Sweet Reality (Reality Star)

Hey, it’s Heather posting. We’ve all been devouring our university reading lists, so these last few weeks have been spent basically becoming books (I swear my hair smells slightly like the paper somehow now). Needless to say, after a week of reading Shakespeare, however wonderful that may be, I was in dire need of something lighter, and thus was delighted to read the sequel to America’s Next Reality Star (see my review on that), Sweet Reality. Many thanks to the author for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Information

Author: Laura Heffernan

Published: September 2017

Publisher: Lyrical Shine

Length: 236 pages

Brief description (from Amazon)

Jen Reid's life after walking off a reality show has been great--she's gone from being a broke twenty-four-year-old Seattleite with no love life and no job to the twenty-five-year-old who got the guy, moved to Miami, and is starting a bakery with her best friend. She thinks her showmance love might be about to propose. And with mouthwatering goodies based on everyone's favorite shows, her business, Sweet Reality, is destined for success.

That is, until a killer competitor opens right across the street. If she's going to save Sweet Reality, Jen has to come up with a secret ingredient--like the recipe that won Totally 80s Bake-Off. Jen can get it--if she steps back into the spotlight. Soon she and her boyfriend are out to sea on a cruise ship full of reality stars, including her nemesis, Ariana; her lying, cheating ex; and some wicked producers looking to bring the drama. Separate cabins, "surprises" from her past, and scenarios tailor-made to spark fights are just the beginning. But with her self-respect, her business, and her future on the line, the fallout from this made-for-TV plotline will be all too real . . .

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweet-Reality-Star-Laura-Heffernan-ebook/dp/B01N1R8PV6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1504621082&sr=8-2&keywords=sweet+reality)

Review

I sometimes struggle with reading sequels. The first book is often so much better than the second or third, which can sometimes ruin the entire series for you. Even years later, the prospect of reading the Hunger Games frightens me because Peeta’s character turns so nasty in the third book, and poor Prim had such a rushed death scene. Honestly though, I’m so glad I persisted with this one because it’s just as well written as its predecessor.

In my review for the prequel, my main criticism was that the ending felt hurried, so I had high hopes that this novel would tie up some of the loose ends – something definitely achieved. Jen’s about to open a cake business with Justin’s sister, Sarah, with the unique selling point of the baked goods being reality television themed. Meanwhile, Justin’s finishing his studies in law and helping the others out with the legal side of opening the shop. The couple also decide to go on a cruise for reality television stars, in which a few familiar faces pop up again. Typically, Jen gets the worst luck possible and finds herself stuck on a cruise with her enemy, Ariana, and her ex-boyfriend, as well as the wife he hid from her throughout their past relationship.

Jen definitely retains the same flaws as in the last book; she’s easy to agitate, insecure, bitter, has severe trust issues… this is excellent. Jen is far from a perfect person, that’s what makes her real and relatable, especially after the last serious relationship she had. Similarly, Justin is so stressed out with family problems, worrying over when to propose, and his academic results, that we see some of his less ideal boyfriend traits. Ariana’s character has a very clever and interesting twist at the end, making her character have dimensions and development which I adored. Another praise has to go to the author for including a deaf character, and subtly approaching the challenges the deaf have to face, I really hope that in the next book we see more of this character, or Jen learns sign language. Ed and Rachel are such lovely people, wonderful friends for Jen to have made, I can only compliment them too.

Friendships were another highlight of this novel, both old and new ones, Heffernan wrote them with the perfect amount of banter and support that’s realistically involved. The relationship between Jen and Justin was so problematic though, that I have to confess I kind of hoped they’d break up at times – it’s clear that Jen needs more time to realise that she can fully trust Justin, and they could certainly use a bit more communication. Maybe she needed more of a break after her last relationship? Although, they did have a couple of calmer, cute moments.

As usual, Heffernan writes in an imaginative way, including snippets of private interviews, news reports, and standard narrative. This creative written style is lifted even more by the measures of humour and drama, poor Jen really has to go through some mortifying situations. And, oh my goodness, that secret ingredient had me laughing out loud. I’d really recommend this series for anyone that wants a funny, light read.

Virtue Inverted

Hello, it's Heather posting today. Again, it's quite a short review today as I've been very busy. Many thanks to Dreaming Big Publications for sending this to me in exchange for an honest review.

Information

Author: Piers Anthony and Kenneth Kelly

Published: July 2017

Publisher: Dreaming Big Publications

Length: 142 pages

Genre: Fantasy

Brief Description (from Amazon)

Virtue Inverted is the first novel of a hard-hitting sword and sorcery trilogy by Piers Anthony and Ken Kelly. Benny Clout is a poor mountain boy who has found true love in Virtue the vampire. However, Virtue is not an ordinary vampire; she's actually a very nice girl. Her bites contain extraordinary power, but will that power be enough to combat the evil that awaits them?

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Virtue-Inverted-1-Pakk-Trilogy/dp/1947381008)

Review

This is about a chap named Benny who works in a pub for his friend Jack, where he pines hopelessly for his co-worker Nadia. Everything changes when two menacing strangers entice him into joining them on an adventure.

Benny irked me throughout the book, from his exasperation that Nadia would like a guy that was less attractive than he (because, of course, liking a guy for his personality would be crazy… right?!), to his lack of emotions when his brother randomly left. His shallow and vain attitude made him really difficult to like, in fact I found myself pegging for a giant or vampire to kill him at times. His feelings for Virtue developed remarkably quickly to love, and though I’m glad that he did not take advantage of her, I still thought she appeared more terrified of him than in love. 

However, I did like the paternal styled relationship between Jack and Benny, their friendship was very sweet and protective. I couldn’t spot any notable spelling or grammar mistakes and the presentation of the novel is good, including a map at the start to help track Benny’s adventures. The plot progresses snappily, and there is a good amount of dialogue and description to keep the story moving.

There’s a vast number of women that have descriptions made up mostly of their voluptuous factors. The women rarely engaged in fighting or anything really aside from occasional bar-work, and frequently were introduced naked for some bizarre reason, which made them seem like sexual objects. Furthermore, there’s frequent joking references to sexual abuse, groping and rape – none of which are amusing at all, I wasn't keen of how lightly these issues were treated. There’s also some insinuations that being a less macho man is somehow inferior, which I also disliked.

It’s probably very obvious that this book was not at all to my taste, but that’s not to say that it’s not written well; the description in the prologue being especially lovely. Let me know your thoughts on it below.

A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs and Other Stories

Hello, it's Heather here. This has to be the most peculiar title for a book we’ve ever received, so my expectations for creativity were certainly high. As it’s a collection of short stories, I decided to structure my review differently for it. Many thanks to the author for letting me read this in exchange for a review.

