Category Archives: Fiction

Review: Anthony Horowitz – Crocodile Tears

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Crocodile Tears
Anthony Horowitz

Genetically changed crops are the next stage in feeding the world. But of course, they can also be the source of a plague. Alex Rider is pitted against someone that isn’t even the obvious threat. It’ll take his wits (as usual) to get out of it…

6566616This novel gets off to a roaring start with a party and a road accident. Things seem to go back to normal then, but of course, Alex is in the middle of something before he even notices. Alex never learns. He just can’t help himself, and so he gets into trouble, and he doesn’t know if he’ll survive. But he just has to do it! MI6 chose the right person for the job.

I find myself frustrated by the usual formula of needing to use every gadget you are given! It means that I knew how things would work out. But then again, I love gadgets, and I would have been happy to see a bunch more of them! Gadgets are way more exciting than guns.

The blurb says that this is ‘his most dangerous adversary yet’, but I don’t think it is. All of the villains get a bit same-y eventually. Their motives are usually power, or money. And they all feel the need to brag about their plans! And pretend that it’s cool that it’s a 14 year old in front of them, a bright one, but still too young to make any sort of sense of most of the stuff.

It had been a while since I read the other novels in this series, but it honestly didn’t matter. This book is a stand-alone, any extra information you might need is briefed by one of the other characters. 3-4 stars from me, simply because it wasn’t that absorbing. I got it as a talking book to listen to while I worked, and it made a lovely distraction.

3star

Review: Brandon Sanderson – Warbreaker

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Warbreaker
Brandon Sanderson

Two princesses with hair that changes colour with their moods are let loose into the colourful capital of Hallandren – where one thrives and the other suffers. Naturally enough, the one that is suffering thinks that the one that is ‘thriving’ must be faking it! But as it is revealed, they aren’t the same people at all. With a war threatening, one is completely unaware of the war, and the other is unaware what she is doing. The God King could make a difference, but he is silent…

1268479Sometimes it feels like someone who didn’t read the novel wrote the blurb. Breath isn’t focussed by colour! It lets you see all the beautiful colours that are present. And with that note, and other great thing about Sanderson novels is that at the back, there is usually an explanation of the unique magic system he has come up with.

So this magic system is where every person in the world has ‘Breath’. Just one. Unless they sell it (becoming dull), or gain more than one. People with more Breath are more powerful, and it’s obvious to others because the colours brighten around them. The Breath can be used for protection, or for offence. And for the pantheon, it is what keeps them alive.

The characters. Well, it’s told from different perspectives, which actually worked quite well for me, but then I can forgive Sanderson almost anything. I’m not sure I was given enough information to really work out the plot for myself, an insight into the opposing ‘team’ with another perspective might have been good, but there was plenty packed in.

While browsing my bookshelf and lamenting that I didn’t have any of the other books I was currently reading at home, this one jumped out at me. I was pretty much immobile at that point (motorbike accident) and so I wanted something that was going to absorb me. Imagine me leaning on the furniture getting around the house, but with this book in one hand as well!

4 stars from me. This book actually sat on my shelf for at least a year before I read it. It’s an ex-library copy, and I’m pretty sure it cost me a grand total of 50c. That makes it an absolute bargain for the hours of interest I got out of it.

4star

Review: Eric Bishop-Potter – Jimmy, Mrs Fisher and Me

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Jimmy, Mrs Fisher and Me
Eric Bishop-Potter

Simon is a young man on the crux of adulthood, faced with the fact that his half-brother is going blind. Simon loves Jimmy in a unique way, and he shows that love in a unique manner. Simon wants to take Jimmy to see the Grand Canyon (a big step for someone living in London) and there are few ways he can make enough money to do that. This novel asks what you would be willing to do for someone you love – can you expose yourself and turn tricks?

12476474I don’t always identify with a gay male main character, but in this case I did. I couldn’t see anything wrong with his obsession with his penis, and it came across as a natural part of his character. I even tolerated quite well his rather strange way of thinking.

This book struck me as amazing, and I wasn’t even in a chapter before I emailed the author to tell him it was fantastic. But the problem was eventually that the end of the novel was already given away by reading the blurb! I hardly felt a moment of suspense when I should have been anxious.

