Kell's 2011 Reading Log

[Kell]

 

Title: Crippen

Author: John Boyne

ISBN: 978-0552777438

Publisher: Black Swan

First Published: 2004

No. of pages:504

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Synopsis (Amazon):

July 1910: a gruesome discovery has been made at 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden. Buried in the cellar are the remains of Cora Crippen, former music-hall singer and wife of Dr Hawley Crippen. But Dr Crippen and his mistress Ethel Le Neve have disappeared, and a full-scale hunt for them has begun. Across the Channel in Antwerp, Captain Kendall gives the order for the SS Montrose to begin its two-week voyage to Canada. On board are 1300 passengers, including the overbearing Antonia Drake, the unassuming Martha Hayes and the enigmatic Mathieu Zela. And, slipping in almost unnoticed, a Mr John Robinson with his seventeen-year-old son Edmund …

 

Review:

Well, where to start? How about with just one word: WOW! Crippen is quite one of the most gripping crime faction novels I’ve ever read. That’s the short version.

 

You want the long version? OK, here goes…

 

This fictionalised account of a real and infamous crime that gripped the English-speaking world is nothing short of brilliant. The characters are sympathetically drawn, yes, even that of Dr Hawley Crippen himself. Boyne has taken one of Britain’s most notorious and mysterious killers and made him a human being; one with feelings and troubles with which one can readily identify. The relationship he suffers with his overbearing wife, Cora, makes one wish someone would kill her!

 

Despite Dr Crippen being a name synonymous with gruesome and grisly murder, mystery and misconception surrounds both the man and the case, so proceedings are not so straightforward as one might expect. Indeed, Boyne manages to keep things suspenseful to the very end, which came as a huge surprise to this reader!

 

I was completely drawn into the plot and loved the back-and-forth style of storytelling which revealed things little by little, drawing things out in such a way that there was always something unexpected around the corner. Time and again I was delighted by some little twist or turn till the thrilling conclusion which was immensely satisfying.

 

It’s rare that a novel compels me to research a subject further, but this one has had that exact effect. I’m now fascinated by the man and the crime he committed (or did he?), and urge all fans of crime fact and fiction to pick up Crippen as soon as possible. I guarantee you won’t be able to put it don till the last page has been turned.

 

[Kell]

Have just discovered a stack of books I want to read - all by the same author:

 

Amanda Grange:

• 
   
  
• Darcy's Diary (2005)
  
• Mr Knightly's Diary (2006)
  
• Mr Darcy's Diary (2007)
  
• Captain Wentworth's Diary (2007)
  
• Edmund Bertram's Diary (2007)
  
• Colonel Brandon's Diary (2008)
  
• Wickham's Diary (2011)
  
• Henry Tilney's Diary (2011)
  
• Dear Mr Darcy (2012)
  

 

Can you spot the theme? Yes, they're all told from the point of view of Jane Austen's male characters! I'm especially desperate to read Henry Tilney's Diary, as he's my favourite of Austen's gentlemen; and Wickham's Diary, because I've always loved his villainous and manipulative ways.

 

I read Mr Darcy, Vampyre by the same author a while back and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to getting hold of these and reading them all!

[chesilbeach]

I'm very intrigued by those Kell, and will look out for your reviews of them. I love the idea of reading about the male characters, and I love books written in a diary format, so these could well be right up my street.

[Kell]

W... W... W... Wednesdays

* What are you currently reading?

* What did you recently finish reading?

* What do you think you’ll read next?

 

 

What are you currently reading?

Simon Scarrow – Young Bloods (Revolution 1)

I think I might put this one aside for just now as I find I’m just not in the mood for it. I’m not abandoning it as it’s very good – I will definitely come back to it when I’m in a mood for revolutionary war!

 

Julia Golding – Black Heart of Jamaica (Cat Royal 5)

Almost finished this one and loving it. This really is a highly enjoyable series!

 

Kevin Brookes – iBoy

Just starting this one from the library. Young adult urban sci-fi thriller. Looks like it could be pretty good!

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Steven A Roman – Blood Feud (Saga of Pandora Zwieback vol 1) - 4/5

See my full review HERE.

 

John Boyne – Crippen (Transworld Book Group) - 5/5

See my full review HERE.

