Take a photo of a barcode or cover
patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
In Phoebe Turner’s Victorian home hangs a painting. The Somnambulist. It reminds her of her dear Aunt Cissy, a music hall beauty who she wishes were her mother. Instead, Maud is a strict Christian, pounding the streets with the Hallelujah Army and severely disapproving of Cissy’s sinful life as a singer. When Phoebe glimpses the world inside Wilton’s Music Hall one night, she also draws the attention of men who will change her life forever. Soon her family home is at risk and she must move to the country to be companion to the reclusive Mrs Samuels at Dinwood Court. But all is not well in that house either, and Phoebe feels like her world is unravelling and she is bound for hell.
The Somnambulist is a scandalous Victorian soap of the literary variety, crammed full with characters and twists and turns. Perhaps a few too many characters and plot points, which meant that none were fully developed. Our narrator is young Phoebe; at only 17 maybe she can be forgiven for being silly and naïve, which was probably typical of girls at the time, but her grief isn’t convincing until a lot further on in the book. I don’t think it can be put down as shock, as she is forever crying, but I rarely felt her emotions.
Then the narration breaks off into third person at times to inform the reader of crucial secrets, unbeknown to Phoebe. These are usually from the perspective of Mr Samuels, the man who has mysteriously become an important part of her life. This works quite well for an incident about halfway through, as you really want to scream at Phoebe not to do it, but at other times it just added yet another thread to the already full plot.
I most enjoyed the characters of the music hall; Old Riley, who makes the costumes and is a mother figure to the singers and actors under her wing, Quin, who made me really care what happened at the end and even Mr Collins who is the least developed but quietly looks after everyone.
The pacing was a little odd. It took me a long time to get into the book and then by the end, there seemed to be a major event unfolding in each chapter, shock after shock after shock, which left me feeling it was all a bit silly. But silly in a cultured, Victorian manner that was still quite entertaining. I also felt there was no sense of the passage of time. What was several years seemed like mere weeks in my head, which probably didn’t help the sense that too much was happening to this poor family.
Essie Fox’s writing style is beautiful, when taken page by page. Her prose is descriptive and poetic with a healthy dollop of research into an era it is clear she holds dear. As a debut novel, there is plenty of potential and I would certainly give her another chance.
The Somnambulist is a scandalous Victorian soap of the literary variety, crammed full with characters and twists and turns. Perhaps a few too many characters and plot points, which meant that none were fully developed. Our narrator is young Phoebe; at only 17 maybe she can be forgiven for being silly and naïve, which was probably typical of girls at the time, but her grief isn’t convincing until a lot further on in the book. I don’t think it can be put down as shock, as she is forever crying, but I rarely felt her emotions.
Then the narration breaks off into third person at times to inform the reader of crucial secrets, unbeknown to Phoebe. These are usually from the perspective of Mr Samuels, the man who has mysteriously become an important part of her life. This works quite well for an incident about halfway through, as you really want to scream at Phoebe not to do it, but at other times it just added yet another thread to the already full plot.
I most enjoyed the characters of the music hall; Old Riley, who makes the costumes and is a mother figure to the singers and actors under her wing, Quin, who made me really care what happened at the end and even Mr Collins who is the least developed but quietly looks after everyone.
The pacing was a little odd. It took me a long time to get into the book and then by the end, there seemed to be a major event unfolding in each chapter, shock after shock after shock, which left me feeling it was all a bit silly. But silly in a cultured, Victorian manner that was still quite entertaining. I also felt there was no sense of the passage of time. What was several years seemed like mere weeks in my head, which probably didn’t help the sense that too much was happening to this poor family.
Essie Fox’s writing style is beautiful, when taken page by page. Her prose is descriptive and poetic with a healthy dollop of research into an era it is clear she holds dear. As a debut novel, there is plenty of potential and I would certainly give her another chance.
Hig’s world is a lonely one. After the flu that killed his wife went on to take the lives of 99.9% of America, he lives with his dog in an abandoned airport. His only neighbour is Bangley, a man with a passion for firearms and no qualm about killing. They form an unlikely alliance; Hig with his plane for surveillance and Bangley with his guns.
If I had read any reviews of The Dog Stars in advance, I probably would have run away from this book. The speech is without speech marks and mostly unattributed. The prose borders on poetry in places, with short, incomplete sentences. Written by a specialist adventure writer, one character loves his fishing and his plane; the other is a gun-toting, all American male. Their world is pretty bleak and their existence consists of killing people that come too close and making sure they have food to eat.
