30 Day Book Challenge - Day 02

Make sure to pop over to Erin's blog and join in too.

Day 02 - A Book That You've Read More Than 3 Times

Now this is a tricky one as I generally don't re-read books. There is only one book I can think of that I've read more than once which is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is a  magical tale of two children who become unlikely friends and discover a secret garden within the grounds of their home together. I first read this book as a child of 11 or 12 and recently re-read it and discovered so many things I had forgotten and an entire new level of intrigue that I hadn't found as a child.

30 Day Book Challenge - Day 01

While scrolling through my twitter feed the other day I noticed that Erin, from Erin's Choice, was running a 30 Day Book Challenge this April and thought it sounded brilliant! There is a question or topic, all book related, posted each day, that I'll be blogging about. Make sure to pop over to Erin's blog and join in too.

Day 01 - The Best Book You Read Last Year

I read a lot of good books last year, Touching the Void by Joe Simpson, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne and The Dead Heart by Douglas Kennedy all ranked very high but the stand out book from my 2013 reads has to be We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

As a Parent this book scared the heck out of me! You follow Kevin, a mass murderer who killed 9 people at his school just before his 16th Birthday, and his Mother all the way from before he was conceived, through his birth, childhood and adolescence right up to his committing of the crime and his prison time. The story follows this Mother and Son's awkward relationship and is written through the eyes of Kevin's Mother in letter's that she writes addressed to Franklin, Kevin's Father.

It was a brilliantly written book that made me return to the 'nature vs nurture' debate and question whether people can be inherently evil or if it's something that they learn. It also made me query the Mother's viewpoint; was Kevin really as she described and only she saw the real him? Or was it that she always saw, and brought out, the worst in him?

March Round-Up

March has been a brilliant month for books and I have read a couple of fantastic ones throughout the weeks. My first read of the month was Rage Against The Dying by Becky Masterman, her debut novel which turned out to be a rather superb read. Masterman put her characters and her storyline together brilliantly and I found myself submersed in the pages. It was a fantastic read, with an unusual lead character, that I would highly recommend to lovers of the crime/thriller genre.

My next read of the month was Malicious by James Raven. Although it was a reasonably unique storyline I didn't enjoy this one as much; the story rolled on reasonably well but I couldn't connect with the characters at all. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

  

Uprising by Scott G Mariani was my first vampire novel of the month and my first read of this genre in a long while. For me, it took a little while to get going but once it did it pulled you right into the story. I found the vampires a bit cliche for me but, overall, it was a good read with decent characters that I would recommend to those who enjoy the supernatural genre.

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda was another stand-out read of the month for me. A fast-paced, entirely gripping and terrifying read following a small group of humans (hepers) on the run and being chased by vampires (duskers). Fukuda created an entirely unique race of vampires and the whole book had that 'end of the world' feel. It was brilliant and I would highly recommend reading it; it's the 2nd instalment of the series so it would be beneficial to read 'The Hunt' first but the book stands alone well.

 

Currently, I'm reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's a story I've heard a lot of positive things around but I'm finding it all a bit slow at the moment. I hope it picks up a bit as the chapters go on as it has the potential to be an intriguing and fascinating read.

The Prey - Andrew Fukuda

★★★★★

Read : March 2014

"For Gene and the remaining humans - or hepers - death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast...and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they're not the only things following Gene. He's haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they're finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found - and Gene begins to wonder if the world they've entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other...if they can only stay alive."

Gene, Sissy and a small group of friends have escaped from the compound they had been trapped within and set out on their own into 'The Vast.' But they didn't leave alone and their enemies are becoming much smarter and much stronger with each day that passes. Gene and his friends reach the safety of a small village, full of smiles, song and plentiful food...but have they really reached the safe haven they believe it to be..?

They Prey is the second instalment in a series by Fukuda and sequel to 'The Hunt.' Those that have read and enjoyed the first book will fall head-first into this one and find themselves submerged in Gene's terrifying world again. For those that haven't, quite a lot is explained by Fukuda of previous events, but the terminology is something you will pick up along the way. Taking into consideration that this is a part of a series, I think the book stands very well on it's own but maybe a bit more of a recap of the previous book would be handy for those that haven't had the chance to read 'The Hunt' or read it sometime ago.

The Prey took me a couple of chapters to get into but once I'd fallen into the story and the characters it was impossible to pull myself out again, it gripped me through the rest of the pages until the very last word. Fukuda's character's are relateable and believable and I shared my terror with them throughout the chapters.

The last vampire novel I read, Uprising by Scott G Mariani, depicted vampires as a superior, sexy and toughened lot. This novel came from an entirely different angle, that of a group of petrified teenagers running for their lives from these hideous monsters who, throughout the majority of the book, don't appear in the traditional image of a vampire that we envisage in the slightest...which is just brilliant. I found myself frequently forgetting that they were vampires of human appearance as Fukuda described his grotesque, savage, blood-crazed but scarily intelligent beasts. I enjoyed it, it was original..I hadn't read anything with vampires such as this before.

The further you got into the book the more of a gripping, tense read it became. It was a page-turning horror that had me completely spellbound and unable to put it down; each page was filled with fear, survival and a distinct 'end of the world' feeling.

I would most definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys the paranormal, young adult and/or horror genres. It was a fantastic read and I am greatly looking forward to reading Fukuda's next instalment of his series, The Trap.

Uprising - Scott G Mariani

★★★

Read : March 2014

"For centuries, vampires walked the Earth undetected, feasting on humans in keeping with their ancient traditions, but now 21st Century technology has left them open to detection...
To establish order, the Vampire Federation is born, policed by special agents like vampire Alexandra Bishop, authorised to hunt down those who violate the new code. But rebel vampire Gabriel Stone doesn't play by the rules and declares war against the Federation, throwing Alex and her team into turmoil.
Oblivious to the chaos in the vampire world, human Detective Inspector Joel Solomon is drawn into an unlikely alliance with Alex when he investigates a series of gruesome corpses drained of their blood. Together they are plunged into a war of good versus evil, taking them from the streets of London to the mountains of Transylvania in a battle that threatens to destroy them all..."

