Noll's 2015 Book Blog

[Nollaig]

See I copy paste from my blog, and the rating is in a little paragraph allll of its own, so I keep forgetting to highlight it hehe! 3.5 stars, I'll add that in now.

 

Yes, I giggled at the Feed and Seed thing myself haha. Sounds like a kind of self-service veggie restaurant. Eat some food, plant some seeds XD

[Athena]

Yes, I giggled at the Feed and Seed thing myself haha. Sounds like a kind of self-service veggie restaurant. Eat some food, plant some seeds XD

Yes !!

[Alexi]

Great reviews Noll. Feed sounds like a great idea yet poorly executed and that never fails to annoy me!

[Nollaig]

Thanks Alexi! I went on a bit of a rant with Feed hehe, because I saw so many people on Goodreads talking about how important it is and how good. It's an exaggeration of one facet of humanity that will always be a thing.

 

Okay I'm done! I'm done!

[Michelle]

I liked Doll Bones - there were some quite creepy bits in it, but for me it wasn't a 'stand out' read.. but I can't remember what it was about it. I have Feed on my wishlist, and for some reason, something is putting me off Seed, even though people of twitter rave about it.

[Nollaig]

I thought for what it was, Doll Bones was great. It's maybe a tad average in the context of all YA/Childrens' books, but I liked what it tried to do and I thought it did it pretty well. Also, good illustrations will always bag an author a solid extra half-star

 

If I had a physical copy of Feed I'd send it to you, coz I really have no interest in it. I still reckon a lot of people would say I missed the point of it but I just didn't enjoy it much.

 

Seed... is actually worth a read. I think a lot of people would enjoy it more than me.

[~Andrea~]

Great review of Feed. Sounds like an interesting idea but taken too far.

[Nollaig]

It was very one-sided, I think. Anyone interested in reading in should probably check out a positive review or two, though, to counter mine.

[Athena]

It was very one-sided, I think. Anyone interested in reading in should probably check out a positive review or two, though, to counter mine.

That makes sense. I think it can be useful to sometimes check out both a positive and a negative review of a book.

[Nollaig]

The Toymaker - Jeremy De Quidt

 

Synopsis: What good is a toy that will wind down? What if you could put a heart in one? A real heart. One that beat and beat and didn't stop. What couldn't you do if you could make a toy like that? From the moment Mathias becomes the owner of a mysterious piece of paper, he is in terrible danger. Entangled in devious plots and pursued by the sinister Doctor Leiter and his devilish toys, Mathias finds himself on a quest to uncover a deadly secret.

*** 

Review: Wow. This book, gifted to me by a friend on The Book Club Forum, was right up my alley. What an absolute pleasure it was to read! It's a young adult novel, but it combines elements of horror, steampunk, and fantasy to make an exceptionally dark read by YA standards. EXCEPTIONALLY dark. I absolutely loved it!

The prose is stunning - I had to make myself take my time reading this book so as to fully immerse myself in it and really enjoy it. Full of atmosphere, well-rounded characters and featuring really beautiful illustrations, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. De Quidt is definitely a natural-born storyteller. I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, but this novel imbues just enough to make it darkly magical. The Toymaker himself can bring toys to life using the hearts of birds, the main anatagonist possesses a seemingly living lie-dector doll named Marguerite, and there's Valter, the seemingly-indestructable, superhuman dwarf - these things are never explained or placed in the context of a world with strict magic rules, but it works.

The characters are really interesting - Katta kind of takes the centre stage for most of the novel, but the other characters - Katta, Koenig, Stefan, Leiter, Valter, Luttsman, Gustav... yes, there are tons of them, and I only realise now, in listing them out, that every single one of them is wholly portrayed and credible. So much is packed into this story, but none of it ever feels rushed or underdeveloped... for the most part. I will admit that I was a little surprised that the alleged main character, Mathias, spends the vast majority of the book injured and unable to do much of anything, and that The Toymaker himself is the least developed character of all. On top of that, I have to admit that the ultimate reveal of the secret was somewhat underwheleming, referring as it did to a whole other story we never really saw anything of (and therefore I found a little difficult to care about) - but at the end of the day, this is primarily the story of Mathias and Katta trying to escape the clutches of a terrible secret, and that story is told in its entirety.

