Monday, 11 April 2011
The Field Of Blood by Denise Mina
This book had all the ingredients it needed for a great book but I just couldn't gel with it. The characters annoyed me a lot of the time and for a good while all I could think about was the James Bulger case. I was confused over Paddy at first with gender and age (although later on in it does explain). I felt the jumps in the story didn't do much except to confuse me and overall they didn't seem to have any reference to the main story or maybe I was just missing something. I will try this author again sometime in the future and see if I get on any better but sadly 2/5 for me.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Woohoo A zombie book challenge
I am and always have been a big zombie fan. No matter how dire a movie or bad a write up a zombie book or movie gets I will have to see or read it. Well imagine my delight and suprise when I stumbled upon this http://booksoulmates.blogspot.com/2010/12/zombies-satisfy-your-undying-hunger.html
A zombie book challenge! I have a few in my collection I will need to dig out and jsut going to send a zombie book out to someone, very very exciting.
A zombie book challenge! I have a few in my collection I will need to dig out and jsut going to send a zombie book out to someone, very very exciting.
Follow Friday
This is my first one and knwoing me I will have done it wrong :P
Its a great idea, find out more here
Incase I have done the html wrong you can read about it here http://www.parajunkee.com/search/label/FF
Do you judge a book by its cover? Would a bad cover put you off the book?
I may judge it thinking oh I don't like the look of that (as I have done by the title of a book) but it has never put me off actually taking the book and reading it. Sometimes authors don't get a say in the book cover so much as I might not like the look of a cover or fancy the book title I will usually always give it a go anyway.
Its a great idea, find out more here
Incase I have done the html wrong you can read about it here http://www.parajunkee.com/search/label/FF
Do you judge a book by its cover? Would a bad cover put you off the book?
I may judge it thinking oh I don't like the look of that (as I have done by the title of a book) but it has never put me off actually taking the book and reading it. Sometimes authors don't get a say in the book cover so much as I might not like the look of a cover or fancy the book title I will usually always give it a go anyway.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
House Of Silence by Linda Gillard - my review
House Of Silence starts with the introduction of our main characters, how they meet and the build up of their relationship.
Gwen has no family to call her own so when she gets the chance to meet and spend christmas with Alfies she jumps at it. Alfie isn't keen on spending Christmas with his family but it is tradition and the only time he does. He warns Gwen he is different around them and to prepare her for the meeting.
As the story progresses we see a different Alfie and pick up on the families waryness at a stranger being brought in and more so when Gwen starts to notice things aren't quite what they seem. Relationships bloom and secrets threaten to spill out aswell as an unexpected attraction. Marek is the gardiner, quiet, mysterious and knows a lot about the family and Gwen finds herself drawn to him.
This story has so many levels to it. Half way through I thought it was going to flag but instead found myself glued to the next page to find out what the secret is and how it all unravels. A totally unexpected conclusion but I really enjoyed this book and glad I got this as and at £1.90 it was a total steal. 5/5 for me.
Gwen has no family to call her own so when she gets the chance to meet and spend christmas with Alfies she jumps at it. Alfie isn't keen on spending Christmas with his family but it is tradition and the only time he does. He warns Gwen he is different around them and to prepare her for the meeting.
As the story progresses we see a different Alfie and pick up on the families waryness at a stranger being brought in and more so when Gwen starts to notice things aren't quite what they seem. Relationships bloom and secrets threaten to spill out aswell as an unexpected attraction. Marek is the gardiner, quiet, mysterious and knows a lot about the family and Gwen finds herself drawn to him.
This story has so many levels to it. Half way through I thought it was going to flag but instead found myself glued to the next page to find out what the secret is and how it all unravels. A totally unexpected conclusion but I really enjoyed this book and glad I got this as and at £1.90 it was a total steal. 5/5 for me.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
House of Silence by Linda Gillard
Sadly this isn't available in print yet but people are showing their loyalty and love of Lindas work by downloading it and reading it on their PC(or kindles/e-readers/blackberrys etc). I am not a fan at all of any electronic reading device as nothing cuts it for me over the paper book in your hand. However I am showing my support for a great author and for £1.90 you really can't complain. So why not try something new and help get her to no.1
HOUSE OF SILENCE is now available to buy on Amazon for Kindle (£1.90.) Go people!!! Buy it, read it and *please review it on Amazon* because Amazon reviews (and the price) are what make e-book buyers click.
