Review: The Warehouse

The Warehouse by Rob Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An extremely well thought out dystopian novel. Cloud has taken over America. It's the online store of your dreams, stocking everything, products sent to you by drone so they're with you almost before they're needed. Cloud now employs most of America, and its CEO controls the government as well. Although he thinks of it as 'advising'. He only wants the best for everyone, after all.

My favourite thing about this fantastic novel is the watch that buzzes on different side to direct the workers. It's such a tiny detail, but it fits and it really shows the work that Rob put into imagining this increasingly possible future. A fantastic read, one that everyone should try.


Dakota didn’t speak. Didn’t look interested in speaking. She walked, and Paxton followed. A few people threw glances their way. He understood this dance. Dobbs called the polo shirt an equalizer. It wasn’t. Didn’t matter if the badge was tin, it still shone if it caught the light at the right angle. 


A tram car pulled in and they climbed aboard. The crowd seemed to part for them. Still Dakota didn’t talk. This, Paxton understood too. For them to talk, to engage in conversation like normal people, would humanize them too much. 


Paxton hated how easy it was to slip back into that mind-set. Like walking the stacks all over again.

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New stock

These fantastic new Guardian Angels from Depesche come with the date already printed on them. Chose one for any occasion in your life; a birth, a birthday, graduation, a wedding. Whatever the occasion, a Guardian Angel is waiting to join you.

(I told you it wasn't what you were expecting.)

Review: A Pocketful of Stars

A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Bushby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A heartbreaking story. Saiya's mother suffers a stroke just after they've had a fight. Drowning in guilt, Safiya finds that when she visits her mother, she sees fragments of her childhood. With each fragment, she unlocks more of her mother's history and her own personality.


I can't say much about this book, because it made it cry so much. But it's amazing, and beautiful, and I cheered, and everyone should definitely read it. Definitely. Just have tissues to hand.


As I walk through the map and see the ruined palace in the distance - ivy growing all over it, walls cracked - I can't help but remember the house from my dream with the silver branches. The park, too, looks similar. Except, instead of palm trees they're made of oak, and instead of a corner shop there's the Wicked Woodlands where the wizards live.

Almost an hour later and I'm just about to get most valuable player when Dad's voice floats up from the living room beneath me. 'Safiya!' he calls, his voice penetrating the bubble that my headphones have formed. 'Dinner!'

And, just like that, the spell is broken.

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Review: The Black Flamingo

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Told in free verse, this heartfelt story follows Michael from birth to university as he discovers his identity and finds the people who will stand with him. Mixed in is the poetry he writes to try to understand himself and his reactions and those of the people around him. This is a lovely, quick read with beautiful illustrations. This is a story that will stay with you for a long time.

Be aware, there is a lot of discussion of sex and some drugs.



He puts his arm around me and says,
'Don't worry, you can't score every time
but you still gotta take the shot.
Respect for taking the risk, bro.
I've got a question for you: why did you
ask out the whitest boy in school?
Why not give a brother a chance?'

I laugh, through my tears. 'You're funny.'

'Yeah,' Kieran sighs, 'so are you.
I should go but if anyone gives you any trouble,
you let me know.'
He squeezes my shoulder,
walks to the door.

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Review: D.O.G.S

D.O.G.S by M.A. Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Greer is trying to settle back into school after the horrific visit to Longcross. The appearance of a long lost play catapults her back into a world of mystery, forcing her back to Longcross to lay old ghosts to rest.

So this is the second in what is now apparently a trilogy. As such, not a lot actually happens. There's a secret play that's tied into the Order, a lot of arguing, a visit to Longcross to find part of the play that is mostly not at all about the actual play. However, this is still an exciting, interesting read and I read it in one go, wanting to know what was going to happen next. I loved that we couldn't quite tell which side the characters were on; of the two reveals at the end, one confused me adn one really impressed me. I'm looking forward to reading the third part, but going on history that's a couple of years away at least!


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.



'So you're from the Isle of Dogs, right?'

'Yeah.'

'Why's it called that?'

'It was called Isle of Dogs cos it was s'posed to be where Elizabeth I's royal kennels were. So back then it was literally swarming with dogs.'

'Makes sense.'

'There's this pub called the Ferry House where my uncles used to drink,' she went on, 'and there was a crazy old guy who always used to sit at the bar and say that on frosty nights you could hear those Elizabethan dogs baying across the mudflats.'

I shivered. I was back at Longcross, hearing Henry's dogs barking through the dense fog after Nel's blood. If I was a real friend to Ty, could I really let her go to Longcross alone? Yes, I liked the twins, and no, they weren't Henry. But before I could make up my mind she hurried away, probably to catch up with Louis.

I could've stopped her. I could've called her back. But I said nothing, and my own silence made me feel a bit sick.

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Review: Sea Witch Rising

Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The politics get a bit more confusing in this follow up, which sees Evie, our Sea Witch, re-enacting the Little Mermaid by sending Alia ashore without her voice to capture the heart of her prince - the grandson of the boy Evie loved once. Alia's sister refuses to take it lying down, though, and demands to negotiate her own deal.

The fifty year gap between this story and the first one means that some things are filled in on the run, as it were. This one is also rooted in a much more modern time than I had assumed reading the first one. It could, technically, still be as early as the 1850s, but the reference to Germany wanting to cut of Britain's supplies and starve her out seems, to me, to place us in the 1940s. Which makes Havnestad seem really backwards and strange. I guess it could be an alternate world.

Apart from that niggle, though, this is a fantastic read, with lush language and a well thought out magic system. Runa is now my favourite of the heroines, and I enjoyed the ending very much. This was a one day read for me.

A wonderful duology for anyone who enjoys fantasy.



Maybe there's a chance.

Maybe he really does love Alia.

Maybe their love is enough that he'll stop this wedding farce and bring Alia up there instead, marrying her with a kiss so fierce, the magic has no choice but to be satisfied.

Maybe the only sad part of the story is that I will remain human against my will. If Alia is happy and survives, that will be enough for me.

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Review: Sea Witch

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful, magical retelling of the Little Mermaid...sort of. For spoilery reasons, I can't explain, but this book is not quite what you think it is. It is a wonderful, magical - I keep saying that, but it's true - story, though.

Switching time periods can make things tricky at first, but things become clear very quickly. The language is amazing and I'm very eager to move on to the next title in the series. Hoping for a happy ending!



"Happy birthday, Cousin." Eyes laughing, Iker claps Nik on the back and brings him in for a hug, his toned arms fully encasing Nik's spindly-yet-strong form.

When they release, Iker's eyes go right to me. They're the clearest of blues - like ancient ice in the fjords of the north.

"Evelyn," he says, still retaining an air of formality from his upbringing, but he then shockingly pulls me into a hug.

I freeze, eyes on Nik as he and everyone else on the ship stares. Iker doesn't seem to notice or care and pulls me tighter, his arms wrapped around my waist. Warm from ship work, he smells of salt and limes. His shirt is freckled with water droplets, onyx on the starched gray fabric - the sea leaving her mark.

When the moment is over and he lets me go, an arm lingers across my shoulders. I try to ignore the question nagging me, the one I'm sure everyone else is asking too. Why me? We've known each other since we were children, but he's never shown me this kind of affection before. I'm not his type. I'm not anyone's type. Yet Iker continues to act as if it's all completely normal. He turns to Nik, to the crowd, and grins that perfect smile.

"Good people of Havnestad," he says, his voice commanding yet sincere. Then the grin grows wider. "Let's give the prince a celebration so hearty, he'll never forget it."

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Review: The Starlight Watchmaker

The Starlight Watchmaker by Lauren James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An abandoned android scrapes a living as a watchmaker on an intergalactic campus. He's lonely but content until the day a fast paced duke comes to his door, demanding help. Everything will change if they succeed in their mission.


I've read several Lauren James novels, but I think I'm most impressed by this one. The others were all amazing reads, but this is so imaginative; butterflies riding bicycles, living (but mini) planets and underwater species living on algae are just a few of the delights here. Lauren has been on my instabuy list since The Loneliest Girl in the Universe but she is now firmly ensconced there. The characters are fantastic and the whole story rattles along at a wonderful speed; not so fast we're lost, not so slow we're bored. This is going to be a great one to add to her portfolio.



I received a proof copy and chose to write an honest review.

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The Kingdom blog tour

Welcome to the blog tour for The Kingdom! This futuristic fantasy/Disney mashup has people talking about it everywhere and hopefully the excerpt below will catch your attention, too.

The Kingdom is a futuristic amusement park, covering thousands of acres. The main draws are the hybrids; animals rescued from extinction by a combination of genetic engineering and mechanics, and the Fantasists, seven beautiful princesses who stroll through the park interacting with the visitors. They're kept safe inside The Kingdom at all times. Safe, confined, and controlled.

Ana was the perfect character to explore this world with. She's not the oldest or the youngest of the Fantasists, she knows that life has always been this way for them. And at first it seems like a pretty good life; Mother and Father look after them, they have people to help them get dressed and made up and people following them around The Kingdom to make sure they're safe. Mother tucks them in and tells them stories, Father makes sure they're healthy.

And then little details creep out, and the tone of the book changes. Mother doesn't tuck them in - she ties them down. Her stories include the time an older Fantasist was stolen and beaten to death outside The Kingdom. Father ignores their complaints unless their performance is suffering, then he adjusts them.

For Ana, things really start to go wrong when one of her sisters vanishes. She's different when she comes back, and Ana slowly starts to notice things. Many of the animals hybrids are sickening, for one. And her sister Kaia, who only speaks in gentle cliches; a sign of her older operating systems, or something more sinister? And there's Owen, the park worker who turns up everywhere she is.

Interspersed with the story are trial transcripts, newspaper cuttings and other artifacts from a trial taking place about a year and a half after the main story. At that time, Ana is on trial for murder. There's a lot to think about in the defence's arguments that Ana is incapable of murder. It's just not in her programming.

I went into this novel expecting a mystery/fantasy and came out thinking about everything from cultural appropriation to what makes a person a person - admittedly, a question a lot of sci fi asks, but not one that's been answered yet. I hope Jess is planning to return to the world of The Kingdom, but if this shining piece is all we get, it's enough.


Pick up the blog tour at Pythia Reads on the 15th July and enjoy the excerpt below! The book is on sale now.

1

THE DECEMBER OF THE LESSER CHAMELEON 

ONE HOUR AFTER THE MURDER 

The room where they at last found him was so cold, they wondered at first if he had frozen to death. Face as white as snow, skin as cold as frost, lips as blue as ice. His expression seemed, to the police, perfectly peaceful. As if he had passed away in the middle of a very lovely dream.

Except for the blood. Blood always tells its own story.

2

POST-TRIAL INTERVIEW [00:01:03–00:02:54] 

DR. FOSTER: Are you comfortable? 

ANA: My wrist hurts. 

DR. FOSTER: Security felt the cuff was necessary. I hope you can understand. 

ANA: [Silence.] 

DR. FOSTER: Do you need anything before we begin? 

ANA: Can I have some water? 

DR. FOSTER: Certainly. [Into microphone.] Can I get a glass of H,O in here, please? Six ounces, no more. Thank you. [To Ana.] That'll just be a minute. 

ANA: Thank you. 

DR. FOSTER: Of course. It's the least we can do. 

ANA: That's true. 

DR. FOSTER: It's been a long time since our last interview. 

ANA: Four hundred and eighty-one days. 

DR. FOSTER: How are you feeling? 

ANA: Like this interview should be over. 

DR. FOSTER: One last time, Ana. Then I promise, we'll let you rest. 

ANA: I thought I was done answering questions. 

DR. FOSTER: We still need your help. 

ANA: Why should I help you? After everything you've done? 

DR. FOSTER: Because it's the right thing to do. 

ANA: Don't you mean, because I don't have a choice? 

DR. FOSTER: How would you like to see your sisters? They've missed you. Maybe after we finish here I could arrange a visit. Kaia. Zara. Or maybe Zel? Would you like that? 

ANA: [Quietly.] What if I want to see Nia? What about Eve? 

DR. FOSTER: [Silence.] Ana, you know that's not possible. 

ANA: Why don't you just ask me whatever it is you want to ask me? I'm not in the mood for your games. 

DR. FOSTER: My games? 

ANA: You're smirking. What's so funny? 

DR. FOSTER: I'll tell you in a minute. But first, there's one thing I still haven't figured out. 

ANA: I'm listening. 

DR. FOSTER: What did you do with the body, Ana? 

Welcome to the Kingdom... where 'Happily Ever After' isn't just a promise, but a rule. 

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species--formerly extinct--roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful "princesses" engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time... love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana's memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty--and what it truly means to be human.

Review: Arctic Zoo

Arctic Zoo by Robert Muchamore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Muchamore is an excellent writer. There's no denying that. This book has adventure, politics, lessons about drone racing and young offender's institutes. But it just wasn't riveting, at least for me. It took the two storylines far too long to come together, so it was more like reading two different books, and they didn't really affect each other much in the end.

There was nothing wrong with it. The prose is brilliant, the characters were good. As always in Muchamore's stories, the violence happens often and is well described, and he'd clearly put a lot of thought into the politics of his little slice of Nigeria. But it's a long way from the highs of the CHERUB series. I'll keep reading him, but I'm not sure we'll ever get that high again.

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Review: The Lost Tide Warriors

The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second in the series sees Fionn, along with friends and enemies old and new, battling against Soulseekers determined to revive Morrigan.


First of all, this isn't the book to start with. Although things are explained reasonably well as you go along, you'll still likely be confused for quite a portion of it.

However, if you've read the first one, this is a fantastic follow up, expanding the mythology and keeping the same wonderful tone. I cried - quite a bit - and read as fast as I can. I still love the magic system, I've still never seen anything like it, and I'm very excited to read the third one to find out what happens next.


I received an ARC and chose to write an honest review.

(This isn't the section I wanted to copy, but my favourite one made me cry and I couldn't see the words. This one shows the use of language very well.)

The  candle  in  Sam’s  fist  was  shaking  violently.  “I  regret  this  decision,” he  called  over  his  shoulder,  just  as  Hughie  released  a  triumphant  shout,  pulled  his  free  hand  into  his  chest  and  closed  it  into  a  fist.

The  sky  ignited.  

There  were  three  awful  seconds  of  nothingness  when  both  vessels  seemed  to  hang  by  an  invisible  thread,  then  the  wind  snapped  and  the  sky  roared  and  the  world  dropped. The  wave  surged  over  The Corpus,  taking  them  all  with  it,  screaming  at  the  top  of  their  lungs.  Hughie  Rua  threw  his  head back and laughed  as  they  flew  down,  down,   down,  following  his  billowing  sails  into  the  sea.  

The  wind  pulled  their  cheeks  from  their  mouths  and  stole  their  breath,  their  stomachs  flip  ping  upside  down  and  inside  out  as  they  cut  through  the  air. Their  screams  ran  their  voices  hoarse  before  they  hit  the  water.

Then  they  left  the  world  behind  them,  piercing  the  skin  of  the  ocean  in  two  identical points.

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Review: I Hold Your Heart

I Hold Your Heart by Karen Gregory
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gemma has just started her A levels when she meets Aaron. He understands her in a way no one else ever has, and soon she's spending all her time with him. Her friends don't understand what it's like. They're jealous. Right?

This book starts out fine; Gemma's studying, playing music, working and hanging out with friends. Even Aaron, at first, seems nice; kind and thoughtful, dedicated to Gemma's happiness. As things go on, though, they get increasingly creepy. Aaron's change in behaviour is slow and subtle and it's easy to understand why Gemma gets caught up with him. It's terrifying to watch; I just wanted to scream at her to get out of there immediately. This is a fantastic read on a very important topic; too many teenagers wouldn't recognise abuse of this kind and it needs to be talked about more. This book will definitely do it.

Between this title and Countless, Karen Gregory is on my must-read list.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


When she doesn’t answer her messages, or her phone when I call her, that’s when I look. Not before. But I know how to get into her WhatsApp; it’s easy if you’ve got someone’s number.

The first thing I see are the messages from Cal. Way more of them than she said. The winky faces. Kisses. Little in-jokes from a time before I knew her.

I read through each one, feeling the nausea rising.There’s a rational part of me that’s aware her messages indicate nothing more than friendship, though his are screaming he wants more. But a larger part of me feels like a vortex, as though my lungs are collapsing in on themselves and I’m struggling for breath, fighting to pull up and out. Fighting to remember who I am. Before I know it, I’m dressed and driving, taking the corners on the wrong side of the road, not bothering to brake at red lights, the night a blur of looming hedgerows and cat’s eyes flaring at me from the middle of the road.

I kill the engine at the bottom of her track and sit there, holding on to the steering wheel. Go home, a voice is whispering in my head. I try her number again but there’s still no answer. And the need to just see her, to touch her hair, is overwhelming. Too big for me to fight.

I step out of the car and jog up the track.

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Review: The Beholder

The Beholder by Anna Bright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 rounded up.

Selah only wants to help keep her people fed and happy. Their little colony is only scraping by, and she knows her duty is to marry a good, hard working man who will help her take her father's place and led her people. When the man she expects to marry her turns her down, though, she's plunged into a humiliating journey across the sea in search of a husband, in a game between her stepmother and the dreaded Baba Yaga she knows nothing about.



This should have been an amazing read. It's so confused, though, it turned me off a little. As near as I can tell, this is set in a world where England abandoned the Colonies before they could declare Independence. In fact England doesn't seem to have much of an empire at all any more. But also a lot of folklore is happening all at once; Arthur, surrounded by several of the Knights, is in England, and in what's probably Norway she visits Asgard and meets various members of the pantheon, except they don't actually seem to be gods, just people with the gods' names. The overarching villain is known as Baba Yaga and it's never clear (at least to me) whether she is called that because of the mythological figure, or whether the myth doesn't exist there. All the European countries have different names, and while I could puzzle most of them out by context I'm still lost on a few. A map would have been amazingly helpful; maybe the print version will have one.

But it's not all bad. Selah grows into an amazing character, and her determination to return home is never less than endearing. A couple of her suitors are good as well, obvious twist with one aside. Sadly I didn't really follow the political subplot, possibly because, again, I couldn't place the countries involved.

I did enjoy it overall, and I'll watch out for the sequel, because naturally there's a cliffhanger. Not a horrible one, though, so there's that going for it.

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Review: Queen of Ruin

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Viridia, women are objects, not people. Beautiful, demure, obedient objects. Those who disobey are killed or sent to the island prison of Mount Ruin, forced to fight and kill for the guards' amusement. Serina has successfully led an uprising against them, but they are now trapped on the island, pinning all their hopes on the next supply ship. Serina's thoughts are with Nomi, though, left behind in the palace at the mercy of the cruel Superior. Together, these girls can destroy a country. If they can find their power.

This was a brilliant follow up to Grace and Fury. There was enough recapping for me to remember what happened in the last book, but not so much that it seemed out of place. Serina and Nomi continued to grow as characters, facing awful situations head on. The rest of the characters are distinct enough for it to really matter when they start fighting. The ending was clever and about the only way things could really have worked out. I'm glad the story wasn't dragged out longer; this felt like the right length.

I received an ARC of this title and chose to review it honestly.


Serina couldn’t mistake the naked misery in her sister’s voice. “He . . . he must care for you, to let you go.” Nomi’s face crumpled. Understanding dawned. “But you cared for Asa.”

Nomi’s voice hardened. “I thought I did. I trusted him, and he used me. He used my affection for him, my love for you, for his own ends. He killed his father and tried to kill his brother, and he shipped me off to prison . . . but before all of that he kissed me and told me he wanted me to be queen, and I believed him.”

Serina put her arms around Nomi, aching for her sister. She sat in silence, holding Nomi as she cried, just as she’d done when they were children. The moment was bittersweet; Serina hated that Nomi was hurting, but she was also grateful to be able to comfort her. Not long ago, she’d been certain she’d never get this chance again.

After a while, she murmured, “Asa will pay for what he’s done. I am certain.”

Nomi cleaned her face on the edge of her shirt. “I hope so.”

They curled into each other’s arms and listened to the surf and let the wind whip through their hair, and soon enough, dawn found them.

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Review: The Chain

The Chain by Adrian McKinty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A teenage girl is kidnapped. A terrified mother receives a call. Her kidnappers don't want a ransom - or, not only a ransom. She must also kidnap another child and pass the conditions on to those parents, thus ensuring her own complicity and keeping the Chain going. The Chain is important. The Chain must never be broken. Or the Chain will come for you...


This is a tense, exciting thriller. It doesn't exactly have twists - most of the plot developments are signaled long before they come into play - but I definitely wanted to find out what was going to happen next. The characters are well written and the peril is nicely played, not too gratuitous, just the right amount. The style reminded me a little of Stephen King in spots.

A fantastic read all around.



“All right, this is the plan,” Rachel announces. “One, we drive to the Old Customs Hall. Two, we wait for the kids to come out. Three, we follow Toby home along Revenue and Standore Streets. Please, God, let Toby be by himself. Four, we pull the car up next to him. Five, we grab him and throw him inside. Six, we drive off.”

“Do you want me to grab him?”

She nods. “And I’ll drive.”

“OK, then.”

She looks at him. “There are so many things that can go wrong, Pete. I’m glad you’re with me.”

Pete thinks back to that night at Camp Bastion in September of 2012 when everything went wrong. He bites his lip. “Yeah, it’ll be fine, Rach,” he says.

“But even if it all goes right,” she replies wretchedly, “it’ll still be absolutely terrible.”

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Review: The Shamer's Daughter

The Shamer's Daughter by Lene Kaaberbøl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dina's mother has a special gift. Just by looking in someone's eyes, she can force them to feel all the shame of any crime they've committed, from not cleaning the kitchen table right up to murder. Dina has inherited this gift, and when her mother is caught up in a political struggle Dina means to do her very best to get her out of it again.

First things first. The translation on this is smooth as butter. There's no hint of the awkward phrases and strange sentences that often show up when something is translated. In fact, I wasn't even sure it was translated until I looked it up on Goodreads.

The story itself is relatively uncomplicated. The bad guy is obvious almost at once, there are various allies of varying levels of usefulness. There are dragons, here animals rather than intelligent, and they're sufficiently terrifying. Dina is convincingly ten years old, sometimes. At other times she seems far older, but we can attribute that to the gift of Shaming. It's an inventive gift, not one I'd read about before.

I'm interested to know what will happen next in this series, and I'll be watching out for it.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.



The black horse looked very big, but the stranger boosted me up as if I weighed nothing at all and settled me with my legs to one side like the grand ladies riding sidesaddle in their long gowns. Of course it looked better than hiking up my skirts and riding astride, the way I usually did, but it was also a lot more difficult. I felt as if I was about to slide off the whole time. The stranger mounted behind me, put his arm around my waist in a firm grip, and still managed to control the horse one-handedly and with total ease.

“I still don’t know your name,”I said nervously.

“Drakan,”he replied, not deigning to tell me whether that was a first or a last name. Then he prodded the horse into a canter, and I had my hands full just staying on.

But as the black stallion’s long strides brought us farther and farther down the road to Dunark, I could hear Beastie still, barking and barking as if he would never stop.

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Review: Heartstream

Heartstream by Tom Pollock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cat's dating a member of the hottest boyband around...maybe. And Amy's the hottest streamer on Heartstream, the app that lets other people literally feel your emotions. Both think they've experienced the dark side of fandom. But they haven't seen anything yet.


Where to start with this one? First of all, it does not have the tear your hair out ending that White Rabbit, Red Wolf had, so rest easy on that. Not everything is tied up by the end, but it's enough.

Second, I like this view of fandom; that it can be the best place ever, an amazingly supportive family who will bear you up and support you...so long as you follow the rules. I've been on the edge of some of those fandoms, and they can be hideous or wonderful. Often both at once. It's beautifully portrayed here.

Third, I kind of started to get an inkling about what was going on about halfway through, but I had to keep adjusting my thoughts and shifting things around. Tom is amazing at giving you enough information to keep you guessing but not enough to figure things out, but not so little you get bored. I've no idea how he does it.

Fourth, a small amount of violence and gore, be careful.

Fifth, read it. Get two copies and give one to someone else.



I received an ARC and chose to review it honestly.


Panic and despair welled up in me. I suddenly remembered being tony, maybe four or five, and losing Mum in the bustle of a supermarket, and running up and down the aisles of cereal and vegetables and frozen meat frantically searching for her and not finding her and battling against the growing conviction she was gone, gone, and I was never getting her back, and tears springing up hot in my throat because it was my fault, because she told me to keep hold of her hand.

This felt exactly like that, only edged in a leaden despair, because I knew it would never end, because there was no bored girl with a supermarket PA system who could call her to the customer information desk from where she'd gone now. And then I was back watching the burning house, and then...

And then I sort of lost touch with myself.

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Wally is lost again! He should really invest in a good map. Come and see if you can find him - and while you're at it, invest in a good map. Or a compass. They're useful for all sorts of things.

Review: You Won’t Believe This: Get swept up in the most stunningly moving and hilarious mystery of the year.

You Won’t Believe This: Get swept up in the most stunningly moving and hilarious mystery of the year. by Adam Baron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cymbeline is having trouble at home and at school, with someone targeting his favourite teacher and his best friend's grandmother not well. Can he help to solve both problems before they run out of time?

This is a great read. I think it's at least the second in a series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything, there were just a couple of references to things that didn't happen in this story. All the clues come together really satisfyingly, including the ones that didn't seem like clues at the time, and I loved how everything worked out. Apart from that, there's some fabulous history on Boat People weaved carefully in.

I recommend this to everyone.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.



There was music then, and dancing. We watched for a bit and then walked up past the National Gallery, where all the roads were shut. There was an EVEN BIGGER dragon in Leicester Square, after which my mouth literally dropped open. I'd been to the street that is Chinatown itself. But today it ws hung wit red paper lanterns, lots of smaller dragons dancing around beneath them to even more drummers, the sound SO loud as it thudded back off all the buildings. There were men with red-and-gold robes and long fake beards, their hats like snakes. Again I thought about trying to talk to Veronique but she kept pulling me off to see this thing, and that thing, before pointing to the end of the street. Another procession was marching towards us, this one of enormous inflatable pandas which went right over our heads. It was stunning and for a second it felt like I'd been whisked off to China.

But it wsn't just Chinese people. There were white people and black people and Asian people. Outside one shop there were some very British-looking police officers with flags poking out from their uniforms. So we weren't in China; this was my city, where I live. My London. It made me feel bigger, as if there was more to me than I knew about. I looked at Veronique and felt something similar, remembering my thoughts when she'd first told me about Nanai. I'd thought that the Chinese bit of Veronique was, sort of, on the reverse side of her, that it had nothing to do with me. But if this party was here, where I lived, then that part of Veronique was connected to me too. It wasn't a bit of her that was different. Her Chinese bit was mixed in with her British bit. And if this was happening here, where I lived, then I was mixed in with it too.

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Review: Malory Towers: New Class at Malory Towers: Four brand-new Malory Towers

Malory Towers: New Class at Malory Towers: Four brand-new Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Four new authors write about four new girls attending Malory Towers during Darrell River's years there.

On the plus side, the tone is almost perfect all the way through. I'm not too sure about Mam'zelle in the last one, but I can let it slide. The girls are recognizably themselves - although neither Alicia nor Gwen were ever quite that mean in Enid's stories. The new girls are intriguing and interesting in and of themselves, and the stories go along nicely.

This is a great addition to the classic stories and will go well.



'Shall we show you to your dormy?' asked Sally, her voice shaking. She was an excellent leader but she hated conflict and the tension in the common room was so thick that it felt like a heavy fog hanging in the air. 'It's really lovely.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Margaret's words were quiet and her eyes bored into Gwen. 'What about my parents?'

'I expect your trunk has been taken upstairs by now,' said Darrell, slightly desperately. She could see that Alicia was loving every second of the confrontation but there was something about Margaret's voice that was making Darrell feel increasingly nervous.

'Oh, you know very well!' Gwen clearly wasn't about to back down. 'My mother married up and your mother married down and that is why I am who I am and you are, well-' she gestured at Maggie -'you.'

There was silence and the rest of the girls held their breath. They were used to arguments between them but they'd never heard anyone say anything so personal and unkind before.

'I'd rather be me with my wonderful parents, than spoilt darling Gwendoline Mary,' murmured Margaret, her face pale. 'There isn't enough money in the world that would make me ever want to swap places with you.' She turned and let her gaze sweep over them all. 'I wouldn't want to be like any of you. Not even for one day.'

And then she turned and ran from the room, her long legs striding across the floor and out of the door before anyone could stop her.

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Review: Check Mates

Check Mates by Stewart Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Felix does his best, but he just can't concentrate in school. No one seems to understand how hard it is. No one but his quiet, closed off grandfather. Granddad's been a bit depressed since Grandma died. Until he comes up with a wonderful plan to help Felix concentrate. He's going to teach him chess!


This is a sweet, nice story about a grandson and grandfather learning to connect with each other. I know a little about the chess, just the basics, and was able to follow perfectly well, so don't be put off if you don't know anything about the game. I also learned some information about the Cold War that I hadn't known before, and that was really interesting to me.

One thing I did think was odd: Felix clearly has ADHD, but he doesn't seem to be getting any help. There's mention that he refused a classroom assistant because he was embarrassed, and he's in an extra reading class, but that's it. No other accommodations for him. This is a minor thing, however.

This is a lovely story that will also lead to discussion topics, and that's a great mix.



"Phew," says Jake. "You had me worried."

"I know," I say, trying to shake the fog out of my head. "They're all dweebs! I don't know what I was thinking."

"You were thinking it was a good idea."

"No, Granddad. I wasn't."

Jake gives me a strange look.

"What?" I say. "I'm not going in there."

"No," says Jake. "It's what you just did. You were talking to your granddad."

"Did I? Was I?"

"Yeah. It's like he's getting inside your head, brainwashing you. Maybe he's a spy. My dad always says he's a bit strange."

"My granddad's not strange," I snap. "And he's not a spy. What does your dad know? He's never even spoken to him."

"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you." Jake puts his arm around my shoulder. "He's not strange. Not really - now let's get some dinner and then we'll go and shoot some hoops."

"Hoops? What is hoops?"

Granddad, I say in my head. You're going to have to stop this.

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Review: I Am Not a Number

I Am Not a Number by Lisa Heathfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Traditional Party has been voted in. Ruby doesn't think her life will change too much, but her mother and stepfather aren't sure. There are more soldiers in the street, making sure that women are wearing decent clothes and that there are no lewd displays of affection, like holding hands. Then there are arm bands. Then, in the middle of the night, the buses come...


Lisa Heathfield has a gift for tackling difficult subjects in ways that children can understand. She's already taken on cults and parental abuse; in this new book her topics are nationalism and the Holocaust, obliquely. By subjecting her heroine Ruby to horrors that actually happened to prisoners in the concentration camps, Lisa shows how easy it is to fall prey to othering, and how destructive it can be. The increasing dehumanisation of Ruby and the other inmates is very difficult to read, but it's worth it if it starts conversations about this topic.

I'm also very impressed, as I often am with cult novels, at just how easy it is to alter people's thinking, especially childrens', when you control the narrative. Ruby's sister sees everything that's happening, she knows exactly how they're being treated, but because the guards give her extra biscuits she believes everything they're telling her about their political rivals.

The only thing I would have liked is more information or background on the guards. We learn a little bit about the camp commander, but the rest of the guards are an indistinguishable mass of hatred and anger. No one ever even learns any of their names. I would have liked to know how they came to think this was acceptable. But that's a tiny gripe in an otherwise gripping novel.

This isn't the only book of this type I've read, but in the others the camps are usually for people of a particular race, or religion, or skin colour. In this one, it's strictly along ideological lines, and I can't decide if that's more or less scary; that the people doing this to Ruby and the others probably looked just like them. It's a terrifying, but very important, read.




"You'll learn discipline," the guard says. "You'll run the length of the line and back until I tell you to stop."

"Run?" I'm not at school. Why do they want me to run?

"You haven't heard me properly?" The guard steps closer and raises his whip until it's touching my cheek. "I could help by cleaning out your ears with this."

"Run, for God's sake, Ruby," I hear Mum say.

The line of leather presses into my skin.

"Fine," I say, but I don't look at my mum as I know she'll see the fear i'm trying to hide. I won't look at any of them.

I feel every set of eyes on me as I pass, so I focus on the world beyond the fence. In the distance is a mountain and I look at that. I force myself to see how it doesn't peak in a spike. Maybe it's not a proper mountain but it's more than a hill. It's round at the top and joins another, smaller one. They seem very safe. I imagine myself sitting there, hidden among their shape.

My feet pound the wet ground. It's concrete, so it's easier to get a rhythm. At the end I turn around. this way I can see the entrance to the camp. The fence is high, its barbed wire telling me everything. I hadn't noticed the watchtower close to the gate, but it's clear as anything now.There's a guard in it and the silhouette of a gun.

I concentrate on Mum's face as I run back down the line. Her eyes are wild with anger, but her face is stone. Darren holds tight to her hand and he nods at me and says something, but I don't hear it. It's enough though. He's willing me on and it gives me strength.

I know I run past Luke, but I'm too embarrassed to look at him. I'm sweaty and soaked and I know he loves me whatever, but I don't want him to see me like this. I'll have to run past him again and again, looking worse and worse, until the pig of a guard says I can stop.

My legs are beginning to burn as I turn at the end, facing the mountain again. I wish I could look more to the sky but the rain isn't stopping. So I keep going. Running on. Trying to count the sound of my feet on the ground.

"You can do this, Ruby." This time I catch Darren's words and I use them as fuel.

I'm thirsty, but the water falling on me isn't enough.

The guard doesn't tell me it's over. I've never been good at running far and my lungs feel filled with fire. Someone has lit a match in them and now every breath sparks new flames. A stitch is gripping my side.

I'm sure the rain is weakening.

But now they'll be able to see that I'm crying.

I don't mean to but I look at Luke as I pass. I wish I hadn't. It's hopeless despair on his face. His dad is holding his arm, as if stopping him from trying to help me. I won't look at him again. It's made my heart hurt worse and my tears now are for more than just agony and exhaustion and hunger.

A guard grabs me by the shoulder. I collapse into him and he wipes me away like a piece of dirt.

"You may stop," he says, pushing me back into the line between a child and an older man. "Have you learned your lesson?"

I nod, hardly able to hold my head straight.

"I didn't hear your answer," the guard shouts. "Maybe you'd like to run again? Or have you learned your lesson?"

"Yes," I say. My voice squeezes out through my spiky breathing.

"Good."

When he walks away, the man next to me puts out his arm to hold me up.

"You did well," he whispers as finally the rain begins to dry.

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Review: The Virtue of Sin

The Virtue of Sin by Shannon Schuren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love cult stories, but I feel like this one was confused about what it wanted to say. The rotating PoVs made it difficult to develop any attachment to any character, and nothing much happened until almost the end, when All The Things happened.

It's not awful; it's a chillingly realistic depiction of a cult, and of how easily a clever con man can keep a whole group of people scared and compliant. It just could have been so much better.




“That’s what I used to think, too. But you know what? There is a choice. I could keep being good Miriam, the girl who does what she’s told. The one who goes along with what everybody else wants. The one who keeps her mouth shut.” I step back, farther into the shadows . But if I keep being this Miriam, I may as well disappear altogether.

“Or what?” he asks, leaning forward. “What else can you do?”

“I can start thinking for myself.”

And there arose a disagreement between them, so sharp they parted ways. —Acts 15: 39

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Review: Fan the Fame

Fan the Fame by Anna Priemaza
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Told from three points of view, this novel tackles misogyny and bullying in the world of video game streaming.


If it weren't for Sam's storyline, this would be a lower rating for me. I didn't like the two girls; they seemed amoral and willing to be cruel to get what they wanted. And after the whole buildup of the story, the fallout was briefly dealt with in the epilogue.

However, this made slightly more sense when I read the author's note and realised that Sam's storyline was the whole point of the novel. I loved the friends he made at the con, who accepted him as he was and made an effort to make sure he knew it.

So it's good, but sadly not great for me.


Legs pushes the door open for both of us, and we step into the convention center. It feels more chaotic than last night, somehow, even though there probably aren’t as many people here yet as there were then. Legs and I both step to the side to take it in.

We’re in a wide hallway, wide enough that there are short faux-leather chairs clustered into seating areas along the right wall behind a row of enormous cream pillars, and there’s still plenty of room for the growing crowd of Legends of the Stone enthusiasts to walk through or mill about or stare up at the huge posters on the wall—including one big one of my brother. I don’t know how I missed seeing that last night. Ick. No one needs to see Cody’s face blown up as big as the sun.

The thing I didn’t realize about geek conventions before is that some of the stereotypes about geeks are actually true. I mean, not across the board, but amid the brilliant cosplay and geek chic, there are the clusters of guys in sweatpants and oversize shirts, with questionable hygiene. Part of me wants to yell at them for giving nerds a bad name, but another part of me wishes I could wear sweatpants and an oversize shirt and not care if people thought I looked sloppy.

Except, don’t actually be sloppy about the hygiene part, folks. Can we all agree right here right now that good hygiene is a vital cornerstone of the society we live in?

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Review: The Garden of Lost Secrets

The Garden of Lost Secrets by A M Howell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clara is staying with her aunt and uncle while her father recovers from a gas attack during the Great War. She remembers them as kind figures, joking and laughing, but the two bleak, strained adults who take her in are almost strangers. They both work for an Earl and while Clara tries to make herself helpful in the grounds and their tiny cottage, she notices some things that don't quite add up...

This would be a fantastic additional novel for a class studying the First World War, as it deals with how things were going in Britain with most of the men away. It also talks about something I had never known; England's farmers were growing pineapples in hothouses! It's interesting to learn about the different types. The writing is so atmospheric it's like being there, in the damp warm hothouses and the damp, freezing coal cellars.

I want to mention the writing again, as it is amazing. Crows bustled in the sky like black handkerchiefs is just one example of this, keeping the lines perfectly readable but still very evocative.

I recommend this to anyone at all interested in the War or in a good mystery story.


I received a proof copy which did not affect my review in any way.


The windows rattled gently in the wind. A scuffle on the gravel outside.

"What was that?" whispered Will.

Another scuffle.

Clara's breath caught in her throat.

A scrabbling, sniffing noise just beyond the glass.

"An animal - a rat maybe," Will whispered. "On the hunt for some food." He brought his hands to his cheeks and twitched his fingers like whiskers.

Clara rolled her eyes, smiling. The weight of her secret felt a fraction lighter now that she had shared it. She focused on one of the pineapples, sitting proudly in its planting bed, the thin crown of leaves, the quilted fruit. Will was right. She should open the envelope. She would open the envelope. But once she did, she knew that things would be different. And sitting there, in the warmth, listening to the drip-drip-drip of condensation, a new friend by her side, she wasn't so sure she wanted things to change just yet.

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Review: Collision

Collision by Victor Dixen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Leonor and the other colonists have new difficulties to overcome in this final part of the trilogy. As personality conflicts among the team and policital troubles on Earth multiply, they have to use what little power they have to keep themselves alive and healthy.


First, the bad. The translation problems have continued into this one. Although the story is very readable, it's full of flowery phrases and people telling each other things they already know. For instance, the head of Eden foods is asked "Miss Delville, James has just woken from his nap, and hes calling for you. Shall I bring him to you, or are you too busy following the progress of Logan, the new Eden foods-sponsored candidate?" Again, the person being addressed is the head of Eden foods. She knows exactly who Logan is, as does the person addressing her. The only function of that line of dialogue is to tell us who Logan is, and since he never appears or is mentioned again after that line it's a little pointless.

However, apart from that, this is a good read, if a little draggy in spots. I didn't predict most of the twists and I was excited to know what would happen next. As another reviewer has said, it doesn't exactly tie everything up in a neat bow, but we know enough to guess how things will turn out.

I've enjoyed this trilogy immensely and I hope that more of Victor's books will be translated.

I received a copy of this book and chose to write an honest review.


"If you kill him out of selfishness, just to calm your anger, you'll also be killing the one thing we have left," I say, my voice hoarse, struggling to keep my emotion in check. "You'll shatter that one precious thing Marcus himself almost managed to destroy; us."

I catch my breath at that word; us.

I summon all my strength, all my being, to support me, and I repeat it in a voice that is suddenly much more certain.

"Us. Our cohesion. Our mutual trust. What has bound us to one another since the very beginning. What will maybe allow us to make it through this one day. We can't let Marcus's treachery divide us; just the opposite, we need to make it bind us even tighter together. If he has to die, it's up to the gorup to decide. And if the group decides he must, then I'll be the one to execute him. I swear it."

Alexei glances around, at the nine other pioneers frozen in front of Marcus; then, slowly, he puts his boot back down on the floor and moves a few steps away.

"We are going to judge Marcus," I say finally, a lump in my throut, without so much as a glance at the human wreck slumped on the floor. "That's the only way we can survive what he's done to us. But not right away. We need to concentrate on the storm now, and on the space elevator, and on the fact that we're about to go back on the air. We'll shut the accused in the seventh habitat, we'll return to the Garden and later we'll organise his trial."

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Review: The Good Thieves

The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good old fashioned adventure set in New York City, with a disparate group of people brought together to right an awful wrong. Vita is a wonderful character, leading her troupe unfalteringly in defense of her beloved grandfather. It's an exciting read and will interest anyone who enjoys heists or found family stories.

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Review: Darkwood

Darkwood by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This title has been compared to Terry Pratchett a lot. It's not quite accurate; this is rather more manic and less subtle than Terry's work. But that's not a diss on Darkwood, which is a clever, funny story about prejudice and magic. The characters are mostly well drawn - poor Buttercup doesn't get much personality, being motherly and turning things into cake are her only two characteristics. But the others are well written, and with a clear sequel hook at the end Buttercup might gain some personality in the next one. I'll happily be there to read it, to see what happens next.


I received an ARC and chose to write an honest review.

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Review: The Hormone Diaries: The Bloody Truth About Our Periods

The Hormone Diaries: The Bloody Truth About Our Periods by Hannah Witton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

PERIODS. It's not a dirty word, and yet we're supposed to hide it away, pretend it doesn't happen, keep it quiet and away from anywhere other people might see it. Hannah Witton is on a crusade to change that, bringing these discussions back into the mainstream.

This is a great read, clear and concise without being overly graphic. I liked the letters from real women, showing the huge range of symptoms and problems women can suffer with.

If we want people to start taking 'women's problems' seriously, we need to get these discussions started, and this is a fantastic way to do it. Just brilliant.

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Review: The Paper & Hearts Society

The Paper & Hearts Society by Lucy Powrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tabby is hoping that her new town will mean an end to her old problems. Hoping for some new friends, she joins a book club and is soon happily embroiled in their plans and schemes. The past she'd hoped to leave behind is not finished with her, though, and it threatens everything she's built for herself in this new life.

What a fantastic read. All the characters suffer with various forms of anxiety and none of them are made fun of or made to feel lesser; they're treated with care and respect by the other characters. Even during the inevitable fallout they mostly listen to each other. It's refreshing to see. This will be a great book for tweens to read, as it tackles some heavy topics, most notably social media bullying. I think this will do really well.


I received a proof copy of this book, which did not affect my review in any way.

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Review: Queen of Ruin

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Viridia, women are objects, not people. Beautiful, demure, obedient objects. Those who disobey are killed or sent to the island prison of Mount Ruin, forced to fight and kill for the guards' amusement. Serina has successfully led an uprising against them, but they are now trapped on the island, pinning all their hopes on the next supply ship. Serina's thoughts are with Nomi, though, left behind in the palace at the mercy of the cruel Superior. Together, these girls can destroy a country. If they can find their power.

This was a brilliant follow up to Grace and Fury. There was enough recapping for me to remember what happened in the last book, but not so much that it seemed out of place. Serina and Nomi continued to grow as characters, facing awful situations head on. The rest of the characters are distinct enough for it to really matter when they start fighting. The ending was clever and about the only way things could really have worked out. I'm glad the story wasn't dragged out longer; this felt like the right length.

I received an ARC of this title and chose to review it honestly.


Serina couldn’t mistake the naked misery in her sister’s voice. “He . . . he must care for you, to let you go.” Nomi’s face crumpled. Understanding dawned. “But you cared for Asa.”

Nomi’s voice hardened. “I thought I did. I trusted him, and he used me. He used my affection for him, my love for you, for his own ends. He killed his father and tried to kill his brother, and he shipped me off to prison . . . but before all of that he kissed me and told me he wanted me to be queen, and I believed him.”

Serina put her arms around Nomi, aching for her sister. She sat in silence, holding Nomi as she cried, just as she’d done when they were children. The moment was bittersweet; Serina hated that Nomi was hurting, but she was also grateful to be able to comfort her. Not long ago, she’d been certain she’d never get this chance again.

After a while, she murmured, “Asa will pay for what he’s done. I am certain.”

Nomi cleaned her face on the edge of her shirt. “I hope so.”

They curled into each other’s arms and listened to the surf and let the wind whip through their hair, and soon enough, dawn found them.

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New Titles

#murdermostunladylike by @redbreastedbird is celebrating ten years with this fabulous signed, hardback edition! It includes extra content for you to enjoy. Complete your collection today.

Review: Maresi Red Mantle

Maresi Red Mantle by Maria Turtschaninoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maresi has spent years closeted in the Red Abbey, learning all they could teach her, satiating her thirst for knowledge. Now she has decided it's time to return home and help her people with her new wisdom. Home is not as she remembers it, though, and she will have to find a way to fit in without betraying her true self. And always, on the edge of her perception, the Crone is waiting for her to open the door to Death once again.


I have to be honest and say that I enjoyed Maresi better than Naondel, but this third book is every bit as good as the first one, if a little slower to start. Maresi's struggles and triumphs had me gripped and I was excited to keep reading and see what would happen, even though I've never really enjoyed epistolary format. It worked well in this case, though. And the translation is fantastic, no awkward phrases or anything that pulled me out of the story.

A brilliant ending to a wonderful trilogy.



I sat wrapped up in my bloodsnail-red cloak and stared into the embers of the dying fire. My skin tingled and crawled. The ground was humming and trembling beneath the soles of my feet. The snake ring on my finger was freezing cold. Then the full moon rose over the valley and cast her white light over the silvery forest.

Suddenly a handful of stars detached and shot across the firmament, flying away like darting swallows. I held my breath. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, Venerable Mother. And there, under raining stars, I wept.

"The world is so cruel, most venerable Crone," I whispered. "And I am so small. There is so little I can do."

I had never spoken to her in this way before.
Maresi, the Crone replied. My daughter.

There was warmth in her voice, but there was also a caution. A thought struck me; if I truly am the daughter of the Crone, if I am hers, perhaps I am capable of more than I believe. Perhaps I am more than just myself.

The next day I took a fallen branch from our family's silverwood tree. I am keeping it and carving a staff. I need some support, for I have the feeling that a storm is coming.

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Review: Evie and the Animals

Evie and the Animals by Matt Haig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A sweet story about Evie, who has the power to talk to animals, and her battle both to be accepted and to fend off a villain with the same power. I was expecting an all out showdown between the two and was pleasantly surprised when the whole matter was decided by something Evie had done as a toddler years before. It's a good lesson without being too preachy; what you put out into the world comes back around to you. I hope Matt plans to write more in this series, as they're perfect for early readers.

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Review: The Chosen

The Chosen by Taran Matharu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cade is just trying to get through an unfair sentence in a reform school without finding too much trouble. He doesn't want anything to do with Finch, the school's bully, or any of the other boys. The choice is taken from him, though, when he finds himself on a strange, alien world, surrounded by peril at every turn. Forced to find allies anywhere he can, Cade finds himself a player in a game he doesn't understand, for stakes that are unimaginably high.


This reads just a little younger than Taran's first series, but it's every bit as exciting and nail biting. The characters are a little less well developed, but there's time in the rest of the books and I like what we've seen so far. This book covers the first 'round' of the game nicely, while still leaving plenty of hooks for the next title. I love the setting; Taran describes it really well and I'm eager to see more of it.

A fantastic start to what promises to be a great new series.

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Review: The Curious Dreamer’s Dream Essentials

The Curious Dreamer’s Dream Essentials by Nancy Wagaman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating read. It's not exactly a dictionary, although it does include some of the most common symbols; it's more about the act of interpreting your dreams, giving tips and hints about your state of mind, rituals to help you remember and much more. I think once you've read it through once you'll probably be dipping in and out of it, but that's no harm and it's a very handy one to reference. I've started using it on my dreams! (No, I'm not telling you the meanings.) It includes suggested further reading if you're interested in the topic at all.

A great book for beginners or for dream aficionados.


I received a free copy and chose to write an honest review.

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Review: The Passengers

The Passengers by John Marrs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Self driving cars are now the rule, not the exception. Britain's roads are full of them. Traffic jams are a thing of the past, pollution is down, people are calmer...it's all good, right?

Apart from the eight people who have found themselves trapped in their car, unable to control the course, unable to communicate with anyone. They are unwilling victims of Hackers determined to prove that cars are not as safe as they're claimed to be. And the public will have to choose; which one will survive, and which ones will die? They're on a collision course, quite literally...


I've read one other John Marrs book, The OneThe One, which is referenced a couple of times in this one. They're both very effective thrillers with multiple POVs. John is very skilled at projecting technology a couple of decades into the future and imagining what it will be like - this one is set sometime after the 2020s, but if there's a more specific time than that I missed it. I wouldn't be surprised, I was reading very quickly trying to find out what would happen. He's very good at making you feel one way about a character, then revealing something that makes you feel another.

I'll be watching out for more John Marrs books in the future, I'd definitely enjoy visiting this world again.



Panic rose inside Shabana in the same way it did when she heard Vihaan slamming the front door after a night out. If he was drunk, he was angry. And if he was angry, he was going to release his aggression upon his wife by doing what he wanted to her while she laid still, eyes closed and fists balled, dreaming of a better life.
Other voices began to fill her car, more words and languages that she didn’t understand, along with haunting cries, shouting and people in distress. ‘What is happening ?’ she pleaded aloud. ‘I don’t like this, please, can you make the car stop? I would like to get out.’ She pushed a button on the door hoping it would open, but nothing happened.
She looked at the phone Reyansh had given her and pressed the green button, holding it to her ear. ‘Reyansh ?’ she asked. ‘Reyansh, son, can you hear me? Are you there? Please?’
But there was no reply. Shabana had a feeling the new life she dared to dream of was already slipping from her grasp.

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Book Professor

The Book Professor experience is getting more and more popular. It's the perfect gift for any child, especially if you want them to keep reading over the summer!

Book your child's session and they will sit down with our Book Professor over a drink and a treat to discuss exactly what kind of books they do and don't like, their hobbies and interests, and what they'd like to try. Armed with this knowledge, the Book Professor will suggest several titles for them. Your package includes a book token, so they can purchase right there and then, or take away the curated list and purchase later! It's a great experience.

https://shop.thebookcentre.ie/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=BOOKPROFESSOR