Books Read in Year 2008
|
|
Twilight 
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 18-09-2008
|
| Book Description |
| About three things I was absolutely positive.
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how dominant that part might be - that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Ok, so this series has gotten both rave and damning reviews on amazon. I can understand why.
The series is becoming a bit of a cult classic for young adults and again, I can understand why.
The book is about a young girl, who somehow looks very much like what a lot of stories picture vampires to look like (good looking, very pale skin, etc.) and she is clumsy in the extreme. She moves back to a town where her dad lives and meets a boy at school who is mysterious and gorgeous... yadda yadda yadda... and falls in love with him... and he does the same. Of course he and his family are vamps, but good ones.
Anyway, tragic love story with supernatural twists... characters are not always believable and the plot line for the whole series is pretty much set up and easy to see... won't give away any secrets here, but if you read it you will figure it out.
That being said I still enjoyed the book. It is an easy read and I will almost certainly read the rest of the series... just to see how it plays out. I really debated between a 3 and a 4 for this book but I could simply not give it a 4... 3.5 maybe! Maybe I need to change rating systems!!! |
|
|
|
The Cleaner 
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 18-09-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Jonathan Quinn is a professional cleaner. His job? Nothing too violent, just disposing of bodies, doing a little cleanup if necessary. But in Brett Battles' electrifying debut novel, Quinn's latest assignment will change everything, igniting a harrowing journey of violence, betrayal, and revenge.
The job seemed simple enough: investigating a...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| I had read the first couple of pages of the second book in this series through a daily email I get where each week the first 20 pages of so of a new book are sent to you... cool concept.
Anyway, since this was the first book in the series I thought I should read it first, and am glad I did. It is a fun espionage book. Not something I read too much of, but always a fun genre to come back to.
Good characters, decent plot line, although some of the twists and surprises are not that surprising. Still a worthy read for those who enjoy this type of book. |
|
|
|
Hell Island 
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-08-2008
|
| Book Description |
| It is an island that doesn't appear on any maps. A place where secret tests have been going on. Tests that have gone terribly wrong...
When all contact with the island is suddenly lost, four crack forces units are dropped in. Their mission: to land on Hell Island and discover what has happened.
Nothing can prepare them for what they ...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Ok, so this is a really short, pulp read. As someone said on amazon... it is a great read for a shortish commute. I finished it in under an hour and it runs a little over 100 pages, with large print.
Character development is almost non existant, but the action is pretty much non stop. Good introduction to Matthew Reilly and to one of his core characters, Scarecrow for anyone who has not read any of his stuff. |
|
|
|
Sabriel
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-08-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Sabriel is the daughter of the Mage Abhorsen. Ever since she was a tiny child, she has lived outside the Wall of the Old Kingdom - far away from the uncontrolled power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father is missing and Sabriel is called upon to cross back into that world to find him. Leaving the safety of t...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| First book in this trilogy, although I believe there is another book with stories set in the same world. Anyway, trilogy I shall call it.
Good start to a series. Interesting characters, very interesting magic system (which made its way into my dreams... but you don't want to hear about that now do you?!)
Although these are geared towards young adults I did enjoy these books. They are fun, easy reads. |
|
|
|
Lirael
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-08-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother and ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large, extended family living in the Clayr's Glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight - the ability to See into the present and possible futures - that is the very birthright of the Clayr.
...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Second book in the series. Unlike the first book, this one has much more of a cliffhanger ending, setting you up for the third book in the cycle.
These books concentrate on the children of the main characters from the first book (at least some of the main characters from the last book). I was a little disappointed to begin with as I was not expecting it, but you quickly come to grips with the characters, although Sameth does come across as a whiny little punk... but there are plenty of teenagers like that! |
|
|
|
Kushiel's Mercy
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-08-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Having learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated by their heart-twisting, star-crossed romance, defend the couple. Many others cannot forget the betrayals of Imriel's mother, Melisande, who plunged their count...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Third and final book in the Imriel trilogy, this book is fun, much like the others. The outcome never really seems in doubt in this book, which is a bit of a shame. In the original trilogy and to some extent in the earlier books in this series, there was a high level of tension, and you were never quite sure if they would make it out. This one, less so.