Within Uprising we are allowed to enter the very exclusive and equally secretive world of the vampires. Evolving through the years and eventually establishing the Vampire Federation, they have learnt to live among the humans and to avoid detection at all costs. We follow Alex(andra), a hard-hitting, no-nonsense vampire Special Agent who works for the Federation and hunts down those that violate its rules and regulations. But not all of the vampire population agree with the Federation's new regime and the traditionalist vampires begin to show their revulsion. Finding an unlikely ally in human DI Joel, Alex and the Federation are forced into a battle of the new versus the traditional.

The first thing I noticed while reading Uprising was it's setting(s) within the UK. It's one of the very few fantasy/supernatural novel's that I've come across that have been set within my own Country. I did find a couple of the other locations a little obvious and cliche but it generally worked within the genre and the book.

At first, I found it quite hard to get into the book. The first half of the novel became a bit of an uphill struggle (maybe because it's not one of my favourite genres?) and it did take me quite a while to get through. Once I hit the 2nd half of the book however, that all changed. The story picked up a lot of pace and became quite gripping. It boasted a huge, action-packed ending which finished the book off well whilst leaving it open enough for a possible sequel.

I thought the characters within Mariani's novel were reasonably well rounded and relateable, I could understand the three main character's points of view and why they were taking the actions that they did. At times, I did find the book became a little cliche, especially some of the settings, but overall it didn't become too obvious and yet another rewrite of the traditional vampires that appear in novels such as Dracula.

I liked that Mariani approached the story from three very different angles and found it interesting how he told his tale through his three main characters, each holding a differing view of the vampire race and their place within the world in the 21st Century. Alex(andra), working for the Federation, represented the 'new age' of the vampire where all attempts are taken to blend in and walk among the humans; feeding on human blood only when essential and using state-of-the-art drugs so those you chose as your victims aren't infected and have no memory of anything having happening to them. Olivier represented the traditional vampires who were didn't want to conform to the Federation's laws and felt it was their right to act as they always had and as the creatures that they are; feasting on humans and their lifeblood and shunning all the rules and drugs developed by those they felt were diminishing their race. Joel came from the viewpoint of the humans, living in fear of these creatures that were evil to the core, preyed on the human race and needed to be extinguished before they could continue to do so.

Overall, it isn't a genre I find myself particularly drawn towards, and at points during the novel I did find things became a little cliche, but the story and characters were put together pretty well and I found myself enjoying it more than I had thought I would. I would recommend it to those who like reading fantasy/supernatural.

Malicious - James Raven

★★

Read : March 2014

"He calls himself the Slave Master. He spies on women through their computer webcams. Then he blackmails those who unknowingly reveal their secrets to him. His last victim was brutally murdered. Now he's targeting the cop in charge of the investigation. To him she's the perfect prey - because she has secrets of her own.


He hacks into women's computers and laptops, has a snoop around and then uses their own webcam against them to watch and record the things they do in the privacy of their own homes. Some of his 'slaves' he just watches, but when he finds the 'right' woman he blackmails her to do as he wishes using the embarrassing evidence he's gathered. He thinks he has found the perfect 'slave' in Robyn Tate, the Officer currently in charge of investigating the circumstances behind his previous victims brutal murder. She is in a position of authority with a lot to loose and a lot of secrets she doesn't want revealed. But has he met his match this time?

'Malicious' was an okay, reasonably easy read but it didn't jump out and scare me as I had expected it to. It unnerved me slightly but, for me, the pages didn't quite pack the punch that they could have. I wasn't overly keen on the writing style but I found the subject matter interesting and the story moved along well. I did feel, however, that the plot of the book was laid out far too quickly...it felt a little 'obvious.' Within the first 10 pages Raven revealed a lot of the plot and I could see how the majority of the book would pan out, and it did. Whilst saying that, the identity of the hacker aka the Slave Master was hidden reasonably well throughout the story and the police investigation held it's own mysteries.

I didn't find the main characters within Raven's novel very believable, which became an issue for me as I made my way through the chapters. Robyn was rather unlikeable at times, which isn't a problem in itself, but she also didn't come across as a rounded and relateable character and although I felt for her and her predicament I didn't connect with her character well enough to care too much about what happened to her throughout the story.

Overall, Malicious was an okay read; the story rolled along well and read easily. The subject was interesting and not like anything I had read before but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on the book are my own.

Rage Against The Dying - Becky Masterman

★★★★★

Read : February/March 2014

"In her hey-day, ex FBI Agent Brigid Quinn, not only worked serial killer cases but became their prize. Small and blond, from a distance she looked vulnerable and slight...the perfect bait to catch a killer. But as Quinn got older, she realised she needed to find a protegee, a younger field agent to take her place. So Quinn trains a twenty-two year old and lets her loose in the field. The plan works. Until the Route 66 killer not only takes the bait, but kills the bait too.
Years on, Quinn is trying to move past the fact that she has a young woman's death on her conscience. She's now the perfect Stepford Wife - until she gets a knock on her door. The girl's body has finally been discovered. Quinn is pulled back into the case and the more she learns about the killer the more she comes to believe, despite the overwhelming forensic evidence to hand, that they have the wrong man.."


Written in a 1st-person narrative, Rage Against The Dying, follows Brigid Quinn, a retired FBI Special Agent, as she is dragged kicking and screaming back into the world she has tried so hard to leave behind her. Now married to Carlo and doing the best impression she can of a 'Stepford Wife,' 59 year old Brigid finds herself being drawn back into the world of the FBI and risks losing her marriage in the process. An investigation she once headed up, the Route 66 Killer, and the case she also lost one of her own to, has made a sudden development...a man has been picked up at a checkpoint with suspicious things in his car and  has made an unnerving confession. But Brigid, and the new leader of the investigation, Laura Coleman, have doubts about how genuine this man's announcements are, something just doesn't sit quite right for them and as they both begin to dig a little deeper a whole can of worms begins to open up.

