Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer by John Grisham

Please note: this is the US edition cover art.

In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he's only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he's one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk - and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than he expected. Because he knows so much - maybe too much - he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. The stakes are high, but Theo won't stop until justice is served.

Well, what do you know, John Grisham can write children's fiction. I'm not saying Theodore Boone is without flaws - there are a few - but, on the whole, it is entertaining with a tense finale.

The main flaw for me is the main character of Theo (don't call him Teddy!) He is a fantastically good kid - doesn't backchat his parents; straight A student at school; diligently visits the black sheep of the family, his uncle Ike, every Monday; helps out at the soup kitchen and teaches foreign students a better command of English. Basically, Theo is not the sort of kid that many children will be able to relate to, although hopefully they will aspire to be like him.

And certainly the plot is something that many children would want to be embroiled in - learning secrets that adults don't know, and becoming essential and important to events. Obviously most children won't think about this in terms of a murder trial, but this angle makes the tale rather unique. Anyone who has read and enjoyed Enid Blyton will understand the appeal of children being pitted against adults in adventurous situations.

One aspect of the writing I particularly enjoyed was the fact that Mr Grisham never talks down to his young audience, despite some of the legal concepts that might be slightly difficult for readers of the age that this book should be aimed towards (I imagine this as pre-teen reading - in fact, I anticipate my eleven year old nephew loving this book, and plan to lend it to him immediately!) In fact, exposition could have proved an issue, leading to conversations between two lawyers who both know about law but are explaining about concepts they know everything about simply for the reader. Grisham deals with this well, having Theo talk to his classmates about the ins and outs of a murder trial, in a scene that is both graceful and natural.

There was much to enjoy about this novel, including the fact that ideas such as "doing the right thing" and "honesty is the best policy" are conveyed without being bludgeoned home. There is also a decent few paragraphs on the evils of judging people:

" 'Those people' were the residents of Waverly Creek, a wealthy community built around a twenty-seven-hole golf course and protected by gates. They were the newer residents, as opposed to the more established ones who lived in the town proper and and considered themselves the real citizens of Strattenburg. The phrase 'They live out at "The Creek" was heard often and usually described people who added little to the community and were much too concerned with money. The divide made little sense to Theo. He had friends who lived out there. His parents had clients from Waverly Creek. It was only two miles east of the city, but it was often treated as if it belonged on another planet."

In fact, a fine novel that contained decent tension and some wonderful court scenes was weakened altogether by an ending that tailed off into nothing. I understand that this book is the opening to a series of books about Theo, Young Lawyer, but I could have done with an ending that packed more punch and rounded off the novel nicely.

This is a decent novel, with some strong characters and a decent plotline that carries the reader along. With some flaws that I'm sure can be ironed out in future novels about Theodore Boone, Grisham has started an exciting new series in the world of law (and *that* was a sentence I never expected to write!) Recommended for younger readers who have enjoyed Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant.

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Teenager Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is renowned. But his whole world is suddenly turned upside down on the night his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters - immortal vampire-slayers who risk everything to save humanity - and he quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one that's filled with all kinds of evil. However, before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students start turning into flesh-eating members of the undead. Nick knows he's in real danger and he soon has a lot more to deal with than starting high school: he's under pressure to hide his new friends from his mother and his chainsaw from the principal while trying to impress the girl he has a crush on - all without getting grounded, suspended...or killed.

I didn't like Infinity. There were parts of it that I quite enjoyed, but the majority I found tedious and vaguely confusing.

By far the strongest part of the book is the character of Nick. His dialogue, both internal and towards other characters, is sarcastic and funny. He cares deeply about his mother; and shows the usual inclination of teenage boys of wanting to date girls, but doesn't know where to start. He's pretty realistic in the way he's written, and I enjoyed how Kenyon represented him.

"His mother hesitated before she continued grilling him. 'Is he a good boy?'

'No, Mom, he's Satan incarnate. In face, once it's over, we're going to get liquored up and tattooed, then find some cheap hos and have a good time with his trust fund.' "

However, I found Nick's attitude towards his situation baffling. He accepts Acharon without batting an eye, and yet thinks Bubba and Mark are freaks for believing in werewolves and zombies despite the evidence of his own eyes.

Speaking of zombies, the whole plot involving the zombies being created from a videogame might have been intriguing if that had been the central plot in a YA tale about zombies. Here it became a complete mess that went on for far too long around which Kenyon tried to shoehorn in hints about Nick's future.

I was of the belief that this YA series about Nick would lead handily into the Dark Hunter adult series written by Kenyon, and that you didn't need to have read any of the Dark Hunter novels to pick up what was going on here. Either I was wrong or I am pretty dense, because I had no real idea what kind of demon Caleb was and whether he was good or bad. I didn't know what the hell was going on with Simi, and that deal with the BBQ sauce was humour that went very awry for me. Maybe it makes more sense having read some of the Dark Hunter novels, but here Simi was just an unexplained oddity that came out of left-field.

I also don't understand if Nick is going to be a Dark Hunter or if he is a whole other type of mystical being. The way the gods interact with the immortals was never handily explained. In fact, I spent half of the novel going 'huh?' which I don't believe is the desired effect.

