Category Archives: Book Reviews

Review: Sarah Moon (ed.) – The Letter Q

Posted on by
Reply
The Letter Q
Sarah Mood (ed.)
This isn’t a novel at all. It’s a collection of letters by queer authors to their younger selves. The book was produced because every young person identifying as queer has a right to know that their situation of feel lost, alone or misunderstood isn’t unique – there’s someone out there that can understand.
I enjoyed it because it had so many emanations with my teenage years, and it’s always pleasing to read about other success stories.
Another thing is that I often read short story collections to find new authors whose writing style agrees with me. Those are just letters, but the authors hint enough about themselves that I can tentatively pick ones that I’d buy books to try.
I initially picked up this novel because one of my favourite authors, Julie Anne Peters, has a contribution in it. I’d also already encountered Erika Moen from her comic, DAR.
I had fun trying to pick whether the writer was male or female in each case where it wasn’t immediately obvious. A weird thing to do when the authors are all queer and any sexuality or gender could be presented. I didn’t do this in a judgemental way, just in an interested way.
If you’re queer, you’re questioning, you just want to understand more about what queer people go through, this could be a good novel for you to read.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy4star

Review: Liam Hearn – Blossoms and Shadows

Posted on by
Reply
Blossoms and Shadows
Liam Hearn

It’s rare that I don’t finish a novel I’m reading because I like to give books a chance to improve. I’m a little less tolerant of talking books however because I only have limited time to listen to them and if a reader is bad, I don’t see why I should force myself to listen.

This one wasn’t given a chance after the second disk. The reader wasn’t great, and I struggled to differentiate the characters.
Even worse was that 9350510the writing was dry and uninteresting. The main character was potentially interesting, a girl wanting to learn medicine from her father. But the trials of her uncle who wanted to go to a special school, no, I couldn’t have cared less.
I realise that this book is a translation from Japanese, and so a sprinkling of Japanese words is expected. In this case however, there were so many that I struggled to fix the place names in my mind.
I really loved Hearn’s other novels, but this one just wasn’t my flavour. I get a feeling this novel was meant to be a kind of history – I don’t love history. Maybe if you have an interest in this area this book could be an easy introduction for you.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy1star

Review: Traci Harding – The Ancient Future, The Dark Age

Posted on by
Reply
The Ancient Future, The Dark Age
Traci Harding
Tori is a scholar who specialises in British mysteries. She’s still living at home with her parents, but she’s decided to go out and spend time with her aunt to recover from her brother’s unnecessary death. Little does she know that she is going to be scooped up into the past, and change the possible future.

Tori is skilled in martial arts, and is a black belt. What never became clear to me was why she had learnt it, why she was so proficient, and why she seemed so defensive around men.
The concept of time travel is dealt with in a sensible and understandable way. As confusing an idea as it is, Harding had her mind wrapped around what she wanted to achieve right from the word go. It has a strong feel of being well planned. I still felt confused sometimes, but it all became clear in the end.
This novel contained multiple climaxes, meaning that just as the chapter was finishing, another section would start. Had I been reading it myself, I would have said it was a bit of an epic. But being read to me in a fantastic voice? Yep, it flew by.
Something that knocked me out if the narrative at the bringing was that this novel was read by the same reader as in The Gene of Isis, and I felt like I was overwriting a character in my mind that I already knew.  And then later on, there were a few sentences here and there that didn’t seem to be the main reader at all.
The overall verdict? I loved it, would read it again, and really, really want to get my hands on the next book in this series. I think I’ve discovered a new favourite author – Traci Harding, I’ll read your books any time. I have to save up my cash, and buy myself the paperback of these novels.
Arg, what annoys me is that I already wrote up this review on my phone, complete with picture, and then it ate it. Not a good start phone, not a good start.  Now, this is the first time I’ve put in a photo from my phone – please let me know what it looks like. You can expect from now on that cover images from books will be taken in poor conditions like this one! The full experience.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy5star

