The Coven Murders

Hi everyone, it's Heather posting today with a review on the paranormal crime book The Coven Murders. Many thanks to the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Information

Author: Brian O'Hare

Published: February 2018

Publisher: Crimson Cloak Publishing

Length: 385 pages

Brief Description (from Amazon)

The Coven Murders opens with a horrifying account of a ritual Black Mass with a human sacrifice in an abandoned church. Twenty-one years later, near an old ruined church in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Chief Inspector Sheehan and his team discover the skeleton of a young woman. But what seems initially to be a straightforward case, brings the team into conflict with a powerful Satanist who has plans to offer up to Satan another human sacrifice on the evening of the great Illuminati feast of Lughnasa. Several murders occur, baffling the Inspector until he makes a connection between the modern murders and the twenty-one year old skeleton. The team’s pursuit of the murderer, and their determination to protect a young woman who is targeted by the coven, lead to a horrific climax in a hellish underground crypt where Sheehan and his team, supported by an exorcist and a bishop, attempt to do battle with the coven and a powerful demon of Baphomet, jeopardising not only their lives, but risking the wrath of Satan upon their immortal souls.

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coven-Murders-Inspector-Sheehan-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B079SHVTKH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543243556&sr=8-1&keywords=brian+o%27hare+coven+murders)

Review

It’s fairly unusual for us to be approached with books that merge together the paranormal and crime thriller genres so I was pleased when O’Hare contacted me with this one. The novel is set in Northern Ireland where the police force is bombarded with both the discovery of a skeleton and a series of murders. With the potential linking of the two cases and the strange whiff of supernatural in the air, Chief Inspector Sheehan and his team work hard to try and find the culprit before anyone else is murdered. I haven’t read the rest of this series but as a standalone book it works very well and isn’t at all confusing. I am very proud to announce that I guessed the identity of the murderer pretty early on (I hereby expect to be addressed as Sherlock Holmes… or Chief Inspector Sheehan, a commendable detective indeed) possibly because I read too much crime fiction. This didn’t reduce my enjoyment though, on the contrary, I found this a gripping read that gave me a lot of relief to an otherwise stressful weekend spent planning and writing essays.

The story is set in Northern Ireland, somewhere I must confess I’ve always wanted to go. There is some interesting history to the Protestant-Catholic conflicts still prominent over there included in the story. The imagery, particularly during the festival scene, is fantastic. If I’m being really pernickety then are moments when the writing style feels a little repetitive, for instance, the car-tailing scenes are quite similar and at the start, the word ‘grinned’ is overused. Overall the dialogue is very good, however, it does sometimes border on stereotypical with the upper-class characters being veeery posh and the dodgier guys really showing it! Aside from this, I can’t flaw O’Hare at all, I found the book engaging and exciting.

The police and forensics team itself are a real treat – such vibrant and comedic characters! Throughout reading this they delighted me, both from their amusing lines and O’Hare’s careful consideration on each of their backgrounds. It can never be emphasised enough just how valuable a sub-plot is to adding new dimensions to characters and achieving that all-important sense of verisimilitude. Most of all, I have to praise the O’Hare for writing McNeill’s speech impediment in a professional manner. There is a very small quantity, both in film and literature, of characters who have long-term stammers. Even when this is represented, 95% of the time the writer only includes it to provide a bullying storyline or to give the character an innocent, anxious or quiet persona, often as an act (like Quirrell in the Harry Potter series and Tina in Glee). As you can tell from my ranting, it’s one of my pet peeves so congratulations O’Hare on being part of the minority that does not do that! I also found Andrew a complete and utter sweetheart and hope he finds some happiness in the next book.

Overall I found this a stimulating read with wonderfully written characters. The paranormal elements weren’t too cliched and slotted into the general rhythm of the novel nicely. I’ll be back next month with another review, see you then! 

Half-Heartedly

Hey there, it's Lydia here! This is a poem I wrote last week. I'm going to be posting my poetry on our blog more often, so keep checking our site! 

I don’t know its Location,

it should be on the left 

below my breast

in that general station.

Beneath cages of solid white

and fillings of pink 

wrapped in a cocoon-like state

where blue or maybe red pours, 

restlessly chasing each strip 

from finger to feet. 

But I cannot find its location. 