Yet beyond all that appeared a book I fell in love with. The fractured prose suits their world. When living is isolation, is there need for formal grammar? It also mimics the train of thought of someone by themselves, every so often blurring into speech, when Hig isn’t even aware that he is talking out loud. So even the lack of speech marks work for me (and usually I find this difficult).
The characters of Hig and Bangley are also joined by Jasper the dog, and it is the relationship between man and dog that starts pulling at the heart-strings. Jasper is truly man’s best friend in this case. The fact that Bangley is such an inaccessible character to start with, makes it all the more touching when the emotion slips through. That in extreme situations, little things like compatibility don’t matter and new family bonds are forged. A need for human connections overrides everything else. I found it touching and moving throughout, you just have to give the style a little time to settle in.
I even started to get interested in the plane and the crucial part it plays in the story. Without it, they would have been truly isolated. Instead it gives them freedom to forage further and to keep their land safe. The violence in the world may be a pessimistic outlook but it is also probably a realistic one. It also gives the edge of suspense and keeps the pace up where otherwise it might drag. After all, the moment when I thought the book may be starting to flag was one of the few times that Hig wasn’t in danger of being shot at.
There are small passages about the flu and the blood disease that followed. Hig befriends a community of Mennonites with the blood disease in a nearby property (reached by plane) but never gets close. There is a not too subtle comparison between misconceptions about HIV and this new disease that was born out of the flu. But the story isn’t really about the apocalypse; it’s about day-to-day survival in the world that remains. Part of that survival is the struggle to be social when in competition. When it’s easy to become animals, it’s love that keeps humanity alive.
If I had read any reviews of The Dog Stars in advance, I probably would have run away from this book. The speech is without speech marks and mostly unattributed. The prose borders on poetry in places, with short, incomplete sentences. Written by a specialist adventure writer, one character loves his fishing and his plane; the other is a gun-toting, all American male. Their world is pretty bleak and their existence consists of killing people that come too close and making sure they have food to eat.
Yet beyond all that appeared a book I fell in love with. The fractured prose suits their world. When living is isolation, is there need for formal grammar? It also mimics the train of thought of someone by themselves, every so often blurring into speech, when Hig isn’t even aware that he is talking out loud. So even the lack of speech marks work for me (and usually I find this difficult).
The characters of Hig and Bangley are also joined by Jasper the dog, and it is the relationship between man and dog that starts pulling at the heart-strings. Jasper is truly man’s best friend in this case. The fact that Bangley is such an inaccessible character to start with, makes it all the more touching when the emotion slips through. That in extreme situations, little things like compatibility don’t matter and new family bonds are forged. A need for human connections overrides everything else. I found it touching and moving throughout, you just have to give the style a little time to settle in.
I even started to get interested in the plane and the crucial part it plays in the story. Without it, they would have been truly isolated. Instead it gives them freedom to forage further and to keep their land safe. The violence in the world may be a pessimistic outlook but it is also probably a realistic one. It also gives the edge of suspense and keeps the pace up where otherwise it might drag. After all, the moment when I thought the book may be starting to flag was one of the few times that Hig wasn’t in danger of being shot at.
There are small passages about the flu and the blood disease that followed. Hig befriends a community of Mennonites with the blood disease in a nearby property (reached by plane) but never gets close. There is a not too subtle comparison between misconceptions about HIV and this new disease that was born out of the flu. But the story isn’t really about the apocalypse; it’s about day-to-day survival in the world that remains. Part of that survival is the struggle to be social when in competition. When it’s easy to become animals, it’s love that keeps humanity alive.
Scott’s never been one to show off before so he’s not quite sure why he’s climbing a pylon to impress a girl. When he slips, he really thinks he’s a goner, but instead of breaking all the bones in his body, he comes round lying on the grass with a memory of falling over the fence. Did he climb the pylon or not? Next thing he knows, he’s being dragged off by the girl, Aubrey, and being told off for shifting in public. If he can just avoid being captured by ARES, his knew found gift to change his past decisions is cool, right? Instead, he learns that every shift has consequences…
Shift is like a British, young adult version of The Butterfly Effect with just as chilling effects and served with a side order of humour. Scott’s your average teenage boy, and despite his new found powers, he never really gets past his averageness which makes him a refreshing narrator. He is a little more unusual than the average shifter; he is late to discover his powers and he can remember past realities. He doesn’t come across as the brightest spark, being a little bit gullible and not thinking for himself. Of course the secret organisation has his best interests at heart! Bless him.
