Zombie Apocalypse! by Stephen Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
Controversial plans to build on the site of an old church in South London releases a centuries-old plague that turns its victims into flesh-hungry ghouls whose bite or scratch passes the contagion on to others. Even worse, the virus may also have a supernatural origin with the power to revive the dead.
My review
I love zombie books and this one is different from most of the others I have come across in that it is accounts of how the outbreak starts and effects people and spreads via twitter, blogs, letters, diary entrys etc. I liked that it gives you how the outbreak begins and really liked the peoples experiences and how it spreads and their encounters.
However just under the last quarter of the book changes and becomes silly, silly songs about zombies, short stories being written by a survivor and a script about zombies for a movie, I mean as if you would be making stuff up like that during a zombie apocalypse. It actually really annoyed me and took the book from a 5 star rating down to 3. Definately worth reading but I think you might find yourself skimming as you get to the end of the book as it just isn't as good as the first 3 quarters was.
View all my reviews
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Review - Angels Passing by Graham Hurley
Angels Passing by Graham Hurley
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Why did fourteen-year-old Helen Bassam fall to her death from a tower block? DI Joe Faraday is on the case, but almost immediately, he’s fighting for resources. The body of a drug dealer is found hanging from a tree, and the head of the Major Crimes Squad is pulling in all the manpower he can get. Faraday plunges into Portsmouth’s bleak netherworld of wrecked families and children cast adrift. But as he tracks down a ten-year-old boy who may hold the key to Helen’s death, he’s faced with a crisis much closer to home.
My Review
Yet another I am torn between a 2 or 3 star rating! A 14 year old is found dead from either jumping or being pushed from a tower block. A drug dealer is found dead hanging from a tree and so the investigations begin. The story started off fine however I found it had loads of characters in it and two of the officers had similar names (both begining with W) so that was both confusing and off putting. I found it really hard to connect with the characters and kept mixing up who was who.
There is a lot I felt in the story that wasn't required and was more padding than offered any substance to the story. Had it been half as thick it might have been much easier to read and more enjoyable. You are also left with some unanswered questions and one in particular to the 14 year old girl which really urked me. The last few chapters really picked up and most of the story came together but by that point I was almost at giving up so a 2/5 for me.
This was my first time reading this author and it wouldn't put me off trying another as I have read some really positive reviews for this story, I think it must just be another marmite book.
View all my reviews
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Why did fourteen-year-old Helen Bassam fall to her death from a tower block? DI Joe Faraday is on the case, but almost immediately, he’s fighting for resources. The body of a drug dealer is found hanging from a tree, and the head of the Major Crimes Squad is pulling in all the manpower he can get. Faraday plunges into Portsmouth’s bleak netherworld of wrecked families and children cast adrift. But as he tracks down a ten-year-old boy who may hold the key to Helen’s death, he’s faced with a crisis much closer to home.
My Review
Yet another I am torn between a 2 or 3 star rating! A 14 year old is found dead from either jumping or being pushed from a tower block. A drug dealer is found dead hanging from a tree and so the investigations begin. The story started off fine however I found it had loads of characters in it and two of the officers had similar names (both begining with W) so that was both confusing and off putting. I found it really hard to connect with the characters and kept mixing up who was who.
There is a lot I felt in the story that wasn't required and was more padding than offered any substance to the story. Had it been half as thick it might have been much easier to read and more enjoyable. You are also left with some unanswered questions and one in particular to the 14 year old girl which really urked me. The last few chapters really picked up and most of the story came together but by that point I was almost at giving up so a 2/5 for me.
This was my first time reading this author and it wouldn't put me off trying another as I have read some really positive reviews for this story, I think it must just be another marmite book.
View all my reviews
Monday, 24 October 2011
Review - Legion by William Peter Blatty
Legion by William Peter Blatty
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Jesus asked the man his name, and he answered, “Legion, for we are many.”--Mark 5:9
A young boy is found horribly murdered in a mock crucifixion. Is the murderer the elderly woman who witnessed the crime? A neurologist who can no longer bear the pain life inflicts on its victims? A psychiatrist with a macabre sense of humor and a guilty secret? A mysterious mental patient, locked in silent isolation?
Lieutenant Kinderman follows a bewildering trail that links all these people, confronting a new enigma at every turn even as more murders surface. Why does each victim suffer the same dreadful mutilations? Why are two of the victims priests? Is there a connection between these crimes and another series of murders that took place twelve years ago—and supposedly ended with the death of the killer?
Legion is a novel of breathtaking energy and suspense. But more than this, it is an extraordinary journey into the uncharted depths of the human mind and the most agonizing questions of the human condition.
The answers are revealed in a climax so stunning that it could only have been written by the author of The Exorcist—William Peter Blatty.
My review
I really wanted to like this book and it started off well, you have a murder quite quickly in and the investigation by Kinderman. There are a few horrific kills throughout the book and a wee suprise shock and visit in relation to the first book which I absolutely loved. In fact most of the interactions and bits surrounding the mental institue were really good. However and this is where it loses its rating for me, it seemed like there was quite a few stories going on that could have been seperate books as they were pretty unrelated or unimportant to the main bulk of the story. Whilst the white noise (tape recordings and playback) part of it I have loved movies about and find it interesting it seemed quite unrelevant I thought in this.
The writing style at some parts I found mind numbing and dragged whilst going on and on about unrelated things I felt to the book. However the conversations with the priests and at the mental hospital where great and I charged through them eager to get to the next bit. Overall I was glad to be finished with it but did get some enjoyment especially with the suprise show from someone in the first book. A hard slog but from reading others opinions it is a definate marmite book, you love it or hate it so have a read for yourself but for me it is a 2/5.
View all my reviews
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Jesus asked the man his name, and he answered, “Legion, for we are many.”--Mark 5:9
A young boy is found horribly murdered in a mock crucifixion. Is the murderer the elderly woman who witnessed the crime? A neurologist who can no longer bear the pain life inflicts on its victims? A psychiatrist with a macabre sense of humor and a guilty secret? A mysterious mental patient, locked in silent isolation?
