scary creatures. It's a roller coaster ride of action and sarcasm, but there are also quiet and tender moments that give this book a huge hunk of heart. As always, the audiobook is excellently narrated by James Marsters - I can't think of Harry Dresden without his voice in my head now! If you like a bit of magic, monsters and detective work, this could be the series for you. But, I would recommend that you start from the first book, as you would lose out on the complexities of the relationships and situations Harry gets himself into ... there are a lot of threads that run through the series that pop up and are expanded upon with time. One of my favourite series and I'm already looking forward to the next thrilling instalment.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 496 print pages.

Price I paid: £7.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Romantic - a lifetime of missed chances

The Romantic, by William Boyd follows the extraordinary life of Cashell Greville Ross. Born in 1799, he spends his childhood in County Cork where he lives with his aunt ... who, it turns out, is actually his mother. Cashell moves to London with his family and life becomes a little more complicated when his "aunt" seems to have suddenly acquired a husband and gives birth to two sons. Cashell thinks these are his cousins, but he later finds out that they are his brothers. All very confusing for a young man, and, despite a promising academic career, he decides to get away from it all by joining the army. And what do you know, he ends up at the battle of Waterloo where he is injured and sent back home. This experience gives him a certain standing with folk, but he is restless and doesn't really know who he is or where he wants to be. His journeys take him to Italy, where he meets the love of his life who, of course, is married. He leaves her and continues his travels, bumping into Byron and Shelley. He writes about his exploits, which proves successful on the face of it, but is swindled out of his money by the publisher. He joins the East India Company, goes exploring in Africa and eventually he ends up in America. Here he kind of settles down on a farm, gets married and has children, but it doesn't stick ... he has never truly gotten over his first true love ... and he ends up alienating his wife's family who then ruin him, and he is forced to move back to Britain once more ... but, of course, he doesn't stay there and his adventures continue and a further chance of happiness beckons. Over his lifetime he is a soldier, a farmer, a writer and a lover - he definitely lived the life of more than one man! There is so much to like about this book, well written and full of snippets of historical details from around the world. Cashell is a likeable fellow, and people are drawn to him easily, particularly women... but I couldn't quite tell why, as he seemed a little cavalier with the feelings of most people that he met. He seemed to be all in at the start, but then somehow never quite saw anything through. I felt it was definitely told from the male gaze and I really wanted some of the female characters to have a bit more gumption! That said, it was an enjoyable read and it was fun to travel with Cashell for many a mile. There is humour, war, deception, revenge, regret and love ... and a bucket load of  history ... so a little something for everyone!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 464 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook. 

The Last Bear - Roarsome!

The Last Bear, by Hannah Gold is the story of one girl's fight to save a polar bear who has been stranded on an island due to climate change. April lives with her father, who is a scientist, and both are struggling to connect with each other following the death of April's mother. So, when her father announces that he is going to a remote island in the Arctic to perform research on climate change for 6 months, and that April is going with him, she sees this as a chance to have an adventure while spending quality time with her father. However, when they get there, he is so busy that April spends most of each day by herself. When she's not doing her schoolwork, she decides to explore the island and discovers an injured polar bear. She gains its trust (it's a wonder what peanut butter can do!) and helps to heal it. The two become inseparable and April feels such joy in the company of this wild creature, who teaches her how to roar. But the bear is the only bear on the island, and April comes to realise that he has been alone for many years because, due to global warming, the sea ice that the polar bears would need to reach the island, is not there anymore. April is determined to rescue the bear and puts her own life at risk in order to do so - brave, but not entirely sensible. This is a heartwarming story of friendship and kindness set against the backdrop of the biggest crisis in our world today. Yes it's warm and fuzzy, BUT, it also a battle cry to humanity to get off its bottom and take action to help save our planet and all the vulnerable creatures who inhabit it. April is a feisty main character and Bear is a superb counterfoil - they make a great team. Yes, this is a children's book, and won the Blue Peter Book Awards in 2022, but it is a really good read for adults too. We might not all be in a position do what April did (and, quite frankly, nor should we be!), but we do need to act in whatever way we can to combat the very real and present danger of climate change.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 288 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook. 

