Alex – My resolution to read fewer, but better quality, books went the way of most resolutions: of the 300 books I reviewed this year, 250 were fiction and 50 non-fiction (another year with no poetry), which is neat but coincidental!
Favourite novel: Underground – I read it early in 2008 and it stayed with me for the rest of the year, something of a measuring stick, and now (in the wake of political change both in Australia and the US) a reflection of a time that’s passed.
Favourite non-fiction book: this is far more difficult than picking a novel! I'm torn between Why We Buy, Better, How Doctors Think (by Jerome Groopman not Kathryn Montgomery), and the re-read The Tipping Point.
Favourite newly encountered author: a tie between the prolific Elizabeth Berg, the breathtakingly amusing Christopher Brookmyre, and Robert Muchamore, though I'm sure I'm forgetting several writers.
Most disappinting novel: Sandra Scopettone's Too Darn Hot: I love her contemporary stuff but this just left me cold
Least rewarding non-fiction book: a tie between Anything Goes by David Stove and An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David: my mother loves her work but it just didn't speak to me at all
Most disliked read: Will Self's Great Apes, and I barely made it to page ten.
And what does 2009 hold? I’d like to tackle some of the novels I’ve had on my To Read list for a while, including Anthony Powell’s 12-part A Dance to the Music of Time (my mother’s favourite books), Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy (huge, but apparently worth it), and make some inroads in my own backlog of books, 2008 being the Year of the Library. I also plan to write my reviews contemporaneously, rather than saving them up for one mammoth reviewing session.
Lynn
When it comes to choosing a worst book of the year, my 2008 reading list leaves me spoilt for choice. Over the past twelve months I have been seduced by many a promising plot only to be disappointed by cardboard characters, poor writing, clichés and disbelief so suspended it snapped.
It has been a difficult decision but I have finally narrowed it down to my top, or should that be bottom, three books of 2008.
Coming in at number 3, the most boring book I read this year was L A Banks' Minion. How Banks manages to make a vampire huntress action adventure dull I don’t know. But she does. This book makes it no higher (or should that be lower) on my list because I read it with no expectations and so I was disappointed rather than annoyed.
At number 2, with possibly the worst ending to a book ever, was M J Rose, The Reincarnationist - A Novel of Suspense. I enjoy reincarnation as a plot device and could have forgiven a lot in my desire to like this book but somehow Rose manages to take a fascinating premise and turn it into a flat, convoluted mess. Going into this book actively favourable to its content yet still finding it annoyed the crap out of me, earns this book its number 2 position.
And with the dubious honour of being the worst book I read this year, coming in at number 1 was Allan Massie's Arthur the King. I am a fan of all things Arthurian and couldn’t count the number of retellings of the legends that I have read, from a wide variety of perspectives and with some wild interpretations. I am fairly forgiving of flaws in Arthurian works. I can tolerate a lot in the name of a new Arthurian variation. But I couldn’t even finish this book. When writing is so bad that I walk away from one of my favourite subjects that book deserves the title of Worst Of My Reading List for the Year.
Choosing a best book of the year was no easier. As I scanned my reading list there were several titles that brought a fond smile of remembrance to my lips but not many that had me thinking I would be sorry if I missed reading this book.
Naturally the superlative Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher series features highly on my best books list but I have decided that the best book I read in 2008 was Phil Rickman’s December. While it was not perfect, indeed in some ways it was quite lacking, it was the one book that I recall coming to the end of and wishing wasn’t over quite yet.
Showing posts with label Lynn 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lynn 2008. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1
Kim Harrison: A Fistful of Charms
A witch and her pixie partner set off to save his son, who has run away with her ex-boyfriend and ended up in trouble with a conglomerate of werewolf packs. Once they find and save the young pixie he tells them that her ex has located an artefact that could change the balance of power in the world in favour of werewolves (which is a bad thing) and since he won’t hand the artefact over they are holding him prisoner.
She helps him escape from the werewolves but nothing short of his death and the artefact’s destruction can deter them from hunting him down. Owing him her life she comes up with a plan to fake his death and the destruction of the artefact, giving him his freedom back.
A lot of double dealing and dishonesty ensures that the plan goes pear shaped but with some quick thinking the witch manages to set everything to rights-convincing the werewolves that her ex is dead (although he isn’t) and the artefact destroyed (though she actually keeps it in her possession).
This is an edited summary of the highlights of a very intricate plot.
The fourth book in a series, this instalment contained all the action and danger elements that readers have come to expect but at the same time had a more introspective angle than the previous books.
The development of some of the secondary characters was great to see, though it didn’t really make up for the main character’s lack of development. Four books into the series and she’s still making the same mistakes as she was in the first and in spite of a token step is really no closer to resolving her feelings towards her room mate than she was in the first chapter of book one, a situation that is getting old quickly now. As is the growing number of suitors, potential suitors and devoted friends she’s gathering without effort along the way. What’s wrong with having one or two love interests and moving on from there? Why does everyone the heroine meets have to fall under her spell in one way or another? Sadly this seems to be the way of urban fantasy and is an issue I have with the genre as a whole rather than particularly with this book.
These flaws are forgivable here because of the terrific world building and the great plot that kept me guessing until the end but I do hope to see some resolution or forward momentum with relationships soon.
Don’t get me wrong I really did enjoy this book; it was a rollercoaster ride of action and a well woven plot that tied up points from earlier works while introducing new threads for future works. I simply don’t want to see a good series go bad from a steadily weakening main character.-Lynn
She helps him escape from the werewolves but nothing short of his death and the artefact’s destruction can deter them from hunting him down. Owing him her life she comes up with a plan to fake his death and the destruction of the artefact, giving him his freedom back.
A lot of double dealing and dishonesty ensures that the plan goes pear shaped but with some quick thinking the witch manages to set everything to rights-convincing the werewolves that her ex is dead (although he isn’t) and the artefact destroyed (though she actually keeps it in her possession).
This is an edited summary of the highlights of a very intricate plot.
The fourth book in a series, this instalment contained all the action and danger elements that readers have come to expect but at the same time had a more introspective angle than the previous books.
The development of some of the secondary characters was great to see, though it didn’t really make up for the main character’s lack of development. Four books into the series and she’s still making the same mistakes as she was in the first and in spite of a token step is really no closer to resolving her feelings towards her room mate than she was in the first chapter of book one, a situation that is getting old quickly now. As is the growing number of suitors, potential suitors and devoted friends she’s gathering without effort along the way. What’s wrong with having one or two love interests and moving on from there? Why does everyone the heroine meets have to fall under her spell in one way or another? Sadly this seems to be the way of urban fantasy and is an issue I have with the genre as a whole rather than particularly with this book.
These flaws are forgivable here because of the terrific world building and the great plot that kept me guessing until the end but I do hope to see some resolution or forward momentum with relationships soon.