A really unusual, and even with my few misgivings, a genuinely accomplished novel. For fans of storytelling fireside stories.

 

Rating: 4/5

[Michelle]

This has been on my wish list for a while - will certainly get it at some point!

[Nollaig]

It's very good, Michelle, despite my few issues with it. I mention the issues I do in the review because I feel I would have enjoyed it that bit more had I not expected something totally different going it. But it's still great. I'm so glad to have had a hardcopy of it to read, particularly because of the illustrations but also because it's definitely one I would have wound up buying in hardcopy eventually anyway.

 

Thanks again to Janet for sending her copy on to me!

[Nollaig]

The Cry - Helen Fitzgerald

 

Synopsis: He's gone. And telling the truth won't bring him back...
When a baby goes missing on a lonely roadside in Australia, it sets off a police investigation that will become a media sensation and dinner-table talk across the world. Lies, rumours and guilt snowball, causing the parents, Joanna and Alistair, to slowly turn against each other. Finally Joanna starts thinking the unthinkable: could the truth be even more terrible than she suspected? And what will it take to make things right?

*** 

Review: Having recently read (and loved) The Exit, I was keen to dive into more of Helen's wonderful writing. From the outset, The Cry actually proved to be even more enjoyable than The Exit. One of my favourite things about the latter was how dark it was, although it took a little while to really get into the nitty gritty. The thing about The Cry, and what makes it such an unusual thriller, is that you find out a pretty big twist really early one - and it's extremely dark. So the atmosphere of the book turns quite imposing and hopeless early on, but the fallout is compelling and exciting to read.

The writing is phenomenal. I can picture every scene, every character, and more importantly, I can believe all of it. It's just so real, and Helen leaves no stone unturned in her crystal clear presentation of such a convoluted and potentially unwieldy scenario. If for no other reason, her books are worth reading for the immersive, credible joy of her prose.

My biggest issue with this book was the ending. Obviously I'm not going to spoil anything, but I felt that the end did not quite maintain the care of the earlier novel - it felt a tad rushed and underdeveloped. I was surprised, as this runs counter to The Exit, wherein the last chunk of the novel is by far and away the best. That said, this is still an excellent thriller, absolutely worth reading, and it has completely reaffirmed my intention to read everything else Helen Fitzgerald writes.

Rating: 4/5

[Nollaig]

Becoming Chloe - Catherine Ryan Hyde

 

Synopsis: Jordy is on his own in New York City, and it's working fine, until Chloe comes along. She's 18, blond and pretty. She's seen things no-one should ever see. She knows the world is an ugly place, and needs Jordy to prove her wrong. Together they hit the road to discover the truth - and there's no going back from what they find out.

*** 

Review: Hmm. I started out really enjoying this book, and I had high hopes for it based on my previous reading of a full-length adult novel and a shorter YA novel by this author. Unfortunately it just didn't evoke much of a response from me. It's not a bad book, Hyde's writing is still excellent. I didn't particularly dislike the characters, but I didn't particularly like them either. I was curious about Chloe's past and her resulting present condition, but nothing is really explained about that. Jordy's situation is made a little more clear, and he's a more likeable character, but ultimately I wasn't hugely invested in either.

The plot seems to be a mishmash, it changes from teen drama to heart-wrenching old-guy-with-dog story to a roadtrip story and I guess for me all these individual elements felt like great snapshots of other stories, but they didn't gel together for me at all. I loved a couple of the secondary characters, including the aforementioned old-guy-with-dog, and also Randy, the wheelchair-bound mountain climber. Both characters wrung a few tears out of me, but as they were only small parts in a bigger story, they really just made the whole thing feel disjointed.

I guess my biggest issue with this story is that it is about a combination of indifference and deep sadness, and an attempt to find beauty and happiness in the world. I feel that a book like that should ultimately move me and make *me* feel happy and grateful for the beautiful things in the world, too. But for one reason or another, it just fell flat for me. It hasn't put me off reading more of Hyde's novels, it's entirely possible that others will love this book, but it just wasn't for me.