Lieutenant Kinderman follows a bewildering trail that links all these people, confronting a new enigma at every turn even as more murders surface. Why does each victim suffer the same dreadful mutilations? Why are two of the victims priests? Is there a connection between these crimes and another series of murders that took place twelve years ago—and supposedly ended with the death of the killer?
Legion is a novel of breathtaking energy and suspense. But more than this, it is an extraordinary journey into the uncharted depths of the human mind and the most agonizing questions of the human condition.
The answers are revealed in a climax so stunning that it could only have been written by the author of The Exorcist—William Peter Blatty.
My review
I really wanted to like this book and it started off well, you have a murder quite quickly in and the investigation by Kinderman. There are a few horrific kills throughout the book and a wee suprise shock and visit in relation to the first book which I absolutely loved. In fact most of the interactions and bits surrounding the mental institue were really good. However and this is where it loses its rating for me, it seemed like there was quite a few stories going on that could have been seperate books as they were pretty unrelated or unimportant to the main bulk of the story. Whilst the white noise (tape recordings and playback) part of it I have loved movies about and find it interesting it seemed quite unrelevant I thought in this.
The writing style at some parts I found mind numbing and dragged whilst going on and on about unrelated things I felt to the book. However the conversations with the priests and at the mental hospital where great and I charged through them eager to get to the next bit. Overall I was glad to be finished with it but did get some enjoyment especially with the suprise show from someone in the first book. A hard slog but from reading others opinions it is a definate marmite book, you love it or hate it so have a read for yourself but for me it is a 2/5.
View all my reviews
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Review - The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from the back cover
The terror begins unobtrusively. Noises in Regan's room, an odd smell, the displacement of furniture, an icy chill. Easy explanations are offered. Then frightening changes start in the eleven-year-old girl. Medical tests shed no light on her symptoms, but it is as if a different personality has invaded the child.
Father Damien Karras, a Jesuit priest, is called in. Is it possible that a demonic force is preset in the child? Exorcism is the only answer...
My review
Well as it is Halloween what better spooky book to read than the exorcist (I have the other 2 to read next). I loved the movie but have never read the book. I have mixed reviews about it to be honest. It started fairly slow and had I not seen the movie I may have gotten bored and been tempted to just pass over it I'm glad I didn't. Once things start happening it is interesting but not terrifying or gripping as I would have expected. To be honest some parts of it seemed pointless or just there for the sake of it. However once she started exhibiting extreme signs and the priest became envolved it did pick up. I loved Merrins interaction with "Regan" and the story was pretty good from there on it, however there also opened up annoyances. Without giving too much away I would have liked to have known Merrins past in relation to this book and the hints that were dropped by was left hanging.
I will read the next two and hope it will be revisited there or get some of the answers I am looking for. Not the easiest to read but not the most challenging either, some of it boring, some of it horrific and some exciting and annoying. Also I would personally recommend seeing the movie before reading the book as it might be more cofusing if going into it blank. Definately worth a read although it wont be one of my keepers 3/5 for me.
View all my reviews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from the back cover
The terror begins unobtrusively. Noises in Regan's room, an odd smell, the displacement of furniture, an icy chill. Easy explanations are offered. Then frightening changes start in the eleven-year-old girl. Medical tests shed no light on her symptoms, but it is as if a different personality has invaded the child.
Father Damien Karras, a Jesuit priest, is called in. Is it possible that a demonic force is preset in the child? Exorcism is the only answer...
My review
Well as it is Halloween what better spooky book to read than the exorcist (I have the other 2 to read next). I loved the movie but have never read the book. I have mixed reviews about it to be honest. It started fairly slow and had I not seen the movie I may have gotten bored and been tempted to just pass over it I'm glad I didn't. Once things start happening it is interesting but not terrifying or gripping as I would have expected. To be honest some parts of it seemed pointless or just there for the sake of it. However once she started exhibiting extreme signs and the priest became envolved it did pick up. I loved Merrins interaction with "Regan" and the story was pretty good from there on it, however there also opened up annoyances. Without giving too much away I would have liked to have known Merrins past in relation to this book and the hints that were dropped by was left hanging.
I will read the next two and hope it will be revisited there or get some of the answers I am looking for. Not the easiest to read but not the most challenging either, some of it boring, some of it horrific and some exciting and annoying. Also I would personally recommend seeing the movie before reading the book as it might be more cofusing if going into it blank. Definately worth a read although it wont be one of my keepers 3/5 for me.
View all my reviews
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Review - The Next Thing I Knew by John Corwin
The Next Thing I Knew by John Corwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
When Lucy Morgan drops dead along with everyone else on Earth she refuses to take death lying down even if, technically, her corpse is.
She drags her ghostly social life back from the grave and enlists her friends to figure out the rules of the afterlife. More importantly, they want to discover who or what killed everyone and why the heck anyone would do such a mean thing.
But what they discover changes everything. And if they can't figure out how to put their newfound ghostly powers to work, humanity will be extinct for good.
My Review
When I saw this was another apocolaypse type book (and with ghosts instead of zombies) I couldn't wait to read it. There was a few suprises along the way and I wasn't expecting the other entities which was a weird but good suprize. If I had to categorize this book I would put it as a tongue in cheek sci-fi. It also reminded me of an alien book I read in school as a child.
It is easy to read and nothing too over the top or challenging, whilst aimed at a younger (young adult) audience I think if you go into it not taking it too serious you will really enjoy it. The author takes us through the different emotions the ghosts feel from seeing their corpses to rejoining loved ones and starting new relationships and embarking on a journey to discover what has happened and what they will do next. As well as feelings blooming and new relatioships it also examines the other ways the human mind reacts to such devastation. Crazyness, taking religion to a whole new and scary level and even betrayal.
There is so much covered in this book that I think there is something for everyone to enjoy in it although if your very technical minded and take everything serious then this book isn't for you but I really enjoyed it and it was totally different from anything I have read in a long long time, 4/5 for me and I would certainly read more from this author.