 

Stephenie Meyer – The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner - 2/5

I wasn’t impressed with the Twilight Saga (or Emo Sparkly Vamps R Us), but the completest in me demanded I read the accompanying novella. It’s no better than the rest of the series. Meyer is no great shakes as a writer and her one concession to originality is making her vampires sparkle in the sun. This novella is readable and blessedly short, but will only really delight those who are her most ardent fans.

 

What do you think you’ll read next?

Transworld Book Group

 

Michael Cordy – The Colour of Death

 

From the library:

 

YS Lee – A Spy in the House (The Agency 1)

Lauren Kate – Fallen (Fallen 1)

 

[ladymacbeth]

I'm a die hard Twilight fan and still didn't think much of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.

[Kell]

W... W... W... Wednesdays

* What are you currently reading?

* What did you recently finish reading?

* What do you think you’ll read next?

 

 

What are you currently reading?

Elizabeth Chadwick – Shadows and Strongholds

I’ve not read much in the way of medieval historical fiction, but this has been languishing on Mount TBR for several years now and it’s about time I gave it a try!

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Julia Golding – Black Heart of Jamaica (Cat Royal 5) - 3/5

Not quite as good as the last one. Once again we’re looking at slavery, but this time Cat experiences first hand how slaves are treated. There’s a smattering of piracy included, so a second sea voyage (however brief), but I would have preferred more of that to explore something a little different. Still good though!

 

Kevin Brookes – iBoy - 4/5

Young adult urban sci-fi thriller with a great concept. Fascinating study on moral right versus revenge and the responsibility of those who have power (a la Spiderman etc). Believable characters coupled with hard-hitting themes which are deftly handled. I’ll be looking out for this author in future!

 

YS Lee – A Spy in the House (The Agency 1) - 3/5

First in a series of young adult historical detective/mystery novels. Packed with intrigue and it doesn’t dumb down for the teen audience either. Definitely worth pursuing further.

 

Steven Preece – Wasted Resource (FOR REVIEW) - 2/5

Full review HERE.

 

Lauren Kate – Fallen (Fallen 1) - 3/5

First in a young adult urban fantasy series. Interesting characters and concept although nearer the end it started to jump around a fair bit which meant I marked it down a little when I finished it. I’ll be reading the other books too though.

 

Michael Cordy – The Colour of Death – ABANDONDED

I just couldn’t read this one because it’s written in the present tense. It doesn’t matter how good a story is, if it’s written in the present tense, I just can’t get on with it. It hurts my head too much. So, sadly, I shall be unable to read this novel, which is the last one I was sent from the Transworld Book Group. Such a shame, because the other three were all great reads.

 

What do you think you’ll read next?

I have absolutely no idea what I’ll read next. It really depends on what takes my fancy. It will be my birthday on Monday, so I’ll definitely be buying a few books then. Most likely one or more of the following:

 

• 
   
  
• Kelley Armstrong – Spellbound (WotOW 12)
  
• Brian Michael Bendis – Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm (graphic novel)
  
• Richard Castle – Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3)
  
• Philippa Gregory – The Lady of the Rivers (Cousins’ War 3)
  
• Terry Pratchett – Snuff (Discworld 39)
  

 

I’ll also most likely visit the library some time next week and pick out a few more titles there…

[Kell]

I have birthday money, so I had to make a couple of birthday boko acquisitions rather than letting th emoney burn a hole in my wallet. Three new hardback books bought today:

 

Kelley Armstrong - Spellbound (WotOW 12)

Savannah Levine is in danger. That's not usually a problem. But, caught in the grip of a disturbing and violent murder case, Savannah swore to give up her unique gifts if it would save an innocent young girl. Little did she know that someone - or something - was listening...Now she has no idea how to restore her powers, just when she needs them the most. In this compelling, fast-paced new thriller, Savannah has to face a host of deadly enemies bent on destroying not only her, but the very fabric of the supernatural world. As dark forces gather, Savannah isn't just fighting for her life, but for everything and everyone she loves...

 

Philippa Gregory - The Lady of the Rivers (Cousins' War 3)

Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV. Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines.

 

Erin Morgenstern - The Night Circus

In 1886, a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, Le Cirque des Rêves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire.

 

Although there are acrobats, fortune-tellers and contortionists, the Circus of Dreams is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice. The circus seems almost to cast a spell over its aficionados, who call themselves the rêveurs – the dreamers. At the heart of the story is the tangled relationship between two young magicians, Celia, the enchanter’s daughter, and Marco, the sorcerer’s apprentice. At the behest of their shadowy masters, they find themselves locked in a deadly contest, forced to test the very limits of the imagination, and of their love...