A Question of Blood - Rebus is in trouble again!

A Question of Blood, by Ian Rankin (Sir Ian Rankin, no less) is book 14 of the Inspector Rebus series and opens with a shooting incident in a private school north of Edinburgh. Two students are killed, a third (the son of an MP) is injured and the apparent gunman takes his own life. The gunman is Lee Herdman, a former soldier who everyone assumes has been haunted by his past so much that it has resulted in this extreme act of violence. Solving this case is the main feature, but, as always, the story is set against the complicated backdrop that is Inspector John Rebus himself. He's drinking too much, he spends too much time alone and he's just come out of hospital with both hands in bandages within 24 hours of a house fire which killed a local criminal who had been harassing Rebus's colleague Siobhan. So, his bosses are not best pleased with him and, yet again, he is suspended pending investigation. However, this doesn't prevent him from being roped in as a consultant on the school shooting case due to his military background. Something is niggling Rebus about Herdman - not least of which is why are two army investigators on the scene? And things get personal when Rebus realises that one of the victims is a relative. Now he's on a mission and he doesn't care who he offends or upsets as he strives to get to the bottom of things. As always, Ian Rankin gives the reader a lot of storylines - both big and small - that somehow all manage to come together. I like that Siobhan is getting more and more centre stage in these books, as she is a great foil for Rebus, and is a bit of a badass in her own right. I definitely think it helped that I had been reading this series in order, as there points where, without previous knowledge of the characters, things might not have made as much sense. Always enjoyable, although I'm not sure this one quite hit the heights of some of the others. Nevertheless, spending time with this curmudgeonly and deeply flawed policeman is a splendid way to while away the hours.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 480 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Lily: A Tale of Revenge - Brace yourselves.

Lily: A Tale of Revenge, by Rose Tremain is set in Victorian England and follows the life of Lily, a young woman haunted by her upbringing. Abandoned as a baby on a freezing cold night, she is rescued by a young policeman (Sam Trench) and taken to a Foundling Hospital. She is fostered out to a lovely family in the countryside, but after 6 years, she has to be returned to the Hospital (those are the rules) and she is heartbroken. The treatment of the children in the hospital is brutal, particularly from one of the nurses, and Lily and her best friend decide to try and escape. They almost make it, but are returned and things go from bad to worse. Finally, after years of maltreatment and devoid of any love, Lily is old enough to leave and find work with a wigmaker called Belle Prettywood, who becomes her friend. But when her urge to find her birth mother to find out why she was abandoned begins to overwhelm her, something snaps, and she sets out to take revenge upon one of the people who tormented her the most - the nurse. She happens to reconnect with Sam Trench, and she starts to feel that he may save her again, but the jeopardy is that when he finds out what she's done, she will end up at the end of a noose. Will Lily find freedom and will she ever be happy...? This is a book full of darkness, totally wrapped up in the grim atmosphere of unloving institutions whose treatment of the most vulnerable is shocking. Although heartbreaking in places, the author brings all the characters to life, and we especially root for Lily despite what she has done. There may not be many laughs, but there are the occasional bright spots where hope and love do shine through ... although on a personal note, not quite enough for me! Rose Tremain is a great storyteller, and her books are always worth trying, though, with its almost relentless despair, maybe this isn't the one for you if you are not quite feeling at your most robust! 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 279 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet - for the Bridgerton Generation?