SYNOPSIS
"My friends describe me as frighteningly sensible, not at all the sort of woman who would fall for an actor. And his home. And his family."
Orphaned by drink, drugs and rock n’ roll, Gwen Rowland is invited to spend Christmas at her boyfriend Alfie's family home, Creake Hall - a ramshackle Tudor manor in Norfolk. She's excited about the prospect of a proper holiday with a proper family, but soon after she arrives, Gwen senses something isn't quite right. Alfie acts strangely toward his family and is reluctant to talk about the past. His mother, a celebrated children's author, keeps to her room, living in a twilight world, unable to distinguish between past and present, fact and fiction. And then there's the enigma of an old family photograph...
When Gwen discovers fragments of forgotten family letters sewn into an old patchwork quilt, she starts to piece together the jigsaw of the past and realises there's more to the family history than she's been told. It seems there are things people don’t want her to know.
And one of those people is Alfie…
Praise for Linda's fourth novel HOUSE OF SILENCE…
"Linda Gillard is a great favourite of us here at Bookbag because she writes intelligent fiction. It's the sort that you read and enjoy and then go back to the beginning and read again to find our how she did it. They're always brilliant reads and tremendous value.
HOUSE OF SILENCE is like life: it doesn't work out quite the way you expect and it's only when you look back afterwards that you understand why.
The book is intricately plotted, with some great characters who stay with you long after you've finished reading. I've surprised myself by being just a little bit in love with one of them - but I'm not going to tell you who!
Linda Gillard makes the writing of a book appear effortless, but believe me, plots like this require real talent (and perhaps a little bit of blood, sweat and tears)."
www.thebookbag.co.uk
“A story layered deep in pretence and secrecy, HOUSE OF SILENCE provides readers with the puzzle-solving pleasure of golden age detective fiction, complete with letter fragments from the past and the gothic backdrop of Creake Hall. The writing is sharp and crisp, with an edge of dark humour. Unwinding through the narrative like a chain is the hold that the dead have upon the living. I loved it.”
ROSY THORNTON (The Tapestry of Love)
"A totally engaging read, full of warmth and perception.”
VICTORIA CONNELLY (A Weekend with Mr Darcy)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/HOUSE-OF-SILENCE/dp/B004USSPN2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM&qid=1301732135&sr=1-2
Praise for Linda Gillard’s other novels…
“Haunting, lyrical and intriguing.”
ISLA DEWAR (Keeping up with Magda)
“I can heartily recommend Linda Gillard… Excellent.”
ADELE GERAS (Facing the Light)
“The emotional power in these novels makes this reviewer reflect on how Charlotte and Emily Bronte might have written if they were living and writing now.”
NORTHWORDS NOW
HOUSE OF SILENCE is now available to buy on Amazon for Kindle (£1.90.) Go people!!! Buy it, read it and *please review it on Amazon* because Amazon reviews (and the price) are what make e-book buyers click.
SYNOPSIS
"My friends describe me as frighteningly sensible, not at all the sort of woman who would fall for an actor. And his home. And his family."
Orphaned by drink, drugs and rock n’ roll, Gwen Rowland is invited to spend Christmas at her boyfriend Alfie's family home, Creake Hall - a ramshackle Tudor manor in Norfolk. She's excited about the prospect of a proper holiday with a proper family, but soon after she arrives, Gwen senses something isn't quite right. Alfie acts strangely toward his family and is reluctant to talk about the past. His mother, a celebrated children's author, keeps to her room, living in a twilight world, unable to distinguish between past and present, fact and fiction. And then there's the enigma of an old family photograph...
When Gwen discovers fragments of forgotten family letters sewn into an old patchwork quilt, she starts to piece together the jigsaw of the past and realises there's more to the family history than she's been told. It seems there are things people don’t want her to know.
And one of those people is Alfie…
Praise for Linda's fourth novel HOUSE OF SILENCE…
"Linda Gillard is a great favourite of us here at Bookbag because she writes intelligent fiction. It's the sort that you read and enjoy and then go back to the beginning and read again to find our how she did it. They're always brilliant reads and tremendous value.