I found some of the curse words used: 'Oh Dusseldorf' very quaint and unrealistic. As though teenagers would say something like that as a curse! Certainly the teenagers I know have real potty mouths...

I just want to make mention of a small extract towards the end of the novel:

" 'To infinity then.'

Nick frowned at Bubba's words. 'What's that mean?'

'It's something my dad used to say when I was a kid. To infinity, meaning you'd see something through to the end.' "

Seriously, is it just me who now has Buzz Lightyear in their head? *grin*

So, ultimately, I found this book a disappointing mess of different themes and subplots that required a stronger hand to sort it into a book that would have been fun to read. I doubt I'll be following any more of Nick's adventures. What is sadder is that I probably won't try the Dark Hunter series either, thanks to this poorly-written novel.

Book Buying Embargo

In the last month 76 books have come into my house. Let me repeat. 76 books. In a month. I'd love to say they've all been review copies, but they REALLY haven't. Nothing like. Most of these books I have brought myself. I've gleefully ignored all the hundreds and hundreds of books I already own as well - all those books I brought with every intention of reading.



As the ever-amusing Nevvie pointed out, I am showing great determination to crowd myself out of my own house! Books are piled on my coffee table. My conservatory is packed to the gills. I only have one room in the house with an absence of books - and I leave you to speculate as to the room!

So *deep breath* it all stops here.

My name is Amanda and I have a book-buying problem.

I am hereby declaring a book buying embargo. I will still gratefully receive any books that publishers see fit to send me. But I really have to stop buying books. My house will heave a sigh of relief. My bank manager will heave a bigger sigh of relief.

I am announcing here and now that I will not buy ANY books for SIX months. I will be making monthly update posts to let you know how I cope (cold sweats, the shakes, things like that...) My wishlist will be creeping onto my blog, in case any book fairy godmothers decide to donate books to me so that I don't have to buy them ;-)

Do any of you have a similar affliction? Do you want to join me on this journey? And I welcome any and all comments - even if you wish to just cackle with laughter at the idea of me actually stopping!

Books I Adopted This Week

This is such a mammoth update this week that I am just posting pictures of the books collectively rather than providing individual analysis because, seriously, I would be here all day if I did that. Because, people *deep breath* 29 books came into my house this week. I'll repeat that. 29. 12 of them were for review and the rest I brought. I did a charity shop blitz yesterday and found some proper bargains! It has led me to do some hard thinking and another blog post will follow this one where I challenge my....well, let's hold off on that one just for now and concentrate on the lovely, lovely books I now have!

Books Received for Review



Here is a list, all linked through to The Book Depository so that you can take a look at the blurb if you so wish:

1) Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

I've been a big Sookie fan since I randomly picked up the first book in the series, when searching for someone Anita Blake-like to tide me over until the next book in that series. I liked Sookie so much I asked friends and relatives to bring me back the US versions of books that weren't released in the UK at that point. Around the seventh book I decided to wait and build up a number of books in the series prior to a full series re-read. Now that we're at ten books - eleven if you include the collection of short stories - I think I'm ready to embark on that re-read!

Published by Gollancz

2) Brothers at War (Empire of the Moghul) by Alex Rutherford

Although I intend to review this book and I also have the first in the series, this was actually a lucky win through the nice girls behind the @headlinepg Twitter handle! I do like winning books! I am very fond of historical fiction - in fact, I have not read and reviewed enough recently, which I am looking to change - and this tale of the Moghul really appeals.

Published by Headline

3) Wizard Squared by K E Mills

This is the third book in K E Mills diverting and humorous series about wizards. I have books one and two, but this is another occasion where I want to read the series, but I always want to read something else more! However, now that there are three books published I'm tempted to give them a go. It is always more fun reading a few books from a series rather than reading one and then having to wait so long for the next one that you forget everything that happens. These K E Mills books are being released at a nice snappy rate, so that really shouldn't be an issue. Next time I'm looking for something light and fantasy-oriented, I think I can do worse than give these a go.

Published by Orbit

4) Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

This is the 8th Alex Rider novel and I know they are extremely popular with younger readers. I like the adventure and I'm sure I will enjoy the book - but I'm a tiny bit worried about whether I'll be missing too much by joining this series at book 8. Can anyone reassure me that I'll be able to follow everything?

Published by Walker Books

5) The Unit by Terry DeHart

Wow, post-apocalyptica really is all the rage right now. Several of the books on my to-read pile have a post-apocalyptic bent to them. I'm curious about this book - it just doesn't seem massively in keeping with the other books that Orbit publish. It's rather a slight novel, and it seems more for the readers of Tom Clancy, barring that post-apocalyptic slant. Tempted to give it a go just to assuage the curiosity!

Published by Orbit

6) A Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks

With all due respect to Orbit - and with constant gratitude for all the fab books I am sent by them - this book is waaaay down my reading list. For one thing, it is the sixth book in a series, which is always a turn-off when you don't own the others, and for another, I really didn't get on with my brief flirtation with Brooks (The Sword of Shannara). I thought it was derivative fantasy rubbish, and have neglected to read anything by him since. I know that the Magic Kingdom books are supposed to be light and humorous fantasy, which is in their favour, but this one is very low down the reading priority list!