 

A fabulous, fin-de-siècle feast for the senses and a life-affirming love story, The Night Circus is a captivating novel that will make the real world seem fantastical and a fantasy world real.

 

Also wanted to get (but couldn't because they're not yet published/weren't in the store):

- Brian M Bendis - Richard Castle's Deadly Storm (graphic novel) - published 21st Sep

- Terry Pratchett - Snuff (DW 39) - published 13th Oct

- Richard Castle - Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3) - published 20th Oct

 

There are others on my radar, but those are the ones earmarked for birthday money spendage!

[Kell]

TEASER TUESDAYS

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

 

My teasers:

A low-hanging branch whipped at Brunin and he ducked low over Morel’s straining neck. Behind him he could still hear the clash of battle, but it was fading, as if they were out of the dining hall and in a vestibule.

 

- page 106, Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick

 

Reluctantly Brunin raised his gaze to Joscelin’s flint-bright one. “I am not a coward, my lord,” he said tautly.

 

- page 224, Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick

 

Synopsis:

A Mediaeval tale of pride and strife, of coming of age in a world where chivalry is a luxury seldom afforded, especially by men of power. An awkward misfit, loathed by his powerful and autocratic grandmother, nine-year-old Fulke FitzWarin (known as Brunin) leaves his family to be fostered in the household of Joscelin de Dinan, Lord of Ludlow. Here Fulke will learn knightly arts, but before he can succeed, he must overcome the deep-seated doubts that hold him back. Hawise FitzWarin is Joscelin’s youngest daughter and she befriends Fulke. As they grow up, an implacable enemy threatens Ludlow and as the pressure mounts, their friendship changes until one fateful day they find themselves staring at each other across a divide. Not only does Fulke have to overcome the shadows of his childhood, he faces a Welsh threat to his family’s lands, and the way he feels about Hawise endangers all his hard won confidence. As the menace to Ludlow intensifies, he must either confront the future head on, or fail on all counts, not knowing if Hawise stands with or against him.

 

What I think of it so far:

Although I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, I usually go for Roman, Tudor and Victorian eras, so this jaunt into the medieval period is unknown territory for me. I’m enjoying it immensely and if it ends as well as it started, I’ll be looking for more by this author in the future.

[Kell]

W... W... W... Wednesdays

* What are you currently reading?

* What did you recently finish reading?

* What do you think you’ll read next?

 

 

What are you currently reading?

Elizabeth Chadwick – Shadows and Strongholds

I haven’t had much reading time this past week and this one’s a chunky one at 560+ pages. I’m about half way through and loving it so far.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Absolutely nothing this week – just started reading Shadows and Strongholds…

 

What do you think you’ll read next?

It was my birthday on Monday, so I spent some of my birthday money on some new books which will be next up off Mount TBR:

 

• Kelley Armstrong – Spellbound (WotOW 12)
  
• Philippa Gregory – The Lady of the Rivers (Cousins’ War 3)
  
• Erin Morgenstern – The Night Circus

[Kell]

August and September Book Round-Up

I didn’t get round to posting a round-up of the books I read in August last month as I was so busy with holidays, so here’s a bumper round-up for two months of reading.

 

RATINGS:

1/5 Dire – don’t waste your time

2/5 OK, but nothing to write home about

3/5 Very good – worth a read

4/5 Excellent

5/5 Superb – read it immediately!

 

 

BOOKS FINISHED IN AUGUST:

49. F E Higgins – The Black Book of Secrets (Sinister City 1) - 3/5

One from the library and the first in the Tales from the Sinister City series. A really great start to the series. It’s dark, it’s sinister, and it’s populated by characters I cared about very quickly. I’m looking forward to getting hold of the rest of the series from the library as soon as possible!

 

50. Julia Golding – Cat O’ Nine Tails (Cat Royal 4) - 4/5

The Cat Royal series just keeps on delivering! Fast-paced action, heart-warming characters, perilous situations, and real causes written in a manner that doesn’t condescend to its younger audience. This time round, Cat is all at sea – literally! It also delivers a sensitive portrayal of Native Americans and the oppression they often suffered at the hands of white settlers.

