31.3.10

Book Review: Mr Monster by Dan Wells


When I attended the Headline Online party so many people told me how good Dan Well's latest book, Mr Monster is. I was lucky enough to get a copy at the party and other bloggers said that I should try and read the first book, I Am Not a Serial Killer at some point but that it wasn't vital before reading Mr Monster. Here's the idea:
My name is John Cleaver. I'm sixteen. I'm a mortician. I'm a sociopath.
But I am not a serial killer. Yet.
It's been almost five months since I first killed someone. Nobody knows it, but I stopped the Clayton Killer- a serial killer who tore his victims to shreds. The other thing nobody knows is that he wasn't even human- he was a monster. Literally a monster. A demon.
Now the only monster left is me- the dark side of me I call Mr Monster. I try to keep him locked up but he's desperate to kill again, and now people are getting suspicious, the FBI is asking questions and corpses are showing up all over and- well, something's gotta give...

The Headline party has really inspired me to explore Young Adult Fiction more as I clearly am missing out on some great books.
Mr Monster is just brilliant but also completely terrifying. Dan Wells takes the reader into the mind of John Cleaver, a sixteen year old sociopath. We read his thoughts and the extreme measures he has to go to in order to control his behaviour. I don't want to give the plot away but Dan Wells does have you on the edge of your seat, especially in the final few chapters.
I must be pretty out of touch with what young adults are reading nowadays (how old do I sound!) as there are some quite disturbing and graphic descriptions in this book. I think that it would suit a reader from about fifteen upwards but I can understand why so many adults love these books too.
Dan Wells packs so much into such a relatively short book that you can't help but keep turning the pages. Mr Monster was a great starting point for me to begin exploring Young Adult fiction again, there will be many more books in this genre going on the Dot Scribbles wish list.

30.3.10

Book Review: The Rapture by Liz Jensen


The lovely people at Bloomsbury sent me a copy of The Rapture by Liz Jensen and I really liked the sound of it:
In a merciless summer of Biblical heat and destructive winds, Gabrielle Fox's main concern is to rebuild her career as a psychologist after a shattering car accident. But when she is assigned Bethany Krall- violent, delusional and insistent that she can foresee natural disasters- she begins to fear she has made a terrible mistake. When catastrophes begin to occur on the very dates Bethany has predicted, the apocalyptic puzzle intensifies and the stakes multiply.
A haunting story of human passion and burning faith, The Rapture is an electrifying psychological thriller that explores the dark extremes of mankind's self-destruction in a world on the brink.

Liz Jensen brings together three very big and complex ideas in this book, psychiatry, evangelical religion and the devastation being caused to the Earth by global warming.
This is a book you have to concentrate on and follow carefully but if anything this just makes you even more engaged in the story. Secrets and misconceptions are littered throughout the book and Liz Jensen keeps the reader guessing about the true nature and motives of nearly all the characters.
Bethany Krall is an intriguing creation; she is only a young girl but she has a terrifying past which Gabrielle Fox is called in to unlock. You can feel Bethany's desperation, she is under the control of these people yet she has to try and make them believe something entirely unbelievable for their sake as well as her own.
A psychological thriller with global warming at it's centre is so relevant to the times we are living in. It is an impending disaster that most of us choose to ignore yet Liz Jensen does not allow you to turn a blind eye in this book.
The Rapture is a fast paced, edgy thriller that I would very much recommend, it is one that certainly leaves you with a lot to think about.

29.3.10

Book Review: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella


I really enjoyed reading Sophie Kinsella's book Remember Me? last year so I was excited to finally read her latest offering, Twenties Girl.
Lara Lington has always had quite an over-active imagination but even she is surprised to believe that she is being visited by the ghost of her Great Aunt Sadie. Decked out in a full 1920's Charleston outfit, Sadie begs Lara to help her find her beloved Dragonfly necklace so that she can rest in peace. Once Lara has convinced herself that she is not going mad, she sets out to fulfill her great-aunt's wish. Aunt Sadie injects some much needed fun and glamour into Lara's life and she begins to wonder what she will do without her.
It took me a fair while to warm to the character of Lara and become involved in the story but I fell in love with the characters of Sadie immediately. I loved how even though she is a ghost, she seems to be the only one around Lara who can make her realise that she needs to give herself a break and enjoy life.
The dragonfly necklace is at the centre of the story but Sophie Kinsella includes a lot more. Lara deals with her past love life; sorts out her fledgling business and finds herself a new love, all largely down to Sadie.
I enjoyed this book more than Remember Me? and I particularly liked all of the 1920's references. Lara doesn't think that Sadie has any relevance to herself at first but it is surprising just how much she learns from her 105 year old aunt!
If you are already a Sophie Kinsella fan then you are bound to enjoy this one. It is a lovely, feel good book and the mystery of the missing necklace draws you in.