I wasn’t entirely convinced by the covert groups of children using their shifting powers to aid the government. Shifters reach entropy when they get into their twenties and their power fades away. So the shifters are all young adults or children, some as young as nine. Was it all a charade? After all, shifting only changes personal decisions and what decisions do children make that would change the world? Maybe I missed something here but it wasn’t clear.
There’s a pretty terrifying villain too and Kim Curran has done a great job in creating a character that gives you the chills. Later on, some of the unpleasant revelations are rushed over but I imagine this is done for the younger audience. Though I must say near the end, it does go a bit James Bond, where one of the bad guys stands around and tells them his dastardly plan in the belief they’ll be dead any minute now…
Shift is like a British, young adult version of The Butterfly Effect with just as chilling effects and served with a side order of humour. Scott’s your average teenage boy, and despite his new found powers, he never really gets past his averageness which makes him a refreshing narrator. He is a little more unusual than the average shifter; he is late to discover his powers and he can remember past realities. He doesn’t come across as the brightest spark, being a little bit gullible and not thinking for himself. Of course the secret organisation has his best interests at heart! Bless him.
I wasn’t entirely convinced by the covert groups of children using their shifting powers to aid the government. Shifters reach entropy when they get into their twenties and their power fades away. So the shifters are all young adults or children, some as young as nine. Was it all a charade? After all, shifting only changes personal decisions and what decisions do children make that would change the world? Maybe I missed something here but it wasn’t clear.
There’s a pretty terrifying villain too and Kim Curran has done a great job in creating a character that gives you the chills. Later on, some of the unpleasant revelations are rushed over but I imagine this is done for the younger audience. Though I must say near the end, it does go a bit James Bond, where one of the bad guys stands around and tells them his dastardly plan in the belief they’ll be dead any minute now…
Year after year, Lark has been passed over for the harvesting, watching younger children be chosen. Her city, the only one left, is power by the Resource, a magic that everyone is born with but cannot waste on themselves. Lark believes herself a dud but in her sixteenth year she is chosen and discovers a disturbing truth. She must decide on a future of slavery and torture or risk the world beyond the wall. A world which she knows nothing about.
The start was rather generic and it took a while for the déjà vu feeling to go away. A teenager who thinks she’s nothing special and a rite of passage procedure followed by revelation. The inclusion of clockwork machines powered by magic came across as an awkward attempt to make it steampunk. Even the city and its protective wall seemed far too familiar to me. But I persevered and at some point it turned into an original and gripping story with a really interesting world.
The world is both fantasy and a futuristic apocalyptic one. Wars have wrought destruction and magic has been stripped from the natural world. Lark believes that humans cannot exist without magic and she faces the consequences of living without it on her journey. I didn’t feel there were huge plot wholes and Meagan Spooner has thought out her world properly, with little things explained that may have made me pause to question this reality. Occasionally there are lapses, when Lark will make a comparison to something she would have no knowledge about. Why would she say someone moves like an animal when she has never encountered a living animal before?
The world outside the wall is tough and Lark’s survival experience is fairly realistic. Although someone needs to have words with the author that cucumbers and carrots will not sustain you for long! A good source of water perhaps, but I doubt very much they would satisfy Lark’s hunger and keep her going for days on end. Within the abandoned wilds, there are pockets of magic and within them slightly different places, some with terrors and some with delights. I loved how magic was woven into this world. Even those clockwork machines started to make sense. One of the pixies starts to become sentient, is it artificial intelligence or programming or just plain magic?
I did not see the ending coming either. A lot of what really made this book for me, would be considered spoilers but I will just say give it a go and read past the lacklustre start. The ending is open enough for another book (yes please) but doesn’t leave a gaping hole in the plot. There is a conclusion!
The start was rather generic and it took a while for the déjà vu feeling to go away. A teenager who thinks she’s nothing special and a rite of passage procedure followed by revelation. The inclusion of clockwork machines powered by magic came across as an awkward attempt to make it steampunk. Even the city and its protective wall seemed far too familiar to me. But I persevered and at some point it turned into an original and gripping story with a really interesting world.