Published by Orbit

7) Muse and Reverie by Charles de Lint

I cannot say this too much: I love Charles de Lint. And I can't wait to read this selection of short stories set in the Newford world. I think De Lint's shorts are easily as good as his novel-length work. Luckily, considering my anticipation, I will be able to dip into this collection very quickly since I owe a review elsewhere!

Published by Tor

8) The Black Lung Captain by Chris Wooding

I loved Retribution Falls, the first book in this series. I thought it was tremendous escapism and I was thrilled to be sent this second book. I can't wait to dive back into the adventures of the Ketty Jay, and am hoping for more of the same frantic fun.

Published by Gollancz

9) Veteran by Gavin Smith

This is being touted as one of THE sci-fi debuts of the year. Despite some mixed early reviews I am extremely keen to get on board, and I think the Gavin Smith is definitely going to be a writer for the future, even if this first book doesn't set the literary world alight.

Published by Gollancz

10) Benny and Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti

Sometimes books are sent to me out of nowhere. They are unexpected and downright lovely when they arrive. This particular book sparked a chord in me - I adore the sound of this gentle love story, and it has jumped right up my reading list, even though a couple of days ago I hadn't even heard of this book.

Published by Short Book Ltd

11) The Waiting Room by P G Cottam

Another little surprise in the post this week - this time a chilling ghost story. So, probably not as tempting as Benny and Shrimp, but it does sound intriguing. And I like the conceit of a phony TV ghost hunter finding out that ghosts might actually exist!

Published by Hodder & Stoughton

12) The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel

I just have to give a shout out to the cover art on this book - it is gloriously gorgeous, and, in this case, I think I will prefer the ARC version of the novel because none of the beautiful picture is covered by words! Despite being desperately intrigued by the Cardinal's Blades, the first in the series, I never actually read it (isn't that becoming a familiar story - too many books and too little time!) I really want to change that now with the publication of The Alchemist in the Shadows.

Published by Gollancz


Books Purchased



*holds head in hands* 17 books. When am I ever going to find the time?! These were brought at a warehouse sale, in a charity shop blitz and one (Forbidden) was purchased new from Waterstones:

1) A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill - 40K tie-in fiction fun!
2) Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst - picked up on the strength of the front cover.
3) Dracula the Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker - a sequel to Dracula? By a relative of Bram Stoker? Yes please!
4) Sixty-One Nails by Mike Shevdon - an Angry Robot book that garnered mixed reviews, but I like the urban nature of it.
5) Passion by Louise Bagshawe - I enjoyed Desire, so when I saw this cheap I snapped it up! Will be holiday reading.
6) Glamour by Louise Bagshawe - Same as Passion...
7) Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma - check out my recent Wishlist post for why I HAD to buy this one!
8) The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - one of the few Bryson books I don't own so I decided to correct that state of affairs.
9) Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley - I didn't realise this was a sequel to a book - damn!
10) One Day by David Nicholls - I enjoyed Starter for Ten by the same author, and I like the concept of this novel.
11) Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill - Heard too much good stuff about this collection of shorts from the son of Stephen King, so I had to buy it!
12) Moxyland by Lauren Beukes - I had this book on pdf to read, but I do prefer a proper book to read!
13) Slights by Kaaron Warren - This one has received some glowing reviews, and, again, I had the pdf but would prefer a hard copy.
14) The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber - I like literary fiction, and this one is being read by a friend of mine who inadvertently recommended it by saying good things about it.
15) Flood by Stephen Baxter - My ridiculous mission to collect all of Stephen Baxter's work without reading anything by him continues apace... I don't actually have that mission, but sometimes it feels as though I will achieve it by accident...
16) This is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams - I'm not 100% sure WHY I brought this book, now that it is sat on my living room floor waiting to be put somewhere. Has anyone read it?
17) Arabesk by Jon Courtenay Grimwood - again, not sure why this one came home with me, although I like the front cover very much and the font used on the title is all gothic in nature.

So there you have it! All my books for this week.

What is worrying is the sheer number of books being purchased by me, alongside all the review copies I'm being sent. I'm living in fear that my tottering piles of books will eventually fall on me and kill me! Plus, some of the books coming into the house - well, I can't see me ever getting around to reading them.

And that leads me neatly onto a new blog post......

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can't pay his rent. He's alienating his friends. He can't even recall the last time he took a shower. The only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man. And just when it seems things can't get any worse, in saunters the Winter Queen of Faerie. She has an offer Harry can't refuse if he wants to free himself of the supernatural hold his faerie godmother has over him - and hopefully end his run of bad luck. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Queen's right-hand man, the Summer Knight, and clear the Winter Queen's name. It seems simple enough, but Harry knows better than to get caught in the middle of faerie politics. Until he finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case. No pressure or anything...

It's so strange. My review of Grave Peril complained about the fact that I was having vampire politics inflicted on me. Yet in Summer Knight the fae politics were tremendous. The idea of having two courts - a Summer and Winter court - combined with the idea of Maiden, Mother and Crone which comes from various points in mythology, helped to lend this novel a sense of something both familiar yet unique at the same time.

I did feel as though the Stone Table was more than a little inspired by The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe!

But enough of these idle ruminations...