The author said that there weren’t any gratuitous sex scenes, which almost seemed impossible. but it was just as he said! The sex scenes really fit in with the character, and I wasn’t disgusted reading them. And true to his word, they had plenty of humour and Simon’s narration was just perfect.

Finally, I could literally see the characters coming out of the pages. The scenery was the least important thing, the characters were what made it work. I could see Jimmy in his dancing gear, and Simon in his YaYa shirt. Not to mention the old lady in the kitchen! All of them got some back story, but I could have happily read more.

I wouldn’t call this a reread, but I’m going to give it 4 stars, and strongly suggest to the author that he change the blurb!

4star

Review: Eliot Treichel – A Series of Small Manoeuvres

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A Series of Small Manoeuvres
Eliot Treichel

Out on a camping trip, 15 year old Emma inadvertently causes her father’s death. Swapping between the days preceding and then following the accident, this novel depicts how life can change rapidly around death and how one girl survives the rapids to the other side.

25408142This novel doesn’t have an ending. Sure, the novel ends, but you are left not knowing all the answers. But that’s ok! I didn’t mind that I didn’t have all the answers, because it allowed me to really delve into the text, and come to my own conclusions. Enough had been said that I was satisfied.

What was refreshing about this novel was that Emma didn’t need a love interest or a best friend to get out of her trauma. It’s a more relatable picture of grief, and so so realistic. Not everyone has a soul mate waiting to pick them up! Emma has to deal with things by herself, and through that come to realisations about life.

The swapping between the time periods could have been confusing, but Treichel made the time periods so obvious, even a serial chapter heading ignorer like me could manage. It was obvious that she survived anyway, so it’s not like that was a giveaway. The hints at the future from the authorial voice worked for me.

So what about the world-building? Well, I think the camping scenario got plenty of air-time, but the outside world was dim in comparison. Again, that seemed to reflect the way Emma and her dad thought about the world – everything is deeper and more colourful in the bush. The other characters? I would have loved to hear more about Peg, and really very few other characters got a full space of description. They weren’t the point of the novel though, so I wasn’t worried.

The more I think about this novel, the more stars I want to give it. Unfortunately, for me, it’s no longer a reread (a bit outside my age group perhaps?). But I do think it has a lot to offer. 4 very strong stars from me, and a wish I could give it 4.5 stars.

4star

Thanks to the lovely people at Ooligan Press for sending me a review copy of this novel. They publish great things!

Review: Andrew J. Peters – The Seventh Pleiade

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The Seventh Pleiade
Andrew J. Peters

Atlantis is real, and it contains a sixteen-year-old Aerander who is not sure what sort of romances are normal. As he struggles with his sexuality and the expectations of his partners, there is a deeper plot going on. When his old best friend disappears, he feels obligated to find him and save his family’s honour.

17290841For a novel that I thought would fit firmly inside my interest range – a guarenttee of a good read with a queer main character and Greek mythology, this was a bit of a fail for me. I just couldn’t get to like any of the characters, and Aerander was just so STUPID.

The surprise ending could have worked for me, but the problem was that I didn’t get enough clues as I was going along in order to work it out for myself, and that’s something I really like to have. But then again, the other revelation that Aerander makes isn’t that interesting either, and he’s just so stupid! Aerander trusts everyone. For someone who I thought would be relatively bright, he was about as dense as two bricks. Every idea I had, it took him at least 2 pages to work it out.

This is not the only novel I have read recently with someone with their tongue torn out. I was thinking it would gross me out a bit, but it didn’t. Although I couldn’t really understand why the character in this book still wanted to keep living… I would have fled the minute I worked out what going on!

Some of the world building in this was breathtaking. I could absolutely see the hole in the ground, and the under-world – but I had no idea what the rest of the world looked like, and I didn’t take away a clear picture of the main characters either.

The ending. Hmm. It was a bit, unfinished for me, which is something I always hate. It was a good enough ending, but I really wanted to know what happened in the long term. How can a bunch of men possibly manage anything useful together? Adolescent males in particular are really stupid! (Sorry, sick of ‘feminists’ at the moment, but reading a lot of articles about them being idiots too has affected my feelings). How long can they realistically survive, and what is the point of it when they pretty much can’t reproduce?

