Child of the Mist - nothing to tax the mind too much

I have been a bit poorly for the last week or so, which has meant that my levels of concentration have been a bit on the low side. And so I found myself plumping for a historical romance that I hoped would be entertaining but which wouldn't require too much energy. I found Child of the Mist, by Kathleen Morgan, to be such a book! Anne is the eldest daughter of the Chief of the MacGregor Clan who have been involved in a bitter feud with the Campbell Clan for many years. Anne is a healer, and as such is in danger of being burned as a witch. She almost comes to grief one day, but is saved by a handsome Campbell and returned to her home. After yet another raid, and in an effort to end the feud and save his Clan, Anne's father comes up with a proposal to handfast his daughter to Niall, the son and named successor of the Campbell Chief. Of course, Naill turns out to be the self-same man who had previously saved her. Things do not go smoothly, as there is a traitor is in the midst of the Campbells, who is determined to take power for himself and keep the feud going. The budding relationship between Anne and Niall is beset with misunderstandings, prejudice and pride. Will they ever get together and will the traitor be discovered and dealt with ... I think we all know the answer to that one! I did, kind of, enjoy this book, which is light and packed with incident. It is incredibly predictable and the characters are ones that we have all seen before, and some of the dialogue is totally unbelievable, as well as wierdly trying to be Scottish ... verra, verra being a prime example. It is the first of a series of books, and I won't be seeking them out, unless maybe I am really ill again and just need something to take my mind off things without having to strain myself in anyway shape or form. There are better historical romances out there - anything by Jean Plaidy for instance - that I'd seek out before diving into the mist once again.

My STaR rating: TWO.

Length: 336 print pages.
Price I paid: free.
Formats available: print; ebook.

One Shot - Jack Reacher in fine fettle!

For some reason of late, I have become a bit of a slow reader. I never seem to find the time to have a really good run at a book ... there are always other things to do! Then, at night, snuggled up in bed, I reach for my latest tome, then only manage a couple of pages before I slump into dreamland. So, that explains the blogging gap between my last review and One Shot, by Lee Child. This is the ninth outing for ex-military policeman, Jack Reacher, and this is the book they based the Jack Reacher film on, which starred Tom Cruise. We open with an apparent random shooting which leaves five dead on the street. The sniper leaves behind such a wealth of evidence that he is quickly picked up and charged. He says almost nothing except "Get Jack Reacher for me." Of course, Reacher being Reacher, he is not an easy man to find. However, when he sees a news report about the shooting and recognises the name of the man accused, he heads to the scene and presents himself as a witness for the prosecution. He and the accused man have a past! And so begins an investigation which blows apart what was supposed to be a "slam dunk" of a case. It is not clear who can be trusted and Reacher has to fight against his desire to see this man finally brought to justice for his past crimes and his overriding search for the truth! As usual, the action goes along at breakneck speed leaving plenty of casualties in its wake. This is a book that hits you squarely between the eyes and leaves you a little dazed from start to finish ... but in a totally enjoyable way. It is brutal at times, but Reacher is a compelling character in which intelligence and street smarts are delicately balanced with his basic instinct for survival at almost any cost. It's always best to remember that he never gives up, and that if you cross him, you do so at your peril! There are plenty more Reacher books to dive into, and it won't be long before I don my swimming costume once again and take the plunge.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 496 print pages.
Price I paid: Free, borrowed from local library as an ebook.
Formats available: print; abridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Dr No - Bond vs Giant Squid!

Bond is back from the dead! At the end of his previous adventure, Bond had been poisoned and it looked like it was lights out for 007. Apparently, Ian Fleming had indeed planned to kill him off, but the world wanted more. And so, Bond made an almost miraculous recovery and is put back on duty in what M thinks should be an easy case of finding one of their missing employees in Jamaica. However, far from a nice holiday in the sun, Bond discovers that there is something very wrong going on. He ends up on a small island owned by the eponymous Dr No, which purports to be a highly profitable guano producer, but that, of course, is a front for something far more deadly. Bond is really put through the mill and ends up doing battle with a giant squid ... those suckers get everywhere! As is usually the case, the book is full of details ranging from the author's beloved Jamaican landscape to the types of guns and the food and drink consumed. Oh, and the love interest is a capable local girl (Honeychile) who inevitably falls under his spell, which I can only put down to his pheromones, which must be strong enough to fell elephants, because he seems almost devoid of charm in this outing. If you are a fan of James Bond, you will love this, but if you haven't read any of the previous books, I wouldn't start with this one, which I feel lacked a little something. Overall I would say this is a good holiday reading ... there's plenty going on but you don't have to tax your brain too much.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 336 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; audio CD; ebook.

