Charm's Choices for 2009

[Michelle]

If I recall correctly, Dime Store Magic was my favourite in the series. I'm also glad you enjoyed Derek Gunn's book - it's a rather different take on vampire books, considering what else is out there!

[Charm]

I loved Dime Store Magic and its a toss up between it and Stolen at the min for me, although Lexie says Broken is fantastic.

 

Oh yeah, Derek Gunn's vampires were class! The real deal, all the nastyness of vamps and none of the romanticism, more of an action book than the usual love stories that are so popular at the min, very different, but I really enjoyed it!

[Charm]

The Empty Chair ~by~ Jeffrey Deaver

Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones:

Lincoln Rhyme has travelled to a world-famous spinal cord injuries center in North Carolina for some risky, experimental surgery. It may make him a tiny bit better, it may kill him. But before he has a chance to undergo it, the local police department are drafting in Rhyme and Amelia, using their forensic skills to help find two women kidpapped by a psychotic young man known locally as the Insect Boy. After a cat and mouse game through the abandoned swamps of North Carolina, Lincoln and Amelia manage to find him - then Amelia, convinced of his innocence, breaks the boy out of jail. And Lincoln has to find them both, while Amelia uses all the skills her mentor and lover has taught her to evade him. Her actions are to have more disastrous consequence than either of them anticipate ...

My thoughts:

This Deaver book took me a little longer to get into than all his other novels I've read and I think maybe it was partly due to the environment in which the story took place (I hate insects ) However, when it gripped me I could hardly put it down for wanting to see what happened next. Deaver is the master of plot twists and suprises and just when I thought I had it sussed, he throws another twist in the tale right up to the very last chapter! I ony have one small compaint, I think his books are becomming a tad repetitive, well the Lincoln Rhyme ones anyway. They're still a fantastic read with well thought out plots and characters, but he does seem to be following the same formula for the stories, although with that in mind, if you like one of his books chances are you'll like most of them!

I'm still giving this a high rating, Mr Deaver still has a superb way of keeping you turning those pages as fast as you can!

9/10

[Ceinwenn]

Excellent review Charm & yes, I would agree with you that Mr. Deaver is a tad formulaic, but luckily it works! I think the formula bit is why I made sure I didn't read anymore Lincoln Rhyme books one right after the other, once I had discerned the formula. Luckily, knowing that there is a formula to his books doesn't make them any less readable & definately doesn't make them any easier to suss!

[frankie]

You already finished it?? Man you're fast! I'm glad you enjoyed it in the end

[Charm]

Excellent review Charm & yes, I would agree with you that Mr. Deaver is a tad formulaic, but luckily it works! I think the formula bit is why I made sure I didn't read anymore Lincoln Rhyme books one right after the other, once I had discerned the formula. Luckily, knowing that there is a formula to his books doesn't make them any less readable & definately doesn't make them any easier to suss!

 

Thanks Ceinwenn! Absolutely agree! He definately had me fooled ... again! I would class him as one of the best thriller writers I've read and his formula definately does work.

 

You already finished it?? Man you're fast! I'm glad you enjoyed it in the end

 

Mojo's still here thank goodness so I'm making the most of it! Looks like I'm back on track for my 52 books in a year challenge.

[Mac]

Great review, Charm. I'm really looking forward to reading this guys novels now I've read his shorts (stories, not underpants). I'm intrigued about how he makes a successful series about a paraplegic, about how he gets the action in. Which one do I start with?

 

Hope you're very well.

[Charm]

I'm good Mac thank you and thanks for the comment

 

Start with The Bone Collector, it will start you off on a great series. It's also been my favourite of the Lincoln books so far which is unusal I think for the first in a series.

[Charm]

Living Dead In Dallas is the second of the Sookie Stackhouse Vampire Mysteries. I started it yesterday morning and finished it last night. First time ever I've done that apart from short books.