27.3.10

Book Review: The Graveyard Book my Neil Gaiman


Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a perfectly normal boy. Well, he would be perfectly normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living or the world of the dead.
There are dangers and adventures for Bod in the graveyard: The strange and terrible menace of the Sleer; a gravestone entrance to a desert that leads to the city of Ghouls; friendship with a witch and so much more.
But it is in the land of the living that real danger lurks for it is there that The Man Jack lives and he has already killed Bod's family.

I had been meaning to read The Graveyard Book for ages as I had heard so many wonderful things about it. I was not disappointed, Neil Gaiman's story is fascinating and I finished it in one sitting as I had to find out Bod's fate.
Neil Gaiman has talked of the influence that Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book had on this story. Obviously the ghosts and ghouls take the place of the animals but the sentiment is the same. Gaiman is exploring life as an outsider; Bod knows very little of where he came from and could not be more different from those who have raised him.
The Man Jack is a terrifying creation and his presence hangs over the whole book. Neil Gaiman gives his reader so many fascinating characters whilst holding back little secrets so that we are left wanting more.
The graveyard gives Bod the security and protection that he needs but there are still many adventures to be had and danger is often lurking just around the corner.
I can understand why so many adults and children have raved about this book. The story of Bod is exciting but also has so many elements for the reader to identify with. If you haven't read The Graveyard Book then I highly recommend it.

26.3.10

Headline Online Party

Dot Scribbles went on a little adventure to London yesterday as the lovely, lovely people at Headline had invited me to their first Online party. The idea was to bring bloggers and authors together and for us to meet some of the Headline team in person.
I made it to Headline HQ on the Euston Road safely which is quite a feat for me as I tend to get lost quite easily especially when unsupervised! The party took place in Headline's boardroom which has fantastic views across London and was the perfect space for us all to do some mingling!
Once we all had a glass of wine in hand we sat down to watch a presentation and it was exciting to hear about all the brilliant books that Headline will be publishing this year and it is very clear to see how much they love what they do and want to support their authors.
Time for a little more mingling, I met the lovely Carolyn from Book Chick City and Amanda from Floor to Ceiling Books and they both seemed as excited as I was! The authors arrived and we were lucky enough to meet Carole Matthews, Alex Bell, Sean Cregan, Jonathan L Howard, Paul Magrs and Dan Wells. It was lovely to chat to Carole Matthews as I really enjoy her books and it was interesting to hear what she thought about book bloggers.
Next on the agenda was the quiz which Sam from Headline had put a lot of effort into; we were split into teams and I have to say that some of the questions were pretty fiendish but my team came second so we were quite pleased with ourselves. The team at Headline were extremely generous and welcoming, they had laid on loads of gorgeous home made cakes and also gave us bags that we could fill with books that were dotted around the room. This was a little like Christmas for me and I came home with eight books which I am really looking forward to reading and reviewing. I think everyone invited had a lovely time and very much appreciated the effort that the Headline team had made. More than anything, yesterday opened my eyes to some new genres of fiction that I have clearly been missing out on which also gives me another excuse to buy more books!

Me, Carolyn, Amanda and Carole Matthews!

25.3.10

Headline Online Blogger's Party

I had a fantastic afternoon yesterday at Headline's online party, I met loads of lovely people and came home with some fantastic books. Full report later in the week once I have sorted the pictures out!