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet is by Colleen McCullough, and takes the much loved characters brought to life by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, and places them in a new story set 20 years after its conclusion. So, what's happened to all those Bennet sisters? Well, Jane is happily married with a large family; Lizzy and Mr Darcy are a power couple, but the spark has gone out of their marriage; Lydia still has a terrible reputation; Kitty is a popular addition to the London social scene; and Mary ... well, Mary has been quietly taking care of their ailing mother, while voraciously reading anything she can get her hands on. When Mrs Bennet dies, Mary revels in her new-found freedom and, lead by all the knowledge she has gained, intends to write a book about the plight of the poor. She decides that she will visit and interview a whole host of poverty stricken people to help her achieve this. However, Mr Darcy does not approve - fearing she will embarrass his political ambitions. Added to this, Lydia's husband dies and in her addled, grief-stricken state, she blames Darcy and is prepared to bad mouth him to the whole world.   Darcy won't stand for either of these Bennet sisters from ruining his chance of becoming Prime Minister, so tries to bring both women "back in line" with the help of his most trusted, yet sinister friend. So far, so kind of Austen. However, from this point on, things get strange ... on her way to find people to interview, Mary is robbed, kind of rescued, but then abducted by a deranged "holy" man and held prisoner. There's also a string of murders, drugs and dark dealings that are relayed in graphic detail. Oh, and there is also a rumbling romance brewing between Mary and a journalist. All very strange, and while it makes you sit up and take notice, it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. If you love the style of Jane Austen, then this may not be the book for you. Much steamier, as well as including some bizarre bits of plot that felt incredibly unbelievable. Maybe I should have anticipated this from the author, who is best known for her controversial book, The Thorn Birds. However, as a bit of fun and fluff, and for those who are partial to a bit of Bridgerton, it's good to go ... Maybe!

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 467 print pages.

Price I paid: £0.50 (from a charity shop)

Formats available: print, unabridged audio CD, ebook. 

 

Mr Mercedes - great story telling!

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King is a disturbing crime novel told by an absolute master. The book opens with a group of people gathering in the early hours of one morning to try and secure a job. But just when we start to get to know a few of them ... WHAM ... a car ploughs into the crowd, killing eight people before driving off. The vehicle was found abandoned close by, but the perpetrator was never caught and was forever known as "Mr Mercedes" because of the vehicle he had been driving. The action moves forward in time to focus on Bill Hodges, the now retired cop who is tormented by this case, which he had failed to solve. He receives a letter from someone claiming to be the elusive Mr Mercedes and this triggers his investigative nature once again and sets him on a collision course with the incredibly chilling Brady Hartsfield, who wasn't lying when he sent that letter to Hodges and is preparing to kill again. Thus begins a bit of a cat and mouse chase as the two dance around each other - sometimes closer, sometimes further apart. Hartsfield is a deeply disturbed individual whose camouflage amongst society is his banality, but who is hiding a dreadful homelife with his mother. At times you may feel a little sympathy for him, but never for long. Hodges has his own issues, but now he's got the bit between his teeth, nothing is going to stop him finding justice for Mr Mercedes' victims. This is a real page turner, with fantastic characters and plenty of twists and turns and a climax which is exceptionally cinematic - a classic race against time to prevent massive loss of life. At times shocking ... Mr King doesn't hold back from killing off characters that you have grown to love ... but always thrilling, I only took a mark off because I didn't quite feel that the intimate details of Hartsfield's twisted relationship with his mother was necessary. Apart from that, masterful story telling. After I'd read this, I discovered that it is the first of a trilogy featuring Bill Hodges, so I may well have to plunge back into this world again at some point!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 432 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook. 

Odd and the Frost Giants - a new Norse myth!

Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman is the story of Odd, a 12 year old boy whose father was killed on a Viking expedition, and whose foot was crushed by a falling tree. After his mother remarries, he feels more and more like an outsider, so Odd decides to go into the woods to live in his fathers cabin - even though it's still winter ... a winter that shows no sign of ending. On the way there, he rescues a distressed bear, and the two are then joined by a fox. When these two animals start speaking, and meet up with an eagle with the same power, Odd feels like his luck is changing. It turns out that the three creatures are Norse gods (Thor, Loki and Odin) who have been trapped in animal form by the Frost Giant who is determined to make winter last for ever. Odd now has the chance to become a most unlikely hero and help restore the gods to their rightful place and save the world from endless cold. What a delight this book is - it is short, but it's a great read, taking you into another world and showing it through the eyes of a young boy who can hold his own against the gods! Fabulous characterisation and spiky dialogue (as you would expect from Gaiman), that definitely takes you into another world. It's very short, and if you chose to read the audio edition narrated by the author, you may find yourself entering an almost a dreamlike state. I would have preferred a few more twists and turns, but for anyone looking for a quick read full of feeling, then this could be the book for you.

My STAR rating: FOUR

Length: 144 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, unabridged audio CD.