Information

Author: Andrew Kozma
Published: August 2016
Publisher: Self-published
Length: 44 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Short Stories

Brief description (from Amazon)

A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs is a collection of weird, speculative fiction containing four stories of people exploring strange places and situations, from a newly-discovered civilization of six-foot-tall talking slugs to being haunted by a man in a dark chocolate suit. Whether waking up in a prison camp or navigating a city full of copies of themselves, the characters in these stories are bent on understanding their world, even if that understanding also means the end of the world they thought they knew.

Andrew Kozma’s fiction has been published in Drabblecast, Albedo One, Interzone, and Daily Science Fiction. His book of poems, City of Regret (Zone 3 Press, 2007), won the Zone 3 First Book Award. His previous collections of short fiction are The Year of the Stolen Bicycle Tire and Other Stories and You Have Been Murdered and Other Stories.

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Passport-Nation-Talking-Slugs-Stories-ebook/dp/B01HBYOE18)

Stammlager 76

The first short story is an ominous tale about a man that finds himself in Stammlager 76, a sort of prison, with no recollection how he got there, or an inkling of how/when he would be released.

“The weather was complicit, the clouds always hovering above like a woolen blanket, so textured, so gray, that the sky itched just to look at it.”

Kozma does a spectacular job at setting the atmosphere in this little story. I hope he doesn’t mind that I’ve included my favourite quote above – what a wonderful line! Whilst concise, as needs be in a short story, his description captures the mood beautifully, using the simile of the clouds being an itchy blanket to reflect both the dark, almost claustrophobic entrapment of the sky (usually a symbol for freedom in literature), and also the frustration of the narrator, as well as the foreboding sense of being watched from the verb ‘hovering’. This thoughtful style of description is apparent in all of his stories. I did, however, feel that the story should have been a little longer, even if it was just an extra page to provide more development on how the narrator settles in, or a scene in which he meets other prisoners (aside from Aaron).

The Man in the Dark Chocolate Suit

This one is about a man dressed in a dark chocolate suit that haunts the narrator and his friend Joe, appearing everywhere he goes.

This story immediately draws the reader in; this time using dialogue first to exert urgency before settling into the, again very well written, description. It’s a well-executed short story very reminiscent of the ghost stories I recall hearing at Brownie camp that’d leave everyone with bad dreams (but in a far eloquent style). My main criticism is that I’d have liked more in the in-between stages of this one, more about how the taunting figure of the man in the dark chocolate suit irked the narrator, why he appeared and how, though the ending of the story was very good.

We of the Future are the Ghosts of the Past

As the title insinuates, this tale uses the symbolic interactionist idea of people having different versions of themselves as we change so drastically over time. It also focuses on death.

This is my favourite story in the collection. Remarkably creative, surreal, and tragic in the most composed manner. Not only does it examine the self, but also the way love alters over time. Sure, like the other stories, there are many unanswered questions, but I really loved the ambiguity of it, letting the reader come up with their own theories. I also liked the length of it, it felt whole, the reader can be attached to the narrator without requiring any of his background, which is really difficult for short stories to achieve. The paragraph about her voice is exquisite, such a pure and lovely way to show his feelings towards her.
Another (slightly random) thing to commend for the author on here is that they actually understand death! There are so many novels I’ve read that romanticise death without comprehending that, yes, gas is released and muscles relax, so there will be a… smell… it’s gross but realistic, and slightly ruins every magical moment when someone dies and their partner cradles their dead body… which leads me to the question: did Harry Potter go through this process when he kind of died in the last book?

A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs

At the title of this novel, of course I was curious about the whole slug thing, and I have to say that I was not disappointed. Taking a more light-hearted style, this is literally about Roger going on holiday to Slugland, which is inhabited by giant slugs.

“…but I’d never believed I’d actually see a slug as tall as a man, wearing a fanny-pack, carrying a briefcase.”

Quite possibly the best quote I have ever included in a review. I cannot express my joy at having gone from three albeit very deep and eloquent short stories to this. It’s not often that writers can write well in both comedic and serious tones. The writer clearly had a lot of fun with this one, it’s uplifting and amusing. Roger himself was very distant, I’d have liked to have understood the appeal to going to Slugland more. Was it a little bit too weird for me? I’ll admit, the relationship between Roger and Shelly was concerning and perhaps a little too bizarre for me.

All four stories show an immense amount of creativity and are a fun, quick read.

The Bag (The Bucket Series)

Hey, this is Heather posting today. Many thanks to Pegasus Publishers for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review. The cover art for this book is stunning.

Information

Author: D.J. Cattrell
Published: June 2017
Publisher: Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers
Length: 347 pages

Genre: Children's/Teenage Fantasy

Brief description (from Amazon)

The day had finally come for Sarah to meet her sister Rachel after eight years. Being in a different world, Sarah was determined to be re-united with Rachel back in her original world, with The Bag'. But does that solve all the problems? The witch, The Esmeralda', makes her way into her new world aiming to take hold of The Bag' from Sarah. What is so precious about this bag? Sarah must protect it and its contents, and is willing to give up her life to save the world from the witch's evil doing. Will Sarah survive? And, if Sarah does survive, which world will she choose to live in? (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bag-Bucket-D-J-Cattrell/dp/1907552979/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500472492&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=the+bag+dj+cottrell)

Review

I’m a massive fan of the genre children’s/teenager fantasy so my expectations were pretty high. It’s crucial for children and teens alike to expand their imagination by reading fantasy novels. Through reading fantasy, we can manipulate our own minds to appreciate the bizarrely beautiful mundane elements of our own world that someone from another world would notice. It’s also wonderful to provide us with some escapism, I recall spending many dark nights in Harry Potter’s wizarding world, adventuring with Lyra and Will in Philip Pullman’s dark material and hobbling along with the hobbits and elves of Tolkien’s literature when my own life was stressful and sleep troubled.

The pacing of the novel is rapid.  I did feel it was a little too fast at the start but had I read the prequel I’d probably not have had this issue. It’s often difficult for writers to include enough description yet still captivate their readers for this audience, but this is definitely a success story for that. Imagery, plot and dialogue were all in the ideal ratio. There are some illustrations too, whilst these aren’t really needed as the imagery is more than adequate in allowing the reader to visualise what is happening, I still enjoyed looking at them. The plot is good, certainly a page turner, though the end still leaves the reader questioning what will happen next, which is excellent if the author is planning to write another book. I was also pleased that the writer had come up with their own creatures to fill this world with, like the cuddly rocks and Jasban.