 

51. Philip Pullman – The Tin Princess (Sally Lockhart 4) - 3/5

This is the last book in the Sally Lockhart series, although it features Miss Lockhart (now Mrs Goldberg) very little. This is actually a good thing as Sally has always been a slightly unlikable character. Instead, this story focuses on Jim and another character we met way back in the beginning of the series (I won’t give it away). Throw in political unrest in a small European country and you have a very dangerous situation! It’s been a consistently good series, but I felt the end of this final installment left things hanging unsatisfactorily.

 

52. Douglas Jackson – Caligula - 4/5

Transworld Book Group – see full review HERE.

 

53. Nicholas Sparks – The Notebook - 4/5

This is not the kind of book I normally read. Although it’s written by a man, it’s a bit “chick-lit” and romantic for my usual tastes, but this is utterly compelling. As the story slowly unfolds, I’m finding myself falling in love with Noah and Allie, and I desperately wanted things to work out for them. It’s not often that a book makes me cry, but this one had me in tears, both of sadness and of joy. It’s a wonderful book and I recommend it even if it’s out of your comfort zone.

 

54. Alex Scarrow – Day of the Predator (TimeRiders 2) - 3/5

Time travel, dinosaurs, and possibly unravelling the entire space-time continuum – what more could you possibly want from a young adult novel? Well, great characters (check!) and a gripping plot (check would also be good. Ding, ding, ding – we have a winner! This is a brilliant sequel which expands upon what we learned in the first novel and makes some intriguing revelations (one important one I had already guessed back in the first book, but I felt quietly proud that I’d worked it out and it didn’t spoil things for me).

 

BOOKS FINISHED IN SEPTEMBER:

55. Lee Carroll – Black Swan Rising - 3/5

Transworld Book Group – see full review HERE.

 

56. Steven A. Roman – Blood Feud (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Book 1) - 4/5

Reviewed for author HERE.

 

57. John Boyne – Crippen - 5/5

Transworld Book Group – see full review HERE.

 

58. Stephenie Meyer – The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Twilight Saga Novella) - 2/5

I wasn’t impressed with the Twilight Saga (or Emo Sparkly Veggie Vamps R Us), but the completest in me demanded I read the accompanying novella. It’s no better than the rest of the series. Meyer is no great shakes as a writer and her one concession to originality is making her vampires sparkle in the sun. This novella is readable and blessedly short, but will only really delight those who are her most ardent fans.

 

59. Julia Golding – Black Heart of Jamaica (Cat Royal 5) - 3/5

Not quite as good as the last one. Once again we’re looking at slavery, but this time Cat experiences first hand how slaves are treated. There’s a smattering of piracy included, so a second sea voyage (however brief), but I would have preferred more of that to explore something a little different. Still good though!

 

60. Kevin Brookes – iBoy - 4/5

Young adult urban sci-fi thriller with a great concept. Fascinating study on moral right versus revenge and the responsibility of those who have power (a la Spider-Man etc). Believable characters coupled with hard-hitting themes which are deftly handled. I’ll be looking out for this author in future!

 

61. YS Lee – A Spy in the House (The Agency 1) - 3/5

First in a series of young adult historical detective/mystery novels. Packed with intrigue and it doesn’t dumb down for the teen audience either. Definitely worth pursuing further.

 

62. Steven Preece – Wasted Resource - 2/5

Reviewed for author HERE.

 

63. Lauren Kate – Fallen (Fallen 1) - 3/5

First in a young adult urban fantasy series. Interesting characters and concept although nearer the end it started to jump around a fair bit which meant I marked it down a little when I finished it. I’ll be reading the other books too though.

 

BOOKS ABANDONED UNFINISHED:

Kevin Crossley-Holland – The Seeing Stone (Arthur Trilogy 1)

It’s 338 pages long, but has 100 chapters. By page 50, I had read 17 chapters and that was more than enough to know this wasn’t for me. To be honest, starting a new chapter every other page disrupted the flow – not that there was much flow anyway, as everything seemed to chop and change each time a new chapter began. As some chapters were literally less than a single page in length, I very quickly grew weary of it and dumped it. I won’t be returning to it or the rest of the series, despite being a huge fan of the Arthurian legends. A shame, because I was looking forward to it.

 

Michael Cordy – The Colour of Death (Transworld Book Group)

I just couldn’t read this one because it’s written in the present tense. It doesn’t matter how good a story is, if it’s written in the present tense, I just can’t get on with it. It hurts my head too much. So, sadly, I shall be unable to read this novel, which is the last one I was sent from the Transworld Book Group. Such a shame, because the other three.

