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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
I sort of have the feeling I was tricked into reading a book about having babies. Dogs are presented on several occasions as baby substitutes. There’s also some kind of weird message about not being able to have dogs AND kids. Then there’s two main pregnancy storylines, one who can’t and one who accidentally does.
Natalie is one of my most disliked types of characters ever; the woman whose life can only be given meaning through having children. I get that plenty of people can relate or enjoy these kind of stories but, by god, they irritate me to the core. I was hoping the dog would knock some of it out of her but instead she starts to take it out on other people and her relationship suffers. Perhaps the problem with having three main characters here is that there’s not enough room to do character development outside of their core roles. So she just comes across as obsessed with getting pregnant and doesn’t have a chance to expand.
On the subject of multiple main characters, it seems to be a bit of a trend with chick-lit lately. I don’t mind it now and again but it always feel like you’re being dragged away from the stories you like to the stories you’re not that interested in (just like Game of Thrones, but less death). Bring back sole protagonists!
There are plenty of dogs within the pages too and I enjoyed Rachel’s storyline of inheriting the kennels, learning her aunt’s secrets and learning to love dogs. Though some of Dot’s backstory felt very rushed at the end. Like she’d been concentrating on the love stories and suddenly remembered Rachel was meant to be uncovering secrets in the house.
Overall it was an easy and engaging read but I'm not sure I'll be adding Lucy Dillon to my comfort reading list any time soon.
Natalie is one of my most disliked types of characters ever; the woman whose life can only be given meaning through having children. I get that plenty of people can relate or enjoy these kind of stories but, by god, they irritate me to the core. I was hoping the dog would knock some of it out of her but instead she starts to take it out on other people and her relationship suffers. Perhaps the problem with having three main characters here is that there’s not enough room to do character development outside of their core roles. So she just comes across as obsessed with getting pregnant and doesn’t have a chance to expand.
On the subject of multiple main characters, it seems to be a bit of a trend with chick-lit lately. I don’t mind it now and again but it always feel like you’re being dragged away from the stories you like to the stories you’re not that interested in (just like Game of Thrones, but less death). Bring back sole protagonists!
There are plenty of dogs within the pages too and I enjoyed Rachel’s storyline of inheriting the kennels, learning her aunt’s secrets and learning to love dogs. Though some of Dot’s backstory felt very rushed at the end. Like she’d been concentrating on the love stories and suddenly remembered Rachel was meant to be uncovering secrets in the house.
Overall it was an easy and engaging read but I'm not sure I'll be adding Lucy Dillon to my comfort reading list any time soon.
Sascha Duncan is a Psy; a member of the ruling race who have banished all emotion from their kind. One problem; Sascha is feeling. Her mother had always told her she was broken and she’s getting closer to falling apart. When a business deal brings her closer to the alpha of the local leopard changeling pack, everything she understands about her world is about to change.
The central idea of Slave to Sensation is a fantastic one, mashing together science fiction and urban fantasy elements. Why can’t a future world have weres too? The Psy have a hive mind, connected together by a network in their heads with mental barriers. I loved the sequences inside the net and wanted more exploration into this alternative consciousness.
The title is a bit of a clue to the bulk of the story though. Sascha is starting to feel and experience sensation. The Psy don’t touch and the changelings are all about body contact. However in the background is a serial killer story that had so much potential. It picked up near the end but it really was eclipsed by the sexy stuff. Yup, I now prefer serial killers to sex scenes!
Now, I’ve got a quite high tolerance to pointless sex after the Anita Blake series but it’s still not my most favourite thing when it doesn’t sit right in the plot or moves things along. First up are the sex dreams which seem to be a way to cheat at getting your characters together without getting them together. There wasn’t any real sexual tension because of this; it was just like they were together from the start. If there’s one thing I want in my sexy urban fantasy relationships, it’s tension.
The series was recommended to me and I think it’s quite established now so I’ll give it another go. I really want it to expand on the Psy side rather than the changelings as they weren’t my favourite weres.
The central idea of Slave to Sensation is a fantastic one, mashing together science fiction and urban fantasy elements. Why can’t a future world have weres too? The Psy have a hive mind, connected together by a network in their heads with mental barriers. I loved the sequences inside the net and wanted more exploration into this alternative consciousness.