24.3.10

Book Review: The Difference a Day Makes by Carole Matthews


I read The Difference a Day Makes by Carole Matthews over the weekend and I thought that it was a really lovely book.
William and Amy Ashurst love their busy London lives and high flying careers. They have two beautiful children and a Nanny who works miracles to look after them all. But then William collapses on his commute to work and when fully recovered he vows that he will never return to the rat race. So three months later the whole family move to Helmshill Grange in the stunning Yorkshire Moors. William may be living his dream but it is going to take Amy a lot longer to fall in love with life in the country. However, tragedy strikes the Ashurst family and Amy has to decide she can make the dream last especially as it is not her own.
I thought that Amy was a brilliant character, I found her entirely believable. It is so clear how she changes throughout the book as she realises that what she thinks she wants may not be what she truly wants and needs.
I loved the contrast between London and the Yorkshire Moors, especially when Amy pays a visit to her old life after being in the country for a while.
Carole Matthews writes with great humour and warmth and I didn't want the book to end.

I am off to the Headline blogger's party at their HQ in London today and Carole Matthews will be in attendance along with several other exciting authors. I shall tell you all about it when I get back!

22.3.10

Book Review: Angelology by Danielle Trussoni


The lovely Katy at Penguin sent me a copy of Angelology by Danielle Trussoni as she thought I would enjoy it. Katy was right, this book is brilliant, it has taken me three days to read and I have very much struggled to put it down. I am going to cheat and give you the blurb as I don't want to miss anything out:
1943: The preserved corpse of an Angel is discovered in The Devil's Throat Gorge in the Bulgarian mountains. Only a select few are party to this discovery, including a young nun who is later taken in a state of distress to a convent in upstate New York and never speaks about it again. Until now.
The present: When Sister Evangeline finds mysterious correspondence between Mother Innocenta of the Saint Rose Convent and legendary philanthropist Abigail Rockerfeller, it confirms that Angels once walked among us, and their descendants, the cruel Nephilim still do.
Indeed the Nephilim are hunting for artefacts concealed by Abigail Rockerfeller during the Second World War- objects that will ultimately allow them to enslave mankind- and have so far been prevented from reaching their apocalyptic goal by one clandestine organisation: The Angelology Society.
And of the Angelologists are to stand any chance of winning this new battle in the ages-old war, they must find the artefacts first. But their fate rests in the hands of innocent Sister Evangeline, who holds the key to unlocking Abigail Rockerfeller's hiding places... and whose own destiny may yet find her prey to the terrifying Nephilim army, with horrifying consequences for humanity.
Angelology moves with electrifying sweep from the icy mountains of Bulgaria to Nazi-occupied Paris, to twentieth century New York, as the greatest conspiracy of them all is brought to light.

As you can see there is a lot going on in this book! The plot grabs you on the very first page and twists and turns to the very end. 2010 is the year of the Angels apparently as 2009 was the year of the Vampires with Twilight leading the way. I found the mythology of Angels that Danielle Trussoni weaves throughout the story completely fascinating and entirely believable. The author's theological research carries the book and I found myself wanting to know more and more.
The characters in the book are quite complex as they each have many secrets to hide. I loved the descriptions of the Nephilim who are both beautiful and utterly terrifying at the same time.
Angelology is a fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing to the very last page. Foreign rights have already been bought in 31 major territories and Sony are already in discussion about a feature film. I think that Angelology will be the book that many people are talking about in 2010 and I think that it more than deserves it.

Angelology will be available in April, to find out a little more than click here for the author's website.

17.3.10

Book Review: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory


The White Queen by Philippa Gregory is the first in the new series of books entitles The Cousin's War. In these books the author will be focusing on the Plantagenet's and the War of The Roses.
In The White Queen the reader is introduced to Elizabeth Woodville, she is of the House of Lancaster and lost her husband in battle to the Yorkists. Elizabeth meets and falls in love with the reigning monarch, King Edward IV of the House of York and they marry in great secrecy as he fights to secure his throne. Eventually Elizabeth is recognised as the Queen of England and provides her husband with two male heirs. However Elizabeth and her family's future are far from secure as Edward's throne is constantly under threat; his friends become his enemies and there are uprisings all over the country that he loves.
Elizabeth's mother Jacquetta descends from the Dukes of Burgundy and she carries the blood of the water goddess Melusina. Both mother and daughter use their beliefs throughout the book to cast charms and curses on their loved ones and enemies. They both take great risks as being accused of witchcraft at that time almost always meant that the death penalty would follow. Elizabeth will do everything she can in order to protect her family and their legitimate claim to the throne of England.
Philippa Gregory has written a fascinating book and the large amount of research she has done is evident throughout. The War of The Roses is such an interesting time in British history and to see it through the eyes of Elizabeth Woodville adds a different perspective. Whilst she was a Queen of England she was also a mother who cared deeply about the safety of her children. She suffers many losses within the book, all at the hands of plotting members of the royal family. Even when her sons go missing from the Tower of London she does not give up hope or loyalty to the husband that she truly loved.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series which is published in August. The White Queen twists and turns and it is exciting to know that so many of the events that Philippa Gregory writes about actually did happen.

