tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59108726644772161682024-03-06T05:32:48.641+00:00Obsessed With Reading!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-40775362703069647802012-08-23T22:43:00.002+01:002012-08-23T22:43:55.389+01:00Book Review - A Limited Justice by Catriona King<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpd3thbSYyBvpL2TSuQ70qR4B-1Wk9myVlIYXSZs9j7gZqLgFe2kIq9bREP8QHOaYncbXmBRbeynpNjBCDPZc899NTXQE3MqerMMvcS1dFVYf8lLdtYSgHjjWgC3O3MGof8jOb0BIGuU/s1600/limited+justice.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpd3thbSYyBvpL2TSuQ70qR4B-1Wk9myVlIYXSZs9j7gZqLgFe2kIq9bREP8QHOaYncbXmBRbeynpNjBCDPZc899NTXQE3MqerMMvcS1dFVYf8lLdtYSgHjjWgC3O3MGof8jOb0BIGuU/s1600/limited+justice.PNG" /></a><a href="http://www.crookedcatbooks.com/index.php?route=product/manufacturer/product&manufacturer_id=26">A Limited Justice</a> is the first in a new series by Belfast
based former forensic examiner turned author Catriona King. I was sent the book
to review by the publisher and I have to say that I wasn’t that blown away by
the idea of it at first. Despite the old adage, ‘never judge a book by its
cover’ I have to say that I did, well that and the title. I don’t know, I guess
I thought it sounded and looked a little bit bland. But I’m pleased to say that
I was proved wrong. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There has been a brutal murder in broad daylight in a garage
in Belfast, followed by a second equally gruesome one, and then a third . . . DCI
Craig and his team are determined to find out the who the killers are and to
stop them before they strike again. But they don’t quite make that deadline and
one of their own is attacked, racking up the heat on the investigation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story introduces DCI Marc Craig who I loved from the
start. He is strong but kind and is perfect for the main character of a novel
like this one. In fact I think the characters in the book are all really well
written and work well together. The detective team are a particularly good
group. I assume that it is King’s previous experience in dealing with the
Metropolitan Police that she has been able to put down her observations and
form them into a realistic working environment that is great to read about. There
is great camaraderie even in the face of adversity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think she did a really good job of the secondary
characters too. They made the story what it was – a little bit gruesome, a
little bit funny and a little bit touching as well as many other things. I
particularly enjoyed the old lady who thinks herself a bit of a Hetty Wainthrop
type. She is slightly batty but great fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The story is fast paced and quick. It moves along very
quickly which I really enjoyed. I read it in a day and although I am a quick
reader, I don’t think it would take even the average reader more than a few
sittings to finish. This is not a bad thing; it just means that the story keeps
you reading because it is so engrossing. I thought King’s writing style was a
bit like Lynda LaPlante in that it jumps around from scene to scene, which is
another thing that kept me gripped. I’d tell myself that I’d just read to the
next break and then find that it would jump to another intriguing part of the
story and I just couldn’t put it down – very addictive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I think that the story has a softer side to it as well,
despite the fact that it features some pretty grisly murder scenes; it isn’t
all doom and gloom. The ending is quite good. I partly saw it coming, but not
totally and I thought that it ended well. Sometimes these kinds of stories can
have a cheesy ending that ties things up nicely and leaves you feeling a bit
short changed, but this one doesn’t go quite the way you imagine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I thoroughly enjoyed A Limited justice and am pleased to
know that this is just the first in a series that will feature DCI Marc Craig
and his gang.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-37293326818656732482012-08-23T20:14:00.002+01:002012-08-23T20:14:44.687+01:00Book Review - Dead Ringer by Allen Wyler<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbQTbPXf0jdICNkEgvz1n2G1OaWK4d-TDaUm4HfNC5NqeJr9EcKYqX8gX-ESmNyeLCW_zFMKIVR_B51y7EhX4vww657VAo-G562qeMuUrG1I33Nh8Mra3T321l-vCYbEAHLhsZXpnB-I/s1600/Dead+Ringer.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbQTbPXf0jdICNkEgvz1n2G1OaWK4d-TDaUm4HfNC5NqeJr9EcKYqX8gX-ESmNyeLCW_zFMKIVR_B51y7EhX4vww657VAo-G562qeMuUrG1I33Nh8Mra3T321l-vCYbEAHLhsZXpnB-I/s320/Dead+Ringer.PNG" width="204" /></a>I had never heard of Allen Wyler before being sent his
previous novel to review, but having read that one I was happy to review this
one when asked. Wyler is a former, highly regarded surgeon, who made the
unlikely switch to crime writing after realising that is where is new passion
lay. His latest novel, <a href="http://astorandblue.com/dead-ringer/">Dead Ringer,</a> centres around the macabre world of body
snatching. I enjoyed the previous novel and was very much hoping that this one
wouldn’t let me down.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The novel centres on Lucas McRae who is a world renowned and
highly talented neurosurgeon who is in Hong Kong to conduct a medical
demonstration when he sees that the human head that he has been provided to
work on is that of his long time best friend. There is a huge cover up, but
Lucas determines to find out the truth at all costs. His quest leads him into
both danger and the arms of a female police officer, DS Wendy Elliot, who
believes his seemingly far-fetched story because she thinks her friend might
also have been a victim of the same crime. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The story does seem on the face of it, to be more than a
little far-fetched and I thought the same when I first read the synopsis, but
Wyler has enough experience in the field to make it totally believable, even as
a work of fiction. I was worried that, being that he is an expert in the field,
the story telling might be far too technical, but it was an unfounded
worry. Wyler has an excellent way with
words and a storytelling ability that means he is able to tell you enough to
understand he story but not so much that it becomes a chore to read.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story is fast paced and it does keep you interested. I
have a slightly warped sense about me sometimes – I love reading about Jack the
Ripper for instance and true life crime fascinates me – so the idea of body
snatching for business seemed right up my street. I found the story gripping
and I read it easily in a day at the side on the pool on holiday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The characters are very likeable, or dislikeable as the
situation might dictate. Lucas McRae is a strong character, although he does
have his weaknesses, which makes him believable and perfect as the main
protagonist in this story and the relationship that develops between him and Elliot
is also a good one. It isn’t forced and cheesy like these sub-story
relationships can be. They are two strong characters who work well together and
are interesting to read about. There are, as you would expect, a couple of bad
guys in the story and they are equally well written. Smarmy enough up front to
cast doubts, but creepy and devious enough behind closed doors to keep the
level of intrigue throughout the book.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The book is available for download through Amazon at £3.13.
At this price and even twice that, it is definitely worth it. It is a great
story in the crime thriller genre and the somewhat grisly theme makes it quite
unique and disturbingly interesting. Recommended.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-89218452866051338642012-07-14T13:03:00.000+01:002012-07-14T16:07:01.318+01:00Book Review: Voices by David Shaw<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6ypwHsMJeNSBdQCQB1RPOQeka1-7PJlKT8z3L5OsitB41nQnnpT3jv7LvP4Q3kXF53GEa9Gtqg-Gk8alPWJnC_9onEHgGp24MJwF8OWIcdNYPrRvbECe3zx03tS13gtaNVS2z5z1UyQ/s1600/voices.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6ypwHsMJeNSBdQCQB1RPOQeka1-7PJlKT8z3L5OsitB41nQnnpT3jv7LvP4Q3kXF53GEa9Gtqg-Gk8alPWJnC_9onEHgGp24MJwF8OWIcdNYPrRvbECe3zx03tS13gtaNVS2z5z1UyQ/s320/voices.PNG" width="226" /></a>I’m not one for the supernatural. I find all things ghostly
a tad far-fetched and unbelievable. For this reason I’ve never read a
supernatural type book because I just didn’t think I could enjoy one. Oh how
wrong I was! I received Voices by David Shaw from the publisher and was a more
than a little sceptical about it but thought I’d give it a go anyone (I’m not
one to turn down a free book!).<o:p></o:p><br />
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The story begins with a bomb explosion in a school canteen
which kills or maims everyone in the vicinity. Chris Deacon, an IT teacher is
one of the few survivors, but things totally change for him after he wakes from
his coma; he is no longer able to speak or hear and he sees frightening apparitions
that seem to want him to do something.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I really enjoyed the book, it was full of twists and turns
and I genuinely was gripped from beginning to end. I really wasn’t sure if I
would enjoy the supernatural aspect of it, but I found that it wasn’t too far-fetched
in the grand scheme of things and that Shaw actually uses this to make the
story make sense.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The characters are very well written and the main protagonist
is likeable and believable, despite his tendency to see and hear things that
most others can’t. I think this is David Shaw’s key success in the story
because if he hadn’t made the main character believable, the whole story would
have just been rubbish. As it is, I actually found myself understanding the
situation and believing it to be the truth - very bizarre!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The apparitions were brilliantly written too – they were
scary enough that I was looking under my bed before I got into it, but not so
much that I couldn’t sleep. It’s more of a psychological thriller than a scary
story and this is probably what I enjoyed most about it<o:p></o:p></div>
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Overall a great story that I would absolutely recommend.<o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-55525401083478412242012-07-11T10:14:00.000+01:002012-07-11T10:19:02.948+01:00Book Review: Dead End Deal By Allen Wyler<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1iHpoBopc5IByZfOOx9UkXc6ejyNV0z-zrl-GF-WWwnOy8NQ_GGHbSR0O3CNr_jl8KZJL4pS1ffU-8MLBPcLoVg3BArvbN6CLmnfOD8WZ0XLUi5C6hVKBYfIIkFwAPZky6y141ZBavA/s1600/Dead+End+Deal.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1iHpoBopc5IByZfOOx9UkXc6ejyNV0z-zrl-GF-WWwnOy8NQ_GGHbSR0O3CNr_jl8KZJL4pS1ffU-8MLBPcLoVg3BArvbN6CLmnfOD8WZ0XLUi5C6hVKBYfIIkFwAPZky6y141ZBavA/s320/Dead+End+Deal.PNG" width="208" /></a>I have to be honest, I had never heard of Allen Wyler before
I was sent this book to review, but after reading it, I think it is safe to say
that I am a fan. <a href="http://astorandblue.com/dead-end-deal/">Dead End Deal</a> is a sort of medical science based thriller and,
although I am not a fan of medical related things in general, I loved this
book.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story focusses on Jon Ritter who is a scientist on the
verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s. Suddenly the research is slated