Summer Knight opens with Dresden in a dark place - he might be fine physically, but his soul has been damaged by a succession of tough cases, finishing up with Susan's predicament. Once again, I deeply appreciated the fact that Dresden is a realistic character, struggling to do the right thing, but finding it hard to cope with the situations that have swept him up. In other long-running urban fantasy series, the author does not seem to realise that the events their character suffers through will have a deep and lasting psychological effect that needs to be dealt with.

In fact, the scene where Dresden meets the Summer Lady of the fae and she takes his pain away for a few brief moments is one of the most powerful and emotional in the series to date:

"Aurora gave me a small, sad smile. 'I'll show you. Here.'

Her palm pressed a bit closer to me, and somewhere inside me a dam broke open. Emotions welled up like a riotous rainbow. Scarlet rage, indigo fear, pale blue sadness, aching yellow loneliness, putrid green guilt. The tide flooded through me, coursed over me like a bolt of lightning, searing and painful and beautiful all at once.

And after the tide receded, a deep, quiet stillness followed. A sensation of warmth suffused me, gently easing away my aches and bruises. It spread over my skin, like sunlight on a lazy afternoon outside, and with the warmth my cares began to evaporate."

I also liked the fact that Dresden's relationships with recurring characters is changing and adjusting according to what has happened in previous books. There is never any idea that the Dresden universe is static and no one develops. For instance, here Dresden finally decides to trust Murphy, which is a complete about face compared to Storm Front, where he cannot bear the idea of putting Murphy in danger with the knowledge that he gives her.

I enjoyed this book mostly because everything that I enjoyed greatly in the previous three books was bigger and better this time round: the action scenes were superlative, with a real sense of tension, and the knowledge (thanks to Susan) that peripheral characters really aren't safe at all); the humour and snark was ever-present, with one of the best lines coming not from Dresden, but from Meryl, a character that I grew to love despite her short cameo in this book:

"Meryl said, 'Someone broke into the apartment. It looked like there had been a struggle.'

I let out a sigh. 'Have you contacted the police?'

She eyed me. 'Oh yeah, of course. I called them and told them that a mortal champion of the fae came and spirited away a half-mortal, half-nixie professional nude model to Faerieland. They were all over it.' "

I just have to mention my enjoyment of Billy and the Alphas (which does sound like some oddball punk band...) I adore the fact that they are so young, and enthusiastic, and have pizza/gaming parties after beating the bad guys. They are rapidly becoming one of my favourite parts of the Dresden series.

I do wonder how valid my reviews are going to be of this series, as I progress through the books! People who have never picked up the Dresden novels are unlikely to be swayed by my review of book four or five or six in the series, while those who have started the series and reach book four are more than likely to move onto the subsequent books with little encouragement from me... I feel a little as though these reviews will be only for those people who have already tackled the books, so that they might think 'oh yeah, I concur with her point' (if anyone actually does use the word 'concur' in their own thoughts!) or 'this girl has no idea what she is talking about!' But I shall continue to review them as I read them, so that I have a decent record of what each book was about, and what I liked about them.

Having now read four of the Dresden books, I can see a little unevenness in quality: some books have definitely been better than others. Happily, this is by far the best of the novels so far. The conflict between the Winter and Summer Courts played out against the backdrop of a murder mystery, with Harry racing against time to try and ensure that no imbalance of power exists in the world of the Fae. The tense and exciting events were matched well with some introspective moments, where the character of Dresden is explored in a deeper fashion. All I can say now is bring on the fifth book!

Wishlist - I Wants These Books!

There are always a large number of books that I desperately want, but right now my wishlist of books out now and forthcoming seems to be becoming a sprawling monster. An epic of scrawled titles across pages and pages of a notepad. So I decided to pick the top ten of those books that I want NOW. RIGHT NOW! Please!

1) Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

The young sorceress Onyesonwu — whose name means 'Who fears death?' — was born Ewu, bearing a mixture of her mother's features and those of the man who raped her mother and left her for dead in the desert. As Onyesonwu grows into her powers, it becomes clear that her fate is mingled with the fate of her people, the oppressed Okeke, and that to achieve her destiny, she must die. Okorafor examines a host of evils in her chillingly realistic tale — gender and racial inequality share top billing, along with female genital mutilation and complacency in the face of destructive tradition — and winds these disparate concepts together into a fantastical, magical blend of grand storytelling.

About a week ago I hadn't even heard of this book. Then I read a review of it by Neth and now I'm ever so slightly obsessed with it. I'm desperate to read something that sounds so elegant and different. Also, I just love that cover. It's all kinds of gorgeous.

2) The Passage by Justin Cronin

Amy Harper Bellafonte is six years old and her mother thinks she's the most important person in the whole world. She is. Anthony Carter doesn't think he could ever be in a worse place than Death Row. He's wrong. FBI agent Brad Wolgast thinks something beyond imagination is coming. It is. THE PASSAGE. Deep in the jungles of eastern Colombia, Professor Jonas Lear has finally found what he's been searching for - and wishes to God he hadn't. In Memphis, Tennessee, a six-year-old girl called Amy is left at the convent of the Sisters of Mercy and wonders why her mother has abandoned her. In a maximum security jail in Nevada, a convicted murderer called Giles Babcock has the same strange nightmare, over and over again, while he waits for a lethal injection. In a remote community in the California mountains, a young man called Peter waits for his beloved brother to return home, so he can kill him. Bound together in ways they cannot comprehend, for each of them a door is about to open into a future they could not have imagined. And a journey is about to begin. An epic journey that will take them through a world transformed by man's darkest dreams, to the very heart of what it means to be human. And beyond. THE PASSAGE.