The characterisation was definitely another highlight. I adored the Jasban, which are playful critters, especially the contrast between them and the grouchy but equally lovable white tiger. The Esmeralda was an excellent villain, cruel and literally feeding from the pain of others, she struts around with a confidence reminiscent of Jadis from C.S. Lewis’ Magician’s Nephew, capturing followers through the power of her eyes. My favourite character, followed closely by the endearing Robin, had to be Mrs Mole. Mrs Mole’s perspective was such fun to follow; an avid rule enthusiast distraught from her husband leaving her and left feeling pretty desolate, she consumes herself with caring for her plants, disapproving of Sarah and being a Guide leader (I’m hoping the sequel might give her some more happiness). Her journey shows the most satisfying character development and there’s some spectacular imagery as she joins Sarah on her adventure. Rachel, however, confused me, particularly her claim that ‘ruler’ (as in the item in your pencil case) is improper, and that it’s really called a ‘rule’. I checked the Oxford Dictionary and for the British, a ruler is definitely acceptable terminology for a tool used to measure lengths and draw straight lines with. That’s not to say that she’s a badly written character though – sure, she’s pompous and a know-it-all (except about rulers, it seems), but some of the best people in this world are.  

Some authors can be pretty daunted by the children-teenager bridge in literature, so I really have to commend the writer for going for this audience. The writing style is fun to read, but uses mature language, a lovely balance that should help younger teenagers to keep reading. However, throughout there was a case of overly ‘enthusiastic’ punctuation in which a lot of sentences ended with an exclamation mark. I’d really advise writers and editors to check before publishing to reduce exclamation marks – they should be used only sparingly to make full impact when necessary. Children’s literature does tend to use more exclamation marks than most, but even so, consider that authors like Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf and F. Scott Fitzgerald all used less than 500 of them per 100,000 words. It’s a minor thing to nag about, and normally I’d completely ignore it, yet the book itself is written so well that it doesn’t require them.

Only one element of the novel did I really dislike: the rabbit incident. This is a really small part of the book and not really needed to fabricate the storyline, it’s more included to demonstrate how poorly Sarah adapts to our world as she takes the Guides rabbits and makes rabbit stew with them… then uses the skins to make the Guide leader, Mrs Mole, slippers. Maybe I’m a little biased? I’ve kept rabbits since the age of three – my bunny Tilly is currently parading round my bedroom floor as I write this (she was rather startled by the lightning last night so was owed some cuddles). So, I’ll admit it, I adore rabbits and the thought of someone doing that to Tilly quite frankly is horrific. This meant that for the remainder of the book, I was ‘stewing’ about why rabbit stew is even a thing! I know I’ve ranted too much on this one point, but needless to say I was not amused by it, particularly for the age group it's aimed at. As a counterpoint to this, I know that rabbits are eaten in the wild and that Sarah did not realise how traumatising her actions would be to the other children… but I still don’t forgive her.

Aside from the rabbits, I really enjoyed this novel and will definitely try to get hold of the prequel sometime. If you’ve read or are reading this book or even just love the genre like I do, please let me know in the comments below.

America's Next Reality Star

Hi folks, it's Heather here, hope your summer is going swell. Many thanks to the author for letting me review it in exchange for an honest review. There's a sequel to this coming out soon so expect another review in September! 

Information

Author: Laura Heffernan
Published: March 2017
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Length: 256 pages

Brief description (from Amazon)

Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV.

Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate. The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer . . . (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Americas-Next-Reality-Laura-Heffernan-ebook/dp/B01HA426MI/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499862709&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=laura+hefferman)

Review

Poor Jen! Having just lost her job, home and boyfriend after it’s unraveled that there’s a very interesting reason why he hasn’t proposed, she’s definitely going through a rough spot. The chance to win a quarter of a million by becoming a reality television star certainly appeals to her at this time. The show in question is an intriguing concept called The Fishbowl, in which a selection of people (the fish) are put in a glass house that resembles (you guessed it) a fish bowl. Like most reality shows, there’s a confessional booth, challenges and lots of snarky attitudes.

The pacing of the book is good, with healthy doses of comedy to reflect Jen’s personality, meaning that the story is pretty much optimum for entertainment. Despite all the little details, I still felt like I was yearning for more – like how exactly the personality test and psychiatric assessment were done in the application process. The ending was especially rushed and left me feeling a little dissatisfied if I’m totally honest, but considering there’s a sequel out I’m hoping that that will answer my many questions about how Jen will proceed after the Fishbowl. As I said earlier, the plot is intriguing (even for someone that’s never watched reality television) and I caught myself up till the early hours of the morning when I decided I’d read just thirty more pages, which transpired into a hundred and fifty.

The characters were a bit over the top, like Birdie speaking in hashtags, but given that this is a comedy book, it only added to the amusement factor. I really enjoyed watching as different characters were developed, particularly Rachel and Justin, who Jen’s feelings on changed drastically as the story progressed. Joshua was perhaps the most infuriating individual I’ve ever read about; I completely shared Jen’s dislike of him. Ariana, though very attention seeking and dramatic, I thought was treated a bit too harshly by the others, Jen reacting to the majority of her antics. I’d have enjoyed to have read more about her journey in The Fishbowl and seen her attitude alter. The platonic relationships in the novel were excellent, really well written; many authors can get overly distracted by romance and leave out friendships entirely.

The challenges themselves were inventive, it’s clear that the author had a lot of fun coming up with them and putting Jen in uncomfortable situations, especially those involving her sexual tension with Justin. Again, I’d have liked to have seen more of them though! I was particularly fond of the reference to the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Nominations were again well written, with Jen’s stress blatant from her prying to find out who the other contestants would vote her.

Teens and adults alike would probably enjoy this the most, there’s a sprinkling of adult language but nothing offensive. If you’ve read or are planning to read this, leave me a comment below! I’m going to end this post with my favourite quote, which surmises Jen perfectly;

“I wouldn’t let this b*tch get the best of me. Kill ‘em with kindness, like Mom always said.”

The Existence of Pity

Hello, it's Heather! Many thanks to the author for sending this to us for an honest review. This made a very pleasant summer read that I'd definitely encourage others to look at.

Information

Author: Jeannie Zokan
Published: October 2016
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Length: 256 pages

Brief description (from Amazon)

Growing up in a lush valley in the Andes mountains, sixteen-year-old Josie Wales is mostly isolated from the turbulence brewing in 1976 Colombia. As the daughter of missionaries, Josie feels torn between their beliefs and the need to choose for herself. She soon begins to hide things from her parents, like her new boyfriend and her explorations into different religions. Josie eventually discovers her parents’ secrets are far more insidious. When she attempts to unravel the web of lies surrounding her family, each thread stretches to its breaking point. Josie tries to save her family, but what happens if they don’t want to be saved? The Existence of Pity is a story of flawed characters told with heart and depth against the beautiful backdrop of Colombia. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Existence-Pity-Jeannie-Zokan/dp/1940215803/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499696321&sr=8-1&keywords=the+existence+of+pity)

Review

This novel is honestly as sweet as apple pie, I adored reading it for a bit of escapism. It’s told from the perspective of Josie, who is growing up in Cali, Columbia, with her Baptist Missionary family. Overshadowed by her brother Aaron who deceives his parents into believing him to be innocent in every way, Josie starts to question her religion and has to battle between staying true to herself or making her family happy.