and Ritter’s mentor is killed. Ritter himself is threatened by an anti-abortion
group who promise more of the same if he continues his research. Ritter must
decide whether the risk is great enough to give up the thing that has been
dominating his life for the last 10 years . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
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Allen Wyler is a well-respected former neurosurgeon and this
shows in the story of the book, but it isn’t overly detailed and tiresome for
the layman (me!). When I first read the blurb of the book and the author’s ‘About
Me’, I was a bit worried that it would be too technical for me, but this is not
the case at all. Wyler does an excellent job of simplifying things enough that
someone without experience in the field can understand and enjoy the story, but
not so much that it doesn’t feel authentic. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is a strange leap from medicine to thriller writing, but
it would seem that Wyler has managed it successfully. The thriller element of
the story is easily as good as any I have read before. His characters are
excellent. The main character is likeable and believable. You feel yourself
really getting behind him and eager to find out what happens. The main bad guys
are excellently written too – they have that suave confidence that makes you
want to see them fall flat on their face!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story is a real page turner too – I read it in just one
sitting. I was so engrossed in the story that I couldn’t put it down and wanted
to find out what happened as soon as possible. The story travels from America
to Korea and you really feel like you are there with the characters because
Wyler writes the surroundings and locations so well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story is available for download on Amazon for £3.70
(currently with a 20% saving on the list price) and I would absolutely recommend
it. I thought the story had a Michael Crichton-esque feel to it, so if you
enjoy his books, you’ll love this.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Visit the publisher here - <a href="http://astorandblue.com/dead-end-deal/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">http://astorandblue.com/dead-end-deal/</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-19706388249960873172012-06-23T22:15:00.002+01:002012-06-23T22:15:44.142+01:00Book Review: How To Look Like You by Rose McClelland<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSzS8E1j-xJywndACTbqd1fwPAuCzx9pzFvDZZaz5vlSDLlGeEf-rJmRRXjj9AUil_wljl603qdo2z8_XLxQ8ywlHrTsW8RUdGM3BUioA8GXyLGB8WXXYdf3X_Ch8Nq43lHFpX1QRc1g/s1600/rose+m.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSzS8E1j-xJywndACTbqd1fwPAuCzx9pzFvDZZaz5vlSDLlGeEf-rJmRRXjj9AUil_wljl603qdo2z8_XLxQ8ywlHrTsW8RUdGM3BUioA8GXyLGB8WXXYdf3X_Ch8Nq43lHFpX1QRc1g/s1600/rose+m.PNG" /></a>Rose McClelland is a relatively new author from Belfast who
was previously a blogger and a reviewer. How To Look Like You is her second
book and will be released as an e-book on 5<sup>th</sup> July. I was lucky
enough to receive an advance copy of the book for review. I enjoyed the book.
It is of the chick-lit genre and is a perfect summer read. I actually thought
it was quite short at 178 pages, but this makes it ideal for reading in a day
on the beach. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The story revolves around two girls, Chloe and Ella. Chloe is
a stereotypically perfect size eight blonde bombshell who is in a steady
relationship with a great all round guy who is in a band. Ella is a bubbly
talented and likeable girl who quickly falls in love with the guy from the
band. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The story is told from each girl’s perspective alternately
by chapter. I thought this was a pretty good way of telling the story and it
made it much easier to follow than it might have been otherwise. It was quite
good to see both sides of the story as it happens and in the first person, I
think it made the characters more believable. This also made me a little
frustrated with the characters as well because the main thing for me in the
story was that the two girls were both perfectly likeable and if they hadn’t
been so busy convincing themselves that the other was a bitch, they might have
actually been good friends. Listening to both sides of the story made me feel
like I was actually one of their friends kind of caught in the middle and so it
was quite engaging in that respect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The other characters in the book were pretty cool as well. I
especially liked the respective love interests of the two girls; Alex and
Simon. Alex has a laid back easy charm that you instantly warm too, you can
tell he is a fun guy and you want to be around him and read about him. Simon on
the other hand is a perfect gentleman and is equally lovely to read about.
Throughout the book I found myself hoping that they would all get the girl in
the end. There are a couple of other characters in the story that add the villainous
aspect to it. They are there to suit their own needs and they are the ones that
you love to hate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like I said, it is a fairly short story and I did like that,
but I thought that it made it seem a little rushed in places. The story kind of
hurried along a bit and it would have perhaps been even better if it had been
slowed down a bit more. I felt that I had just got into the story and to know
the characters before it was all over.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Overall I’d definitely recommend the story because it is a
fun summer read and a great way to pass a few hours. If you love Marian Keyes
and the like, you’ll love this!<o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-34457899423329474912012-04-08T22:38:00.000+01:002012-04-08T22:38:38.313+01:00Book Review: Private Games by James Patterson<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPIm3CwbVBlGOACWRCBktJ6SxthTVagwPOVIt5YcYur8w5cf3fq79EsK5rLJuTVYwgc2UwXDI5Neehu_xbMH4XX2olWOc10yV4reW5xVoGnQzTSyBg0AIgTMVQ_SA2dAfPf_gomCtPIA/s1600/Private+Games+Pic.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPIm3CwbVBlGOACWRCBktJ6SxthTVagwPOVIt5YcYur8w5cf3fq79EsK5rLJuTVYwgc2UwXDI5Neehu_xbMH4XX2olWOc10yV4reW5xVoGnQzTSyBg0AIgTMVQ_SA2dAfPf_gomCtPIA/s320/Private+Games+Pic.PNG" width="204" /></a>With James Patterson’s stalwart series’ of books (Alex
Cross, Lindsey Boxer, Daniel X and so on) well established now, the author has
gone on to create a new series in the form of Private. Private Games is the
latest in this series and I have just finished listening to the audiobook
version of it, read by Paul Panting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Private is a prestigious worldwide security agency that has
some extremely high profile and important clients. This time it is charged with
providing security for the Olympic Games 2012 in London. All is going well
until a pesky and slightly deranged criminal mastermind sets his sights on
destroying London and the Olympic Games themselves. As one of Private’s
bigwigs, Peter Knight is right in the thick of it and must find the person who
is killing in the name of the purity of the traditional games before he reaches
his ultimate goal of stopping the modern games forever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The story follows Patterson’s typical fast paced style with
over a hundred short chapters which make the story move along quickly and keep
you turning pages until the very end. I thoroughly enjoyed it. To be honest I
have tired a bit of late of Patterson’s books, particularly those in the Alex
Cross series. I feel that they have become a little samey and predictable,
whereas this was a welcome change from the norm from me. It was nice to learn
about a new character in a new place.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Obviously based on the upcoming Olympic games, it felt quite
topical as well and I felt like I could relate to what was happening in the
story. Clearly I don’t mean the bit about the crazy guy destroying the games,
but it was nice to read about places and things that I recognise. There were
slight issues with the story in this respect though. It didn’t quite have the
attention to detail that Patterson usually applies to his work. Whether this is
because I don’t usually know enough about the places and people (ie Washington
DC and San Francisco) to notice mistakes or whether he really hasn’t been
paying quite as much attention as he should have his time, I’m not sure. One
glaring mistake was the fact that Brazil play England in the final of the
football, but this isn’t possible being that it is Great Britain rather than
individual countries within the British Isles that take part in the Olympic
Games.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The story is read, as I said, by Paul Panting. He does a
pretty good job for the most part. Paul Panting is an actor who has done a lot
of bit part work in fairly high profile TV programmes like Eastenders, Silent
Witness and The Bill. I don’t recognise the name and I didn’t recognise his
face when I Googled him, but I think that I didn’t recognise his voice was much
better. I think it would have been distracting to hear a familiar voice and it
would have, for me, taken away from the story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Panting has to do a few different accents, including
Jamaican and American, and he does them fairly well, if a little
stereotypically. One of the things I liked best about his storytelling was the
way he changed his voice and tone depending on which part of the story he was
reading. In different parts of the book, the focus alternates between a third
person account of Peter Knight’s actions and a first person account of the
killer’s. It might have been a little difficult to differentiate between the
two had Panting not completely changed the way he spoke. When he was speaking
the killer’s part it was almost like a Shakespeare style soliloquy that made it
seem more atmospheric and engaging.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The audio book is currently available on Amazon for £6.59,
which is a few pounds cheaper than the Kindle and hardback equivalents. I think
it is excellent value for money. The audiobook is the unabridged version and is
presented over 8 CDs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I would absolutely recommend Private Games for Patterson