The first thing that drew me to Masterman's debut novel was Brigid. It's quite unusual to come across an older female lead within the crime genre, but to find a retired, 59-year-old living in the Suburb's is even rarer. Don't have any illusions that Brigid has lost her edge though. She may be slightly older and a little slower physically, but her instincts and abilities are as honed as they've always been. Brigid makes a brilliant character and narrator; she definitely lived up to the strong female lead that I hoped she would be. A lot of crime novels that I've read lately with female leads seem to rely on the men within the book to get them out of the tricky situations (a bit of a pet peeve of mine) but Brigid can sort her own messes out thank you very much. The parts of the novel that explore her marriage to Carlo may seem a little unnecessary at first, but it helps to reveal her vulnerable side and create a really rounded, believable and relateable character.

The prologue hooked me straight into the book and wouldn't let me loose until I'd gotten to the finale. We join Brigid in a highly dangerous situation; enclosed in the back of a van in a virtually deserted part of town with what seems to be a serial sexual predator and murderer. Then it stops, in the middle of the action, and you have no idea what will happen to Brigid. It's a really effective way of enticing the reader in and one of the best prologue's I've come across in quite a while; it made me feel like I had to read on to find out what the outcome was.

The novel skits between the present and the past events that lead up to it. It's done well and, as it's narrated by Brigid, seems natural that there would be a fair amount of looking back, especially over the death of Jessica (Brigid's protege) which she blames herself in part for. There is also some exploration in past events of her difficulties forming relationships, trusting others and her meeting and subsequent marriage to Carlo.

The story moves along smoothly and gathers pace well. For that reason, and the gradual build up of suspense, it's really quite difficult to put down. Brigid's character is brilliant...even if some of her decisions and actions made me want to scream in frustration "No! Don't do that!" into the pages of the book. But that was a good thing, I love when an author can incite that much emotion within me from the words on the page.

The only thing that I didn't enjoy whilst reading Rage Against The Dying was the use of pet names for almost all of the main characters. It was quite useful at the beginning for keeping track of who was who and as a quick insight into their main character traits but it's something that did annoy me a little by the end of the book. I'm picking for faults though and Masterman didn't make many.

The finale was rather brilliant and the story built up to it well, dripping information without giving too much away. It was put together cleverly and the identity of the Route 66 Killer blindsided me; it was completely unexpected.

I gave Becky Masterman's debut novel 5/5 stars; it was a superb read that I would highly recommend to lovers of the crime/thriller genre. Keep on the look out for Masterman's follow up novel that she's working on now that will also feature the brilliant Brigid Quinn.


Disclaimer: A proof copy of this book was kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions on the book are my own.

Stacking The Shelves [01]

I'm linking up with Tynga Reviews for this week's 'Stacking the Shelves.'

PURCHASED
The Resurrectionist by James Bradley
Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak --- BOOK CLUB READ

GIFT FROM FAMILY
Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil

GOODREADS FIRST READS
Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

What's On My March To Read List?

I'm just over halfway through Rage Against The Dying by Becky Masterman that I started at the end of February and hope to be finishing within the next couple of days. Lined up, in my to-read list, for the rest of March are the following.

  

  

The Spice Merchant's Wife by Charlotte Betts and Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner are the top of my March to read list. They were both sent to me via Goodreads First Reads and have been sat on my bookshelf a little too long...I can't wait to get around to reading them.
I'll also be reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, our online Book Club's March read and a book that sounds 'right up my street.' I'm really looking forward to reading this one as I haven't heard a single bad word against it and it sounds like such a fascinating story.
Bound to You by Nichi Hodgson is also on my March to read list. It featured on my February list but, due to sickness, I didn't get around to it. Hopefully I'll be able to give it a read this month.
Last up on my list is Malicious by James Raven, sent to me via Goodreads First Reads. This isn't my usual genre and sounds quite unsettling but I'm looking forward to it as it's something totally different.

February Round-Up

February has been a month mainly consisting of brilliant books! The highlight for me has to be The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom. It was an enchanting tale of 'Father Time' that had been modernised perfectly. I became very attached to the characters and it was the first book, for a rather long time, that has had me shedding tears over the ending.

  

My first read of the month was Lemonade Revealed by Will Chluho. There was an interesting tale and some very wise words that came across from the novel but I just could not get into the story and found there was too much skiting between characters and time frames for me to really relate to anybody and immerse myself in what was happening, which was a shame.

The Dark Inside by Rupert Wallis was also a very interesting read. I found the whole novel fascinating as it slipped in and out of the fantasy world quite credibly and loved the questions and uncertainty that it raised within my own thoughts as the reader.

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman is my final read of the month. As it's overlapped into March I'll be including it in next month's round-up. So far I'm really enjoying it; it has a great main character/narrator and a prologue that hooked me right in. Full review will be up soon once I've finished the book.

You can check out my March To Read List to see what book's I plan on reading this month.

The Dark Inside - Rupert Wallis

★★★★

Read : February 2014

"I'm not a bad person. But I'm not the person I used to be, either.."
"When thirteen-year-old James discovers a homeless man in an abandoned house, the course of his life changes dramatically. Hoping to find a 'cure' for a dark curse inflicted on the man, the pair embark on a journey together not knowing that what they discover will impact them both in ways they never imagined..."

The Dark Inside follows 13-year-old James' story. Distraught by the death of his Mother a year previously and hurt by his violent Step-Father who he has been left to live with, he takes solace in a run-down, abandoned house on the top of a hill. It is here that he first meets Webster, an injured homeless man with problems of his own. As James and Webster become close, they share their secrets and Webster gradually reveals a little more about himself and his past; he suffers from a dark curse and they both embark on a journey to find a cure for his condition.

Webster, and especially James, come across as quite sweet, despite their personal demons, and Rupert Wallis has written them in a way that they are very easy to connect and empathise with. They are relateable, despite their unusual circumstances, and their stories are fascinating; I found myself wanting to know more and more about them with each new piece of information presented.

