My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t too keen on this book at the start but somehow it managed to gradually sneak in and grow on me.

While I’d previously read other books by Sarah Morgan I hadn’t read the first in the Puffin Island series. However this book definitely works as a stand alone. There are updates on the characters from the previous book but the focus is definitely on Zach and Brittany.

Following an accident on an archaeological dig in Greece Brittany returns to her childhood home of Puffin Island to recuperate. She gets a shock however when it turns out the pilot flying her home is ex husband Zach. They’d married 10 years earlier as teenagers after a whirlwind romance but within a few days of the wedding Zach walked out leaving Brittany heart broken. Finding her ex husband living on the same small island she tries to be indifferent but as they keep bumping into each other her mask starts to slip and sparks fly. But is it really wise to get involved with the man with the troubled past and bad reputation who has already broken your heart?

The great thing about this book is that there is real emotion in it. The plot is not the most original and the ending is fairly predictable but it’s an enjoyable read. The interactions between Zach and Brittany are fairly hot and steamy and you can definitely feel the chemistry between them. There are a couple of parts that brought me close to tears and it definitely brought a smile to my face.

There was a lot at the start about and dotted throughout about how wonderful her friends were and how great the island was but I have to admit I found those parts a bit too saccharine for me and tended to skip on. I’m probably just bitter and twisted though.

Overall though it is what you expect, a light enjoyable read when you want to relax and escape from real life.

*Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

July 14, 2015July 15, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Before I start this review I should probably say upfront that I’m Scottish and proud of it. As a Scot I think it’s great that this book and the show based on it have brought so much attention to the country that I love. It’s kind of doing for Scotland what Game of Thrones did for Ireland.

While I’d heard a lot about it and the show I have to admit the main reason I finally ended up reading it was because I signed up to do a buddy read on Good Reads and this was one of the books we both had waiting to be read.

I will admit part of the reason I put off reading it was because I was a little concerned it would be full of the usual Scottish stereotypes of bagpipes, haggis and people shouting “och aye the noo” but it really wasn’t like that. There are some men in kilts (as well as some men out of kilts) but given the setting of the 1740’s that’s fairly appropriate for the time.

Anyway, the story starts with Claire and husband Frank on a second honeymoon in Inverness, Scotland following the end of the second world war. While they’d married before the war they’d only really spent less than a year together before they were forced to part as Claire went to the front as a nurse and Frank to officer training. This second honeymoon is a chance for them to reconnect and also for Frank, a professor and historian, to learn a bit more about one of his ancestors Jack Randall (Black Jack). Jack Randall was a English soldier and possibly spy in the 1740’s in Scotland just prior to the Jacobite rebellion.

While on this holiday, Claire somehow ends up travelling back in time to the time of Captain Jack Randall and after being attacked by him falls in with some of the Scottish rebels. She has to try to fit in and survive while trying to find her way back to her own time. However while trapped in the past she starts to find her place in the world and possibly a new love and has to decide does she really want to go back.

I actually finished this book a few days ago but I still haven’t completely decided how I feel about it, hence my 3 star rating. I feel like I should have liked it, and a lot of people really love it but I’m not sure I did.

Part of the issue for me was actually the length of 863 pages. While the story was interesting and the characters very complex I thought it was a bit on the long side. If I’d been loving it the length wouldn’t have mattered but I could never completely connect with it. It’s not one of those books that you can pick up and just read a few pages. I felt I had to set aside proper chunks of time to read and really concentrate to get into the rhythm of the writing and the language. There are a lot of good Scots words used in the dialogue and I find with that I have to sound out the words in my head to get the real feeling behind them [I have a feeling a lot of these words will be creeping into my vocabulary as I forgot how much I loved them].

Having read the other reviews it seems like this is a book you either love or hate and I can sort of understand both sides. The story is very detailed and the characters complex. You never really know where it’s going or what the characters true motivation really is and that, to me, is fascinating. My buddy and I spent quite a while trying to guess what some of the characters were really up to and why they did what they did. There is no one in the book who is really all good or all bad and there are quite a few moral dilemmas that require a bit of pondering and wondering what would I do in that position. Obviously I know it’s highly unlikely that I will travel back in time, meet a handsome young Scottish lad and have the chance to influence the future but what if?

I have to admit to being totally fascinated by the whole idea of time travel and paradoxes so that was definitely a big draw for me. In terms of historical accuracy, I have no clue. I hated history at school so I don’t remember much but I do know a little about clans and the rebellion and nothing seems fundamentally wrong to me.