Still, an interesting storyline, and from the author's website the characters central to these 6 books will be laid to rest. She will still be writing in the same universe, but several generations on, and there is a lot of teasers in the last part of this book that refer to things that might come to be in later books. I will be interested to see what she comes up with next. |
|
|
|
The Color of Magic
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 13-08-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Terry Pratchett's profoundly irreverent novels are consistent number one bestsellers in England, where they have garnered him a revered position in the halls of parody next to Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen.
The Color of Magic is Terry Pratchett's maiden voyage through the now-legendary land of Discworld. This is wher...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| This is the first book in the Discworld series. I had tried to read it before but could not get into it. It certainly is a fun book but I can see what people say in that they should start with his later books as his writing has gotten better and better.
I enjoyed this but am not jumping up and down over it. I much preferred Good Omens but not sure how much Neil Gaiman's input has to do with that. |
|
|
|
Good Omens
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 02-08-2008
|
| Book Description |
| According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.
So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are fla...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
This book certainly was a fun one. I would probably have gotten a few more laughs out of it if I had read it a little quicker... or with fewer interruptions... but having a kid really messed with my reading schedule! 
Certainly a worth while read, and one I would probably pick up again for a fun read. |
|
|
|
The Awakened Mage 
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 14-07-2008
|
| Book Description |
| "The evil foretold has risen ... and we are all that stands between it and the end."
Asher has come a long way for a fisherman's son. Together with his friend Prince Gar, he has defended their kingdom against its bitterest enemy, but at great cost.
Now, the evil mage Morg is preparing for his most deadly assault. Desperate, trapped in a brok...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| A lot of reviews of this book online mentioned that it was very slow to get going. That is true... to an extent. The author spends a lot of time building up the drama gearing towards the climax in the book, but this approach worked for me. It is very much more a character driven series and not focused purely on the concepts of prophecy or magic or politics.
Very enjoyable series, one that was hard to put down when the story started to get going. |
|
|
|
Innocent Mage
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 07-07-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Being a fisherman like his father isn't a bad life, but it's not the one that Asher wants. Despite his humble roots, Asher has grand dreams. And they call him to Dorana, home of princes, beggars?and the warrior mages who have protected the kingdom for generations.
Little does Asher know, however, that his arrival in the city is being closely wat...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Interesting book. Well written. Certainly not the normal type of fantasy with lots of action and magic being thrown around, with a healthy dose of battles thrown in. This is a lot more of a character driven book, and I for one very much enjoyed it.
I will be picking the next (and last) book in the series very soon to read. |
|
|
|
Midas
Russell Andrews
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 27-06-2008
|
| Book Description |
| The touch of a killer is closer than you know...
MIDAS
New York's Hamptons are the summer playground for Wall Street big shots, Hollywood starlets, and all species of glitterati in between. But when a Middle Eastern man rigged with explosives walks into a chic restaurant and blows himself up, all that glamour is shattered. And...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Russell Andrews, author of Gidoen, Icarus and Aphrodite, has struck again with another jewel of a novel. Fast paced, with believable plots and characters, I have loved every book this guy has written, including Midas. Justin Westwood returns in this novel, but you do not need to read the other novel in which he appears (other being Aphrodite) to enjoy or understand this book.
Easy read, but enjoyable throughout... READ THIS BOOK! :D |
|
|
|
Nothing to Lose
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 27-06-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Two small towns in the middle of nowhere Colorado: Hope and Despair. Between them, nothing but twelve miles of empty road. Jack Reacher can't find a ride, so he walks. All he wants is a cup of coffee. What he gets are four hostile locals, a vagrancy charge and an order to move on.
They're picking on the wrong guy.
Reacher is a hard man. No ...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Fun book. I had first heard of this through an email list that sends you the first couple of chapters of a book, split up, every day for a week. Gives you a good way to get a view of some authors you might not otherwise had read.
Anyway, back to the book. This is actually the 12th book in the Jack Reacher series, but can be read independently of the others... well, at least I was able to! The characters are not bad. Reacher is obviously the main focus, although some of the other characters do get face time... although mainly through Jack's eyes.
I will certainly pick up the other books at somepoint... they are good reading for a trip. |
|
|
|
Hide
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-06-2008
|
| Book Description |
| There's no use locking the doors...