James comes across as a very sweet, almost naive, teenager. He is quite trusting but full of sadness after his Mother's sudden death. Webster is portrayed as a rather guarded, wary and mysterious man who is full of secrets. He is ex-military and seems quite distant, like he doesn't want to form close relationships. However, him and James seem to develop a very close relationship quite quickly. They both seem lonely and fill a void within each other and their relationship quite rapidly resembles that of a father and son.

When Webster's 'secret,' or dark curse, is revealed my first thought was that it was all a little cliche, but I revised that opinion as I read on. I don't remember his curse ever being referred to directly by it's 'official name' but there were some major hints throughout the story about his dark condition. The book explores his curse through both his and James' characters, which I found really interesting; there were a lot of questions around whether Webster is really cursed or whether he just believes that he is enough for it to become real for him and those around him...think along the lines of the placebo effect. I liked that Wallis didn't make it clear in his novel whether this was the case or not as it left a lot of thoughts swirling in my head long after I'd finished reading. There was also some exploration of the ideas of good and evil within The Dark Inside which made for good reading.

There were a lot of twists and turns throughout the novel and I found myself blind-sided by a few of them. Some of the events in The Dark Inside were totally unexpected and I enjoyed the ending a lot..I had no idea what would happen and I think Rupert Wallis finished the story well. The loose ends were all tied up whilst, at the same time, leaving some rather important questions hanging for me, as the reader, to think about.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Dark Inside and would recommend it. It was quite dark and unsettling at times and jumped around between reality and fantasy. The exploration of Webster's curse was written really well and kept me hooked throughout.

Disclaimer: A proof copy of this book was kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads to read and review. All thoughts and opinions on the book are my own.

What's On My February To Read List?

So far this month I've read Lemonade Revealed by Will Chluho; an interesting tale that made me think but didn't fully capture me; and The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom; a fascinating, modernised story of 'Father Time' and a brilliant read. I'm currently reading The Dark Inside (goodreads) by Rupert Wallis which was kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads. So far, it's shaping up to be another interesting novel.

  

But what's on my to read list?

  

Rage Against The Dying by Becky Masterman is next up on my list. It was also kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads but also happens to be my online bookclub's February novel for discussion.
Also, for reading this month, are Bound To You by Nichi Hodgson and The Carrier by Sophie Hannah, a book that's been sitting in my bookcase for quite some time.

January Round-Up

In 2013 I read 36 out of the 50 books I'd intended to read. There were some really brilliant stand out novels, such as Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Touching the Void by Joe Simpson, Honour by Elif Shafak, We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver, Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. To be truthful though, I was a little disappointed at not reaching my 50 book target...which is why this year I've set myself the same goal of 50 books but with the intention of not just reaching it but blowing it out of the water.

I'll be joining in with #50Books2014 (hop on over to Sarah's blog, the host of this year's challenge) and have joined a smallish online book club where we read and discuss one book a month. I've also just discovered that my local Library run a monthly bookclub which I'm considering attending too.

So what did I read in January?

 

 

My first book of the year was The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty, my online book club's first read. I wasn't blown away by it and found it quite hard to get into. It felt a little light-hearted for the subject matter and like it just missed the opportunity to become a much darker, more intense read.

Next up was Melting Ms Frost by Kat Black which was kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads. It was a fantastic, sexy romance with a very naughty side; I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for an erotic novel with a proper storyline behind it.

A Zoo In My Luggage by Gerald Durrell came next which, although it was fascinating learning about all of the different animals Durrell and his team collected, didn't quite grip me and fell a little flat.

My final read in January was The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison which featured two rather unlikeable characters that put me off the story a little. It was, however, a good, easy read and a novel I found myself enjoying, despite it not quite living up to the 'psychological thriller' claims it made.


Check out what's on my February To Read List and see which novels I have lined up and what I've read so far.

The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom

★★★★★

Read : February 2014

"Banished for centuries, as punishment for trying to measure time, the inventor of the world's first clock is finally granted his freedom, along with a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two people the true meaning of time.
He returns to our world and embarks on a journey with two unlikely partners: a teenage girl who is about to give up on life and a wealthy, ageing businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both."


The Time Keeper follows the stories of Sarah, a love-struck angsty teenager; Victor, a dying businessman who's not ready for his time to end; and Dor, the inventor of time itself. It is based on the myth of 'Father Time,' which Albom has modernised very well and made relevant and relateable.

He creates characters within 'The Time Keeper' that you can connect with and care for. Sarah, initially, comes across as a bit of a whiny teenager who thinks she has found the love of her life...but weren't we all like that at some point? That first love? The more of her story that I read, the more I understood how devastated she was feeling and what she was experiencing and the closer I felt to her.

Victor was a rather different kettle of fish. He comes across as a very held together, rather cold businessman who always has a plan, and a back-up plan, for anything and everything. As I read more about him and his childhood it started to become clear why he is the person he is and Victor becomes quite endearing, in his own way.

Dor was the character that fascinated me the most. Set before time began, I joined Dor as he begins to chart the moons and count his footsteps. He is obsessed with counting things and his inventions for measuring time, almost to a fault. As you read on you learn of his life trapped in a cave in solitude and as he becomes 'Father Time,' listening to all of the World's pleas for time in all shapes and forms until his journey into our world begins.

The story jumps quite frequently between characters and occasionally time frames and although it sounds like it should be rather confusing, it's very much the opposite. Albom uses bolded sentences to show a clear switch between characters and the beginning of a new moment. It's not something I've seen used very much but it is definitely effective and Albom uses it well throughout the novel. The book is also broken down into quite short chapters which makes it a really easy read and at times I found myself fighting to put the book down.

I have read a couple of Mitch Albom books in the past and I hadn't been overly impressed, so when my Mum passed me a copy of 'The Time Keeper' I wasn't very keen to start reading and was unsure what I would find within the binding. I was brilliantly surprised, Albom wrote fantastically and I really enjoyed the novel.