fans because I really do think it is him back to his best. A great read!<o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-2087442144928710752012-03-30T22:42:00.000+01:002012-03-30T22:42:32.840+01:00Book Review: Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uVj7LnvaAQXiLGkoeG4ow-T0pJIQe5ToXQcPGC2JENiPQZj3Cua-_Kpjeu3KL_n_T_RENQd13evRvbh7aWeNL3lQSqWuXpYNZEWIgScDiK8gJY82Ikf4_qjEFkzLGAE_9msWhXS92xs/s1600/single+girls.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uVj7LnvaAQXiLGkoeG4ow-T0pJIQe5ToXQcPGC2JENiPQZj3Cua-_Kpjeu3KL_n_T_RENQd13evRvbh7aWeNL3lQSqWuXpYNZEWIgScDiK8gJY82Ikf4_qjEFkzLGAE_9msWhXS92xs/s320/single+girls.PNG" width="207" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I am a big fan of Lindsey Kelk. She has written only a few books so far, but I have enjoyed them immensely and so when I saw her newest one available for download on Amazon for £2.99, I bought it straight away. Lindsey Kelk’s other novels so far have all been from the ‘I Heart . . .’ series, which up to now include ‘I Heart New York’, ‘I Heart Vegas’, ‘I Heart Hollywood’ and ‘I Heart Paris’. This one however is not from the same series; Kelk has branched out a bit, although admittedly not too far. ‘Single Girl’s To-Do List’ is a fun and easy read that will no doubt cheer you up.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story is centred around Rachel Summers, who is a twenty-something girl who loves to write a list. I totally related to Rachel straight away because I love to write a list, albeit not as obsessively as she does, but it is one of the many things that made me warm to her. The story begins with Rachel happily living with her long term boyfriend in a cosy flat in London, paid for by her enviable job as a make-up artist to the stars. As is usually the case with this kind of story, this lifestyle quickly unravels when her boyfriend announces one day that he no longer loves her and their lifestyle and he leaves. However, unlike the norm for this kind of story, Rachel doesn’t run weep relentlessly into her pillow or find her real self in a little obscure little village in the middle of nowhere. What actually happens is her two best friends write her a new list, and so comes ‘The Single Girl’s To-Do List’ . . .<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">I loved the slight twist to the girl falls in love, girl has her heart trodden on, girl gets revenge story that this book gave. It is a subtle difference to the norm, but it did feel quite original when I was reading it. The idea of the list gave lots of scope for Rachel to do all the things that you’d love to do, like just take a flight to a random city, hook up with someone that you let go by a long time ago or do a bungee jump. OK so that last one might be your idea of hell just like me, but it’s the idea of doing something totally out of your comfort zone and rewarding that this book really taps into.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The list is written by Rachel’s best friends; Emilie and Matthew. Emilie is a French Canadian stunner who loves a good time and has never had a long term boyfriend by choice and Matthew is the gay best friend that looks after you and all the girls want to be friends with. Lindsey Kelk really knows how to write likeable characters and particularly supporting characters. She always writes strong and fun supporting characters who help make the story so readable. She has done it again here because before they even write the list you know that they are going to make it extravagant and that they are going to make her stick to it. The way they are written means that it is totally believable that they have the contacts to travel the world on a whim and the cheek to contact someone’s schoolmate on Facebook without that someone knowing. If you are a fan of the ‘I Heart . . .’ books, you’ll be pleased to know that one of the best supporting characters from that series makes a cameo appearance in this book too!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The book is available on Amazon in a few different formats. Like I said, the Kindle version is £2.99. The paperback version is available brand new for £4.50 and used from 33p plus postage. There is also an unabridged audio version available for £10.49. Whichever way you purchase it, I am sure you will enjoy it and so it’ll definitely be worth it!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was a bit worried about whether Kelk would be able to move away from her series successfully, but she totally managed and I loved this book as much as I did the others. I would absolutely recommend it because it is a fun read that you will be disappointed to reach the end of.<o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-7988544693151938622012-03-28T17:07:00.000+01:002012-03-28T17:07:05.954+01:00Book Review: Jenny Lopez Has A Bad Week by Lindsey Kelk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLAXKfLLRQ1Z8QM6awHH_k9IU6oYZd9bY8T2_U3qTqtYtQJrYwZi2kILPX1v6ew2mERcG5aDn5ZHcTOnNiFS9BAP3qmK2DO86G0Lh1gWnfXNhyv2iWajoKIioz__XjkBVH8kDaAEsf78/s1600/Jenny+lopez.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLAXKfLLRQ1Z8QM6awHH_k9IU6oYZd9bY8T2_U3qTqtYtQJrYwZi2kILPX1v6ew2mERcG5aDn5ZHcTOnNiFS9BAP3qmK2DO86G0Lh1gWnfXNhyv2iWajoKIioz__XjkBVH8kDaAEsf78/s320/Jenny+lopez.PNG" width="209" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I am the proud new owner of an Amazon Kindle and as the proud owner new owner of an Amazon Kindle, I have spent the last three days doing what all proud new owners of Amazon Kindles do – download anything and everything I can get my hands on. Browsing through the list I stumbled across a book from a familiar author: Lindsey Kelk, author of the ‘I Heart . . .’ series of books. So using the instantaneous magic of wi-fi I downloaded her latest offering ‘Jenny Lopez Has A Bad Week’ for the princely sum of £2.99.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first thing you should know that this book is only available as an e-book for download to the Amazon Kindle. The second thing you should know is that it is a short story. I was a little disappointed to find out that it was a short story and even more annoyed that it isn’t advertised as such on Amazon. Considering that you can get a large number of full length books on Amazon for this price and, quite often, much less, it isn’t actually very good value for money if you ask me. The story is a good one, don’t get me wrong, but value wise it isn’t great. Just to give you a bench mark, I have since downloaded Lindsey Kelk’s most recent, full length, book for the same price.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">If you have read any of Lindsey Kelk’s ‘I Heart . . .’ books (New York, Paris, Vegas) you will find the story in this one very familiar. Rather than focussing on the heroine of the other stories though, it focusses on the heroine’s best friend, Jenny Lopez (no relation to the pop star of course!). I actually loved the character of Jenny Lopez in the previous books, so was pleased to know that she was the star of this one. She is feisty, strong and very likeable, a character that you warm to straight away. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story itself revolves around the fact that Jenny is jobless, flatmateless and single – a state of affairs that is unusual for Ms Lopez and unusual to read about. It is a typical chick-lit style story – one that makes you smile and uplifts you. It isn’t a clever story or one that will teach you anything, but it is one you will enjoy, if you like this type of story. Lindsey Kelk is very good at writing likeable characters and stories that sweep away your imagination to a fun place and she has done that again with his short story. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The only problem I found was that the ending was a little rushed and a little too organised. I have no doubt that this was down to the fact it is a short story, pure and simple. It’s hard to tell how long a book is on the Kindle because there are no page numbers, but I would guess that it is just under half the length of a normal length book. I would have loved for Kelk to have carried this one on to a normal length because it had the makings of a really good chick-lit book. It just seemed to end quite suddenly and there were still things that could have been taken further in my opinion.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After downloading and reading the book I read a couple of reviews of it (perhaps I should have done that before downloading it, I know!) and it would seem that at some point the book has been available for free and for £1.99. It is interesting that the people who got it free gave it four or five stars and the people that paid for it (even those that paid less than me) weren’t quite so generous. I think I can understand why. If I’d have known that it was a short story, I probably wouldn’t have downloaded it. As it is I have and I would have to give it just the three stars because it was a good story in the main, but disappointingly short and not particularly good value for money. <o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-1154265909924167272012-03-26T21:58:00.000+01:002012-03-26T21:58:37.945+01:00I Have A Kindle!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjp4tE1VZ3Lh0TeFOnhEf4iLk1PkR74uEW7_gcQ38DncRj1ZKE4MqnbgVz9WO48k3d97pUzZA7PIT7IeFdKxvzDJ63shBUggL5dBhZt_HYzBdGa-_HFQNhdUekN8hqW6FweVX7_Q3WMbw/s1600/Kindle.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjp4tE1VZ3Lh0TeFOnhEf4iLk1PkR74uEW7_gcQ38DncRj1ZKE4MqnbgVz9WO48k3d97pUzZA7PIT7IeFdKxvzDJ63shBUggL5dBhZt_HYzBdGa-_HFQNhdUekN8hqW6FweVX7_Q3WMbw/s320/Kindle.PNG" width="227" /></a></div>I have to admit, I was one of those annoying people that preached about the sanctity of the traditional book and who couldn't ever imagine giving in to the devil that is the Kindle! But, after my very generous husband bought me one for my birthday, I have to now say that I am a total convert.<br />
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I have to also admit that I have somewhat neglected by love of reading of late (hence my last book review on here being like a million years ago). I know I know, how dare I say that and in public as well. But I am afraid it is true. That said, my love is back. After the initial buzz of downloading a million and one books (sort of ) off, I decided to start reading and I haven't put the thing down since! So be prepared to see a million and one (sort of) book reviews on here soon.<br />
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Folks I'm back and with a vengeance thanks to my new little toy!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-5934477358488310272011-12-14T21:04:00.000+00:002011-12-14T21:04:24.385+00:00Make Your Own Jewellery?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgtz_zrenmNaMyejxtgFbM1z1rv-xcjvB2tCFQw5_BwhyckKMC4guyfMkaBRo3TpqKwzJuVkaWGFsaocsLLKx0JgfzxDm_mkpHY2c3t3XeFzBI2OjLku_l_rAMDT5dUdMeSkmn0as-DI/s1600/logo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgtz_zrenmNaMyejxtgFbM1z1rv-xcjvB2tCFQw5_BwhyckKMC4guyfMkaBRo3TpqKwzJuVkaWGFsaocsLLKx0JgfzxDm_mkpHY2c3t3XeFzBI2OjLku_l_rAMDT5dUdMeSkmn0as-DI/s1600/logo.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Slightly off the usual topic of books, books and more books, but I thought I'd let you know about a fab new website I've found that is great for all of those of you who make their own Pandora style bracelets and things.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.moonj.co.uk/">http://www.moonj.co.uk/</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They sell bracelets, beads and everything else you need to make your own jewellery - check it out!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-42903410046220861252011-12-05T10:25:00.001+00:002011-12-05T10:30:24.231+00:00My Dooyoo Christmas Wish List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0_tmJzMhu0MHsvv9Cb07y8yF9LaH1sN96pzsRHr9O2XW2sArHJS0V7Usi4pCxIeAjPu9ikOUufq9arALw_1N7DcM8FrCTbmnjH82bahylAkLzYrBh4Jii-xis9vfVSjjVPEkKbsA35s/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0_tmJzMhu0MHsvv9Cb07y8yF9LaH1sN96pzsRHr9O2XW2sArHJS0V7Usi4pCxIeAjPu9ikOUufq9arALw_1N7DcM8FrCTbmnjH82bahylAkLzYrBh4Jii-xis9vfVSjjVPEkKbsA35s/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I love Christmas and all things Christmassy so I thought I'd get into the festive spirit by sharing my <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/">dooyoo</a> wish list in the style of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Now the list may look a bit excessive, but if you don't ask, you don't get, so here goes (see if you can read through it without getting the Twelve Days Of Christmas tune stuck in your head!): </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>On the twelfth day of Christmas, dooyoo gave to me,<br />