Also I would like to thank the author for giving me the chance to read and review this.
View all my reviews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
When Lucy Morgan drops dead along with everyone else on Earth she refuses to take death lying down even if, technically, her corpse is.
She drags her ghostly social life back from the grave and enlists her friends to figure out the rules of the afterlife. More importantly, they want to discover who or what killed everyone and why the heck anyone would do such a mean thing.
But what they discover changes everything. And if they can't figure out how to put their newfound ghostly powers to work, humanity will be extinct for good.
My Review
When I saw this was another apocolaypse type book (and with ghosts instead of zombies) I couldn't wait to read it. There was a few suprises along the way and I wasn't expecting the other entities which was a weird but good suprize. If I had to categorize this book I would put it as a tongue in cheek sci-fi. It also reminded me of an alien book I read in school as a child.
It is easy to read and nothing too over the top or challenging, whilst aimed at a younger (young adult) audience I think if you go into it not taking it too serious you will really enjoy it. The author takes us through the different emotions the ghosts feel from seeing their corpses to rejoining loved ones and starting new relationships and embarking on a journey to discover what has happened and what they will do next. As well as feelings blooming and new relatioships it also examines the other ways the human mind reacts to such devastation. Crazyness, taking religion to a whole new and scary level and even betrayal.
There is so much covered in this book that I think there is something for everyone to enjoy in it although if your very technical minded and take everything serious then this book isn't for you but I really enjoyed it and it was totally different from anything I have read in a long long time, 4/5 for me and I would certainly read more from this author.
Also I would like to thank the author for giving me the chance to read and review this.
View all my reviews
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Review - Bleeding hearts by Elise Title
Bleeding Hearts by Elise Title
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from Amazon
When the body of respected psychoanalyst, Melanie Rosen, is found, it seems her murderer knew of her interest in him. When Melanie's sister starts receiving extracts of Melanie's diaries, she is shocked by details of her sister's sex life and is forced to face a truth about their upbringing.
My review
Sarah is the main character and comes into play after her sister is killed at the hands of a sexual serial killer. Soon Sarah is forced to look at her life and the people surrounding her, including her closest friends and the police officer, could the killer really be one of them?
Yet another book where I am tore between a two or a three rating. There is so much going on in this book between the murders, Sarahs own issues with her sister, father, past and now the murder and the threat of her being next. The story itself is quite good and the killer is very smart but there is a huge sexual element to this book and whilst it is relevant in some areas, others I felt it was just not required but maybe put in to either spice the book up or satisfy a different kind of reader. I also felt the dialogue between some of the characters jumped quite a bit and the end of the book whilst it went out witha big finale it could have done with at least one more chapter if not two. However they do say the reader should be left wanting more so in that aspect the author has done her just but I was a bit irked at one or two things so for me 3/5 and I would try another of this authors books.
View all my reviews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from Amazon
When the body of respected psychoanalyst, Melanie Rosen, is found, it seems her murderer knew of her interest in him. When Melanie's sister starts receiving extracts of Melanie's diaries, she is shocked by details of her sister's sex life and is forced to face a truth about their upbringing.
My review
Sarah is the main character and comes into play after her sister is killed at the hands of a sexual serial killer. Soon Sarah is forced to look at her life and the people surrounding her, including her closest friends and the police officer, could the killer really be one of them?
Yet another book where I am tore between a two or a three rating. There is so much going on in this book between the murders, Sarahs own issues with her sister, father, past and now the murder and the threat of her being next. The story itself is quite good and the killer is very smart but there is a huge sexual element to this book and whilst it is relevant in some areas, others I felt it was just not required but maybe put in to either spice the book up or satisfy a different kind of reader. I also felt the dialogue between some of the characters jumped quite a bit and the end of the book whilst it went out witha big finale it could have done with at least one more chapter if not two. However they do say the reader should be left wanting more so in that aspect the author has done her just but I was a bit irked at one or two things so for me 3/5 and I would try another of this authors books.
View all my reviews
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Review - 61 hours by Lee Child
61 Hours by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Jack Reacher is back.
The countdown has begun. Get ready for the most exciting 61 hours of your life. #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child’s latest thriller is a ticking time bomb of suspense that builds electric tension on every page.
Sixty-one hours. Not a minute to spare.
A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In nearby Bolton, South Dakota, one brave woman is standing up for justice in a small town threatened by sinister forces. If she’s going to live long enough to testify, she’ll need help. Because a killer is coming to Bolton, a coldly proficient assassin who never misses.
Reacher’s original plan was to keep on moving. But the next 61 hours will change everything. The secrets are deadlier and his enemies are stronger than he could have guessed—but so is the woman whose life he’ll risk his own to save.
In 61 Hours, Lee Child has written a showdown thriller with an explosive ending that readers will talk about for a long time to come.(less)
My review
Jack Reacher is a fantastic character, this time he finds himself caught up in a pending trial in a small town. An eldery ladys life is at risk after seeing something that could throw a spanner in the works for a huge drug operation and Jack feels compelled to stop this happening.
The story has good action but takes it time getting from one good scene to another and I found it lacking in something. However the last quarter of the book is really good, fast paced and has a few twists. It ends on a cliff hanger which means you will need to get the next one to find out what happens and for me the way the end came together and the fact I am nosey I will track it down, 3/5 for me.
View all my reviews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Jack Reacher is back.
The countdown has begun. Get ready for the most exciting 61 hours of your life. #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child’s latest thriller is a ticking time bomb of suspense that builds electric tension on every page.
Sixty-one hours. Not a minute to spare.
A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In nearby Bolton, South Dakota, one brave woman is standing up for justice in a small town threatened by sinister forces. If she’s going to live long enough to testify, she’ll need help. Because a killer is coming to Bolton, a coldly proficient assassin who never misses.
