Review - Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 3 days

Blurb From Goodreads

Let the Right One In Takes Top Honors at Tribeca Film Festival!

It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last---revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door---a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night. . . .

Sweeping top honors at film festivals all over the globe, director Tomas Alfredsson’s film of Let the Right One In has received the same kind of spectacular raves that have been lavished on the book. American readers of vampire fiction will be thrilled!

My Review

This book is a bizarre wee read. A teenage boy is found killed, upside down and drained of blood with the authorities speculating the murder is ritualistic. Oskar is our main character and hoping it is revenge for the bullying he has suffered for as long as he can remember.

There is so many parts to this book, the bullying, the budding friendship between Oskar and Eli (the new kid who only comes out at night and is weird in many aspects). The victims and the one who survives and the impact it has upon them and their close (est) friends and what follows from there.

It is hard to do a full review without giving away spoilers. Some of it makes for uncomfortable reading, Eli's "carer" has an unnatural obsession for children and some scenes are quite descriptive and stomach turning. I loved reading about how Eli came to be where and how she is, I would have liked to have known more about their time before she came to live in Oskar's estate and a few other questions answered but overall it was a good read so 3/5 for me. (I need to go find a spoiler discussion now to go over some of the finer details I like and disliked!).

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ARC - Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan

Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 2.5 days

Blurb From Goodreads

'Apocalypse Cow made me snort with laughter' - Terry Pratchett.

Forget the cud. They want blood. An outrageous an anarchic comic take on the zombie apocalypse - and joint winner of the first Terry Pratchett ‘Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now’ prize.

It began with a cow that just wouldn’t die. It would become an epidemic that transformed Britain’s livestock into sneezing, slavering, flesh-craving four-legged zombies.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the fate of the nation seems to rest on the shoulders of three unlikely heroes: an abattoir worker whose love life is non-existent thanks to the stench of death that clings to him, a teenage vegan with eczema and a weird crush on his maths teacher, and an inept journalist who wouldn’t recognise a scoop if she tripped over one.

As the nation descends into chaos, can they pool their resources, unlock a cure, and save the world?

Three losers. Overwhelming odds. One outcome . . .

Yup, we’re screwed.

My Review

I love zombies books (as you may have noticed), so when I heard about this one I thought I just had to give it a read. Geldof is a 15 year old Vegan boy, embarrassed by his hippy parents. If they aren't screaming at the neighbors for their murder and consumption of flesh(animals of course), forcing him to be a Vegan and wearing God awful natural fiber clothes his mum is bartering for food in the shop with vegetables. What follows is an unlikely team against the zombie animals. Something goes wrong at the abattoir, a weird plague amongst the cows gets out and spreads among domestic animals and soon everyone in Glasgow (and Britain) is at risk of being humped, mauled and or eaten.

This book is hilarious, disgusting and so UN PC - it has everything rolled into one story. The nerdy boy with the crush on the teacher, the hippy parents, the teenage bullies that need to be addressed or obeyed and of course the threat of being killed by rabid flesh eating animals from cows to rats.

Some of the brutality to the animals is a bit uncomfortable reading (in any kind of context) but taking the book as it is with silliness you can get through it, after all it the small matter of survival. This is my first encounter with this author and I would read him again, I also secretly (not so secret now) hope there is a follow up to this book. Will Geldof survive? Does he get the woman of his dreams and be the hero at the end? Well you have to read it and find out for yourselves folks. Thanks to Transworld publishers for giving me the chance to review this and introducing me to a new author, 4/5 for me this time. *Available to buy from Amazon.co.uk & other good retailers in May 2012.

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WBN Giveaway - Winners are.......

Geoff Leone (no website given) and Rochelle Benson (no website given).
Both winners have been notified and if the prizes aren't claimed I will pick new winners. Thank you to everyone who took part and I hope you had a nice World Book Night, if you did anything for it please feel free to share it with us.
Apologies this is later in the day going up but blogger has had a makeover and I am trying to get to grips with the format and layout changes ( I do loathe change!).

My First ever World Book Night (2012)

Well as you will have seen from my previous posts I got my books and was delighted (and a bit nervous) to be taking part for the first time in the World Book Night. My books were Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

My first book I gave to my friend who pretty much never ever reads and I was surprised how easily he agreed to give it a go. He says he will read it whilst traveling to England and I believe he is going to give it a bash. This is him below with his book (I had to get a picture to prove it actually happened!).