15.3.10

Book Review: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler


This lovely book from Bloomsbury is a must read for any Jane Austen fan. It is reminiscent of the ITV series Lost in Austen which I and I know many of you enjoyed watching. Courtney Stone is a single, thirty year old living in 21st century L.A. However, one morning she wakes up in the body of Jane Mansfield, also a single thirty year old, the big difference being that Jane lives in Regency England. Courtney is sure that she is dreaming at first but she slowly has to come round to the idea that it might all be real and that she is now living the kind of Jane Austen life that she had always dreamed about.
Courtney's new life as Jane is interesting enough but then the dashing and exceedingly rich Charles Edgeworth is thrown into the mix. Both Courtney and the reader have to decide whether Charles is a dastardly Wickham character not to be trusted or whether he is a beloved Darcy.
Laurie Viera Rigler recreates Regency England very well and she treats us to visits in Bath and London within the story. My favourite part of the book is when Courtney as Jane Mansfield bumps into the real-life Jane Austen and can't help but be a slightly scary and over-enthusiastic fan.
This book is a lot of fun, we watch Courtney Stone as she has to adapt her 21st century attitude and mannerisms to fit in with the etiquette of a lady at that time. It is very interesting to consider the vast differences between a 21st century single thirty year old and a woman of the same predicament in Jane Austen's time. Both women have different pressures placed upon them by society but they are identical in their desire to marry for true love.
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict is a really lovely, light read. It has you laughing in many places whilst still offering you plenty to think about.

10.3.10

Book Review: In Search of Adam by Caroline Smailes


In Search of Adam by Caroline Smailes is an astonishing novel. I read it in one sitting as I could not tear myself away from the shocking and harrowing tale on the pages.
Jude Williams is practically abandoned when her mother commits suicide. As if struggling to deal with this unexpected loss is not enough, Jude is is then subjected to awful sexual abuse and she is only six years old.
Caroline Smailes does not shy away from the details of these encounters and I was shocked throughout the book. I think that the author is incredibly brave to write with such honesty, it is because society talks about sexual abuse in hushed whispers that it often goes unnoticed. There are so many people in the book, Jude's family, neighbours, teachers, children at school yet you really do feel how lonely and isolated Jude feels. She is carrying around this terrible, terrible burden and shame on her own.
Jude's mother left a suicide note to her daughter explaining that she has gone in search of Adam. It is not until five years later that Jude finally reads her mother's diary and discovers that Adam was the brother that she never knew she had; he was dead before she was even conceived. This element of the story seems to make it even more shocking; Jude's terrible life and experiences all owe something to Adam and the devastation that his death caused. It is as though she is being punished for a death that she didn't even know about.
Caroline Smailes does not stick to the standard format of a book. Words are laid out on the page in a very particular manner, some form shapes; some are bold; many are repeated. This presentation adds so much to the book, they give it a childlike element and do not allow you to forget that the person experiencing these horrific events is merely a young, innocent child.
In Search of Adam is an extremely shocking book and not a nice, easy read. But I believe it is an important book written by an exceptionally brave and honest writer who is not afraid to push the boundaries.

9.3.10

Book Review: The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson


The lovely people at Waterstones sent me a copy of The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson. I read it over the weekend as it is a very difficult book to put down. I don't want to give too much of the excellent plot away so I am going to give you the blurb:
As teenagers, Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe were the only witnesses to a tragic event. The two teenagers were dubbed 'The Ice Cream Girls' by the press and dealt with by the courts.
Years later, having led very different lives, Poppy is keen to set the record straight about what really happened, while Serena wants no one in her present to find out about her past. But some secrets will not stay buried and if theirs is revealed, everything will become a living hell all over again...