The doctor said all is well 

that aorta is functioning 

and left atrium is all in place, 

that your heart beats bebum-bebum

pushing golden life in regular trace. 

You’re pretty and young – 

I don’t understand 

How can you not find its Location? 

Ah, I think I remember now

as light poured onto my form

seen through a crack all broken and torn. 

A Greenhouse 

shimmering impenetrable grace

filled with sunflowers wet with dew

and bees floating from each face. 

There are splinters

shards all battered and blue

some mended some not 

crying when the cold wind blew. 

I felt that

fingers grazing that bloody wall

the bees stop, 

the sunflowers shudder, die and drop

and a stage comes into view.

a candle 

flickering 

flickering 

gone

I cannot find its Location 

Literary Book Gifts

Hi everyone! It's Lydia here! My monthly blog post went a bit downhill for the end of October, however I'm here now and ready to discuss a website with you all! This is a slightly different from the reviews I usually write, as they're mostly fashioned around books. Yet, this website is special because it's where all of us book nerds go to and find quotes and book art around our favourite novels. Today I'll be reviewing https://literarybookgifts.com

When first viewing the website I was greeted with a classic white and professional background, which instantly drew my attention to the colour of the products on the home page. The options of what to select were 'Women's Book T-Shirts', 'Book Tote Bags', 'Men's Book T-Shirts' and 'Gifts for Book Lovers', which turn a darker shade of grey when selected. Then underneath this, there was a lovely selection of classic literary fiction gifts ranging from Frankenstein t-shirts to Emily Dickinson tote bags.

Clicking onto the women's t-shirt section, there's a refreshing display of different clothing laid side-by-side presenting a good range of size selection from XS - 3XL. Each t-shirt has a diverse selection of colours that you don't see on most websites. Clicking specifically on the Dracula t-shirt, I initially liked the colour combination of red and black, but the choice of red and white also gave an interesting contrast. I even found some novels that I've never heard of before, for example, 'The Call of the Wild' and 'In Search of Lost Time'.

Moving onto the tote bags, each one is beautifully designed and the material looks strong and durable. I personally prefer the tote bags as the large font and design is pleasing to the eye, and like the t-shirts there is a wide selection of fiction. However, if you want a more simplistic design that isn't based around a book, there are some intriguing style bags with headphone sets and typewriters. What really surprised me was there were also some products that displayed famous science essays and even some philosophers!

Now for my top five favourite products: 1. Dracula t-shirt, 2. Jane Eyre t-shirt, 3. Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde tote bag,  4. Typewriter tote bag, 5. Emily Dickinson tote bag.

Overall, I think this website is fantastic and really cute! So I encourage all our readers to go and check it out! Here is the link again: https://literarybookgifts.com

P.S. The owner of this lovely website has given our team a 20% discount code ECCENTRICTRILOGY20, this includes anything on the website, no minimum and does not expire.

Dracul

Happy Halloween everyone! It’s Heather again - I don’t normally post twice in one month but given that this novel deals with vampires, cockroaches and all that lovely stuff I thought it made more sense to post today. Many thanks to the authors for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Information

Author: Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker

Published: October 2018

Publisher: Bantam Press

Length: 512 pages

Brief Description (from Amazon)

It is 1868, and a 22-year-old Bram Stoker has locked himself inside an abbey's tower to face off against a vile and ungodly beast. He is armed with mirrors and crucifixes and holy water and a gun - and is kept company by a bottle of plum brandy. His fervent prayer is that he will survive this one night - a night that will prove to be the longest of his life. Desperate to leave a record of what he has witnessed, the young man scribbles out the events that brought him to this point - and tells an extraordinary tale of childhood illness, a mysterious nanny, and stories once thought to be fables now proven true.
A riveting, heart-stoppingly scary novel of Gothic suspense, Dracul reveals not only the true origins of Dracula himself, but also of his creator, Bram Stoker . . . and of the elusive, enigmatic woman who connects them.