One of the main complaints I’ve seen about the book is that people think it promotes and acceptance of sexual and physical violence particularly against women. While there is some violence and sexual abuse in the book I don’t think it is particularly untrue for the time and don’t find it particularly offensive. I’m fairly certain the book is quite mild compared to what actually happened around that time.

Other than the length the main thing that I found put me off the book is that I didn’t particularly root for any of the characters and I wasn’t entirely convinced in the love triangle in the book between Frank, Jamie and Claire. The attachment between Claire and husband didn’t seem particularly strong, more about fulfilling a commitment rather than love, and the relationship between Jamie and Claire seemed uneven, with Claire more of a mother figure in some ways than a romantic interest. There was some funny banter between Claire and Jamie and Jamie and his sister but other than that I didn’t feel a lot of emotion from the book.

I still haven’t quite decided whether I want to carry on with the series. I want to know what happens but 900+ pages! Do I really want to commit to that? I’m tempted just to watch the TV series.

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

July 14, 2015July 15, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I’m a big fan of books based on fairytales and previously read the short prequel to Cinder in the Fierce Reads anthology so was very excited to finally get a chance to read the first book in this popular young adult series.

As you can probably guess the story is based on Cinderella however this is Cinderella with a very unique twist. Cinder is a cyborg. As a young girl her life was saved following an accident by replacing a number of her parts with robotics. Being part robot she is considered a second class citizen and the property of her guardian (the evil stepmother). Given her knowledge of all things robotic she is sent to work in the local market in Beijing fixing androids to make money and provide for her adopted family. While this is not exactly a happy life it becomes worse when her sister contracts the plague which is spreading across the earth and is taken away to a quarantine facility that no one ever returns from. Blamed by her stepmother for her sister’s disease it’s safe to say their relationship does not improve however it turns out that Cinder may hold the key to the cure and the salvation of the planet (no pressure there then).

I’ve read a lot of books based on fairytales recently but for me Cinder was definitely a stand out. As a young adult book it’s a nice and easy read but with a lot of big themes (discrimination, human rights) and positive messages about believing in yourself and accepting the things you don’t like about yourself. There are a lot of references and links to the original story which I loved but it somehow managed to put a twist on almost all of them. Her robotic leg, for example, doubled as the glass slipper and an old car she found in the junk shop was the pumpkin to get her to the ball. What I really liked about this book though was that it had such a strong and independent female character. Too often I find in books that the female characters are either dependent on someone coming to save them or spend all of their time obsessing over boys. While there is some romance in the book it’s not the main focus and there is no fairy godmother waiting to save the day. Cinder has to stand alone and make her own choices.

My only minor gripe is that I found some of the characters a little one dimensional and it was a little light on emotional impact but it’s probably about right for younger readers.

Overall, fairytales, romance, a feisty heroine, robots and aliens, what’s not to love. I’ve already bought the next book in the series.

Book Review: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m not sure what to make of this book. I did enjoy it but I’m not sure I should have if that makes any sense.

It’s described as Gone Girl meets Thirteen Reasons Why but if you are anything like me and haven’t read either of those that doesn’t really help.

Basically it’s a young adult mystery/thriller about a girl called June who on returning to school finds out that the girl who used to be her best friend (Delia) has died. The circumstances around her death are kept very quiet but it soon leaks out that it was suicide. Feeling shocked and more than a little guilty at not being there when her friend needed her June tries to reconnect with Delia’s life to understand why she did what she did.

After meeting Delia’s current group of friends and ex boyfriend, Jeremiah, June becomes convinced that this was more than a suicide and starts to investigate.

I won’t say anymore about the plot as I suspect I’d give something away but it’s safe to say there are quite a few twists throughout the story including a major shift in direction that I didn’t see coming around the halfway mark. It definitely kept me guessing and turning pages to find out what would happen.

There are a few parts that border on the unbelievable and I found myself wondering about the adults and the police in this town who seem at best absent and at worst incompetent. It seems completely ridiculous to me that a teenage girl could die and there would be no investigation. It also seems a little odd that the school would just announce it and provide no support to the students who knew her. However if you can ignore these points it is quite gripping.

The narrative mostly follows June’s investigation but includes some flashbacks over the period of their friendship to give you an idea of their relationship. These were definitely an integral part of the story but I found it a little disconcerting the way that it seemed to jump from first to third person narration particularly as there was no obvious reason for it.