Don’t get me wrong I really did enjoy this book; it was a rollercoaster ride of action and a well woven plot that tied up points from earlier works while introducing new threads for future works. I simply don’t want to see a good series go bad from a steadily weakening main character.-Lynn
Monday, December 29
Douglas Preston: Blasphemy
The world’s largest supercollider was designed by a Nobel laureate to recreate the very moment of the big bang but nobody knows for sure what will happen when the machine is turned on.
The scientists working with the machine hope it will unlock the mysteries of the universe, others warn it could all go horribly wrong and suck the earth into a miniature black hole, while a superstar televangelist has convinced his followers the machine is an attempt to disprove genesis and that its designer is the Antichrist.
When government officials notice that the machine has been drawing power but the scientists on site insist that it is not yet operational they send in a man undercover to discover what the scientists are trying to hide.
He finds out that the scientists believe a hacker has implanted a chatterbot program that can pass the Turin test into their software and they want to find it before they make a report to save themselves an excess of embarrassment. But they can’t locate the program and as time goes on they come to believe that they are not seeking an example of artificial intelligence at all but have made contact with God.
Word leaks out and fundamentalist Christians band together and head to the Arizona desert, where the machine is located deep underground, believing they are about to commence the battle of Armageddon. They succeed in destroying the machine and killing its creator.
But they fail to kill all of the scientists working on the project. Those scientists take the printouts of the machine and present them as the words of God founding a new religion based on pure science.
Only one man alive knows the truth behind those conversations with God and he is not entirely sure whether the words are in fact those of God or not.
If you’re looking for meaningful discourse on the science vs religion debate, look elsewhere this is not the book for you.
But if you’re happy to overlook a few plot holes and inconsistencies in pursuit of a fast paced, philosophy-lite, Da Vinci Code-esque thriller then go no further here it is! Though I think it better than that other work in spite of the abundance of clichés both overt and implied (fundamentalist Christians=bad, scientists=eccentrics + altruists + humanitarians, Catholic ‘rewarded’ for standing by his faith, Navajo only people truly in touch with the spiritual), the main character being two dimensional and the behaviour of the scientists not holding up to close examination.
The pace is maintained by a combination of very short chapters and having action taking place on four fronts making it quite a fast read. I found its most redeeming feature to be the occasional humorous touch (usually at the expense of fans of the Left Behind series). I would read more of this author. He’s good if you’re in the mood for a light conspiracy theory but only if you can suspend your disbelief for the duration.-Lynn
The scientists working with the machine hope it will unlock the mysteries of the universe, others warn it could all go horribly wrong and suck the earth into a miniature black hole, while a superstar televangelist has convinced his followers the machine is an attempt to disprove genesis and that its designer is the Antichrist.
When government officials notice that the machine has been drawing power but the scientists on site insist that it is not yet operational they send in a man undercover to discover what the scientists are trying to hide.
He finds out that the scientists believe a hacker has implanted a chatterbot program that can pass the Turin test into their software and they want to find it before they make a report to save themselves an excess of embarrassment. But they can’t locate the program and as time goes on they come to believe that they are not seeking an example of artificial intelligence at all but have made contact with God.
Word leaks out and fundamentalist Christians band together and head to the Arizona desert, where the machine is located deep underground, believing they are about to commence the battle of Armageddon. They succeed in destroying the machine and killing its creator.
But they fail to kill all of the scientists working on the project. Those scientists take the printouts of the machine and present them as the words of God founding a new religion based on pure science.
Only one man alive knows the truth behind those conversations with God and he is not entirely sure whether the words are in fact those of God or not.
If you’re looking for meaningful discourse on the science vs religion debate, look elsewhere this is not the book for you.
But if you’re happy to overlook a few plot holes and inconsistencies in pursuit of a fast paced, philosophy-lite, Da Vinci Code-esque thriller then go no further here it is! Though I think it better than that other work in spite of the abundance of clichés both overt and implied (fundamentalist Christians=bad, scientists=eccentrics + altruists + humanitarians, Catholic ‘rewarded’ for standing by his faith, Navajo only people truly in touch with the spiritual), the main character being two dimensional and the behaviour of the scientists not holding up to close examination.
The pace is maintained by a combination of very short chapters and having action taking place on four fronts making it quite a fast read. I found its most redeeming feature to be the occasional humorous touch (usually at the expense of fans of the Left Behind series). I would read more of this author. He’s good if you’re in the mood for a light conspiracy theory but only if you can suspend your disbelief for the duration.-Lynn
Wednesday, December 24
Sue Grafton: S is for Silence
In July 1953 a party girl drove off in her brand new Chevy and was never seen again. Thirty-five years later her daughter wants closure so hires a private detective to discover what she can about her mother’s fate.
The private investigator is reluctant to take on a case so old and expects to make no more headway than anyone else has over the years. Against her advice the client insists that the cold case be reopened. The investigator soon discovers most people believe the woman simply ran away from an abusive relationship, a view the PI shares until someone starts trying to scare her off. The unexpected reaction to her vague and unconventional questions leads her to believe she might be on to something. Encouraging confidences from the main players in the case by allowing their lifetime of petty grievances to come to the fore she soon puts together a theory about the fate of the woman.
Her theory proves correct and the car, with body inside, is found buried in the grounds of a ruined house.
Having found the body she hands the case over to the police but in tying up a few loose ends she inadvertently discovers who murdered the woman. Needless to say they are not happy to have their crime uncovered after getting away with it for so long. In a nail biting ending the PI is forced to fight for her life. A fight she wins.
At this exceptionally busy time of year it is nice to have a reliably good read that won’t require too much effort, or time, on the part of the reader. Grafton delivers just that. Familiar yet novel, any book in this long running series would fit the bill.
In this book she uses a slightly different approach. Scattered throughout the story are chapters told from the perspectives of the main players at the time, allowing the reader to build a picture of the days leading up to the disappearance. This gives the reader an opportunity to see the victim through the eyes of those around her and to see who had motives for murder and what those motives were. In doing this the author quite cleverly hides the identity of the true murderer until the very end, since at one point or another everybody appears to be a reasonable suspect.
There was nothing in the way of development for the main character or her usual cast of associates but I don’t feel that was detrimental to this story at all. And the solving of the mystery after so long, including the unmasking of the murderer, didn’t feel at all contrived. The situation that leads to the resolution, though coincidental, felt thoroughly believable.
Overall, interesting without becoming demanding. A good read-Lynn
The private investigator is reluctant to take on a case so old and expects to make no more headway than anyone else has over the years. Against her advice the client insists that the cold case be reopened. The investigator soon discovers most people believe the woman simply ran away from an abusive relationship, a view the PI shares until someone starts trying to scare her off. The unexpected reaction to her vague and unconventional questions leads her to believe she might be on to something. Encouraging confidences from the main players in the case by allowing their lifetime of petty grievances to come to the fore she soon puts together a theory about the fate of the woman.
Her theory proves correct and the car, with body inside, is found buried in the grounds of a ruined house.
