A Christmas Carol - familiar fare

A Christmas Carol is probably one of the best known works of Charles Dickens ... who among us hasn't seen a TV or film adaptation (obviously, The Muppet Christmas Carol being the best of the bunch)? But how many of us have actually read the original book? It's a short work, and is often included within other Christmas stories in print. Here we have the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly money-grabbing tyrant who thinks Christmas is humbug and doesn't understand why anybody would want to do anything on Christmas Day except work. With no friends to call on, he is a lonely, bitter man. One Christmas Eve, he is visited by three spirits who show him his past, his present and his future. In the past, we see the sad, slow demise of the good cheer and humanity that once rested within the young Ebenezer. In the present, he is taken to visit the home of his much put upon employee, Bob Cratchett. He is astounded at how happy this family is, who have almost nothing but each other. In the future ... suffice to say, it isn't exactly pretty! Will Ebenezer be inspired to change his ways and find a better future for himself? Well ... it is a Christmas story so I think we all know the answer to that. I did enjoy reading A Christmas Carol, the audio edition of which I can recommend as good fodder for a journey! Yes, it's predictable, but there are, as usual with Mr Dickens, some great passages of descriptive prose. However, it is very light weight and probably because I knew the story so well, it didn't grip me. It is still worth reading, for there is heart and warmth and humour to this tale of redemptive possibilities which reminds us that it's never to late to change your ways!

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 90 print pages.
Price I paid: FREE.
Formats available: print, unabridged audio download, ebook.

Burial Rites - grippingly dark tale

Set in Iceland in 1829, Burial Rites, by Hannah Kent, is the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, a woman convicted (alongside two others) of the murder of two men. While awaiting execution, she is sent to live out the remainder of her days on an isolated farm. The family who live on the farm are less than happy with this arrangement, and are convinced that they will all be murdered in their beds. During her stay, she is ministered to by a young assistant priest, Thorvardur Jonsson, who, on repeated visits, tries to get her to talk about herself and to come to terms with what is about to happen. The tragedy that has been her life story slowly unfolds, and those around her start to see Agnes as a young and vulnerable woman, rather than a dangerous criminal. The writing is haunting at times, and the underlying threat of Agnes' fate that is drawing closer to day by day can be felt like the constant vibrations of distant drumbeat, even in the lighter moments. The book is emotionally engaging and you cannot help but root for the central character and hope that there will be a last minute reprieve for her. The relationship which develops between Agnes and Margret, the mother of the family she is placed with, moves from suspicious disgust to open tenderness. All the characters are well drawn and the pacing is superb. Even more poignant is that the book is based on real events. I read the audio edition which was fabulously narrated by Morven Christie. I can heartily recommend this book, but be warned, it is bleak, it is dark and will stay with you for some time.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

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

The Lies of Locke Lamora - could have been so much more!

In the dark and dangerous city of Camorr, Locke Lamora is a young orphan being trained in the art of thievery. A quick study, he soon outshines all around him and after a few years ends up as the head of the Gentleman Bastards, a supremely accomplished gang of con artists who start to build a legendary reputation. Like all the other thieves in Camorr, they must pay their dues to Capa Barsavi, the criminal mastermind who runs the city. During a particularly lucrative con, Locke's world is turned upside down by the appearance of The Grey King and his Bonds Mage sidekick, an almost mythical duo who are intent on bringing Capa Barsavi down with magic and violence. When Locke himself is out-conned, it seems that there is no escape for him or his gang of cohorts. The Lies of Locke Lamora is a book that has great characters and a great premise. The description of the life and times of Camera are truly visceral. However, it is not a book for those of a delicate constitution. Not only is there is an amazing amount of violence, which lingers in the mind, but the explicit (and far from original) language used throughout was real turn off for me. I felt that the author, Scott Lynch used the f-word so much that it actually got in the way of the story. This is a shame as there are parts of the book that I really enjoyed and, at it's core, it's a real romp that carries you along to a satisfactory end, but still leaves the door open for the next book in the series. However, I'm not sure I loved it enough to see past the language to spend more time in Locke's world.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 544 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Body Surfing - an understated emotional journey

Twenty-nine year old Sydney has not been lucky in love. Her first marriage ended in divorce, and then her second was brought to an abrupt end by the death of her surgeon husband. Two years down the line, she is slowly putting the pieces back together, and assuming that she had already had her share of love. She finds herself in the employ of the Edwards, who want her to tutor their teenage daughter, Julie, during the summer at their beach house. She forms a close bond with Julie and her father, but Mrs Edwards remains cold and distant. Enter Julie's brothers. Within a very short period of time, one of them seduces Sydney and shortly afterwards, proposes marriage. This causes a rift within the family and what should have been the blossoming of a happy ever after for Sydney starts to drift into melancholic shadows. Author Anita Shreve has woven a deceptively tender tale of a woman who, despite what the world has thrown at her, still opens herself up to the possibility of love and the closeness it can bring to a fellow human being. Body Surfing is certainly not a book for anyone that wants their drama full of big action scenes and fist fights. It is more understated and subtle, and feels much more real as a result. There is so much that is not said, but which becomes more and more obvious to the reader as you follow Sydney over the course of a year. I haven't read a book like this in a while and I wasn't sure about it to start off with, as I thought there wasn't really much going on, but I'm really pleased that I stuck with it. A satisfying book that worms its way slowly, but surely, into your consciousness and hangs around after you have turned the last page.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 264 print pages.
Price I paid: 50p.
Formats available: print; audio CD; ebook.

