Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer

It has been ages since I've posted on here! I miss my blog but it started to feel like a chore. It was like 'having' to review and blog each book I read was taking something away from the reading experience.. And that is not how it should be. 

Instead, I've been tracking my reading on goodreads and writing the occasional review on there. I thought I would share this one on here, since I loved this novel. You should all read it!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

I am not sure how to review this novel and do it justice. I am not even sure how to formulate my thoughts since I just put it down, and am feeling slightly overwhelmed.

It is a wonderful and heartbreaking novel.....How life is a rotten, dark, miserable old thing yet it is precious and beautiful at he same time.

Life is full of possibility... But why do we focus so much on those possibilities instead of on the present moment? We look forward to the future instead of enjoying what is right in front of us. It's a novel about death and loss and learning to live in a world full of those things. It is a novel about love and not taking anything for granted.

Oskar was an endearing character, trying to make sense of a world that has no sense. He made me laugh and cry. 

It is a study of what makes us human. How each person has their own eccentricities, their own little quirks... And that is beautiful. Foer has a special talent for 'seeing' people... Really seeing them. This is what made this book for me. 

I found this novel hard to read at times due to the style. It was dry in parts. Other parts were pure poetry, and reading those parts was a pleasure.

I found the pictures from September 11 hard to look at, but I always have. Those were people jumping out of those buildings and this novel really drives that loss home. It is so sad and so devastating and so hard to read...Thinking about what those people went through, the fear of knowing... Foer does a tasteful and sensitive job of reminding us that they were human beings with loves, fears, passions, hobbies, children, wives, husbands, favourite foods, lovers of music, books, animals... They were Oskar's Dad... They were people and their lives were taken in a horrific and terrifying way. 

I think authors who write about September 11 are treading on thin ground... It can be easy to over sentimentalise, but I think Foer *just* avoids this. 

This novel also focuses on the Dresden bombing. Again: so hard to read about, but so important in our history as human beings. When will we ever learn?

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys contemporary literature. It's not a light read. It's emotional and exhausting... But it's worth it. Just don't read it at work.. I read it during breaks and found it hard to switch off once I had to go back to the read world. I lived in a mental fugue for a few days.

Changless — Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate #2)

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can. She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

Genre: Fiction, Steampunk, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2010
Rating: 3/5

You know... trying to write this review I realise I don't have much to say about this novel. Sure I am way behind in my reviews and it's been months since I read it, which could be the reason why, but really, what is there to say?

For me the Parasol Protectorate series is my go to when I need a silly read. You know those times when you just can't do serious, you don't want to think too hard and you want something fun? Yup, these books provide just that and I mean that in a positive way. These types of books are just as important as serious, award winning literature.

That said, I have no firm opinions on the plot in this book. Sure it was an enjoyable enough read. There were a few laugh out loud moments and Carriger has a unique writing style, but I didn't connect with the characters and for me that is the number one aspect of what makes a book excellent instead of average.

Reading this series, I know Lord Maccon is supposed to be a mega hotty, but I don't see it. Honestly, I am probably not the best person to review this book as despite my enjoyment of paranormal novels, I just don't "do" paranormal romance in the sense it makes me swoon.... and I think I am supposed to swoon. Instead I picture Lord Maccon to be hairy, smelly and ... well.... let's leave it at that.

As for Alexia. I want to love her, I really do. She had so much potential in book number one to be an awesome, kick are female protagonist. Unfortunately I didn't feel her character was developed much more in this novel... for me, she lacks depth. Depth is what makes an ordinary character a brilliant one. Honestly, I think it must be extremely difficult to write 'real' characters, especially when they are of the supernatural variety. So that can be forgiven.

When I read Soulless last year I enjoyed it. Mainly because it was so different from my usual reads. So I picked up Changeless thinking I could really get into this series. Although I have Blameless sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read (and I will read it) I am not itching to do so. I am happy for it to sit there until I am having one of those days where I need some silliness.

Wither – Lauren DeStefano

What if you knew exactly when you would die? Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Year: 2011
Rating: 5/5

I picked up this book on sale at Basement Books in Sydney.  It was cheap. It has a pretty cover. And I had previously read a review on 25 Hour Books which caught my interest.

Despite that, I wasn't expecting too much. Nowadays the market is saturated with these types of novels. YA romances. Dystopian fiction. They are a dime-a-dozen and there is plenty to choose from. So I was expecting the run of the mill read. I was pleasantly surprised. Wither was intriguing and haunting. I couldn't put it down.

Thanks to scientific experiments in genetic engineering, people now only live until they are young adults. Once women hit 20 and men hit 25, they get sick and die a horrible death. In an effort to save the human race from extinction, the older generation which are still living from before these days, encourage their offspring to procreate before they die. All while looking for an antidote.

This has resulted in woman being treated as a commodity. Life is tough. You have to fight to survive and harsh realities face teenage girls. There is fear of being murdered, kidnapped and forced into prostitution, or kidnapped and forced to be 'a bride' in order to have babies and keep the human race going.

For Rhine, all of these options are horrifying, so to say she is unhappy when she is kidnapped and forced to marry Linden is an understatement. She joins two other girls, her sister-wives, and together they are afforded to live their short lives in luxury, on the condition they do their best to get pregnant. 

When it comes down to the crunch, this doesn't sound so bad. Rhine gets to live in a beautiful manor, she is given plenty of pretty dresses and has two other girls to spend her time with. But loss of freedom is loss of freedom no matter what the circumstances, all Rhine wants to do is escape and return to her twin brother. 

The novels focuses on her plans to do this and her growing relationship with her sister-wives, a young servant boy and her husband. Things are never as they seem and Rhine learns this the hard way. 

The big bad in this novel is Linden's father. He will stop at nothing to try and save his son. He is driven by a desire to find an antidote and will do all it takes. Even if it means murder. There sure are some creepy scenes in this novel.

Underneath the basic story DeStefano touches on some very important issues. Human trafficking, mortality rates, the sex trade, womens rights and lack of power are all issues that are very real in our world today. So although this book is fiction, it really isn't all that far from reality. If you can look past the futuristic setting and dystopian aspects, you could relate these themes to problems facing women in many different countries in our world today. 