Having found the body she hands the case over to the police but in tying up a few loose ends she inadvertently discovers who murdered the woman. Needless to say they are not happy to have their crime uncovered after getting away with it for so long. In a nail biting ending the PI is forced to fight for her life. A fight she wins.
At this exceptionally busy time of year it is nice to have a reliably good read that won’t require too much effort, or time, on the part of the reader. Grafton delivers just that. Familiar yet novel, any book in this long running series would fit the bill.
In this book she uses a slightly different approach. Scattered throughout the story are chapters told from the perspectives of the main players at the time, allowing the reader to build a picture of the days leading up to the disappearance. This gives the reader an opportunity to see the victim through the eyes of those around her and to see who had motives for murder and what those motives were. In doing this the author quite cleverly hides the identity of the true murderer until the very end, since at one point or another everybody appears to be a reasonable suspect.
There was nothing in the way of development for the main character or her usual cast of associates but I don’t feel that was detrimental to this story at all. And the solving of the mystery after so long, including the unmasking of the murderer, didn’t feel at all contrived. The situation that leads to the resolution, though coincidental, felt thoroughly believable.
Overall, interesting without becoming demanding. A good read-Lynn
Thursday, December 18
Holly Black: Ironside
When she makes a rash declaration to the new king of the Unseelie Court, a young pixie changeling is sent on an impossible quest.
Despondent she sets off with a human friend in tow. But word has gotten out about her plight and the queen of the Seelie Court wants to make her on offer she can’t refuse. In spite of her best efforts the pixie finds herself drawn into the dark games and power plays of the faerie courtiers. Forced into an alliance with humans with no love of her kind she eventually manages to free the child whose place she took and return her to her mother, remove a deadly curse from her friend, achieve her quest and as a by product bring unity and a shaky peace to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts.
The third book in this series, Ironside brings together characters and plot points from the previous two works and builds on them, weaving from the apparently disparate threads a coherent story.
The characters have an ambiguous morality which keeps the reader guessing who the ‘bad guys’ really are. The plot twists about being at times darkly seductive and at times horrific, provided truly unexpected turns.
Complex characters and richly detailed setting added to a deceptively simple plot all come together to make this a brilliant dark fantasy novel. Read Tithe, read Valiant, then read Ironside. If you like young adult fantasy you won’t be disappointed.-Lynn
Despondent she sets off with a human friend in tow. But word has gotten out about her plight and the queen of the Seelie Court wants to make her on offer she can’t refuse. In spite of her best efforts the pixie finds herself drawn into the dark games and power plays of the faerie courtiers. Forced into an alliance with humans with no love of her kind she eventually manages to free the child whose place she took and return her to her mother, remove a deadly curse from her friend, achieve her quest and as a by product bring unity and a shaky peace to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts.
The third book in this series, Ironside brings together characters and plot points from the previous two works and builds on them, weaving from the apparently disparate threads a coherent story.
The characters have an ambiguous morality which keeps the reader guessing who the ‘bad guys’ really are. The plot twists about being at times darkly seductive and at times horrific, provided truly unexpected turns.
Complex characters and richly detailed setting added to a deceptively simple plot all come together to make this a brilliant dark fantasy novel. Read Tithe, read Valiant, then read Ironside. If you like young adult fantasy you won’t be disappointed.-Lynn
Tuesday, December 16
Laura Anne Gilman: Curse the Dark
When sent to Italy to trace the whereabouts of a very old and dangerous artefact a retriever finds herself in a dire situation. The artefact turns out to have been one of a collection of unstable black magic pieces that have been stored for centuries by an order of ‘monks’.
The trail ultimately leads her back home to a city full of magical creatures on the brink of war with each other. Undoubtedly the artefact is feeding off the discord. She just needs to decommission it and collect her cheque before all hell breaks loose.
This she manages but in the final showdown she is forced to choose between helping her long time partner and new lover or an old friend. She is left devastated by the casualty count and the increased political unrest, which is edging its way slowly towards open war, left in its wake.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the last one.
This story was more of a vehicle to showcase the developing romance between the main characters but it did not neglect plot in favour of that. I particularly like that discovering their love has not changed the personalities of the protagonists. The heroine’s conflict over wanting to be with her new lover but craving her own space is realistic.
A great plot overlays the ongoing political intrigue. The story offers greater insight into a believable and coherent magical world, including the downside of being a magic user. And again the seeds of future works are sown discretely into the story.
I see that there are several more books in this series (just as I had predicted/hoped) and I am tempted to read them all back to back but glutting rare does any series a favour so I will hold off on the next instalment for now but look forward to reading it next year.-Lynn
The trail ultimately leads her back home to a city full of magical creatures on the brink of war with each other. Undoubtedly the artefact is feeding off the discord. She just needs to decommission it and collect her cheque before all hell breaks loose.
This she manages but in the final showdown she is forced to choose between helping her long time partner and new lover or an old friend. She is left devastated by the casualty count and the increased political unrest, which is edging its way slowly towards open war, left in its wake.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the last one.
This story was more of a vehicle to showcase the developing romance between the main characters but it did not neglect plot in favour of that. I particularly like that discovering their love has not changed the personalities of the protagonists. The heroine’s conflict over wanting to be with her new lover but craving her own space is realistic.
A great plot overlays the ongoing political intrigue. The story offers greater insight into a believable and coherent magical world, including the downside of being a magic user. And again the seeds of future works are sown discretely into the story.
I see that there are several more books in this series (just as I had predicted/hoped) and I am tempted to read them all back to back but glutting rare does any series a favour so I will hold off on the next instalment for now but look forward to reading it next year.-Lynn
Thursday, December 11
Laura Anne Gilman: Staying Dead
A retriever specialises in finding things of a magical nature that have gone missing and returning them, discretely, efficiently and with no questions asked. It is the perfect way for a highly talented thief to channel her energies and keep herself on the right side of the law. But when a simple job goes terribly wrong this girl needs all the help she can get from anyone willing to give it. Even if that means doing deals with demons, insane mages and secret government organizations of a very shady nature or admitting that her feelings for her long time business partner might be more than merely friendly.
Fast paced and action packed this story was a real page turner. The plot was intricate and a number of separate threads were introduced (I smell a series coming on) without becoming confusing or appearing irrelevant to the story at hand.
I particularly liked the world building. The overlay of magic on modern society worked really well. Magic, what it is and how it worked, was explained in easy to believe terms.
The romance, though secondary, was satisfying and I think all the more believable for not being fast tracked. One of the things that appeals to me least about urban fantasy is the tendency for authors to substitute sex for intimacy. It was refreshing to find a pair that weren’t at it before the end of chapter 3. I anticipate these two characters developing a relationship over the course of several books. At least I hope there will be several books because I so enjoyed this one.
Definitely looking out for more of Ms Gilman’s work-Lynn.
Fast paced and action packed this story was a real page turner. The plot was intricate and a number of separate threads were introduced (I smell a series coming on) without becoming confusing or appearing irrelevant to the story at hand.
I particularly liked the world building. The overlay of magic on modern society worked really well. Magic, what it is and how it worked, was explained in easy to believe terms.