Reacher’s original plan was to keep on moving. But the next 61 hours will change everything. The secrets are deadlier and his enemies are stronger than he could have guessed—but so is the woman whose life he’ll risk his own to save.
In 61 Hours, Lee Child has written a showdown thriller with an explosive ending that readers will talk about for a long time to come.(less)
My review
Jack Reacher is a fantastic character, this time he finds himself caught up in a pending trial in a small town. An eldery ladys life is at risk after seeing something that could throw a spanner in the works for a huge drug operation and Jack feels compelled to stop this happening.
The story has good action but takes it time getting from one good scene to another and I found it lacking in something. However the last quarter of the book is really good, fast paced and has a few twists. It ends on a cliff hanger which means you will need to get the next one to find out what happens and for me the way the end came together and the fact I am nosey I will track it down, 3/5 for me.
View all my reviews
So busy week/new acquired books
This week I was on annual leave and meant to go on holiday and get through a good few books. I ended up on a training course and have read very little so apologies for not much posting but there hasn't been anything to put up.
I did however have a meeting with a friend and came home with a few bags of books :D Some I have already read, 4 Stuart MacBride and a few others however a good haul of ones I haven't.
Bleeding Hearts by Elise Title
Angels Passing by Graham Hurley
8th Confession by James Patterson
The GraveDiggers Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
Play Dead by HArlan Coben
The Kill Call by Stephen Booth
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs
The reversal by Michael Connelly
Dead Souls/Set In Darkness/The falls by Ian Rankin which I am sure I have read at least one if not all of them.
With the others I might put up another giveaway (this month) so watch this space
I did however have a meeting with a friend and came home with a few bags of books :D Some I have already read, 4 Stuart MacBride and a few others however a good haul of ones I haven't.
Bleeding Hearts by Elise Title
Angels Passing by Graham Hurley
8th Confession by James Patterson
The GraveDiggers Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
Play Dead by HArlan Coben
The Kill Call by Stephen Booth
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs
The reversal by Michael Connelly
Dead Souls/Set In Darkness/The falls by Ian Rankin which I am sure I have read at least one if not all of them.
With the others I might put up another giveaway (this month) so watch this space
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Review - The Devil's Garden by Richard Montanari
The Devil's Garden by Richard Montanari
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Michael Roman is finally living the life he always dreamed of - he has a successful career, a beautiful wife and adorable twin daughters. But his idyllic life is about to come crashing down around him - because Michael is a man with a past. A rising star in the New York District Attorney-s office and on the cusp of enormous success, Michael-s perfect life begins to unravel when he finds himself the target of a depraved madman, a man who covets everything Michael has and will stop at nothing to take it all away. In a desperate fight to survive, Michael is forced to confront the dark secrets of his past in order to save his family.He must hunt down the psychopath who is targeting his family and, before it is too late, face the devil himself.
My review
To be honest I don't know where to start, I normally love Richard Montanari books but it just didn't happen with this one. Michaels story and background with his family is lovely, sad, tragic but quite gripping. When we are introduced to Alexsander Savisaar, again it is quite intriguing and even mystical beginning and I thought it was a good start. However it got weird and hard to follow the story with Alexsander as I wasn't sure if he was mystical and had powers or just a deluded madman.
There is some good action throughout the story and at times it is a gripping and good story but the weird parts were really weird and I just found it hard to concentrate and follow so sadly it is a 2/5 for me.
View all my reviews
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from goodreads
Michael Roman is finally living the life he always dreamed of - he has a successful career, a beautiful wife and adorable twin daughters. But his idyllic life is about to come crashing down around him - because Michael is a man with a past. A rising star in the New York District Attorney-s office and on the cusp of enormous success, Michael-s perfect life begins to unravel when he finds himself the target of a depraved madman, a man who covets everything Michael has and will stop at nothing to take it all away. In a desperate fight to survive, Michael is forced to confront the dark secrets of his past in order to save his family.He must hunt down the psychopath who is targeting his family and, before it is too late, face the devil himself.
My review
To be honest I don't know where to start, I normally love Richard Montanari books but it just didn't happen with this one. Michaels story and background with his family is lovely, sad, tragic but quite gripping. When we are introduced to Alexsander Savisaar, again it is quite intriguing and even mystical beginning and I thought it was a good start. However it got weird and hard to follow the story with Alexsander as I wasn't sure if he was mystical and had powers or just a deluded madman.
There is some good action throughout the story and at times it is a gripping and good story but the weird parts were really weird and I just found it hard to concentrate and follow so sadly it is a 2/5 for me.
View all my reviews
Monday, 10 October 2011
Review - Faked To Death by Dean James
Faked To Death by Dean James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb from Amazon
It's Simon's esteemed reputation as an auteur that brings him to the attention of Lady Hermione Kinsale. She needs another speaker for her week-long writers' workshop. But much to Simon's surprise-and chagrin - best selling mystery author Dorinda Darlington appears on the list of attendees. Simon knows first-hand how the reclusive author values her privacy...because Simon is Dorinda. The blatant impersonation has raised his hackles - and Simon's fit to kill. But someone beats him to the punch. "Dorinda" is found dead, flattened by a stone urn pushed from the terrace. Now, cloistered with a killer, Simon tunes his heightened senses to the movements of his fellow authors. And as the workshop develops into a tension convention, Simon grows more determined to take a bite out of crime - before bloody murder claims another victim.
My review
Simon is back and as usual surrounded by the small towns dramas, this time he is invited to a writers workshop at Lady Hermiones abode. Simon finds himself riled as he spots on the guest list none other than Dorinda Darlington (one of his secret author identities) as someone is posing as her. Ignoring his agents advice Simon confronts her and before long her body is found. Will Simon be the prime suspect as this isn't his first dead body? Why was she pretending to be the author of Simons books?
I loved this almost as much as the first one. Simon is his usual funny and witty self and caught up in more small town scandal on a bigger scale this time. What I also liked is Giles is a much better character this time round having grown since our first meeting in Posted To Death.