The title is a bit of a clue to the bulk of the story though. Sascha is starting to feel and experience sensation. The Psy don’t touch and the changelings are all about body contact. However in the background is a serial killer story that had so much potential. It picked up near the end but it really was eclipsed by the sexy stuff. Yup, I now prefer serial killers to sex scenes!
Now, I’ve got a quite high tolerance to pointless sex after the Anita Blake series but it’s still not my most favourite thing when it doesn’t sit right in the plot or moves things along. First up are the sex dreams which seem to be a way to cheat at getting your characters together without getting them together. There wasn’t any real sexual tension because of this; it was just like they were together from the start. If there’s one thing I want in my sexy urban fantasy relationships, it’s tension.
The series was recommended to me and I think it’s quite established now so I’ll give it another go. I really want it to expand on the Psy side rather than the changelings as they weren’t my favourite weres.
Last year I read The Bomber as part of the Transworld Book Club and whilst I had reservations, I said I'd give Annika, the main character, a second chance. I took the offer of a review copy of Vanished as a sign. At this point, I need to point out I am not reading this series in chronological order and you may very well enjoy it more if you start at the beginning.
Vanished is, chronologically, the second book featuring Annika Bengtzon and these events happen years before those of The Bomber. Annika is working as a copy editor at the Evening Post in Stockholm. It would seem that after the events of the previous book, she has been demoted because she killed a man in self defence. Bear with me here, I was rather confused at first. There's a friendly little note saying the story follows on from Exposed but the books can be enjoyed by themselves. Fair enough. Yet if you have read The Bomber (published by Corgi last year), it might make more sense to go right back to the beginning. Otherwise you'll be spending the first 100 pages working out what hasn't happened yet or what has happened but you didn't read about. Confused yet?
Once I'd got my facts straight, I did worry that it was going to focus on newspaper politics again but this does tail off after a few chapters. Whilst she might well work in a sexist environment, Annika isn't the model employee, keeping secrets and disappearing out the office without informing her colleagues. For a young copy editor I think she is very lucky to have succeeded in her job and it has nothing to do with her being a woman.
Fortunately for me, the bulk of the book deals with the mystery of Paradise, an organisation which promises to help women in need. They help these people vanish in the eyes of the world. After an initial meeting with the founder, Annika comes into contact with a terrified young woman, convinced that she is being hunted. She directs the woman to Paradise without thinking. Later, she starts to suspect that the organisation isn't quite as benevolent as it seems and worries she's sent the woman to a fraud. I found the main storyline pacey and enjoyable.
I'm not entirely sure the personal parts fitted in with the rest of the plot but again this might be caused by my reading out of order. Possibly Marklund just wanted a few reasons for Annika to have a breakdown, but she already seemed fragile to start with and adding bereavement, a horrible mother, abandonment and other personal issues seemed a bit much. She also didn't seem to be the kind of person I'd expect to fall in love in one night, let alone when she didn't like the man much a few days before. Knowing what happens in her future, I was expecting it, yet it still was all too sudden.
I have softened towards Annika. Maybe I would have been kinder to her before had I read the series from the beginning.
Vanished is, chronologically, the second book featuring Annika Bengtzon and these events happen years before those of The Bomber. Annika is working as a copy editor at the Evening Post in Stockholm. It would seem that after the events of the previous book, she has been demoted because she killed a man in self defence. Bear with me here, I was rather confused at first. There's a friendly little note saying the story follows on from Exposed but the books can be enjoyed by themselves. Fair enough. Yet if you have read The Bomber (published by Corgi last year), it might make more sense to go right back to the beginning. Otherwise you'll be spending the first 100 pages working out what hasn't happened yet or what has happened but you didn't read about. Confused yet?
Once I'd got my facts straight, I did worry that it was going to focus on newspaper politics again but this does tail off after a few chapters. Whilst she might well work in a sexist environment, Annika isn't the model employee, keeping secrets and disappearing out the office without informing her colleagues. For a young copy editor I think she is very lucky to have succeeded in her job and it has nothing to do with her being a woman.
Fortunately for me, the bulk of the book deals with the mystery of Paradise, an organisation which promises to help women in need. They help these people vanish in the eyes of the world. After an initial meeting with the founder, Annika comes into contact with a terrified young woman, convinced that she is being hunted. She directs the woman to Paradise without thinking. Later, she starts to suspect that the organisation isn't quite as benevolent as it seems and worries she's sent the woman to a fraud. I found the main storyline pacey and enjoyable.