This book, being YA, was also an easy read. I basically read it in one sitting. So this is one of those books that is great for a lazy Sunday afternoon or long journey. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction. Just be aware that this novel is focused on the characters so don't expect a great new world. I think that is the only negative about this novel, the world isn't really fleshed out. But that's ok. The characters and the issues they face are more than enough to make this book a good read.

Solar – Ian McEwan

Michael Beard is in his late fifties; bald, overweight, unprepossessing – a Nobel prize-winning physicist whose best work is behind him. Trading on his reputation, he speaks for enormous fees, lends his name to the letterheads of renowned scientific institutions and half-heartedly heads a government-backed initiative tackling global warming. An inveterate philanderer, Beard finds his fifth marriage floundering. When Beard’s professional and personal worlds are entwined in a freak accident, an opportunity presents itself, a chance for Beard to extricate himself from his marital mess, reinvigorate his career and very possibly save the world from environmental disaster.

Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Year: 2010
Rating: 5/5

I consider myself an Ian McEwan fan. I admire McEwan's style and his ability to grab the reader's attention from the very first page, often with a small event that culminates into something big. Something important.

I love how he can take one single moment and show us how this one moment can change a persons life forever. One decision, one word, one inaction or action alike, can change a persons world and have long reaching consequences.

Solar is, in my opinion, one of McEwan's finest works. It follows the Noble Prize winning physicist, Michael Beard as he struggles with his failing marriage and dwindling career.

Beard may be smart when it comes to physics but he is a moron in his personal life. Cheating on wife after wife, Beard finds he can't handle it when his newest wife turns the tables and cheats on him. I must admit, I gloated at first. Sucked in, Mr Beard. Serves you right. But McEwan has such a way of manipulating the reader's opinion of his characters that I soon felt myself feeling sorry for him.

As much as I was prepared to loathe Beard from the beginning, I soon found myself cheering him on and hoping that things would go his way. Even when an accident occurs, with horrifying results, and Beard makes a choice that is problematic, selfish and quite frankly kind of evil, I still found myself wanting him to succeed. That takes talent on the writer's part and shows that McEwan is one of the best modern writers of literary fiction.

There were some pretty amusing parts in this novel too. The scene where Beard is on the train and a young thug steals his potato crisps caused me to laugh out loud. The scene it itself was thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend reading this novel just for that.

There were also a few "oh my god, no!" moments. Cringe worthy moments. The scene where Beard is in the Arctic and has an, ah... incident, while trying to go to the bathroom, really freaked me out. I was reading this part on the train, on the way to work and had to control myself from groaning and squealing out loud.

All in all, this was a enjoyable and interesting read. McEwan not only tells us a good story but also raises some important questions in regards to the environment. I love a novel that is topical as well as well written and fun to read. I must say it again, McEwan has talent. 

A Murder is Announced – Agatha Christie

The personal ad was intriguing: an invitation to partake in a "murder" at the home of Letitia Blacklock. The uncharacteristic prank comes as a surprise to Letitia's friends -- and a bigger surprise to Letitia herself. Still, the proper hostess welcomes her unexpected guests for an evening of fun. But when the lights go down, a gunshot rings out. Now, Miss Jane Marple wants to play a game of whodunit.

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Detective
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Year: 1950
Rating: 4/5 

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie was next in my pile of Murder Mystery reads. This is the sort of book you pick up on a rainy day, the type of day where you want a quick yet engrossing read to while away the afternoon. This is a Miss Marple story, that follows the elderly spinster's attempt to solve a this baffling mystery.

As the blurb states, an ad is placed in the local paper announcing that a murder will take place at Miss Letitia Blacklock's property. Everyone who reads this ad can't help but be intrigued, showing up to partake in this apparent show. Little do the guests know, that a real murder has been plotted and they are in for more than they bargained for. Not to mention Letitia herself, who has no idea what is going on.

As the police detectives attempt to figure out what happened, Miss Marple is called in and with her super sleuthing skills she is able to uncover that more is going on that meets the eye. Whodunit? And why? You'll never guess!

This was a typical, enjoyable Agatha Christie novel. Formulaic, full of twists and a plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. This is exactly why I read Christie novels and why you should too.

This would be a good introduction to this style of murder mystery and it is definitely one for fans.

Have you read this novel? What did you think?

1Q84 – Haruki Murakami

The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo. A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 — “Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.”

Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled. As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s — 1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Publisher:  Random House
Year: 2011
Rating: 4/5

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this novel by the crew over at Random House. Not only is it always cool to be sent book to review, but I am a huge Murakami fan, so getting this gem in the post was exciting!

This novel may be the most anticipated book of the year. Murakami has a large international following and the hype surrounding the release of this book was pretty intense. For months now I have seen this book talked about all over the bloggersphere and that is something. You know you have made it as an author when people are talking about your book before it has even been released.

As stated in the blurb this book follows the intertwining stories of Aomame and Tengo. Two lost souls who first met in elementary school, and shared one intimate moment, but have long gone their separate ways.

Raised in a religious cult, Aomame has left her roots behind and now works as a fitness trainer by day, and an assassin by night. Sounds pretty ruthless, right? Despite the nature of her job, Aomame could be said to have noble intentions behind her work. She is employed by an old dowager who runs a house for battered women and helps out by ridding the world of the men who hurt them. 

We meet Aomame as she is on her way to a job. She gets stuck in the traffic on the expressway and is worried about not being unable to complete this assignment. Lucky for her, the taxi driver suggests a way in which she can keep her appointment, But her warns her,

And also, the driver said, facing the mirror, "please remember: things are not what they seem."

The driver chose his words carefully: "It's just that you're about to do something out of the ordinary. Am I right?"

"Right. And after you do something like that, the everyday look of things might seem to change a little. Things may look different to you than they did before. I've had that experience myself. But don't let appearances fool you. There;s always only one reality." - Page 9

Reality is a big theme in this book. After Aomame takes on the driver's suggestion things do start to look different and certain aspects of the world have changed. Is Aomame going crazy? Or has the world really changed? What exactly is reality, anyway? 