The romance, though secondary, was satisfying and I think all the more believable for not being fast tracked. One of the things that appeals to me least about urban fantasy is the tendency for authors to substitute sex for intimacy. It was refreshing to find a pair that weren’t at it before the end of chapter 3. I anticipate these two characters developing a relationship over the course of several books. At least I hope there will be several books because I so enjoyed this one.
Definitely looking out for more of Ms Gilman’s work-Lynn.
Friday, December 5
Nora Roberts: Dance Upon The Air
An abused wife fakes her death and runs. She eventually reaches a small island where she feels safe to settle down. She opens up a small business, makes friends with the locals and starts to practice witchcraft (a long tradition of the island said to have been originally settled by witches). She even feels free to fall in love again.
But a chance sighting by an old friend leads her estranged husband to her door. Angry and determined to reclaim her he stabs her new lover, the local sheriff, and when she runs he chases her. Her new friends come to her rescue and with a combination of magic and the law he is forced from her life for good.
If you remove the magic elements (which were very much a side issue) this book is pretty much a written version of the movie Sleeping with the Enemy.
Given the International Bestseller claims of the cover and the recommendations of friends, I thought to find, at the very least, surprising new twists in the plot and possibly writing that sparked and danced across the page. The writing wasn’t bad but neither was it exceptionally good. And given the rave reviews I’ve seen of this author’s works I expected something outstanding. What I got was competent handling of a much told story carried along by interesting secondary characters. And it is the presence of those secondary characters that had me finish the book.
This is the first in a trilogy and in its secondary characters was the promise of more interesting stories to come. I hope that is the case since I have committed to reading the next two books.
Overall far from the worst I’ve ever read but also far from the best too.-Lynn
But a chance sighting by an old friend leads her estranged husband to her door. Angry and determined to reclaim her he stabs her new lover, the local sheriff, and when she runs he chases her. Her new friends come to her rescue and with a combination of magic and the law he is forced from her life for good.
If you remove the magic elements (which were very much a side issue) this book is pretty much a written version of the movie Sleeping with the Enemy.
Given the International Bestseller claims of the cover and the recommendations of friends, I thought to find, at the very least, surprising new twists in the plot and possibly writing that sparked and danced across the page. The writing wasn’t bad but neither was it exceptionally good. And given the rave reviews I’ve seen of this author’s works I expected something outstanding. What I got was competent handling of a much told story carried along by interesting secondary characters. And it is the presence of those secondary characters that had me finish the book.
This is the first in a trilogy and in its secondary characters was the promise of more interesting stories to come. I hope that is the case since I have committed to reading the next two books.
Overall far from the worst I’ve ever read but also far from the best too.-Lynn
Wednesday, November 26
Susan Krinard: Chasing Midnight
When an inexperienced young werewolf wanders into a Greenwich Village speakeasy looking for adventure she soon finds more than she bargains for. She is saved by a vampire and her friends who take the young innocent under their wings and chaperone her through a night of jazz and gin. Eventually she is found in this most undesirable company by her brother, who is put in the awkward position of being indebted to one of the werewolves’ age old enemies, a vampire.
Matters are further complicated when the vampire’s search for a missing friend, who just happens to be the daughter of a local crime lord, crosses paths with the werewolf’s search for the same woman. The two are thrown together by circumstance and the more the uptight and proper werewolf gets to know the loose-moraled vampire the more he likes her and vice versa.
But their respective races don’t approve of the relationship and they are individually pulled reluctantly into power struggles within their respective clans. Eventually gang war breaks out between the werewolves, vampires and human crime bosses as well as in the ranks of each group. And they are the only two people who can possibly put an end to it.
1920’s America, with prohibition and gang warfare, lends itself beautifully to rival races fighting for supremacy and stories of star crossed lovers. I’m surprised the period has been overlooked in the past and I’m delighted to find it featured here.
This complex plot of shifting allegiances and the clashing belief systems of the eighteenth century and modern times was fast paced and action packed.
My copy of the book was poorly edited or proof read and there are at least three instances where dialogue is attributed to a character not in the scene. I was a little confused by that but not sufficiently frustrated to stop reading. Only at one point was I pulled out of the story and unfortunately it was with quite a forceful yank. When the protagonists enter a blood covered but empty room the author refers to forensics. I’m not sure whether or not forensic science existed then in the form it does now but either way I’m pretty sure it would not have been referred to as simply “forensics”. Apart from this one slip the story was a lot of fun and I was sorry to get to the end of the book.
More time could have been spent establishing the whys and wherefores of vampirism but it was adequately covered-I was just enjoying it so much I would like to have seen more.
An enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work-Lynn
Matters are further complicated when the vampire’s search for a missing friend, who just happens to be the daughter of a local crime lord, crosses paths with the werewolf’s search for the same woman. The two are thrown together by circumstance and the more the uptight and proper werewolf gets to know the loose-moraled vampire the more he likes her and vice versa.
But their respective races don’t approve of the relationship and they are individually pulled reluctantly into power struggles within their respective clans. Eventually gang war breaks out between the werewolves, vampires and human crime bosses as well as in the ranks of each group. And they are the only two people who can possibly put an end to it.
1920’s America, with prohibition and gang warfare, lends itself beautifully to rival races fighting for supremacy and stories of star crossed lovers. I’m surprised the period has been overlooked in the past and I’m delighted to find it featured here.
This complex plot of shifting allegiances and the clashing belief systems of the eighteenth century and modern times was fast paced and action packed.
My copy of the book was poorly edited or proof read and there are at least three instances where dialogue is attributed to a character not in the scene. I was a little confused by that but not sufficiently frustrated to stop reading. Only at one point was I pulled out of the story and unfortunately it was with quite a forceful yank. When the protagonists enter a blood covered but empty room the author refers to forensics. I’m not sure whether or not forensic science existed then in the form it does now but either way I’m pretty sure it would not have been referred to as simply “forensics”. Apart from this one slip the story was a lot of fun and I was sorry to get to the end of the book.
More time could have been spent establishing the whys and wherefores of vampirism but it was adequately covered-I was just enjoying it so much I would like to have seen more.
An enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work-Lynn
Thursday, November 20
Mike Carey: The Devil You Know-A Felix Castor Novel
In a world where ghosts are commonplace, a freelance exorcist can earn a very good living and Felix Castor did. Until he barely survived a close encounter with a demon and retired from the game. A little more than a year later and he finds himself in need of some fast cash and so takes on what appears to be a simple exorcism.
But nothing about the supernatural world is ever simple and the more he learns about the ghost he’s been called in to eradicate, the more he becomes entangled in a supernatural underworld of demons, were-beings and ghosts who all want him dead before he can complete the job.
But complete it he does, solving a brutal murder and losing the closest thing he’s had to a girlfriend in a long while, along the way.
I liked the premise of this story and thought the characterisation excellent. Even the minor characters were three dimensional.