The world is both fantasy and a futuristic apocalyptic one. Wars have wrought destruction and magic has been stripped from the natural world. Lark believes that humans cannot exist without magic and she faces the consequences of living without it on her journey. I didn’t feel there were huge plot wholes and Meagan Spooner has thought out her world properly, with little things explained that may have made me pause to question this reality. Occasionally there are lapses, when Lark will make a comparison to something she would have no knowledge about. Why would she say someone moves like an animal when she has never encountered a living animal before?
The world outside the wall is tough and Lark’s survival experience is fairly realistic. Although someone needs to have words with the author that cucumbers and carrots will not sustain you for long! A good source of water perhaps, but I doubt very much they would satisfy Lark’s hunger and keep her going for days on end. Within the abandoned wilds, there are pockets of magic and within them slightly different places, some with terrors and some with delights. I loved how magic was woven into this world. Even those clockwork machines started to make sense. One of the pixies starts to become sentient, is it artificial intelligence or programming or just plain magic?
I did not see the ending coming either. A lot of what really made this book for me, would be considered spoilers but I will just say give it a go and read past the lacklustre start. The ending is open enough for another book (yes please) but doesn’t leave a gaping hole in the plot. There is a conclusion!
Poor Thursday still hasn't reactualised her non-husband Landen. Even worse she's beginning to forget him. Could it be the work of that pesky Aornis Hades, lurking in her memories?
At the end of Lost in a Good Book, Thursday Next is persuaded to spend the rest of her pregnancy in a safe place, hidden away in an unpublished book in the Well of Lost Plots. All she has to do is act out her character's part and stay out of trouble. Everyone in BookWorld is talking about the upcoming upgrade to the new operating system but is it too good to be true? Characters are starting to die and Thursday can't just sit back and watch.
This instalment is certainly a book for authors as well as readers. The idea is that the books write themselves in BookWorld, that text can be destroyed by pests that steal grammar or the myspeling vyrus and characters are not always happy with their lot in life. There's a black market in plot devices and generics being trained to take the place of characters across different genres. And of course, the horrors of living in a badly written book.
With all the talks of innovation in publishing recently and the rise of the ebook, The Well of Lost Plots is a rather topical read. There's an element of pushing the stories and characters aside in favour of "progress" and more profit. It's all done in a humourous way but it does make you wonder what the characters of BookWorld would make of Kindles and Kobos.
I love the fact that one of Jasper Fforde's other books is actually a book within Thursday's world. If you're a grammar geek I say read it!
At the end of Lost in a Good Book, Thursday Next is persuaded to spend the rest of her pregnancy in a safe place, hidden away in an unpublished book in the Well of Lost Plots. All she has to do is act out her character's part and stay out of trouble. Everyone in BookWorld is talking about the upcoming upgrade to the new operating system but is it too good to be true? Characters are starting to die and Thursday can't just sit back and watch.
This instalment is certainly a book for authors as well as readers. The idea is that the books write themselves in BookWorld, that text can be destroyed by pests that steal grammar or the myspeling vyrus and characters are not always happy with their lot in life. There's a black market in plot devices and generics being trained to take the place of characters across different genres. And of course, the horrors of living in a badly written book.
With all the talks of innovation in publishing recently and the rise of the ebook, The Well of Lost Plots is a rather topical read. There's an element of pushing the stories and characters aside in favour of "progress" and more profit. It's all done in a humourous way but it does make you wonder what the characters of BookWorld would make of Kindles and Kobos.
I love the fact that one of Jasper Fforde's other books is actually a book within Thursday's world. If you're a grammar geek I say read it!
When a one night stand with an ex leaves Rachel pregnant, she decides to go ahead and have the baby by herself. She is a strong, independent woman, she will be a great mother. But as the sleepless hours tick by, she starts to resent baby Joe. Why won’t he just go to sleep?
Go To Sleep is an incredibly honest look at the stress a baby can put a woman under. Determined to cope by herself, Rachel shuts everyone else out but soon she finds how difficult things are when she has to do every little thing with a small, crying person in tow. Without support, she gets less and less sleep and the stress starts to get to her. She’s not bonding with Joe and she wishes there were something wrong with him that can be fixed. As she starts to unravel, the tension mounts and it’s a real page-turner despite the fact that not a lot really happens.