It was the case that nearly killed him. Now a gruesome discovery in an underground chamber is about to resurrect his worst nightmare. And Massachusetts State Police detective Bobby Dodge has only one lead: a young girl who's been in hiding for as long as she can remember.
There's no use turning on...more |
|
|
|
|
|
Abhorsen
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 13-06-2008
|
| Book Description |
| The long-buried secrets of the Old Kingdom and the Ninth Gate are revealed in the sequel to Sabriel and Lirael. Orannis, the Destroyer, has been freed from its subterranean prison and now seeks to unleash its terrible powers. Only Lirael, Abhorsen-in-Waiting, has any chance of stopping this enemy of all Life. As she and her companions - Sameth, the...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Fun way to finish the series. Good book, solid characters and plenty of action. Series really wraps up very well for me... which is not always the case in some series! |
|
|
|
The Outlaw Demon Wails
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 03-06-2008
|
| Book Description |
| To save the lives of her friends, Rachel did the unthinkable: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins are coming home to haunt her.
As Rachel searches for the truth behind a terrifying murder, an even greater menace threatens, for the demon Algaliarept will stop at nothing to claim her, and the discovery of a shocki...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Yet another solid book. Good plot, good character development and any 'powers' that the character gets through the series are founded in the overall system of the books... it is not that she wakes up with new powers every day, or gains them through sex like some series I know of.
Anyway, if you have not read these I would certainly recommend them... but start with the first books as it won't make much sense starting here... and there are a lot of references to the previous books throughout the later ones. |
|
|
|
Neuromancer
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 22-05-2008
|
| Book Description |
| The Matrix is a world within the world, a global consensus- hallucination, the representation of every byte of data in cyberspace . . . Case had been the sharpest data-thief in the business, until vengeful former employees crippled his nervous system. But now a new and very mysterious employer recruits him for a last-chance run. The target: an unth...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Ok, so I only just read this, although it has been a cult classic for years.
Great concept, well executed and certainly before his time. I will want to sit down and read this again when I can read it in basically one sitting as there is a lot of information in here, and I am sure I missed some.
As a side note, I think that they are developing a new movie based on this book. |
|
|
|
From Dead to Worse
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 16-05-2008
|
| Book Description |
| After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyonehuman and otherwiseis stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing.
It's clear that things are changing-whether the weres and vamps of he...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Anne put this perfectly... this is a transitional book. Lots of little plots that either build towards something larger in future books and some that wrap up.
Good book, but not as tight from a plot perspective as some of her other books. |
|
|
|
Elantris
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 05-05-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantria...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| This is the first book that Brandon Sanderson published, and is completely separate from the Mistborn series.
The premise here is interesting. A group of God like people fell from there power and they were nearly all killed. The ones that remain and people newly joining their folds (the transformation would hit people randomly) now seem to be damned not blessed.
There is a lot of politicaly background and national/global levels of intrigue which is a good counterpart to the personal relationships as well as character development and the development in understanding of what is happening and what happened in the city of Elantris.
Great book. Certainly leaves itself open to potential follow on books, but sits by itself very well... although one reader disagrees completely... http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/632/Reader-Mail |
|
|
|
Dexter in the Dark
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 27-04-2008
|
| Book Description |
| In his work as a Miami crime scene investigator, Dexter Morgan is accustomed to seeing evil deeds&particularly because, on occasion, he rather enjoys committing them himself. Guided by his Dark Passenger (the reptilian voice inside him), he lives his outwardly normal life adhering to one simple rule: he kills only very bad people. Dexter slides thr...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| A lot more introspective compared to the first two books, this book is still very enjoyable.
The only downside is that it seemed to take a long time to build up to the end sequence. I know, that was part of the story, but it just seemed to take a little longer than completely necessary.
Still, a fun read. Well recommended. |
|
|
|
Small Favor
Jim Butcher
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 16-04-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Book ten of the Dresden Files. Only thing the author has let slip about the book is... 'Small Favor. Because, y'know, Harry still owes two. |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Another great, fun book. As you may know, from the blog, I saw Jim at a book signing last week. Was a fun time and it really shows how much of his personality comes through in the books. He is a querky, funny guy.
