Weave
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I am reading 'Black Box' by Josh Malerman
I'm enjoying it, bit strange but I like that -
Great reviews poppyshake
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Glad you had such a good first day Janet, long may they continue
I love your Matilda mug! -
RIP Colleen
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Deadly Night: Katie & Jeni's Untold Tale: A Short Story From the As The World Dies Universe (As The World Dies Universe~Book 4) by Rhiannon Frater ~ Started: 26.01.15 ~ Finished: 26.01.15Title of Book: Deadly Night: Katie & Jenni's Untold Tale: A Short Story From the As The World Dies Universe ( As The World Dies Universe~Book 4)Name of Author: Rhiannon FraterEdition: KindleASIN: B00OQT9VPQNumber of Pages: 72Synopsis ~All is not well in the small town of Ashley Oaks, Texas as the human inhabitants struggle to survive behind the walls of their makeshift fort. A zombie herd is on the outskirts of the town and the survivors huddle behind the cement walls encompassing their encampment in hopes the undead will pass them by. While Katie is on sentry duty, a child cries out in the night, spurring Jenni into action. Soon both women find themselves fighting against the ravenous undead in a seemingly futile attempt to save other survivors.Deadly Night is an original As The World Dies story that takes place between The First Days and Fighting to Survive.'Deadly Night' is an story from the 'As The World Dies' series and it tells the story of Katie and Jenni as they begin their new lives in the fort in Ashley Oaks.What I thought of 'Deadly Night' ~I enjoyed 'Deadly Night', it was just as good as the series and it was nice to read about Katie and Jenni. There are more short stories in the series and I look forward to reading them at some point.Rating: 3/5
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The Asylum by John Harwood ~ Started: 22.01.15 ~ Finished: 26.01.15Title of Book: The AsylumName of Author: John HarwoodEdition: PaperbackISBN-10: 0099578840Number of Pages: 272Synopsis ~A Gothic suspense novel that will keep you in its grip until the final page.Georgina Ferrars, a young woman living quietly with her uncle in London, wakes to find herself in a private asylum 200 miles away on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, with no memory of the past six weeks. Dr Straker, the charismatic physician in charge, tells her that she has suffered a seizure – and that her name is not Georgina Ferrars, but Lucy Ashton. A telegram from her uncle confirms that Georgina Ferrars is still in London. Her protests only serve to convince the doctors that she is in the grip of ‘hysterical possession', and Georgina is certified insane.So begins The Asylum, a Gothic suspense novel set in late Victorian England. With no friends, no money, and no one she dare trust, Georgina is left with only her stubborn determination to find out what happened during those missing weeks, no matter how terrifying the consequences.'The Asylum' is the story of Georgina Ferrars, a young woman who has always lived a sheltered life and has suffered tragedy, the loss of her parents and her aunt. Georgina now lives with her uncle who owns a book store. Georgina lives a quiet life until she she wakes up one day in a strange bed in a strange place with no memory of how she got there, she discovers that she is in an asylum called Tregannon House where she is told by the mysterious Dr Straker that her name is not Georgina Ferrars but Lucy Ashton and she has voluntary committed herself. Georgina pleads with Dr Straker to contact her uncle and is shocked when a telegram arrives saying that Georgina Ferrars is in London which leads to Georgina being certified insane. As Georgina tries to recapture her lost memory, memories from her past are revealed and secrets come to light.What I thought of 'The Asylum' ~I enjoyed 'The Asylum', it was a bit slow at first but as the story progressed I wanted to know what was going to happen next to Georgina. The story is well written, the characters are wonderful to read. Georgina is the perfect main character, she is not a damsel in distress, she faces everything with strength, she is scared but still remains strong.Dr Straker is also a well written character, there is a underlying edge to him that Georgina quickly notices but because of the confusion she is feeling, she questions herself, you could feel her frustration towards Dr Straker. Frederic Mordaunt is a more subtle character I felt, he hides so much from others because of his fears and is more involved with Georgina than he realises.I loved the feeling of the book, the description of Tregannon House, the asylum where Georgina wakes up is brilliantly done, you can envision the house, the surrounding areas, how isolated it is, the description of Victorian London is described well too which I enjoyed.There are twists and turns throughout the book, at times I thought I had solved the mystery (and I was correct in some ways). I enjoyed the ending too.John Harwood is a wonderful writer and I have enjoyed his previous two novels 'The Ghost Writer' and 'The Seance'. The only downside of the book was it did not enthral me as quickly as 'The Ghost Writer' did, however, I did enjoy 'The Asylum' and I look forward to reading more books by John Harwood.Rating: 4/5
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Sorry I am very late but hello and welcome Gaia
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I feel your pain....um, whoops, scratch that! 