 

BOOKS STARTED (carrying over to October):

Elizabeth Chadwick – Shadows and Strongholds

Although I love historical fiction, I usually head straight for Roman, Tudor or Victorian eras, so this medieval setting is unusual for me and mostly an unknown quantity. Loving this so far – if it finishes as well as it’s started then I can see myself hunting out further works by this author in the future.

[Kell]

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY

 

Loud

1. What do you think of reading aloud/being read to? Does it bring back memories of your childhood? Your children’s childhood?
   
2. Does this affect the way you feel about audio books?
   
3. Do you now have times when you read aloud or are read to?
   

 

I read aloud to myself all the time if I’m alone. I find it helps me really get into the characters (it’s the dialogue I tend to speak, rather than the rest of it). I also read aloud to my son, Xander (who is three years old) all the time. He loves books as much as I do. It’s not just a part of my childhood, reading aloud is part of the experience for me.

 

I used to listen to audio books all the time. I’d walk to and from work, half an hour each way, and be plugged into my iPod the whole time, listening to someone else tell me a story. Loads of them were freebies read by laymen from Librivox, but some were professional ones. I enjoyed both. I don’t get the time to listen to them so much now though.

 

I think I’ve answered the third part of the question in the first part of my answer, so I’ll leave it at that…

[ladymacbeth]

My unborn child already has a shelf full of books and I can't wait to be able to start reading them to him/her. It's one of the things I most look forward to as a parent because my childhood memories of books and being read to are so good.

[Kell]

Musing Mondays

What are you most excited about reading, right now?

It can be a book you’re currently enjoying, or a book that’s yet to be published, etc.

 

 

Right now? At this very moment? I’m most excited about two books – one of which has just been published, the other will be published later this month – and I can hardly wait to get my greedy mitts on both of them!

 

Richard Castle – Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3)

Richard Castle is a fictional author (not just an author of fiction, but a completely made up person) who is the star of the show Castle (where he’s played by the wonderful Nathan Fillion). I’ve already read the first two books in this series and loved them – Castle has become part of my Permanent Collection, which is a rare honour as I only keep a very small portion of the books I buy and when I do, I get them in hardback. The books tie in neatly with the show without copying the plotlines from it – it’s all very cleverly done and whether or not you watch the show, you can enjoy the books, which I’m sure you will if you read them! This one will be published on 20th October.

 

Brian Michael Bendis and Richard Castle – Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm (graphic novel)

I’m a fan of graphic novels anyway, so to combine this medium with crime fiction AND one of my favourite TV shows is just beyond awesome! This is the graphic novelisation of one of Richard Castle’s earlier books – Deadly Storm (there is no actual publication of that name by this fictional author – the series was made up for the TV show). The artwork looks great and Im’ desperate to get a look at one of Castle’s other characters, having come to know and love Nikki Heat from the other novels. This one was published on 21st September and I’ll be getting hold of it around the same time as Heat Rises.

 

You can bet that the moment I get both of these books I’ll be cracking them open to read non-stop till I reach the end!

 

I’m also incredibly excited about another book I’ve just bought but won’t be able to start reading for at least another week as I’m reviewing another book for a publisher.

 

Erin Morgenstern – The Night Circus

I heard about this one online by sheer chance and fell in love with the cover. Without even knowing exactly what it was about, I decided then and there that I was going to have this book! I bought it with some of my birthday money and it’s next on my list of books to read!

 

Isn’t that cover just gorgeous? Doesn’t it tempt you to grab it and read it till there’s no more to read? How could anyone possibly resist it?

[Weave]

'The Night Circus' has a goregeous cover, I agree Kell, I enjoyed your review of 'Crippen', it sounds interesting and my kind of read.

[dawnbirduk]

What a brain am I? I love this TV series, never occurred to me it was taken from a book, it is now on my wish list

 

Richard Castle – Heat Rises (Nikki Heat 3)

Richard Castle is a fictional author (not just an author of fiction, but a completely made up person) who is the star of the show Castle (where he’s played by the wonderful Nathan Fillion). I’ve already read the first two books in this series and loved them – Castle has become part of my Permanent Collection, which is a rare honour as I only keep a very small portion of the books I buy and when I do, I get them in hardback. The books tie in neatly with the show without copying the plotlines from it – it’s all very cleverly done and whether or not you watch the show, you can enjoy the books, which I’m sure you will if you read them! This one will be published on 20th October.