Rating: 3/5

[Nollaig]

Birdy - Jess Vallance

 

Synopsis: Frances Bird has been a loner for so long that she’s given up on ever finding real friendship. But then she’s asked to show a new girl around school, and she begins to think her luck could finally be changing. Eccentric, talkative and just a little bit posh, Alberta is not at all how Frances imagined a best friend could be but it’s not long before they are inseparable. Frances could not be happier. As the weeks go on, Frances starts to examine their friendship more closely. Is it, perhaps, just too good to be true?

*** 

Review: For some reason, I got it into my head that this was going to be a vaguely supernatural thriller, maybe something along the lines of Wilson Wilson by Poe. It isn't, it's an out and out thriller, albeit one that is largely wrapped up in a YA drama. For the most part, it's a very well written book, but I think the combination of my own misguided expectations combined with the sudden introduction of the the thriller element towards the end, resulted in my ultimately underwhelmed response.

Very little occurs in this novel outside of what is directly relevant to Birdy and Bert, and I feel the novel would have benefitted from being a bit more fleshed out - or at least from more happening to Birdie and Bert. Still, I liked both characters well enough for them, in conjunction with the well-written settings and secondary characters, to make it a worthwhile read.

Looking back, I feel like I should have seen the signs of what was ultimately coming, and I think it might even be worth skimming the book a second time now that I know the twist. It's a pretty great twist, and while it didn't come out of nowhere, I was just so wholly unexpecting anything like it that it kind of fell flat for me. It took me a while to register that what was actually going on - I had initially put it down to poor writing. I think this could be an enjoyable novel if the reader goes in expecting a solid thriller, but sadly I think my own expectations spoiled it for me.

Rating: 3.5/5

[Anna Begins]

Becoming Chloe - Catherine Ryan Hyde

 

It hasn't put me off reading more of Hyde's novels, it's entirely possible that others will love this book, but it just wasn't for me.

 

Rating: 3/5

I must say, I have held off on this one.  And really, there is NO shortage of CRH books

[Nollaig]

I don't know, I just grabbed it and dived in! I'll be a bit more discerning about my next choice of hers

[Anna Begins]

Have you read any Lauren Oliver?

[Nollaig]

Nope, and having just looked her up, she seems to have a bit of a variety. Recommendations?

[Janet]

Thanks again to Janet for sending her copy on to me!

You're welcome - my pleasure.  

 

The Cry - Helen Fitzgerald

I read this last year and really enjoyed it. I have another of hers on my Kindle, but I can't remember which one it is now!

[Anna Begins]

Nope, and having just looked her up, she seems to have a bit of a variety. Recommendations?

I noticed that, when Gaia mentioned her to me.  I was looking for a dystopian and she suggested the Delirium series, which I thought you might have read.  I guess Before I Fall is Oliver's big one, it sounds interesting as well.  But I am digging Delirium.  The society has a "cure" for love to give everyone at 18... of course, the main character is not quite 18 yet

[Athena]

Noll, it's a shame you didn't enjoy Becoming Chloe as much. I hope your next CRH will be more enjoyable.

 

I find so far that I like her longer adult novels more than her shorter YA books. I've only read four books in total though. I've read Don't Let Me Go and Where We Belong (longer adult novels) and Jumpstart the World and Becoming Chloe (shorter YA novels). I really should read another one at least before the end of the year, hmm.

[Nollaig]

Noll, it's a shame you didn't enjoy Becoming Chloe as much. I hope your next CRH will be more enjoyable.

 

I find so far that I like her longer adult novels more than her shorter YA books. I've only read four books in total though. I've read Don't Let Me Go and Where We Belong (longer adult novels) and Jumpstart the World and Becoming Chloe (shorter YA novels). I really should read another one at least before the end of the year, hmm.

 

Whoops only saw this now.

 

I've read three of those four, so on those grounds alone I might go for Where We Belong next. I loved Jumpstart, but wished it was much longer, and I also loved Don't Let Me Go, so she's still doing great even with a miss on Chloe.

[Nollaig]

The Donor - Helen Fitzgerald

 

Synopsis: Will Marion has two perfect kidneys. His daughters aren't so lucky. Question is: which one should he save? Will's 47. His wife bailed out when the twins were in nappies and hasn't been seen since. Just after the twins turn sixteen, Georgie suffers kidney failure and is placed on dialysis. Her type is rare, and Will immediately offers to donate an organ. Without a transplant, she would probably never see adulthood. But then Kay gets sick. She's also sixteen. Just as precious. Her kidney type just as rare. Time is critical, and he has to make a decision. Should be buy a kidney - be an organ tourist? Should be save one child? If so, which one? Should be sacrifice himself? Or is there a fourth solution - one so terrible it has never even crossed his mind?
 