I think that many people would look at the cover of The Ice Cream Girls and assume that it is a feel good chick lit novel, however, Dorothy Koomson actually delivers a page-turning psychological thriller.
The book alternates between narratives from Poppy and Serena and this allows the reader to get to know the two characters very well. I found them to be completely believable as I was caught up in their past and present lives.
There are so many twists and turns in this book, Dorothy Koomson deals with extremely shocking subject matter in a sensitive and honest way. You are kept guessing right up until the very end and the final chapter was a complete shock to me.
The Ice Cream Girls looks at how the decisions we make affect our lives and those around us. However different their lives have been, Poppy and Serena are linked by their joint experiences and the decisions they were forced to make. They may not be friends but they have a bond that will always tie them together.
This is the second Dorothy Koomson book that I have read and I know that I will be looking out for her other ones from now on. The Ice Cream Girls has brilliant characters and a story that engages you the whole way through, I would highly recommend this book.

Waterstones are holding a live web chat with Dorothy Koomson today between 1 and 3pm, if you would like to ask the author anything then click on the link below to take part:

Live Web Chat with Dorothy Koomson hosted by Waterstones

5.3.10

Book Review: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll



It is almost impossible to escape all of the advertising for Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. After seeing yet another trailer on the television I realised that I had never read the actual book. I have only ever watched the Disney version so I dusted off my copy of Lewis Carroll's complete works and entered into the world that Alice discovers.


It is one of the strangest books that I have ever read. After the first couple of chapters I decided that I just needed to relax and stop questioning everything that I was reading. Once I had done this I began to enjoy Carroll's extremely curious tale, however I am still a little concerned about where some of his ideas came from.


I'm sure that most of you know that Alice falls down a rabbit hole after pursuing a large white rabbit who she hears muttering to himself about being very late. She finds herself in a bizarre new world of Mad Hatters, March Hares and Cheshire Cats. The Queen of Hearts provides the danger with her constant orders to chop off people's heads.


Lewis Carroll uses language in a very beautiful and eccentric manner and this is probably what I enjoyed most about the book. I nearly read this on my e-reader but I am so glad that I found my old copy as the intricate illustrations add so much to the story and I would have missed out on those. I am not going to try and analyse the meaning behind the tale, I am simply going to enjoy it for what it is, a wonderful classic.

2.3.10

Book Review: The Bed I Made by Lucie Whitehouse


I read and loved Lucie Whitehouse's first novel, The House at Midnight last year, so I was very excited to be sent a copy of her new book by the lovely people at Bloomsbury.

The Bed I Made is just as tense and atmospheric as Lucie's previous book but I would say that this one has a much darker and more dangerous edge to it.

One fateful night, Kate meets Richard in a Soho bar and they begin a reckless and intense relationship. However, eighteen months later we follow Kate as she flees the familiarity of her London life for the obscurity of a rented cottage on the Isle of Wight. It is winter on this tiny island and Kate finds herself extremely isolated. She learns about the disappearance of local woman, Alice Frewin who many suggest has taken her own life. Kate is drawn to Alice's story, it almost provides a distraction yet she still cannot escape the clutches of Richard who has not given up on finding out where she has escaped to.

Lucie Whitehouse begins building the chilling atmosphere from the first page of the book. The story builds slowly like the fog that rolls in and envelops Kate's cottage on the island. We begin to gain an understanding of why she is so frightened of this man who she had once loved and admired. There were times when I did not want to read on as I was frightened as to what was lurking around the next corner but I could not stop myself from turning the pages.

Critics have compared Lucie Whitehouse to Daphne Du Maurier and I believe that this is a fair assertion, even more so after reading this second book. Through her clever use of language, Whitehouse creates a chilling and sinister atmosphere as she gradually builds up the suspense. Words carry a lot of power throughout the story. Other than Kate's memories, Richard's main presence is via text messages and emails that she receives whilst on the island. He uses few words but the power that they have over Kate is terrifying and you get a real sense of the oppressive fear that she is experiencing.

Lucie Whitehouse has created a perfect thriller. The Bed I Made grabs you from the very first chapter; it is not one to be missed but certainly not one that I would recommend reading just before you turn the lights off!

All change here!

I have made the decision to stop doing written reviews on here for a little while. I shall keep this page open but for the time being I sha...