This book does what all the other ones before have done... good characters, good plot, and plenty of action. The good guys get some good breaks and some bad ones, and the series progresses well. Needless to say Harry gets pummelled again, and again, and again... but he takes it in stride... mostly!
If you have not read these books, start at some of the earlier ones to get a feel for the characters. Reading this one first will probably result in you being a little lost, but you could still start here if you wanted. Anyway, babbling... read the books.
The only downside to this is that I felt that they did a poorer job editing this book as I saw more typos in this than I remember seeing in any of the other books... but I read a lot of them in paperback, so maybe they had ironed out the wrinkles by then! |
|
|
|
Three Days to Never
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 10-04-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Albert Einstein's groundbreaking scientific discoveries made possible the creation of the most terrible weapon the world had ever known. But he made another discovery that he chose to reveal to no oneto keep from human hands a power that dwarfed the atomic bomb.
When twelve-year-old Daphne Marrity takes a videotape labeled Pee-wee's B...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Phew... made it through.
Yeah, not the most glowing start to a book review. This book confused me. It is not a light read. The pace does not move quickly in the early part (and by early I mean the first 210 pages of a 405 page book). Setting the scene and introducing the characters and their relationship takes a while.
The concept that is introduced in the book is very interesting and not really obvious from the cover or from the early pages. You really are left wondering what is going on, and why people are so interested in the central characters and what they might have.
By the latter half of the book the action starts to gear up, plot lines converge, sometimes with explosive results, and by the end of the book the plot is wrapped up nicely, without rushing anything or without over elaborating on other things.
Would I recommend this? That is a tough one. If you have the time then yes, but if you are looking for a light read, then look elsewhere... cause you won't find it here. |
|
|
|
Wrath of a Mad God 
Raymond E. Feist
Amazon.co.uk
Date Posted: 01-04-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Third book in Feist's Darkwar Saga.
This book, as most of his other books, will be released in the UK well before it is released in the US, so that is where I will be buying it from!!! |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Okay, so I was disappointed with this book. Sure it wraps the series up well, and the plot is a decent one, but I just feel that the author is either getting lazy or, no actually just lazy.
There is a lot of plot movement in the book and none gets a true in detail description. Characters that were not in the series before get a very poor showing and character development is almost non-existant.
This is a real shame. The first sets of books, up through the end of the Serpentwar Saga were fantastic books, or so I thought at the time. If this was the first series I read of his, I probably would not be interested in picking up any of his older stuff... and I am not sure if I will want to read future stuff if it is written like this. Oh well. Such a shame! |
|
|
|
For a Few Demons More
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 28-03-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Despite dating one vampire and living with another, Rachel Morgan has always managed to stay ahead of trouble... until now.
A fiendish serial killer stalks the Hollows, and no one living in or around Cincinnati - human, inhuman, or undead - is safe.
An ancient artifact may be the key to stopping the murderer - a mysterious relic that is now...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Ok, so last review was short. This one may not be much much longer.
This is another really fun book. The characters develop themselves and the interaction between then evolves too. The world is believable and the rules of physics and magic seem to be set and are not being bent or broken all the time. The twists come more from characters finding loopholes or just doing something crazy and funky... leading to a great plot.
This series is setting itself up really well, and I am looking forward to see where the author takes it |
|
|
|
A Fistful of Charms
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-03-2008
|
| Book Description |
| The evil night things that prowl Cincinnati despise witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Her new reputation for the dark arts is turning human and undead heads alike with the intent to possess, bed, and kill her - not necessarily in that order.
Now a mortal lover who abandoned Rachel has returned, haunted by his secret past. And there are tho...more |
|
|
|
|
|
Every Which Way But Dead
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 19-03-2008
|
| Book Description |
| There's no witch in Cincinnati tougher, sexier, or more screwed up than bounty hunter Rachel Morgan, who's already put her love life and her soul in dire jeopardy through her determined efforts to bring criminal night creatures to justice.
Between "runs", she has her hands full fending off the attentions of her blood-drinking partner, keeping ...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Another fun book here. Good characters, good plot development and no sudden changes in the physical reality of the world and none of the characters develop amazing abilities by magic on a daily basis (unlike some Anita Blake like characters!)
