Friday, October 19, 2018

Books to be Reviewed: Cree by Una

Thanks to ,m,mm,m, for sending me a copy of the graphic novel Cree by the author Una for reviewing. This work of fiction is designed to convey a powerful message about how to appreciate the people and places in your life using an informal style of annotated illustration.

"In the everyday struggle, when beauty fades from view, slow down, pause a moment, look, listen. You might find things brighter than clearer than they seemed – even when your heart, broken, still beating, beats ill, beats low."

I have browsed through this book already and a review will appear here once I have had time to fully appreciate the aims of this work. Anyone wishing to purchase a copy can do so here - Cree by Una.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Book Review: Midnight Comes at Noon


Prolific author Daniel Easterman starts this novel with a very unusual and intriguing premise of a whole village of people being replaced by a mysterious group of counterparts a short time before the visit of the President of The United States of America. A dramatic and bloody shootout follows in which the President is kidnapped along with his wife and a young girl in their care whose father is the main literary focus while he attempts to rescue the kidnappers victims.

This exciting and original beginning then develops into a typical story of pursuit which takes the protagonists around the world before the concluding scenes. As interesting as the first few chapters are, this take starts to lose its originality by halfway through and becomes rather predictable and unoriginal for its second half.

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Book Review: The Sound of Falling by Scott D. Brillon

In The Sound of Falling author Scott D. Brillon takes the reader into the world of high-school student Bayard Bitter during a particularly difficult time in his and his friend's lives. Bayard is forced into dealing with the persistent bullying of his best friend and the downward spiral of drug abuse and lack of self-respect by the girl he has feelings for he gets into a series of fights and loses his way in his studies. An inappropriate girlfriend and being witness to a liaison between a teacher and student make matters worse and as the situation spirals out of control his friend confides in him a terrible secret.

This story expertly captures the drama that can complicate the lives of teenagers and makes the reader feel like they are witnessing the events for themselves and creating a wonderful sense of intrigue about how these events will conclude.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Books to be Reviewed: Missing Him by L Penn

Thanks to L Penn for providing me with a copy of her book Missing Him for reviewing. This is a work of fiction which is told through a series of flashbacks as a conflicted woman goes through therapy revealing secrets from her love life eventually leading to shocking result.

"While in therapy, the flawed and contradictory Emery Pearson struggles to explain her character with therapist Susan James. And in order to secure her release from troubling situations, she must prove she is no longer a threat to anyone she could possibly fall in love with... Ever again."

I am looking forward to reading what sounds like an unusual story. A review will appear on this website soon. Anyone wishing to purchase it now can do so here - Missing Him.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Book Review: Atlantis by David Gibbins

Author David Gibbins begins this novel with an archaeological discovery  in an ancient Egyptian tomb which sets the characters along the road of discovery in the quest of the lost city of Atlantis. Although this is very much a work of fiction, it contains a lot of factual information surrounding the legend of Atlantis to give it the feeling that it could be true. A series of follow-up discoveries lead a team, led by Jack Howard, to the Black Sea where the investigation of underwater ruins is complicated by an abandoned nuclear submarine and a well-equipped organization of piratical treasure-hunters.

This is a fast-paced story where one discovery quickly leads to another which is followed by rapid code-breaking and expert-level knowledge-based deduction from the collection of experts that are assembled here. The combined effect of quick-fire problem solving and archaeology  makes it feel like the author is attempting to create a cross between the Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones; he fails miserably.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Book Review: Mister Roberts by Alexei Sayle


Anyone who knows the British comedian and author of this book, Alexei Sayle, will know that he has a reputation for the bizarre and here he provides a short novel with one of the most unusual stories that readers are likely to come across. Set in an expat community in Spain a boy with an irresponsible mother discovers an incredible machine which originates from another planet that gives him the ability to masquerade as a powerful, but mute, adult: Mister Roberts.

This is a short novel with a simple plot but one which is so boldly preposterous that it is instantly fascinating and makes the reader turn the page in a desire to know where this unusual premise can be leading. The story is also punctuated with amusing asides and similes, but gradually it reveals a more serious underlying message about how to behave responsibly when in possession of power.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Book Review: I Spy With My Little Eye by Linnea Mills

I Spy With My Little Eye is a non-fiction publication which reflects on a wide variety of modern behaviour and lifestyle choices. Author Linnea Mills examines subjects such as social media use, short-termism is politics and daily life, sexual attitudes, consumerism and celebrity culture among other themes and asks serious questions about the morality of modern society in Britain.

The author uses chapters that are defined by the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues to categorize and dissect the subject matter. That, though, is not to say this is a religious book, it most certainly is not, instead these are used to clearly and effectively define to the reader what the chapter is about using a variety of well-referenced examples delivered in an engaging and easy-to-read style. Although this book deals with serious ideas, it is not a heavy book in either the way it is written nor in size.