 

Many Thanks for this tip

Edited October 3, 2011 by dawnbirduk

[Kell]

It's NOT taken from a book at all. Through the show, Castle writes various novels and Becket is his muse (he bases his character of Nikki Heat on her). The books are by "Richard Castle" and are also plugged through the show (remember when he's on book tours etc? Those books are actually written to tie in with the show!).

 

I heartily recommend them.

 

1. Heat Wave

2. Naked Heat

3. Heat Rises

[dawnbirduk]

It's NOT taken from a book at all. Through the show, Castle writes various novels and Becket is his muse (he bases his character of Nikki Heat on her). The books are by "Richard Castle" and are also plugged through the show (remember when he's on book tours etc? Those books are actually written to tie in with the show!).

 

I heartily recommend them.

 

1. Heat Wave

2. Naked Heat

3. Heat Rises

 

That does explain it, as when looking on goodreads, the authors name is Richard Castle. So the books are based on the show not the other way round

[chesilbeach]

I've picked up The Night Circus a few times now, but am going to get it on my Kindle. I read the opening few pages and really enjoyed it, and when I went back to the book shop later, there was someone reading the books opening pages sat in the same chair I had!

[Kell]

TEASER TUESDAYS

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

 

My teasers:

But sheltered in moonlight in the doorway of an outbuilding, the girl – and only the girl – walked free! Free to escape into the storm, and to her lover. This ancient house and land, its near neighbour new and buttressed against the medieval ruin, has been known ever since as the Casa al Vento – the House of the Wind.

 

- page 2, The House of the Wind by Titania Hardy

 

“But if we could…?” the girl was almost thinking aloud. She looked at Jacquetta sympathetically. “Why does your daughter not speak, Signora, when she hears so perfectly?”

 

- page 46, The House of the Wind by Titania Hardy

 

Synopsis:

A legendary ruin. An ancient mystery. Will unveiling the past transform the future?

 

San Francisco, 2007. Madeline Moretti is grieving for her fiancé. Nothing brings her joy any more, and Maddie’s grandmother, a fiery Italian, sends her to Tuscany to heal. Here, Maddie is immersed in the mystery of a ruined villa. Destroyed centuries ago in a legendary storm on the Eve of St Agnes, it has been known ever since as the Casa al Vento – the House of the Wind.

 

Tuscany, 1347. Mia hasn’t spoken since her mother’s death, and lives in silence with her beloved aunt. One dark night, a couple seek refuge in their villa. Used to welcoming passing pilgrims, Mia is entranced by the young bride’s radiance and compassion, but mystified by her reluctance to reveal even her name. Where has she come from, and why must her presence be a secret?

 

Centuries apart, each searching for a way to step into her future, both Mia and Maddie will be haunted by the myth of the young woman who walked unscathed from the ruins of the House of the Wind.

 

What I think of it so far:

I’m not very far in, hence the two teasers from very early on in the book, but I’m enjoying it so far. It’s a bit like Labyrinth by Kate Mosse for style, as it’s back and forth in time over two parallel stories and I’m enjoying the slow unravelling of the lives of two women – one in 1347, the other in 2007 – on completely different continents.

[Kell]

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY

Odd

What’s the oddest book you’ve ever read? Did you like it? Hate it? Did it make you think?

 

I guess some of the fantasy books I’ve read in the past have been a little odd, and then there was Snow White and the Seven Samurai by Tom Holt which was funny-odd (and the only book by him I’ve ever actually enjoyed). But mostly I just find it odd that so many people seem to think The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer are any good. I found them highly unoriginal and the characters incredibly annoying (sparkly emo vamps, and a clingy, whingy, pathetic female lead that is quite possibly the sorriest excuse for a role model ever to have made it to the printed page – Gods help the poor girls who think she’s a good example to follow!).

 

The Woman and the Ape by Peter Høeg was pretty weird. It started well in an almost fairytale kind of way, but got distinctly uncomfortable and then very, well, odd. I enjoyed it less and less as it went on and by the end I just thought it bizarre and a bit of a waste of my time to be honest.

[Kell]

Musing Mondays

 

What types of nonfiction do you read? Can do multiple choices.