William Walker's First Year Of Marriage - a fun read

On my beloved Kindle, I have many, MANY e-books that I have purchased over the last few years ... when I say purchased, a very high proportion of these books were, in fact, free, or ridiculously cheap. This is a very attractive propostition when you are on a budget! And so, that's how come William Walker's First Year Of Marriage fell into my lap. This book does exactly what it says on the tin in that it takes you month by month through William's first 12 months with his beloved wife Isobel. Things do not go smoothly, starting with the honeymoon itself. This cautionary tale highlights the huge importance of proper communication and trust between couples, as well as making sure that when things do go awry, you don't let things get out of hand beyond the point of no return. William gets deeper and deeper into trouble by not wanting to tell Isobel about stuff that he thinks will upset her, but of course, it all goes wrong and he inevitably ends up upsetting her even more. A wedge starts to develop between them over Isobel's best friend, Alex, who keeps turning up at the most inopportune moments. William is convinced he has a hidden agenda to oust him. Into this mix comes an old flame of William's, who is a tad bonkers in the bunny boiling meaning of the word. Can he convince his young wife that she is and always will be the only girl for him before it's too late. There is much to admire about this book by Matt Rudd, who honed his craft on The Sunday Times. It is so easy to read, set out like a diary, and is very funny in places. There may not be much that is too original, but the result is hugely entertaining and worth the trip.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 304 print pages.
Price I paid: 49p.
Formats available: print; ebook.

The Cuckoo's Calling - surprisingly good

I'm probably coming to The Cuckoo's Calling a bit late in the day as, for some reason, I was put off by the fact that it is written by JK Rowling under the name of Robert Galbraith, which kind of annoyed me, as the pseudonym didn't remain secret for very long ... which kind of felt like she wasn't sure the book would be taken seriously under her own name, but then everyone knew pretty much instantly anyway! If anyone is avoiding this book for the same reason, please don't! It's a triumph. The Cuckoo's Calling is a great crime thriller, set in London, a London which is described so lovingly that I felt it become one of the characters. So, what's it about? When famous model Lula Landry falls to her death from her apartment, everyone assumes it's suicide, except her brother, who hires struggling private detective Cormoran Strike to investigate. Cormoran isn't keen to get involved, but is persuaded by the fact that when he was a boy, he was the best friend of the brother of the same family, who died in tragic circumstances, plus ... he desperately needs the money ...  and his long term relationship has come to a messy end, so could do with the distraction. Into this whirlwind comes Robin, the new temp. She is efficient, discreet and seems to have a knack for digging out information that Strike needs before he even asks for it ... only trouble is, he can't afford to keep her on. This unlikely duo start to make headway into an investigation that leads them into the murky world of fashion and finance - where everyone seems to have something to hide. If Lula didn't kill herself, then there is a whole host of suspects in the frame, from the dodgy boyfriend or the flaky friend, to the infamous rapper who is obsessed with her. As Cormoran chips away at the evidence, small nuggets about his past reveal more and more about his character with very satisfying results. The main action keeps you guessing right to the end, which is just what you want from a thriller. Definitely a page turner that won me over as a Robert Galbraith convert. This is the first book of a series to feature this character, and I am already looking forward to making his acquaintance once again with his next case.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 449 print pages.
Price I paid: FREE, borrowed from library.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Dracula - a book with a bit of bite!

Not being a horror fan, this isn't a book I would have usually gone for, but when it appeared free on Audible before Christmas featuring some great narrators, I couldn't resist. I am so pleased that I took the plunge. The story is set up by Jonathan Harker, who travels to see Count Dracula in Transylvania, to provide legal support for a real estate transaction. When he sees the Count for what he really is, the experience almost sends him mad. He finally escapes when Dracula heads off to Whitby. Here, the Count happens upon the holidaying Lucy Westenra and the blood-sucking begins! Her friends and fiancé are not sure what's happening to her and they call on the assistance of Dr Van Helsing, who soon engulfs everyone with garlic in an effort to save Lucy. The action then moves to London and it becomes apparent that the Count is set on creating a new world order, led by vampires. Can he be stopped? All the protagonists come together to hunt and destroy the Count once and for all. This culminates with an epic chase across Europe, back to where it all began! But not everyone will make it out alive. This is such a famous story that you think you know it inside out, but the original Bram Stoker text is, in my humble opinion, far better than any screen adaptation. It takes the form of letters, diaries, telegrams and ships logs, written by the different characters. I also love the fact that there is a really strong female character in the form of Mina Murray, who is pivotal to the success of the book. Totally absorbing and thrilling, without being overtly gory or scary, I can highly recommend this book, particularly the narrated Audible Edition version featuring Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, JohnLee, Graeme Malcolm and Steven Crossley. Excellent!

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 352 print pages.
Price I paid: FREE (special offer from Audible before Christmas).
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.