I became so involved and connected with Sarah, Victor and Dor that the ending, as a result, was a rather emotional one. There have been only a handful of books, if that, that have brought me to tears, and 'The Time Keeper' has just become one of them. I came away with a definite 'moral to the tale;' be grateful for the time that you have and live each moment as you would like without being too concerned by hours and minutes and seconds.

The Time Keeper was a truly brilliant read and has been added to my rather elusive 'favourite reads of all time' shelf. A definite recommendation to anyone and everyone.

Lemonade Revealed - Will Chluho

★★

Read : February 2014

"FICTION: A boy in search of his true father regained consciousness on an unknown island to the curious stares of 'three old men': a warrior, a trader, and a priest. The lost boy would later discover through a mysterious man - a skinhead with an eye tattoo on his neck - that one among the trio could be the father he had been looking for...
NON-FICTION: This 'little yellow book' is a place to rediscover such good old-fashioned gems as 'faith' and 'hope' under the demythologized light of human reason. It is a timely examination on the possibility and probability of a divine existent vis-a-vis a real world of human frailties and frictions."

Lemonade Revealed follows the tales of 5 rather different characters on the Island of Ahio; Father Rene, spiritual, calm and knowledgeable but who needs to take regular breaks from his community for his own sanity; Barnett, a rather crooked trader overtaken by his own greed and exuberance; Ahiga, a fine warrior who lacks trust; Pahi'Umi'Umi, a hermit and outcast viewed as a threat by the rest of the Island and the boy, Iota, who washes up on the shore after a shipwreck with no memory of who he is or where he has come from.

I really wanted to love Chluho's 'little yellow book.' I'm not normally overly bothered by the outward appearance of a book (never judge a book by it's cover and all that..) but Lemonade Revealed left me expectant of something rather grand. It's 'bible like' binding and presentation definitely delivered a few wise words that will stick with me, but I don't think it quite lived up to it's appearance and the claims it made in the non-fiction part of it's blurb. For me, it just fell a little flat.

I think the main issue I had whilst reading Lemonade Revealed was that I just couldn't quite get into the story. Although Iota's amnesia and discovery of himself was interesting there was far too much skiting around characters and timelines for me to be able to properly connect with anyone. I found it very confusing and, at times, really didn't know if I was reading about present day or past events and I think it would really benefit the book if Chluho had been able to make these differences in time much clearer (italics for past events perhaps?)

The novel picked up a bit during the 2nd half of the book when Iota started his quest of discovery and knowledge about himself and his past life and I liked that the ending was left rather open, leaving me able to draw my own ideas of what may have happened to all of the characters and the Island of Ahio.

The storyline is broken up by rather a few philosophical and meaningful speeches by the characters (mainly Father Rene and Pahi). These are done cleverly and fit into the story well but hold enough weight for me, as the reader, to be able to take them out of the context of the book and apply them to myself and my own story. There were quite a few wise words said that still resonate now, even after finishing the book and having started another novel.

I'm a bit sad to give this book just two stars, because there was a good storyline within the pages...it just wasn't brought to life as well as it could have been, for me at least. Unfortunately, it just didn't capture me like it should have.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was kindly sent to me via Goodreads First Reads to read and review. All thoughts and opinions on the book are my own.

My Fictional World

I'm a little late to the party, but I'm joining in with The Reading Residence's lovely little bookworm Q&A meme 'My Fictional World.'

What were your favourite read's from your childhood?
I think my favourite was probably my copy of James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. I remember reading it over and over again; it was a rather magical tale that I just couldn't stop delving into.

There are always those books that defined your teen reads and stayed with you - what were they?
Most definitely Roots by Alex Haley. I read it when I was around 16 or 17 and it's a book that's really stayed with me and is one of my favourite reads of all time. It's a stunning tale, based on true events, that follows a family through the generations, from life in their small African village, into slavery and beyond.
I found a love for crime thriller's during my teen years through Harlen Coben's wonderful novels too. There are far too many to name and I haven't read a single one yet that I haven't loved. He's definitely the main reason I love the genre as an adult.

Who are your favourite Authors currently?
Oh, that's a tricky one. I read a lot of books by an awful lot of Authors across a whole range of genres so it's really hard to choose. If I had to pick a couple I think I'd settle on J.K.Rowling and Harlen Coben, because I haven't read a single book by them that I haven't loved.

Which 3 genres do you gravitate towards most often?
Historical, thriller and fantasy/sci-fi.

Can you choose your top titles from each of those genres?
Historical - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Thriller - Touching The Void by Joe Simpson
Fantasy/Sci-Fi - I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

And your least favourite genres?
Horror. I'm such a scaredy-cat that I just can't read it! I'm not a fan of auto-biographies and the likes either, I don't think I've ever made it through more than a couple of chapters of one.

Of the many, many fictional and fantastical worlds, where would you most like to visit?
Without wanting to sound too cliche, it has to be Hogwart's doesn't it?! Failing that, anywhere that Alan Dean Foster has created in his writing; his fantasy world's sound stunning.

Everyone loves a villain right?! Who would make your favourites list?
Another tricky one. Hm. I think, for pure guts and for invoking rage in all around him, it could be Big Jim Rennie from Under the Dome by Stephen King. I'm not sure though...I don't read a lot of books with through-and-through villains in...maybe I should seek some out?

Share the books that have had you sobbing?
I'm not much of a crier but Thunder God by Paul Watkins is a recent read that's had me almost mourning for a character after his death in the pages.

And let's end on a high! Which books leave a smile on your face, and maybe elicit a few laughs?!
Tom's Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce is a definite; such a lovely, magical tale that left a smile on my face long after I'd finished reading it.

The Silent Wife - A.S.A. Harrison

★★★★

Read : January 2014

"A chilling psychological thriller portraying the disintegration of a relationship down to the deadliest point when murdering your husband makes perfect sense.
Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose."

Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife delves into a world of secrets and revenge within the marriage of Todd an Jodi. He is an unchanging cheat and she has come to accept this so as not to 'rock the boat'...that is, until something huge happens that ripples through both of their worlds to the very core.