You know though, the idea of an "inner goddess" for women is not such a bad idea. We women should feel that way about ourselves. Not to mention have men that make us feel that way.
I completely agree pontalba, its not a bad idea at all but Ana takes it completely out of context, she wants to beat up Christian's former lover and her 'inner goddess' is like 'heck yeah!' (that is not the wording in the book but you get the point)
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Back in Black ~ AC/DC
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If I get the full set, I would definitely like to join in
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A nice review of The Strange Library. I've read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Norwegian Wood and loved both but I was a little disappointed with his last novel. It felt like a poor imitation of himself and I was left wondering if this was worth the time. I may pick it up if the library gets it in but there are a few Murakami novels I want to read.
P.S I love Totoro
Thanks Melodious, I have still to read 'Colorless Tsukuru...' I love 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle & 'Norwegian Wood'. Who doesn't like Totoro
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O.M.G. lol I tried out about 1/3 of the sample last night and its terrifying!
I am having serious reading motivation problems this month, but I was definitely interested, so much so, I think I might "dump" my current reads and pick it up.I'm pleased you are enjoying (scaring you
) the first chapter is definitely memorable. -
I hadn't heard of this! I have the Across the Universe trilogy on my TBR, I shall add this to my wishlist / want to read list as it sounds like something I'd enjoy. I'm glad you liked it, great review
!Athena ~ I heard about 'Across the Universe' here on BCF, a popular book, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, the whole trilogy is great.
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I am currently reading 'The Asylum' by John Harwood. I bought 'Geek Love' by Katherine Dunn and 'Bellman & Black' by Diane Setterfield.
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Your jar sounds a great idea Claire
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What a gorgeous copy Michelle
I read 'The Giver' and enjoyed it, I want to read the rest of the books at some point.
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The Future Collection by Beth Revis ~ Started: 19.01.15 ~ Finished: 22.01.15Title of Book: The Future CollectionName of Author: Beth RevisEdition: KindleASIN: B00RZT2FFCNumber of Pages: 127Synopsis ~DOCTOR-PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY: A young woman wakes up in a cryomed ward of a hospital. As she recalls what led to her confinement, she starts to realize just what the consequences of her actions were, and how much time has passed since she was injured.THE MOST PRECIOUS MEMORY: In a world where memories can be bought and sold as highly addictive drugs, one transaction takes an unusual turn. *Note*: this story was previously published in the Soothe The Savage Beast anthology.THE GIRL AND THE MACHINE: A man has limited abilities to travel through time, but a cute girl pops up in his life, informing him that her time machine can open the door to far greater powers. But there's something ominous about it... *Note*: This story is available as an individual short in Amazon.LAG: A reporter had been chasing down a lead...but after a malfunction in the teleporter she used, she's forgotten what the lead was. Now she's searching for clues in her own life to discover what it was she's missing.THE TURING TEST: A college student participates in a turing test to see if she can distinguish which of the two subjects is human and which is an android. *Note:* A version of this story is a part of the Special Edition of THE BODY ELECTRIC novel and was previously published in Lightspeed Magazine.AS THEY SLIP AWAY: A group of artists on a generation space ship that reviles art is given a unique assignment, one that draws one young lady far too close to a possessive man protected by the ship's government. *Note:* This short story is available free online and is linked to the ACROSS THE UNIVERSE world.Also included in this collection are end notes, describing the inspiration behind each short story and hidden clues and allusions to sci fi classics.The collection concludes with two sample chapters from Beth's latest book, THE BODY ELECTRIC.What I thought of 'The Future Collection ~I enjoyed 'The Future Collection' from start to finish and I looked forward to reading it because I enjoyed the 'Across the Universe' series so much.'The Future Collection' definitely packs a punch, all of the stories are well written and full of potential to become novels.My favourite stories were 'Doctor-Patient Confidentiality', The Girl and the Machine' (I love how it ended) and 'As They Slip Away' which is a story from the 'Across the Universe' world and its the story of Bartie, Victria, Kayleigh, Harley, Luthor (Luthe), Orion, Doc and Selene. Selene was 'the rabbit girl' who meets Amy in 'Across the Universe'. 'As They Slip Away' is a sad story, Selene never gets a chance of happiness and you want her to have happiness. I also enjoyed being back on Godspeed. The story highlights as it did in 'Across the Universe', the struggle of living in a enclosed place, people are seen for their skills, not as people which does not help Selene when she needs help.This is a great collection of stories.The only downside of the book is that I wished the stories were longer.There is also a excerpt from 'The Body Electric' which I am planning to read.Rating: 4/5
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Athena ~ I am so pleased you enjoyed 'The Humans', I enjoyed it too, I do like Matt Haig
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Still Alice is one of the next books on my agenda, Diane. I'm thinking now I might even like it more than Elizabeth Is Missing because it seems to have a similar premise, but without the 'mystery' thread. And since I found the mystery thread to be ultimately disappointing... I think Still Alice could win out.