I found the pacing a little off with short bursts of intense activity divided by long stretches of nothing much happening and the denouement, plonked in a large slab of exposition near the end, felt unsatisfactory for all it tidied up the bulk of the plot.
Overall I found this to be a competent first novel with an interesting premise and great characters that were enough to outweigh problems with execution, problems I hope the author will overcome with greater experience. I’m not entirely sold on Carey’s style but will certainly try another Felix Castor novel before I decide whether or not this series is for me.-Lynn
But nothing about the supernatural world is ever simple and the more he learns about the ghost he’s been called in to eradicate, the more he becomes entangled in a supernatural underworld of demons, were-beings and ghosts who all want him dead before he can complete the job.
But complete it he does, solving a brutal murder and losing the closest thing he’s had to a girlfriend in a long while, along the way.
I liked the premise of this story and thought the characterisation excellent. Even the minor characters were three dimensional.
I found the pacing a little off with short bursts of intense activity divided by long stretches of nothing much happening and the denouement, plonked in a large slab of exposition near the end, felt unsatisfactory for all it tidied up the bulk of the plot.
Overall I found this to be a competent first novel with an interesting premise and great characters that were enough to outweigh problems with execution, problems I hope the author will overcome with greater experience. I’m not entirely sold on Carey’s style but will certainly try another Felix Castor novel before I decide whether or not this series is for me.-Lynn
Tuesday, November 18
E. Lockhart: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
When her sex is the only thing that prevents a young woman from joining a secret society at her exclusive boarding school, she decides to show the world just how outdated such a notion is. She secretly follows her boyfriend and spies on the society’s meetings until an opportunity presents itself to infiltrate the organization.
Through a series of emails claiming to be from the society’s leader she orchestrates a number of complex pranks that the society carries out.
It is only when a scholarship boy is threatened with expulsion that she admits to her boyfriend that she was the mastermind behind the events. Her admission prevents the expulsion but ostracises her from her boyfriend and his elitist circle.
At first upset by their rejection she soon comes to accept her new reputation, pleased to have shaken off the burdensome image of the innocent child.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing was fresh. The school and all the characters within it were recognizable stereotypes yet well developed enough to stand out as individual.
The feelings of a young girl discovering, and rebelling against, the injustices of the world in general, and her world in particular, towards her sex was handled with delicacy and wit.
The boys’ reaction to the discovery of her role in the pranks felt real, as did her confusion about that reaction.
This story is a gentle and funny reminder that double standards still exist. No matter how egalitarian society would like to believe it is the old boy network is alive, well and doing its best to keep girls out. This is made very clear by the ending where the heroine is left older and wiser but arguably not particularly happier. I can’t help but wonder how different the ending would have been if the perpetrator of the pranks had been a boy instead of a girl. There’s every chance he would have ended up as the leader of the secret society rather than ostracised and in counselling for behavioural issues.
Superficially a fun read but with an underlying message for anyone who cares to see it. Highly recommended-Lynn.
Through a series of emails claiming to be from the society’s leader she orchestrates a number of complex pranks that the society carries out.
It is only when a scholarship boy is threatened with expulsion that she admits to her boyfriend that she was the mastermind behind the events. Her admission prevents the expulsion but ostracises her from her boyfriend and his elitist circle.
At first upset by their rejection she soon comes to accept her new reputation, pleased to have shaken off the burdensome image of the innocent child.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing was fresh. The school and all the characters within it were recognizable stereotypes yet well developed enough to stand out as individual.
The feelings of a young girl discovering, and rebelling against, the injustices of the world in general, and her world in particular, towards her sex was handled with delicacy and wit.
The boys’ reaction to the discovery of her role in the pranks felt real, as did her confusion about that reaction.
This story is a gentle and funny reminder that double standards still exist. No matter how egalitarian society would like to believe it is the old boy network is alive, well and doing its best to keep girls out. This is made very clear by the ending where the heroine is left older and wiser but arguably not particularly happier. I can’t help but wonder how different the ending would have been if the perpetrator of the pranks had been a boy instead of a girl. There’s every chance he would have ended up as the leader of the secret society rather than ostracised and in counselling for behavioural issues.
Superficially a fun read but with an underlying message for anyone who cares to see it. Highly recommended-Lynn.
Sunday, November 9
L A Banks: Minion
Best selling spoken word artist by day, vampire hunter by night, this young woman was born with a calling and together with her group of guardians she’s on a mission to keep the streets demon free for us all.
That’s not easy when a lot of the evil in the world is aided and abetted by men seeking a fast route to power and glory, especially when you’ve got a burning passion for one such man and under no circumstances can you tell him of the evil at the heart of what he seeks or that you’re the millennium slayer.
Any of this sounding familiar?
Minion read like bad Buffy fanfic with a black cast and a liberal splattering of ‘90s street slang.
It’s difficult to write dialect well, it’s even harder when applied to stilted dialogue-the result was clunky at best; difficult to understand at times, and somewhat dated.
I would expect that the first book in a series to spend time world building and developing characters and I would have forgiven the thin plot if this had been the case but it was not. The reader is dumped into a world without explanation, the heroine is a whiney arsed brat, her support cast cardboard cut-outs and the large slabs of exposition that substitute for plot fail dismally.
But the greatest sin of this book, and there were plenty to choose from (the heavy right wing Christian elements, the aforesaid large slabs of exposition, the complete lack of action through most of the story, the excess of introspection, a heroine few people could relate to), was simply that it was boring.
The horror scenes lacked horror-I’ve seen scarier things in the bottom of my veggie crisper. The erotic scenes (no sex please-the slayer must be pure) had all the sensuality of those scary things I found in the bottom of my veggie crisper. This book was dull, dull, dull. The only reason I finished it was because I thought it might just pick up once it settled into itself. I was disappointed. Very disappointed. Not recommended.-Lynn
That’s not easy when a lot of the evil in the world is aided and abetted by men seeking a fast route to power and glory, especially when you’ve got a burning passion for one such man and under no circumstances can you tell him of the evil at the heart of what he seeks or that you’re the millennium slayer.
Any of this sounding familiar?
Minion read like bad Buffy fanfic with a black cast and a liberal splattering of ‘90s street slang.
It’s difficult to write dialect well, it’s even harder when applied to stilted dialogue-the result was clunky at best; difficult to understand at times, and somewhat dated.
I would expect that the first book in a series to spend time world building and developing characters and I would have forgiven the thin plot if this had been the case but it was not. The reader is dumped into a world without explanation, the heroine is a whiney arsed brat, her support cast cardboard cut-outs and the large slabs of exposition that substitute for plot fail dismally.
But the greatest sin of this book, and there were plenty to choose from (the heavy right wing Christian elements, the aforesaid large slabs of exposition, the complete lack of action through most of the story, the excess of introspection, a heroine few people could relate to), was simply that it was boring.