Twelve <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/food/terrys-chocolate-orange/">Chocolate Oranges</a><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eleven <a href="http://search.dooyoo.co.uk/search/both/slipper+socks/0/">Pairs of Slipper Socks</a></div>Ten <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/music-records/">Music Albums</a><br />
Nine <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/gadgets/">Household Gadgets</a><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eight <a href="http://search.dooyoo.co.uk/search/both/Winnie+the+pooh/0/">Winnie The Pooh</a> Gifts</div>Seven Fun New <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/board-games/">Board Games</a><br />
Six <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/drinks/ernest-julio-gallo-white-zinfandel/">Bottles of Wine</a><br />
Five <a href="http://search.dooyoo.co.uk/search/both/james+patterson/0/">Patterson Books</a><br />
Four <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/movie-dvd/miracle-on-34th-street-dvd/">Christmas Films</a><br />
Three <a href="http://search.dooyoo.co.uk/search/both/irregular+choice/0/">Pairs of Shoes</a><br />
Two <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/computer/">Electrical Items</a><br />
And a <a href="http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/hotels-international/shangri-la-rasa-ria-resort/">Holiday to Somewhere Nice</a><br />
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So there you go, if you were looking for a present for me, you know what to get! And if you weren't thinking of getting me anything, perhaps there is some inspiration in that list for you - as you can see there are lots of links to help you search, so happy shopping!<br />
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Merry Christmas folks - have a good one and I'll see you next year to review all the things I hopefully got for Christmas!<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3cAsWGTb9ToM8su9s5qBwavHhPg4_c4d-5WPFIHApw6luDRxLfzdJfw7V0i5i5P6sBsHXErg8kG0NJ8ExEOmuXfz6ZIw3XZUUwu139QIHss5HfzchGF_wfFhqVPcDHBz9LES3u-Crk0/s1600/v2_dooyoo_logo_autumn_uk_members.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3cAsWGTb9ToM8su9s5qBwavHhPg4_c4d-5WPFIHApw6luDRxLfzdJfw7V0i5i5P6sBsHXErg8kG0NJ8ExEOmuXfz6ZIw3XZUUwu139QIHss5HfzchGF_wfFhqVPcDHBz9LES3u-Crk0/s1600/v2_dooyoo_logo_autumn_uk_members.gif" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-35116597914012486492011-09-27T23:10:00.001+01:002011-09-27T23:10:48.916+01:00Book Review - The Water Room by Christopher Fowler<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRan8Jqh0ZT8cKEoceD9LQ9zIXBoHRpNfojj4eFc1ox-xIHUe55s2wK1vtgnEOuCevaQV0w7qpSQrgzaMkKAsV0vljLr4WoTkOMFCfVENplm64ewpfevLCKivQ1ZEjZ85dwRfCdsZlNSI/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRan8Jqh0ZT8cKEoceD9LQ9zIXBoHRpNfojj4eFc1ox-xIHUe55s2wK1vtgnEOuCevaQV0w7qpSQrgzaMkKAsV0vljLr4WoTkOMFCfVENplm64ewpfevLCKivQ1ZEjZ85dwRfCdsZlNSI/s1600/untitled.bmp" /></a>I received The Water Room by Christopher Fowler from Transworld as part of their reading challenge. The idea is that you pick four books from a selection of twelve and they send you the first, which you read and then review before they send you the second, and so on. I picked The Water Room because it sounded like my kind of book – a sort of crime thriller with a mystery twist to it.</div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I had never heard of Christopher Fowler before reading this and so I had no idea that the book was part of a series. The Water Room is actually the second in the Bryant and May series of Mysteries. Having read it without this knowledge, I can safely say that it isn’t necessary to read the previous book to enjoy this one. Fowler introduces the characters and their circumstances at the beginning of the book sufficiently enough that you don’t feel that you have missed out.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Arthur Bryant and John May are octogenarian detectives who work in the fictional Peculiar Crimes Unit in London. I was a bit disappointed to learn that the unit was indeed fictional as I would have loved for it to have been a real thing. The unit is an offspring of the Metropolitan Police and takes on the bizarre crimes that are too time-consuming for the Met to investigate. In this particular story, the case involves an old lady who is found dead in her basement. Her death appears to be completely natural aside from the odd fact that she has a throat full of river water.</div><a name='more'></a>I’ll be honest, I found this book a little difficult to get into at first, not really warming to the character of Arthur Bryant. He is a typical old school detective who is methodical to the point of being obtuse, is arrogant and refuses to embrace anything that has happened in the last thirty years. Bryant was just a little bit too annoying for me to enjoy reading the book. However, not one to give up on a book, I decided to start again after reading a few chapters and I’m very glad I did. Once I got used to the obscure character, I actually quite warmed to him. He kind of reminded me of Columbo (the TV detective), in that he wanders around in his own little world, seemingly with no objective, but seeing things that others don’t and having that strange imagination that makes anything possible. It was quite enjoyable to read his thought processes and to wonder where he was going with his investigations.<br />
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John May is the polar opposite of Bryant; he embraces all things modern; is gregarious and outgoing, in stark contrast to Bryant’s solitary style; and he is a bit of an old womaniser. To be honest, even though he is part of the duo, I thought he was a bit of a secondary character really. May‘s character fit in very well with Bryant, acting to tame the latter where others can’t and being able to handle him where others prefer to steer clear. The two obviously have a long standing partnership both in and out of work and it is this that makes them such a good twosome. I’d be interested to read the other books in the series to see whether May takes the lead in other stories as it would be nice to learn a little bit more about him.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The story is rather different to the usual detective novel script, very much thanks to the Peculiar Crimes Unit angle. I think Fowler has come up with a great idea with this one as it allows him to be a little more adventurous with the storyline. There is much less need to stick to the factual workings of the police and he can use a little more artistic licence, which he has to great effect. The story takes us back to a London where Jack the Ripper was still roaming the streets and many of the streets were actually rivers. There is a hint of a ghost story involved and I must admit that I found it quite eerie in places. I wouldn’t have liked to have read it when I was in the house on my own, that’s for sure.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Fowler is good at painting a picture through the eyes of his main characters. I really felt at times that I was in the places he described and he does just enough to let your mind run away with you. There were lots of twists and turns in the story and I was guessing until the end, which is always good. In true ‘whodunit’ style, there are lots of possible suspects, all with a good motive and I found it impossible to guess which one it would be until the end. There are many different characters, each with their own little story and sinister secrets and Fowler does an excellent job of weaving them all together to create an enjoyable story and a good read.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I’m glad that I gave the book a second chance, because it turned out to be a good read and I am actually looking forward to reading the others in the series – they are definitely going on my Amazon wish list!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Water Room was published by Transworld in paperback in 2005 and is available on Amazon for £7.19</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-79189162554120058482011-08-21T10:42:00.000+01:002011-08-21T10:42:38.979+01:00Book Review - The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqfNxbxdvd09274Zv_78J6j7sBOCfU9rC4aLpro1Ieo0IN-QCQoajgL90ayT9wKH1oVMFrLD5JYKfkYyAVfaPPgx7RuGvc7AGKfJOhNU1Ho27Ccus3h2wD_9b4hSSekkivhguCwIjwco/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqfNxbxdvd09274Zv_78J6j7sBOCfU9rC4aLpro1Ieo0IN-QCQoajgL90ayT9wKH1oVMFrLD5JYKfkYyAVfaPPgx7RuGvc7AGKfJOhNU1Ho27Ccus3h2wD_9b4hSSekkivhguCwIjwco/s320/untitled.bmp" width="217" /></a>I received this book to read and review from Transworld as part of their book group. The idea is that you choose four books from their list of twelve and they send you them one at a time through the month of August. I choose ‘The Secrets Between Us’ by Louise Douglas, because I have never read any of her books before, in fact never even heard of her, and I thought it’d be a great opportunity to go out of my reading comfort zone, plus I thought the book sounded interesting.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sarah meets Alexander on holiday in Sicily, where she is escaping her marital problems and taking a break from the real world. It seems that Alexander is doing the same thing with his son and they end up deciding to start again together. Sarah moves to the quiet village in Somerset where Alexander lives, to be his nanny and housekeeper and, she hopes, more. It soon becomes clear that all is not as it seems with Alexander and his previous relationship. His beautiful and much loved wife Genevieve seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet, totally against character, and the entire village (her rich and powerful family included) think that Alexander has something to do with it.</div><br />
Sarah is beginning to fall in love with Alexander and simply cannot believe that he would do anything like what people think he might have done – but when the evidence and the hatred builds up against him, what will she do?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I struggled to get into this book at first. I found the whole idea that a person would meet someone on holiday, have sex with them once and then up sticks and move to a completely different part of the country, leaving behind everything she knows, to live with said person was a bit too far fetched. To be honest I don’t think the author made it particularly believable either, with the way she wrote it. I know you can use artistic license when you are writing fiction, but this just seemed a little too far fetched for me to swallow.<br />
<br />