New review! Thanks again to Michelle for sending me on a copy of this!
A Robot In The Garden - Deborah Install
Synopsis: What would you do if you found a robot in your back garden? For 34-year-old Ben Chambers the answer is obvious: find out where it came from and return it home, even if it means losing his wife in the process. Determined to achieve something for once in his life, Ben embarks on a journey that takes him and the robot to the far side of the globe...and back again.
Review: A Robot In The Garden is quite a heartwarming tale of a man at the end of his rope being inspired to go on a road trip to fix a broken robot. Unsurprisingly, the story is actually about the metaphorical journey taken by Ben to become a better person as he bonds with the loveable Tang. Child-like Tang is easily the highlight of the story, which is entirely emotion- and character-driven, rather than being substantiated by a sci-fi world in which androids are man's domestic servant.
Initially I had a couple of qualms with the story, as I struggled to figure out exactly what was being set up - for instance, in a world where androids can do all your housework, why would anyone halfway across the world to check out a possible lead on the robot's origins at a company instead of just... emailing the company with photos? However, once the road trip had actually commenced I was happy to jump on board. I will admit to a couple of moments that made me tear up or giggle, with some lovely sentiments and some well-written scenes.
The tone, like the setup, struggles to balance itself a little (I've seen many reviewers comment on the 'Hotel California' sequence, as well as the climax scene, both of which lend themselves to a much darker, grittier world than the rest of the story does), but the copy I read was an unedited proof, so for all I know my issues may well be resolved before it goes to print. It is a quick and easy read, and if you go into this story expecting a light-hearted adventure centered around learning to care for yourself and for others, you won't be disappointed. And I want my own Tang.
Rating: 3.5/5
Great review Noll
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Many thanks to Brian for this idea
I have made a TBR jar!! 
Very time consuming as I had to write out 200 odd titles ... could have possibly read one of them in the time it took me
In theory .. I will pick a piece of paper out at random and read the relevant book. This may well lead to me abandoning books because some of them are only in the house because they were the third or second book in a Waterstone's deal or because they were part of a set bought cheaply from The Book People etc. I will attempt to give them all a fair trial though. It's a large jar .. I can thoroughly shake it for shuffling purposes and I intend to plunge my hand in (possibly whilst looking away) and do a sort of spin cycle movement with it before picking one. It will be very Russian roulette though .. not least because .... Carter Beats the Devil is in this jar
!!! Alan wrote that particular slip so that I wouldn't know the colour and therefore couldn't cheat (I wouldn't .. but some people are suspicious little blighters ) I have told him that if I find he has written it out several times then there will be sanctions involving dinner, making sandwiches and well .. other stuff!! I am working on the theory that the jar knows best. I will try and respect the jar's decision (whilst incanting 'Not Slytherin' ) It won't have lights on it all the time .. this is its debut and so I've gone to town a bit.