Overall another good read, and a steady development of the overall storyline. Some funny moments in there as well. This author seems to enjoy writing and it comes across. She is not just doing this for the money... or at least, not yet! |
|
|
|
Poltergeist
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 07-03-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Harper Blaine was your average small-time PU until she died - for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases.
In the days leading up to Halloween, Harper is hired by a university resear...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| This is another fun book, although I have to say once or twice the sentences that the author wrote just seemed to confuse me, even after reading them a couple of times. Granted, I might have been tired, but still!
Overall a fun read, especially if you live in the Seattle area. Good characters, interesting plot with a clever investigation set out in front of the main character, based both in regular PI work and in some supernatural stuff. |
|
|
|
The Well of Ascension
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 03-03-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Evil has been defeated. The war has just begun
The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler - the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years - has been vanquished. BUt Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead, too. The awesome task of building a new world has been left ...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Another fantastic book. The plot here is more about the characters trying to keep a country afloat and rebuild it, after the events from the previous book. Well thought out, and again the plot lines mainly come to a close, and yet set the series up well for the next, and I believe final, book in the series. |
|
|
|
The Venetian Betrayal
Steve Berry
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-02-2008
|
| Book Description |
| In 323 B.C.E, having conquered Persia, Alexander the Great set his sights on Arabia, then suddenly succumbed to a strange fever. Locating his final resting place - unknown to this dayremains a tantalizing goal for both archaeologists and treasure hunters. Now the quest for this coveted prize is about to heat up. And Cotton Malone - former U.S. Jus...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Meh... nothing special if you ask me. Interesting concept. Book is about the lost tomb of Alexander the Great and the potion that he supposedly had that had amazing curative powers. The usual big and small bad guys, mostly without redeeming character traits. GOod guys who manage to pull through and the main character who can somehow make impossible leaps of intuition to solve the puzzle ten steps ahead of everyone else.
Fairly thoughtless action/drama. |
|
|
|
Dearly Devoted Dexter
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 26-02-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Life's tough for Dexter Morgan. It's not easy being the world's only serial killer with a conscience, especially when you work for the Miami policy. To avoid suspicion, Dexter's had to slip deep into his disguise: spending time with his girlfriend and her kids, slowly becoming the world's first serial killing couch potato.
Then a particularly n...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Second in the series, and just as fun. Dex does not get to slice up as many people himself, but he does get entangled in interesting situation on and off the job.
Fun book. Certainly with a dark twist, or Dark Passenger as Dexter would put it. Lots of humour in the book, which does not seem to come across as well in the TV series (which I have seen the first episode, no more!) |
|
|
|
Mistborn
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 14-02-2008
|
| Book Description |
| The Mists rule the night. The Lord Ruler owns the world.
FOr a thousand years, the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years, the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years, the Lord Ruler reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Every attempted revolt has failed miserably.
...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| WOW.
Not sure exactly what else to say. This book is really interesting. The writing is good, the characters are well developed and the system of 'magic' they use is extremely original. One of the most original I have ever read about.
Is it the best written book? Nope, but somehow after the first chapter or so it still had me hooked, which is fairly unusual. I enjoy a lot of books, but not that many really grab me like this one did.
To top that, the only reason I picked this book up was that I wanted to see how the author wrote as he will be taking over the duties of completing A Memory of Light, the last book of the Wheel of Time series. Robert Jordan passed before he could complete the book, and Brandon, along with all the notes from Robert Jordan, will be completing the final tome in that series.
If you enjoy fantasy books then this is a must read for you. |
|
|
|
All Together Dead
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 05-02-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Being surrounded by all varieties of undead, changeling, and preternatural beings has gotten to be nothing out of the ordinary for Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Still, even she has her limits. Betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Sookie must now not only deal with a possible new man in her life - the oh-so-handsome shapeshifter Q...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Pace takes a leap forward in this book. There is a lot more action, intrigue and more investigative type work here (more than in the previous Sookie books that is) and the emotional flip-flopping that sometimes goes on in the earlier books takes a backstage here.
Well thought out story, including the weaving of the impact on the Vampire society that hurricane Katrina would have.
Character development and involvement in the machinery of the vampire world also increases... it will be interesting to see where Charlaine takes this series. |
|
|
|
An Ice Cold Grave
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 31-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| "Since the lightning snacked through the window of the trailer in Texarkana when I was fifteen, I've been able to locate corpses. Think about it. Caveman corpses, Native American corpses, the early settlers, the more recently deceased - that's a lot of dead people, and they all let me know where their earthly remains were interred..."