A couple of chapters in though; I had more or less forgotten about the odd pretext for the book and was pretty much hooked. The story is billed as ‘a passionate love story’, but I thought it was more of a psychological thriller in parts. For a lot of the book, I didn’t really understand what was going on, which I think added to the effect. During the story, Sarah seems to, understandably give her situation, lose her mind a bit, which adds to the confusion and means that I was pretty much turning the pages at a rate of knots. The confusion means that you are never sure what is going to happen, although you always have the feeling that something big was going to happen – I very much enjoyed that aspect of the story.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The characters are well written and aren’t at all exaggerated, which is sometimes the case and I do find irritating. Sarah is likeable and believable. Alexander is dark, quiet and brooding. I’m not quite sure why Sarah fell for him, I don’t think the author really gives a good enough reason for that, but at various times in the book you feel sympathy, annoyance and warmth for him and it helps with the did he, didn’t he storyline. Genevieve is wonderfully written and cleverly so too as are the many other side characters who don’t have a starring role in the story, but help to build it in their own way.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Overall, even though I struggled to get into the book and I didn’t really enjoy the way that it started, I thought the book was good and it did grip me eventually. It is a love story of sorts, but not a traditional one and the web of intrigue is much more prominent in the story than the love aspect of it in my opinion, which is fortunate for me, because I’m not a love story kind of girl!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-85982369805785645082011-08-10T20:12:00.001+01:002011-08-10T20:12:08.239+01:00‘I’m part of the Transworld Book Group!’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2W8Ao3aFkTsTtlBw0yvF3uMg7FTztT19OUCiwunIjrIRRgWW5N3bbZn8QCH1SscOmiXBNA7DOA_Dk3zpo2m8h5U4NO_mWvN3Zhtb4z1rz_GZCtmzAzbfoxoDLvjLuUBoRNBISIZJtjNk/s1600/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2W8Ao3aFkTsTtlBw0yvF3uMg7FTztT19OUCiwunIjrIRRgWW5N3bbZn8QCH1SscOmiXBNA7DOA_Dk3zpo2m8h5U4NO_mWvN3Zhtb4z1rz_GZCtmzAzbfoxoDLvjLuUBoRNBISIZJtjNk/s320/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I've just joined the Transworld Book Group and I'm very excited! The idea is that you pick four books from their list of twelve and they send you one, which you then review before they send you the next, and so on. Can't wait to get started and I'll let you know how it's going . . . Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-50581313756211555682011-01-25T21:27:00.000+00:002011-01-25T21:27:24.022+00:00It's Challenge Time Again!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLudJKqrCumaGbJ12sUTT3KJGMjkMGNM8JBvPXVaZfSwRYRXf2Dnc-tKhGcv7DuFM5WntQZf_mmsU1B9JW8E1Iz52uyvweNtudWXeYsPvJPZYaPWGqzjU43MzgoGcxFvBlHRZDOpWUxM/s1600/Mystery+%2526+Suspense+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLudJKqrCumaGbJ12sUTT3KJGMjkMGNM8JBvPXVaZfSwRYRXf2Dnc-tKhGcv7DuFM5WntQZf_mmsU1B9JW8E1Iz52uyvweNtudWXeYsPvJPZYaPWGqzjU43MzgoGcxFvBlHRZDOpWUxM/s200/Mystery+%2526+Suspense+Challenge.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>I think I was a little bit ambitious with the challenges I got myself involved in last year - I started off well but it went downhill from there! Having said that, I couldn't resist <a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/2010/11/sign-up-mystery-suspense-reading.html">BookChickCity's Mystery and Suspense Challenge</a> - it was so much fun last year that I'm doing it again this year too! <br />
<br />
Check it out!<br />
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PS It's sponsored by Simon and Schuster, so there's an ARC to get you started when you sign up!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-78159341869974626812011-01-25T10:27:00.000+00:002011-01-25T10:27:21.820+00:00Book Review - Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW-GFR7Mm-WRSZvDyw0tDWdkT2qlCYb8i4NkmHikIP_QV2tw7zh31eeGZ4H3tXdlkIBTk6KLPZYn9W86I4J9a6SveOc-1D1pQatgXUXEczkQJOAiXMdhigdi1IKY3OhpqNI6feRsbcGc/s1600/rumour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW-GFR7Mm-WRSZvDyw0tDWdkT2qlCYb8i4NkmHikIP_QV2tw7zh31eeGZ4H3tXdlkIBTk6KLPZYn9W86I4J9a6SveOc-1D1pQatgXUXEczkQJOAiXMdhigdi1IKY3OhpqNI6feRsbcGc/s200/rumour.jpg" width="200" /></a>Jill Mansell is considered to be at the forefront of 'chick-lit' writing and has a number of popular novels under her belt. Rumour Has It is her latest offering and deserves its place as a number one bestseller. Mansell has proved again that she has the formula of writing in this genre off to a tee.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Rumour Has It is the story of Tilly Cole a twenty-something, newly single woman who changes her life by moving to a new place (a quirky village in the country somewhere), taking a on a new job (a quirky but fun one that she has no experience of - as is usually the case in this type of book) and meeting a handsome chap who is probably going to be no good for her.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>It all starts when Tilly returns to the London home she shares with her fairly long term boyfriend and finds out that he has done a runner whilst she's at work, moving out his belongings and leaving her nothing but a note and a nosy neighbour to break the news. Rather than mourning the demise of her relationship, Tilly heads off to the sleepy, quaint village of Roxborough to reap the commiserations of her best friend Erin. After a few days of moping she decides to head back to her life in the city, but is distracted by an advert in the local paper that requires a 'Good Friday Girl'. Intrigued, Tilly calls the number and after some gentle persuasion finds her self living with a gay interior designer and his feisty daughter, as their personal assistant.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Quickly adapting to village life, Tilly meets and becomes friends with many of the locals and soon forgets her old life. Along the way she meets the charming and drop-dead-gorgeous Jack Lucas and its love at first sight. But, deterred by his reputation as a ladies' man and general cad, Tilly forces herself to fall out of love with him pretty quickly. But, as the blurb asks, 'is she being mature and sensible - or is she running away from the love of her life?'<br />
<br />
In Rumour Has It, Mansell has written a feel-good story and created a lovable set of characters that make you want to absorb yourself into the book. I found that I warmed to all of the people in the book straightaway - even the 'bad guys and girls' were well written in a way that made them an integral part of the story rather than an irritating addition that you could have done with out.<br />
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You can empathise with the main characters as they are all a little bit like you, the book isn't filled with rich, glamorous and unbelievable people. Tilly is a normal girl who slouches around in a tracksuit and only shaves her legs once a fortnight and her best friend Erin has a spare tyre and a lack of self confidence that makes you breathe a sigh of relief. That's not to say there is nothing to escape into though, the object of the village's desire, Jack Lucas is the kind of guy that everyone wants to love and Tilly's boss, Max, is the gay man that every woman thinks she can turn straight.<br />
<br />
The story follows the familiar route of chick-lit novels and, as a result, is often predictable - but, that isn't a criticism. The familiarity of the story is what makes it so enjoyable - it is very much a feel good story that lifts your mood in its easy-to-read and friendly style. It makes it a book that you want to pick up to cheer you up after a bad day and relieve yourself of the monotony of day to day like.<br />
<br />
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the genre, it is a very likeable version of what it is - a heart warming tale of a girl who changes her life on a whim and falls in love against all the odds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-79427384937580380972010-09-01T21:34:00.000+01:002010-09-01T21:34:17.779+01:00Book Review - I, Alex Cross by James PattersonIf any of you have read my recent book reviews, you will know that I have recently entered the world of audio books and my latest ‘listen’ is I, Alex Cross by James Patterson. I didn’t think I would ever become a fan of listening to a book being read to me as I like nothing more than picking up a real book, but I am slowly being converted and much of that is thanks to James Patterson.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcqXOCt_B2qyhpPJ_yi8RkZl1jmjDWXDNewh_JmxdeCd9p9fHASTiL5oNWS-mkdaqNY_0Or2JObiFGB0679NKpiVhrugJJLbMIEYAmCS2PvFjhYh0rZlcE8JEs3nakKEt5C47WoT0sss/s1600/i+alex+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcqXOCt_B2qyhpPJ_yi8RkZl1jmjDWXDNewh_JmxdeCd9p9fHASTiL5oNWS-mkdaqNY_0Or2JObiFGB0679NKpiVhrugJJLbMIEYAmCS2PvFjhYh0rZlcE8JEs3nakKEt5C47WoT0sss/s320/i+alex+cross.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Why An Audio Book?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The bottom line is that audio books are sometimes just more convenient. I discovered this when trying to manage a cocktail and a book on the beach in Spain earlier this year. But the newest reason I have for listening to audio books is that they fill the long drive to work and mean that I no longer have to listen to endless replays of terrible music on the radio. It also means that I can continue to feed my addiction to books even when it’s not convenient (or legal!) to actually read one.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Why James Patterson?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">From my admittedly limited experience of audio books so far, I have realised that there has to be a bit of action in the story in order to keep you listening. Many of the James Patterson audio books are read by more than one person and have added sound effects so it is like you are listening to a film almost. There is plenty going on and his written books in general are quite fast paced and have plenty of twists and turns, making them ideal audio book material.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">What’s I, Alex Cross About?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Alex Cross is Patterson’s most famous and longest running character. He is a police officer of great standing in Washington D.C. and is often called upon in high profile cases. I, Alex Cross is the latest in the series and features the familiar character solving yet another ‘unsolvable’ case. This time Alex is dragged away from a family celebration to be told that his niece has been brutally murdered. It soon becomes clear that the Washington Police are dealing with a serial killer and that the killer is extremely well connected and, even worse, well protected. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cross is facing his toughest case yet and finds himself in a world that you can only imagine and fighting against Washington’s highest movers and shakers. He has a personal interest in the case and will stop at nothing to get a result.</div><a name='more'></a>My Opinion?<br />
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In the past Patterson has been highly criticised for churning out book after book and using a legion of co-writers to do so, but this book was written as a solo effort – something that hard core fans will be delighted about. Personally I don’t have a problem with the co-writers and can very rarely tell the difference and this is the case too here for me. I don’t think this book is any better or worse than his others for being a solo effort.<br />
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The story line is typical Patterson style; short chapters, lots of action and a nasty killer interspersed with snapshots about Cross’ picture perfect family thrown in. Patterson is not a great writer, he is a prolific writer and this is again evident in I, Alex Cross. You shouldn’t read this books thinking that you are going to classic work of fiction, because it just won’t happen. It is however a fairly good thriller and will keep you (almost) on the edge of your seat. By this stage, all of the characters are familiar to Patterson fans and so there is nothing much new to learn about them and they aren’t really expanded any further. Having said that this book does focus a bit more on Cross’ new relationship with Brianna Stone and the developments form a sub-story throughout the book. In typical style, the relationship is sickly sweet and verging on the edge of being too perfect. <br />