 

Synopsis Courtesy of Waterstones:

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse isn't happy. Her co-worker has been murdered and no one seems to care. If that wasn't enough she's got blood-poisoning and a raging fever. Luckily, some friendly vampires graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But, seeing as they did save her life, when they come asking for a favour she can hardly refuse. She quickly finds herself using her telepathic skills in the search for a missing vampire, but when they break their good behaviour condition over a tasty blond, things go rapidly and horribly wrong ...

 

My thoughts:

Sookie and Bill's relationship is still growing strong and due to her agreement with Eric, the head vampire in the area, she, because of her telepathic talent is 'lent' out to the head vampire in Dallas to help him. Bill of course is sent to bodyguard her but things don't quite go as planned..

 

I flew through this book unfortunately. I say unfortunately because now I just want to go straight into the next one! Charlaine Harris is a great storyteller and I loved loads of the characters including Sookie. My favourite though is Eric, I have a feeling he's gonna get just who he wants . We are starting to see a few more supernaturals being introduced into the series too so you never know who or what's gonna pop up next!

 

I've never read Twilight ( )only seen the film, but I imagine if you've just finished Stephanie Meyer's books and are looking for more romantic vampire reads on a more adult level (there are a good few sex scenes), these books may well do the job.

 

9/10

Edited July 13, 2009 by Charm

[lexiepiper]

I really loved this one, I think it was one of my faves from the series although they're all so good

[Charm]

I finished In Silence ~by~ Erica Spindler last night. Goodness, I've been really lucky lately with great recommendations!

 

Description Courtesy of Amazon:

When Avery Chauvin returns to her Louisiana hometown after her father's suicide, she discovers clippings of a fifteen-year-old murder and learns about recent disappearances and murders that lead her to start an investigation.

 

My thoughts:

Avery Chauvin is a big city journalist who comes from a small Louisiana town, a town where everybody knows everybody else .. and their business. She returns to her old home because her father committed suicide a year after her mother had died. She doesn't believe her Dad would kill himself and sets out to find out what really happened. She uncovers that a group calling themselves the 'Seven' are making damn sure that their picture perfect, small town life stays exactly the same, weeding out the undesirables and making ensuring that no outsiders interfere with their idyllic apple pie lifestyle ... even if they have to resort to murder to accomplish it...

 

I really enjoyed this book, Erica Spindler is becomming one of those authors where I don't think I'll have to read the blurb to know that I'll like her work. She manages to write an engaging, thrilling book with plenty of action throughout while still exploring the depths of her characters. I would definately recommend this.

 

9/10

 

thank you Lexiepiper for sending this great read to me!

[lexiepiper]

So glad you've enjoyed the books (And I'm also glad that someone else knows about Erica, she's a hidden gem over here it seems )

[Charm]

I wasn't sure what to start reading tonight so I picked up Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ~by~ Lewis Carroll tonight.

 

Synopsis Courtesy of Waterstone's:

Bored on a hot afternoon, Alice follows a White Rabbit down a rabbit-hole and tumbles into Wonderland: a topsy-turvy world of riddles and nonsense where animals answer back, a baby turns into a pig, time stands still at a disorderly tea party, croquet is played with hedgehogs and flamingos, and the Mock Turtle and Gryphon dance the Lobster Quadrille. In a land in which nothing is as it seems and cakes, potions and mushrooms can make her shrink to ten inches or grow to the size of a house, will she ever find her way home?

 

My thoughts:

I've only ever seen the Disney version of this, never actually read the book (I don't remember a baby turning into a pig in the film!). With the new Hollywood remake being released soon, I wanted to aquaint myself with the book first as I'm sure Disney didn't stick wholly to the story.

 

Its a quick read and actually pretty funny. My favourite character had to be The Mad Hatter, who kept popping up throughout the story although I did like the Cheshire Cat and the Duchess's morals, quote: "Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you where or might have been was not otherwise what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise." Phew! What a quote eh? She had loads of them!

 

I did enjoy this, even though Alice got quite annoying after a while. I can't wait to see the new movie, hopefully Tim Burton will do it justice.

