Jump to content

Kelly's Reading '09


lexiepiper

Recommended Posts

1079554.jpg

 

The Treatment by Mo Hayder

 

No. of pages: 397

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: Midsummer, and in an unassuming house on a quiet residential street on the edge of Brockwell Park in south London, a husband and wife are discovered, imprisoned in their own home. Badly dehydrated, they've been bound and beaten, and the husband is close to death. But worse is to come: their young son is missing. When DI Jack Caffery of the Met's AMIT squad is called in to investigate, the similarities to events in his own past make it impossible for him to view this new crime with the necessary detachment. And as Jack digs deeper, as he attempts to hold his own life together in the face of ever more disturbing revelations about both the past and the present, the real nightmare begins...Horrifying, unforgettable, intense, The Treatment is a novel that touches the raw nerve of our darkest imaginings.

 

Review: I didn't realise when I started reading this, that there's another book that proceeds this one, and it's referred too quite a lot during this book, so you'd really need to read Birdman first. As for this book, it's very dark, I found it hard going to keep reading about something so depraved, but I perservered, and then felt frustrated at the ending. The storyline is not to my taste really as the whole book revolves around a pedophile ring that like young boys, but I didn't realise that before I started reading. I found it a bit too graphic, and felt that more language was used than really necessary. But the mystery part of the book is woven well, and I was surprised at some of the revelations near the end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 509
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

51agMaU5GjL_SL500_.jpg

 

 

Men Of The Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

 

No. of pages: 369

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: I don't remember the first time I changed into a wolf. One night I passed out, and awoke to find my body covered in yellow fur. My brain was beyond reacting. It took this in its stride, as it had everything else in my new life. I got to my feet and went in search of food. As a curious and independent six-year-old, Clayton didn't resist the bite, he asked for it. But as a lone child werewolf his life is under constant threat. So when enigmatic Pack member Jeremy Danvers saves him, Clayton is determined to protect his adoptive father, no matter what the cost. So begins this gripping collection of four tales chronicling the bloody feuds of the American Pack, and the coming of age of Clay Danvers, a very powerful, and very singular werewolf.

 

Review: This is a book pretty much completely about Jeremy and Clay, and it's fantastic. I love Kelley Armstrong's series, and had no doubts that this would be a good book, but it was better than even I imagined. Jeremy and Clay are great characters, and this really helps in building them up in your head, and you begin to understand why they act the way they do. I know most of these are posted on Kelley's website, but not only is it lovely to read them in book form, it has a new story, shedding light on Jeremy's mother, which has never been revealed before. This is a definate for fans of the series, and I can't wait for the next installment about the men next year!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dear_nobody.jpg

 

Dear Nobody by Berlie Doherty

 

No. of pages: 152

Rating: 1/5

Synopsis: It was only once, but she's pregnant. When Helen discovers she is expecting a baby, she cuts off her relationshop with Chris, the boyfriend she loves very much. She's confused and tormented, and so is he. Separately, the two high school seniors must come to terms with their childs future-- and their own.

 

Review: I found this so utterly boring, to the point I wanted to give up on it, but persevered purely because it was such a short book. The premise of the story is good, but I found it poorly written and it just dragged so much. An author I wont be bothering with again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is set in the same world, you know Bitten is about Elena (the female werewolf)? Well this book is about Clay, who is Elena's OH, and Jeremy, who is the pack Alpha. You could read it before or after as most of it is set way before Bitten, but the last short story in the book is set after No Humans Involved which is the 7th book in the series, so it's pretty much your choice :blush: I will say though, that the last story does give away something that is built up through the other books, just as a warning ^^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

51MWE2HMACL_SL500_.jpg

 

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

 

No. of pages: 223

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand and jellybeans that come in every flavour, including strawberry, curry, grass and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! In the non-magical human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is renowned as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoilt, pig-like cousin Dudley.

 

Review: As this is a re-read, I've only given this book a 4/5 because I know there are others in the series I prefer, but this is still a fab beginning to a great series. I forgot just how short this book is, and so the action ending is wrapped up pretty quick, using most of the book to introduce Harry to the world of magic and Hogwarts. It was enjoyable to start over and get to know all the characters again, although Dumbledore still remains my favourite. I think it's been about 8 or 9 years since I first picked this book up, and I do still love the series as much as I did in my teens, so now I'm eager to move on to the rest of the books in the series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, Harry Potter. I'm surely due for a re-read of these books as well. I definitely have to get to them before the next movie comes out. :)

 

It's weird to look at how short the first book is compared to the rest of the series when you consider that this is the book that sets up the entire magical world and introduces us to all the characters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This I may very well be trying though! :tong:
I'm guessing it's set in the same 'world' as the women of the otherworld series, do you have to have read those first? Or are they entirely seperate?

I'd read the other books first, just to get the build-up of the stories as this works nice as a "looking back at the back history". Don't worry though - the whole series is excellent! :):D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think have a favourite Harry Potter, they each have something special to offer, be it wide eyed Harry in the first ones finding out about himself, to the moody Harry in later ones onward to heroic Harry who (miraculously) brings all the various threads together to defeat Ol' Vordy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

51rs6QgX4IL_SL500_.jpg

 

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

 

No. of pages: 251

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Harry is returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after the summer holidays and, right from the start, things are not straightforward. Unable to board the Hogwarts express, Harry and his friends break all the rules and make their way to the school in a magical flying car. From this point on, incredible events happen to Harry and his friends--Harry hears evil voices and someone, or something is attacking the pupils. Can Harry get to the bottom of the mystery before it's too late?

 

Review: This has always been my least favourite book of the series, so I was surprised when I read it through this time and actually liked it a lot more than I have previously. This book is much more eventful than The Philosopher's Stone, so it draws you in much faster. The chamber of secrets makes a good plot line, and the book flows well, and finishes with a gripping conclusion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...