The start of the book reveals a massive plot spoiler, which I’d have been tempted to leave out, however I actually have to commend the author for doing it as I was in a state of anticipation throughout. It means you progress through the novel querying the how’s and why’s of the situation, rather than the what. The plot itself develops steadily throughout so that you’re never resumed to feeling even an inkling of boredom, there’s always some drama. I have to say that the ending was spectacular and concluded in exactly the right way, though I’d personally be very happy if the author decided to write a sequel.

I loved the snippets of the way life works in Cali – being from dreary England we often read about the sunshine of America, so it was nice to drift further down to Colombia, a country less explored in literature. It was also nice to read about Aunt Rosie, who comes to visit from the States, and some of the other people that joined the missionary camp that were also from there. Through their reactions, the reader was able to fully understand how even minor earthquakes are very scary and the difference in food. The religious theme in the novel was one of my favourites as Josie starts to stray away from her own church and explore other forms of religion. It was interesting to see how Blanca and Aunt Rosie were more open to this than some other characters. Furthermore, how vital Josie’s faith was in keeping her controlled in some pretty stressful situations.

The characters are really fun to meet, from the effervescent Aunt Rosie whose always open to new experiences and offers Josie comfort when she’s down despite living far away, to their motherly maid Blanca. Josie is a wonderful protagonist; brave, adventurous, nosy. She thinks with her heart, wanting to stay true to herself but sometimes making irrational decisions as a consequence. The book has an endearing family feel to it initially, and yet as the story goes on it is not quite as idealistic as appearances may suggest.

Overall, the novel is a lovely read, very easy to get through quickly and perfect for summer. There are some controversial topics discussed, but the author does so delicately with openness to different perspectives. The writing style has an excellent description to dialogue ratio and shows thoughtfulness. There’s nothing graphic, so most age groups will be able to read this without any qualms!

Revenants - The Odyssey Home

Hello, we're back (this is Heather posting)! Now that exams are out the way, we hope to be updating this a lot more. I need to really really apologise to the author of this one – I said I’d read the novel during the start of my exams but underestimated the amount of time I’d have to read so had to pause it up till now; so, better late than never, here’s my review. As usual, it’s an honest review in exchange for a free read.

Information

Author: Scott Kauffman

Published: December 2015

Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing

Length: 306 pages

Overall Rating

★★★★

Brief description (from Amazon)

ONLY BETSY CAN GET HIM HOME IN TIME; ONLY HE CAN BRING HER BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

A grief-stricken candy-striper serving in a VA hospital following her brother's death in Viet Nam struggles to return home an anonymous veteran of the Great War against the skullduggery of a congressman who not only controls the hospital as part of his small-town fiefdom but knows the name of her veteran. A name if revealed would end his political ambitions and his fifty-year marriage. In its retelling of Odysseus' journey, Revenants casts a flickering candle upon the charon toll exacted not only from the families of those who fail to return home but of those who do. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Revenants-Odyssey-Home-Scott-Kauffman/1937327817)

Review

Struck by grief at the death of her brother Nathan, Betsy responds to her brother’s death by slacking in school and struggling with life in general, going through a rebellious stage of life. However, as she works in the Veterans hospital, she gets more determined to help and work out the secret of the anonymous patient locked upstairs who seems to only be alive through the twitching of his finger. Betsy is an intriguing character to follow and has some great character development throughout (she’s also a book nerd so naturally I liked her).

The content and topics covered in the novel were well-executed. I loved how bold the book was, addressing alcohol and drugs as well as the ugly, less poetic side of grief. It was really interesting to see the different perspectives as to what war meant and whether enlisting is good or bad. Perhaps best of all were the patients in the hospital; having just done an exam on how war is portrayed in literature, I applaud all authors that draw attention to the survivors of war and those at home, suffering the aftermath. Their injuries were all severe, and Betsy was initially shocked and rather scared of them, this stigma was interesting to view; Betsy’s maturing and adaptation even more so. Their injuries are looked at both with compassion, understanding and a little bit of humour, making its portrayal realistic.

The author chose to instill proper dialect and speaking style from the Ohio area. At first, I was slightly concerned that this could become too much; I’m sure we’ve all heard stories whereby the styling of a character’s voice becomes superior to their emotions and backstory. But Kauffman succeeds in shaping endearing characters, using the dialogue tone as a charming addition that does not override the plot. With a lot of characters, it can be challenging for authors to make each memorable enough, yet again Kauffman succeeded. During conversations in the book, I got a little confused as to who was speaking sometimes, so would recommend putting in a few more ‘[…] said’ here and there, but other than that the characterisation was great.

I was warned that the first fifty pages have been flagged as less eventful than the remainder of the novel – I actually didn’t find this was the case. Many authors use the standard rule of having a very dramatic opening to draw the reader in, then toning it down a little, but that does not mean that it is essential to all novels. Personally, I really enjoyed the start of the novel, and the middle, and though I liked the ending too I did think that it could have been more concise. Points of the book moved at an excellent pace, others were a little slow, but I was never bored.

My only qualm with the book was its use of the ‘n’ word in description, whilst I understand that it was not intended in such a way, it can be seen as racially offensive. Because of this, some swearing and darker topics, this is definitely a book for older readers. Anyone interested in war, like I am, will be sure to appreciate how its aftermath affected those at home – something the author definitely succeeded in, making it a lovely read. 

When Lucifer Met Calamity

Hello! It’s Heather again, hope anyone celebrating Easter had a lovely weekend! Here’s a book review for a contemporary comedy/romance.

Information

Author: D. Alyce Domain

Published: April 2016

Publisher: Self-published

Length: 328 pages

Rating (all out of five)

Characters: ★★★

Plot: ★★★★

Writing Quality: ★★★ ½

Overall: ★★★

When Calamity uses her ninja skills to hit back at her boss after they sexually assault her, she finds herself hauled into trouble and a (very rightful) thirst for justice. This leads into herself, twin sister Charisma and her friend Reese following a plan to get evidence of the boss’ dodgy behaviour and get a legal case against him. Soon, Calamity manages to enlist the help of her crush, a lawyer named Lucifer, and together they find a more professional way to register the inappropriateness of Perkins. Sadly, sexual assault is a common issue in the workplace, so it was interesting to see how much effort goes into proving it.

The main characters all had rather unusually fitting names – Charisma, Calamity, Lucifer. Calamity is a fiery, sassy, independent protagonist that strives for justice but often her schemes result in the meaning of her name; I still find it a little odd that her parents would name her that, literally foreshadowing disaster. I liked how the author gave her flaws, like lying, which added to the realism of the book. Her twin, Charisma is presented as a likeable person that gets pulled into Calamity’s scandals frequently, including this one despite being pregnant. I found Reese and Sly stand-out characters though and really enjoyed their input, both having powerfully eccentric personalities. The squabbling between Sly and Calamity was definitely my favourite scene; it’s evident that the author had some fun writing this part.