Alright, whatever reviews this book picks up, the buzz was always going to be enormous after the advance received by Cronin and the fact a movie deal has already been brokered. Gushing from Stephen King doesn't exactly hurt its chances either. And I am a sucker for book buzz. Plus, reviews from some of my favourite reviewers have come out and shown that this book might just be as special as the hype supposes... Please can I has a copy?

3) Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed. He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future. And now they have fallen in love. But ...They are brother and sister. Forbidden will take you on an extraordinary emotional journey. Passionate and shocking, this is a book you will remember long after you have put it down.

Okay, so on the face of it, this book shouldn't be one that instantly makes it onto my radar like this. BUT. Babbling About Books has already raised the question of morality concerning a controversial subject like incest, and then The Bookette posted this on Twitter: I have just finished reading Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. I'm in pieces. And then this: I can't explain in so few characters. It was so deep, it took you beyond perceptions. Made you think so much. Yup, that did it for me. On the wishlist it goes...

4) The Love Verb by Jane Green

Love is not an abstract idea. It is not saying 'I'm here for you, let me know if you need me'. It's making the decision, when someone close to you is in trouble, about what you will do to fix as much as you can for them. It's a 'doing' thing. A verb. For Callie, love is about looking after her family - her husband and two children - and their beautiful home. For Steff, Callie's younger sister, love is about experiencing all that life has to offer without having to ever settle down. For Lila, Callie's best friend, love is about finding a soulmate. And when she meets divorced father-of-two Eddie, she knows her search is over. For Walter and Honor, Callie and Steff's divorced parents, love is about caring for the daughters they share. Then Callie gets some life-changing news. And suddenly the whole family is about to understand what 'love' really, really means...

Jane Green is one of those few chick lit authors who I will put down the cash for a hard back version of their novels. Fiona Walker, Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella are the others, pretty much. It is a select group. I have loved Green's novels ever since the first, rather ropey Jemima J. I have watched her writing grow in assurance, and, more interestingly, I have also seen her move from topics that concern twenty-something women to topics that are central to being a thirty-something woman. We no longer watch the characters go out and obsess about finding Mr Right. We now read about them struggling to keep relationships alive after several years of marriage. The plots are more 'real' and pertinent and I am very much looking forward to this book.

5) Hero by Perry Moore

Even though Thom Creed's a basketball star, his high school classmates keep their distance. They've picked up on something different about Thom. Plus, his father, Hal Creed, was one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of his time until a catastrophic event left him disfigured and an outcast. The last thing in the world Thom wants is to add to his father's pain, so he keeps secrets. Like that he has special powers. And he's been asked to join the League - the very organization of superheroes that disowned Hal. But joining the League opens up a new world to Thom.There, he connects with a misfit group of aspiring heroes: Scarlett, who can control fire but not her anger; Typhoid Larry, who can make anyone sick with his touch; and, Ruth, a wise old woman who can see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes. This groundbreaking and widely acclaimed novel tells an unforgettable story about love, loss, and redemption.

I love The Book Smugglers - but, damn, with every review they write it seems like another book makes it onto my wishlist. The latest is Hero by Perry Moore - they raved about it to the extent that I *almost* went to buy it there and then. But in a flurry of self-discipline (yeah, it doesn't happen very often with me and books) I popped it on my wishlist instead. I like the concept. I like the cover art. I want to read this.

6) The Evolutionary Void by Peter F Hamilton

Peter F. Hamilton's startling perspectives on tomorrow's technological and cultural trends span vast tracts of space and time, his stories are as compelling as they are epic in scope, and yet they are always grounded in characters - human, alien and other - who, for all their strangeness, still touch our hearts and fire our imaginations. Now, in "The Evolutionary Void", Hamilton concludes the highly acclaimed Commonwealth saga that has unfolded in "The Dreaming Void" and "The Temporal Void".

I loved Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained by Peter F Hamilton - they were pretty much the first science fiction I tried my hand at, and I was near overwhelmed by the vision, the scope, the love and enthusiasm for showing a potential future. The characters were vivid and memorable, while the plot staggered me in terms of detail. I am not the only one to love Pandora's Star either...I purchased the first two books in the Void series, and now I am just waiting for the publication of this last one so that I can do all five of the Commonwealth books back to back. Can't wait!

7) Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

I can't find a great deal of information about this book in terms of blurb but basically: Becky Bloomwood is back and this time she has a daughter in tow!

Oh man! Another of my hard back favourite chick lit authors! I adore Becky Bloomwood - she is relentlessly frustrating to read about, but the kernel of truth in her behaviour makes me squirm as I look at my own mountain of books which I have purchased because I couldn't help myself... I laugh out loud at Becky's misadventures and enjoy the light and fluffy nature of the novels. This should be no exception.