Aomame dubs this new world 1Q84 and struggles with the fact that she seems to be the only one that can see the changes. Little does she know, someone else has entered this world too. Tengo, the boy she hasn't seen since elementary school is now also all grown up and strange things are happening for him too. 

Tengo works as a maths teacher at a local cram school and harbours dreams of writing novels for a living. Too bad he can't seem to get published. That is until his publisher friend approaches him to rewrite a novel called 'Air Chrysalis', written by seventeen-year-old Fuka-Eri.

Fuka-Eri's novel contains a fantastic story but it is poorly written, so the plan is to have Tengo to fix it up. This basically amounts to literary fraud but Tengo is drawn in by the story and agrees; against his better judgement. By doing this, he soon finds that the world seems different. Things have changed. What is going on? Could the fantasy world created by Fuka-Eri be real?

1Q84 is a big book. At 925 pages and three 'books' which make up the story, this tome made for a lengthy read. In my honest opinion, this novel was too long. I feel like a traitor to the Murakami Army by saying that, but it really could have done with some heavy handed editing. 

The whole novel we follow the parallel stories of Aomame and Tengo, just waiting for them meet up again. This is something that was dragged out through the book and I was a little annoyed by it by the end. You know it is going to happen, it just doesn't, not for 895 pages anyway. I guess some people may enjoy this 'will they or won't they' theme, but I just found it trite.

My only other criticism is the romance aspect of this novel. My opinion may be coloured by the fact I am not really a fan of those sorts of stories to begin with, but I found it unbelievable. Call me cold hearted, but I just didn't feel the love. Can two people really have one 'moment' when they are 10, never see each other again, then still be in love with each twenty years later? Maybe. I don't see it, but I kind of wish I did.

Despite these aspects, I enjoyed this book. It was well written and thoughtful. I enjoyed Aomame's relationship with the dowager, Fuka-Eri's strange personality and felt akin to Tengo's literary ambitions. The story in 'Air Chrysalis' was interesting, and some of the secondary characters were well played out.

Like all Murakami novels, questions relating to human nature and the world are raised, which left me pondering for a long time after the novel had been put down. That is probably the thing I love most about Murakami's work. His ability to make you think about things that you maybe wouldn't have thought about before.

Overall, this was an enjoyable novel. Definitely not Murakami's finest work, but good enough to cement his place as a great modern literary figure.

Have you read 1Q84? What did you think? Are you with me, or do you think this is Murakami's great masterpiece? Leave me a comment and let me know!

The Stand – Stephen King

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.

And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides -- or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abigail -- and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.

 Genre: Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
Publisher:  Hodder & Stoughton
Year: 1978
Rating: 4/5

The Stand has long been known as Stephen King's finest work. It is the book to read, if you are only ever going to pick up one King book in your life. Do I agree with this opinion? Maybe not. There are a few other King works which I personally felt were more enjoyable or better written than this novel. That said I can understand why The Stand has been given this label. It one one hell of a read both in length of story (and yes, I did read the extended edition) and in depth of the world and characters King has created. It is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

I was first introduced to The Stand when I saw the mini series about 10 years ago. It has been on my 'to read' list since then. It just took me a while to get around to it. As far as I can remember, the mini series pretty much measured up to the novel. Although, since some time has passed my memory may be a little hazy. I am not usually one to recommend that you should 'just watch the movie' instead of reading the book, but in this case if you don't have a fair good chunk of time to spare on this 1344 page novel, then the mini series is a good option.

Back to the book... the characters were what made this novel. I will say it before and I will say it again, King is the master of characterisation! Sure he is good at writing a spooky story, but his characters are always the real treat. He has a special talent of creating real, believable, normal characters with layers and depth. By doing that, he is also able to manipulate his readers into either loving or hating a character within pages of introducing them. For that, reading King is worth it. 

The concept of the plague was also a lot of fun. Nowadays it is kind of over done, but this book was written in 1978 and has been considered influential so I was able to push aside the 'here we go again' feelings I may have had if it were a new book by another author.

King did a great job of creating a believable situation. As far as I am concerned, the idea of the government creating and accidentally releasing a deadly strain of the flu is more than believable. History shows us it is very possible. I guess the possibility of something like this happening makes this story even more frightening. It isn't like any of King's stories that involve ghosts or strange domes where you need to suspend belief. This story could happen (Well, the flu part anyway). That is where the real horror lies.

I also enjoyed the fantasy aspects of this novel. Randall Flagg is the big bad! The Dark Man plagues many of king's novels but The Stand is where Flagg was born. Flagg is the epitome of fear. Of horror. of creepiness. Of dread. Of all your nightmares. He is the perfect villain. 

After reading The Stand I can see where it has influenced other works. The Passage by Justin Cronin is a good example. The virus, the old lady, the band of survivors, the dreams and the bad guy are all reminiscent of The Stand.

So should you read this novel? If you call yourself a King fan than yes, you should. If only to experience one of King's earlier novels and see how his talent has developed over the years. If you are looking to be introduced to King I would recommend beginning with one of his shorter novels (Misery and Gerald's Game are two of my personal favourites, they actually gave me nightmares, but that is a story for another day), or one of his newer novels like Under the Dome.

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

In The Little Prince, a small boy leaves the tiny planet on which he lives alone, on a trip to Earth, where he is introduced to the vagaries of adult behaviour. On one level this work is the story of an airman's discovery of a small boy from another planet in the desert and his stories of intergalactic travel, and on the other hand it is a thought-provoking allegory of the human condition. (Taken Goodreads from Book Depository)

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher:  Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Year: 1943

Le Petit Prince by French author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is one of those 'must read' novels. The type of story that is full of philosophical pondering, keen observation and poetic prose. The kind of novel that moves people. With a reputation like that, I had to read it. 

Sadly, my experience with this novel didn't match up to that of others. Maybe I wasn't in the right mind frame for such a book, but my experience when something like this... 

I settle myself down to read, with high expectations. I am ready to be wowed. I am ready to laugh and cry and be moved. Or so I thought.

I start to read. At first, I am a little surprised at the style of writing. It's so simple. It reads like a kids book. Oh wait, it is a kids book. I rearrange my thoughts and begin again. 

Reading... reading... I wonder if the washing is finished? I'll go check. 