The horror scenes lacked horror-I’ve seen scarier things in the bottom of my veggie crisper. The erotic scenes (no sex please-the slayer must be pure) had all the sensuality of those scary things I found in the bottom of my veggie crisper. This book was dull, dull, dull. The only reason I finished it was because I thought it might just pick up once it settled into itself. I was disappointed. Very disappointed. Not recommended.-Lynn
Friday, November 7
Jo Beverley: A Lady's Secret
When a notorious rake hears a nun cursing in a French Inn he is immediately captivated. Bored and seeking amusement, he offers to help her reach England. She accepts and the rake gets more than he bargained for because although she is fresh from three years in a convent, this lady is no nun. She is, in fact, the bastard daughter of an English lord desperately seeking her father’s protection now that her mother is dead and a rejected lover is stalking her through Europe.
So begins an historical road trip story. The pair flees France in disguise having adventures involving murderous prostitutes, smugglers, kidnapping and romantic encounters before reaching their destination.
Once in England the woman finds her father and is acknowledged by him but his name doesn’t provide the protection she hoped for. Her jilted lover attempts to take her from a masquerade but her rakish hero saves her. We are led to believe that the two live happily ever after.
I must be honest and admit that I read this book some time ago and though I remember liking it at the time I am hard pressed now to remember what about it appealed to me in particular.
I was surprised by the ease with which the heroine was accepted by a rich and powerful father that didn’t know of her existence until she showed up on his doorstep but sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief for the sake of the story.
It was nice that the heroine wasn’t a retiring virgin nor a feisty woman-of-the-world. She was no innocent. She’d had a lover but things hadn’t worked out and she was in no hurry to take another but neither was she trying to hide her ‘shame’ which was realistic and refreshing.
A few familiar characters from an earlier work made an appearance near the end of this book and it’s always fun to catch up with old ‘friends’.
In the end this was like a lazy summer afternoon-enjoyable at the time but nothing made it stand out from all the others of its ilk and while remembered with a general fondness for its kind this particular one is, only a few weeks later, ultimately forgettable.-Lynn
So begins an historical road trip story. The pair flees France in disguise having adventures involving murderous prostitutes, smugglers, kidnapping and romantic encounters before reaching their destination.
Once in England the woman finds her father and is acknowledged by him but his name doesn’t provide the protection she hoped for. Her jilted lover attempts to take her from a masquerade but her rakish hero saves her. We are led to believe that the two live happily ever after.
I must be honest and admit that I read this book some time ago and though I remember liking it at the time I am hard pressed now to remember what about it appealed to me in particular.
I was surprised by the ease with which the heroine was accepted by a rich and powerful father that didn’t know of her existence until she showed up on his doorstep but sometimes you have to suspend your disbelief for the sake of the story.
It was nice that the heroine wasn’t a retiring virgin nor a feisty woman-of-the-world. She was no innocent. She’d had a lover but things hadn’t worked out and she was in no hurry to take another but neither was she trying to hide her ‘shame’ which was realistic and refreshing.
A few familiar characters from an earlier work made an appearance near the end of this book and it’s always fun to catch up with old ‘friends’.
In the end this was like a lazy summer afternoon-enjoyable at the time but nothing made it stand out from all the others of its ilk and while remembered with a general fondness for its kind this particular one is, only a few weeks later, ultimately forgettable.-Lynn
Wednesday, November 5
P N Elrod: Cold Streets
It’s 1938 Chicago and the Lady Crymsyn nightclub has been named by local mob bosses as neutral territory, a situation its vampire owner wants to see continue. But rival gang members from New York have other ideas and when a mafia leader is shot outside his premises the vampire is pulled unwillingly into a gang turf war. At the same time a kidnapping case he was assisting his detective friend to solve turns ugly when the head kidnapper turns out to be a society swell with a lot of influential friends and a strong suspicion about the vampire’s true nature.
Delicate negotiations don’t seem to be able to head off violence from either source and the vampire with a thirst for justice as well as blood has his work cut out for him if he is to survive these trials and keep his friends safe at the same time.
Though one of a series this book stands alone, which is just as well since my library doesn’t have any of the other series works.
Written in the noir style, Elrod does a great job of bringing the 1930s to life. The hard-boiled detective standing alone against the injustices of the world worked well with a vampire hero. The plot was intricate without undue complexity and the characters truly three dimensional. Parts of this book were real page turners, which is why I find myself so very disappointed with the ending.
Neither situation is resolved by the end of the book. While I understand the author’s desire to end on a cliff hanger to set up the next book (I knew going in this was part of a series after all) I am disappointed that everything is left up in the air. Given that there were two main subplots it wouldn’t have hurt to tie up either one here so that the reader isn’t left without any payoff at all for the effort of reading the book. Fans of the series might be more forgiving but this methodology puts me off and now that I know she uses it I won’t be reading any more of Elrod’s work.-Lynn
Delicate negotiations don’t seem to be able to head off violence from either source and the vampire with a thirst for justice as well as blood has his work cut out for him if he is to survive these trials and keep his friends safe at the same time.
Though one of a series this book stands alone, which is just as well since my library doesn’t have any of the other series works.
Written in the noir style, Elrod does a great job of bringing the 1930s to life. The hard-boiled detective standing alone against the injustices of the world worked well with a vampire hero. The plot was intricate without undue complexity and the characters truly three dimensional. Parts of this book were real page turners, which is why I find myself so very disappointed with the ending.
Neither situation is resolved by the end of the book. While I understand the author’s desire to end on a cliff hanger to set up the next book (I knew going in this was part of a series after all) I am disappointed that everything is left up in the air. Given that there were two main subplots it wouldn’t have hurt to tie up either one here so that the reader isn’t left without any payoff at all for the effort of reading the book. Fans of the series might be more forgiving but this methodology puts me off and now that I know she uses it I won’t be reading any more of Elrod’s work.-Lynn
Saturday, November 1
Kresley Cole: No Rest for the Wicked
A Valkyrie sent to assassinate a vampire finds that she can not kill him when he offers her no resistance. The encounter has her spooked; her intense hatred of vampires began millennia ago when a vampire killed both of her sisters and she has never failed to take a head since.
On the vampire’s part, he was turned against his will and has spent the centuries since in a self loathing decline, yet morally unable to kill himself. He sees the Valkyrie assassin as his salvation, until they meet and he experiences an immediate attraction to her. Suddenly he has something to live for, and her inability to kill him gives him hope that she might feel the same.
The unlikely pair team up in a legendary treasure hunt to win the ultimate prize of two trips back in time. He wants to prevent himself from turning into a vampire, she wants to save her sisters. But in changing the past they risk changing the present and losing each other.
Needless to say things conclude satisfactorily for all concerned.
This story’s strength lay mainly in the unique plot. A supernatural scavenger hunt run by a temperamental goddess is a novelty.
The characters were interesting, if a little superficial, and the conflict between them believable-as was its resolution.
The sex, which seems mandatory in this genre, was steamy even though the hero was relatively inexperienced. I was relieved to find that here sex did not equal love, nor did it prop up a thin plot.