Whilst many elements of the book were really great, there were some bits that I was less keen on. The use ‘eh’ was slightly overused at points! I also found it difficult to actually like Lucifer; I know that his dazzling looks, deep voice and chilling personality are supposed to make him an attractive individual, I’ll admit that at first I warmed a little to him after he stopped being so distant… then he removed Calamity’s clothes while she was sleeping without consent… and he quickly became creepy. Though he did redeem himself somewhat by helping Calamity so much, being an honest guy and simply owning a cat, and I’m sure other readers will find him more appealing. I did also note a few missing apostrophes but this didn’t really bother me.

This is a funny and very different romance to the norm that addresses the issue of sexual assault well. There’s some kissing and implied other bits but nothing too graphic, making the book a comfortable read for adults.

Here's a link to the Amazon page to buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Lucifer-Calamity-Jones-Book-ebook/dp/B01ATV3UUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492457452&sr=8-1&keywords=when+lucifer+met+calamity

The Miseries of Mr. Sparrows

Hello dearies, this is Heather! Like a very dreary twist on Alice in Wonderland, we’ve all fallen down a rabbit hole, sadly filled with textbooks and spring revision materials, so if we’re a little less frequent with the updates then that’ll be why. Thank you to the author for sending us this book in exchange for an honest review!

Information

Author: Matthew A.J. Timmins

Published: November 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Length: 179 pages

Rating (all out of five)

Characters: ★★★★★

Plot: ★★★★ ½

Writing Quality: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★

“Directly over the clerks’ room, on the ground floor—nearer to Heaven by elevation only—was the office of the Winstons, two thirds of Winston Winston & Crumpet: perhaps the most powerful, certainly the wickedest firm in all the Empire.”

The Miseries of Mr. Sparrow tells the story of Robin Sparrow; a clerk working for the law firm Winston Winston and Crumpet, as he embarks on a quest to deliver a parcel to Mr. Tarnish. Set within the Victorian era any fans of Dickens will be sure to enjoy this quirky tale as they follow the troublesome and somewhat fatal adventures of Robin.

The plot to description ratio was excellent. I found the plot fairly easy to follow, my only slight (and I mean very minor indeed) criticism being that there could be more information about how Robin found all the places and people he visited. I particularly enjoyed the ending, and was pleased to find that it was not at all rushed; a consistency of quality writing being apparent throughout. The entire story was coherently written, Robin having the sole aim of delivering the package, there were no unnecessary romances blossoming or bizarre additions. The characterisation was another element to be praised. The reader pities dear Robin who is rather thrown into the task of locating Mr. Tarnish without any kindness from his evil employees, and seems to be blamed for a multitude of extraordinary things. The police team were perhaps my favourite – with outstandingly wild theories over how Mr. Tarnish had committed some deeds, they proved to be very comedic.

The writing style is confident, witty and intelligent with all the warmth that the best authors carry. From the genre description of somewhat Dickensian I knew that this would be a good read and I was certainly not wrong there – it’s rare that I’ll write an honest review for an author’s first novel and struggle to find any improvements at all but in this circumstance even the font was beautiful! The book contains lots of literature goodies, with minor references to Greek mythology, Dante’s Inferno, Sherlock Holmes and character comparisons to Iago (Othello) and Merlin. As an English Literature student, naturally this meant I was beaming at each.

Normally I’d write a longer review but I’m not sure what else I can say except that it is an excellent read. There’s nothing in it that stands out as inappropriate so I’d recommend this to all ages. I look forward to reading more of Timmin’s work in the future! 

If you'd like to buy this, here's the link to the Amazon page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miseries-Mr-Sparrows-Matthew-Timmins-ebook/dp/B017Y7N8D2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491847912&sr=8-1&keywords=the+miseries+of+mr+sparrow 

Blood of Kings: Power – Perversity – Redemption

Hello, this is Heather! With possibly the longest title of a book we've reviewed yet, here's a review on Norton's illustrated thriller, Blood of Kings: Power - Perversity - Redemption. Thank you to the author, Patrick Norton, for letting me read it in exchange for a review.

Information

Author: Patrick Norton

Published: 28^th March 2017

Publisher: Patrick Norton Books

Illustrator: Juan Manuel Gonzalez

Length: given the complicated format, I’m not sure

Rating (all out of five)

Plot: ★★★★

Characters: ★★

Writing Quality: ★★ (writing is not critical to this book though, it’s illustrated so naturally there’s less imagery!)

Overall: ★★★ ½

When John is asked by his adoptive father (before being murdered later that day) to protect a key that holds crucial secrets about his business venture, he finds himself embarking on a dangerous mission. Riddled with betrayal, drama and insecurity, the pitter-patter of bullets are a constant throughout. What makes this it stand-out are the 1254 digital illustrations that bring the story to life.

I adored the concept of using digital art within the book. Much like a comic book, but with a different style of art, this makes it more appealing to those that are daunted by large sections of text. As a book lover, I really hope that this style will encourage those that find reading tedious or challenging a far simpler task with the aid of pictures. It also clarifies any bits of the story that the reader is still puzzled over, reaffirming the plot. I did find the digital art style reminiscent of game art and thought that the book might be better suited in some ways as a game. I know that there is already a market for murder based games on gadgets like Nintendo where the user can simply click or solve riddles to progress with the story and feel this book would fit that very well. In terms of writing style, it’s basic, but considering the quantity of pictures there’s no need for imagery; you can literally see what’s happening instead.

The plot itself was interesting. Most of the twists were unforeseeable, making it a captivating read in which one is never sure what will occur next! I liked how the author addressed the issue of poverty in the novel, including some rather shocking figures to put emphasis on how fortunate those of us with a roof over our heads, clean water and food truly are. Although I got a bit annoyed with John for buying an emerald and platinum necklace towards the end despite all the efforts to show the reader that other people are in dire need of basic tools to survive whilst we splurge out of luxuries. Aside from that, the ending is incredible. I have never laughed so much – I don’t want to spoil the plot, but there’s a saxophone scene and it’s just the most sweet and random little addition.

The illustrations of the characters were great, but I did yearn for a bit more characterisation at points. The reader learns to sympathise with John and Laura about having lost their parents, particularly John who clearly had a strong bond with his adoptive father. Though he spends very little time pondering about his father’s death, the book being very plot heavy, so whilst it’s made clear that he is sad I felt that there could have been more description about his feelings of devastation. There’s also little time spent in remorse, which I thought the characters would have felt after having killed so many, even if in defence. The dialogue between each character seemed quite similar in dialect, with exemption to the culprit and evil villain who came across as… well… evil.

To conclude, I’d like to praise the book on its originality in artistic style, but did find the characters a little wooden at points. Many readers do prefer plot over description, so I can see how this will appeal to them and wish the author the best of success!