I enjoyed The Silent Wife but I doubt I would have described it as a 'psychological thriller' as Harrison has. To me, it was more of an intimate insight into the dying years and breakdown of a marriage..although there were some tense moments. I wasn't too keen on the writing style; it kept me hooked for the majority of the novel but I found Harrison's writing lacking a descriptive edge that it needed for me to really picture the characters and their lives.

Todd and Jodi were rather unlikeable which made it somewhat tricky to read and I'll admit they both made me want to rant and rage about them at times. Todd came across as a cocky, advantage-taking cheat whilst Jodi became a too-forgiving, too-lenient doormat. The storyline was cleverly put together though and I often found myself siding with Jodi a lot of the time, especially towards the end of the book.

I found The Silent Wife lost me a little in the middle but it soon picked up again and I was dragged into the book at the end and at key events. I enjoyed the ending where Jodi wrestles with her thoughts and her conscience and it's at this point that the story begins to get a little dark. It's just a shame that the rest of the book didn't quite captivate me as much as it should have. Saying that, I did enjoy it and would recommend it. It's not going to be the psychological thriller that you're promised but it is a good, interesting and reasonably easy read.

A Zoo In My Luggage - Gerald Durrell

★★

Read : January 2014

"A Zoo in My Luggage begins with an account of Durrell's third trip to the British Cameroon's in West Africa, during which he and his wife capture animals to start their own zoo. Returning to England with a few additions to their family - Cholmondeley the chimpanzee, Bug-eye the bush baby, and others - they have nowhere to put them as they haven't yet secured a place for their zoo. Durrell's account of how he manages his menagerie in all sorts of places throughout England while finding a permanent home for the animals provides as much adventure as capturing them.

For animal lovers of all ages, A Zoo in my Luggage is the romping true story of the boy who grew up to make a Noah's Ark of his own."

Tiring of collecting animals for others, Durrell and his wife set about collecting for a zoo of their very own. We follow them through their journey of the Cameroon's where they capture as many werid and wonderful beasts and they can carry. After finding all of their animals they return to the UK and begin the task of finding a site to set up their zoo, a task much harder and more frustrating than it sounds.

It took me a long time to get through Durrell's novel as I just couldn't get into it. Whilst I found learning about the animals and their habits and escapades fascinating the whole book felt a little disjointed. I couldn't help thinking that, while Durrell's tales were fantastic and intriguing, he just wasn't the right person to tell them. That being said, you could feel his passion and knowledge for the animals jump right off the pages at you as you read, which was wonderful.

A lot of the book was written in Pidgin English (whilst he was in West Africa) which became a bit distracting and 'hard going' at points but added a lot to the story and gave a more accurate glimpse into the British Cameroon's and Durrell's travels through it.

Overall I thought it was a good book with wonderful tales but it all felt a little disjointed and fell a little flat for me. I gave it 2 stars but I would say it's more of a 2½, purely for Durrell's passion and love for the wonderful animals he collects and cares for.

50 Books Challenge 2014

I managed to read 36 out of the 50 books I'd challenged myself to read during 2013 which was a little disappointing. I kind of 'lost my groove' half way through the year and it took me a while to pick it, and the books, up again. This year I'm setting myself another target and I'm aiming, once again, to complete 50 books during 2014.

1. The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty ★★
2. Melting Ms Frost - Kat Black ★★★★★
3. A Zoo In My Luggage - Gerard Durrell ★★
4. The Silent Wife - A.S.A Harrison ★★★★
5. Lemonade Revealed - Will Chluho ★★
6. The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom ★★★★★
7. The Dark Inside - Rupert Wallis ★★★★
8. Rage Against The Dying - Becky Masterman ★★★★★
9. Malicious - James Raven ★★
10. Uprising - Scott G Mariani

January Round-Up

Melting Ms Frost - Kat Black

★★★★★

Read : January 2014

"How do you thaw the coldest of hearts? Find out in the sexiest romance to hit the shelves this year!
When Aiden Flynn walks into Cluny's Restaurant, he can't take his eyes off his new boss, Annabel Frost. With his heart set on winning her over, Aiden can think of nothing but getting beneath her cold exterior.
Known as one of the toughest women in the business, Annabel is impervious to Aiden's many charms. His compelling grey gaze and persuasive Irish lilt do anything but captivate her.
But Aiden knows there's more to Annabel than meets the eye. And he's not going to stop until he reveals all..."

Melting Ms Frost follows Restuarant Manager Annabel, a very career-focused and independant woman who on the surface appears very cold and distant and Barman Aiden who, with all his Irish charm, sees through Annabel's defences and is determined to melt her frosty exterior.

When I first received Melting Ms Frost I will admit that I was a bit nervous of starting it. It looked and sounded brilliant but I've read a couple of other adult/erotic romance novels recently and I found I didn't enjoy them as much as I should have...after a couple of chapters I got a bit bored of all the sex and the lack of any kind of storyline. This wasn't the case with Kat Black's brilliant novel, quite the opposite in fact!

Melting Ms Frost managed to deliver raunchy sex scenes whilst at the same time cleverly putting together a fantastic storyline and two rounded characters which, although infuriating at times, were pretty believable and could be identified with. I enjoyed that there was more to the novel, and the characters, than sex and Kat Black took us on a journey of the development of their relationship, their personal lives and the issues of trust and control. Parts of the story were quite 'traditional romance' but rather a bit naughtier.

I was taken completely off guard by just how erotic Melting Ms Frost was. It was brilliantly written and each moment captured a certain amount of naughtiness whilst avoiding the 'seedy' pitfall that a few I've read have fallen straight into. In fact, for the best part of the novel, there was no physical, skin-to-skin contact which meant for rather a lot of 'foreplay' for both the characters and the reader alike and left you feeling almost as 'frustrated' as Annabel must have and waiting in anticipation for the moment they finally fully connect.