Look, I’m aware this isn’t a very positive review from me, but I’m still going to give 3 stars. I think for a less exacting audience, it might be perfect, and perhaps I’m just the wrong person to read it. A young gay male might connect with Aerander more, and that would make the book work for them.

Review: Richelle Mead – Soundless

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Soundless
Richelle Mead

Fei and her village are deaf, and now are becoming blind. With the levels of food dropping, all the artists are allowed only to continue to paint the scenes of life. Fei longs to draw other things, but with her own work and her sister’s to do, she must

24751478What I liked about this novel was that magic didn’t seem to be a big part of the world, until it suddenly was. It was more about what real people could do when faced with difficult conditions, and what would cause a tipping point between fear and retaliation.

I loved that the storyline required me to pay attention. Not only were the world details beautifully realised, I could see each of the characters in their worn clothing. And around that, I still had to concentrate on the storyline – which kept me reaching for the novel after lights-out. Despite there being a beinga ‘love story’ running through this, it isn’t annoying or cloying and it doesn’t get in the way of the storyline.

Although Fei is always professing love for her sister, I’m not sure that I got a real sense of that. Yes, her sister gave her reasons to change things, but I think that inside Fei felt like she had to do something too. I’m not complaining exactly, but I just wanted more ‘feelings’ and to empathise with Fei more.

This novel reflects on modern society if you look for it. Although we might think of mining as ‘only’ being a dirty job now, the reality is that in poorer developing countries, people are still being treated like Fei’s village.

 

Considering that the author wrote two vampire series that I’m not interested in, I was a little afraid about the quality of this work. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, I might even consider reading other things – just anything but vampires!

4star

Thanks to Penguin Random House for my free review copy!

Review: Christopher Mannino – School of Deaths

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School of Deaths: The Scythe
Christopher Mannino

Suzie always thought that a Grim Reaper was just a story tale, left over from the Middle Ages. When she finds herself wasting away in the human world, she doesn’t know what to do next. When she finds herself in the Land of Deaths she is determined to get home as soon as possible, but that soon changes.

21798470The blurb left me a bit wanting. It basically promised me more than it could offer. The concept was good, but the classes just didn’t live up to expectations. Actually, it reminded me a bit of Harry Potter, except that there wasn’t any real bad guys. Just distant dragons, and the fact that ‘Mentals were treated badly.

Suzie is not particularly bright, as far as I can tell. She frustrated me with her naivety and inability to deal with people. And the romance that eventually happened? Sigh. I just couldn’t love it. I wasn’t convinced. Maybe because her character sometimes came across as very young, and sometimes came across as a teenager.

A million years is a long time… And something about that says to me that Deaths shouldn’t just ferry human souls. We’ve been around as ‘humans’ for around 6 million years. But I suppose the whole concept of this novel steps away from what is possible, so that should be ok…

I didn’t understand the motivations of many characters. In fact, I didn’t understand the big deal about there being a female Death, except that apparently all female Deaths are bad! Or maybe it is just adapting to it. Seriously guys, get over it. I know you aren’t all from the 21st century, but surely you aren’t all bastards?

I read this in one sitting. I always find that ebooks leave me unhappy and not feeling like I’ve really read something with substance. As interesting as the concept of this novel was, I just didn’t feel like it was executed well enough for me to give 4 stars. 3 stars from me. I have hopes for the sequel, but I’m not sure I’ll be volunteering to read it.

3star

I received this novel as part of a tour.

 

Review: E.K. Johnston – A Thousand Nights

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E.K. Johnston
A Thousand Nights

A desert girl gives up her life to save her sister, promising herself in marriage to Lo-Melkhiin, who had killed 300 girls on their marriage night. Instead, she tells stories every night, and continues to survive despite the odds. When she discovers she can see magic, and that Lo-Melkhiin might not be who he seems, she is even more determined to save the man she thinks she might love.24820300

This novel felt quite shallow, but at the same time it was a really enjoyable retelling of a fable. If you were looking for something new and exciting, I’m afraid this wasn’t it. But in its style, it was good. Far better than Book of a Thousand Nights, which I was disgusted with.

Magic. It makes fantasy worlds work, and in this one the author has effortlessly used it to change the story and make it more interesting. It is not just her storytelling ability that saves her, it is her strength of will. In fact, I don’t even remember her name, but I can remember the way it felt to be inside her head.