I'm not entirely sure the personal parts fitted in with the rest of the plot but again this might be caused by my reading out of order. Possibly Marklund just wanted a few reasons for Annika to have a breakdown, but she already seemed fragile to start with and adding bereavement, a horrible mother, abandonment and other personal issues seemed a bit much. She also didn't seem to be the kind of person I'd expect to fall in love in one night, let alone when she didn't like the man much a few days before. Knowing what happens in her future, I was expecting it, yet it still was all too sudden.
I have softened towards Annika. Maybe I would have been kinder to her before had I read the series from the beginning.
Annika has been promoted to the head of crime at the Evening Post, a major Stockholm newspaper, when a report comes in of an explosion at the Olympic stadium. She's determined to get the best angle on the story and discover the truth before any of her competitors. Is it an act of terrorism against the Olympics or is it murder? And will she get it wrapped up in time to spend Christmas with her family?
What The Bomber does best is portray the inner workings of a busy newspaper. It's refreshing that the characters are just doing their jobs and not taking over from the police like in many crime novels. Annika has a police source but she doesn't work with them and it's a constant struggle to find out information.
But, what angry characters we have! Annika seems to be incredibly irritable, snapping at her husband, children, colleagues and interviewees. The short winter days of Northern Europe makes us all tetchy but I'm not sure it makes for a good protagonist. Maybe Annika rubs of on those around her as they're just as angry back, with exception of her boss at the paper. I get the feeling Marklund is trying to make a statement about equality of the sexes in the workplace but I don't feel that Annika is disliked because she's a woman, more that she's not very nice to her colleagues! The character of Nils, comes across as a stereotypical sexist man without any redeeming features and his presence doesn't have any real relevance on the plot. Now, this is chronologically the fourth book in a series but the first that was written, so perhaps there is a back story that explains more, but as a standalone read, I wish it had concentrated more on the investigation and the bomber's motives.
Overall it's a good read but the angriness has probably cost this book a whole star. The Bomber has been incredibly successful in its original Swedish and a hit film has made made based on the book, with more films based on the series on the way. I would be interested to find out if Annika mellows after the events of The Bomber or if she started out that way, so I wouldn't write Liza Marklund off as a writer.
What The Bomber does best is portray the inner workings of a busy newspaper. It's refreshing that the characters are just doing their jobs and not taking over from the police like in many crime novels. Annika has a police source but she doesn't work with them and it's a constant struggle to find out information.
But, what angry characters we have! Annika seems to be incredibly irritable, snapping at her husband, children, colleagues and interviewees. The short winter days of Northern Europe makes us all tetchy but I'm not sure it makes for a good protagonist. Maybe Annika rubs of on those around her as they're just as angry back, with exception of her boss at the paper. I get the feeling Marklund is trying to make a statement about equality of the sexes in the workplace but I don't feel that Annika is disliked because she's a woman, more that she's not very nice to her colleagues! The character of Nils, comes across as a stereotypical sexist man without any redeeming features and his presence doesn't have any real relevance on the plot. Now, this is chronologically the fourth book in a series but the first that was written, so perhaps there is a back story that explains more, but as a standalone read, I wish it had concentrated more on the investigation and the bomber's motives.
Overall it's a good read but the angriness has probably cost this book a whole star. The Bomber has been incredibly successful in its original Swedish and a hit film has made made based on the book, with more films based on the series on the way. I would be interested to find out if Annika mellows after the events of The Bomber or if she started out that way, so I wouldn't write Liza Marklund off as a writer.
I'm not sure this affected me as emotionally as some but still enjoyed this dark fairytale. Full review to follow.
Jamie’s sister lives on the mantelpiece. She gets cake on his birthday. She is very much a presence in their home but Jamie doesn’t really remember her. Jasmine was 10 when she was killed in a terrorist attack. Years later, they still haven’t said goodbye to her ashes. They’ve moved house, but she’s still with them, a constant reminder of how their family isn’t complete.