...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| I won't spoil it for others, but at one point I closed the book (after finishing a chapter) and said 'About bloody time they did that!' Anyone who has read this book will know what I mean, and others who have no intention of reading the book probably don't care!
Good storyline, with plenty of action and a good level of tension (some unwanted and frustrating) throughout. Character development is ongoing... and intruiging details about the future are laid out... including updates on the main characters missing sister. |
|
|
|
Grave Surprise
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 29-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| When she was 15, Harper Connelly was struck by a bolt of lightning. She recovered, mostly... she has a stranger spiderweb of red on parts of her body, and her right leg has episodes of weakness. Sometimes her right hand shakes. She has headaches. And she can find dead people.
That was the part that interested anthropology professor Dr Clive Nun...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Second book in the series, and an interesting one. The books seem to be shorter to me (than the Sookie books), but are just as interesting. They certainly are darker and the character list is shorter. The only two main characters that continue from book to book seem to be Harper and her brother/best friend.
The author seems to be setting the series up for further developments, mainly on the relationship level between the key characters, but we will have to see what develops. |
|
|
|
Grave Sight
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 24-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Harper Connelly had a lucky escape when she was hit by lightning: she didn't die. But sometimes she wishes she had died, because the lightning strike left her with an unusual talent: she can find dead people - and that's not always comfortable. Everyone wants to know how she does it: it's a little like hearing a bee droning inside her head, or mayb...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Very much different than her Sookie series, which is refreshing. A lot of authors can really only write one book, just with a slightly different plot, character names and character traits.
This series is, as Angel put it, a lot darker than the Southern Vampire books. Also, it is much more of a crime type novel, with the evidence piling up, and the reader has the ability to figure out the truth before the main character in the book does. Sometimes that spoils the story, but not here. I do hope the rest of the series so far is as interesting as this book was. |
|
|
|
Blasphemy
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 21-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| The world's biggest supercollider, hidden deep in an Arizona mountain, will probe what happened at the very moment of creation: The Big Bang itself.
The brainchild of Nobel laureate Gregory North Hazelious, Isabella is the most expensive machine every built. Will it unlock the mysteries of the universe? Will it, as some warn, suck the earth int...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| I have read a lot of the books this author has written with Lincoln Child, but I have to say that he can do well on his own as well.
Characters are well thought through, and overall the book is well put together and has an interesting concept as its plot. I won't give anything away, but it is worth the read. |
|
|
|
The 6 Sacred Stones
Matthew Reilly
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 21-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Release date is November 2nd in UK but Jan 8th 2008 in the US.
For Jack West and his team, unlocking the secrets of the 'Seven Ancient Wonders' has proved only the beginning. The world is still in mortal danger. The challenge now is to set six legendary diamonds known as the 'Pillars' in their appointed places before the deadline when glob...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Action. From start to finish. Incredible feats of physical prowess. Practically impossible to accomplish.
That is the main summary of the book. Sequel to Seven Deadly Wonders this is a fun, Indiana Jones on steroids type of book. Fun to read, easy to read, but fairly easy to forget too.
Will provide a couple of hours distraction! |
|
|
|
Halo: Contact Harvest
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 12-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| This is how it began...
It is the year 2524. Harvest is a peaceful, prosperous farming colony on the very edge of human-controlled space. But we have trespassed on holy ground--strayed into the path of an aggressive alien empire known as the Covenant. What begins as a chance encounter between an alien privateer and a human freighter catap...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| This book really does cover how the Halo series begins... It is the story of first contact, and not a peaceful one. One of the central characters plays a key role throughout the game, and you also see another side of the Covenant.
The thing that confused me at start is that they use the official names for each of the races... and I never really knew their real names, so I had to look them all up online.
If you have played the game, you will enjoy this book a lot more than if you have not. Even if you have not played it, it is still an interesting action story. |
|
|
|
Definitely Dead
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 07-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Sookie doesn't have that many relations, so she hated to lose one - but of all the people to do, she didn't expect it to be her cousin Hadley, a consort of New Orleans' vampire queen - after all, Hadley was technically already dead.