Ok,, back to reading. I am really hungry. What's the time? *sigh* 2 hours until dinner. Ok, read!

Reading.. reading... God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you. Put it in the soul of every.... oh crap! CONCENTRATE. 

Back to reading.... 

I eventually got this very short book finished. 

"Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them."

Quotes like this, from The Little Prince, make me even more disappointed that I did not connect with this novel. I am putting it down to lack of concentration for now, but it's sad to think that I have become a boring, old adult!

I cannot review this book. I cannot tell you to read it, I can't say this was one of the best books I have ever read. I can't even say I liked it. All I can say is that I will try it again one day in the future when I am not preoccupied with other things. It probably is a great book. If you pay close attention and can forget all those adult things.

Ham on Rye - Charles Bukowski

With his fourth novel, legendary barfly Charles Bukowski follows the path of his alter ego Henry Chinaski through the high school years of acne and rejection, drinking his way through the Depression, and ends at the start of World War 2. 

Genre: Semi-autobiographical Fiction
Publisher:  Canongate Books
Year: 1982
Rating: 5/5 

Ham on Rye is a semi-autobiographical novel about the infamous Henry Chinaski, known as Charles Bukowski's alter ego. 

I first was introduced to Chinaski in Post Office, which explored the meaningless drudgery of working in a job you hate, with no hope of bettering your situation. In Ham on Rye, we learn about Chinaski's life before he enters the US Postal Service.

A bit of a loner, Chinaski is bad at sports, prefers to read, is awkward with girls, is mercilessly beaten and emotionally abused by his father and suffers from disfiguring acne. Being an adolescent is hard enough but with all the other things Chinaski has to deal with, life just sucks. No wonder he develops a bad attitude, sarcastic way of dealing with people and a drinking problem! 

Written in Bukowski's signature style, Ham on Rye is crude, insightful, poetic, disgusting, honest, raw, entertaining, sickening, compelling, endearing and exhausting. I loved every second of it.

There were times that I laughed out loud, others where I felt sad for Chinaski, times when I disliked him with a passion and a few key scenes where I just wanted to put the book down and go throw up.  I seriously hope that the scene where he is visiting his friend is one of the fiction parts of this novel, I am not sure if I could handle THAT being true. If you have read it I am sure you know which scene I am referring to. YUK! Totally warped.

Ham on Rye is a brilliant novel and is a must read for Bukowski fans. If you aren't a Bukowski fan and want to experience his work, this novel would be the place to start. Just be warned, you are in for a wild ride!

Portrait Of A Spy (Gabriel Allon #11) – Daniel Silva

For Gabriel and his wife, Chiara, it was supposed to be the start of a pleasant weekend in London – a visit to a gallery in St. James’s to authenticate a newly discovered painting by Titian, followed by a quiet lunch. But a pair of deadly bombings in Paris and Copenhagen has already marred this autumn day. And while walking toward Covent Garden, Gabriel notices a man he believes is about to carry out a third attack. Before Gabriel can draw his weapon, he is knocked to the pavement and can only watch as the nightmare unfolds.

Haunted by his failure to stop the massacre of innocents, Gabriel returns to his isolated cottage on the cliffs of Cornwall, until a summons brings him to Washington and he is drawn into a confrontation with the new face of global terror. At the center of the threat is an American-born cleric in Yemen to whom Allah has granted “a beautiful and seductive tongue.” A gifted deceiver, who was once a paid CIA asset, the mastermind is plotting a new wave of attacks.

Gabriel and his team devise a daring plan to destroy the network of death from the inside, a gambit fraught with risk, both personal and professional. To succeed, Gabriel must reach into his violent past. A woman waits there—a reclusive heiress and art collector who can traverse the murky divide between Islam and the West. She is the daughter of an old enemy, a woman joined to Gabriel by a trail of blood. . . .

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage
Publisher:  Harper
Year: 2011
Rating: 4/5

This novel is the eleventh installment in the Gabriel Allon series and Silva once again proves he is the best writer of modern spy fiction. 

Set across continents, Portrait of a Spy follows my all-time favourite Israeli secret agent as he fights terrorism, saves lives, countries and democracy.... all while restoring ancient artwork and making the ladies swoon. What more could you ask for in a novel? (or a man?, ahahaha).

Besides the great Gabriel, Silva's novels are also appealing as they are up to date and set in current times. Silva does a great job of using the current international political climate as a backdrop for his stories. Not only is it enjoyable reading a fun and exciting read, but it's great reading something that "could" be happening right now. 

There are some things about this novel that I expected. Silva has a formula that he never fails to use in this series. Gabriel doesn't want to be a spy, he just wants to restore paintings. He unwillingly gets drawn back into the Israeli secret service because he can't stand back and watch people get hurt, he just has to help. But this time will be the last time (uhuh).

Gabriel then reassembles his work family and they bond over bloodshed and their desire to bring down the baddies. Soon a lot of stuff goes down and Gabriel ends up being nabbed by the enemy, but he survives. He then saves the day, swears never to work for the service again and returns to his paintings. Til next time.

Despite that formula making these novels predictable, they are still good reads. I just can't get enough!

This novel is not only a must read for all Silva fans, but for anyone who loves international spy thrillers! Pick up a copy of one of Silva's novels. You won't be disappointed.

Ordeal by Innocence – Agatha Christie

According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death  with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment. 

But when Dr Aurthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko's innocence, it is too late - Jacko died behind bars following a bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor's revelations re-open old wounds in the family, increasing the likelihood that the real murderer could strike again.......

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 1958
Rating: 4/5

Like all Agatha Christie novels I have read, this novel was full of mystery, intrigue and suspense. Although formulaic, you know what to expect from an Agatha Christie and that is why I read these novels.  They are great for those times when you want a light, fun and interesting read. 

Christie's murder mysteries are not gruesome like some of the newer novels in the crime genre, but well thought out, formulated and executed. Christie was sure good at what she did. Which is why I am glad she wrote so many novels, so there are lots more for me to read. 

This particular novel was pretty darn good. The ultimate 'who-dun-it'! I for one did not guess this one, and was surprised with who the big bad was. 