8) Naamah's Curse by Jacqueline Carey

Moirin is alone, and far from the land of her birth, with nothing but a few resources of her own to draw upon, and few friends she can call upon, in what is about to become a nation of enemies. She has her natural ability with a bow, for survival, and a facility for languages - and then there are the gifts of her gods: a small ability for foretelling, for concealment, and to coax plants to grow. Alongside them all she has the gift of Naamah: the gift of desire. Yet these are small advantages against the challenges she will face - betrayal, treachery and indoctrination - and some of them may not prove to be advantages at all. There is a long, difficult journey ahead of her, in her search for Bao, the young Ch'in warrior who carries a piece of her soul as well as her heart, and harder decisions to make. Whether she can forgive a deliberate betrayal; whether she will fight against all odds for her love; and whether, when all believe her dead and her life and her religion hang in the balance, Moirin can sacrifice her beliefs, or will hold true to her goddess even in death...

I love Jacqueline Carey's first three Kushiel books. The politics, the characters, the gossip, the love, the sex - they were tremendous to read, with elegant prose and a world I just wanted to sink into endlessly. I now have the second Kushiel trilogy, and the two Naamah books to read, so I'm thinking about a Jacqueline Carey month for later in the year where I can focus on these books to the glorious exclusion of everything else!

9) Heartstone by C J Sansom

It was summer, 1545. England is at war. Henry VIII's invasion of France has gone badly wrong, and a massive French fleet is preparing to sail across the Channel. As the English fleet gathers at Portsmouth, the country raises the largest militia army it has ever seen. The King has debased the currency to pay for the war, and England is in the grip of soaring inflation and economic crisis. Meanwhile Matthew Shardlake is given an intriguing legal case by an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr. Asked to investigate claims of 'monstrous wrongs' committed against a young ward of the court, which have already involved one mysterious death, Shardlake and his assistant Barak journey to Portsmouth. Once arrived, Shardlake and Barak find themselves in a city preparing to become a war zone; and Shardlake takes the opportunity to also investigate the mysterious past of Ellen Fettipace, a young woman incarcerated in the Bedlam. The emerging mysteries around the young ward, and the events that destroyed Ellen's family nineteen years before, involve Shardlake in reunions both with an old friend and an old enemy close to the throne. Events will converge on board one of the King's great warships, primed for battle in Portsmouth harbour.

A new Shardlake novel! I happen to think that Sansom is writing some of the best historical fiction out there right now, and have enjoyed the Shardlake books tremendously. Since this blog started after my reading the series, there is a lack of reviews of these exciting books - so, on the release of Heartstone, I'm thinking it is a good time to go back and re-read them all with the intention of reviews.

The King's Bastard by Rowena Cory Daniels

Cloaked in silent winter snow the Kingdom of Rolencia sleeps as rumours spread of new Affinity Seeps, places where untamed power wells up. Meanwhile, King Rolen plans his jubilee unaware of the growing threat to those he loves. By royal decree, all those afflicted with Affinity must serve the Abbey or face death. Sent to the Abbey because of his innate Affinity, the King’s youngest son, Fyn, trains to become a warrior monk. Unfortunately, he’s a gentle dreamer and the other acolytes bully him. The only way he can escape them is to serve the Abbey Mystic, but his Affinity is weak. Fiercely loyal, thirteen year-old Piro is horrified to discover she is also cursed with unwanted Affinity. It broke their mother’s heart to send Fyn away, so she hides her affliction. But, when Fyn confesses his troubles, Piro risks exposure to help him. Even though Byren Kingson is only seven minutes younger than his twin, Lence, who is the king's heir, Byren has never hungered for the Rolencian throne. When a Seer predicts that he will kill Lence, he laughs. But Lence Kingsheir sees Byren’s growing popularity and resents it. Enduring loyalty could be Byren’s greatest failing.

Have to admit, the cover art did everything for me in this case - and the covers for the other two books in the trilogy are equally lustworthy. Sure, it could just be generic fantasy tosh, but I do like the blurb, so this one will no doubt find its way into my house come July.

So those are the top ten books I am looking forward to getting my grubby paws on as soon as they're available. Which have you read? And which are you most looking forward to? Are there any other releases that you think I would love and that I've completely missed?

I'm also faintly amused by the fact that my top ten wishlist reflects my general reading tastes: fantasy, historical, science fiction, YA. But there are certain genres not represented at all, and I feel I may be missing out! What about new releases coming in the literary genre, for instance? Which new classic am I neglecting to mention?

Belated "Books I Adopted This Week"!

Since I was playing hockey at the weekend a couple of my posts have been delayed, including my Sunday round-up of books that found their way into my house this week (nine all told). So here is the belated post! This time the majority of them are books I brought myself (seven) while two were sent to me for review.

Books purchased myself:

An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain by John O'Farrell

Following his hugely popular account of the previous 2000 years, John O'Farrell now comes bang up to date with a hilarious modern history asking 'How the hell did we end up here?'. "An Utterly Exasperated History of Modern Britain" informs, elucidates and laughs at all the bizarre events, ridiculous characters and stupid decisions that have shaped Britain's story since 1945; leaving the Twenty-First Century reader feeling fantastically smug for having the benefit of hindsight.