Wether you have read the first book or not isn't particularly relevant, you could pick this one up as a stand alone however if you can I would read the first book purely because it is a good story, 4/5 for me and I will be pursuing the next book in this series.
View all my reviews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb from Amazon
It's Simon's esteemed reputation as an auteur that brings him to the attention of Lady Hermione Kinsale. She needs another speaker for her week-long writers' workshop. But much to Simon's surprise-and chagrin - best selling mystery author Dorinda Darlington appears on the list of attendees. Simon knows first-hand how the reclusive author values her privacy...because Simon is Dorinda. The blatant impersonation has raised his hackles - and Simon's fit to kill. But someone beats him to the punch. "Dorinda" is found dead, flattened by a stone urn pushed from the terrace. Now, cloistered with a killer, Simon tunes his heightened senses to the movements of his fellow authors. And as the workshop develops into a tension convention, Simon grows more determined to take a bite out of crime - before bloody murder claims another victim.
My review
Simon is back and as usual surrounded by the small towns dramas, this time he is invited to a writers workshop at Lady Hermiones abode. Simon finds himself riled as he spots on the guest list none other than Dorinda Darlington (one of his secret author identities) as someone is posing as her. Ignoring his agents advice Simon confronts her and before long her body is found. Will Simon be the prime suspect as this isn't his first dead body? Why was she pretending to be the author of Simons books?
I loved this almost as much as the first one. Simon is his usual funny and witty self and caught up in more small town scandal on a bigger scale this time. What I also liked is Giles is a much better character this time round having grown since our first meeting in Posted To Death.
Wether you have read the first book or not isn't particularly relevant, you could pick this one up as a stand alone however if you can I would read the first book purely because it is a good story, 4/5 for me and I will be pursuing the next book in this series.
View all my reviews
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Review - Passenger 13 by Scott Mariani
Passenger 13 by Scott Mariani
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
From amazon
PASSENGER 13
A novella by Scott Mariani
Five years before the events of The Alchemist's Secret...
June 2003: the world is still on fire in the aftermath of 9/11. Fresh from the bloody conflict of the Second Gulf War, SAS soldier Ben Hope returns to Britain for some R&R leave, only to find himself embroiled in an intrigue deadlier than anything he's encountered on the battlefields of Iraq.
When a passenger aircraft piloted by Ben's former army comrade Nick Chapman crashed off the Cayman Islands killing everyone on board, the official line was that Chapman committed suicide. But things don't add up, and Ben's old friend is barely in his grave before unfolding events point to something far bigger and more sinister going on. What did Chapman witness that powerful forces would do anything to suppress? Who was the mysterious thirteenth passenger on board the doomed flight?
Following the trail of clues from the rugged Welsh borders to the Caribbean paradise that Chapman had made his home, Ben quickly discovers that some kinds of knowledge will get you killed - fast. Knowledge that threatens to unmask a global conspiracy of shocking proportions and change the way we view the world... and its masterminds have just made Ben Hope their principal target.
My review
This is my first Scott Mariani book (although not the first in a series, I have no idea how I came across it) I totally loved it. It starts with SAS soldier Ben Hope going to his old fried and comrades funeral believing the ex soldier killed himself and his passengers in a horrible suicide plan. Nicks daughter approaches him after the funeral very cagey and upset and tells Ben that her dad didn't kill himself and she has proof. What follows is a tangled web of murder, lies and deceit for Ben and a fast paced action packed story for the reader.
It goes at a great pace, the characters are easy to remember and for me Ben Hope was brilliant and reminded me of one of my favourite actors from my childhood, Chuck Norris of course. Just the way he behaved, handled the situations he found himself in and ultimate decent good guy that your rooting for.
I would definately read more of his work and may just go and track the books before and after this one, 4/5 for me.
This book is available for the kindle on Amazon.co.uk for only £0.99
View all my reviews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
From amazon
PASSENGER 13
A novella by Scott Mariani
Five years before the events of The Alchemist's Secret...
June 2003: the world is still on fire in the aftermath of 9/11. Fresh from the bloody conflict of the Second Gulf War, SAS soldier Ben Hope returns to Britain for some R&R leave, only to find himself embroiled in an intrigue deadlier than anything he's encountered on the battlefields of Iraq.
When a passenger aircraft piloted by Ben's former army comrade Nick Chapman crashed off the Cayman Islands killing everyone on board, the official line was that Chapman committed suicide. But things don't add up, and Ben's old friend is barely in his grave before unfolding events point to something far bigger and more sinister going on. What did Chapman witness that powerful forces would do anything to suppress? Who was the mysterious thirteenth passenger on board the doomed flight?
Following the trail of clues from the rugged Welsh borders to the Caribbean paradise that Chapman had made his home, Ben quickly discovers that some kinds of knowledge will get you killed - fast. Knowledge that threatens to unmask a global conspiracy of shocking proportions and change the way we view the world... and its masterminds have just made Ben Hope their principal target.
My review
This is my first Scott Mariani book (although not the first in a series, I have no idea how I came across it) I totally loved it. It starts with SAS soldier Ben Hope going to his old fried and comrades funeral believing the ex soldier killed himself and his passengers in a horrible suicide plan. Nicks daughter approaches him after the funeral very cagey and upset and tells Ben that her dad didn't kill himself and she has proof. What follows is a tangled web of murder, lies and deceit for Ben and a fast paced action packed story for the reader.
It goes at a great pace, the characters are easy to remember and for me Ben Hope was brilliant and reminded me of one of my favourite actors from my childhood, Chuck Norris of course. Just the way he behaved, handled the situations he found himself in and ultimate decent good guy that your rooting for.
I would definately read more of his work and may just go and track the books before and after this one, 4/5 for me.