The Marriage Portrait - an imagined life

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is inspired by a young woman from the 16th Century - Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici, who died shortly after her marriage to Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara, aged just sixteen. We know this from the beginning so there really aren't many spoilers here. But we do see how Lucrezia gets to this point. We follow her childhood, where she was much more interested in her father's menagerie and spent more time with the servants in the kitchen than becoming a "lady" like her sisters. Lucrezia hadn't even thought about marriage, but then her elder sister, who had been promised to Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara, suddenly died. Alfonso, keen that the link between these two powerful families would still happen, offers to take on Lucrezia instead, and she is prepared for the wedding. She enters into the marriage with some romantic notions, after all, Alfonso was very handsome, but as nobody really explained to her the full ramifications of what being a wife would really mean, her wedding night was a bit of a painful shock. This is no love match. Although Alfonso barely speaks to her, he visits her every night, desperate for her to produce an heir, which is all he really wants. So when one doesn't appear, his behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and when Alfonso takes her to a remote country villa, far away from her family, she begins to suspect that he is planning to kill her, so that he would be free to marry again... This is a very well written story full of character, action and emotion in a period setting. However, it is not always an easy read, as it vividly details the treatment of women at this time (1561), who are commodities to be bartered and discarded at the whim of men. I found the total lack of empathy for females appalling. Indeed, few of the male characters come out of this book with much to merit them. Lucrezia is full of vim and vigour and the reader totally roots for her to somehow escape what appears to be her destiny. There is a portrait of this young woman which has been the inspiration for stories and poems, and now this book. What really happened to Lucrezia may never be known, but it doesn't stop us wondering!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 448 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

The Secret - Reacher back on form!

The Secret by Lee Child and Andrew Child (the father and son team!). This is number 28 in the series featuring Jack Reacher, but is set a few years before the very first Reacher book, so we get to see a bit of his back story during the time he was still in the military police. The scene is set in Chicago where a hospital patient is shown a list of names by two strangers and is asked an impossible question. He can't and minutes later, he "falls" to his death out of the window. Surprisingly, this death raises a flag with the Secretary of Defence, who calls together a task force from a range of agencies, and Reacher is the Army's representative. Not known for his fondness for office politics, Reacher sets out to investigate, having to work with people he doesn't know if he can trust, and uncovers a secret that goes back 23 years. I read this book in three days - it romps along at a mighty fast pace and is a great holiday read, or for times when you don't want to be thinking too hard. It takes you out of yourself and into Reacher's world of 1992, when he is still a military cop. It is gripping and has all the elements you would expect from a Reacher book, but with a few little twists. Of course there is violence, but not a ridiculous amount. It is what it is. If you like a gripping thriller, with an edgy hero that is great to read on the page but who you really wouldn't want to meet in real life, then this could be the book for you. I don't think you need to have read another Reacher prior to this one to enjoy it and get a feel for the rest of the books in the series. I had been finding some a little on the violent side, but this strikes a better balance. I hope the father and son combo can continue in this same vein.

My STAR rating: FOUR

Length: 396 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my brother-in-law.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Unruly - for those who their history on the sweary side!

Unruly by David Mitchell takes a plunge into the world of the English monarchs from the time where England first became "England" after the Romans left, right up to Queen Elizabeth I. It's an irreverent look at the ups and downs of ruling (mostly downs!) and of being ruled by a person who is either a thug, or thinks they have a god given right to rule, or indeed, both. As a comedian who studied history at Cambridge University, the author obviously has a soft spot for his subject, but holds no punches when describing what they get up to. These lucky individuals attained great power - usually through the happy chance of who their parents were, but sometimes by force. But no matter how they came to the throne, they are portrayed as a bunch of narcissists, with little if any self-control who lived fast and usually died very young. There are many beheadings, wars and general shenanigans. I'm not sure any of them come out with much glory and it certainly is NOT a ringing endorsement of the monarchy as an institution. Told at break neck speed, it's often tricky to keep track of who is who (particularly in the audio edition which I read), so I'm not sure I actually learned a great deal. However, it is fairly entertaining though immensely sweary ... a lot more than I was expecting ... which got in the way for me and became very wearing after a while. I would have loved more facts or indeed, time spent on individual monarchs rather than the dismissive snipes that some of them came and went with incredibly rapidly. But I suppose we all have our favourites! A slight disappointment, but fun in places.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 448 print pages.