Almost all of the characters are troubled in some way and could be considered either the outcasts or the cool rebels who like to smoke, drink and do drugs while their parents don’t really care. June comes across as quite isolated and very lonely right from the start while Delia is unpredictable and out of control. Their relationship is fascinating and I thought it was good to see some more complex and darker characters that despite their issues you could empathise with. There were some secondary characters that I would have liked to know more about and I think there could be room for a sequel (or prequel) to give more of their story.

There are some quite mature themes, sex, drugs, abuse, suicide etc that make me question how suitable this book would be for younger readers but they are probably no worse than some of the young adult fantasy books out there. It was definitely a different read for me and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a mystery.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Egmont Publishing/Electric Monkey for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fifty Shades of the Giver – A mini book film fest

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

So I took a break from reading over the weekend and decided to watch a few films based on books (basically a mini book film fest). I am a big movie fan but as a rule I find that films are never as good as the book they are based on. I almost always try to read the book before watching the film so that the film doesn’t influence my reading experience. I will quite often use the trailers at the cinema as a source of new books to add to my to be read shelf.

Anyway first up, mostly because it was early on a Friday evening, was The Giver. I have to admit I haven’t actually read the book this film is based on. I do have it on my to be read pile but I’ve somehow never really got to it. Having watched the film I’m not sure I’ll bother. It’s an interesting enough plot. Dystopian future where everyone is assigned a role in life, information, behaviour and language is controlled and everything seems fairly dull. The main character is assigned the privileged role of receiver of memories but what he learns shakes up his views of society. Overall I found the whole thing a little dull and ended up only half watching and half playing games on my tablet which is never a good sign. Overall I’d probably give it 2 out of 5.

Once it hit 9pm I figured it was safe to watch Fifty Shades of Grey. OK I know the books are really bad but I kind of love them and have read them more than once. I was therefore both excited about and dreading the film but I figured Jamie Dornan is somewhat attractive so if the worst happened at least I could ogle him. I have to say I’m not sure about the film. It did hold my attention which at the moment is quite unusual for me (see previous paragraph on the Giver) but most of my time was spent comparing to the books. I think I can kind of understand why there were so many disagreements between the author and director. The relationship comes across quite differently in the film and I’m not sure I like it. I also found some of the scenes a little cringeworthy and felt embarrassed for the actors. It’s not a film I’ll be rushing to watch again but if they ever manage to make the sequel Fifty Shades Darker I’d definitely be interested in seeing where the story goes. 3.5 out of 5.

So, into Saturday and I was in the mood for something a little lighter. I spent the afternoon watching Chalet Girl which is not based on a book (as far as I know) but is fab so thought I’d give it a shout out. What’s not to love about a girl overcoming loss and fighting to make it in a new extreme sport while smart mouthing a load of posh folks. It would definitely be a 5 out of 5. I also came across Gone with the Wind which is another film I love. Unfortunately I didn’t have a spare four hours to watch it so only saw a little bit but it would also rate a 5. [As an aside I’m a big fan of Clarke Gable but I heard a rumour years ago that he had really bad breath so now whenever I watch him, particularly in kissing scenes, I can’t help wondering if it is torture for his poor co star and that’s why they look so overcome.]

Saturday evening and I decided it was time for some more young adult fantasy so watched the Mortal Instruments and Divergent. The Mortal Instruments gets a lot of bad reviews but I kind of like it. It’s missing some of the humour from the books and I’m not sure I like the casting of the secondary characters but Lily Collins is great as Clary and the effects are pretty good. It’s a bit disappointing that they aren’t making the rest of the books into films but at least there’s a TV series to look forward to. 4 out of 5. Divergent should be a really good film and I remember being excited when I saw the trailer for it years ago but for me it doesn’t quite work. I just don’t think the casting is right and it seems like they’ve gone for the safer option to get a lower rating and missed out a lot of the violence. The training just isn’t as extreme and there isn’t the same level of threat as in the books which makes it a little dull. 3 out of 5.

The final film of the weekend was Jurassic World. Jurassic Park was one of the first films I can remember going to see in the cinema with my family so I’m very attached to the whole series. Jurassic Park is also one of those rare films that I think is better than the book. The special effects just make it so much more real and alive than my imagination can manage. Jurassic World is set years after the first film, with the park having been up and running for a while. There are a few nods and references to the original but dinosaurs are at risk of becoming extinct again as visitors want new and more exciting attractions. This leads to a genetically modified dinosaur (like that would ever be a good idea) which then escapes and runs wild through the park killing whatever is in its path. I love a good disaster/monster movie and therefore loved this film for the most part. There were a couple of parts where it felt like the makers, in a similar way to the owners of the park, were trying a little too hard. Can we make the monster bigger and scarier than what’s come before? What would happen in a fight between this dinosaur and that one? Who would win? I still enjoyed it but sometimes less is more. 4.5 out of 5.