This book is available for the kindle on Amazon.co.uk for only £0.99
View all my reviews
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Review - Crazy in Paradise by Deborah Brown
Crazy in Paradise by Deborah Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Synopsis from Goodreads
When Madison Westin, the main character, inherits her aunt’s beachfront motel in the Florida Keys, or so she thinks. Tarpon Cove is not your typical sleepy beach town: Seduction, drunks, ex-cons and fugitives are not the usual fare for someone looking to start a new chapter in their life. Wrestling control of the property from both the lawyer and the conniving motel manager will be no easy feat. But Madison likes living on the edge so she feels right at home. Bullets fly, a dead body turns up, a kidnapping and blackmail. Madison really has to learn not to leave home without her Glock or it could get her killed
My Review
This book initially read like a Marian Keynes in the feel of it and the build up of the relationships, sometimes you love the characters sometimes you hate them. For the most part I hated and disliked quite a few of them, the lawyer who is the executer of her aunts estate especially. Madison the main character I went through phases of liking to wanting to slap, her character went from being interesting and fun (almost like talking to one of your friends) to being so stupid and a pushover.
The story always has something going on and that is really what held my interest, I was dying for her to get some spirit and challenge the horrid motel manager and lawyer. Zach, Fab, Ace and Spoon I think are great characters and a book about them and their adventures I would love to read about, Madison not so much.
Another thing that annoyed me was when something happened for example when Madison overheard a pretty big threat instead of telling someone or the police she stayed quiet and then it wasn't brought up in the book until several chapters later and this happened once or twice. Another annoying aspect of her character was how she dealt with (or rather didn't) with the "date" her mother set her up with. That side of her character compared to the side that comes to Zachs rescue on more than one occassion was a total contrast and annoyed me so much that if the action hadn't been so good I might have had to knock the book a star off. I have read somewhere that some authors like making hateable characters as they stay longer with the reader therefore so does the story, if that was the intention then it certainly worked.
Definately mixed feelings over this one and as I said the action was pretty good but some of the characters grated that it breaks even and gets a 3/5, and yes I would read this author again but maybe not so quick to take up with Madison again.
You can buy this book from Amazon for £7.47 paperback or £2.14 for the kindle
Thank you to the author for sending me this book.
View all my reviews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Synopsis from Goodreads
When Madison Westin, the main character, inherits her aunt’s beachfront motel in the Florida Keys, or so she thinks. Tarpon Cove is not your typical sleepy beach town: Seduction, drunks, ex-cons and fugitives are not the usual fare for someone looking to start a new chapter in their life. Wrestling control of the property from both the lawyer and the conniving motel manager will be no easy feat. But Madison likes living on the edge so she feels right at home. Bullets fly, a dead body turns up, a kidnapping and blackmail. Madison really has to learn not to leave home without her Glock or it could get her killed
My Review
This book initially read like a Marian Keynes in the feel of it and the build up of the relationships, sometimes you love the characters sometimes you hate them. For the most part I hated and disliked quite a few of them, the lawyer who is the executer of her aunts estate especially. Madison the main character I went through phases of liking to wanting to slap, her character went from being interesting and fun (almost like talking to one of your friends) to being so stupid and a pushover.
The story always has something going on and that is really what held my interest, I was dying for her to get some spirit and challenge the horrid motel manager and lawyer. Zach, Fab, Ace and Spoon I think are great characters and a book about them and their adventures I would love to read about, Madison not so much.
Another thing that annoyed me was when something happened for example when Madison overheard a pretty big threat instead of telling someone or the police she stayed quiet and then it wasn't brought up in the book until several chapters later and this happened once or twice. Another annoying aspect of her character was how she dealt with (or rather didn't) with the "date" her mother set her up with. That side of her character compared to the side that comes to Zachs rescue on more than one occassion was a total contrast and annoyed me so much that if the action hadn't been so good I might have had to knock the book a star off. I have read somewhere that some authors like making hateable characters as they stay longer with the reader therefore so does the story, if that was the intention then it certainly worked.
Definately mixed feelings over this one and as I said the action was pretty good but some of the characters grated that it breaks even and gets a 3/5, and yes I would read this author again but maybe not so quick to take up with Madison again.
You can buy this book from Amazon for £7.47 paperback or £2.14 for the kindle
Thank you to the author for sending me this book.
View all my reviews
Friday, 7 October 2011
Review - Dodge The Bullet by Christy Hayes
Dodge the Bullet by Christy Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Amazon synopsis
Two years after her husband’s death, Sarah Woodward moves her boys away from their fast paced life in suburban Atlanta to small town Hailey, Colorado. But Sarah doesn’t know a Colorado Senator has earmarked her ranch for purchase and he’ll do anything to get it. Unwilling to sell, she dismisses his continued offers and moves ahead by improving the land with the help of a sexy stranger. A.J. Dodge is a man with a past. He’s returned to his hometown ready to set down roots and make things right with his family and whatever anyone else thinks he doesn’t give a damn. Until his old friend Tommy Thornton asks a favor, a favor he can’t refuse, and Dodge becomes involved with the beautiful widow Sarah Woodward. She’s alone with her young sons on a dilapidated ranch she’s determined to get up and running with or without his help. Under pressure to deliver the Woodward ranch to a land developer with shady connections, the senator sets in motion a dangerous plot to convince Sarah to sell. Dodge will risk everything to protect Sarah and the boys including his heart.
My review
This is my first time reading this author (thank you for sending me a copy and giving me the chance to review it Christy).
Sarah decides to move her 2 boys to their vacation home and set up life there and make a go of her ranch. Having no experience with it and her husband dead two years it is the new start she and her boys need. Help comes in the form of Dodge, a social outcast shunned by the town because of his past but, to Sarah he is a welcome help and as the story progresses something starts to stir that she thought died with her husband.
It is a well written very easy to read story with a few levels to it. On the whole it is a mother trying to do the best for her children the best she knows how but fate has other things in store for her. We see Sarah struggle with the difficulties of still dealing with her husbands death, the role of mother with 2 boys reacting to their sudden upheavel of moving and a few other relationships along the way.