Overall I really enjoyed Melting Ms Frost; if fulfilled what it had promised (and more) in the XXX category and backed it up with a strong storyline. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a brilliantly sexy adult novel...a love story with a very naughty side.

Disclaimer: An advance copy of this book was kindly sent to me from Avon Books via Goodreads First Reads to read and review. All thoughts and opinions on the book are my own.

Expected release date ~ January 30th 2014

The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty

★★

Read : January 2014

"From the author of the critically acclaimed 'What Alice Forgot' comes a breakout new novel about the secrets husbands and wives keep from each other.

'My Darling Cecilia,
If you're reading this, then I've died...'

Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret - something so terrible it would destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others too. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive...
Cecilia Fitzpatrick achieved it all - she's an incredibly successful business woman, a pillar of her small community and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia - or each other - but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband's devastating secret."

The Husband's Secret follows three women and their families, secrets and tragedies. Tess, a shy business woman who's Husband's revelation sends her and their son to live with her Mother whilst she re-evaluates the direction of her marriage and her life. Rachel, a grief-stricken mother who lost her Daughter to a man she faces each day who has never been brought to justice. And Cecilia, who in the middle of her perfect, ordered life finds a letter from her Husband that could cause shock waves throughout their family and beyond.

It's worth mentioning that this was a Book Club read for me and isn't the kind of book I would usually pick up off the shelf. Saying that, it sounded like there was potential there that, for me, the author couldn't quite capture. The whole book felt like it could have been much darker and, whilst I appreciate that Moriarty confronted the issue in an easy-to-read, almost chick-lit style book, it felt like an opportunity missed. It could have become a more convincing read if it had explored deeper and further.

I found the massive amount of characters tricky to get a handle on at first, this wasn't made any easier by the book chopping and changing between them each chapter and it felt as if, within a few pages, I was thrown around all of the characters and left totally confused. It was hard to keep track of who was who and what was happening to whom. After a while it got a bit easier and switching between the characters helped to build suspense by leaving off at crucial cliff hangar's. I found the book very difficult to get into at first but the gentle humour and 'the big secret' kept me reading.

Throughout the novel the characters seemed a bit disconnected from each other but as the story went on their lives gradually began to weave into each others. The 'big secret' did come as a shock to me and at times I felt as Cecilia would have, in a Catch-22, where whatever action she took or decision she made would not be right. I wish the novel had spent more time with Cecilia and ditched the rather unlikeable, doormat Tess more often, as I'd expected from the blurb. I think it could have been a much more intense novel if that had been the case.

Overall, I wasn't too impressed with The Husband's Secret. Although it was put together cleverly and was reasonably easy to read (once you got into it) I found it didn't quite deliver what I was hoping it would and fell a little flat. Not one I'd recommend if I'm honest, which is a shame, because it had the potential to be much better than it turned out to be.

The Advent Killer - Alastair Gunn

★★★★

Read : December 2013

"Christmas is coming. One body at a time.
Three weeks before Christmas: Sunday, one a.m. A woman is drowned in her bathtub.
One week later: Sunday, one a.m. A woman is beaten savagely to death, every bone in her body broken.
Another week brings another victim.
As panic spreads across London, DCI Antonia Hawkins, leading her first murder investigation, must stop a cold, careful killer whose twisted motives can only be guessed at, before the next body is found. On Sunday. When the clock strikes one..."

Alastair Gunn's first novel is a dark crime thriller in which DCI Antonia Hawkins of the Metropolitan Police, muddling through her first murder investigation, is faced with catching a serial killer who seems intent on imposing evermore gruesome and creative deaths upon his unlucky victims. In a very British setting, but in no way similar to a traditional British murder-mystery where the gardener did it with his pitchfork after a disagreement, this killer proves he is something else entirely and whilst his attacks seem random on the surface we're allowed a brief glimpse into his psyche which reveals an awful lot more.

Gunn cleverly builds suspense throughout his fantastic debut novel and switches well between the Metropolitan Police Force, the Killer and snippets of his past - opening up the inner workings of his mind and giving us an idea of what's going through his head as he commits these horrendous crimes.

The Advent Killer had me feeling like I knew who the killer was and then, within a few pages, changed my mind completely. Although I had a slight inkling for the last 100 pages or so of the novel who the killer would turn out to be I chopped and changed so much that I couldn't be sure; Gunn kept me guessing and doubting myself until the final revelation.

The climax of the novel was brilliantly put together and pulled bits from throughout the novel which left you wondering how you'd missed a couple of obvious hints. It was a fast-paced, frantic read to find out what would happen to all the characters involved, after the final event takes place and in their lives beyond.

The Advent Killer was a well written read from this debut novelist, who shows a great promise of things to come. The characters were believable, relate-able and put together well. It was a fantastic Christmas read (although I'd recommend it all year round) for lovers of crime thriller and for anyone who fancies something a little different to the sweetness and fairylights that surround the Holiday season. I'm currently passing it around my family for them to enjoy too.

Disclaimer: An advance copy of this book was kindly sent to me from Penguin Publishers via Goodreads First Reads for me to read and review. All thoughts and opinions on the book are my own.

50 Books Challenge (#50Books2013)

Anyone who knows me well will know that I am, and always have been, a bit of a bookworm - a trait I seem to have passed along to my two wonderful children. There is something about reading that I just can't find anywhere else; falling head first into another world and all the secrets, mystery, beauty and events it holds within.

In previous years I've set myself challenges to read a certain number of books, varying from 25 to 100 and this year I'm linking up with the lovely Julie over at mamaowl.co.uk and will be joining in with her #50Books2013 challenge. Come and join us?