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dracul-Dacre-Stoker/dp/0593080114/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541009825&sr=8-2&keywords=dacre+stoker+dracul)

Review

Wow. I absolutely loved this novel. When I heard that J.D. Barker and Dacre Stoker (Bram Stoker’s great grand-nephew) were collaborating to write a prequel to Dracula I was absolutely delighted. I’m still recovering from the epic ending of Barker’s Fourth Killer Monkey – who would have guessed that that guy was the murderer?! – so knew they would inject the perfect amount of suspense and unpredictable plot twists. And, like the typical English Literature student I am, I adore Dracula. Ironically, I’ve just written an essay on it so if anyone asks then getting my excuse for staying up all night finishing Dracul is that I’m a dedicated student who wanted to do some further reading. Jokes aside I genuinely did find this a very informative read. The novel blends fiction and fact together so many of the details about Bram were accurate, for instance, it's true that he spent a lot of his childhood bedridden from an unknown illness. 

It’s very easy for writers to fall into the trap of thinking ‘vampire = inhumane monster = evil’ and I was really impressed that Barker and Stoker avoided this. Nanny Ellen’s morally ambiguous traits made her character much more interesting to read about. The same thing goes for any type of character really, whilst it’s fine to have the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ side, the crossover characters add another dimension to a novel. There’s a pretty big split in the Harry Potter fandom between the people who think Snape is a hero and those who believe he’s detestable (I’m on side detestable, there’s no excuse for bullying Neville). Do we have this argument about Voldemort or Bellatrix? Nope. Of course, it’s fantastic to have that absolutely horrible villain, in this case Dracul, and the very likable Bram and Matilda, throwing Nanny Ellen into the mix makes everything more sinister as the reader doesn’t know who to trust. Thornley, whilst definitely on team good, had some phenomenal character development as well as he went from a somewhat distant and suspicious sibling to someone fully committed to hunting down Dracul. 

As a prequel, the novel definitely succeeds in answering some of the more confusing parts of Dracula. The abilities of the vampire, for instance, are addressed with confidence so the reader can fully understand exactly what and how vampires operate. I liked how Stoker and Barker mimicked Dracula’s creative epistolary form in their prequel with the diary entries, though I felt this could have been developed better. In Dracula there is definite acknowledgement of the form with Mina notably compiling all their accounts together and the highly amusing little notes (‘Mem., get recipe for Mina’, ‘this diary seems horribly like the beginning of the “Arabian Nights”’). There’s a bit of this in Dracul but I feel like it could have been used more. Nonetheless, the writing style itself is excellent, packed full of beautifully worded imagery and quirky lines of dialogue. 

Is Dracul actually scary? Well I decided to read this while home-alone and I thought that the mysterious eerie noises coming from our fridge and the missing television remote meant our house was haunted. I don’t know why I thought any monster would steal a television remote and not the TV itself but I think this pretty much reflects how terrified I was. The funny thing is that there’s not much actual gore in the novel. It’s not as though every page is filled with the torments of a poor soul being slaughtered in vivid and disturbing manner. In a way I think this is what frightened me. This coupled with the factual details about Bram Stoker means the realism is heightened massively. The story is convincing yet still undeniably spooky and gripping.

Get nice and comfortable in your coffin because I found myself completely engrossed in this riveting read. Needless to say, I really recommend picking up a copy of Dracul (it’s Halloween, treat yourselves!), particularly if you’re a fan of Dracula.

Love and Kisses from My Padded Cell: Clinical Tale of Addiction

Hello, it’s Heather here! TW: the book I'm reviewing today is focused on clinical addiction and does discuss abuse, alcoholism, eating disorders, self-harm, drugs and other dark topics. Many thanks Dr. Katz for sending me a free copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.

Information

Author: Dr. Ellie Katz

Published: July 2017

Publisher: Self-Published, available on Amazon

Length: 230 pages

Brief Description (from Amazon)

Destruction By One’s Own Hand. What's the difference between an addiction and a habit? What's the difference between a harmless vice and a source of danger? Mishaps and Failures And Mind Boggling Compulsions.

Dr. Ellie Katz recounts the struggles of ten men and women who fell victim to the irresistible draw of using. There is no lack of tragedy, pathos or remorse, but there is also a hint of comedy as we explore the lives of people who have run counter to their true essences and behaved like genuine jackasses.​These stories are shocking, but they are also important. They give a first-person look into the mindset that can drive someone to sacrifice​ their​ good name, fortune, family, and more. Those who tell their stories here do so in the hope that others will be inspired to seek, and perhaps even find, a better way. The reader follows each subject from an early age, so they can see exactly when and why their compulsions began. These addictions frequently seem to be a coping method for individuals stuck in abusive and troubled households or stress either in the workplace or home.