I will continue to choose books from the shelves so obviously if I pick out a title I've already read then I will pick again. I promise not to throw any fish back into the sea though
I suppose thanks must go to Alan who donated the jar .. it was full of Christmas tree marshmallows and enough can't be said about the sterling effort he put in to empty it
Wish me luck peeps .. the first grand draw will take place soon. When the results come in I'd appreciate it if you didn't laugh
I love your TBR jar, it's such a great idea x
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Ooh I like the sound of Where The Trains Turn - sounds really unusual. Great reviews Paula
Thanks Noll, I think you will enjoy it
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I'll have to give The First Days a try, I was just thinking yesterday that my long short list for the year needs a zombie book or two
You should definitely give it a try Anna
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Where the Trains Turn by Pasi Iimari Jaaskelainen ~ Started: 18.01.15 ~ Finished: 19.01.15Title of Book: Where the Trains TurnName of Author: Pasi Iimari JaaskelainenEdition: KindleASIN: B00N6LRIY6Number of Pages: 84Synopsis ~I don’t like to think about the past. But I cannot stop remembering my son.Emma Nightingale prefers to remain grounded in reality as much as possible. Yet she’s willing to indulge her nine year-old son Rupert’s fascination with trains, as it brings him closer to his father, Gunnar, from whom she is separated. Once a month, Gunnar and Rupert venture out to follow the rails and watch the trains pass. Their trips have been pleasant, if uneventful, until one afternoon Rupert returns in tears. “The train tried to kill us,” he tells her.Rupert’s terror strikes Emma as merely the product of an overactive imagination. After all, his fears could not be based in reality, could they?'Where the Trains Turn' is the story of Emma Nightingale and her son, Rupert who live beside a railway track which Rupert loves because of his fascination with trains. Rupert is not like other boys, he is happier playing alone and talking to birds, which worries Emma and she tries to help him find other interests which Rupert does, one interest leads him to eventually become a lawyer.Once a month, Rupert and his father, Gunnar go out to follow the trains, their trips have always been a event that both of them enjoyed until the day Rupert returns upset and eventually telling his mother that the train had tried to kill him and his father. What started off as fascination becomes an obsession for Rupert and his mother questioning what is real and what is false.What I thought of 'Where the Trains Turn' ~I enjoyed 'Where the Trains Turn', it was strange and sometimes unsettling (more so because I live beside a railway track), I love the atmosphere of the book especially the thoughts of Emma from her worries to her happiness about Rupert and how his life had changed.I read Pasi Iimari Jaaskelainen's novel, 'The Rabbit Back Literature Society' last year and I enjoyed it from start to finish, 'Where the Trains Turn' is just as good. The only downside was the story was so short, I wanted to know more.I look forward to reading more books by the author.Rating: 3/5
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The First Days (As The World Dies~Book 1) by Rhiannon Frater ~ Started: 11.01.15 ~ Finished: 13.01.15Title of Book: The First Days (As The World Dies~Book 1)Name of Author: Rhiannon FraterEdition: KindleASIN: B004OA62U4Number of Pages: 336Synopsis ~Katie is driving to work one beautiful day when a dead man jumps into her car and tries to eat her. That same morning, Jenni opens a bedroom door to find her husband devouring their toddler son.Fate puts Jenni and Katie—total strangers—together in a pickup, fleeing the suddenly zombie-filled streets of the Texas city in which they live. Before the sun has set, they have become more than just friends and allies—they are bonded as tightly as any two people who have been to war together.During their cross-Texas odyssey to find and rescue Jenni’s oldest son, Jenni discovers the joy of watching a zombie’s head explode when she shoots its brains out. Katie learns that she’s a terrific tactician—and a pretty good shot.A chance encounter puts them on the road to an isolated, fortified town, besieged by zombies, where fewer than one hundred people cling to the shreds of civilization.It looks like the end of the world. But Katie and Jenni and many others will do whatever they have to to stay alive. Run, fight, pick each other up when they stumble, fall in love…anything is possible at the end of the world.'The First Days' is the story of Katie and Jenni, two very different women who find each other when they least expect itThe story begins with Jenni about to be attacked by her son, Mikey who has turned into a zombie after being bitten by his father, Lloyd, while Jenni's youngest son, Benji, also turned, tries to get to his mother, his baby fingers searching underneath the door. As Jenni stands in shock outside her house waiting for her family to attack her, she is saved by Katie who was attacked, having being dragged from her car and saved by a Reverend, who loses his life, then returned home to find her wife had been turned. As they drive