1. The Blind Man of Seville - Robert Wilson ★★★★
2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon ★★★
3. Life of Pi - Yann Martel ★★★★★
4. Tan Lines - JJ Salem ★★★★★
5. The Diamond of Drury Lane - Julia Golding ★★★★
6. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ★★★★
7. Mister Pip - Lloyd Jones ★★★
8. Touching the Void - Joe Simpson ★★★★★
9. Remember Me - Fay Weldon ★★★★
10. Thunder God - Paul Watkins ★★★
11. Honour - Elif Shafak ★★★★
12. The Devil and Miss Prym - Paul Coelho ★★★★
13. When God was a Rabbit - Sarah Winman ★★★★
14. Girl with a One-Track Mind - Abby Lee ★★★
15. The Dead Heart - Douglas Kennedy ★★★★★
16. Left Bank - Kate Muir ★★★
17. The Bonesetter's Daughter - Amy Tan ★★★★
18. We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver ★★★★★
19. Atlantic Shift - Emily Barr ★★★★
20. The First Assistant - Clare Naylor & Mimi Hare ★★★
21. Trading Up - Candace Bushnell ★★★★
22. Ultraviolet - RJ Anderson ★★★★★
23. Quite Ugly One Morning - Christopher Brookmyre ★★★
24. The Necromancer - Michael Scott ★★★★
25. Tom's Midnight Garden - Phillipa Pearce ★★★★
26. Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll ★★★
27. One Thing Led to Another - Katy Regan ★★★★
28. The Great Indoors - Sabine Durrant ★★★★
29. Snow Blind - PJ Tracy ★★★★
30. Stardust - Neil Gaiman ★★★
31. Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne ★★★★★
32. Stealing Phoenix - Joss Stirling ★★★★
33. Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen ★★★★
34. Sweetly - Jackson Pearce ★★★★
35. The Advent Killer - Alistair Gunn ★★★★
36. Path of Needles - Alison Littlewood ★★★

Read my 'mini reviews' of the books I read during 2013 in the following links: Books 1-10, Books 11-20, Books 21-30, Books 31-36

Books 31-36 Reviewed (#50Books2013)

31. Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne ★★★★★
This is the first "end of the world as we know it" style of book that I've come across since reading 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson quite a few years back. I don't know why I haven't come across more as it's an area of literature that I find fascinating and fantastic and 'Monument 14' didn't fail to impress. It was a brilliant read from the first page to the very last and kept me hooked throughout. It became a fast-paced, frantic read to find out what happens to the characters and I felt it was really well written with just the right amount of humour to balance out the dark, disturbing events that take place. I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to read the next 2 books that follow it!!

32. Stealing Phoenix - Joss Stirling ★★★★
Unknown to us there live among us groups of people with special abilities (think along the lines of X-Men). Phee, who can 'freeze' people by reading their mind patterns, is just one of these and she uses her power for thieving. Whilst on one of her 'missions' set by her groups very unpleasant Seer she comes across Yves, her soulfinder (soulmate) who has abilities of his own. He wants to take her away from her awful life and into the bosom of his loving family but Phee has reservations; leaving isn't that simple.
Stealing Phoenix was a really good read and was somewhat of a modern day romance tackling the enternal question...can love conquer all? I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series and I'd definitely recommend 'Stealing Phoenix' if you're into sci-fi and fantasy novels.

33. Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen ★★★★
Gruen's novel switched between an elderly Mr Jankowski living in a nursing home and young Jacob Jankowski starting his life and finding his way in a travelling circus as a vet and a bull man. Two women are introduced into his life, whilst he's working on the circus, that have a profound impact upon him; Marlena (his boss' wife) and Rosie (an unruly elephant). We follow Jacob through his time on the circus and the events that unfold around him. It was a really brilliant read that kept me captured throughout. Jacob was a character that was easy to connect with and the switch between present and past was done seamlessly...something a lot of author's struggle to do. A definite recommendation to everyone and anyone!

34. Sweetly - Jackon Pearce ★★★★
'Sweelty' is a play on the traditional fairy tale of Hansel and Grettel where the wicked witch living in the woods in a house made of candy is something else entirely. Ansel and Gretchen leave their home when their Step-Mother forces them to leave after the death of their Father. Their car breaks down in the small village of Live Oak and events thereafter stall them from leaving. Pearce crafts an entirely believable main character who carries with her a deep-set fear and the secret of a twin sister who went missing in the woods when they were all small children. Thinking she's found somewhere that she can finally feel safe she's horrified to find that girls are going missing in this small town too. We follow Gretchen through her fears and an unlikely romance as she sets out to unearth what's happening. I enjoyed it, although I found it a bit unbelievable in some parts. It kept me involved in the storyline and built suspense for the final 'showdown' without giving too much away and was a great twist on the original fairy tale.

35. The Advent Killer - Alistair Gunn ★★★★
This was an advance copy kindly set to me from Penguin Publishers via Goodreads to read and review. All views and words are my own.
I really enjoyed The Advent Killer; it was a very well written book from this debut novelist who shows great promise of things to come. I found the characters believable and well put together and the book itself was a brilliant Christmas read (although I'd recommend it all year round) for those of us who fancy something a little different to the sweetness and fairylights that surround the season.
Gunn cleverly built suspense throughout the novel and switches really well between the Metropolitan Police Force, the Killer and snippets of his past - showing the inner workings of his mind and giving us an idea of what's going through his head as he commits these awful crimes. The ending was brilliant and pulled the whole story together nicely. It was a fast-paced, frantic read to find out what would happen. I had a slight inkling as to who the Killer was but I chopped and changed my mind so many times that I really wasn't sure...the author kept me guessing. It was a fantastic read that I'll be passing around my family for them to enjoy too.

36. Path of Needles - Alison Littlewood ★★★
We're pulled into a world of gruesome fairy tales in Path of Needles as is Alice Hyland, an expert in fairy tales who is brought into the investigation. I enjoyed the book and I found the link to fairy tales and the histories of some of the stories and variants fascinating. The book, however, seemed to fall a little flat and predictable in parts. Whilst saying that; we were kept completely in the dark about the motives of the murders and who could be committing them and why and for the majority of the book I had no idea how they would ever find the Killer and stop them.
The ending was okay but, for me, it became a little bit silly...almost like this crime thriller suddenly decided it wanted to be a fantasy novel. There seemed to be an element of "and they all lived happily ever after" which I wasn't too keen on either. Other than that, it was a decent and easy read.