Want to preorder this book? Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Kings-Power-Perversity-Redemption-ebook/dp/B06XBNKB8D/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490371801&sr=8-1&keywords=blood+of+power+patrick+norton

Three Little Words

Hi, this is Heather here! Thank you to Pegasus Publishers for sending me this book to read in exchange for a review. I've got a few more books lined up to read over the next week, so expect some more stuff soon.

Information
Author: J.M. Robson
Published: February 2017
Publisher: Pegasus Publishers
Length: 253

Rating (all out of five)
Characters: ★★★ ½
Plot: ★★★ ½
Writing Quality: ★★★
Overall: ★★★ ½

Three little words is a horror/thriller/ghost story that places emphasis on the pain from a broken heart literally leading to death when the phrase ‘I love you’ is not reciprocated. Basically, some evil demons have escaped from hell to terrorise the world by feasting upon, and thence causing the death of, those with freshly broken hearts. The story mostly told through the perspective of the distraught Lilly Anne, who in the first chapter loses her husband because she could not repeat the words ‘I love you’ to him when he momentarily awakes from his coma, which obviously attracted a demon to make him scrawl a final message in blood to haunt her dreams… chamber of secrets anyone? By my synopsis, it’s probably pretty obvious that this is an intense book, with several deaths popping up, I wish I’d read it around Halloween!

Despite there being several key characters (at least 8) within less than 300 pages, the author manages to make each memorable, so the reader is in no way puzzled - this is a challenge for most writers, so I was very impressed with it. The plot itself was easy to follow, though perhaps a little too obvious around the end; I was hoping that there would be a majestic plot-twist to shock us all. I’m thrilled to report that the author is writing a sequel, which I hope will answer the questions the end of the book did not cover, the reader being uneasy about what next will occur. Another positive to the plot was that the subject of love was not merely constrained to heterosexual romance, featuring a homosexual couple and the familial love of a mother and her son. It was lovely to read a book that addressed love in all its forms without hesitation.  

Lilly Anne develops a love interest fairly early on, a mere six months after her husband died. Under normal circumstances I’d have no problem with this but given the fact that her husband was literally possessed by a demon, you’d expect her to take more time to recover from the trauma and guilt. I did appreciate that their relationship was gentle and sweet within the book though, with each agreeing to stick to kisses and wait to get intimate, particularly as Lilly Anne was pregnant. 

The description was good, especially for describing Bertha, but I felt it could have been improved in some areas. I’d have liked to have had more time devoted to creating full imagery, inclusive of all the senses, since the plot is pretty eccentric the writing should be instilling a sense of realism. The mourning itself was underplayed; with tragedy often comes sorrowful chapters of woe in any book that contains death. However, I’ll confess that the lack of wallowing in pity meant that the book flew by, with the swift pace making the book difficult to put down. I also feel the book could have included more chapters between the key events, perhaps focusing solely on self-condemnation and regret from having lost someone dear.

To conclude, this is quick read (I finished it in one evening, it's definitely a page turner) and the plot really provokes the moral that one should be gracious to those they love - else a demon might kill them! Though I felt the description could have been more in depth, it’s still a strong thriller with an intriguing story.

Here's the link to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Little-Words-J-M-Robson/dp/1784652148/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490043762&sr=8-1&keywords=three+little+words+jm+robson

Leave me a comment if you're feeling particularly nice!

The Fourth Monkey

Hello! It's Heather, apologies for being a day late with posting this, my laptop had a breakdown and deleted my first draft of the review. This book is being released later this year, so let me know if you want to read it in the comments.

Information

Author: J.D. Barker

Published: June 27^th 2017

Publisher: Harper Collins

Length: 416 pages

Rating (all out of five)

Characters: ★★★★

Plot: ★★★★★

Writing Quality: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★

I have read very few thrillers, but I love crime fiction so was delighted to be afforded the opportunity by Harper Collins to read this in exchange for a review (thank you to them!). The Fourth Monkey is a book based around the ideology of ‘hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, do no evil’ as the elusive murderer first sends the ear of a daughter of one corrupt individual in a neatly wrapped box, then her eyes, then her tongue, then leaves her corpse to be found. This strangely reminded me of the MAGIC! song, no evil. Having been in action for five years prior to the book, the killer has just taken a new victim so the reader follows detective Sam Porter as he tries to save her and unravel the man nicknamed #4MK’s true identity using clues from his diary, which is left in the jacket of a man that’s just stepped in front of a bus. The reader is treated with a range of perspectives including Porter's narrative, extracts from the diary and occasional glimpses into how the victim herself is fending.

Anyone that is deterred by gore may want to avoid this one; Barker has carved (sorry, bad pun, don’t kill me) intensely vivid imagery of the horrors that both the killer and the victims experience… honestly… I had a nightmare about knives plunging into my flesh after having read a particularly graphic scene before retreating to bed. Any book that, even days after reading it, can make you shudder and tremble and tense at every faint noise in case you get kidnapped and tortured should be commended. The writing is truly excellent and conjures up disturbingly strong images in your mind that will haunt you. As someone squeamish about the whole let’s-cut-off-some-limbs-oh-look-a-stream-of-blood-and-tissue-that-you-don’t-blow-you’re-nose-on, this book was a challenge to get through without vomiting, so I’m proud to have succeeded in that. The diary part was especially sinister, but really fascinating to uncover what turned #4MK to his psychopathic antics.

Like I said earlier, generally I’ll indulge in standard crime and detective fiction, be it some Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton, Alexander McCall Smith or a radio-play of Paul Temple and various television crime shows, so this was quite different. At first, I clung to Porter’s familiar detective narratives, being reluctant but intrigued to read the diary parts. Porter is pretty standard in terms of crime fiction, he loves his wife and job and is very fond of his colleagues. The way his police team tease each other makes his narrative entertaining to read, I particularly enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes based quips they had for Watson. Porter is also undergoing some personal issues that become clearer as the book progresses, so overall, he’s a very effective character. I’d have liked to have seen more interaction with his co-workers as they had an amusing relationship that left me craving for more.

The perspective of the victim of #4MK was probably the most distressing as the reader is exposed to her astonishment of waking to find her ear extracted, trapped within a dark room with music blaring aggressively and no exit… oh and the knowledge that her tongue and eyes will probably be removed too. Each glimpse into her head reveals madness feasting upon her through the voice of her deceased mother, comfortingly scolding her. The reader really develops a sympathetic bond with her character and finds themselves turning the pages frantically in the hope that she’ll survive this without endearing too much more pain.