Rachel works as a social worker in Liverpool and I really liked this side of the story too. We only see a little bit of her working life before the birth but it is something she just can’t let go of. Her kids need her and whilst she is not in a position to be rescuing them, I admire her for it. I guess it’s easier for her to help them than help herself. It also highlights some of the racial tensions of the area. Joe is mixed race and Rachel suspects her father of being racist, of disapproving of her ex and shutting him out.
If I was under any doubt as to not having children, this book would be a great reminder why they are not all sunshine and roses. Women who think a baby will “fix things” should certainly read it! I’m not a huge fan of books focusing on new mothers, as they tend to be a bit sentimental or imply motherhood is the sole purpose in life for the characters, but this couldn’t be further from that. I did find the chapters covering her labour a bit much although I am sure they are more realistic than any other novel. Yes, chapters, and it’s hard for her. I read in disbelief as the hospital turned her away again and again, but I imagine busy, city-centre hospitals have to work that way. Perhaps mothers will appreciate the reality check. It’s not a bit of deep breathing and out they pop!
Go To Sleep is an incredibly honest look at the stress a baby can put a woman under. Determined to cope by herself, Rachel shuts everyone else out but soon she finds how difficult things are when she has to do every little thing with a small, crying person in tow. Without support, she gets less and less sleep and the stress starts to get to her. She’s not bonding with Joe and she wishes there were something wrong with him that can be fixed. As she starts to unravel, the tension mounts and it’s a real page-turner despite the fact that not a lot really happens.
Rachel works as a social worker in Liverpool and I really liked this side of the story too. We only see a little bit of her working life before the birth but it is something she just can’t let go of. Her kids need her and whilst she is not in a position to be rescuing them, I admire her for it. I guess it’s easier for her to help them than help herself. It also highlights some of the racial tensions of the area. Joe is mixed race and Rachel suspects her father of being racist, of disapproving of her ex and shutting him out.
If I was under any doubt as to not having children, this book would be a great reminder why they are not all sunshine and roses. Women who think a baby will “fix things” should certainly read it! I’m not a huge fan of books focusing on new mothers, as they tend to be a bit sentimental or imply motherhood is the sole purpose in life for the characters, but this couldn’t be further from that. I did find the chapters covering her labour a bit much although I am sure they are more realistic than any other novel. Yes, chapters, and it’s hard for her. I read in disbelief as the hospital turned her away again and again, but I imagine busy, city-centre hospitals have to work that way. Perhaps mothers will appreciate the reality check. It’s not a bit of deep breathing and out they pop!
Shadows is the sequel to Ashes and therefore this review will contain spoilers for the first book.
At the end of Ashes Alex had been sent out of Rule as an offering to the Changed. Shadows will keep you in suspense for a few extra chapters as the start picks back up with Tom, who Alex was convinced she had left to die in an old shed. Instead he has been taken in by an old couple and nursed back to health. But what he wants more than anything else is to see Alex again, if there’s any chance she’s still alive he must find her.
Meanwhile in Rule, Jess is in a coma and Chris has serious injuries. The girls are told he was thrown by his horse but there is something fishy about the elders’ story and Lena knows it. She might not be the brightest spark but her constant nagging soon gets her a bit closer to the truth. Is it safe for her to stay there?
And Alex, surrounded by the Changed; the children who now crave human flesh and are becoming organised. Dressed in wolf skins, they resemble a pack and have found themselves weapons and souvenirs. The leader of the pack, who Alex nicknames Wolf, takes a special interest in her and she is terrified that she recognises him. Is it possible? Is she about to be eaten by someone she once called a friend?
Shadows is action packed and filled with horror. It’s certainly not suitable for young readers and there are moments which will go beyond some people’s comfort zones. Cannibalism is not pretty and Ilsa J. Bick does not gloss over it in any sense, filling the pages with violence and gore. There’s a lot of half-truths and full out lies which can make the plot a little confusing at times. I’m still not entirely sure why Lena and Chris left Rule, except that as the reader with all that extra knowledge, I know that it’s a bad place to be!
I did enjoy the other perspectives this time. Still told in third person, the narrative focuses on three different groups of characters rather than just Alex. There are a lot of connections, between Rule and pretty much everything else, and you do need to pay attention to keep up. There is also a small portion given over to Peter and an experimentation storyline which didn’t quite fit here. Not that I don’t think it is viable in this world but just that it didn’t add anything at this time. I suspect it will fill out in the third book of the trilogy.