(https://www.amazon.com/Love-Kisses-My-Padded-Cell-ebook/dp/B0741CWTRK)

Review

I've read my fair share of novels that either focus on addiction or contain a character who is suffering from one and have to admit that they've been... varied in success, so naturally I was very excited to read some life-stories about real people who have a clinical addiction. These stories are harrowing, motivational and, for me at least, a poignant reminder to be grateful. The majority of the subjects come from troubled homes with guardians or friends who are often addicts themselves, many of the subjects experience emotional and physical abuse and go through the most horrible ordeals. It's fascinating and tragic to understand exactly why and when their compulsions begin. I'm sure everyone has a few moments in their childhood that they'd rather forget but rarely to these extremes.

My primary concern when reading memoirs is that the subject’s story may be sugar-coated with too much sympathy, either by the subject themselves during the interview process or by the writer. I am pleased to report that this is not the case for Katz, who managed to retain the voice of each subject whilst subtly slotting her own questions and comments, which guides the reader towards their own conclusion, allowing them to be shocked and disturbed but also understand the torment of addiction. This provides a considerate and honest reflection of each individual studied. I feel like media often glorifies addiction, frequently delighting in the idea of an alcoholic or drug addict being ‘cured’ by the support of a truly miraculous love interest, devoted friend or family member. As Katz states, ‘destruction by one’s own hand is far less romantic up close’ and the reality of the matter is that many addicts suffer alone, afraid to show their vulnerabilities, particularly to those they love, and isolating themselves in the process. It was refreshing to read material on addiction and psychiatric illness covered in such a sincere and open way.

Another highlight is that Katz very rarely shoulders blame on one person, instead of recognising that everyone makes mistakes and everyone experiences pain in their past. Most of the more dislikeable people involved in the lives of the subjects notably were addicts themselves, like Rosie’s alcoholic father, and frequently the subjects would say or do things to their family and friends that probably continued this chain. Katz says pretty early on that ‘the addict is the hero and the addiction is the villain; or maybe they both are the villain’ and this struck me as a really interesting point. Psychiatric illness is selfish and cruel, not only to the addict but also to the people who look after and care for them. Pablo’s girlfriend is almost unbelievably forgiving when he pops to the shops to get some cigarettes and doesn’t return for six months! 

The title did initially baffle me since very little of the book is focused on the ‘padded cell’ of rehab itself. On the contrary, Katz seemed to avoid it, instead of writing about everything that fostered their addiction and how they handled it until rehabilitation, their relapses after and current state. For me I did find this a drawback as the reader watches each subject suffer from addiction and anticipates how rehabilitation will help them, only to not be divulged that information. Of course, I completely understand why Katz chose not to disclose what happens at rehabilitation (it’d make each section far longer, there are sometimes confidentiality laws in certain clinics, most treatments take a tedious amount of trial and error to work) but I have to confess that I was a little let down by this aspect.

The book is satisfying in how it's organised, with clearly marked sections, excellent structure and impeccable grammar. The balance between compassion and frank wit in writing style is absolutely spot on, making this a compelling read. The introduction and conclusion are brilliant, noting both the symptoms of addiction and remarking that there is no shame in asking for help. Recovering from addiction is challenging and arguably the process of recovery never ends, but the battle gets far easier to fight with the appropriate treatment and support. Even if the reader cannot see what happens at rehab to help each subject recover, the knowledge that these incredible people have been through so much and can get better is really uplifting.

Addiction is difficult and, again, I want to emphasise the bravery of going to rehab or even just telling a friend. Many of Katz’s subjects were at their lowest when they kept their addiction to themselves - don’t be afraid to reach out to a loved one and tell them what’s going on! I’ll be back soon to write on J.D. Barker and Dacre Stoker’s novel Dracul.

Elegies by Douglas Dunn

Hello, Helen here! Slightly late this week due to illness and a stampede of assignments charging my way, for which I apologise. Here is my review for a book of poetry that I read some years ago but will forever and always be my absolute favourite.

Book: Elegies

Author: Douglas Dunn

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elegies-Douglas-Dunn/dp/0571134696

Written after the death of his wife from cancer, Douglas Dunn’s Elegies are a collection of poems about grief, love, and the struggle to keep going after profound loss. Perhaps the first thing I should say about this wonderful, wonderful book, is that it is the first – and only at the date of writing – set of poems that have made me cry. Dunn’s grief is smeared across every page for the world to see, in a way that is so raw and ragged that it takes your breath away.