My aim since co-creating this book blog has been to explore different genres and thriller/horror is one that I rarely venture to, being reluctant to read gory description, so I’m really glad I’ve read The Fourth Monkey for overcoming this. The plot is delicately constructed with several plot twists diverging, especially at the end, a few of them I could predict but that didn’t make the read any less enjoyable and one of them was so spectacular, I’m not complaining. I’d really recommend this to any fanatics of the genre, or anyone like myself who wants to conquer more variety in literature. Of course, I’d highly dissuade anyone from reading some parts of this before eating or to relax, be warned of the risks, it’s creepy and it’s startling, but it’s also addictive to read.

Didn't get Frazzled

Hello, it’s Heather with another book review!

Author: David Z Hirsch

Published: April 2016

Publisher: Self-published

Length: 284 pages (this varies depending on the copy you get I think)

Rating out of 10: ★★★★★★★★

Didn’t get frazzled is a fictional medical-comedy told through the sarcastic narrative of Seth Levine; it pans over the years he is working hard to get his degree. With exams coming up and stress blooming like steam coming out of a kettle, I felt pretty fortunate to get such a fun book to read. Seth narrates the story in such a light-hearted manner that between cringing at his misfortunes in sympathy, you have to laugh. The plot itself is easy to follow, the reader checks in at him during several parts of his life, gaining an insight as to how the American medical schooling system works but more importantly understanding how his relationships with friends and his girlfriend develop. There is some medical jargon, but it’s in no way confusing to the reader, simply adding a sense of realism.

Seth’s interactions with the other characters mimicked those on comedy shows beautifully, making nearly every conversation an excellent read. The medical twist to it provides plenty of chances for these comedic moments, several gross stories being shared with the reader and the first chapter being literally called: A beautiful slice of dead penis (he performs a transection on this area of a cadaver). And yet the humour did not squash out the morality – you can’t help but love Seth, he stands up for what he believes in, even if it may lower his popularity from other doctors. He’s also a human. Lots of comedy authors forget that their characters have other emotions aside from happy and laughing at their life; Seth goes through a troubling time, battling with a bad-relationship that he struggles to maintain but also does not want to leave, on top of all his studying and witnessing some patients in severe pain. His empathetic attitude makes him thrive in his work, as does his ability to not get ‘frazzled’. Though if the book were to improve, I think it would have been insightful to see how he dealt with more pain through his profession, since those involved in medical careers will often cross paths with death usually by no fault of their own. The other characters accompany the story brilliantly, and the author managed to juggle between his different friends without any confusion.

“I saw a mom last week who brought her daughter to the ER because she thought her kid had chicken pops.”

Jeff cracked up, and I joined in. I always called Jeff when I needed to cheer up.

“I knew she meant chicken pox, but each time she said chicken pops I thought, did Kellogg’s come out with a new chicken-flavored Pops cereal?”

I finally found the skills gained from watching Casualty – do not eat or think about eating whilst the characters are inspecting a patient. Anyone squeamish will need to skim through these parts to avoid anything too unsettling. Personally, I was fine with it, to be honest if you are troubled by surgical shenanigans then perhaps not reading a book set around a medical student is better. In fact, the only parts I was less keen on were the more sexual, intimate scenes, which is purely my personal preference in books. Like the medical parts, this was not overly explicit, and these only popped up a few times, so did not make the read bad by any means.

Targeted at an adult audience that appreciate comedy, I really enjoyed this one. Any students will find they can relate to the multitude of awkward situations and quantity of studying as well as the need for friends in such frantic time to retain ‘unfrazzled’; if you’re a medical student then this is a must-read. If you’ve read this or are considering doing so, please do leave me a comment!

Links for anyone that wants to purchase this are below:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Didnt-Get-Frazzled-David-Hirsch ebook/dp/B01DOHSK0M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Didnt-Get-Frazzled-David-Hirsch-ebook/dp/B01DOHSK0M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29748682-didn-t-get-frazzled

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/didnt-get-frazzled-david-z-hirsch/1123610624 ean=2940152949414

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/didn-t-get-frazzled

Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/didnt-get-frazzled/id1099034309?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/work/18996986

Melody's Key

Hello, tis Heather here! I come bearing a review for a romance book (which comes with a soundtrack)! It's my birthday today, which seems a decent excuse for posting a few days later than I normally do. 

Author: Dallas Coryell

Published: June 2016

Publisher: AsherRain Publications

Length: 305 pages

Anyone that loves a good romance should certainly consider this book! Melody’s Key is jam-packed with all the quirks that a love story should contain. Tagen has halted all her dreams to help out with her family’s holiday business, when suddenly the famed pop-star Mason Keane stays with them for the summer to take a vacation from his many fans. Initially, Tagen has her doubts as Mason seems to tick all the check-boxes for an egotistical celebrity, but as they get to know each other, this impression changes and they grow closer.

For me, Tegan was a fairly relatable protagonist; she reads, does art and makes music. At some points her rants about music were reminiscent to my own brother’s (he’s studying vocals at university), so I was all too familiar with the fraudster aspects of the industry and glad that Coryell brings them to light. Coryell also has a soundtrack to go with the book in which he performs some of the songs Tegan writes – I’d highly recommend listening to these while you read; he has a lovely voice. Overall, Tegan was a well-rounded individual, her fondness of art having already earned her a scholarship. You would not believe the quantity of books out there that focus on having a hopeless protagonist that has seemingly achieved null all her life and has no hobbies that only really lives when a man is introduced. Like most teens, she’s struck on having the picturesque romance, and having access to her relatives love notes from the war certainly intensifies this want.

My main critique of the book is that at points it is somewhat cliché, and the flirting a tad too blatant consider how insecure the two characters are. I’d have liked for them to have had more time in a platonic relationship so the reader could see more development. Whilst I do enjoy a good bit of romance with the male love-interest firing some charming lines at his lady (and vice versa), Mason got a little over the top, telling her that she looked pretty when she slept twice and using the classic ‘we can make our own music to dance to’ line. That being said, I know that loads of people love these sweet snippets of cuteness. Besides which, this was slightly broken up with Tegan’s humour as she sassed him out several times and used snarky, sarcastic comments to spice it up. I was so glad that the book didn’t conform to having a beautiful, passive woman being the main love interest, and that this book had absolutely no love triangles, true love and devotion to one person beats confusion in these books.

The book itself is not a dull one, nor is it overly simplistic; the writer integrating flowery and descriptive imagery to give the reader a true understanding of how Tegan feels and the surroundings. Personally, I found the plot a little predictable, mimicking the modern Cinderella storyline, but that’s not necessarily bad. I’d much prefer the storyline to be simple than for there to be multiple men that Tegan was contemplating dating and the basis of her living on a holiday establishment made it original enough to not bore the reader at all. The only thing that really bothered me was that Simon’s mystery boyfriend was never revealed!

Whilst some of the scenes are of a sexual nature, they aren’t too graphic (plus Tegan’s sister kept interrupting them anyway). Thence I’d recommend this lovely book to anyone over sixteen who wants a nice and fluffy romance… kind of like a marshmallow.