Whilst the Changed (or Chuckies as they are often called) were portrayed simply as blood thirsty creatures in Ashes, they do start to form personalities here and evolve. Like Alex, you start to connect to Wolf in a tiny way and I was disappointed not to find out what happened to him. He was eating people alive and for some reason I care! There was something said that was either an outright lie by a character or could have hinted to Wolf’s current circumstances. I’m hoping this loose end get picked up in the next instalment.
I don’t think horses are quite as fragile as you would think from reading this. There are plenty of times when a horse trips up and, SNAP. I don’t think they would have been such useful domesticated creatures throughout history if they broke that easily and it’s not like they are all riding fine boned Thoroughbreds. Once, yes, believable but I found it was a bit over used. They could have just thrown their riders and run away.
Despite so much going on and a large cast of characters, the pace speeds along and the climax is gripping. The ending definitely feels like a lot of things have been left hanging for the next book but it isn’t a giant cliffhanger like in Ashes. I felt more disappointment on behalf of the characters than myself as a reader and I will be looking forward to finding out what happens next.
At the end of Ashes Alex had been sent out of Rule as an offering to the Changed. Shadows will keep you in suspense for a few extra chapters as the start picks back up with Tom, who Alex was convinced she had left to die in an old shed. Instead he has been taken in by an old couple and nursed back to health. But what he wants more than anything else is to see Alex again, if there’s any chance she’s still alive he must find her.
Meanwhile in Rule, Jess is in a coma and Chris has serious injuries. The girls are told he was thrown by his horse but there is something fishy about the elders’ story and Lena knows it. She might not be the brightest spark but her constant nagging soon gets her a bit closer to the truth. Is it safe for her to stay there?
And Alex, surrounded by the Changed; the children who now crave human flesh and are becoming organised. Dressed in wolf skins, they resemble a pack and have found themselves weapons and souvenirs. The leader of the pack, who Alex nicknames Wolf, takes a special interest in her and she is terrified that she recognises him. Is it possible? Is she about to be eaten by someone she once called a friend?
Shadows is action packed and filled with horror. It’s certainly not suitable for young readers and there are moments which will go beyond some people’s comfort zones. Cannibalism is not pretty and Ilsa J. Bick does not gloss over it in any sense, filling the pages with violence and gore. There’s a lot of half-truths and full out lies which can make the plot a little confusing at times. I’m still not entirely sure why Lena and Chris left Rule, except that as the reader with all that extra knowledge, I know that it’s a bad place to be!
I did enjoy the other perspectives this time. Still told in third person, the narrative focuses on three different groups of characters rather than just Alex. There are a lot of connections, between Rule and pretty much everything else, and you do need to pay attention to keep up. There is also a small portion given over to Peter and an experimentation storyline which didn’t quite fit here. Not that I don’t think it is viable in this world but just that it didn’t add anything at this time. I suspect it will fill out in the third book of the trilogy.
Whilst the Changed (or Chuckies as they are often called) were portrayed simply as blood thirsty creatures in Ashes, they do start to form personalities here and evolve. Like Alex, you start to connect to Wolf in a tiny way and I was disappointed not to find out what happened to him. He was eating people alive and for some reason I care! There was something said that was either an outright lie by a character or could have hinted to Wolf’s current circumstances. I’m hoping this loose end get picked up in the next instalment.
I don’t think horses are quite as fragile as you would think from reading this. There are plenty of times when a horse trips up and, SNAP. I don’t think they would have been such useful domesticated creatures throughout history if they broke that easily and it’s not like they are all riding fine boned Thoroughbreds. Once, yes, believable but I found it was a bit over used. They could have just thrown their riders and run away.
Despite so much going on and a large cast of characters, the pace speeds along and the climax is gripping. The ending definitely feels like a lot of things have been left hanging for the next book but it isn’t a giant cliffhanger like in Ashes. I felt more disappointment on behalf of the characters than myself as a reader and I will be looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Genny is sidhe, a noble fae living in London and she has a secret, well perhaps more than one. She works for Spellcrackers, a witch run organisation which helps remove spells for their clients. Genny’s fae magic means she can see the spells and unwrap them but she’s not so good at casting them herself. She blames this on her condition, infected with V3, vampire venom which draws her close to the very creatures she wants to avoid. When a celebrity vampire is accused of murder, she finds herself being coerced into investigating…
The Sweet Scent of Blood marks the start of an addictive urban fantasy series by Suzanne Mcleod. Her world is full of magical creatures but grounded in a very familiar London. There’s plenty of brooding, handsome vampires but Genny doesn’t go all swoony and I love her attitude throughout. Even when she has her moments of weakness, she seems to give herself a mental prod to keep her on the straight and narrow. There’s just the right amount of sexy without it descending into porn.