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The book is read by Tim Cain and Michael Cerveris. I hadn’t heard of either of them before listening to this production, but a quick Google search tells me they are both actors in the USA who do a lot of stage work. The story is split really into two perspectives; that of the good guys (namely Cross, amongst others) and that of the bad guys. This makes having two readers a good choice, because it is immediately clear from which perspective the story is being told. <br />
<br />
Tim Cain reads the good guys part and does a very good job. He really does act with his voice and portrays the different characters very well. He has a deep and authoritative voice that is exactly what you’d imagine Cross to sound like.<br />
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Michael Cerveris therefore voices the bad guys and he does an admirable job as well, although one of the characters is an English guy and Cerveris’ accent is appalling to say the least. The character in question is an underground business make who runs an exclusive sex club, but Cerveris makes him sound like Michael Crawford’s Frank in Some Mothers Do Ave Em – it really is laughable.<br />
<br />
There are various sound effects used in the production. At first I thought I would hate this as I thought it would just sound too manufactured and cheesy, but it does actually work quite well. There aren’t too many and they are usually pieces of music used to build tension. There was one part in the story when a gun shot was heard and the sound effect for that was quite loud – scaring me half to death when I was driving to work in the early hours of the morning!<br />
<br />
This version of the audio book is actually an abridged version and lasts about five hours. I thought this was quite a good length of time as I hadn’t forgotten the beginning of the story by the time I was listening to the end, something that I was afraid of considering I was listening to it over the course of a week. I haven’t actually read the written copy of the book, so I don’t know how the abridged version differs from the original. It didn’t impede my enjoyment of the audio book though as I didn’t feel that there was anything missing. One thing I did notice though was that the reading was quite quick, particularly the bits read by Michael Ceveris. When I first started listening I thought the speed was going to be too quick to keep up with, but I quickly got used to it, so it wasn’t a problem for long.<br />
<br />
Overall, I enjoyed I, Alex Cross. It had the right mix of tension and suspense and was generally a good representation of the kind of story you get from ‘the master of suspense’. Apart from the few niggles I had with the accent and the initial speed, it was well read and on the whole well presented. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who like me is thinking of venturing into the world of audio books.<br />
<br />
Information:<br />
<br />
I, Alex Cross by James Patterson<br />
Running Time – approximately five hours, over four CDs.<br />
Published by Random House Audio<br />
Available on Amazon for around £7Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-30464296190962818532010-08-25T22:17:00.000+01:002010-08-25T22:17:16.111+01:00Challenge UpdatesI've had a bit of a spurt on the old reading front recently so I thought I'd post my updates - to keep me up-to-date more than anything!<br />
<br />
I have read:<br />
<br />
Random by Craig Robertson (review to follow). This was a strange one, but I think I liked it!<br />
Blind Fury by Lynda La Plante (<a href="http://areyouobsessedwithreading.blogspot.com/2010/07/book-review-blind-fury-by-lynda-la.html">read my review here</a>). Not her best, but OK.<br />
The Guy Next Door by Meg Cabot (<a href="http://areyouobsessedwithreading.blogspot.com/2010/06/meg-cabot-whose-surname-apparently-and.html">read my review here</a>). Fun read!<br />
Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot (<a href="http://areyouobsessedwithreading.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-review-boy-meets-girl-by-meg-cabot.html">read my review here</a>). Another fun read!<br />
<br />
Continuing with my latest reading of the Harry Potter series, I've also read:<br />
<br />
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire<br />
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix<br />
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince<br />
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows<br />
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I've also discovered the world of audio-books and have added these to my list of read (or listened!):<br />
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Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson (<a href="http://areyouobsessedwithreading.blogspot.com/2010/06/audio-book-review-alex-crosss-trial-by.html">read my review here</a>). A departure from his usual Alex Cross books.<br />
I, Alex Cross by James Patterson (review to follow). Alex Cross back to his best.<br />
<br />
This brings my challenge totals to:<br />
<br />
37 / 100 for <a href="http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html">The 100+ Reading Challenge hosted by Home Girl's Book Blog</a><br />
<br />
11 / 12 for <a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/2009/05/thriller-suspense-challenge-2010_01.html">The Thriller and Suspense Challenge hosted by Book Chick City</a><br />
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6 / 10 for The James Patterson Challenge hosted by Socrates that has now finished :(Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-80044227927650426322010-08-15T21:20:00.001+01:002010-08-15T21:32:27.013+01:00Book Review - Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpQO3wKYot0FuAHiUa8fjDAcEBq64qdMyYji5xY83f5N9fOXmOt3FrnVaE6huCqNsiAqMCxh_YknEuKem6WmE4aloLqLPp1N09IffmXapIH9nN_fiUX_ul9vZj8POTnK0r8XY9AL8dtE/s1600/boy+meets+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpQO3wKYot0FuAHiUa8fjDAcEBq64qdMyYji5xY83f5N9fOXmOt3FrnVaE6huCqNsiAqMCxh_YknEuKem6WmE4aloLqLPp1N09IffmXapIH9nN_fiUX_ul9vZj8POTnK0r8XY9AL8dtE/s320/boy+meets+girl.jpg" /></a>Boy Meets Girl is the second book I've read by American author Meg Cabot, who is most famous for writing the 'Princess Diary' books that were made into popular films by Disney. Cabot is most well-known for her books for children and teens, although this new foray into the world of adult fiction is a successful one in my opinion. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This book is part of a series, although you don't have to read the books in order to enjoy them as it is more of a case that you will recognise the odd character from other books and the setting is the same, although the actual stories in the different books are otherwise independent from each other. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Kate MacKenzie works in the human resources department of the fictional New York Journal magazine. She is, as the blurb describes her, 'reluctant deliverer of termination notices and queen of instant messaging'. Ida Lopez is the creator of the most delightful cakes which she sells to the employees of the New York Journal by means of a dessert trolley, although she has her own very exacting standards of who is worthy of her treats. Mitch Hertzog is a corporate lawyer who is forever the saviour of the underdog, shunning a life of family wealth to make a difference to those less fortunate. When Ida decides that Mitch's tyrant brother is undeserving of her cakes, all hell breaks loose and Kate, Mitch and Ida must work together against the tyrants and the nepotism to find the truth. </div><a name='more'></a><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Boy Meets Girl is a lot of fun. It is a quick and easy read that will make you smile and keep you reading fervently until the very end. If you aren't familiar with this series, let me tell you why it is such fun. Meg Cabot writes entirely in email and instant messages. We learn about the different characters and the whole story from their written interactions with each other. Writing stories in the form of written correspondence between the characters is nothing new - it has been done before. But with this book, Meg Cabot brings that writing style into the twenty-first century. </div><br />
I love this style of writing because I think it makes the story seem so much more personal and it makes you as a reader feel so much more involved. Rather than just reading about a group of people who work together, you actually almost feel like one of them because you are witness to their private emails and messages. <br />
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The storyline is true chick-lit stuff; it could be true but it's just a little too exaggerated to be so. The good characters (like Kate, Mitch and Ida) are a little too sugary sweet to be real life people and the bad guys (like Mitch's brother, Stu, and Kate's boss, Amy) are a little too scheming and evil and stereotypically bad to be real. But this just makes the book more successful in my opinion. When I read fictional books like this, I am looking for a bit of fun and escapism and this is what you get by the bucket load with Boy Meets Girl. It's all there - highs, lows, romantic interests, characteristically nasty folk and, ultimately, a happy ending. <br />
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This is a great series for adults, but I also think it would make a good choice for those with teenagers who are getting a bit old for 'Lizzie McGuire', 'Tracey Beaker' and the like. It is a perfect step from teen books to adult books - it's easy to read and will keep you engaged, but there is nothing unsuitable for teenage eyes. Overall I think it is a very enjoyable book that is suitable for all ages and will make a great summer read.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-57572926822862680222010-07-28T20:49:00.000+01:002010-07-28T20:49:10.929+01:00WIN! WIN! WIN!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS220nSetxrNk3gt7_aWB5jTwLELUG0ZXGn4WsPxePhMHXTQYYkd9kXZjSxzkvI-CZUKLGiV2cVBP5Oqh1kARcXFMZTEjTr1kc4qYs08LXPTpVtBm2f1V3WsSDwostEmja6r578hKOlVY/s1600/earrings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS220nSetxrNk3gt7_aWB5jTwLELUG0ZXGn4WsPxePhMHXTQYYkd9kXZjSxzkvI-CZUKLGiV2cVBP5Oqh1kARcXFMZTEjTr1kc4qYs08LXPTpVtBm2f1V3WsSDwostEmja6r578hKOlVY/s200/earrings.jpg" width="200" /></a>Hi guys! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">I know how much everyone loves a competition and although it's not book related, I have a great one for you to enter <a href="http://moon-jewellery.blogspot.com/2010/07/win-pair-of-handmade-sterling-earrings.html">here</a>. You can win this fabulous pair of earrings just by entering <a href="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Moon-Jewellery">Moon-Jewellery</a>'s simple competition.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Moon-Jewellery is my family's fantastic new venture and is a great place to buy (and win!) stunning hand made jewellery, including earrings and charm bracelets, for great prices. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">All of their pieces are made from quality semi precious stones and make ideal gifts.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">I know this is turning into a bit of an advert, but I'm very excited and I think you'll agree that there are some great items available!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't worry - I'll be back to reviewing books soon, but I didn't want you to miss out on this opportunity, so don't forget to <a href="http://moon-jewellery.blogspot.com/2010/07/win-pair-of-handmade-sterling-earrings.html">enter</a>!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-83454842569893454142010-07-21T10:56:00.000+01:002010-07-21T10:56:22.652+01:00Book Review - Blind Fury by Lynda La Plante<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtktjy8ap8wt5V9cmlYSsdUxfwzjLy6WqU4W8bRkLnyGBvtIvJjeKiWZ_KXmIY-nx3gvBdTH0Q-EhQdvST4Hd0HkH7FIm-RcD-0J9yqjJZtmZDLkMtSEW-DVfTOOLROZmzHzqFBEbHgCk/s1600/blind+fury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtktjy8ap8wt5V9cmlYSsdUxfwzjLy6WqU4W8bRkLnyGBvtIvJjeKiWZ_KXmIY-nx3gvBdTH0Q-EhQdvST4Hd0HkH7FIm-RcD-0J9yqjJZtmZDLkMtSEW-DVfTOOLROZmzHzqFBEbHgCk/s320/blind+fury.jpg" /></a>Blind Fury is the latest bestseller from queen of the thriller Lynda La Plante. La Plante is probably most famous for her various books that have been adapted into highly successful television series, including Prime Suspect and Trial and Retribution. Blind Fury is the next instalment in the series featuring Anna Travis, a police detective who is to English thriller writing, what James Patterson’s Alex Cross is to American thriller writing.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