HOUSE OF SILENCE is like life: it doesn't work out quite the way you expect and it's only when you look back afterwards that you understand why.
The book is intricately plotted, with some great characters who stay with you long after you've finished reading. I've surprised myself by being just a little bit in love with one of them - but I'm not going to tell you who!
Linda Gillard makes the writing of a book appear effortless, but believe me, plots like this require real talent (and perhaps a little bit of blood, sweat and tears)."
www.thebookbag.co.uk
“A story layered deep in pretence and secrecy, HOUSE OF SILENCE provides readers with the puzzle-solving pleasure of golden age detective fiction, complete with letter fragments from the past and the gothic backdrop of Creake Hall. The writing is sharp and crisp, with an edge of dark humour. Unwinding through the narrative like a chain is the hold that the dead have upon the living. I loved it.”
ROSY THORNTON (The Tapestry of Love)
"A totally engaging read, full of warmth and perception.”
VICTORIA CONNELLY (A Weekend with Mr Darcy)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/HOUSE-OF-SILENCE/dp/B004USSPN2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM&qid=1301732135&sr=1-2
Praise for Linda Gillard’s other novels…
“Haunting, lyrical and intriguing.”
ISLA DEWAR (Keeping up with Magda)
“I can heartily recommend Linda Gillard… Excellent.”
ADELE GERAS (Facing the Light)
“The emotional power in these novels makes this reviewer reflect on how Charlotte and Emily Bronte might have written if they were living and writing now.”
NORTHWORDS NOW
Friday, 1 April 2011
Another new author?
I was browsing through the blogs on here and came across one called Murder by 4. A blog that interviews authors and the most recent was Raff Ellis. After reading a lot of reviews on here and discovering so many authors I have never heard of what makes this one stand out? The authors story of how he sells books "one at a time" He carries a business card and passes it out on his travels. It was the story of one older lady he met on a plane, how he took the time to chat with her, mentioned his book and gave her his card. His book was in his case already checked in and he thought that would be the end of it. A month later he gets a letter from the lady saying she bought his book and loved it. This lady will now have a story to tell everytime she talks about her book and some free publicity for the author but how nice is it to have an author take time out and promote his book on a one to one basis like that!
Wether it is the kind of genre I would read or not I will give it a go because I like the way he does his promotion!
I found the interview here http://murderby4.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-do-we-sell-books-one-at-time.html and there is a listing of authors upcoming chats too. I just thought it was nice and would share.
Wether it is the kind of genre I would read or not I will give it a go because I like the way he does his promotion!
I found the interview here http://murderby4.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-do-we-sell-books-one-at-time.html and there is a listing of authors upcoming chats too. I just thought it was nice and would share.
1st To Die by James Patterson
Introducing Homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer in the first of a series of thriller/crime. When a young couple are killed on their wedding night the case is tough for the only female homicide inspector in San Franciso. Discovering and battling a life threatening condition you immediately feel for the lead detective. From this creates the women's murder club with the most unlikely ladies getting together to use their wits and solve the case before anymore people die.
The killer strikes again and seems to be taunting the police and always staying two steps ahead. When the investigation finally uncovers a name that can be linked to the victims it seems like there might be too much sensationalism. Do they have the right guy?
From there we have much twists and turns, the plot thickens and I was left guessing who was the actual killer. I thought I had it for sure only to be totally thrown. Was ever so slightly upset by the events in the last few chapters but it made for great reading and kept me hooked to find out what would happen next.
I will definately be getting the next few in the series and see how I get on with them. 4 out of 5 for me.
The killer strikes again and seems to be taunting the police and always staying two steps ahead. When the investigation finally uncovers a name that can be linked to the victims it seems like there might be too much sensationalism. Do they have the right guy?
From there we have much twists and turns, the plot thickens and I was left guessing who was the actual killer. I thought I had it for sure only to be totally thrown. Was ever so slightly upset by the events in the last few chapters but it made for great reading and kept me hooked to find out what would happen next.
I will definately be getting the next few in the series and see how I get on with them. 4 out of 5 for me.
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