I also liked how this novel explored the impact the unexpected proof of innocence would have on a family.... I mean, your brother has been gaoled for murdering your mother and you have finally come to terms with that. In the meantime, he has died. Then you find out that he did not in fact commit this murder, which instead of being a relief, brings a whole new world of pain. This means that someone else did it. Someone else in your family! ..... but who? Talk about scary!

I would recommend this novel to Agatha Christie fans and it would also be a great introductory novel for those wishing to get into Christie's writing. Give it a go!

Horns – Joe Hill

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with a pair of horns growing from his temples.

At first, Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who had been raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once, the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed. But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. Nothing Ig can do or say matters. Everyone it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone that is, but the devil inside. . . .
Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. It's time for a little revenge . . . it's time the devil had his due . . .

Genre: Fiction, Horror
Publisher: Orion
Year: 2011
Rating: 5/5

I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of this book through the publisher, and I am so glad I did! Horns follows the story of Ig Parish after he wakes up one morning with horns growing out of his head. 

This is a bit surprising at first, to say the least, but soon Ig finds out that his horns come with special powers. Powers that make those around him want to tell him the truth.... to divulge their deepest, darkest, secrets. 

Soon Ig finds himself on a journey of discovery... a journey which will take him straight to his girlfriend's murderer. A journey that will allow him the one thing he has been wanting for a long time... revenge. 

If anyone deserves revenge for Merrin's brutal death, it's Ig. Not only did he lose his girlfriend, but he was framed for her murder. That is enough to tick anyone off. 

Especially since he "got away with it", so to speak. Due to lost evidence, Ig walked free. Unfortunately that means little to the town folk, or even Ig's family. Suspicion and guilt are all prevalent in this town, and Ig suffers for it.

One thing I liked about this novel was the flashbacks. Normally, I am not a fan of flashbacks. I find them confusing and annoying. In this case, Hill did a perfect job of fleshing out the characters and building the story by looking back at how Ig and Merrin met, their relationship with Lee Tourneau, the rise in fame of Ig's brother, Terry and the events that culminated in Merrin's death.

Like his father, Stephen King, Joe Hill has learned the craft of characterisation. To me, that is what makes or breaks a novel. In this case, it made it. Big time. 

Hill did a great job of bringing small town America to life (well, from what I understand it to be, if you can trust movies and literature), and he created some unforgettable characters. 

The mystery of "whodunit" was interesting, but a little easy to guess. I think this was done on purpose though, we kind of get a feeling from the beginning of there being "something not quite right" about a certain someone, so it makes sense they turn out to be a super-crazy-killer. 

This novel is well worth the read if you love a good horror story. Hats off, Mr Hill. You are going to have a long and successful career. Talent sure does run in the family.

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository!

The Devotion of Suspect X – Keigo Higashino

Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced, single mother who thought she had finally escaped her abusive ex-husband Togashi. When he shows up one day to extort money from her, threatening both her and her teenaged daughter Misato, the situation quickly escalates into violence and Togashi ends up dead on her apartment floor. Overhearing the commotion, Yasuko's next door neighbor, middle-aged high school mathematics teacher Ishigami, offers his help, disposing not only of the body but plotting the cover-up step-by-step.

When the body turns up and is identified, Detective Kusanagi draws the case and Yasuko comes under suspicion. Kusanagi is unable to find any obvious holes in Yasuko's manufactured alibi and yet is still sure that there's something wrong. Kusanagi brings in Dr. Manabu Yukawa, a physicist and college friend who frequently consults with the police. Yukawa, known to the police by the nickname Professor Galileo, went to college with Ishigami. After meeting up with him again, Yukawa is convinced that Ishigami had something to do with the murder. What ensues is a high level battle of wits, as Ishigami tries to protect Yasuko by outmaneuvering and outthinking Yukawa, who faces his most clever and determined opponent yet.

Genre: Fiction, Japanese, Crime, Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Year: 2011
Rating: 3/5

There is not a whole lot I can say about this book.  The blurb above sums up the story pretty well, and although an enjoyable enough read, there wasn't anything really special about this book.... no wow factor.

It was a quick read. A good way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The sort of read that once you are done, it's pretty much gone out of your head the next day. That isn't meant as a criticism, just because this novel wasn't memorable doesn't make it a bad book.

I'd recommend this book if you are looking for something that is easy to read, something you can devour in one sitting and not have to think too hard. I guess you could liken it to watching CSI, fun at the time but not something that is going to make you question your life, floor you with observations or distract you later, while driving. 

The characters aren't going to get under your skin, the prose isn't going to make your heart ache from it's beauty, and you sure aren't going to hug this book to your chest with tears in your eyes when it's done. But you know what, that is ok! Where would we be if all books affected us so profoundly? It wouldn't be good for the soul... sometimes, we just need something light and fun. Something to distract us from our work and woes, and this book will provide just that. 

Want to grab a copy? Try Book Depository!

Room – Emma Donoghue

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2010
Rating: 5/5

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Room is one of those novels that every one was talking about, when it was released last year. It seemed it was one of those "must reads" for those interested in contemporary literary fiction. Now that I have finally got around to reading it, I can understand why. 

I have tried my best to talk about this novel without giving away too much of the plot, but found that is nearly impossible with this book. So if you don't want to find out too much about the story before you read it yourself, I suggest you stop reading my review now.

Room tells the story of five-year-old Jack and his mother, told from Jack's point of view. I found this difficult reading at first, for a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, Jack is five. He talks like he is five. Sure his vocabulary is beyond his years but his maturity levels and the way he speaks do sound like a little kid. And a weird little kid at that. He calls all the furniture by name and refers to them as if they are his companions (Bed, Chair, Rug, Plant, Meltedy Spoon, Wardrobe). He also thinks that him and his Ma are the only "real" living people in the world, and that everything he sees on TV is fake.

But, what else can you expect from a kid who has spent his entire life locked away in one room, with only one other person for company. That is sure to screw anyone up. This understanding of the world is something his Ma encouraged to help him cope with his circumstances, because he is too little to understand anything else.

Ma does her best to make him as "normal" as she can. She spends her days teaching him to read, write, draw and do math. She makes him exercise as well as she can in their small, enclosed space and tries to feed him a balanced, healthy diet.