I believe that this is part of a series, though obviously the books stand alone, or at least this one did. I would read another if it crossed my path but I have no urge to go out and hunt one down.
An easy enjoyable read when what you’re wanting is something light.-Lynn
On the vampire’s part, he was turned against his will and has spent the centuries since in a self loathing decline, yet morally unable to kill himself. He sees the Valkyrie assassin as his salvation, until they meet and he experiences an immediate attraction to her. Suddenly he has something to live for, and her inability to kill him gives him hope that she might feel the same.
The unlikely pair team up in a legendary treasure hunt to win the ultimate prize of two trips back in time. He wants to prevent himself from turning into a vampire, she wants to save her sisters. But in changing the past they risk changing the present and losing each other.
Needless to say things conclude satisfactorily for all concerned.
This story’s strength lay mainly in the unique plot. A supernatural scavenger hunt run by a temperamental goddess is a novelty.
The characters were interesting, if a little superficial, and the conflict between them believable-as was its resolution.
The sex, which seems mandatory in this genre, was steamy even though the hero was relatively inexperienced. I was relieved to find that here sex did not equal love, nor did it prop up a thin plot.
I believe that this is part of a series, though obviously the books stand alone, or at least this one did. I would read another if it crossed my path but I have no urge to go out and hunt one down.
An easy enjoyable read when what you’re wanting is something light.-Lynn
Monday, October 20
Cara Lockwood: Wuthering High
A spoiled teenager is sent off to a boarding school for delinquents. Gothic, boring and strict the isolated campus and its shady student body is exactly what she expects from a reform school. But she soon learns all is not as it seems. Life on campus bares an uncanny resemblance to the plot lines of the tragic novels the students are studying. Vampires, insane pyromaniacs and obsessive lovers all appear to be par for the course. And she is not the first one to notice it.
The ghost of a past student, who disappeared in the woods during an unsuccessful escape attempt, keeps leaving clues that seem to suggest that the teachers are the spirits of long dead writers and that the school is purgatory for both them and the students. The theory becomes easier to believe as term progresses and she finds her life mirroring Wuthering Heights, as if all the typical high school dramas weren’t enough.
But she manages to weather the storm, save the world and win the heart of her crush all before heading home for Christmas.
I was disappointed in this book. The blurb lead me to believe I could expect humour, mystery, romance and even a splash of horror. Sadly it didn’t deliver on any count. All elements are present but none are developed to any degree. Tension is never allowed to build. Questions raised are answered with ease almost immediately. The story lacked atmosphere and attempts to build it fall far short. The main character comes across as an angsty, egocentric brat and the secondary characters are thin to the point of transparency.
Though the book is only two years old references to pop culture have already dated.
Another prime example of a great idea sacrificed on the altar of woeful execution.-Lynn
The ghost of a past student, who disappeared in the woods during an unsuccessful escape attempt, keeps leaving clues that seem to suggest that the teachers are the spirits of long dead writers and that the school is purgatory for both them and the students. The theory becomes easier to believe as term progresses and she finds her life mirroring Wuthering Heights, as if all the typical high school dramas weren’t enough.
But she manages to weather the storm, save the world and win the heart of her crush all before heading home for Christmas.
I was disappointed in this book. The blurb lead me to believe I could expect humour, mystery, romance and even a splash of horror. Sadly it didn’t deliver on any count. All elements are present but none are developed to any degree. Tension is never allowed to build. Questions raised are answered with ease almost immediately. The story lacked atmosphere and attempts to build it fall far short. The main character comes across as an angsty, egocentric brat and the secondary characters are thin to the point of transparency.
Though the book is only two years old references to pop culture have already dated.
Another prime example of a great idea sacrificed on the altar of woeful execution.-Lynn
Friday, October 17
Holly Black: Valiant
When a teenaged runaway takes up with a group of squatters in NYC subway system she soon finds herself in a world full of fairies, none of whom bare any resemblance to the story book creatures she’s familiar with.
She soon finds herself in service to a troll, delivering fairy dust to exiles from the Seelie Court. But somebody is killing off his customers and it is up to her to prove his innocence and ultimately save his life while getting her own back on track.
This is a dark tale of the multiple facets of betrayal, drug addiction and the difficulties of redemption. Fantasy elements give the story a surreal feel while at the same time throwing the reality of life on the streets into stark relief. Complex characters and the complicated relationships between them added to excellent world building make this a brilliant read.
While the moral of the story is clear (don’t judge a book by its cover) it is simply presented rather than forced on the reader making the message all the more powerful.
Though set in the same universe as the earlier work Tithe, this book stands alone. I look forward to reading more of this author’s writing. Highly recommended-Lynn
She soon finds herself in service to a troll, delivering fairy dust to exiles from the Seelie Court. But somebody is killing off his customers and it is up to her to prove his innocence and ultimately save his life while getting her own back on track.
This is a dark tale of the multiple facets of betrayal, drug addiction and the difficulties of redemption. Fantasy elements give the story a surreal feel while at the same time throwing the reality of life on the streets into stark relief. Complex characters and the complicated relationships between them added to excellent world building make this a brilliant read.
While the moral of the story is clear (don’t judge a book by its cover) it is simply presented rather than forced on the reader making the message all the more powerful.
Though set in the same universe as the earlier work Tithe, this book stands alone. I look forward to reading more of this author’s writing. Highly recommended-Lynn
Tuesday, October 14
Narelle M. Harris: The Opposite of Life
A librarian and self-defined geek girl starts rebuilding her life after escaping from a bad relationship. But the people around her are dying like flies and the murders look to be the work of vampires. When her new boyfriend is added to the list of victims she decides to do whatever it takes to unmask the killers and put an end to the deaths.
What it takes is teaming up with an awkward and shy ‘new’ vampire, a friendship that has her debating whether or not the price of immortality is worth the cost and deciding if she is willing to pay that price.
This story had a lot going for it. The idea of unrelieved ennui of immortality, the mental limitations of the undead and poor fashion sense were all new twists on the old vampire theme. And the moral dilemma of whether or not to become a vampire was presented and addressed well.
But it also let itself down on two main points. One, the complicated and dysfunctional family relationships. These were at first a vital and well integrated part of the story, showing us why the heroine was who she was and setting up plot elements. But the emphasis on her troubled childhood and her ongoing family issues got old very quickly. I’ve never had a lot of sympathy for people whose main complaint in life is that Mummy and Daddy didn’t love me enough and, for all the loss of her siblings, that’s what her major life issue is. It reached the point where I wanted to slap her and say throw your parents out of your life and get some therapy, you’re an adult now.
And two, the setting. This story is set in Melbourne and the fact is rammed down our throats. It is one thing to add in details for a bit of local colour but there’s a fine line between grounding the story in space/time and a geography lesson and this book crosses that line one too many times for me. For example rather than just say the character was heading to the unfashionable end of Chapel St the author goes on about the history of the Astor theatre and the decommissioned church that is now a gym across the road. As far as I know her facts are correct but since neither of these places play a role in the story it seemed superfluous to mention them in such detail. Either readers will know where she means and so have no need of this level of detail or they won’t know the area in which case all the detail in the world isn’t going to help them place it. Sometimes less is more. This should have been one of those times.