Review: Aimee Bender – The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Posted on by
1
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Aimee Bender
Rose wakes up one morning with the ability to taste the feelings of the person who made the food she eats. This feeling gets worse for her as she pinpoints things, and she ends up subsiding almost entirely on junk food. Not to mention the rest of her family is just as bonkers and aimless.
It was an easy, throwaway read that I got through, but didn’t feel any particular need to keep reading. But I had time, I didn’t have anything else I needed to do, eh, it was in the book basket at the house we were staying at.
I didn’t really understand what happened to Joe. I was puzzled throughout the narrative. I was unsatisfied by her father’s responses. And his fear of hospitals. He could have done something! He never tried it! What about her poor Grandfather? Why did she never notice anything before? Is she blind because she has a hypo sense of smell?
The ending is distinctly unsatisfying. In fact, when we get down to it, it’s all unsatisfying. I wanted a relationship with George. I thought that’s what she was going to get. But no, she gets all withdrawn and sorry for herself! Boring, everyday life, when she could legitimately be helping others.
Rose does meet an interesting way of cooking, but really? Couldn’t she just explain to someone rationally (particularly as she gets older) that she has this problem? I get that her mother doesn’t understand, but her father? Why isn’t he brought in until the very end?
Things about this book were weird just because they could be. I didn’t get the affair, the woodworking, the weird packages from Grandma. Why were these thrown in? They didn’t add anything! They just confused me!
I was irritated by the lack of dialogue quotation marks. Arg! Is it so hard to make sure that I know when they are talking to each other? Particularly when their voices all sound so similar, since everything is filtered through Rose?
I found myself confused at the end about when things were happening. What year was this in? Are we having flash backs? What is happening??
I’ve seen some mixed reviews by others since reading it -I think it’s good in theory, but could have more done with it in practice.  If you’ve got a couple of hours to spare where you can’t do anything too absorbing or you’ll miss important conversation, give this book a try and see what you come up with.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy3star

Review: Tamora Pierce – Lady Knight

Posted on by
Reply
Lady Knight
Tamora Pierce
Keladry is about to be given the most difficult and important mission in her life. With an uncanny ability for picking up strays, it seems like the Goddess’ hand is on her – yet Keladry must survive and thrive on her own.
Keladry is still the plucky heroine that we know and love. She’s matured remarkably well for an 18 year old, maybe too well? Those were different times however. She’s a natural born leader, which helps with things.
Sometimes I feel like Keladry is not a remarkable leader. She’s just so dedicated to her people, and that’s what makes her special. Nevertheless, she does care for them deeply, and that’s where the main basis of this novel comes from.
Some time has passed since Keladry was knighted, and we see a couple of things that have matured well. Neil for one – being a knight suits him, and yet he finds a good balance between that and being a healer (not to mention being in love). The other is Lord Wyldon, who is the same grumpy old man he always was, but he has a soft spot for Keladry now.
I’d be pretty excited to see a sequel to these – Keladry seems like she really wants children, but she’s got to find the time to do so! Perhaps she will be a commander for the King’s Own in the future, or something else perhaps.
So I lied when I said this was one of my least favourite books in the quartet and I wasn’t going to read it. I can’t leave a story half finished, even if I know how it ends! I’m glad I did reread it.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy5star

Review: Tamora Pierce – Squire

Posted on by
Reply
Squire
Tamora Pierce
Keladry awaits a knight-master, having passed her dreaded examinations under much duress. Will she be saddled to a kindly desk knight, or to a horrific battle knight? Keladry doesn’t know what to expect – but she gets the best, well, the second best to what she is expecting.
This novel perhaps shows the least amount of development in Keladry’s character. She’s always been strong willed, and this novel just serves to reinforce that. Also her desire for perfection and her strong ideals are also supported.
I love Raoul. Just the way a Knight Commander should be! He’s so friendly, I can believe why the men follow him into mud and blood, rather than glory. He should have shacked up earlier with someone.
Speaking of which, this is the first novel in this series where Keladry really gets into a love interest. It’s kinda neat actually, since then she is also able to defend herself using Tournaments. Another novel I am reading at the moment has Tournaments in it too, but takes a different tack. I can’t decide which I like more.
Some of the other points raised in the other two novels are resolved here. We see Keladry’s maid successfully running her own shop, and some of Keladry’s enemies are cut down. Keladry is no longer frightened by heights, but she still doesn’t like them. You’d think magic would be able to fix that right?
While I’m thinking of it, I often forget that Keladry is still only 16 or so years old! They are knighted by 18, which seems so young to have so much responsibility. That being said, I guess it’s a better kind of responsibility than what we expect of teenagers these days. Driving is nothing compared to killing monsters!
This is my 3rd equal favourite novel in the quartet. I enjoy the 4th one around the same amount, and I am considering not rereading the 4th this time around. I have so many other things to read now that I have broken my reading dry spell, it seems a waste to not read the exciting books I know are out there waiting for me.
If you’re waiting on a review from me because you have sent me a copy of your novel, rest assured that I am getting to them. I am going through a dry spate of reading due to stress at work, and find old familiar fiction more comforting at that time. My apologies.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy5star