 

7/10

Edited June 24, 2009 by Charm

[Charm]

Thanks Lexie. I'd never heard of Erica Spindler before bcf!

[Kylie]

Are you planning on reading Through the Looking-Glass as well? I think I read that the new movie is based largely on that book (which I enjoyed more than Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, personally).

 

I can't wait to see the movie.

[Charm]

Oooh I hadn't planned on it no, but you've made it sound interesting so I think I'll check it out! I just presumed the film was based on Alice's Adventures.

Thanks Kylie

[Kylie]

Actually, now that I think about it, I have a feeling the Disney version was based on both books as well. That Disney movie is one my favourite movies ever

[Charm]

Its been that long since I've seen it that I can't remember the half of it. I did find when I was reading the book that I would picture the characters that Disney used, just as they'd drawn them. I don't remember there being as many poems though and l can't recall The Duchess at all! It has been well over ten years since I saw it though I think my fav Disney movie is The Aristocats, brilliant story and some cracking songs!

[Kylie]

The Duchess definitely wasn't in Alice in Wonderland. I haven't seen The Aristocrats yet but it looks like a good movie. I love the music in Alice; I have the soundtrack and right now I have that song 'You can learn a lot of things from the flowers' in my head.

[Michelle]

I'm sure that the new film isn't actually a re-make as such.. I'll go find the previous thread and link....

 

Added: The thread is here, and the wiki entry says:

Alice in Wonderland is an upcoming 2010 fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and based on the Lewis Carroll novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.

Plot

 

Alice, now 17, attends a party at a Victorian estate only to find she is about to be proposed to in front of hundreds of snooty society types. She runs off, following the white rabbit into a hole and ending up in Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years before yet doesn't remember. Wonderland was a peaceful kingdom until the Red Queen overthrew her sister. The creatures of Wonderland, ready to revolt, wait for Alice to help them.

Edited June 25, 2009 by Michelle

[Stephanie2008]

I was reading that article and it said that many aspects of the books were integrated, such as the Red Queen being the Queen of Hearts. I got confused though and just decided to enjoy the film. I love the Disney adaptation, especially the Walrus and the Carpenter bit. I do remember there being a lot of poems, alot of the characters rhyme in what the say.

 

PS Charm - I also really love The Aristocats. One of the best Disney films ever

[Charm]

I've just added another 3 books to my TBR pile, on the other hand I've taken 4 off my wishlist!

[SweetiiPie85]

PS Charm - I also really love The Aristocats. One of the best Disney films ever

 

 

I love the Aristocats. I used to watch it over and over again with my brother when we were little. I actually had to buy it for him on DVD for his Christmas last year

 

"Everybody wants to be a cat"

Edited June 26, 2009 by SweetiiPie85

[Charm]

I love the Aristocats. I used to watch it over and over again with my brother when we were little. I actually had to buy it for him on DVD for his Christmas last year

 

"Everybody wants to be a cat"

 

My absolute favourite song was 'Scales and Arpeggios' (sp?). I loved that wee song

[Charm]

Industrial Magic ~by~ Kelley Armstrong

 

Synopsis Courtesy of Waterstones:

After Paige Winterbourne is ousted as leader of the American Coven of Witches, all she wants to do is hide under her duvet for a few months. Let the supernatural world manage without her, see if she cares...But fate, of course, has other plans. A murderer is on the loose - someone with superhuman skills. When Paige learns that the killer is targeting children, she realises she has to get involved in the covert investigation. And so Paige - desperate to protect those she loves - is thrown into a world of arrogant Cabal leaders, drunken necromancers, sulky druid gods and pretentious leather-clad vampires. Luckily, she has a female werewolf and a certain renegade sorcerer on her side...

 

My thoughts:

This book the fourth in the series and they just keep getting better and better. It has it all, loads of different supernaturals, love, betrayal and fantastic characters. Add all these to the brilliant plot of a dangerous supernatural hell bent on revenge and you have a great thriller with a good dose of magic. Highly recommended.

 

10/10