Warriors of the Storm - bring on the shield wall

The deeply flawed Lord Uhtred of Bebbanberg is back in Warriors of the Storm, the 9th book in The Last Kingdom series. My favourite pagan warrior may be starting to feel his age as his body aches and he is definitely getting slower, but his cunning mind and burning ambition remain undiminished. The book opens with Uhtred still holding Mercia on behalf of his former lover, and daughter of King Alfred, Aethelflaed. However, a formidable opponent gets the jump on him in the form of Ragnall Ivarson, a fierce Northman who has joined forces with the Irish and is making a bid for the kingdom. Despite the threat, neither Aethelflaed, nor her brother Edward (ruler of Wessex) seem to want to take their forces north to confront him. Uhtred grows increasingly frustrated, and decides to take action when he hears that his daughter, who is married to Ragnall's brother, is in peril. And we all know by now that when Uhtred gets the bit between his teeth there is going to be a shield wall and plenty of blood ... This was the first of this series that I have read in audio format, and I was a little worried that the voices of the characters I already had in my head might not match the narrators interpretation of them, but my fears were unfounded. Excellent work by Matt Bates brought the story to life and in no way interfered with "my" characters .... which is just as it should be. This latest instalment is a superb addition to the series. Bernard Cornwell is a writer who deserves all the plaudits he receives. Great characters. Breakneck action sequences. Entertaining dialogue. Oh, and a bit of history too. Highly recommended to anyone who likes their heroes fierce, loyal, and a little bit bonkers too! It should come as no great surprise to anyone who has been reading this blog that Warriors of the Storm was a winner for me! Roll on the next adventure, which is titled The Flame Bearer and is due to be published in October 2016.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 368 print pages.
Price I paid: zero, borrowed from library via OneClickAudio.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; preloaded digital audio player; ebook.

Company of Liars - when the plague is not the biggest threat!

It is 1348 and panic hits the people of England when the first victims of the plague are reported to have arrived on its shores. In a bid to get ahead of the killer disease, our narrator, Camelot heads north. He is a seller of "relics" of the saints to those willing to part with ready cash to ward off evil with their power. As he travels, he unwillingly seems to pick up an unlikely group of companions who find themselves travelling together for mutual protection. There are Venetian musicians Rodrigo and Jofre, Cygnus, a one-armed storyteller, the painter Osmond and his wife Adela who is with child, Zophiel the conjuror, and the midwife Pleasance who is accompanied by the strange, white-haired child, Narigorm. The action moves along with great pace and there are many twists and turns that keep the reader both gripped and guessing. When the company's numbers start to dwindle, relentlessly pursued by a lone wolf, everyone starts to get a bit jumpy, and suspicions and accusations start to break the company apart. Will anyone make it out alive, and will anyone be able to keep their deepest, darkest secret to themselves? I really, really enjoyed this book, assisted by the fine narration of David Thorpe in the audio edition. Company of Liars is a book that you want to keep reading even though you really know you should get some sleep! The author, Karen Maitland, brings to life the desperation of the Middle Ages where life was short and often miserable, and populates it with fascinating and sympathetic characters. There is so much going on, but all of the characters and action is woven together with such exceptional skill that the epic nature of the story still feels very human and personal. Superb storytelling, and I will certainly be seeking out other work by this author.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 592 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.92.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Case Histories - why has it taken me so long to read this?

Case Histories features Jackson Brodie, ex army, ex policeman and ex husband, who is a private detective in Cambridge, England. It's been an unusually hot summer and lethargy has set in ... though that may have something to do with the infected root canal inhabiting his mouth! As if from nowhere, three cold cases fall into his lap - a missing child, an unsolved murder and the tracing of a long lost niece. Jackson tries to tackle all three inbetween trips to the dentist, time spent with his daughter, fights with his ex-wife and avoiding premature death at the hands of an unknown assassin. The central character created by author Kate Atkinson is multi-layered, and as we follow his work, we find out more and more about him and cannot help but start to care about what happens to him. There is such a lot going on both in the present and in the past with both the cases and his personal life that you have to keep on your toes and concentrate. It's a book that really benefits from having the tme to have a good run at, if you know what I mean. However, it is SO worth the effort. The different cases are woven together with great skill and a lightness of touch which makes the book ebb and flow with pleasing results. To say I enjoyed it is an understatement, and I feel ridiculously stupid for not venturing into Jackson Brodie's world much, much sooner.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 432 print pages
Price I paid: Free, borrowed as an ebook from the library.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; ebook.

The Long Funeral of Mr White - sweet novella

I spied this novella through BookBub, a service I subscribe to that sends you a daily email with offers on ebooks. The Long Funeral of Mr White was free but had got great reviews so I thought ... hey, a nice bit of holday reading for me at no cost ... bargain! And WHAT a bargain. This is the thoroughly enjoyable story of Mr White, who, upon reaching his 70th birthday feels the hand of the Grim Reaper resting on his shoulder. A wealthy man, he lives by himself in a grand old house. He has pretty much always had his own way and, as in life, he does not want to leave anything to chance in his death. Thus, he plans all the arrangements for his funeral, making a list of everything he requires in great detail. But what about his final words ... who will record them ... such a man as he should have his last ever words recorded for posterity! He advertises for someone to do that very job, which would involve following him around wherever he goes with a notebook. With too many applicants to choose from, he picks three people completely at random. And so we follow Mr White as he tries to find his perfect companion for the rest of his life. This is a touching and sweet tale with a lot of heart, taking the reader on a journey to discover what's really important in a man's life. I really enjoyed this book by an author new to me. I will definitely be looking out for more by author, Eugenio Prados. Well worth a read, with the added bonus that it won't take up too much of your time, but will nevertheless linger in the memory.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: very short.
Price I paid: Free.
Formats available: ebook only.