Price I paid: £7.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Sea Glass - fine story telling

Sea Glass by Anita Shreve is the story of Honora Beecher and her husband, Sexton, who, in 1929, have just got married and moved themselves into a derelict cottage on the coast of New Hampshire. Honora tries to make the house a bit more liveable and collects sea glass along the shoreline - a hobby that fills her heart with joy. Sexton is a typewriter salesman who has grand ideas about his future, and risks all their money on a massive loan to buy the house they are currently renting. Unfortunately, the stock market crashes and they become penniless - and nobody wants to buy a typewriter! Sexton finds work at a local mill, and is away all week, leaving Honora spending more time by herself or with a new friend who lives along the coast. Their marriage becomes shaky as Sexton becomes more emotionally distant and they both become embroiled in a labour conflict that erupts into violence. This is a great holiday read, with characters that you care about, a bit of romance, politics and civil unrest. It's all there, but written with such a lightness of touch that it's hard to put down and you suddenly find yourself on the last page. Anita Shreve was a great writer of the ups and downs of relationships, and the emotional depth shown within the characters is clear to see, and indeed feel, in most cases. My one gripe was that I found it hard to like Sexton and wondered why Honora was with him in the first place. But that could be just me! An enjoyable book nonetheless.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 356 print pages.

Price: free, borrowed from my Mum.

Formats available: print, audio CD, ebook.

A Game of Thrones - At Last!

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin is the first volume of an epic fantasy series titles A Song of Ice and Fire, the TV adaptation of which took the world by storm. I have had this on my "to read" pile for years and I now I've finally got round to it! Yes, it's a hefty tome, but it is not a hard read. Each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the characters, each of whom are well drawn, which helps the reader to get to know their motivations and quirks very quickly. Eddard Stark, Lord of the North in the land of the Seven Kingdoms is happy to be left doing this own thing, but when King Robert Baratheon (an old friend whom Eddard had helped unseat Aegon Targaryen from the throne) comes North and asks him to be his "Hand" (i.e. right hand man) following the untimely death of the previous incumbent, Eddard can't say no. He takes his two daughters, Sansa (a total romantic) and Arya (a complete tomboy) with him. Sansa is promised to the King's son, Joffrey, and can't wait to get married. Arya is more interested in learning how to fight with a sword. Eddard tries to support Robert, and becomes increasingly suspicious of the Queen (Cersei) and her brother (Jaime) who he fears are secret lovers and that none of Robert's supposed heirs are in fact Robert's children. But Eddard is just one man, and the underhand politics and plotting soon take over events and he is accused of treason after the death of the King. This brings the Stark family into conflict with Queen Cersei and her son, Joffrey, of the powerful House Lannister and war looks set to break out. While all this is going on, in a far off land, the last of the Targaryens (of dragon fame) are trying to muster an army to reclaim the throne, and when her brother is killed, this falls to Daenerys, a young woman whose marriage was used as a bargaining chip, but who now looks to lead this army. There's so much going on, with many threads and a multitude of characters - it probably helped that I had seen the TV series, but it's not necessary. The book definitely adds layers and complexities that the series couldn't. This is a story that's not for the squeamish - no-one is safe, and the treatment of women particularly feels shocking in this day and age. It is definitely medieval in feeling, where power is everything and life is short. A great read and one that transports you to another land. Everyone will have their favourite characters, but Tyrion and Arya are mine so far. Am trying really hard not to dive into the next book straight away!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length:836 print pages.

Price I paid: £1.50 from a charity shop.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Mystery Man - Darkly entertaining!