This time Anna Travis is enlisted to uncover the mystery of a young woman who is found brutally murdered and dumped at the perimeter of a motorway service station. In trying to discover the identity of the woman, they hit a series of brick walls that leads to high tension, frustration and, most disturbingly, more bodies. Just when the case looks like it might be becoming cold, Anna gets a message from a former nemesis; Cameron Welsh. Anna helped put Welsh behind bars, but now he insists that he can help and he will only speak to her. Much as she wants nothing to do with Welsh, Anna must put her feelings to one side in order to solve a murder, but it soon emerges that Welsh’s help comes at a high price.<br />
<a name='more'></a>I have to say that I’m really not sure about this book. It is only the second that I have read by Lynda La Plante and they have both been from the series that features Anna Travis, which may well be my problem. There is something about her that I find tedious. Anna is the typical underdog woman trying to make it in a man’s world, but rather than willing her to succeed I find myself wishing she would just get a grip. La Plante writes her heroine as a strong willed character, who can fight her own battles, but one who has a softer side that her colleagues rarely see. La Plante explores this softer side much more in Blind Fury and, as she did, I found myself warming to the character much more. She seemed at times a lot more human and much less arrogant, which I found less frustrating to read. Unfortunately this new persona is short lived and so my annoyance with the character prevailed.<br />
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I also found the story a little predictable. The format of the book is exactly what you’d expect from its kind, with suspense and tension a plenty. But I there were quite as many twists and turns as I’d have liked and this is what lead to the predictability of the outcome. Not only that, but there were a couple of red herrings in there that I just didn’t think were believable or plausible in the context, which added to the predictability of the story.<br />
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Having said that, I didn’t dislike the book and I did read it, quite happily to the end. La Plante writes characters (aside from Anna Travis, obviously) quite well and I enjoyed her descriptions of people and the imagery that they gave. She was particularly successful in portraying Cameron Welsh as the cold and calculating killer that he is. She writes him in a way that makes him clever and disgusting all at once. <br />
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I also think that La Plante writes relationships between the characters well. Anna’s relationship with her boss James Langton is interesting to read about; it provides an oasis in a desert of doom and gloom. The relationship has evolved so that the two characters are more equal and Anna is no longer the pining young girl that she has previously been portrayed as.<br />
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Overall, I would say that this is an average thriller book. It certainly wasn’t as good as the other of La Plante’s books that I’ve read (Silent Scream), but it was readable and enjoyable for the most part.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-57042958928889923712010-06-30T11:41:00.001+01:002010-06-30T11:41:37.790+01:00Book Review - The Guy Next Door by Meg Cabot<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wey4g8R8DDF1HN7hR6nDl4ruZ7K870rXUbfi4WMLDLbG46HXiGpNk3OFi12bUupyBhyphenhyphenVgJ6PNcCxaqarJqXi34w5kt6NINx859noI2ZhSWyGNj8ziK4__Tue8hyphenhyphenz520GZ3QQ8nkJKTw/s1600/The-Guy-Next-Door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wey4g8R8DDF1HN7hR6nDl4ruZ7K870rXUbfi4WMLDLbG46HXiGpNk3OFi12bUupyBhyphenhyphenVgJ6PNcCxaqarJqXi34w5kt6NINx859noI2ZhSWyGNj8ziK4__Tue8hyphenhyphenz520GZ3QQ8nkJKTw/s320/The-Guy-Next-Door.jpg" /></a>Meg Cabot (whose surname apparently, and strangely, rhymes with 'habit') is a hugely successful American author of Young Adult fiction. The most famous of her books are undoubtedly 'The Princess Diaries' that were made into popular films by Disney. The Guy Next Door is Cabot's first venture into the world of writing for adults in the chick-lit genre (although it's wrongly listed here on Ciao under 'children's books') and is a fairly good, and very unusual, effort.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Melissa Fuller is a gossip columnist for the New York Journal who is on the verge of losing her job as she is late for the thirty-seventh time this year. Human resources have already been through the motions of politely informing her that it is her duty to be at work on time and her boss is getting more than a little tired of her tardiness. But, this time, Melissa has a legitimate reason for arriving late; her elderly neighbour has been attacked and Melissa has escorted her to the hospital where she lies in a coma. Even worse, the neighbour has left behind her Great Dane Paco, of whom Melissa feels obliged to take temporary responsibility. She soon realises that it is just too much for her and decides to track down her neighbour's only relative, her nephew Max, and that is when the trouble begins!</div><a name='more'></a>I read books like they are going out of fashion and I have read a lot of chick-lit books (I really think they are the best thing to accompany a sun lounger and a cold drink!). I read them because they are familiar, easy-to-read and fun, which The Guy Next Door is. However, Meg Cabot has achieved something with this book that I didn't think was possible; she has come up with a completely original way of telling the girl-meets-boy-girl-falls-in-love-with-boy formula. The story is told completely by email, instant messaging and other such correspondence; there is absolutely no prose anywhere in the book.<br />
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When I first realised this, I was a bit sceptical. I couldn't understand how Cabot was going to be able to introduce any of the characters properly, or even how she was going to tell a story at all. But my misgivings were soon to be proved unfounded. The novel way Cabot has chosen to tell this series of stories is a nice change from the norm and she does it very well. I found that it perfectly sidestepped the often long and tedious part of a book where the setting out of everything is done and you, as the reader, are thrown right into the thick of things. The fact that the story is told through private correspondence means that you quickly feel part of the cast as it were. There is no need to describe each character as you get to know them straight away through more subtle measures, such as how they write and what they say. It becomes very clear very soon, for example, who Melissa's best friends are and who she has little time for, without Cabot having to introduce them at all.<br />
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Another thing that I liked about this style of writing was that it was very easy to read and indeed very quick to read. You don't have to think hard about who is who and what is what because it all happens so quickly, which is definitely what I want from this kind of book. I must admit to more than a little impatience when it comes to reading this genre usually, because it is often inevitable what is going to happen and I find myself just waiting for the inevitable to happen and getting a little bored in the meantime. With The Guy Next Door, there was none of this boredom for me because, like I said it was a quick read and it kept me interested all the way through.<br />
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Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre as it is a good, novel version of a tried and tested story. It is a very modern version that will be very familiar to all those people that feel like they live their lives via the internet and it's speedy way of interacting with other people!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-2366162086055334392010-06-17T11:27:00.000+01:002010-06-17T11:27:42.793+01:00Audio Book Review - Alex Cross's Trial by James PattersonI have only recently ventured into the world of audio books and my only experience before this one was limited to Stephen Fry’s (excellent) telling of the Harry Potter series. I thoroughly enjoyed it, so thought the next step would be to try one of my other favourite authors; James Patterson. I had some trepidation about whether or not I would enjoy it, because James Patterson’s books, as you will know, are completely different to the light-hearted children’s books of J K Rowling and so I wasn’t sure whether they would work as well. I needn’t have been worried though, because Alex Cross’s Trial made an excellent choice for an audio book.<br />
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Trial is Alex Cross’s account of a lawyer, Ben Corbett, who fights against oppression and racism in the early twentieth century. He is sent from Washington DC by none other than Theodore Roosevelt to investigate the rumoured lynchings of black people in his hometown, with the help of Abraham Cross and his daughter. He immediately finds his own life threatened by the very people that he grew up with and he soon becomes determined to do the impossible – make a difference in a town that violently resists change.<br />
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When considering this story and in this format, I find it hard not to draw comparisons with the Harry Potter series; whilst I’m fully aware that they are an entirely different style, genre and story, it was never-the-less a shock to hear a drawling Deep South accent telling the story rather than the rather prim and proper English voice of Fry. It did take a while to get used to it and I had to listen to the first chapter a couple of times so that I could focus on the story rather than who was saying it, but the voice became familiar and likeable very quickly.<br />