I was expecting My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece to be much sadder than it was. It is a heart-breaking situation but it is cleverly told from the point of view of Jamie, who was only 5 years old when his sister died. He didn’t really know her to miss her or to really mourn her. What we do see is how his family deals with it, or rather doesn’t deal with it.
It’s interesting to explore the subject of a child’s death from the point of view of the siblings. So often it’s told from the parents’ perspective, where losing a child is the worst thing that could have happened, that shouldn’t have happened. Yet, what about the children left behind? Do they suffer more from their parents’ grief than the loss of the sibling? I felt for Jamie in that he was expected to be sad when he wasn’t, that it just wasn’t something he was old enough to fully grasp.
The father blames Muslims for killing his daughter, so when Jamie befriends a Muslim girl at school, he is torn between loyalty to his family and actually having a real friend. The lack of logic to his dad’s hatred is highlighted by the friendship, but it also makes things difficult at times. Jamie is scared of being "caught out" but also has to deal with how his dad makes him look bad by association.
Later on, there is a very moving scene around an event that does drive it home for him. His family’s pain is put into context and I think his realisation at this point is the part that will really make you cry. Jamie's a fantastic narrator, and there's a warmth to the writing despite the difficult subjects.
I was expecting My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece to be much sadder than it was. It is a heart-breaking situation but it is cleverly told from the point of view of Jamie, who was only 5 years old when his sister died. He didn’t really know her to miss her or to really mourn her. What we do see is how his family deals with it, or rather doesn’t deal with it.
It’s interesting to explore the subject of a child’s death from the point of view of the siblings. So often it’s told from the parents’ perspective, where losing a child is the worst thing that could have happened, that shouldn’t have happened. Yet, what about the children left behind? Do they suffer more from their parents’ grief than the loss of the sibling? I felt for Jamie in that he was expected to be sad when he wasn’t, that it just wasn’t something he was old enough to fully grasp.
The father blames Muslims for killing his daughter, so when Jamie befriends a Muslim girl at school, he is torn between loyalty to his family and actually having a real friend. The lack of logic to his dad’s hatred is highlighted by the friendship, but it also makes things difficult at times. Jamie is scared of being "caught out" but also has to deal with how his dad makes him look bad by association.
Later on, there is a very moving scene around an event that does drive it home for him. His family’s pain is put into context and I think his realisation at this point is the part that will really make you cry. Jamie's a fantastic narrator, and there's a warmth to the writing despite the difficult subjects.
Ben’s on probation. It’s all because his friends wanted to steal booze from Waitrose and he was the look-out. But it all went horribly wrong and an incident with a lollypop lady, a stolen bottle of Martini Rosso and a Porsche lands otherwise do-gooder Ben on the wrong side of the law. To make amends he must complete some community service and attend a course at the local college. His options are limited but when he sees the teacher he fancies is running a knitting class, he swallows his pride and signs up. Just as long as no one finds out…
Boys Don’t Knit is a fun and delightful read of one boy’s discovery of knitting. And he’s bloody good at it, I was a bit jealous of his very quick progress. I’m still struggling with knitting in the round. Ben goes to great lengths to hide his secret, but very few people would guess; when he slams down his laptop it’s not to hide porn like his mum thinks, it’s because he’s looking at a knitting website. He nearly gets caught out reading a knitting magazine in the newsagents but recovers by pretending he’s using it to hide Loaded.
On a more serious note, it’s good to see a book highlighting the fact that gender stereotypes can be harmful to men and boys too. There is absolutely nothing wrong with men knitting (my boyfriend does it); it’s relaxing and creative. But poor Ben feels he needs to hide it in order to not be ridiculed or hated, not just from his school mates but also from his dad. Ben tries to talk about football in a clichéd way so that he’s got something to talk about with his dad, which reminded me of The IT Crowd episode where they pretend to be “real men” and end up involved in a bank robbery. There’s a theme here, be true to yourself or risk living a life of crime!
I did like his parents’ silly innuendo at the dinner table. It’s a humorous book but with Ben coming across as a serious sort of boy, who really doesn’t want to get into trouble. He regularly writes to his probation officer and is the last person you think would get into trouble for stealing. I guess that’s the one thing that lets the story down, it’s hard to grasp that Ben would have been put on probation at all, especially as the accident seemed to mostly be the lollypop lady’s fault!