Review: Tamora Pierce – Page

Posted on by
Reply
Page
Tamora Pierce
Keladry has gotten past her First Test and now is a fully fledged page. She’s not without problems though, as those people who plagued her in her first year have just become craftier. Not to mention a stray set of bandits.

Once again, Pierce shows the importance of following your goals, and not giving up on dreams because someone wants you to do so. Keladry works hard to get where she wants – not because she’s a natural at things, but that she works her butt off to get there! It’s more realistic I think than the Lioness in training, but I love both series (this one is just my favourite!).

I loved this novel just as much as the first, every time I read it. I only wish I could forget what happens so that each time I read it I would be surprised. That being said, I look forward to the next Pierce novel with great anticipation every time. Her last novel was a little disappointing, but still worth reading.
There are a number of minor climaxes within the novel, all of which serve to make the reader think more about Keladry and flesh her out as a good role model. The other characters, with the exception of Keladry’s maid, seem a little more one dimensional. I guess it’s because it’s focalised from Keladry’s point of view, and it’s hard to know what they are thinking.
What was not clear to me was whether her first year was as a page, or whether it was an extra year tacked on. From the sound of things though, as she needs to pass examinations with Neil and the others, it was just a different sort of first year.
There’s quite a big time jump in the novel to get the more exciting parts happening. It’s so smooth though that between one chapter and the next a year passes and you don’t feel like you’ve missed anything.
Overall, a satisfying read and reread for all young fiction fans. Recommend it to your kids, your grandkids, your neighbour’s kids – this has fabulous values to share, and encourages perseverance – what more could you want?

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy5star

Review: Tamora Pierce – First Test

Posted on by
Reply
First Test
Tamora Pierce
Keladry is the first girl after Alanna the Lioness to apply to become a Page under King Jonathan of Tortall. Unfortunately for her, she has to first undergo a harrowing test year, in which her resolve is tested and her mettle tried.
As one of the reviewers quoted on the back of the novel says, it’s filled with a plucky heroine, complete with animals, monsters, school and a hint of magic. For me, it’s the school and animals that does it. The whole book ticks all of the boxes that I look for when selecting a good enjoyable novel to relax with.
I’ve read this novel multiple times, and no doubt will continue to do so in the future. Kel shows a trait of caring for others so strongly that it is impossible not to like her. Just enough action that it’s satisfying, just enough schooling and real life problems to keep it flowing naturally.
I’m not sure why she is pictured holding a cat on the cover. She does rescue some kittens, but she doesn’t really do much with them. Not like her lovely Diane influenced birds.
I would strongly suggest this novel for any young woman (I doubt it would appeal to boys, although I could be surprised) who wants to be a bit different from the mould. Certainly times have changed now, and people don’t do such medieval fighting, but it’s still an uncommon thing for woman to be included as equal partners in the military. But I digress…
Now for a problem I see with the novel (and the series).
I think it’s disappointing in a way that Kel is already somewhat weapons trained. I wanted a raw newby girl to train to become a knight. But I guess that is unrealistic – if they didn’t show aptitude from an early age, it’s unlikely they would want to go for such a career goal.
Overall though, it’s got that flavour that has me coming back for more every time. I used to reread it at least once a year, but I now have so many favourite books that I just can’t do it! And I have so many exciting review books too, which I didn’t have before.
So on that note…
I think I’m going to stop wasting time on including affiliate links to novels. I’m pretty sure you readers are intelligent enough to find the novels that you want in your own way. I haven’t had a single reader click on a link for the whole time I have been blogging. For this reason, I will no longer provide those links. It takes me time to do those, time that I could be spending reading or keeping my other paperwork up to date. Any opinions?