So other than starting to watch Under the Dome yesterday that was the end of my book related viewing. Has anyone else seen any of these, what did you think? Any recommendations for future book related film fests?

Book Review: Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices 1) by Cassandra Clare

June 27, 2015June 27, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

My rating: 3.5 / 5

This is yet another of the books which has been sitting on my to be read list for ages. I read and loved (for the most part) the mortal instruments series so was looking forward to and dreading the infernal devices.

It sometimes seems to me that when an author writes a fantastic book or series they stick to the same formula and milk it for all it’s worth. This isn’t true of all authors but it has happened often enough to make me wary.

In this case I have to admit I’m undecided. The setting of Victorian London is very different from the contemporary New York of mortal instruments and the whole book has a very different feel to it despite the similarities. One of the things I love about Cassandra Clare is the way she describes people and places. She gives you a great feel for a place and creates just the right atmosphere without being overly descriptive. In this, London feels dark, miserable and mysterious throughout making everything seem very sinister.

For Tessa, newly arrived on the ship from America, London definitely seems that way. Following the recent death of her aunt she goes to find her brother (and only remaining family) Nathaniel. Arriving she is met at the port by the Dark Sisters who she is told have been sent by her brother to collect her but all is not as it seems.

At the same time shadowhunters Will and Jem are investigating a series of demon related deaths. In the course of the investigation their path crosses with Tessa’s and she is drawn into a world with vampires, demons, warlocks and other creatures.

I liked the start of this book a lot as it took you straight into the action and you got an instant feel for the main characters. Will, young shadowhunter, was impetuous, brash and generally a bit of a show off with poor Jem left to watch his back and be the voice of reason. Tessa, I liked for the most part. She obviously cares a lot about family and friends and will do almost anything for them. She is smart, courageous and while not strong she tries to fight and stands up for herself. Most importantly she loves books and there are a lot of references and quotes which being a lover of books I liked.

I felt there were a lot of similarities between the characters in this and those in mortal instruments. Will and Tessa in particular are very similar to Jace and Clary although I have to admit to me they seemed poor imitations. There are a few differences, with the main one for me being the lack of humour. Will is angrier and darker and Tessa distrusting and lonely. It was Jem who really drew me in and fascinated me. Mysterious, clearly ill and yet always calm and despite being the same age as the others much more mature and wise.

Overall for me however something fell a little short with this book. After the promising first few chapters I found myself losing concentration and having to re read pages. I think it was probably just a little longer than it needed to be. I also felt like the chemistry was missing from it. There was no spark between Will and Tessa. Finally I found it hard to take the monsters seriously. To me they seemed like something from an episode of Doctor Who, basically supposed to be scary but a bit naff and kind of funny.

I have to admit I’m not sure I’ll be rushing to read the rest of the series.

Book Review : The Princess Bride by William Goldman

June 24, 2015June 24, 2015 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

My rating: 5 out of 5

This book was sitting on my to be read list for what felt like ages. I have to admit I was scared to read it. Why? Because the film is one of my all time favourites. I’ve probably seen it about a hundred times and sad though it is I know every word off by heart. How could the book ever match up? It was to quote numerous characters “inconceivable”.

Happily it turns out I was wrong. The book is very similar to the film. The central story is essentially the same and tells the story of Buttercup, a rather silly but beautiful girl, and Wesley, the long suffering farm boy who loves her. It has all of the same elements including romance, sword fights, kidnapping, piracy and torture. At some parts the dialogue is word for word the same as in the film and I’m sad enough to know this having watched it innumerable times. I have to admit in reading the book I couldn’t help but imagine the same actors playing the parts.

There is a bit more of a back story in the novel for my favourite characters Fezzik (the gentle giant) and Inigo (the swordsman out to avenge his fathers murder by the six fingered man) which I thought was really good. In addition instead of the story being interspersed with Peter Faulk (who will forever be Columbo to me) reading the tale to his sick grandson, in this we get William Goldman’s supposed “abridgement notes”. These notes by the author are intended to give some of the background to the story and the original author. Some of these are quite funny and definitely add to the experience of reading the book but I have to admit I found some a little long winded and somewhat bizarre.

Despite some of my slight reservations over these parts I loved the book as a whole and I’m so glad I finally read it. I think this is probably one of these books that everyone should read and it definitely deserves a 5 star review.