I’ve never known knitting to be so edge of the seat as the grand finale either. There’s a sequel out now too which I will definitely be getting hold of.
Boys Don’t Knit is a fun and delightful read of one boy’s discovery of knitting. And he’s bloody good at it, I was a bit jealous of his very quick progress. I’m still struggling with knitting in the round. Ben goes to great lengths to hide his secret, but very few people would guess; when he slams down his laptop it’s not to hide porn like his mum thinks, it’s because he’s looking at a knitting website. He nearly gets caught out reading a knitting magazine in the newsagents but recovers by pretending he’s using it to hide Loaded.
On a more serious note, it’s good to see a book highlighting the fact that gender stereotypes can be harmful to men and boys too. There is absolutely nothing wrong with men knitting (my boyfriend does it); it’s relaxing and creative. But poor Ben feels he needs to hide it in order to not be ridiculed or hated, not just from his school mates but also from his dad. Ben tries to talk about football in a clichéd way so that he’s got something to talk about with his dad, which reminded me of The IT Crowd episode where they pretend to be “real men” and end up involved in a bank robbery. There’s a theme here, be true to yourself or risk living a life of crime!
I did like his parents’ silly innuendo at the dinner table. It’s a humorous book but with Ben coming across as a serious sort of boy, who really doesn’t want to get into trouble. He regularly writes to his probation officer and is the last person you think would get into trouble for stealing. I guess that’s the one thing that lets the story down, it’s hard to grasp that Ben would have been put on probation at all, especially as the accident seemed to mostly be the lollypop lady’s fault!
I’ve never known knitting to be so edge of the seat as the grand finale either. There’s a sequel out now too which I will definitely be getting hold of.
It’s the summer of 1972. Whilst America is at war in Vietnam, the teenagers of Elephant Beach, Long Island carry on their lives regardless. Katie wonders if this is the summer she will finally get it together with Luke, but he has returned from Vietnam a different man. What does this summer, on the cusp of adulthood, hold for her and her friends?
It feels more like a collection of character studies than a fully formed novel, strung together by being mutual acquaintances of the narrator, Katie. The girls chatter about losing their virginity and face the consequences of unprotected sex. Teen pregnancy is rife and some choose to keep their babies while others risk back street abortion or put them up for adoption.
Katie and her friends are all reaching that point in their lives where they need to make decisions about who they want to be. Their stories have common themes of moving on, either physically out of Elephant Beach, with its lack of prospects, or choosing new friends or purpose. In some cases, the changes are more tragic. Katie's a bit of a dreamer, a bit naive, but at times she shines.
There’s some pieces of beautiful writing, but I think the lack of strong plot will be a let-down for many people. Some of the dialogue could be taken as offensive but it fits the era. No one would expect the young men to be well-spoken so why should the women be too? Adolescence can be a harsh time, and that fact hasn’t changed much over the decades.
I would have liked to have seen more focus on the young men returning from Vietnam. Luke, the object of Katie’s affections appears to be deeply troubled, but really she’s only ever admired him from afar. She isn’t close enough to really know what’s going on. Mitch is closer to her, and more outspoken, but it’s still something that is an undercurrent in the town. Perhaps the point is that people distanced themselves from the war. It was happening elsewhere and life just went on as normal.
Review copy provided by publisher.
It feels more like a collection of character studies than a fully formed novel, strung together by being mutual acquaintances of the narrator, Katie. The girls chatter about losing their virginity and face the consequences of unprotected sex. Teen pregnancy is rife and some choose to keep their babies while others risk back street abortion or put them up for adoption.
Katie and her friends are all reaching that point in their lives where they need to make decisions about who they want to be. Their stories have common themes of moving on, either physically out of Elephant Beach, with its lack of prospects, or choosing new friends or purpose. In some cases, the changes are more tragic. Katie's a bit of a dreamer, a bit naive, but at times she shines.
There’s some pieces of beautiful writing, but I think the lack of strong plot will be a let-down for many people. Some of the dialogue could be taken as offensive but it fits the era. No one would expect the young men to be well-spoken so why should the women be too? Adolescence can be a harsh time, and that fact hasn’t changed much over the decades.