One of the things I found most heart-wrenching was the way Dunn interspersed the grief of the present with memories of their life before her diagnosis, when he and his wife were happy and in love without the shadow of death hanging over them. I have been told that one of the best ways to write tragedy is to give the reader something happy to hold onto – the hope that something good will happen and change the ending and let us close the book with a smile on our faces. Whether Dunn’s inclusion of these brief, shining moments of joy were intended to cause this effect is perhaps unclear, but nonetheless, they certainly help you understand exactly what Dunn has lost, and how helpless he felt watching his wife’s health slowly decline, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it.

The most famous poem from Elegies is probably The Kaleidoscope, which is widely available on a manner of poetry websites, often accompanied by a recording of it being read aloud. Written in sonnet form, The Kaleidoscope details Dunn’s loss of direction after his wife’s death. He describes, in aching detail, how he still half expects his wife to be in their house, and how he can almost see her watching him, if only he’d turn around. It’s probably one of my favourites from this collection, along with Birch Room.

I will say, however, that this isn’t really a book to pick up lightly. It deals with a lot of sensitive and emotional aspects of life and death and love, and even those who claim to be completely hard-hearted will probably finish reading this with a lump in their throat. It is likely that you might need some time to process the book after you have read it – I know I did! – so please bear that in mind.

Having said that, I would heartily recommend this to anyone and everyone who likes poetry, and to most people who don’t! It flows and captures you in way that some older poets might not, and I promise, you will never be bored when reading it.

The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

Hi everyone! It's Shani here today and this week I'm reviewing The Secret Agent (1907) by Joesph Conrad. I read this novel over the summer as it is on one of my university courses and I must admit that it is one of my favourite books that during my studies thus far.

The Secret Agent focuses on the character of Mr Verloc, otherwise known as Verloc, and the work he does for a foreign government - in particular the secret agency work he does for them. It is never quite clear what government Verloc is actually working, though there has been speculation that it could possibly be the French or Russian government. Whoever Verloc is working for certainly has a hatred for England and it's values. Verloc is instructed that he must make a statement to the English people or gather useful information otherwise he is out of the job. This forces Verloc, who is also a major anarchist and is happy to undertake whatever task the government he works for asks, to take drastic action and has consequences which he could never have imagined.

For those who have not read this wonderful novel I will not spoil the plot for you, especially the most important part of the plot, however I will be talking specifically about Verloc and his wife, Winnie, and the novel as a whole. Winnie is an interesting character as she is Verloc's complete opposite, where Verloc is often cold and indifferent to pretty much every situation he finds himself in, Winnie is extremely compassionate... if anything at times she is too compassionate. Her maternal protectiveness over her brother Stevie, who is portrayed in the novel to have a form of autism (though at the time Conrad would not have been aware of that his character is autistic because there was no such diagnosis when the novel was written), is heartwarming but also strange. It seems that Winnie is reluctant to let her brother do just about anything on his own, with good reason at times, but she seems more of a mother to him than their actual mother is.

This odd relationship dynamic makes the novel end on a satisfying yet perplexing situation, and after having read the novel twice I still cannot determine how I feel. However, it seems that both Verloc and Winnie's biggest characteristics are ultimately their downfall. Verloc's cold and unaccountable personality cause an awful situation to arise, and Winnie's maternal instincts towards her brother bring everything to an end. In terms of studying human nature, Conrad really delves into the psyche of his characters and shows the reader that despite appearances people can be extremely deceiving. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel and if you're interested in conspiracy theories, a deep look into the human mind and at times it's odd workings, scapegoat plans, murder, and anarchism I would definitely recommend reading this! 

Love in Between

Hey there, it's Lydia here. I'm really happy to be posting on the blog again, as you can see you'll be hearing from a member of our eccentric trilogy team once a week! This week I'll be discussing Love in Between by Mercy Jane Porquez Ballesteros.