<a name='more'></a>The story is narrated by Dylan Baker, an American film and TV actor who most notably played Dr Curt Connors in Spiderman 2 and 3. He has a perfect accent for the story, which is based in Eudora (a small town in Mississippi) in the early 1900s when the lynching of black people was commonplace, despite the outlawing of the Ku Klux Klan some 40 years earlier. Baker narrates the story so that you feel like he is an eyewitness from back in the era and he makes you really feel like you are walking the streets and seeing the things he does. The fact that he is an actor shines through in his narration and he portrays the various characters, male and female, black and white, equally well and completely believably. It really felt like I was listening to the soundtrack of a film and it was very easy to put the images to that film myself using Baker’s narration.<br />
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Aside from the narration, it was very dramatic production with sound clips and music thrown in at various intervals. For example during a fight ‘scene’, there was an accompanying sound clip of horses stampeding, men shouting and bullets being fired. This all added to the tension of the story and I thought it was very atmospheric. I must admit though, I could have done without the little snippets of music that kept appearing throughout the narration. It was OK when it was a tense part and the music was building up that tension, but there were times when it just appeared for no reason and it just seemed a little cheesy to me. It only happens a few times though and it didn’t impair the story at all – I just tuned it out!<br />
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As for the story itself, it has caused a little controversy amongst die hard Patterson fans – particularly those who are very fond of the Alex Cross series. It is advertised as the next instalment in the series, but it has very little to do with the man himself. In fact the idea of the story is that it is a book written by him rather than about him. The preface of the story is, in this case spoken, by Alex Cross (Shawn Andrew) and it is an introduction to a book that features his uncle and cousin. That is where the connection ends. I must admit, I didn’t listen to the preface properly and so spent most of the book wondering when Alex Cross was going to appear, so I can see why people are annoyed about it. That is not to say that it isn’t a good story because it is. <br />
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These frustrations should take nothing away from the fact that James Patterson has still retained his crown as a master story teller, although I will say that this story is very similar to John Grisham’s A Time To Kill, which tells of the same troubles in the Deep South of America. The fact is though that both of these stories are based on the truth. I don’t mean by this that they are based on true stories, but that they are fictional portrayals of things that really did happen at the time. This is something that makes the audio version of this story even more compelling – Patterson’s story telling is very graphic and it makes for uncomfortable listening in places but it also makes it more realistic.<br />
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Audio books in general are a great alternative to the traditional format. I decided to take the plunge because they are easier to handle on the beach! But I have found that they are a also a great substitute to a film - if they are well narrated and if they are telling a good story - and Alex Cross’s Trial certainly ticked both of those boxes for me. So if you’re looking for something different – even if you aren’t already one of the millions of Patterson fans – you should definitely give this one a try.<br />
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For your information, Alex Cross’s Trial (the unabridged version) is on 8 discs and lasts approximately 9 hours and is published by Hachette Audio. Its RRP is £10.00, although at the time of writing this review, it is available on amazon.co.uk for £7.70 with free delivery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-70362423174372681012010-06-03T10:29:00.000+01:002010-06-03T10:29:58.062+01:00Challenge UpdatesI'm still really enjoying all the challenges I'm taking part in and I thought I'd update you to where I'm at and give you the links for if you want to join in:<br />
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I've added the following to my 'already read' pile:<br />
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Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone<br />
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets<br />
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban <br />
(Ok, so it's not the first time I've read these three, but it still counts!)<br />
Hedge Fund Wives by Tatiana Boncompagni (review to follow)<br />
Silent Scream by Lynda La Plante (<a href="http://areyouobsessedwithreading.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-review-silent-scream-by-linda-la.html">See my review here</a>)<br />
The Best Laid Plans by Sydney Sheldon<br />
It Had To Be You by Sarah Webbe (<a href="http://areyouobsessedwithreading.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-review-it-had-to-be-you-by-sarah.html">See my review here</a>)<br />
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Which brings my totals to:<br />
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100+ Reading Challenge hosted by <a href="http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html">Home Girl's Book Blog</a> 22 / 100<br />
Thriller Challenge hosted by <a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/2009/05/thriller-suspense-challenge-2010_01.html">Book Chick City</a> - 7 / 12<br />
James Patterson Challenge hosted by <a href="http://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/james-patterson-reading-challenge.html">Socrates' Book Reviews</a> - 3 / 10Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5910872664477216168.post-34643549699273672682010-05-31T11:48:00.001+01:002010-05-31T11:49:24.004+01:00Book Review - Silent Scream by Lynda La Plante<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0mz44G16W9gfyTGsMAtqnEAZ9jM1mN_xFBBLcBBO90rVDwqbwdyCMHdLG6nTT9vX9utxsZwFkwX0p2GfGhUxoPPHEpLp6ITiFHLjTQAYs5cyZfHZjEiIkebBjEYzxL2sM1kI6HmaESY/s1600/silent+scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0mz44G16W9gfyTGsMAtqnEAZ9jM1mN_xFBBLcBBO90rVDwqbwdyCMHdLG6nTT9vX9utxsZwFkwX0p2GfGhUxoPPHEpLp6ITiFHLjTQAYs5cyZfHZjEiIkebBjEYzxL2sM1kI6HmaESY/s320/silent+scream.jpg" width="208" /></a>I am more than a little fond of reading thriller books, so it comes as a surprise that I have never read anything by Lynda La Plante who, according to one critic, ‘practically invented the thriller’. I have seen a number of the TV programmes that have been based on her books including the hugely popular Prime Suspect and Trial and Retribution series’ and have thoroughly enjoyed them, but I have never quite got round to reading her work. So it was with a little excitement that I gratefully received her newest offering Silent Scream, from publishers Simon and Schuster.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Silent Scream is the latest in the series of books that follows Detective Anna Travis as she works on various murder cases. In this one, an up and coming young movie star, Amanda Delaney, is brutally murdered in her own home. During the investigation, it becomes clear that Amanda has lead a terribly troubled life which included childhood abuse, eating disorders and a string of sordid affairs. Detective Anna Travis soon discovers that Amanda was planning to publish her no holds barred memoirs, which meant that there was a long list of people who would have a motive to murder.</div><a name='more'></a>The first thing I have to say about this book is that I didn’t realise that it was part of a series. The fact that I’ve never read any of the previous books didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this particular story, but there is a side story that centres on Anna Travis’ previous relationship with her married boss, Chief Superintendant James Langton that I couldn’t get to grips with. It felt like I’d walked in half way through a conversation and so I didn’t really understand the relationship and the tension that La Plante describes throughout the story. The two characters made an unlikely pairing in my opinion and I couldn’t see how they had got together. Obviously that isn’t a fault of this book, more my fault that I’ve joined a series at such a late stage, however I would probably advise you to start from the beginning. <br />
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There were quite a lot of characters in Silent Scream and at times I found it difficult to keep up with who was who, as some of the characters we only meet fleetingly but they appear again later on. The main characters in the book are Anna and, although we only meet her for a little time whilst she is alive, Amanda. I thought both characters were well written, although Anna was a strange choice for a heroine. First of all she is only 29, something that you find out halfway through the book but that came as a surprise to me as I’d already decided in my mind that she was a lot older. She is something of a loner and it is a trait that gets her in trouble repeatedly throughout the book and isolates her from her colleagues. Again this is a something that is clearly built up in previous novels, because even at the start of Silent Scream her colleagues are already talking about her behind her back and becoming tired of her methods, even though it seems as though she hasn’t done anything wrong yet.<br />
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Amanda Delaney was my favourite character by far and La Plante did a superb job of bringing her to life, even though she was murdered at the very beginning of the book. We find out her tragic story through the various people that she knew and loved – from popular movie stars to low-life drug dealers - and through Anna Travis’ investigation into her life. Amanda’s life was clearly short but not sweet. Although we don’t feel entirely sorry for her because she had a mean streak that made her lots of enemies. She was a feisty character who made a great subject for the story. She was a great example of how things aren’t always as they seem: here was this stunning and talented young actress who seemingly had everything she could wish for, yet it seems that she had more than her fair share of trauma.<br />
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The story is the fast paced, edge of your seat stuff that you expect from this genre and there are twists and turns a plenty. La Plante has a way of making you attempt to solve the mystery as you are going along and just when you think you’ve done it, she throws in another twist. Like I said earlier, one of the ways she does this is by introducing a lot of sub-characters. This is a good way of doing it because it means you are kept on wondering until almost the end. Although I did find that some of the characters were introduced with their own little side stories that weren’t really tied up at the end; some of the stories just fizzled out a bit and whilst I understand they are there to add to the mystery, they ended a little limply. <br />
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Overall though, and despite me joining the series halfway through, I did really enjoy Silent Scream and I’ll definitely be reading more of La Plante’s work. The story is fast paced and gripping and she has a great knack for writing interesting and enthralling characters – exactly what you want from a thriller writer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2