Ma really does do her best to give Jack all she can in this horrible situation. She keeps him safe from her captor, Old Nick, by hiding Jack in the wardrobe each night when Old Nick comes to Room to get what he keeps her there for... I am sure you know what I mean. UGH.

As Jack gets older, Ma realises that this sort of life isn't going to work for much longer, and she needs to get out. She needs to get Jack out before he gets any older. She wants to give Jack a proper life. But Old Nick, isn't going to let them go anywhere..... they must escape. 

The first part of this novel, that dealt with their lives in Room was tedious and difficult to read. Every day was the same, there wasn't much for them to do and Jack raved on and on about his companions like Meltedy Spoon. Talk about dull. So dull that Donoghue did a perfect job of bringing the tedium and boredom of Room to life.  I felt it.

Once Ma starts planning their escape, the novel picked up. It became scary! All I could think was that Jack was too young to take part in such a dangerous plan! He is a baby! and when it came to the day that they put their plans into action, MY GOD I WAS SCARED! I couldn't turn the pages quick enough.

The second part of this novel deals with Jack and Ma learning to live in the outside world. This was the best part of the novel and is what made it worth the read for me. 

Donoghue did a perfect job of showing the difficulties Jack would have venturing out into the world. Having to meet people, walk on ground that isn't Room, come into contact with new foods, sounds, sights, sensations, and trying to understand what all these foreign objects are. Imagining being five and seeing stairs for the first time! It would be a scary experience to have to walk down them, when you have only ever walked on flat ground.

Donoghue also does a great job showing the media reaction to Ma and Jack (vultures!), and the different reactions family members have to the return of Ma who they thought was dead and not only that, for her parents to find they have a grandson fathered by her kidnapper! Donoghue shows all possible reactions in each member of Ma's family. From overwhelming joy yo have her back, no matter what.... to disgust at Jack, who is seen as the spawn of an evil that is hard to get past.

It follows Ma as she reenters the world and struggles with dealing with her family, Jack's problems and her desire to begin her life again.

The scariest thing about Room is that this novel is said inspired by the real life cases of Josef Fritzl and Natascha Kampusch. Two crimes that were prominent in the media in the years before this novel was published. Not only that, there have been countless other cases over the years where women have been kidnapped, or kept hidden away and enslaved by strangers and "loved ones" (I used that term loosely). So sure this may be a fictional novel, but the fact that this sort of thing does happen is really scary. In fact, I am sure it is probably more common that we think. 

This isn't the first book of this sort I have read. The Collector by John Fowles is a based on the same sort of crime. Although, because Room takes this horrible and difficult situation, and shows it through the eyes of a confused five-year-old, that is what makes it unique. 

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository!

The Shifting Fog – Kate Morton

Summer 1924: on the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again.

Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time house-maid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could.

Set as the war-shattered Edwardian summer surrenders to the decadent twenties, The Shifting Fog is a thrilling mystery and a compelling love story.

Genre: Fiction, Edwardian, Romance, Mystery
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Year: 2007
Rating: 4/5

The Shifting Fog (known as The House at Riverton in the US and UK) tells the story of the Hartfords, a family on the verge of falling apart, as told by their former maid, Grace Bradley. 

As a young girl, Grace is sent to work for the Hartfords. A rich, society family who live in the grand Riverton Manor. Grace is a shy fourteen-year-old who yearns for company her own age. Because of this, Grace finds herself drawn to Hannah, one of the Hartford children. 

Grace is extremely loyal and she develops a close friendship with Hannah. Well, as close as you can expect a maid to develop with her mistress. Grace follows Hannah from Riverton, to Paris and London. The perfect companion, always by Hannah's side, watching out for her and completing any task Hannah asks of her, to the point where she forgoes her own happiness in order to serve Hannah.

It is through this close relationship, that we hear Grace's story of the decline of the Hartford family, the secrets Hannah held and what really happened on the night Robbie Hunter killed himself by the lake at Riverton. 

After 84 years of silence, Grace is ready to let go of all her secrets (and those of the Hartfords) and divulge the truth.

Not only do we have the mystery of what happened to Robbie Hunter, but Grace's mother once worked at Riverton and left under mysterious circumstances. Circumstances that Grace is curious about, but which her mother refuses to talk about. This serves as a secondary mystery.

I enjoyed this novel. I like a good story about an Edwardian family living in a grand manor with their secrets. It's formulaic and been done a million times, but I love it anyway. Nothing like an epic family saga full of twists and turns to entertain on a rainy afternoon. This novel provided just that. 

I must admit, I found Grace's loyalty to Hannah a little annoying at times. I liked Grace and wanted her to go live her life! Not live vicariously through Hannah. Then again, we wouldn't have had a story if she did. 

The mystery in this novel was interesting but I was surprised to see it seemed to play a small role in the overall story. Robbie Hunter's demise served as the end of the story, rather than the main plot line, which I thought strange since it is what is mentioned in the blurb. I was expecting the book to be about him, but he was a secondary character. 

This story is about Hannah. It is about Hannah's life and what Grace learned of the Hartford's and Robbie through living with Hannah. Lucky for the reader, Hannah is an endearing character. 

Hannah is brave, feisty and like all good women, unhappy with her lot in life as a female. She wants to travel, see the world and have adventures! She wants to learn new things and experience all life has to offer. Not very ladylike. But in my opinion, all the most interesting women in history went against the norm and fought to live! A female lead that happily sits around crocheting and drinking tea certainly wouldn't make for good reading. 

This, however, is Hannah's undoing, and leads the reader on a journey which is exciting, worrying, frustrating and in the end, tragic.

Grace, although the storyteller, acts as a secondary character to Hannah. Yet her story is just as, if not more, interesting. She may have only been a ladies maid to begin with, but Grace sure packed a lot into her 98 years of life and what a fascinating life it was!

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a good family saga about love, loss and life in England during the war. 

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository!

Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again... Working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca learns her place. Life begins to look very bleak until, on a trip to the South of France, she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamorous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive by the forbidding Mrs Danvers...