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy5star

Review: Traci Harding – Gene of Isis

Posted on by
Reply
Gene of Isis
Traci Harding
Mia is specialised in what she does – but sadly, not many people want her for the job she’s good at. That is to say, there isn’t much call for PhD graduates in ancient languages and mythology. This is a theme that runs through Harding’s books to great advantage, and really fits in with my own viewpoint on life and religion.

The beginning was super slow and I almost gave up listening. I persevered however and things improved from there. My partner also listened with me in the car, and he couldn’t understand why I kept listening! I certainly didn’t do so for a certain Trudi Caravan novel I started, but this one still gave me hope.

I didn’t realise until the middle of the novel how the author was cleverly going to introduce the other two female characters to us. I was worried that I would lose Ashley’s point of view, and I was so enjoying it! The lessons.
This novel is the first in a trilogy and so I found myself dreading the end, particularly as the library didn’t have the next two books in. When I got to the end, I thought maybe for this one I would consider splashing out to buy the next books.
I wondered about the passing of time while Mia was reading. Sometime I felt like it was progressing too slowly. I also would have appreciated some more interjections by her about what she was reading.
God! The ending was almost too hard for me to bear! I so wanted to skip forward, but I knew I’d miss something. Well worth waiting for. There were still parts of this that didn’t make sense to me, but now I have forgotten the majority of them. I’m just basking in the fact that it was a great book to listen to. I wanted to keep sitting in my car to listen to it after I finished driving.
I’m glad I listened to this as a talking book. The reader is fabulous! She’s got the accents down and I could easily tell the difference between the characters. A rare gift, and I think I might look out for other novels read by her. {edited to add – I have since begun listening to another book by Traci Harding read by this reader, and it’s just as good as I’d hoped}.
I often dreamed of reading novels myself as a bit of income, but the beautiful reading of this one makes me think I’m not nearly good enough. Perhaps a youtube reading?
I’m a bit slow on reviewing at the moment, sorry. Mainly I am getting time for talking books as I commute 2 hours each day to work. I should be caught up and posting properly again soon.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy5star

Review: Mercedes Lackey – Steadfast

Posted on by
Reply
Steadfast
Mercedes Lackey
Katie is trying to escape from her abusive husband. With Travaeler blood in her veins, yet being a cross-breed, she is unlikely to be welcome anywhere. When she finds a dream job in a music hall of Brighton, she thinks she might be safe for a while. But throw magic into the mix, and who knows what might happen?

This novel started out with so much promise. Once again, it failed to deliver. It smacked of another title in the series, even including rogue fires! I guess she’s run out of unique endings?

This book suited its title so badly, that I didn’t even realise it was based on the story of ‘The Steadfast Tin Soldier’. The majority of books in this series aren’t really based on any fables, so I wasn’t expecting it. Having now refreshed my memory of this tale, I can see remnants of it, but nothing major.

For several days after completing the novel, I found myself thinking I hadn’t finished it. The ending was too satisfactory and abrupt. Plus it was exactly what I expected, the minute I found out about the cellar.

Maybe my problem was that I didn’t like Katie. She was just so malleable. It didn’t seem right for her to have a special thing like magic. Although I guess she’s just a layman and so the point of his novel was that they could have powers. Her character felt inconsistent to me.  She was afraid of all men, yet her acceptance was pretty good of her new friends, perceptive as they were to what she needed. 

There was so much scope for learning more about how to train a fire mages. But instead the book dwelled on the accommodations and food of the characters.

A disappointment. I thought I’d enjoy it more than Bastion, but I was disappointed. Maybe Lackey is moving away from being my favourite current author. Other writers, such as Juliet Marellia, have published books that I’m longing to read – and perhaps I’d better give their works a closer eye in the future.

Find it on:
goodreads_icon copyAmazon-Icon-e1335803835577-300x294 copybookdepository_icon copy3star