Review: The Last Librarian

Publisher: Laughing Rain

 



I know I've had a moan on here more than once about books in a series and how there are too many of them these days. But this time, THIS TIME, I think I may have found a series I would very much like to continue with.

 

We are in the future, the world has changed, not beyond recognition so that things are totally alien, but there is a new global power, we have super technology, and we're apparently getting rid of all the physical books - I'm sure you'll also all find it amusing, if you read this or have read it, that I read this on my Kindle.....

 

Anyway, we're with the world's last librarian and we're helping him and his friends save the books, the key books, the books that can change the new world we're introduced to when we commence reading and exploring this new space.

 

The characters are great, there are some complex ones, mad ones, loveable ones and completely hateful ones but they all have their place, time and position in the novel and not one feels unneeded.

 

The plot is great, there are as I'm sure you can imagine twists and turns, but they are very well concealed and if you do see one coming it's more often than not the opposite of what you are expecting.

 

I really do have everything crossed for book two.

 

Cheers

BG

Review: My Absolute Darling

Publisher: Fourth Estate

 

 

This book was given to me by a friend as a present at my Hen Do...but have only just got round to reading it.....

 

I can safely say I was not prepared for this book, I should have taken more notice of the blurb. I don't want to say too much about what I wasn't prepared for as it'll give things away. But the level of abuse in this book is brutal if you are not expecting it.

 

The novel is well written and also the relationships particularly between Turtle and her father, Turtle and her peers, and Turtle and her teachers are thoroughly interesting to read about and watch develop.

 

It's also very interesting that a man is providing you with a convincing story, narrative and emotional analysis of a teenage girl's life, emotions, experiences. This is very well done indeed.

 

But, what I think let the book down was the almost ending. I found a bit too much to cope with and a bit over the top. It almost didn't fit with the subtly and muted bubbling of the rest/previous part of the novel.

Short but, here it is

Cheers

BG

Two that need no introduction

I've been reading some books lately by authors who need no introduction and I'd just like to talk about two of them:

The Course of Love by Alain de Botton
Assassin's Fate by Robin Hobb

As these books surely need no review from me, I'm going to just gush a bit

The Course of Love
This was a wedding present from Boy Geek's colleague and I thoroughly loved it. I didn't really know what to expect and when I read the blurb I was rather perplexed as to why it was given to us a wedding present. But as I read it, I realised...it's very real, it's very honest and it's fantastic in it's composition. It tells you how love really is and should be viewed and it is totally attuned with how I see the world. It also I think show's how well Boy Geek's colleague knows not only him but me.

I can see this book as a Woody Allen style film with a narrator over the top of the action, and those who have read this book will get what I mean...

Do read this book, it's wonderful!

Assassin's Fate
So, I got my pre-ordered, signed copy in May last year. I finished just over 5 days ago. I have been reading it slowly, so very slowly it's taken me nearly 13 months to read. BUT I didn't want to rush it as I knew this would be the last book in which Fitz would be present. The last book in which the character I've been in love with since I was 15 would feature. The man has been in my life for nearly 17 years and I didn't want to lose him quickly.

Of the trilogy this book was the strongest, there was less Bee - she's annoyed me a bit in the previous two - and when she was around she was more grown up and more intelligent so that made me feel a lot better.

I don't want to say a lot about this book as I don't want to spoil it for people who are on the road that's Fitz's mad life. But what I will say is BRAVO, it was a wonderful ending. But Hobb, I won't forgive you for all the CRYING I did on about 5 occasions whilst reading this book....you broke my heart just as many times as well!

If you haven't read any Hobb books, start at the beginning, The Farseer Trilogy, do it!

So, two books by two authors that need no introduction....go for it if you haven't already

BG

Review: 12 Troubled Jurors

Publisher: City Fiction

 

This is another of the shorties from Tony Drury where he takes inspiration from the world of film.

 

I think this one could have benefitted from being a tad longer as it was more short story than novella and I feel that there was some more to explore here with regards to juror backgrounds/intentions/relationships. I think it lacked the depth of the first one I read.

 

The last portion of this book held a glimmer of that talent and character exploration that we were shown in The Man Who Hated. So maybe this would have been spiffing if it had have been longer. The potential was definitely there.

 

Indeed, once more I am inspired to return to 12 Angry Men and watch it once more!

 

Happy Reading

BG