Mystery Man, by Colin Bateman, is the story of the owner of No Alibis, a Belfast bookshop that specialises in crime fiction. Written in the first person, we discover that he is a total hypochondriac and pretty much scared of everything. He's also totally obsessed with Alison, the woman who works in the jewellery shop across the road. Next door to his shop is a detective agency which seems to have gone bust, and its clients begin to come into the bookshop, assuming our Mystery Man (you never get to know his name) can pick up where the detective left off and solve their case. He has read enough books to assume he'd be able to pull an investigation off, as long as the cases don't involve any danger. So, he takes one on - the case of a missing wife who, he assumes, has just run off with a new lover. But, in an effort to impress Alison, he goes along with her idea to break in next door to get a glimpse of the real detectives files, only to find his dead body mouldering away under a pile of car fresheners. This catapults them into the midst of a deadly plot by a serial killer to eliminate anyone who may know a long hidden secret dating back to Nazi concentration camps ... and they soon realise that they are now on the list! This is very entertaining caper with many light moments, despite the bodies! Our "hero" gives a running dialogue of all the action as well as his innermost thoughts, and while it might seem impossible (both to him and the reader) that anyone could fall for him ... Alison steps up to the mark with her bravery, good sense and can do attitude. They make a good, if unusual team and the dialogue sparkles between them. A murder mystery with a difference, and one that keeps you guessing for the vast majority of the book. The writer is obviously a fan of crime fiction and drops in details for the aficionado ... but it won't really matter if they pass you by, they do not interfere with the action which bowls along a a good pace. I used the audio edition which was narrated by Stephen Armstrong, which was really easy to listen to. A very entertaining read all round, particularly for those who like their humour on the dark side!

My STAR rating: FOUR

Length: 416 print pages.

Price I paid: £4.00.

Formats available: print, unabridged audiobook, ebook.

The Revenge of Seven - A bit disappointing!

The Revenge of Seven, by Pittacus Lore is book 5 of the Lorien Legacies. I started this series a good few years ago, and decided to dip back into it as I needed something light and easy to digest for a wee while. And this is definitely a book that will not tax the old brain cells too much. The story of the Loric Garde (youngsters from the planet Lorien who have been brought to Earth to escape the destruction of their planet by the Mogadorians) picks up pretty much where the last one ended - Eight is dead (killed by Five), Ella has been captured, and the rest of the Garde are on the run. Ella discovers that she is on a Mogadorian spaceship in the clutches of their leader, Setrakus Ra, who tells her that he is her grandfather! His genetic modifications have created the creature she sees before her and he wants to mould her to become like him, and rule the Earth together. Ella wants nothing more than to escape ... and if she can kill Setrakus Ra, and the traitor Five (who is also on the ship), in the process even better. Meanwhile, Four (John Smith) is trying to reunite the remaining Garde, so he sets out for Florida to find Six, Nine and Marina, but is sidetracked into going to New York to try and foil an apparent plot by high ranking humans to invite the Mogadorians to Earth, which will then result in an invasion. But nothing is quite what it seems and it is already too late - they are already here ... and a big battle takes place. While all of this is happening, Six, Marina and Nine head to Calakmul, where they discover that "Lorien" is not a planet, but an entity, and it has started to spread across the Earth ... will it be in time to save humanity? Tune in next time ...! Whilst there is a lot going on, the plot seemed to drag and felt little repetitive at times. I remember being much more invested in the characters in the previous books ... maybe I've left it too long between readings! Or maybe I've grown out of them. Now I am debating whether to continue with the series and invest any more time into it ... even though I have already invested so much. I do want to find out what happens to the characters but, for once, I found some of the narration in the audio edition off-putting and unsubtle in places - one of the narrators was very shouty and one-dimensional! Not the best read of the year so far, by a long way.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 320 print pgages.

Price I paid: £7.99

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Once Upon A River - unsettling, yet compelling!

Once Upon A River, by Diane Setterfield felt almost like a fable or some ancient story that has been passed down the generations by word of mouth. This is not surprising, as the scene is set in The Swan, a public house on the Thames, where the locals delight in telling stories to each other. But one midwinter's night, the door bursts open and reveals an injured man holding the corpse of a drowned child. Rita, a local healer, steps in and tends to the injured man and takes the child into another room and stays with her - but then, to everyone's surprise, the child begins to breathe and opens her eyes! She does not speak and is not injured in any way, but nobody knows who the child belongs to. Word spreads about the child, which results in several families making claim to her - announcing her to be the daughter they had previously thought lost or stolen. Even though there is something otherworldly about the child, everyone is drawn to her - including Rita, and the injured man - Henry Daunt - who is a photographer, and saved the child from the river. Time goes by and the child settles in with a young couple who believed she was their child, but that is not the end of it and the claims and counterclaims continue - with greed, grief and opportunity to make money all  playing their part. But what is the real story and where will it lead? This story ebbs and flows, just like the river, around which the story revolves. Full of emotion, fascinating characters and a touch of the supernatural, it takes you on a journey which shows both the best and worst of humanity. Thoroughly enjoyable, though it would have been nice to have a few more lighter moments as there were passages of relentless dourness where the hope of a happy resolution seemed a million miles away. Gripping, despite the lack of "action", I can definitely recommend this book, particularly the audio edition narrated by the incomparable Juliet Stevenson. 

