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.