Love in Between is a collection of classic and contemporary poems. It is inspired by the works of William Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe, both are my greatest influences. The short stories reveal a lot about human relationships, the concept of love, and how humans behave in it. This book will appeal to readers interested in contemporary romance and young adult fiction. It is inspired by the different emotions of love, for love manifests itself in many forms. At times, it can only be conveyed through words, exploring life’s lessons and suppressed passions. (Description from the author)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Between-Mercy-Porquez-Ballesteros-ebook/dp/B076Y56M94/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537277078&sr=8-3&keywords=love+in+between

Before I properly begin my review, poetry is an extremely personal form, in which everyone writes and interprets in many innovative ways. Each author is credited for expressing themselves no matter of anyones judgement or opinion.

The collection of poems and short stories addresses the romantic themes of: heaven, truth, heartbreak, jealousy, Godly love and life after love. While being a sucker for romantic fiction myself I read this collection with anticipation and eagerness. The book is separated by two sections, in which poetry presents itself first and the short stories second.

The author's poetry drew me in very rapidly, with her use of creative imagery and descriptive techniques, as well as some dialogue amongst her stanzas which I found very refreshing. Her use of Shakespearean dialect created a sense of nostalgia from when I studied many of Shakespeare's sonnets during my GCSE's and A Levels. The author greatly illustrates that 21st century writers are still influenced by the works of Shakespeare. However, like all collections of fiction, not every piece will be liked. I found that some poems were very similar in style, structure and content. That while some stanza's were very complex, others were rather simplistic and monotonous. Some poems had a lyrical flow that reached a satisfying conclusion, while within others I felt slightly lost when I met its ending.

While reading the second half of the book, I was presented with a similar reaction. The author presented some interesting introductions within her six short stories; creating a setting that both looked back into some characters pasts, while they reflected on their present emotions and surroundings. However I felt that the stories focused too much on the plot and not enough on the language that would express the characters complex feelings. This presented the characters to be rather flat and static.

My two favourite poems from the book are 'Midnight Flower' and 'For once, My Knight'. Both have a beautiful Romantic style, through the use of rich pastoral imagery which represent the speakers deep emotions. Although, what I enjoyed most was how both poems explore the truthfulness of love, whether that be about the innocence and honesty of love or the lack of truth it emits.

I lastly felt that within both the poems and stories there was a rigid sense of heterosexuality. There was heavy focus on the physical features and attraction between the characters, yet, they were always between a man and woman. It would be more appealing to see a more gender neutral atmosphere, so all people of all sexualities may find their romantic experience within the language.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys getting lost within the lyrical garden of poetry and atmosphere of love.

You should also take a look at other books published by Mercy Jane Porquez Ballesteros; these include 'A Taste of Revenge' and 'Poems of Love & Short Stories', in which can all be found on Amazon. You can also find her on her website www.mjaneballesteros.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mjane207/.

Caina

Hello! Hope you’re all doing well, it’s Heather here, posting a quick review on the crime novel Caina by Joe Albanese. Many thanks to the author for sending me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Information

Author: Joe Albanese

Published: May 2018

Publisher: Mockingbird Lane Press

Length: 174 pages

Brief Description (from Amazon)

Twins tend to be closer than typical siblings. They often share a bond that is oftentimes unexplainable.*

For some reason that bond didn’t apply to Grant and Lee Tolan. Grant was always the responsible one. Lee, on the other hand, was always in trouble and in jail, self-destructing to the point the twins hadn’t seen or spoken in years.

In trouble with the Irish mob who wanted him sleeping with the fishes, finding Grant dead of an apparent suicide, Lee did the only thing that made sense. He switched identities.

Instead of making life easier, Lee is plunged into a world the Irish and Italian crime families, the Mexican cartel and the DEA. Pitting one against the other, Lee enlists the help of friends to save his own life. He will need a miracle.

But Grant’s secret is the biggest shock of all for Lee and he must re-evaluate his entire life.

*Maureen Healy, author of Growing Happy Kids.

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caina-Joe-Albanese/dp/1643167847)

Review

Anyone familiar with Dante’s Inferno may already associate the word Caina with the Ninth Circle of Hell and, more specifically, treachery against kindred. That pretty much sums up the main plot. Despite being twins, Lee absolutely loathes his law-abiding brother Grant. However, after discovering his corpse, Lee finds himself impersonating Grant and realises that he may not have been as much of a goody-two-shoes as Lee had anticipated. 