*** 

Review: One thing I've learned about Helen Fitzgerald from her other books is that she loves to turn thriller conventions on their heads - in another of her novels, The Cry, she revealed the twist very early on. In this one, she reveals the apparent twist right at the outset. The result for me was that the vast majority of the book read more like a drama (definitely heightened by the impending teenage deaths, which is a common theme in YA drama/fiction novels). Ultimately, Helen actually went even further than just telling you the twist at the beginning, and I have to admit I was completely and utterly thrown - even confused, for quite a few pages. It's one of those things people are either going to cop the second the possibilities even arise, or is going to leave people baffled, like it did me. She did a great job of making all the possibilities apparent, and then blowing them out of the water.

As per both of her previous novels that I have read, the writing is fantastic - the author has an uncanny knack for rendering such life-like characteristics in the people she writes. Everything is always just complex enough to make it seem life-like, but also always just crazy enough to keep it exciting and to keep the pages turning. I have to admit, however, that this is my least favourite of the three I read, possibly because of the aforementioned drama feel. Additionally, it is told in two perspectives (as her books often are), one third person and one first person. The first person perspective is Georgie, the more delinquent of the teenagers, and I can't honestly say I cared much about her at all. I felt the first person perspective totally overshadowed Kay, who I would have liked to read much more about. I couldn't stand Cynthia, Will was okay, and probably the most interesting (but least credible) character was the young private detective. All in all, I found the characters pretty underwhelming, and wasn't too fussed what happened to any of them.

That said, I still tore through the book in a couple of days due to its immense readability, so it's definitely worth picking up. Just maybe don't take it as your introduction to the author.

Rating: 3.5/5

[Nollaig]

Fly By Night - Frances Hardinge

 

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Mosca Mye hasn't got much. Her cruel uncle keeps her locked up in his mill, and her only friend is her pet goose, Saracen, who'll bite anything that crosses his path. But she does have one small, rare thing: the ability to read. She doesn't know it yet, but in a world where books are dangerous things, this gift will change her life. Enter Eponymous Clent, a smooth-talking con man who seems to love words nearly as much as Mosca herself. Soon Mosca and Clent are living a life of deceit and danger -- it would be exactly the kind of tale Mosca has always longed to take part in, until she learns that her one true love -- words -- may be the death of her.

*** 

Review: Wow. Just, wow. I have never read anything by Frances Hardinge before, but I now want to read everything she's written including her shopping lists. I have rarely been so spoiled by the pleasure of such beautiful writing as can be found in this stunning little curiosity of a novel.

Designated a children's book at every turn, I am genuinely surprised it is considered so. At approximately 500 pages of poetic prose it is not a light read, even if it is a wholly immersive one. I feel like it's a childrens' book in the same way that His Dark Materials is a childrens' series - on the surface, maybe, but if you delve deeper into what the stories really have to say, there is so much in here for people of all ages to enjoy. This review is going to be little more than me endlessly singing Hardinge's praises, so for balance I will admit it's a tiny bit convoluted and probably doesn't need to be as long as it is.  That, however, is as much as I can say against it, and you can see it's not enough to knock any marks off because the whole rest of the book is so wholly unique and accomplished. I can't believe it was her debut.

The characters are phenomenal, the writing is sharp and endlessly quotable, the plot is intricate and has so much to say on the topic of free speech, the power and beauty of words and the press, herd mentality and independent thinking, and it has a few choice comments on the topic of religion to boot. It is set in a historical context, imbued with just enough fantasy to make everything magical. The settings are so beautifully evoked by Hardinge's mastery of words that I am immensely relieved to hear there is a sequel because I am not ready to let go of this world. I don't want to spoil a single thing about it, but I also want to convince everyone to pick it up and read it. The more I reflect on this book, the more I fall in love with it. It is an absolute must for all true lovers of storytelling, books, and words.

Rating: 5/5