I read the first of these (review here) and found it diverting enough to pick up the second as my third book in a three-for-two offer. I anticipate picking it up when I am looking for a simple and humorous read that will keep me amused for a few hours.

The Perfect Man by Sheila O'Flanagan

Two very different sisters, Mia (still in love with Alejo, the married father of her daughter) and Britt (the ice maiden author of a romantic bestseller), join a luxury honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean where Britt is the guest lecturer. Also on board are recently widowed Leo, still reeling from the discovery of his wife's betrayal just before her death, and Steve, a ship's officer who's soon looking for more than a holiday romance with Mia. Can Steve replace Alejo and is there any chance that Britt and Leo can see that they really should get together? When the characters head for home - Mia to Spain, the others to Dublin - it seems that all romantic options are off. But love has a way of triumphing in Sheila O'Flanagan's novels, even if it takes till the very last page...

I decided to celebrate the booking of my summer holiday by buying a couple of chick lit books that I will be able to take with me and breeze through while I'm lying by the pool, with a glass of sangria..... *goes off into daydream* I haven't actually read any O'Flanagan so I thought it was high time I gave her a try.

My Single Friend by Jane Costello

At 28, Lucy is doing well for herself. She's got a great job in PR, her boss loves her, and her best girlfriends Dominique and Erin think she's great. More important than anyone's opinion is that of her flatmate, and oldest friend in the world, Henry. For twenty years they've been inseparable: beauty and the geek. Henry thinks the world of Lucy. So why does she feel the need to lie outrageously on dates? From rock-climbing to Chekov: when it comes to prospective boyfriends, Lucy is compelled to embellish her C.V. with unlikely porkies that always backfire - with hilarious results. Henry can't understand it. Lucy is so loveable: why can't she just be herself? But when Lucy turns the spotlight on Henry, he wishes he'd never brought it up. With a penchant for jumpers and NHS-style specs, Lucy decides that Henry is in need of a makeover - big time. Enlisting the help of Dom and Erin, it's not long before the girls have Henry out of the flat, and into the Topman changing rooms. A new haircut, contact lenses, a flirting master-class from Dom ...poor Henry doesn't know what's hit him. But nothing can prepare them for the surprise results! Before long, Lucy realises that their lives will never be the same again.

I wasn't too impressed with The Nearly-Weds by the same author - I was curt and impatient with the tale - but I'll usually give an author one more go to see if they are any better, especially if I tackle their debut novel, which can be a little ropey compared to later books. So this is Costello's second chance - another light, fluffy story to take on holiday!

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

The nail-biting climax to Kelley Armstrong's bestselling Darkest Powers trilogy Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, Chloe happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are now running for their lives from the evil corporation that created them. As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...Definitely not normal.

I like Kelley Armstrong. I think she is one of the better writers in the urban fantasy field. So far I am yet to read the first two books in the Darkest Powers trilogy, but now all three are out I plan a back to back read and I'm looking forward to it thoroughly.

Shadow Souls by L J Smith

Elena Gilbert is once again at the centre of magic and danger beyond her imagining. And once more, Stefan isn't there to help! Elena is forced to trust her life to Damon, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. They must journey to the slums of the Dark Dimension, a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live as slaves of their supernatural masters. Damon's brother, the brooding vampire Stefan whom Elena loves, is imprisoned here, and Elena can only free him by finding the two hidden halves of the key to his cell. Meanwhile, the tension between Elena and Damon mounts until Elena is faced with a terrible decision: which brother does she really want to be with? The drama, danger and star-crossed love that fills each Vampire Diaries book is in full effect here, with Elena Gilbert once again filled with supernatural powers.

I have read all the Vampire Diaries by L J Smith. I have mixed feelings about the series. Some of it is as good as anything she has ever written. Some of it is truly dire, mixed-up and confused - as though two different authors wrote it, almost. At the end of the fifth book (The Return - review forthcoming) I was all ready to throw in the towel, but then I saw the sixth and couldn't resist trying it, because I can't honestly believe L J Smith has lost all her talent.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, staying alive.

This another of those long-running YA series about vampires that many people seem to be reading and enjoying, so I thought I'd give the first a try. If I don't like it, I won't be buying any more in the series!

At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson

In "At Home", Bill Bryson applies the same irrepressible curiosity, irresistible wit, stylish prose and masterful storytelling that made "A Short History of Nearly Everything" one of the most lauded books of the last decade, and delivers one of the most entertaining and illuminating books ever written about the history of the way we live. Bill Bryson was struck one day by the thought that we devote a lot more time to studying the battles and wars of history than to considering what history really consists of: centuries of people quietly going about their daily business - eating, sleeping and merely endeavouring to get more comfortable. And that most of the key discoveries for humankind can be found in the very fabric of the houses in which we live. This inspired him to start a journey around his own house, an old rectory in Norfolk, wandering from room to room considering how the ordinary things in life came to be. Along the way he did a prodigious amount of research on the history of anything and everything, from architecture to electricity, from food preservation to epidemics, from the spice trade to the Eiffel Tower, from crinolines to toilets; and on the brilliant, creative and often eccentric minds behind them. And he discovered that, although there may seem to be nothing as unremarkable as our domestic lives, there is a huge amount of history, interest and excitement - and even a little danger - lurking in the corners of every home.