I would have liked to have seen more focus on the young men returning from Vietnam. Luke, the object of Katie’s affections appears to be deeply troubled, but really she’s only ever admired him from afar. She isn’t close enough to really know what’s going on. Mitch is closer to her, and more outspoken, but it’s still something that is an undercurrent in the town. Perhaps the point is that people distanced themselves from the war. It was happening elsewhere and life just went on as normal.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Jody is walking home from work when she’s attacked. Next thing she knows, she’s waking up underneath a dumpster with a burnt hand. The knock to her head has done strange things to her vision and smell and she’s starting to act like a different person. When she finally gets back to her apartment, her boyfriend has had enough. She’s on her own and soon she’s going to realise what she’s become…
I have been meaning to read some Christopher Moore for years, and have several books dotted around the flat, from various series. I think they’re all set in the same universe but there are some more standalone and not all characters are in all books. Bloodsucking Fiends is the first in his vampire trilogy.
It was off to a good start. Jody has the sort of reaction to becoming a vampire that I can imagine myself having. She’s not up and running with the whole bloodsucking business straight away but she is rather practical about it. I liked Jody’s character despite the odd hiccup like not being able to cope without a man. For once in her life (or un-life) she has a valid reason for keeping a man around. She needs a day person.
Tommy, I liked much less, and he was probably at the root of my problems with the book. It’s funny how humour actually ages. Maybe some of it is timeless, but a lot of this 90’s humour is still based on women being a different species to men. Tommy has some excuse, being a naïve 19-year-old who has never really been around women much. But he’s clingy and needy and overreacts far too much. Plus he’s an aspiring writer, who favours the Great American Novel, which isn’t a character occupation I’m over fond of.
Scott and Zelda the snapping turtles were fantastic though. They should have had their own spin-off series. Fate is so unfair! Tommy also spends some time testing out the vampire theories from various books, to Jody's disapproval, often when she's dead to the world. (On this note I thought there was one scene that was going to be creepy rapey and I was prepared to put the book down but Tommy thankfully comes to his senses.) There were some great bits about life in San Francisco and on the drudgery of work too.
There were some parts of the storyline I felt had great potential but I wanted them treated with a bit more sensitivity. It’s more than just a humorous vampire story but the failures in the humour got in the way a bit. I am always quite fond of reading about 90s opinions on computers though (really minimal here but it still made me chuckle).
I doubt I’ll read any more of his vampire books but I do still want to read Lamb and I have the Christmas one in the Pine Cove series. If you’ve read his books, I’d love to know your thoughts. I do realise humour can be one of those things that's very subjective!
I have been meaning to read some Christopher Moore for years, and have several books dotted around the flat, from various series. I think they’re all set in the same universe but there are some more standalone and not all characters are in all books. Bloodsucking Fiends is the first in his vampire trilogy.
It was off to a good start. Jody has the sort of reaction to becoming a vampire that I can imagine myself having. She’s not up and running with the whole bloodsucking business straight away but she is rather practical about it. I liked Jody’s character despite the odd hiccup like not being able to cope without a man. For once in her life (or un-life) she has a valid reason for keeping a man around. She needs a day person.
Tommy, I liked much less, and he was probably at the root of my problems with the book. It’s funny how humour actually ages. Maybe some of it is timeless, but a lot of this 90’s humour is still based on women being a different species to men. Tommy has some excuse, being a naïve 19-year-old who has never really been around women much. But he’s clingy and needy and overreacts far too much. Plus he’s an aspiring writer, who favours the Great American Novel, which isn’t a character occupation I’m over fond of.
Scott and Zelda the snapping turtles were fantastic though. They should have had their own spin-off series. Fate is so unfair! Tommy also spends some time testing out the vampire theories from various books, to Jody's disapproval, often when she's dead to the world. (On this note I thought there was one scene that was going to be creepy rapey and I was prepared to put the book down but Tommy thankfully comes to his senses.) There were some great bits about life in San Francisco and on the drudgery of work too.
There were some parts of the storyline I felt had great potential but I wanted them treated with a bit more sensitivity. It’s more than just a humorous vampire story but the failures in the humour got in the way a bit. I am always quite fond of reading about 90s opinions on computers though (really minimal here but it still made me chuckle).
I doubt I’ll read any more of his vampire books but I do still want to read Lamb and I have the Christmas one in the Pine Cove series. If you’ve read his books, I’d love to know your thoughts. I do realise humour can be one of those things that's very subjective!