But she is gone, beyond recall, and she's left Sookie an inheritance - one that comes with a bit of a risk - n...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Good book, good plot, build up to a good ending with an interersting action scene towards the end. Very enjoyable and certainly looking towards the next book! |
|
|
|
Dead as a Doornail
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 07-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| Sookie Stackhouse enjoys her life, mostly. She's a great cocktail waitress in a fun bar; she has a love life, albeit as complicated as ever, and most people have come to terms with her telepathy.
Problem is, Sookie wants a quiet life, but things just seem to happen to her and her friends
Now her brother Jason's about to turn into a were...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Another fun Sookie book. None seem that much stronger or weaker that the other (the books that is, not the characters) but most of the characters are well represented and developed here. Of course, the central character and her relationships with others are the ones that are delved into deeper than others, but still!
Good plot, which moves along at a good pace, and there are never too many dull moments in these books. |
|
|
|
Dead to the World
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 02-01-2008
|
| Book Description |
| It's not every day that you come across a naked man on the side of the road. That's why cocktail waitress Cookie Stackhouse doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire - but now he's a kinder, gentler Eric. ANd a scared Eric, becuase whoever took his memory now wants his life. S...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| I still am not sure why these books are sometimes referred to as Romance novels. Sure there is an element there, but a lot less than say Laurell K. Hamilton. Anyway, good read, good plot, and more plot developments that set the series up for the future books. |
|
|
Books Read in Year 2007
|
|
Club Dead
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 29-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| There's only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with (at least voluntarily) and that's Bill. But recently he's been a little distant - in another state, distant. His sinister and sexy boss Eric has an idea where to find him. Next thing Sookie knows, she is off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underwold at Club Dead. It's a da...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Things get interesting here as the protagonist gets more involved in the supernatural community as a whole. This series is developing well, and lots of new characters and concepts are being introduced. |
|
|
|
Living Dead in Dallas
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 28-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one seems to care. Then she's face-to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it).
Point is, they save her life. So ...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Second book in the series, is just as good as the first. One thing that I will say about this series, is that the author tends to repeat herself a lot, and this copy certainly has its fair share of typos, which should have been caught in the editing process. |
|
|
|
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 27-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep's clothing. He's handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He's a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likable: he only kills bad people. And his job as the blood spatter expert for the Miami police deparment puts him in the perfect ...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Now this is a fun book, with a capital F!
Great characters, and the lead, who is the most developed character is a hoot. If you have not read this go and get it... I really doubt you will be disappointed! |
|
|
|
Dead Until Dark
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 27-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome - and...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| First in the Southern Vampire series, this book is fun. Characters are likeable, and the plot moves along well. Good start to a series, and certainly a fast easy read. |
|
|
|
Greywalker
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 24-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| Harper Blaine was slogging along as a small-time P.I. when a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead.
For two minutes, to be precise.
When Harper comes to in the hospital, she begins to feel a bit ...strange. She sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roari...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| Interesting concept. Anne got us a raft of books for Christmas, that we have been ploughing through, and this was the first one I read.
I certainly did enjoy it. For me, it seemed to take a while to hook me in, but when you are in, then you are hooked... if that makes sense!
Well worth the read, and if you live in or have lived in the Seattle area, you might recognise some of the locations she describes. |
|
|
|
The Groom's Guide
Sharon Naylor
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 17-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| So you finally found "the one." That can mean only one thing: a wedding packed with finger sandwiches, harp players, and ruffles - lots of ruffles. Right? Wrong!
Since the two of you are joining in a lifelong partnership, it's only natural that you, the groom should want to take an active role in planning the big day. After all, it's you...more |
|
|
| Book Review |
| I know, I should have been all over this, but I was not... and we still made it through... not thinking I need to worry about this too much anymore! |
|
|
|
Captain's Fury
Jim Butcher
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Date Posted: 17-12-2007
|
| Book Description |
| Book four of the Alera Codex...
After two years of bitter conflict with the hordes of invading Canim, Tavi of Calderon, now Captain of the First Aleran Legion, realizes that a peril far greater than the Canim existsthe terrifying Vord, who drove the savage Canim from their homeland. Now, Tavi must find a way to overcome the centuries-...more |
|
|
|
|
