The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 178

Publisher - Little Brown Books

Blurb from Goodreads

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes, and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood...life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself, and above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they only know as her. As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?


My Review

If you enjoyed the Twilight series you will love this. We get to know a bit more about Bree, we wee vampire who cowered and gave up during the big battle with the Cullens. We didn't know too much about her or how she came to be in the group let by Victoria. This is Bree's story, her existance as a vampire up until the day on the battlefield.

I think, and correct me if I am wrong as it has been a long time since I read Twilight, but we get to know a wee bit more about the actual vampires than from Twilight. Yes we get the Cullens backstory and watch as Bella makes her transition but what of those who didn't choose. How did they come to be, how did they form relationships and come together? We get a bit more of that through the eyes of Bree. I felt for her in the books/movie but more so after reading this, it is indeed her short second life and I wish we had got to see a bit more of it. I am sure I read Meyer was done with these book which is a shame, another character, in this book, Fred, would have been fascinating to catch up with. That and maybe some comeuppance for the Volturi, it has been loved and hated by Twihards, if you have read it let me know what you think. I liked it and enjoyed it for what it was 4/5 stars for me this time.

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In Extremis: A Hellbound Novella by David McCaffrey

In Extremis: A Hellbound Novella by David McCaffrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 hour

Pages - 88 pages

Publisher - Sixth Element Publishing

Blurb from Goodreads


James Maybrick had secured his legacy as the most infamous serial killer of all time…his diary would one day shock the world.

Thomas Quinn wants revenge…his actions will give birth to an organisation of unspeakable power.

Together, they unwittingly set in motion a plan that will one day lead to the serial killer, Obadiah Stark.

Stark became The Tally Man.

They were The Brethren.

Maybrick is known to history by another name…



My Review

In Extremis is a novella that picks up immediately after the last murder by Jack The Ripper, the author has another book, Hellbound that people say you should read before this one. I decided to read this first, James Maybrick is The Ripper & in this short novella we get to read his thoughts & state of mind in the immediate aftermath of the killers. Thomas Quinn is one of the Brethren, a group of "individuals" who have an idea of what society should be and see Maybrick as a means to an end. When Maybrick puts them at risk, Quinn and the Brethren set in motion a plan to clean the decks, without exposing the all important Brethren brotherhood.

Ooooh I do love all things Jack The Ripper, he has always been an enigma, so many conspiracy's and theories. I can't believe of the books I have read Maybrick didn't feature or if he did I don't remember him. I now want to go digging and have a read about Maybrick and his diary, In Extremis we get to go behind the scenes and see into the mind of one of the most notorious killers. Excerpts from the journal of James Maybrick which I did struggle with a few of the words with the curved writing however it was very late at night which probably contributed!

Apart from a few big words I needed to look up, the writing flows well, it is well written creating a creepy and eerie atmosphere making the reader pull their blanket just a wee bit closer and listen a bit more keenly to the creaks when late night reading. This was my first dance with this author, it won't be my last, 4/5 for me this time. I would warn, as with all Jack The Ripper themed books, some of the passages are graphic which may upset some of our faint hearted readers, otherwise dive right in.

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