This isn’t a bad story. The twist is hidden almost until it is revealed and it contains some new and unusual variations on the vampire legend. Unfortunately the positives never really outbalanced the negatives for me. Sorry if you liked this one Alex but I’ll not be bothering with Narelle Harris again.-Lynn
For Alex's review, click here
What it takes is teaming up with an awkward and shy ‘new’ vampire, a friendship that has her debating whether or not the price of immortality is worth the cost and deciding if she is willing to pay that price.
This story had a lot going for it. The idea of unrelieved ennui of immortality, the mental limitations of the undead and poor fashion sense were all new twists on the old vampire theme. And the moral dilemma of whether or not to become a vampire was presented and addressed well.
But it also let itself down on two main points. One, the complicated and dysfunctional family relationships. These were at first a vital and well integrated part of the story, showing us why the heroine was who she was and setting up plot elements. But the emphasis on her troubled childhood and her ongoing family issues got old very quickly. I’ve never had a lot of sympathy for people whose main complaint in life is that Mummy and Daddy didn’t love me enough and, for all the loss of her siblings, that’s what her major life issue is. It reached the point where I wanted to slap her and say throw your parents out of your life and get some therapy, you’re an adult now.
And two, the setting. This story is set in Melbourne and the fact is rammed down our throats. It is one thing to add in details for a bit of local colour but there’s a fine line between grounding the story in space/time and a geography lesson and this book crosses that line one too many times for me. For example rather than just say the character was heading to the unfashionable end of Chapel St the author goes on about the history of the Astor theatre and the decommissioned church that is now a gym across the road. As far as I know her facts are correct but since neither of these places play a role in the story it seemed superfluous to mention them in such detail. Either readers will know where she means and so have no need of this level of detail or they won’t know the area in which case all the detail in the world isn’t going to help them place it. Sometimes less is more. This should have been one of those times.
This isn’t a bad story. The twist is hidden almost until it is revealed and it contains some new and unusual variations on the vampire legend. Unfortunately the positives never really outbalanced the negatives for me. Sorry if you liked this one Alex but I’ll not be bothering with Narelle Harris again.-Lynn
For Alex's review, click here
Friday, October 10
Jude Morgan: Indiscretion
An impoverished gentlewoman takes the only course open to her and becomes a companion to a society matron. She soon finds herself the unwilling confidant to several members of the household and the subject of unwanted amorous advances.
When her father dies she is reunited with her estranged Aunt at his funeral and is relieved to accept her invitation to live with her and leave the fast life behind.
But she is no sooner settled in to her new life when she finds herself surrounded by her former confidants as well as the subject of new ones. Soon she is being unjustly implicated in everybody’s indiscretions.
Eventually she is vindicated, in the process winning the heart of the one man whose opinion mattered to her.
This shouldn’t have been a fascinating, witty and all round delightful story-but it was.
There is nothing new here, in fact, many of the situations are trite and clichéd. I could see exactly where this story was going almost from the start. There were no unexpected twists or surprise turns. The characters could have all walked out of Regency central casting. And the plot has been written to death.
Yet for all that this story shone. It was stylish. It was fun.
I think its main strength lay in the dialogue. Morgan has a gift for witty and believable dialogue that brings the characters to life and makes a tired story compelling.
If you’ve grown weary of historical romances this might just reinvigorate your interest.-Lynn
When her father dies she is reunited with her estranged Aunt at his funeral and is relieved to accept her invitation to live with her and leave the fast life behind.
But she is no sooner settled in to her new life when she finds herself surrounded by her former confidants as well as the subject of new ones. Soon she is being unjustly implicated in everybody’s indiscretions.
Eventually she is vindicated, in the process winning the heart of the one man whose opinion mattered to her.
This shouldn’t have been a fascinating, witty and all round delightful story-but it was.
There is nothing new here, in fact, many of the situations are trite and clichéd. I could see exactly where this story was going almost from the start. There were no unexpected twists or surprise turns. The characters could have all walked out of Regency central casting. And the plot has been written to death.
Yet for all that this story shone. It was stylish. It was fun.
I think its main strength lay in the dialogue. Morgan has a gift for witty and believable dialogue that brings the characters to life and makes a tired story compelling.
If you’ve grown weary of historical romances this might just reinvigorate your interest.-Lynn
Wednesday, September 24
PC and Kristin Cast: Marked
A teenager is marked as a fledgling vampire and sent off to a school where she will learn what it is to be an adult vampire-if she survives the change. There she discovers that, along with her amazing new powers and blood lust, she has been chosen by the Goddess Nyx to secretly monitor the behaviour of those around her.
Confused and reluctant to embrace her altered identity she eventually finds acceptance amongst her new vampire friends and learns to embrace her destiny.
She infiltrates an elite clique that is abusing their powers, exposes the leaders for the weaklings they truly are and sets the followers back on the right path, demonstrating her courage and solidifying her status in the process.
Set in a world where vampires are an acknowledged part of society, explaining their existence as an activation of ‘junk’ DNA during adolescence via a process not yet understood and often fatal, this book offered an interesting twist on dark fantasy.
Full of teenaged angst about not understanding what is happening physically, the lack of compassion shown by fundamentalist family members, the loss of old friends, sexual awakening and the difficulty of not fitting in, this story reflected the issues faced by the main character and her reactions to them well. But it was prevented from becoming too oppressive by a number of lighter moments, such as when the main character accidentally imprints her ex-boyfriend.
This book does fall into the young adult fantasy cliché of the main character not only discovering that they are a member of a ‘special’ group but somehow being marked as extra special even amongst the members of said group. But once you accept that it is a remarkably good read for the type.
This is the first in a series I will be reading more of.-Lynn
Confused and reluctant to embrace her altered identity she eventually finds acceptance amongst her new vampire friends and learns to embrace her destiny.
She infiltrates an elite clique that is abusing their powers, exposes the leaders for the weaklings they truly are and sets the followers back on the right path, demonstrating her courage and solidifying her status in the process.
Set in a world where vampires are an acknowledged part of society, explaining their existence as an activation of ‘junk’ DNA during adolescence via a process not yet understood and often fatal, this book offered an interesting twist on dark fantasy.
Full of teenaged angst about not understanding what is happening physically, the lack of compassion shown by fundamentalist family members, the loss of old friends, sexual awakening and the difficulty of not fitting in, this story reflected the issues faced by the main character and her reactions to them well. But it was prevented from becoming too oppressive by a number of lighter moments, such as when the main character accidentally imprints her ex-boyfriend.
This book does fall into the young adult fantasy cliché of the main character not only discovering that they are a member of a ‘special’ group but somehow being marked as extra special even amongst the members of said group. But once you accept that it is a remarkably good read for the type.
This is the first in a series I will be reading more of.-Lynn
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