away, Katie and Jenni face the unknown, their worlds have changed and they do not know what will happen next.What I thought of 'The First Days' ~I enjoyed 'The First Days', it had a great story and an interesting insight of the zombie genre. Jenni and Katie are strong characters who both have difficult pasts and rather than dwell on them, they keep fighting to survive.The first chapter is very memorable and does set the whole feeling of the whole book, fear, desperation and facing loss.The only downside of the book is the editing, there are some errors throughout the book.I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.Rating: 4/5***Fighting to Survive (As The World Dies~Book 2) by Rhiannon Frater ~ Started: 13.01.15 ~ Finished: 15.01.15Title of Book: Fighting to Survive (As The World Dies~Book 2)Name of Author: Rhiannon FraterEdition: KindleASIN: B0056DTRL4Number of Pages: 365Synopsis ~Picking up where The First Days ends, Fighting to Survive features the further zombie-killing, civilization-saving adventures of a pair of sexy, kick butt heroines and the men who love them. A hundred or so survivors of the zombie plague have found tenuous safety in the walled off centre of a small Texas town. Now the hard work of survival begins—finding enough food; creating safe, weather-resistant shelter; establishing laws; and fighting off both the undead who want to eat them and the living bandits who want to rob and kill them.'Fighting to Survive' continues from the first book as Jenni and Katie adapt to life living in Ashley Oaks, a small Texas town which managed to close itself off during the first days of the zombie attacks and now is working to build a fort to protect themselves from the outside world. Jenni and Katie find themselves developing relationships whilst facing obstacles. As the community work together to make their community safe, there is more trouble on the horizon, bandits who steal and kill wherever they go and are heading towards the fort that Jenni and Katie call home.What I thought of 'Fighting to Survive' ~I enjoyed 'Fighting to Survive', there was action and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the community in the fort. I also enjoyed see Jenni change to a more confident and happier person. As the story progressed you meet more of the individuals of the fort and the issues that are raised by living in such close proximity which I enjoyed.There was also mystery in this book as the fort have to face the wrath of the unknown vigilante who has decided they have the right to decide who lives or die.The only downside of the book is the editing, there are some errors throughout the book.Now on to the third and final book in the series.Rating: 4/5***Siege (As The World Dies~Book 3) by Rhiannon Frater ~ Started: 15.01.15 ~ Finished: 18.01.15Title of Book: Siege (As The World Dies~Book 3)Name of Author: Rhiannon FraterEdition: KindleASIN: B0071VUTLQNumber of Pages: 365Synopsis ~Siege is the conclusion to Rhiannon Frater’s As the World Dies trilogy, which should appeal to fans of The Walking Dead. Both The First Days and Fighting to Survive won the Dead Letter Award from Mail Order Zombie. The First Days was named one of the Best Zombie Books of the Decade by the Harrisburg Book Examiner.The zombie illness has shattered civilization. The survivors who have found tenuous safety in Texas defend their fort against the walking dead and living bandits.Katie has made peace with the death of her wife and is pregnant and married to Travis, who has been elected Mayor. Jenni, her stepson, Jason; and Juan—Travis’s righthand man—are a happy family, though Jenni suffers from PTSD. Both women are deadly zombie killers.In Siege, the people of Ashley Oaks are stunned to discover that the vice president of the United States is alive and commanding the remnants of the US military. What’s left of the US government has plans for this group of determined survivors.''Siege' is the conclusion to Katie and Jenni's story. Katie and Jenni are happily living in the fort in the town of Ashley Oaks, both with partners, Katie is about to start a family with her husband, Travis. Jenni and Juan are raising Jason, Jenni's step-son together, unfortunately Jenni is suffering from PTSD, she feels guilty about the death of her sons and is haunted by their memories.Life in Ashley Oaks changes when they find out that the military are watching the fort and they want to take over, as the community get ready for another fight, life will never be the same again.What I thought of 'Siege' ~'Siege' was a good ending to a decent series, Katie and Jenni are great characters to read and you want them to find happiness. There is a lot of surprises in this book which made for interesting reading.The only downside of the book is the editing, there are some errors throughout the book.I hope to read more books by Rhiannon Frater.Rating: 4/5
Poppyshake's Reading Year 2014
in Past Book Logs
Posted
Great poppyshake, I enjoyed it too and the ending is very odd, like your good self there was some parts I was like 'what?' but I kept reading. I recently read his short story 'Where the Trains Turn', which was really good. I tried to start reading 'Came from the North: An Anthology of Finnish Speculative Fiction' but I got side tracked.
Going to try and read it again at some point. 