Oh, a new Bill Bryson is always an occasion for breaking out the cash for a hardback book! I didn't even know that this book was going to be out so soon - it was a lovely surprise to see it on display last week. I enjoy the irreverent humour and the constant curiosity Bryson shows in all his novels, and I'm hoping this will be no exception.

Books Received For Review

Theodore Boone: Young Lawyer by John Grisham (NB: this is the US cover art)

In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he's only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he's one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk - and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than he expected. Because he knows so much - maybe too much - he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. The stakes are high, but Theo won't stop until justice is served.

This one is intriguing. YA appears to be the fashionable genre right now, with all manner of authors turning their hands to it. John Grisham is the latest and I shall be interested to see how his writing changes from his adult fiction to this YA offering.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Carter and Sadie have nothing in common but their parents: their father Dr. Julius Kane, a brilliant Egyptologist, and their mother, a famed archaeologist who died under mysterious circumstances when they were young. The siblings barely know each other, but one night, their father brings them together at the British Museum, promising a 'research experiment' that will set things right for their family. His plans go horribly wrong. An explosion unleashes an ancient evil - the Egyptian god Set who banishes Dr. Kane to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Now orphaned, Carter and Sadie must embark on a dangerous quest - from Cairo to Paris to the American Southwest, to save their father and stop Set from destroying everything they care about...

Rick Riordan is the author of the bestselling Percy Jackson novels (those that have recently been made into a movie) - now he changes his attention from Greek Gods to the Gods of Egypt. I am tempted to read this because it seems so adventurous, but, at the same time, tongue in cheek. I am also a sucker for anything Egypt-related.

So that was the haul for this week. Any of them you think I should get to first? You, the reader, could have a hand in determining my next read!

Looking back on May, looking forward to June!

Wow, May came and went so quickly I barely saw it! I did manage to fit in a fair amount of blogging fun during May, and read a whole heap of books. Here's a quick recap of what you might have missed!



Book Reviews:

1) Desire by Louise Bagshawe
2) The Turning by Helen Ellis
3) Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
4) Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley
5) Ralph's Party by Lisa Jewell
6) After the Party by Lisa Jewell
7) Wolfsangel by M D Lachlan
8) Storm Front by Jim Butcher
9) Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
10) Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
11) The Importance of Being a Bachelor by Mike Gayle

I'm pleased, very pleased, with having read 11 books during May. I also greatly enjoyed the fact that there was nothing limiting my reading (such as a shortlist read dominating my month). I really did read by mood, which you can tell from the light-hearted tone to the books I swept through. One thing I didn't see coming was jumping on board the Dresden files bandwagon! I have all the books and was intending to read them at some point, but clearly May was that month! So look out for reviews of the other ten that are currently released over the next couple of months.

I think my favourite book of the month would have to be Wolfsangel - this is a monumental start to what could be a classic fantasy series. My most disappointing read was easily The Turning - poor writing, poor characterisation, poor story. Just poor.

Interviews:

1) Blake Charlton
2) Deborah Beale
3) M D Lachlan
4) Aidan Moher

The majority of these interviews I actually conducted earlier in the year, but it happened they were all posted this month. All of them were extremely interesting interviewees and I'm incredibly grateful for the time they gave over to providing me with such fabulous replies.

Articles:

1) Critical Reading?
2) The Book Habit Meme
3) What Qualifies a Book Blogger?
4) Forbidden Planet - 3 Authors, A Heap of Bloggers!
5) 2010 Statistics

As is usually the case, my articles were delivered on the fly, depending on what I happened to be musing on at the time. Luckily these seemed to be of equal interest to other people, going by the comments received (which I adore - thanks to anyone who took the time to stop by).

So that was May. What does June hold?



It's World Cup month. Sorry people, but I am a football watcher. And I will be cheering on England all the way to the final (or, more realistically, the second round where we are dumped out on penalties by Germany or Portugal or someone like that...)

Hopefully this won't impact on my reading too much, but we really don't know.

In addition to this, I have taken on a rather major commitment which I shall wait a little while longer to spill the beans on, and this will affect the number of reviews I am able to put on my humble blog.

But fear not! I shall still endeavour to bring you Dresden File reviews, stories of Alt Fiction and the occasional interview/article with gay abandon!

Hoping to see you stopping by all through June...

Winner of The Desert Spear!

Well, thank you for the tremendous amount of entries for this giveaway - clearly a popular series right now, going by the interest in trying to win this book!

I can announce that the winner is *drum-roll*..........

STEPHEN ARYAN!

Congrats to him and commiserations to everyone else - look out for another giveaway soon!

A Catch Up!

The blog has been silent the last few days. Empty. I have been out running around and playing hockey!

But here is a little catch-up of some of the items of interest I have been providing to other blogs!

Firstly, I was hosted on the Voyager blog talking about The Bad Guy!

Secondly, I read and loved Dirae by Peter S Beagle and provided a review of this short for Gav over at Next Read!

Thirdly and lastly, I have suggested a few ideas for budding bloggers over at the Angry Robot site!

Enjoy!