As a person, I don’t know if Lee and I would have been besties. He’s irrationally bitter over his brother’s success, immature, totally unsympathetic, spends too much time dallying about in illegal matters and is generally very selfish and rude, though I appreciate how much he cared for Angela and Clare. However, as a character, I found him refreshing. I cannot count the number of crime novels and shows centred around yet another random busybody that feels like meddling in something that has nothing to do with them but, despite their complete and utter lack of experience or qualification, are granted access to the crime scene and solve the entire thing in less than a week. Or that good old detective with a long, swishing coat and ominous tone laced with sarcasm. To be fair, I normally rave about how wonderful these characters are (the nosy meddlers and very-serious detectives feel like family) despite the blatant stereotypes but nonetheless, Lee was a welcome change of perspective. 

The flow of the plot was good. I never thought I’d encounter a character that would come across their (admittedly estranged) identical twin brother’s body and, rather than grieve, pretend the corpse was their own to trick a gang and take on the deceased brother’s identity without thinking it far-fetched but this proved to be an exception. It’s like a twisted, criminal version of The Pretty One. Lee is just so… Lee that I have no issue with the plot here. However, I did find the excess of gangs a bit much. Personally, I’d have preferred just one or two gangs with more focus on each member of the gang and their background. Instead, the reader relies on a brief description of the majority ethnic group of each gang and the names of the most important members, which can get a little confusing towards the end. The highlight of the plot for me has to be the ending. Albanese really built the everything up well and I was concerned I’d be disappointed but found myself pleasantly surprised. My main question to the author is whether a sequel is on the horizon? I feel like the ending lends itself to another book and I certainly wouldn’t protest reading another novel in Lee’s narrative voice.

I found there were very occasional typos, like a few haphazard speech marks that must have been missed over the editing period, but there weren’t enough for this to be an issue when reading. I also thought the cover of the novel perhaps a bit too dark and serious looking for a crime comedy but looked very smart even so. Aside from that, the formatting was good – the font was slightly larger than average, making it a joy to read, the blurb describes the novel perfectly etc. 

Albanese's strongest skill in this novel would have to be his creative use of perspective. I've already mentioned how interesting Lee was as a narrator, but I haven't spoken much about Grant. We learn so much about Grant without even meeting him when he's alive. He comes across as a hard-working and loving man and I found it quite endearing how he cared about Lee and tried to support him despite Lee's stubborn dislike of him. Naturally I found it irksome how Lee showed very little sympathy towards poor Eric, who was clearly close to Grant, but again, that's just... Lee. Overall, I did enjoy this book despite the slight confusion over the numerous gangs.

That’s it for today, folks. Let me know what you think of Caina if you’ve read it. I’ll be back next month with a review for a memoir on addiction.

The Secret Countess

Hello! Helen here, for the very first time. I’ll be talking about one of my absolute favourite pieces of children’s literature this time – a book that never fails to make me laugh and cry, even now, on what must be the 11^th reread.

Book: The Secret Countess

Author: Eva Ibbotson

Blurb: (from the 2015 Macmillan children’s books print) When revolution tears Russia apart, Anna abandons her identity and homeland for a safe haven in England. She finds shelter there, working as a servant in an aristocratic household, her luxurious past now just a distant memory – until she falls in love with the young Earl of Westerholme, and risks revealing her secret.

( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Countess-Eva-Ibbotson/dp/1447280105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537102020&sr=8-1&keywords=the+secret+countess )

Set against the backdrop of a war-torn and shell-shocked Europe, The Secret Countess is ultimately a tale of survival and love, even after the destruction and horror of the First World War. Like many of the Russian aristocracy, the Countess Anna Granzinsky fled St Petersburg in 1917 with her family, and eventually made her way to London. Determined not to trespass on the hospitality of her old governess, Anna takes the position of a housemaid at the stately Mersham Manor despite her total lack of experience, all the while hiding her true title. Once there, she meets a host of charming and eccentric characters – such as the orderly Butler, Cyril Proom; the Dowager Countess, who communes with the spirits of those long deceased; and of course, the Earl himself.

The plot itself is rather predictable for an older reader, and fits the ‘Boy meets Girl’ trope to a T. It is, of course, a children’s book, and a certain amount of leeway is allowed here – not that Ibbotson needs it in the slightest. Any predictability is completely overshadowed by the witty and engaging prose style that Ibbotson implements so successfully in all of her literature. Her characters leap off the page in all their idiosyncratic glory, and it is impossible not to fall in love with Anna as she muddles her way gracefully through the stiff rules of the English country estate – something very familiar from countless episodes of Downton Abby. Even the villain of the piece is completely alive and as hateable as Dolores Umbridge herself, and the romance is entirely magical.