 

CHOICES:

- e-books

- Mythology/Folklore

– Travel/Locations

– Humor

– History

– Art, including art history

– Science including forensics

– Gardening/Nature

– Political

– Financial/Economical

– Religious

– Self-help

– How-to books

– Books on writing

– Audio books

– Biography

– Autobiography

– Sports

– Architecture

– Fitness/Exercise/Nutrition/Beauty

– Other

– None of the Above

 

I’m primarily a fiction reader, but when I do switch to non-fiction, they’re usually mythology/folklore, gardening/nature, biographies and autobiographies. I also have quite a few books on various aspects of Paganism and Witchcraft, although not as many as I used to as I severely reduced my library to those books I actually referenced either on occasion or regularly, rather than keeping all the books I’d ever read on the subject. I also have several books on nutrition I’ve kept for reference…

[Kell]

TEASER TUESDAYS

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page

3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

5. Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

 

My teaser:

And even though I don’t have any proof, I just know in my gut that the way he’s been acting so off lately – with the sudden blank looks that are impossible to miss no matter how quickly they fade, not to mention the sweating, the headaches, the inability to manifest objects, or access the Summerland portal – well, when I add it all up, it’s clear that he’s sick.

 

Only Damon doesn’t get sick.

- page 111, Blue Moon (Imortals 2) by Alyson Noël

 

Synopsis:

Eager to learn everything she can about her new abilities as an Immortal, Ever turns to her beloved Damen to show her the way. But just as her powers are increasing, Damen’s are waning.

 

In an attempt to save him, Ever travels to the magical dimension of Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen’s tortured past; a past which he has always kept hidden from her. But in her quest to cure Damen, Ever discovers an ancient text that details the workings of time. Now Ever must chose between turning back the past and saving her family from the accident that claimed their lives – or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows sicker every day…

 

What I think of it so far:

I’m about half way through and enjoying it, but not quite as much as I did the first one, mostly because I’m kind of wishing the story would hurry up already and prove my assumptions correct about certain characters and happenings. Of course, if I’m proven wrong, I’ll be delighted as I love being surprised. Like I say, I’m enjoying it, but it’s taking a while to get where it’s going, perhaps just a bit too much build up…

[Kell]

W... W... W... Wednesdays

* What are you currently reading?

* What did you recently finish reading?

* What do you think you’ll read next?

 

 

What are you currently reading?

Titania Hardy – The House of the Wind (reviewing for publisher)

This one’s been sent to me by the publisher to review. I’m about 1/3rd of the way through and although it’s beautifully written, I’m finding it a little slow. Still, I’ll continue with it because, slow as it is, I am enjoying it…

 

Alyson Noël – Blue Moon (Immortals 2)

Just started this one. I enjoyed the first one (Evermore) which was a straight forward, easy read, so I’m hoping this one will match up to its predecessor.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Kelley Armstrong – Spellbound (WotOW 12) - 3/5

I was a little disappointed by this one, actually. I’m a HUGE fan of the series but Im’ not enjoying Savannah as a leading lady as much as I’d hoped. Waking the Witch (WotOW 11) was pretty good and Spellbound follows directly on from there, but it just didn’t get me anywhere near as excited. It’s still good, just not quite as good as the others in this series. Unfortunately, it’s been left wide open for another installment in this story arc. I just hope the next one will wind that story up and then we can move onto a different character in the driving seat – perhaps another Hope Adams or Jaime Vegas story, or coming full circle and returning to Elena Michaels – that would be very welcome!

 

What do you think you’ll read next?

• Philippa Gregory – The Lady of the Rivers (Cousins’ War 3) (own)
  
• Erin Morgenstern – The Night Circus (own)
  
• Alyson Noël – Shadowland (Immortals 3) (library)
  
• G.P.Taylor – The Ship of Fools (Mariah Mundy 3) (library)
  

[Kell]

BOOKING THROUGH THURSDAY

 

Sequel

If you could get a sequel for any book, what would it be?

 

This is a bit of an odd one for me, as I’d both love a sequel to my choice but at the same time would be terrified it would ruin things. The Stand by Stephen King is one of my all-time favourite books and although I would love to find out what happened next...

 

 

Where do Stu and Franny end up? Did they have more family? Do they ever return to Boulder? If they do, how has Boulder changed? Etc, etc, etc…

 

 

I would also really worry about it letting me down in a major way because it would have to be something really special to live up to the original. I know that if any writer could handle it, it would be Mr. King, but even he is not infallible and I don’t think I could, ahem, Stand to be disappointed by a duff follow-up!

[Weave]

I am sorry to ask Kell but the days you post with the excellent titles, are those books that read on specific days of the week? I know its a daft question