The plot is twisty and turny, with lots of interesting and potentially suspicious characters. It’s a classic mystery with a supernatural twist and a smattering of humour. I loved that there was an office bet to find out if Finn, the satyr, has a tail underneath his glamour and that the goblins bling themselves up. It’s a fantastical and well thought out world that I just didn’t want to leave.
I liked her use of V3 as a medical condition. Vampires can choose to inject their venom when they feed which creates willing blood slaves. The venom acts as a drug which not only makes them more attracted and attractive to vamps, but affects them physically; causing their red blood cells to multiply…more food for the vamps but also dangerous if they don’t let blood on a regular basis. Of course, Genny being fae, she is extra tasty.
The Sweet Scent of Blood marks the start of an addictive urban fantasy series by Suzanne Mcleod. Her world is full of magical creatures but grounded in a very familiar London. There’s plenty of brooding, handsome vampires but Genny doesn’t go all swoony and I love her attitude throughout. Even when she has her moments of weakness, she seems to give herself a mental prod to keep her on the straight and narrow. There’s just the right amount of sexy without it descending into porn.
The plot is twisty and turny, with lots of interesting and potentially suspicious characters. It’s a classic mystery with a supernatural twist and a smattering of humour. I loved that there was an office bet to find out if Finn, the satyr, has a tail underneath his glamour and that the goblins bling themselves up. It’s a fantastical and well thought out world that I just didn’t want to leave.
I liked her use of V3 as a medical condition. Vampires can choose to inject their venom when they feed which creates willing blood slaves. The venom acts as a drug which not only makes them more attracted and attractive to vamps, but affects them physically; causing their red blood cells to multiply…more food for the vamps but also dangerous if they don’t let blood on a regular basis. Of course, Genny being fae, she is extra tasty.
When Andi met Ethan, should found a man with a ready made family. He came with his two daughters, twelve year old Emily and seven year old Sophia. Whilst she and Sophia instantly bond, Ethan's older daughter resents the new woman in his life, usurping her mother's rightful role. But Andi is desperate to be a mother, she was planning her family from the very first date so she throws herself into making a patchwork family, no matter what Emily throws at her.
Female characters whose only purpose in life is to reproduce irritate me. I know so many people will enjoy this book and completely relate to Andi but she made me want to throw the book out the window. I'm not saying it's not life-changing to find out you won't have kids but she has an amazing job, a too-good-to-be-true husband and at least one step-daughter who dotes on her. Yet she goes on like she has nothing else in her life. She is completely obsessed with getting Emily to treat her like a mother and I just wanted to side with Emily even though she was being a selfish teenager. She has got a selfish role model after all, Andi never really thinks what anyone else wants or needs. Even when she is momentarily distracted, the hope of a baby is dangled in front of Andi and she loses all reason again.
Emily's character actually saved the book for me. Yes she treats her step-mother horribly but Andi is such a wet blanket that she is just providing rope to hang herself with. A product of a broken home, Emily not only has to deal with every day school life but she has a mother who is an alcoholic and a step-mother that sees her as a replacement daughter that's not quite perfect enough, especially not when compared to her sister, Sophia.
I loved the rollercoaster ride of Emily's side of the story. Her narration doesn't start until after the bombshell has been dropped and you've already been painted a picture of her as a rebel teen. She understands a lot more than Andi would expect and she's been really stupid but she's also been used. To see her grow into an adult from her very lowest point in life is really touching, even though she makes irresponsible choices again and again.
Female characters whose only purpose in life is to reproduce irritate me. I know so many people will enjoy this book and completely relate to Andi but she made me want to throw the book out the window. I'm not saying it's not life-changing to find out you won't have kids but she has an amazing job, a too-good-to-be-true husband and at least one step-daughter who dotes on her. Yet she goes on like she has nothing else in her life. She is completely obsessed with getting Emily to treat her like a mother and I just wanted to side with Emily even though she was being a selfish teenager. She has got a selfish role model after all, Andi never really thinks what anyone else wants or needs. Even when she is momentarily distracted, the hope of a baby is dangled in front of Andi and she loses all reason again.
