My first set of book reviews
I signed up to the 50 Book Challenge in January and I have bee reading fairly well so far this year, but I have yet to post a review... so here goes everything so far!
I'm not terribly proud of my reading material so far this year... but I do have a few books coming along soon that will up my quality of read-material! Honest!
7 / 50
(14.0%)
Book reviews
1) Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
I like Stephen King as a writer. I like his style (as distinct from his plots) and I like the way he talks about writing. (His book ‘On Writing’ is a must for would be writers).
But I wasn’t over the moon about Dolores Claiborne.
Quick summary: it’s a woman somewhere on an island community off New England confessing all about her past and her family life when she is pulled in on suspicion of murder.
It’s not hack and slash horror, but it’s a more overall picture of how life can be horrible. But it is one long soliloquy from our Dolores, which I didn’t really like. But it did evoke emotional reactions in me to the characters, so that’s a plus.
It is well written but I found it a bit dull. I’ve read better Kings.
2) Slawter by Darren Shan
This is the third in the Demonata series by Shan. (I read the first two before Christmas). This time he brings characters Dervish, Grubs and co to the set of the making of a horror movie and the demons are back! But are the demons real or are they film props? And I have lingering questions about a certain character that I hope will be answered when we see him again.
It’s essentially a book for teenage boys ☺ but if you like a good old tale, some excitement and scares this is a fun, non-taxing book. (You’d have to have read the first two). I enjoyed it for what it was.
3) The Perfect Egg by Also Buzzi
Hmm…. I bought this tiny book because a) I love all things Italian, b) I love to cook and c) I love to read. What could be better than a mix of all three, right? Wrong ☹ This is a little book of basically anecdotes, each one involving a recipe in some way. (They sound delicious by the way, haven’t tried any yet but I want the lime soup!).
The problem is this is a translation from Italian and I get the impression it would be more poetic in the original language. Still, a cute little book ☺
4) Bec by Darren Shan
Honestly - I am not a horror nut! Looking at this first set of books for the year you would think… Anyway this is book four in the Demonata series. This time it follows character Bec as she tries to help Druid Drust to save the world from demons.
It’s not as good as the first three books, in my opinion, bit depressing and I didn’t like the end very much. But it does shed some light on the origins of stuff I read in the first three books so it slots nicely into the series and I’m sure it will be essential reading if a fifth book is published.
5) Slow Decay by Andrew Lane
This is a Torchwood book; spin off to the tv series. Only makes sense if you are a fan, and then it is disappointing. Lots of things I was unhappy about in it, but then I am a fangirl and it’s the same as not liking things in a movie adaptation of your favourite book.
Harmless and a fix to keep me going for a little while with no TW on the telly. The writer didn’t know the show (how could he, the book must have been written before it aired or soon into the run) and he took some things from his briefing and overplayed them (like Jack standing on tall buildings all the flippin’ time!)
It’s ok. No more than that.
6) Border Princes by Dan Abnett
Another Torchwood book. No the first one didn’t inspire me, I juts ordered them all together so I have them now!
This was surprisingly better. The writer is better and his dialogue is pretty good and on character. It’s also funny in places which is cool.
The plot didn’t make a lot of sense to me until close to the end, I don’t think it was supposed to, but when it did it all fell into place. So yes, I liked this one despite myself. Not a read again but ok for what it was.
I'm not terribly proud of my reading material so far this year... but I do have a few books coming along soon that will up my quality of read-material! Honest!
7 / 50
(14.0%)
Book reviews
1) Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
I like Stephen King as a writer. I like his style (as distinct from his plots) and I like the way he talks about writing. (His book ‘On Writing’ is a must for would be writers).
But I wasn’t over the moon about Dolores Claiborne.
Quick summary: it’s a woman somewhere on an island community off New England confessing all about her past and her family life when she is pulled in on suspicion of murder.
It’s not hack and slash horror, but it’s a more overall picture of how life can be horrible. But it is one long soliloquy from our Dolores, which I didn’t really like. But it did evoke emotional reactions in me to the characters, so that’s a plus.
It is well written but I found it a bit dull. I’ve read better Kings.
2) Slawter by Darren Shan
This is the third in the Demonata series by Shan. (I read the first two before Christmas). This time he brings characters Dervish, Grubs and co to the set of the making of a horror movie and the demons are back! But are the demons real or are they film props? And I have lingering questions about a certain character that I hope will be answered when we see him again.
It’s essentially a book for teenage boys ☺ but if you like a good old tale, some excitement and scares this is a fun, non-taxing book. (You’d have to have read the first two). I enjoyed it for what it was.
3) The Perfect Egg by Also Buzzi
Hmm…. I bought this tiny book because a) I love all things Italian, b) I love to cook and c) I love to read. What could be better than a mix of all three, right? Wrong ☹ This is a little book of basically anecdotes, each one involving a recipe in some way. (They sound delicious by the way, haven’t tried any yet but I want the lime soup!).
The problem is this is a translation from Italian and I get the impression it would be more poetic in the original language. Still, a cute little book ☺
4) Bec by Darren Shan
Honestly - I am not a horror nut! Looking at this first set of books for the year you would think… Anyway this is book four in the Demonata series. This time it follows character Bec as she tries to help Druid Drust to save the world from demons.
It’s not as good as the first three books, in my opinion, bit depressing and I didn’t like the end very much. But it does shed some light on the origins of stuff I read in the first three books so it slots nicely into the series and I’m sure it will be essential reading if a fifth book is published.
5) Slow Decay by Andrew Lane
This is a Torchwood book; spin off to the tv series. Only makes sense if you are a fan, and then it is disappointing. Lots of things I was unhappy about in it, but then I am a fangirl and it’s the same as not liking things in a movie adaptation of your favourite book.
Harmless and a fix to keep me going for a little while with no TW on the telly. The writer didn’t know the show (how could he, the book must have been written before it aired or soon into the run) and he took some things from his briefing and overplayed them (like Jack standing on tall buildings all the flippin’ time!)
It’s ok. No more than that.
6) Border Princes by Dan Abnett
Another Torchwood book. No the first one didn’t inspire me, I juts ordered them all together so I have them now!
This was surprisingly better. The writer is better and his dialogue is pretty good and on character. It’s also funny in places which is cool.
The plot didn’t make a lot of sense to me until close to the end, I don’t think it was supposed to, but when it did it all fell into place. So yes, I liked this one despite myself. Not a read again but ok for what it was.