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 544 print pages.

Price I paid: £3.99.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Project Hail Mary - Out of This World!

Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir is a tour-de-force piece of writing ... in my humble opinion! The book opens with Ryland Grace walking up and not really knowing where he is. He assesses his surroundings and soon comes to the realisation that he is in a space craft, travelling through a galaxy he doesn't recognise and that his fellow crew mates are both dead. He knows he has been asleep a long time, the kind of induced deep sleep that can play havoc with your memory. But as he comes to terms with what supplies he has, how to work the equipment, etc, pieces of his former life start to emerge ... and it is exceedingly worrying. It turns out that he has gone from being a science teacher to being sent on mission to save Earth from an extra terrestrial threat. His personal journey, both before and, now, during the mission is funny, intense and scary in equal measures. And when he discovers that he is not actually alone after all, it sets up an amazing first contact story into the bargain! Full of action, heart, and lots of zingers, this is such a thrilling read where the device of his fuzzy memory enables us, the reader,  to discover things at the same time as the main character - both the good, the bad and indeed, the ugly at times. Packed with science too, but explained in such an accessible way, it's a book for anyone - space nerd, thrill seeker or fans of unexpected friendships. Although set in space, it's a very human story too. Can you tell I enjoyed it? I read the audio edition, narrated by Ray Porter, which was fabulous, particularly the communication between Ryland and his unusual ally. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 496 prints pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Dog Stories - Something for Everyone!

Dog Stories, edited by Diana Secker Tesdell is a collection of twenty short stories featuring our four legged friend, the dog. From well known authors like Mark Twain and Anton Chekhov to those who may not be so familiar (or at least not for me!) such as Brad Watson and Rick Bass. It's a real mixed bag of tales (or tails if you prefer), some serious, some funny and some a little dark and spooky. My personal favourites were "The Mixer", by P.G. Woodhouse, "Ava's Apartment", by Jonathan Lethem and "The Oracle of the Dog", by G.K. Chesterton. Although I didn't fully embrace each and every story, this didn't present me with a problem because, being a book of short stories, I knew another one was coming along soon. This gave me multiple opportunities for that hopeful feeling of eager anticipation that happens when you start reading something new. The book is one of the Everyman's Pocket Classics, and it's a beautiful hardback that feels great to hold, with an adorable cover of an incredibly soulful-looking terrier - those eyes just suck you right in! If you are a dog fan, then this is a must. But even if you are not, each story explores the human condition just as much as the canine one, and it's also a great introduction to the writing styles of all the authors included. Well worth the effort.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 378 print pages.

Price I paid: free - this was a present.

Formats available: print only.

False Value - Huzzah!

False Value by Ben Aaronovitch is book 8 in the Rivers of London series and it was an absolute pleasure to be back in the world of the magical underbelly of London, where those crimes and criminals who utilise the dark arts to get ahead are dealt with by a very special unit of the Metropolitan Police. Peter Grant, a PC who became the Met's first trainee wizard in 50 years is about to become a father with his partner, Bev, a river goddess, and is worrying over what this will mean for them as a couple and the new baby. He is sent undercover as a security guard in a tech company - the Serious Cybernetics Corporation - trying to ascertain whether there is link to some dangerous magic/tech incidents that have been taking place. The plot takes us all the way back to Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, and thrusts us forward to sentient AI ... and who knows where all that will end? I love the character of Peter Grant and his often world weary outlook, which is fantastically brought to life by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith in the audiobook edition which I always use for this series. There is always humour amidst the detecting and criminal behaviour parts, which means that things can be kept a little lighter than your standard straight thriller - though that's not to say that there aren't dark elements too! I'm not sure this one made me chuckle as much as some of the others have, but that may be because I missed out on some of the "in-jokes" referencing Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams - while I do love that tome, I don't know it well enough to catch such things. However, that didn't detract from my enjoyment and I will certainly be diving into the water of this series again before too long!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 432 print pages.