Melody's Key soundtrack: www.youtube.com/playlistlist=PLCkxmKKo06PjL_2fMQ51zlyM7k8STzdFr 

Buy this on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Melodys-Key-Dallas-Coryell-ebook/dp/B01HK4DVO0

The Eye of Neferiti (Book 2 in the Pharaoh's Cat series)

Hiya, this is Heather posting today. When we received an email asking us to review a book about a time travelling Egyptian cat, I basically begged the other two to let me do this one, and I was not let down.

Author: Maria Luisa Lang

Published: November 2016

Publisher: Self-published

The Eye of Nefertiti does act as a sequel to The Pharaoh’s cat, but can be read as a stand-alone novel without leaving the reader lost or confused since the book refers back to any vital events. No surprises here - the protagonist is a time travelling kitty from the Egyptian era named Wrappa-Hamen, accompanied by the High Priest with his partner Elena and their son. They occupy Elena’s home before zipping over to England for Elena to work in Bath. This book is filled with all the classics of a fantasy book: prophecies, a dysfunctional family, a bit of humour and the fast-paced, dialogue packed writing style that still lets us visualise what’s happening without any confusion. Since this week has been far too chaotic, I’m doing this review in a simpler way than I normally do – things I loved and things that could have been improved.

I really liked how the author included snippets of Egyptian history in the book, much like Sutcliff’s novel The Eagle of the Ninth, the reader can become enthralled with learning about ancient history as they follow the story. I’m pretty sure at least half of my knowledge of Ancient Greece is based from the Percy Jackson series. The relationship between Wrappa-Hamen and the High Priest was cleverly constructed, with both of them sharing amusing experiences and covering for each other to keep their deviances from Elena. Their bond from being from Ancient Egypt means they show trust between each other. I found Elena to be another great character and would have liked to have seen more of her, she proved herself to be a nice contrast between the more comedic and clumsy others with her smart, earnest and caring qualities. There were several settings within the book, but the clarity of writing meant this was not puzzling. The most confident and vivid descriptions were certainly the ones of Egypt, particularly when they visit the market. The final part I'd like to praise is the front cover, I only have this in a pdf version but isn't it beautiful?!

Whilst I must stress that this book was very much an enjoyable read, I do confess that I had a few qualms. Firstly, Wrappa-Hamen was a little bit too humanised for me – this is a purely personal view, but I found that the charm of having a cat protagonist less apparent when he was able to make a peanut butter sandwich, develop feelings for a woman and drink alcohol as well as talk. It is very clear that the novel is fantasy, but regardless I would avoid animals consuming alcohol in literature, even some adults can be stupid enough to dismiss the fantasy label and give their cats alcohol (I know a family that gave their dog chocolate, which is a crazy risk to take considering it’s poisonous). I was not quite certain of the target audience for this book, the style reminded me somewhat of Rick Riordan; it was light-hearted, educative and descriptive but not overly so. Thus, I was startled to see words like ‘womb’ pop up and mention of testicles and breasts, changing my perception of the audience to at least over 13s. To be honest, I think this book would rise a lot in popularity if the author had left out these bits and made it more PG to attract a pre-teen audience. Especially since the protagonist is a cat, which is a pretty dignified animal, the talk of testicle size is a little uncomfortable.

Any fans of fantasy novels with elements of comedy and history mingled will find this book appealing. There were a few minor aspects that I wasn't too keen on but this is based on my opinion so don’t let it sway you away from reading this; the majority of the book is a charming read.

To buy this book, order it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Nefertiti-Maria-Luisa-Lang/dp/0996335218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480706159&sr=8-1&keywords=maria+luisa+lang

Once Upon A Winter

Hello, it’s Heather here! I hope all those celebrating Christmas are having a wonderful time, I was in the midst of panicking over last minute Christmas presents when our book blog received an email granting us access to read this enchanting novel! Initially, I danced in joy with the thought that if the book was good, it would make a charming present, but now I see that the book would look at home in my own bookcase (and only the best books are allowed on there). I think the other two will also be reviewing this one shortly too.

Author: Melyssa Williams

Published: November 2016

Publisher: Red Team Ink

This book is so heart-warming, I struggled to tear myself away from reading it. For this time of year, it is absolutely ideal. I found myself immediately relating to the protagonist, Ree, who dreaded her family’s Christmas party for the many awkward encounters the night would probably entail (let’s face it, sometimes we’d much rather be curled up reading a book), but also looked forward to her godfather’s inventions with mounting anticipation. And wow, they were certainly impressive gifts. Being a keen mechanic herself, Ree helped to create the first one, but the next two were shocking even for her. The plot took a swift turn as he presented the guests with two clockwork figures, both of which enthralled Ree with their realistic quality – this section has some really brilliant imagery, so you feel the same excitement as Ree does. Her fascination with the dolls leads her to a thrilling adventure out of the comfortable world she had become somewhat bored with.  

The style of the book reminded me of Phillip Pullman, which I was delighted with, being an avid fan of this type of book. The world it’s set in is similar enough to ours to make it easy to visualise, yet refreshingly magical with some nice fantasy features, most of which I haven’t seen before, like the reindeer children. I was talking with a friend the other day about how fantasy is a genre that has so much potential – limitless possibilities – and can be stunning when the author puts in the effort to communicate the little details, this book certainly falls under this category. Many masterpieces are from this area, think of Harry Potter, The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings trilogy – these are all such successful and cherished stories because the author successfully whisked us away to somewhere new, where we could follow captivating adventures. The usage of clockwork was very different and well executed.

Ree is such a great character to lead the story, firstly because she’s a girl that spends little time waffling and is blunt about what she thinks without appearing rude or conceited, also as her sarcasm and sass is faultless and to top this, she admits any mistakes she makes. She goes stubbornly against what her sister claims is proper; yearning for adventure, passionately delving into mechanics even before the novel is set and actually fighting when necessary. Every ounce of fear and happiness that she feels is radiated through the language: she is not fearless, labels herself as claustrophobic at one point and screams a fair amount later on in the book. I think it’s important for authors to address that being scared is not weak, at no point does Ree stand up and say “Okay guys, this was fun but now I want to go home,” and walk away, that’s what really matters. Another plus point to her character was that though she often admired the boys, the story does not end with a cliché and emotional kiss, nor does she spend a long time pondering dates. I look forward to when the author writes a sequel (please write one) so these kinds of relationships can form, but the chemistry between Ree and Nikolai was perfect.

If you want a nice book to keep you company on these long and cold winter days, I would highly suggest this one. I’ve included some links below to help you all find it and hope that you do so. This author has so much potential, I cannot wait to read her next book and feel she will definitely grow in popularity soon!

Buy it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N1KOXEP/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1482491403&sr=8-13&keywords=once+upon+a+winter

OR buy it on Red Team Ink: https://www.redteamink.com/shop?olsPage=products/once-upon-a-winter-melyssa-williams&olsFocus=false