I then went into town with as many as I could carry (as I signed up saying I would take them into work and put one or two as a giveaway on here), and of course I had a few wary people say no thanks. To be fair how often do you get something for free with no conditions or payment attached so I understand people being wary. Anyway I passed them out to strangers and people where very grateful but it was a lovely wee old lady who made my day for me. At first she thought I was trying to sell her the book (she was hard of hearing) and when I explained it was free her voice quivered and she looked like she was going to cry and said she it had been a long time since anybody had given her anything that was free <3 - such a lovely wee lady. She then asked what it was about and I admitted I hadn't yet read it but it had a vampire in it to which she chuckled and said she hadn't had one of them before, thanked me and went on her way. Then if that wasn't enough I ran into another giver, I couldn't believe it I didn't expect to find anyone doing it in Glasgow or run into them as when I searched I couldn't find any events listed in Glasgow. Anyway I met the lovely Nicola B who was giving away a Roahl Dahl's Someone Like You. You can find Nicola on Twitter @robotnic and check out her lovely website http://www.unculturedcritic.com/

Would I do it again next year? In a heartbeat and I would take most if not all of my books into town and give them out there. Such a great way to introduce people to books or a new author and teach them about World Book Night as it is amazing how so many haven't heard about it!

The giveaway for this book ends tonight at midnight and I will pick and announce the winners tomorrow (giving a chance to any last minute late night stragglers).

Review - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Time Taken To Read - 1 day

Blurb From Goodreads

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.

My Review

Katniss has survived even if her home, District 12 hasn't. We follow the story of her trying to come to terms with what has happened and the information that follows of the uprising and the part she and everyone else has played/to play.

As much as I enjoyed this book I feel it didn't have quite the same impact as the others. Sure you get your answers to most of your questions and there is still enough blood and murder to keep the gore fans happy but instead of flying through it like I had with the previous two I found myself having to work at it. I wasn't happy about what happens with and to some of the characters although it is still written well enough to keep you reading.

I think part of the problem for me as well is the first two are so packed and crammed and a lot of it is new whereas by the time your at the third one you expect a lot of what is going to happen and are very familiar with the story. Also Katniss changes(as does a few of the characters personalities), from being an unbeatable character who nothing seems to penetrate to being fairly vulnerable in this book (I think this went down well with a lot of fans but irked me!). Still enjoyable and a great wee trilogy series, 3/5 for me this time.

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World Book Night 2012 - Book Giveaway

So I am giving mine away as I listed but I have one or two copies specifically earmarked for here. If you would like to win a copy just leave a comment below and send me a way to contact you (so you aren't getting spammed by putting your email here) - if you have a website you can leave that link if you want. (click the link below to send your email/contact details). Good luck and thanks for taking part!

Form to leave contact details Click here to contact me via my email link

My book is Let The Right One in by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Synopsis
It is autumn 1981 when the inconceivable comes to Blackeberg, a suburb in Sweden. The body of a teenage boy is found, emptied of blood, the murder rumored to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last---revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day.

But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door---a girl who has never seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but who can solve it at once. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night. . . .

Sweeping top honors at film festivals all over the globe, director Tomas Alfredsson’s film of Let the Right One In has received the same kind of spectacular raves that have been lavished on the book

Review - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Time Taken To Read - 1 day

Blurb From Goodreads

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in Catching Fire, the second novel of the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.

My Review

Katniss and Peter are still trying to adjust after winning the hunger games, living in their new houses with all the luxury's they could only dream of before the hunger games. But if they think their safety and horror is over (for them and their families) they couldn't be more wrong. The Capitol have not forgotten or forgiven showing them up and disobeying them in the arena and payback is coming!

I have heard a few people say they knew exactly what would happen in this book, well I didn't and was jaw dropingly stunned when it becomes clear what the Capitol have planned. Without spoiling it for anyone (I do hate spoiler reviews!) they find themselves and their families in grave danger unless they perform accordingly for the Capitol but sometimes you just can't pull off miracle after miracle.

The Peeta, Katniss, Gale triangle still features but the focus is on survival and the aftermath of the first games. I found it a wee bit slow going to start but once your on the homeward run (about a quarter way to the end) it is just action packed, death, destruction and survival. A great follow up to the first book and I would advise getting the third before reading or finishing this one as it leaves you with one of the best cliff hangers I have read in a while, 4/5 for me and just going to start number 3.

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