Books, books, books
It seems that two people I know have been recently published. And I'm in one of the books!!!
The one I am in is called Without Trace, and is by Cyrus Ferguson, the father of my oldest schoolfriend. He spent many years as a private investigator, so it was inevitable that he would write a crime novel. It is set in 1960's Ormskirk and follows the investigation of a series of murders by DCI Sam Deakin - who is a bit reminiscent of Jack Frost in A touch of Frost. The plot is fast-paced, and I was very excited to see a character named after me, though I was a bit worried that I was going to be murdered. It was a relief to find that I was only being stalked by a peeping tom.
The second is They Fight Fires and Win by John Barry Lewis, and is a novel based on his experiences as a fireman in the Middle-East. I've not read it yet, but I've ordered it from bookdepository.co.uk - loads cheaper than amazon due to free postage, and no censoring of books (computer glitch, my arse!). I'll let you know what I think of it when I read it. Barry is my brother's FIL, and I'm assured that we'll all be in his second book, which is based on his time as an oil refinery Safety Manager in Libya.
I've ordered so many books recently - my to-read pile is teetering precariously. Encouraged by its mention in one of the exchange prompts, I am currently reading Ovid's Heroides, which is a very interesting look at the women left behind by all those Greek heroes as they completed their adventures. Written as letters to their departed loves, it is a sometimes heartwrenching tale of abandonment and despair. Lets just say that I like Paris, Hercules, Jason et al a lot less than I used to!
At the other end of the scale, I have also read a couple of fairly entertaining YA books. Justine Larbalestier's How to Ditch Your Fairy is based in a world where fairies are real, and each has their own personal fairy and corresponding talent. Which is a great thing to have, unless yours happens to be a parking fairy, in which case you are borrowed by anyone wanting to visit the city and get a great parking space. The book follows the main character's efforts to get rid of her fairy by first swapping with another girl at school, then, when that doesn't work out as she hoped, scaring it away. This was an enjoyable look at how the grass isn't always greener, and that the best talent in the world can be a nightmare to actually own. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You is set in a private school for talented girls in America. Only lessons include languages, gadgets and deadly poisons. Its hard to meet a boy when you can't tell him who you are, where you go to school, or that your parents are spies and you are being trained to follow in their footsteps. This was very enjoyable, and there is a sequel planned. A sort of Mallory Towers for the new milennium.
All that and some great offerings from the exchange too. I'm dreadfully behind in my reviewing, but I've read and enjoyed every single one of them.
The one I am in is called Without Trace, and is by Cyrus Ferguson, the father of my oldest schoolfriend. He spent many years as a private investigator, so it was inevitable that he would write a crime novel. It is set in 1960's Ormskirk and follows the investigation of a series of murders by DCI Sam Deakin - who is a bit reminiscent of Jack Frost in A touch of Frost. The plot is fast-paced, and I was very excited to see a character named after me, though I was a bit worried that I was going to be murdered. It was a relief to find that I was only being stalked by a peeping tom.
The second is They Fight Fires and Win by John Barry Lewis, and is a novel based on his experiences as a fireman in the Middle-East. I've not read it yet, but I've ordered it from bookdepository.co.uk - loads cheaper than amazon due to free postage, and no censoring of books (computer glitch, my arse!). I'll let you know what I think of it when I read it. Barry is my brother's FIL, and I'm assured that we'll all be in his second book, which is based on his time as an oil refinery Safety Manager in Libya.
I've ordered so many books recently - my to-read pile is teetering precariously. Encouraged by its mention in one of the exchange prompts, I am currently reading Ovid's Heroides, which is a very interesting look at the women left behind by all those Greek heroes as they completed their adventures. Written as letters to their departed loves, it is a sometimes heartwrenching tale of abandonment and despair. Lets just say that I like Paris, Hercules, Jason et al a lot less than I used to!
At the other end of the scale, I have also read a couple of fairly entertaining YA books. Justine Larbalestier's How to Ditch Your Fairy is based in a world where fairies are real, and each has their own personal fairy and corresponding talent. Which is a great thing to have, unless yours happens to be a parking fairy, in which case you are borrowed by anyone wanting to visit the city and get a great parking space. The book follows the main character's efforts to get rid of her fairy by first swapping with another girl at school, then, when that doesn't work out as she hoped, scaring it away. This was an enjoyable look at how the grass isn't always greener, and that the best talent in the world can be a nightmare to actually own. I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You is set in a private school for talented girls in America. Only lessons include languages, gadgets and deadly poisons. Its hard to meet a boy when you can't tell him who you are, where you go to school, or that your parents are spies and you are being trained to follow in their footsteps. This was very enjoyable, and there is a sequel planned. A sort of Mallory Towers for the new milennium.
All that and some great offerings from the exchange too. I'm dreadfully behind in my reviewing, but I've read and enjoyed every single one of them.