For a children’s book, The Secret Countess touches on a surprising amount of the issues that cropped up after the First World War. PTSD, the isolation of refugees and the loss of their national identity, the value of duty, and even the insidious tendrils of white supremacy and ableism that would eventually fuel the ideological foundation of Hitler’s Third Reich are all included – but in a way a child can understand, without compromising innocence or becoming a subliminal political agenda. Instead, the themes of the book focus on kindness, love, and finding a home somewhere you might not expect. Not surprising, considering Ibbotson’s own hurried escape to England after the Nazis came to power in Austria.

Full of joy and humanity, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to smile more, not just the children it is aimed at. The dramatic climax alone will have you humming the Valse des Fleurs for days on end.

Two Spells by Mark Morrison

Hello everyone! We're officially back from our long hiatus and I, Shani, will be kicking our blog off with a review for the wonderful fantasy novel Two Spells by Mark Morrison.

Two Spells focuses on Sarah and Jon, twin brother and sister, and their journey to discover their magic. The twins are unaware that they possess any power until their mother takes them on a family trip to Wales, where they meet their grandparents who they haven't properly met before (which I found slightly odd). Their grandparents tell them all about the magic in their family and where it originates from. An aspect of the novel which I really enjoyed was the way that Morrison set his story in Wales, particularly the way that he describes the landscape, and how he paints the mystical library of Two Spells, the place where Sarah's grandparents stole an enchanted book and gained access to their magic. Two Spells is the mythical place that readers, such as myself, dreamt about as children. Not only is it described as an elegant yet ancient building, but it also has an air of mystery and fear associated with it whenever Morrison mentions it. From the very beginning of the novel Morrison does a fabulous job of creating a sense of anticipation surrounding Two Spells, embedding fear but curiosity in both Sarah and Jon, thus causing the same reaction from the reader. The mythological side of the novel was also intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed how Morrison created such an intricate history for library of Two Spells.

The dynamic between Sarah and Jon reminded me of my own dynamic with my siblings, fighting one minute and protecting each other the next. It was very humbling to see that the twins had an typical sibling relationship rather than just having either a hateful relationship or a loving one like some novels do. Whilst it is true that these types of relationships do exist between siblings, it was refreshing to see that Morrison went with a normal dynamic. I enjoyed the characters of Sarah's grandparents as well, though at the beginning they frustrated me slightly because they were all giving the reader tidbits of information about Two Spells and the family's magic, however the family dynamic between all four characters was heartwarming to see.

One criticism I have for the novel is the ending and the amount of characters that Morrison introduces in a short space of time. For a children's novel there were a number of characters who are suddenly thrust into the novel towards the very end, which isn't always a bad thing, but in my opinion I felt that there were too many new names and personalities to learn about in a very short space of time. Had the characters been introduced at an earlier point in the novel it probably wouldn't confuse the reader as much, however, throwing the characters in last minute does cause some confusion.

The novel ends on a cliffhanger, which I will definitely will not spoil as I suggest you all go and read the novel for yourselves, that sets up the next novel. This novel is the first in a series so though I wasn't a huge fan of what happened at the denounement, I understand why Morrison has chosen to end his novel in this particular way as it sets up a plot line for the next novel.

Overall, I did enjoy Two Spells and would recommend it to fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and The Chronicles of Narnia as the fantasy element of the novel is fantastic. Praise to Morrison for creating a fantastical fictional world for children to bask in once more.

If you're interested in reading Two Spells the link to Morrison's amazon page is here, you can order the paper back for £7.99 or read a free copy of it through the kindle edition: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TwoSpells-Mark-Morrison-ebook/dp/B079ZBBSPM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536492101&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Two+Spells+Mark+Morrison

Announcement!

Hello everyone! You've probably noticed that we've been inactive for eons. This is because we've all recently started uni, have been working on our own personal projects and have been generally trying to cope with adulthood. However, now we've decided to return in September (and slightly revamp the blog). If anyone wants to email us in the meantime, we're finally checking our emails again and will try to respond.