The idea that magic can push talents forward, yet also warp them is an interesting one. I’d love to see more of this discussed, perhaps in a separate story. The world-building in this one made me want to read more. The detail to the costumes, all of it came through as a properly interesting and realistic Arabian novel.

How many stars do I want to give this? Maybe 3. It’s hard to decide. It wasn’t as gripping as I might have desired, but I did keep reading it.

3star

Thanks to the lovely folks at Macmillan Children’s Books who gave me a proof copy to read.

Review: Alice Pung – Laurinda

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Laurinda
Alice Pung

Linh Lucy Lam has never seen herself as a bright scholar, but she persists in trying to please her parents. After ‘beating’ the local Asian genius to get a place at a private high school, Lucy finds herself being torn apart by who she think she is, and who she might become.

22603951I listened to this as a talking book, and I have to say the reader was pretty amazing! Even my partner enjoyed listening to it. That being said though, that was what kept me listening, not the story itself. What was the point of this novel? Why would I care about Lucy? I cared about her little brother Lamb-ey more than anything else.

What I didn’t understand for the majority of the novel was who ‘Linh’ that Lucy was writing to was. I think, and I may be wrong, is that Linh is Lucy, but her true Asian (somewhat bogan) self. I couldn’t understand why Linh would leave if she was a real person. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

Lucy is super self-aware, and she’s aware of how stupid adults are. We see through her eyes what rich people are like – the question is whether this really how they are? I don’t know enough private schools to tell you. Bullying at high schools is normal, there’s even bullying of teachers, although perhaps not as dramatic as a tampon to the forehead… I certainly remember our public high school class evicting one poor teacher who we viewed as incompetent.

I don’t think I was satisfied by the ending. Yes Lucy managed to overcome things and become more of herself, but I wasn’t enthralled with her ‘amazing’ speech at the end. It all seemed too neat. Neat. Yes. That’s what this novel was in a nut shell. For all that it was exposing and trying to highlight the interesting nuances of multicultural Australia, it sometimes seemed to dig itself too deep a hole – then just fill it in with one well-placed sentence.

I’ll be giving this 3 stars. There are better novels out there, but if you want something easy to listen to that doesn’t require any thinking (or a light teenage novel), this one could fit the bill.

3star

Review: Alexandra Bogdanovic – Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey

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Truth Be Told: Adam Becomes Audrey
Alexandra Bogdanovic

Alex is a jilted, divorced wife. But what should make this novel different from the norm is that she got divorced because the man she loved was a trans-woman. Honestly, I don’t think the book hit all the right things in order to make this something special like it could have been.

17058464Poor, poor Alex. Dating a man for 10 years, and then suddenly finding out that he is a woman. But the person Adam was on the inside was the same, surely. Yes, he now won’t have a penis, but is sex with that all you were interested in? It frustrated me that Alex couldn’t even give Audrey the chance to explain. If anyone needed therapy, Alex certainly could have used some.

The majority of the text in this novel is devoted to talking about how Audrey and Alex met. And then about horse shows. And then about shopping to fix her feelings. And cats. And very little that was unique. It just sounded like a pity party. And hanging out with her buddies, the cops. Who cares who they were? They’re just your friends, and putting them in the novel didn’t really serve any purpose.

What didn’t come through to me was the ‘special nature’ of their divorce. It seemed like any other divorce, and why would complaining about your husband becoming a woman be a special complaint to knock down other people’s relationship woes?

Ok, so Audrey is portrayed as a grasping, lying pig. The author says that Audrey refused to cooperate with helping write the novel, and that the author didn’t want Audrey getting her grubby hands on any money from it. I think that Audrey may have been given the short shift. Why would she want to revisit her old life? Did it ever occur to the author that Audrey might have been able to move on?

The final thing that broke it for me was the fact that Alex couldn’t get Audrey’s pronouns right. As a friend to a trans-person, and sometimes making mistakes when referring to the past, then some excuses are ok. But really, she should be able to remember the correct pronouns, its simply just polite. Even if you now hate the person involved.

I was so disappointed in this novel. I had requested a copy to review, based on the hype on Twitter, but it didn’t live up to expectations. 2 begrudging stars from me, because I did manage to finish it. I so wish it had added more to queer literature like it had the potential to. It’s not as unique as it is billed to be.

2star