Genre: Fiction, Modern Classic, Gothic
Publisher: Virago Press
Year: 1938
Rating: 5/5

Rebecca follows the story of the new Mrs de Winter, a young, shy woman who finds herself whisked away from her employment as a lady's companion, to the impressive Manderley, to be wife to the rich and aloof, Mr Maxim de Winter.

At first, this seems like a dream come true. Inexperienced in love and life, and totally smitten with Maxim , she wants nothing more than to please him. But this isn't an easy task. Once the newlyweds return from their carefree honeymoon to Manderley, Maxim seems to change. He no longer seems happy with her, or comfortable in their home. A place that was once home to him and his late wife, Rebecca.

Remnants of his life with Rebecca seem to be everywhere. Rebecca seems to reach out from the grave and her presence permeates throughout the house. Mrs Danvers, Rebecca's faithful maid does all she can to keep Rebecca's memory alive and the new Mrs de Winter can not seem to escape her influence.

Will the memory of Rebecca come between Maxim and the new Mrs de Winter? What is Mrs Danvers up to? And what is the dark secret that Manderley is hiding? Are things really as they seem?

What did I think?

I loved this novel. Talk about a great gothic mystery! Du Maurier has taken a relatviely "normal" situation, and added an air of suspense, menace and foreboding the makes for great reading.

This is the ultimate "other woman" story. We have a young, naive girl trying to not only figure out who she is as a person, and how to be a wife, but then having to juggle this with the feeling of a third person intruding in her marriage. For someone ill-equipped, this is a hard task. 

The new Mrs de Winter feels as if she just can't match up to the beautiful, worldly and sophistication Rebecca. Everywhere she turns, she is faced with the sort of competition that is impossible to fight – a dead woman. And a "perfect" one at that. But things aren't always as they seem. Everyone has secrets.

Just when I thought I had this novel all figured out, Du Maurier threw me a curve ball that took me by surprise! Oh what a twist it is!

Du Maurier's prose is elegant and insightful. Her descriptions of places, people, thoughts and feelings realistic and engrossing. I couldn't put this novel down.

I also love it how Du Maurier never gives our heroine a name, she is only known as Mrs de Winter. Never forming her own identity, but continually being defined by others perceptions. This lack of a name is effective in the characterisation of our heroine and allowing us to sympathise with her. We can understand why she won't take control of the household, and feels like she lives in Rebecca's shadow. She never really comes into herself until the events that transpire at Manderley.

I also love how the decisions she makes are questionable. Her morality debatable... yet understandable. What would you do in that situation? It's easy to hypothesise but who really knows until they are faced with a similar dilemma?

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good gothic novel or mystery. This novel is extremely well written (so much so that the implausible seems plausible!) and I can see why this novel is considered a modern classic. I can't wait to devour more books by Du Maurier!

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository!

Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Steampunk, Adventure
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2009
Rating: 5/5

I was both interested and hesitant when I picked up Leviathan, as I was not sure it would be my cup of tea. It sounded like a "boy" book. I am normally not one to lump books into categories by gender, but this book contained war and fighting machines. Sure to appeal to a 15-year-old-boy, but maybe not a 20-something-year-old woman. I was wrong. I loved this book.

This novel follows both Alek and Deryn who come from different countries, different social classes and different genders. Yet they end up being thrown together, to fight alongside each other as allies.

Alek is a  prince. One night, his parents are murdered and he is whisked away by some loyal friends who wish to save his life.

Deryn longs to be in the British airforce, but she has one thing standing in her way: she is a girl. Instead of letting that stop her she disguises herself as a boy and soon finds herself accepted onto the airship, Leviathan. Too bad war is just about to break out!

The first half of this novel Alek and Deryn's stories are told in alternate chapters, until they meet and then their story becomes one.

The first half of this book was a little slow, Westerfeld spends a lot of time setting up characters and plot. I guess that's okay since this story is meant to be a trilogy. The second half is where the action kicks in and makes this book worth the read. 

One thing I love about Steampunk, is how an author will take a historical event, like WW2, and rewrite it with futuristic technology thrown in. Better than that, it is not futuristic from our point of view today, but how people back in the time it is set may have imagined things. 

In this case we have Darwinistic beasties and walking machines! The beasties were pretty crazy yet kind of awesome. Using DNA and methods founded by Charles Darwin, the British create these animals that are a blend of many different species, and equipped to carry passengers, fight in a war, fly in the sky and do all sorts of things! Imagine being in an airship that is a living, breathing organism?

The machines were interesting too.... being able to walk over terrain in an armed machine instead of drive would make a world of difference to combat... yet the beasties were still my favourite. 

The characters in this novel were likeable and interesting. I am keen to read the next novel to see what is going to happen next and where Alek and Deryn will end up. Will Alek find out that Deryn is really a girl? Will the airforce find out? Will Alek be incarcerated by the British because of his country's former alliances? Will the bad guys track him down? Will he ever get his throne back? What new beasties will Westerfeld think of next? Only one way to find out.... Stay tuned!

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository!

Purge – Sofi Oksanen

Old Aliide Truu lives alone in a cottage in the woods. Her isolation is interrupted when a strange young woman arrives – bruised, dirty and shoeless - at her door. Overcome by curiosity, the old woman decides, warily, to take her in. 

Zara is on the run from men who tortured, raped and sold her into slavery. Her only possession is a tattered photograph. When Aliide sees the picture, she immediately recognises herself and her sister. Horrified, she begins to realise that the past she has long tried to forget has finally caught up with her...

Purge is a hauntingly intimate portrait of one family's shame against a backdrop of European war. It is a fiercely compelling and damning novel about what we will accept just to survive and the legacies created by our worst experiences. 

Genre: Fiction, Family Saga, Historical, Estonian
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Year: 2008
Rating: 3/5

Purge by Sofi Oksanen is one of those novels that I had to read because it seemed everyone had read it, and said it was a "must read". I am not sure I'd agree with that description, but I am glad I read it. It was... interesting, to say the least. 

Purge tells the stories of both Zara, a young woman who has been forced into prostitution and Aliide, an old woman with some harrowing secrets. 

The novel jumps between the present, which involves Zara and Aliide getting to know each other, and the past stories of both women. 