Price I paid: £5.56.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Various Pets Alive & Dead - Am I Missing Something?

Various Pets Alive & Dead, by Marina Lewycka is the story of a most unusual family. Doro and Marcus (the parents) lived in a commune for 20 years and thought they would change the world with free love and lentils. But that didn't happen. Their children, Serge and Clara rebelled against this - one by being obsessed with making a boatload of money and the other by being ferociously hygienic. Also into this mix is Ollie-Anna, adopted as a baby in the commune, who has Down's Syndrome, and is desperately seeking more independence, mainly, it feels, in order to have sex. To say this family is dysfunctional is an understatement. There isn't really much of a plot, but lots of sequences focusing on the different characters both in the present and in flashback. All of them have struggles and get themselves into a variety of increasingly unlikely situations. The writing is engaging, and I kind of enjoyed reading this at the time, but on reflection, it isn't a book whose characters have stayed with me in any shape or form. I saw loads of reviews from people saying how funny this book is, but I didn't really find it so ... am I missing something ... have I had a humour bypass? I actually found it sad - maybe that says more about me than about the book! Yes, it's quirky, but I found it hard to relate to almost all of the characters and found many of them irritating and a little foolish - maybe that's where the humour can be found, but it just didn't tickle my particular funny bone.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 384 print pages.

Price I paid: free, borrowed from my husband.

Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, audio CD, ebook. 

Thunderball - back on form!

Thunderball, by Ian Fleming is first of the James Bond books to feature SPECTRE, an international terrorist organisation led by the creepily charismatic Ernst Stravo Blofeld. He has masterminded a plot to steal two nuclear weapons and then demand an enormous sum of money for their return, or, they will be detonated in highly populated areas. Operation Thunderball is launched to stop Blofeld in his tracks. And poor James has to head off to the Bahamas to do so! Here he meets Domino, the female lead, who is the kept women of Emile Largo, Blofeld's number two, who is using the cover of a treasure hunting business on his boat to deal with the the bombs. Inevitably, Domino becomes smitten with 007 - particularly after he sucks sea anemone spines out of  her foot ... well, of course, who wouldn't be ... and James sets her on a path to help him, putting her in mortal danger! In collaboration with Felix Leiter of the CIA, Bond sets out to intercept the SPECTRE operatives ... ending up with an exciting underwater battle! I have to say that I am increasingly finding it hard to ignore the way women and others are spoken about and treated in these books - Bond (and indeed Ian Fleming) do not cover themselves in glory on this point. But, I suspect that these are a product of their time and need to be read with that in  mind. However, I did enjoy it more than the previous Bond, as the plot is well executed,  the action is exciting, the baddies are BAD and you can rest assured that all will be well by the end of the book ... well, maybe not for all the characters, but for Bond and the world in general! 

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 384 print pages.

Price I paid: £2.98.

Formats available: print, unabridged audiobook, ebook. 

Hello 2024!

It's 2024 already ... but you probably know that by now! Happy New Year to you all. 

But what, I hear you cry, has this new reading year got in store for me? Well, after a few attempts of trying to get through piles of books that I think I should probably read and barely making a dent in them, I've made a radical decision: Yes folks, it's time to just READ WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO READ! Life can be short, and I don't want to waste a second of it on books that make me go meh! For instance, the Game of Thrones series is one I haven't yet started, though has been sitting waiting for years. It's time!

And what about those copious tomes still cluttering up the house from previous challenges ... well, I'm going to go through them all and decide whether to keep or to donate to a charity shop. If I pick up a book and put it straight down thinking ... I wonder what else is there, then it's probably a sign that it's a book I can live without. 

So, I'm going to hurry up and finish the books I'm currently reading and then it's onto the new reading me! 

(Source: Confessions of a book geek)