Emily's character actually saved the book for me. Yes she treats her step-mother horribly but Andi is such a wet blanket that she is just providing rope to hang herself with. A product of a broken home, Emily not only has to deal with every day school life but she has a mother who is an alcoholic and a step-mother that sees her as a replacement daughter that's not quite perfect enough, especially not when compared to her sister, Sophia.
I loved the rollercoaster ride of Emily's side of the story. Her narration doesn't start until after the bombshell has been dropped and you've already been painted a picture of her as a rebel teen. She understands a lot more than Andi would expect and she's been really stupid but she's also been used. To see her grow into an adult from her very lowest point in life is really touching, even though she makes irresponsible choices again and again.
Ananna of the Tanarau, daughter of pirates, is about to be married off to the beautiful Tarrin of the Hariri. She has never trusted beautiful people and when she spies a loosely tied up camel in the market, she grabs her chance and escapes on its back. She takes no heed of Tarrin’s threats to send an assassin after her, after all, assassins were only threats that her father gave her when she was misbehaving. She remembers tales of blood magic and men that move in the shadows. No one would send an assassin after her, a worthless pirate girl, would they? But when Ananna comes face to face with the assassin in question she inadvertently saves his life, activating a curse; he must protect her or face great pain.
The Assassin’s Curse lives up to its elegant cover; an Arabian Nights styled fantasy adventure spanning desert and ocean. I was sucked in to Cassandra Rose Clarke's world immediately and didn’t want to leave. Ananna may have grown up amongst pirates but she is still young and a little naïve. But she manages not to go all mushy over boys and she’s got such great attitude despite being in a difficult situation. Who wants to be tied to an assassin after all?
Ananna’s mannerisms sneak into the narrative, with double negatives and speech that echoes that of an uneducated, Victorian maid. This does give the impression that she is speaking directing to the reader, telling a tale just as Scheherazade might do but I’m not entirely convinced it is consistent with the more evocative writing in places. Still, I’m sure most younger readers won’t even notice this and it doesn’t detract from this wonderful tale of adventure and magic.
There is a tendency for young adult novels to veer toward romance, but this isn’t that girl meets boy story at all. Girl runs away from boy, gets stuck with another boy she doesn’t really like. Ananna would much rather be captain of her own pirate ship. She’s a plain girl and she doesn’t expect boys to fall for her, and Naji, the assassin, is no exception. I absolutely loved that this was a classic fantasy adventure tailored to a teen protagonist.
The pace is a little off nearing the end. Just when it should be reaching its nail biting climax, it slows off and the two characters plod around doing mundane things for a few chapters. Elements were undoubtedly important to the ongoing story but, dare I say it, I got a bit bored, and this odd section is the only thing stopping me giving this book five stars. Otherwise I loved it.
The Assassin’s Curse lives up to its elegant cover; an Arabian Nights styled fantasy adventure spanning desert and ocean. I was sucked in to Cassandra Rose Clarke's world immediately and didn’t want to leave. Ananna may have grown up amongst pirates but she is still young and a little naïve. But she manages not to go all mushy over boys and she’s got such great attitude despite being in a difficult situation. Who wants to be tied to an assassin after all?
Ananna’s mannerisms sneak into the narrative, with double negatives and speech that echoes that of an uneducated, Victorian maid. This does give the impression that she is speaking directing to the reader, telling a tale just as Scheherazade might do but I’m not entirely convinced it is consistent with the more evocative writing in places. Still, I’m sure most younger readers won’t even notice this and it doesn’t detract from this wonderful tale of adventure and magic.
There is a tendency for young adult novels to veer toward romance, but this isn’t that girl meets boy story at all. Girl runs away from boy, gets stuck with another boy she doesn’t really like. Ananna would much rather be captain of her own pirate ship. She’s a plain girl and she doesn’t expect boys to fall for her, and Naji, the assassin, is no exception. I absolutely loved that this was a classic fantasy adventure tailored to a teen protagonist.
The pace is a little off nearing the end. Just when it should be reaching its nail biting climax, it slows off and the two characters plod around doing mundane things for a few chapters. Elements were undoubtedly important to the ongoing story but, dare I say it, I got a bit bored, and this odd section is the only thing stopping me giving this book five stars. Otherwise I loved it.