It doesn't always happen but with this book I got all of my answers and most of my boxes ticked (avid readers can be so picky about what they want to see in books and sometimes I am awful for it!). The only thing I can really moan about is the skulduggery plot which is revealed and dealt with with about 15% left of the book left so I thought there was something else going to happen which again is more about my expectations and assumptions, however I really enjoyed the book and would definately read more by this author 4/5 for me.
View all my reviews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Amazon synopsis
Two years after her husband’s death, Sarah Woodward moves her boys away from their fast paced life in suburban Atlanta to small town Hailey, Colorado. But Sarah doesn’t know a Colorado Senator has earmarked her ranch for purchase and he’ll do anything to get it. Unwilling to sell, she dismisses his continued offers and moves ahead by improving the land with the help of a sexy stranger. A.J. Dodge is a man with a past. He’s returned to his hometown ready to set down roots and make things right with his family and whatever anyone else thinks he doesn’t give a damn. Until his old friend Tommy Thornton asks a favor, a favor he can’t refuse, and Dodge becomes involved with the beautiful widow Sarah Woodward. She’s alone with her young sons on a dilapidated ranch she’s determined to get up and running with or without his help. Under pressure to deliver the Woodward ranch to a land developer with shady connections, the senator sets in motion a dangerous plot to convince Sarah to sell. Dodge will risk everything to protect Sarah and the boys including his heart.
My review
This is my first time reading this author (thank you for sending me a copy and giving me the chance to review it Christy).
Sarah decides to move her 2 boys to their vacation home and set up life there and make a go of her ranch. Having no experience with it and her husband dead two years it is the new start she and her boys need. Help comes in the form of Dodge, a social outcast shunned by the town because of his past but, to Sarah he is a welcome help and as the story progresses something starts to stir that she thought died with her husband.
It is a well written very easy to read story with a few levels to it. On the whole it is a mother trying to do the best for her children the best she knows how but fate has other things in store for her. We see Sarah struggle with the difficulties of still dealing with her husbands death, the role of mother with 2 boys reacting to their sudden upheavel of moving and a few other relationships along the way.
It doesn't always happen but with this book I got all of my answers and most of my boxes ticked (avid readers can be so picky about what they want to see in books and sometimes I am awful for it!). The only thing I can really moan about is the skulduggery plot which is revealed and dealt with with about 15% left of the book left so I thought there was something else going to happen which again is more about my expectations and assumptions, however I really enjoyed the book and would definately read more by this author 4/5 for me.
View all my reviews
Monday, 3 October 2011
Review - Flu by Wayne Simmons
Flu by Wayne Simmons
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
There's a nasty flu going round. An epidemic, they call it. The posters say to cover your mouth when you sneeze, and throw away the tissue. But such simple measures won't stop this flu. Because when you catch the flu, armed police come and lock you in your house to die alone. When you catch this flu, it kills you in days. And when you catch this flu, two hours after it's killed you, your eyelids snap open again..."Flu" is a pacey, terrifying, frighteningly real zombie horror story.
My review
Well it is a zombie book with a difference in that it starts off with a flu so you have your starting cause but not the how or why the flu came about. The story splits between 3 small gatherings of survivors, 2 cops, an ex IRA man and religious young woman and 2 men who had frequent brushes with the law. As well as them we dip in and out of the goverments army men in command and divide between them with.
I didn't mind how the story started out but for me it got really silly with big inconsistancies and stupid behaviour. For example the virus is airborn yet when they are killing the zombies they are covered in gore and blood yet not getting the infection however if they bite you thats it. The army or soldiers turning on each other and the idiocy of one of them whilst carrying out his work was just insane. There are lots more but to tell you would be spoiling it.
The ending, well as with most of these books you never really get complete closure but the way this ended was just pointless unless the author is planning another in the series which explains all of the things brought up but not addressed or explored in this book. As a stand alone it gets 2/5 however if another book came out and explained more about it I might re evaluate my scoring.
View all my reviews
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
There's a nasty flu going round. An epidemic, they call it. The posters say to cover your mouth when you sneeze, and throw away the tissue. But such simple measures won't stop this flu. Because when you catch the flu, armed police come and lock you in your house to die alone. When you catch this flu, it kills you in days. And when you catch this flu, two hours after it's killed you, your eyelids snap open again..."Flu" is a pacey, terrifying, frighteningly real zombie horror story.
My review
Well it is a zombie book with a difference in that it starts off with a flu so you have your starting cause but not the how or why the flu came about. The story splits between 3 small gatherings of survivors, 2 cops, an ex IRA man and religious young woman and 2 men who had frequent brushes with the law. As well as them we dip in and out of the goverments army men in command and divide between them with.
I didn't mind how the story started out but for me it got really silly with big inconsistancies and stupid behaviour. For example the virus is airborn yet when they are killing the zombies they are covered in gore and blood yet not getting the infection however if they bite you thats it. The army or soldiers turning on each other and the idiocy of one of them whilst carrying out his work was just insane. There are lots more but to tell you would be spoiling it.
The ending, well as with most of these books you never really get complete closure but the way this ended was just pointless unless the author is planning another in the series which explains all of the things brought up but not addressed or explored in this book. As a stand alone it gets 2/5 however if another book came out and explained more about it I might re evaluate my scoring.
View all my reviews
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Septembers Pre-loved Giveaway winners are...............
Christine Matthews (no website given) who won The Lady Killers by Jackie Collins and Zoe Corbin (no website given) won The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley. The winners have been emailed and in the event the books aren't claimed I will draw a new winner.
Octobers Pre-loved Giveaway is now up http://www.alwaysreading.net/2011/10/octobers-pre-loved-giveaway-is-i-am.html
Thanks to everyone who entered and good luck for those entering this one. The book is in practically perfect condition and could pass for new.
Octobers Pre-loved Giveaway is now up http://www.alwaysreading.net/2011/10/octobers-pre-loved-giveaway-is-i-am.html
Thanks to everyone who entered and good luck for those entering this one. The book is in practically perfect condition and could pass for new.
Octobers Pre-loved Giveaway is I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali
Here is my review
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a truly inspiring story!