Aliide's story was by far the more interesting of the two. A bitter, cranky old woman, we come to understand why she is the way she is because of her childhood, the atrocities she was subjected to during the war and the things she did to survive. 

When it comes down to it, Aliide is one nasty piece of work. I could not sympathise with her character in the slightest. I can understand in a way why she did the things she did, I guess self preservation takes over when your in a dire situation and your life is at stake... but part of me also thinks that she's just a wicked and selfish person. I could not like her.

As for Zara, her story was just like every other "forced into prostitution and abused by her captives" story out there. I know that probably sounds harsh as these things do happen every day, to thousands of women, and I don't want to take away from the horror and injustice of that, but I've read it all before. There was nothing new there.

I also never really came to understand why Zara ended up in that situation.... sure she probably needed money, and she was tempted by the luxuries of the western world, but to me there is usually an underlying trauma or issue that leads a person into a bad choice like that. Here, I just didn't see it. 

Sure, her mother and grandmother had horrible stories to tell, and I am sure she was affected by their attitudes and the way they dealt with their past, but it just didn't sit right. Zara was just not fleshed out very well. Not like Aliide who was given a distinct personality.... not a good one, I would not want to be friends with that woman! But Oksanen did a good job of creating a "real" character with Aliide. 

This novel paints a picture of war torn Estonia, a country I have never read about before. So I found the cultural and historical aspects of this novel interesting. 

I think you'd like this book if you like family sagas, stories of war, and stories showing the injustices and issues that face women across the world. I warn you, there are a few parts of this story that were hard to handle... scenes of rape, one involving a child which I found extremely disturbing and hard to read, not to mention graphic sex. But as disturbing as some of these things were, these things are real. These things have and still do happen, and I think it is important to be aware of that.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository!

Fallen (Georgia, Book 3) – Karin Slaughter

On an ordinary spring day, Special Agent Faith Mitchell of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation returns home to a nightmare. Expecting to find her mother minding her new baby daughter Emma, Faith is horrified to discover Emma locked in the shed, her mother's safe open, her gun missing and a trail of blood to the front door. 

Without waiting for back-up, Faith enters the house to a scene of carnage. It has been torn apart and a man lies dead in a pool of blood. She stumbles across two more intruders, and within minutes they are too shot dead. And when the Atlanta police force turns up, Faith has some difficult questions to answer. But she has some desperate questions of her own. What were the killers searching for? Ex-Atlanta police chief Evelyn Mitchell was once under investigation by Faith's partner Will Trent. Is her mother directly involved this time, and where is she now?

With Faith suspended from duty, Will, together with the help of Dr Sara Linton, must piece together the fragments of a brutal and complicated case – and catch a deeply troubled and vicious murderer with only one thing on his mind. To keep killing until the truth is finally revealed.

Genre: Fiction, Crime
Publisher: Random House
Year: 2011
Rating: 5/5

I have been reading Karin Slaughter for many years now. She is one of my favourite crime writers and each year in June, I look forward to her newest release. 

I began reading Slaughter with her first novel, Blindsighted. It was a fluke really. I was at the library and it looked interesting, I had no idea it was the first in a series. I liked it enough to pick up the second book, Kisscut, and from then, I was hooked. 

The Grant County series was fantastic. Dr Sara Linton, pediatrician and small town coroner, is one of the most interesting, endearing and real female leads I have come across. She is intelligent, ambitious, kind, caring and thoughtful. She is stubborn and sometimes, doesn't think before she acts. She has suffered her own share of heartbreak. She has reached breaking point and nearly didn't make it. She is human.

That is what I love most about these books. Slaughter is dealing with some gruesome, horrible crimes. She is delving into the absolute depths of human depravity, but she balances that with good people, who are dealing with their own real life problems. People who are trying to make the world a better place and learn to live their own lives.

I was disappointed when the Grant County series came to what seemed like an end. I was angry with Slaughter. How could she do what she did? What about her loyal fans? What about Sara?

I didn't like the Will Trent books. Purely because I wanted to read about Sara, Jeffrey and their lives! Not some cop with enough baggage to fill a commercial jet! 

Then Slaughter did the unthinkable, she combined the two. She moved Sara out of her comfort zone in the most unforgettable and shocking way, and created a new series. The Georgia series.

At first, I was wary. It just wasn't the same. I had a whole new cast of characters to get to know, and I felt like a sulky little kid. I didn't want to!

Boy, I am glad I did! This new series is shaping up to be pretty darn good. Sure, Sara's story has changed dramatically and she is going places I never imagined, but that is life. Things change. People change. 

The last few books there has been a bit of "will they or won't they" between Sara and Will. I must say, I am satisfied with where this story is going. I am interested to see what Slaughter has in store for Sara in the next few novels. Not just in her romantic life, but her professional life as well. 

Although I didn't like Will at first, he has grown on me. He is smart, attractive and a brilliant cop. But oh so damaged. Will grew up in an orphanage and has many physical and emotional scars from his abusive, and screwed up childhood. I am looking forward to learning more about him, finding out more about his past and discovering what his future may be.

In these books we have also been introduced to Angie. Mean, cold-hearted, controlling Angie. Man, I hate that woman! She is the opposite of EVERYTHING Sara is, yet she has her claws sunk into Will. I don't condone violence against woman but someone needs to give that chick a good beating! I swear, she is evil.

This particular novel focuses on mainly on Faith (Will's partner), and her past. We learn more about her teen pregnancy, the shame it brought on her family, her struggle to deal with her past and shape her future. A future her son can be proud of. She is one tough lady! 

We also learn more about her mother, Evelyn Mitchell. The once decorated detective who was forced into retirement when her squad was busted stealing money. Was she on the take too? Or is Faith right about her innocence? Who is after her now, and why? This novel certainly answers these questions with a dramatic and violence filled showdown!

Lastly, the other thing I loved about this novel was that Slaughter has included an afterword about how she came up with the characters in these novels, why she had to end the Grant County series and some hints on where she foresees the future of her characters. Apparently, we can look forward to another 10 years of books about Sara! Can we get a high five!? So happy to read this. We should also expect Lena (the troubled cop from Grant County) to make an appearance in her own series, soon.

I'd recommend this series to anyone who loves crime fiction. 

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository!