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I read a lot of books and I write about them on here. Mummy Geek is sometimes a guest blogger....people seem to love her.....Oh and you can find me on Twitter.....@book_geek_says. Shortlisted for Blog of the Year by the 2015 Love Stories Awards...THANK YOU!!

Tuesday 21 June 2016

Review: The City of Mirrors

Publisher: Orion
 
I have been waiting (mainly patiently) for this book for four years! Yes, it's been four years since The Twelve!!! FINALLY I HAVE HAD IT AND READ IT!!! YAY! THANK YOU ORION.
 
Now, to start, please, please, do not read this review if you have not read the other two books, I don't want to spoil anything for you. Also, I am going to do my very very best not to include any spoilers, and therefore, apologise in advance for what may be a short review.
 
Firstly, the recap that the book starts with is great, it's like a bible, similarly to 12. So, if you don't remember everything this and a cheeky google will refresh your memory no end! Also, the use of this bible style reassured me that JC has not lost his talent for writing in numerous styles, voices, POVs and his ability to utilise splendid literary techniques. Yes, I am still a  huge fan of JC's writing style as whole and this novel really does not disappoint fans of that part of this series.
 
The novel jumps around in time a lot, forward and back, but this is also excellent. A lot of questions I previously had about how, why, who and where the hell is everyone else were answered, and very satisfactorily so, without any cheesy or gratuitous waffling. AND in this book the context that I have been desperate for has been provided to me. This alone made me so so happy when reading.
 
When it comes to the characters, it was great to see the evolution of them and their relationships. These guys became friends over the course of the three books so it was brilliant that they continued to be part of this, the final stage. But prepare yourselves for every eventuality, take my word for it...
 
Once again there is a lot of violence in this novel, and there is a higher volume of action and desperate action compared to the previous two, in my opinion anyway. But it fits and is necessary as the conclusion is approached.
 
I know this is short, very short, but fans like me have waited for this novel for years and I really don't want to give away anything. But to recap, a splendid series, with wonderful characters that is beautifully written in all its styles, genres and techniques and if you worried about the ending, stop...this ending is nothing but perfect!
 
Happy Reading
 
BG
:-D
 
P.S. Mr JC, write more books, never stop!

Tuesday 7 June 2016

Review: The Suicide Exhibition

Publisher: Del Rey
 
I lost the dust jacket to this book in the great leak of 2013 (yes I've had this book ages) and so I took this opportunity to plunge into a book without knowing a thing about it...not really sure when I did that the last time, and MAN was it fun.
 
The whole book is set in WW2 and feels very 'What-oh' and Queen's English. All the main characters seem very wholesome (too an extent) and I loved their turn of phrase, it seemed most authentic. Then all of a sudden you move from a very traditional and classic feeling read to the sci-fi and it's fun.
 
Fun however, is what this book mainly is, it lacks depth and when I got halfway through I felt like I had read a lot, but I felt like nothing had actually happened, which was annoying. Also, I hate to say it but the ending was a bit rushed. It felt like it was written just as a set up for book two rather than anything else.
 
All, in all, a fun read, takes you a bit by surprise and some of the characters are rather good. But the book lacked a certain something.
 
I'd be keen to see what others thought
 
BG