Aged just 10 years (or approximate) Nujood is taken from her childhood home and happiness and thrust into an adult world of marriage and everything that comes with it. This is the story of a brave young girl who has no choice in anything in her life and is married off by her father to a man almost 3 times her age. Her world is brutally ripped apart as she is taken from her family, childhood and everything she knows and loves to become an adult and cater to her husbands every whim.
Unlike a lot of these stories there isn't a huge focus on the abuse Nujood suffers, there is enough that you are in no doubt what she goes through but the stories main focus is on her life and how she goes against everything her culture and beliefs hold true to stop the hurt and pain inflicted by her religion and family's customs.
Whilst it is sad at parts, this is a story of inspiration and bravery of a young girl who disobeys everything she has been taught for the right to live her life as a child and not be brutalized. Brave steps that opens the gates for others like herself and the potential dishonor upon her family. With only 190 pages this is a thin book and a page turner, I found it totally fascinating, 4/5 for me.
View all my reviews
The book is in practically perfect condition and could pass for new.
To enter the giveaway via my new form click here Fill out my form!
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a truly inspiring story!
Aged just 10 years (or approximate) Nujood is taken from her childhood home and happiness and thrust into an adult world of marriage and everything that comes with it. This is the story of a brave young girl who has no choice in anything in her life and is married off by her father to a man almost 3 times her age. Her world is brutally ripped apart as she is taken from her family, childhood and everything she knows and loves to become an adult and cater to her husbands every whim.
Unlike a lot of these stories there isn't a huge focus on the abuse Nujood suffers, there is enough that you are in no doubt what she goes through but the stories main focus is on her life and how she goes against everything her culture and beliefs hold true to stop the hurt and pain inflicted by her religion and family's customs.
Whilst it is sad at parts, this is a story of inspiration and bravery of a young girl who disobeys everything she has been taught for the right to live her life as a child and not be brutalized. Brave steps that opens the gates for others like herself and the potential dishonor upon her family. With only 190 pages this is a thin book and a page turner, I found it totally fascinating, 4/5 for me.
View all my reviews
The book is in practically perfect condition and could pass for new.
To enter the giveaway via my new form click here Fill out my form!
review - Mercy by Jodi Pcioult
Mercy by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
Police chief of a small Massachusetts town, Cameron McDonald makes the toughest arrest of his life when his own cousin Jamie comes to him and confesses outright that he has killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy.
Now, a heated murder trial plunges the town into upheaval, and drives a wedge into a contented marriage: Cameron, aiding the prosecution in their case against Jamie, is suddenly at odds with his devoted wife, Allie -- seduced by the idea of a man so in love with his wife that he'd grant all her wishes, even her wish to end her life. And when an inexplicable attraction leads to a shocking betrayal, Allie faces the hardest questions of the heart: when does love cross the line of moral obligation? And what does it mean to truly love another?
My review
A story with a bit of everything. Murder, love, infidelity, friendships and emotional rollercoasters.
Jamie arrives at his cousins town with his wifes cooling body in the car and openly admits he killed her. What follows is a court case against Jamie and wether or not he was insane or not when he did it. As Jamie hits town so also does Mia, a drifter with her cat who soon finds more than a job and causes feelings and upset in the small town.
To be honest I was quite disappointed by this book. I don't think it has the same heart that her other books I have read do and I had a lot of OMG whys.
The Scottish side (the clan history) of it wasn't great either, I didn't find anything of great pull or interest in it.
I did like the glimpses we got of Jamies life with his wife and their love but I didn't find this book a page turner like the others so it is a 3/5 for me and I am being generous as I felt the ending was pretty flat too.
View all my reviews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Blurb from Goodreads
Police chief of a small Massachusetts town, Cameron McDonald makes the toughest arrest of his life when his own cousin Jamie comes to him and confesses outright that he has killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy.
Now, a heated murder trial plunges the town into upheaval, and drives a wedge into a contented marriage: Cameron, aiding the prosecution in their case against Jamie, is suddenly at odds with his devoted wife, Allie -- seduced by the idea of a man so in love with his wife that he'd grant all her wishes, even her wish to end her life. And when an inexplicable attraction leads to a shocking betrayal, Allie faces the hardest questions of the heart: when does love cross the line of moral obligation? And what does it mean to truly love another?
My review
A story with a bit of everything. Murder, love, infidelity, friendships and emotional rollercoasters.
Jamie arrives at his cousins town with his wifes cooling body in the car and openly admits he killed her. What follows is a court case against Jamie and wether or not he was insane or not when he did it. As Jamie hits town so also does Mia, a drifter with her cat who soon finds more than a job and causes feelings and upset in the small town.
To be honest I was quite disappointed by this book. I don't think it has the same heart that her other books I have read do and I had a lot of OMG whys.
The Scottish side (the clan history) of it wasn't great either, I didn't find anything of great pull or interest in it.
I did like the glimpses we got of Jamies life with his wife and their love but I didn't find this book a page turner like the others so it is a 3/5 for me and I am being generous as I felt the ending was pretty flat too.
View all my reviews
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
More Competitions available at
Blog Archive
-
▼
2011
(197)
-
▼
October
(17)
- Review - Zombie Apocalypse by Stephen Jones
- Review - Angels Passing by Graham Hurley
- Review - Legion by William Peter Blatty
- Review - The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
- Review - The Next Thing I Knew by John Corwin
- Review - Bleeding hearts by Elise Title
- Review - 61 hours by Lee Child
- So busy week/new acquired books
- Review - The Devil's Garden by Richard Montanari
- Review - Faked To Death by Dean James
- Review - Passenger 13 by Scott Mariani
- Review - Crazy in Paradise by Deborah Brown
- Review - Dodge The Bullet by Christy Hayes
- Review - Flu by Wayne Simmons
- Septembers Pre-loved Giveaway winners are............
- Octobers Pre-loved Giveaway is I am Nujood, Age 10...
- review - Mercy by Jodi Pcioult
-
▼
October
(17)