Notes of Life

Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Doubleday
ISBN: 978-0-857-53164-3

Are you a Lauren Kate fan awaiting the final book in the Fallen series? If so, you’re in for a treat!

On 2nd February Doubleday release Fallen In Love in the UK, a book featuring four new love stories featuring the Fallen characters. Just perfect for this upcoming Valentine’s Day.

Everyone has their own love story and Fallen In Love gives us The Valentine of Shelby and Miles, The Valentine of Roland, The Valentine of Arriane and, finally, The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda. The four love stories intertwine during a romantic Valentine’s Day in Medieval England to make, essentially, one story.

Fallen In Love is basically book 3.5 of the Fallen series. It happens during the same time-frame  as Passion (book 3), starting when Shelby and Miles land in Medieval England having arrived via an Announcer. Each of the stories is told from a different perspective and so we get to know some of the characters a bit better than we did in the novels of the series.

While Fallen In Love gives us more understanding and insight into the Fallen characters, I wouldn’t say it’s a necessary addition to the series, but it is a welcome one. I think it’s more of a bonus book and one I’m very grateful for! In fact, when I met Lauren Kate at the Passion book launch last year I’d asked her if she’d ever considered writing a book of short stories to go along side the series. Lauren had said that it was a good idea. It turned out that she was being cagey, for the very next day the publishers announced that Fallen In Love would be released this February!

At the end of Fallen In Love, fans are also treated to an exclusive first look at Rapture, the final Fallen book, due for release this summer. I was lucky enough to hear the lovely Lauren Kate read from this at the Passion book launch last year.

Fallen In Love is a must for any Lauren Kate fan!

P.S. – There is also a FALLEN BOOKS app to bring the cover to life, but I can’t yet find it on the Android Marketplace, only on the App Store for iPhones and iPads.

You can read my reviews of the books from the Fallen series via the links below:
1. Fallen
2. Torment
3. Passion

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Belinda Bauer
Publisher: Bantam Press
ISBN: 9780593066904

Shipcott is once again at the centre of some disturbing events. Children are disappearing from vehicles on Exmoor and being replaced with an accusing note.

Thirteen year old Jess is sat in her father’s horsebox when she’s dragged from the vehicle and taken. Left in her place is a note – “You don’t love her.” She might be the first, but she won’t be the last.

Policeman Jonas Holly is still recovering from a personal tragedy, but it’s time for him to get back on his feet. Is he ready? Does he stand a chance of catching the kidnapper? Can he be trusted?

Finders Keepers is the third of Belinda Bauers’ series of thriller novels set on Exmoor. A host of characters return just a short time on from the previous book, Darkside. As an avid reader of Bauer’s books, I’ve really got a feel for the location and it’s residents. Belinda Bauer certainly captures the bleak atmosphere of Exmoor. However, while the books don’t seem to be advertised as a series, I’d definitely advise reading Blacklands and Darkside before reading Finders Keepers. They will give the background for you to fully appreciate the characters and their stories.

While this book is indeed a thriller, it isn’t generally fast-paced, though it does get more pacey towards the end. Finders Keepers is still a page-turner though. It’s edgy, chilling and creepy, and there’s a few places where it tears at your heartstrings.

Of course, there’s a few twists and turns along the way… I certainly pinned my suspicion on the wrong person before the reveal!

So, if you’re after a disturbing, thriller of a mystery then Finders Keepers is for you. Just be sure to read Blacklands and Darkside first!

Finders Keepers by Belinda Bauer is out now! Order your copy now.

This is the 3rd book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge 2012.

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Please note: I received this book free from Transworld Publishers in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Matt Haig
Publisher: The Bodley Head
ISBN: 978-0-370-33206-2

When To Be A Cat arrived from the publishers I knew it would be one I’d enjoy. I love cats and always thought they had pretty easy lives… You know, sleeping all day, curling up in front of roasting fire, being waited on by their human slaves and plenty of loving. But how wrong was I?!

How wrong was Barney?

Twelve year old Barney Willow has had enough. His parents have divorced and his Dad has gone missing. He’s weedy and has ears that stick out. He’s being bullied by the horrible Gavin Needle and has the headteacher from hell. Mrs Whipmire seems to be determined to make Barney’s life a complete misery.

To be a cat would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? Only when Barney wakes up and discovers he’s turned into a cat, life is about to get a whole lot worse!

I thoroughly enjoyed To Be A Cat. It’s exciting and imaginative read for kids around ages 10-13 years old.. To Be A Cat has a nice blend of thrill and humour, and it certainly makes you think of cats in a whole new light! (I shall be keeping a closer eye on my two from now on!).

I love the way the author, Matt Haig, talks the reader through the book. A real storyteller! Despite some of the serious issues in the book, Matt Haig still manages to make it a fun and light-hearted read. This book is magical… Children’s minds are far more imaginative than those of adults, yet there are a few wonderful authors, such as Matt, who can still tap into their magical child-like imagination.

I loved the different characters of the animals, especially of Guster, Barney’s King Charles Spaniel. Guster has quite a personality, thinking of himself as quite regal, talking of his noble breed and of his ancestors who lived in the royal court of King Charles the Second. Guster seems to have clean forgotten that he came from the rescue centre!

Most children will be able to relate to Barney Willow, especially those who have been picked on or bullied at some point or other and I’m sure all of us, at some point during our lives, can say we’ve wished to be someone  or somewhere else. To Be A Cat is a lesson telling us that it isn’t always greener on the other side.

I’d definitely recommend To Be A Cat yo young readers and even cat-loving older readers!

P.S. – Be careful what you wish for!

To Be A Cat is due for release in the UK on 2nd February 2011. Pre-order your copy now!

This is the 2nd book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge 2012.

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Charlie Price
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-0-552-56336-9

In the scorching heat of the open desert, Angel is on her own and on the run. On the run from her mother’s latest boyfriend, the abusive, violent and ruthless Scotty. He’s killed her mother, leaving her body in a shallow desert grave. Now he’s after Angel and he’s not going to stop until he finds her.

There’s barely anywhere to hide in the desert, but Angel must hide if she has any chance of getting away from Scotty. He’s waiting… Watching… And he will hunt her down.

Desert Angel takes the reader straight to the action and onto a gripping cat and mouse journey through the desert, not knowing what will happen next. With it’s twists and turns, Desert Angel certainly has the reader sat on the edge of the seat.

Angel is a teenage girl at her wits end. She’s been through what no girl should ever go through and she has nothing to lose except her life. She’s fragile, both physically and mentally, but she’s not going down without a fight.

It’s not just about Angel’s fight to get away from the murderous Scotty. This is also a powerful story about humanity, about people and compassion and courage.

Considering Desert Angel is a young adult thriller, it’s pretty tense and scary. Even with the main character Angel as a teenager, I’d certainly recommend giving this a read no matter how old you are. It might be a short read at less than 250 pages, but it certainly packs a punch. It’s a quick read that just doesn’t let up, with it’s fast and thrilling pace.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Desert Angel and would recommend it to anyone who is after an exciting but tense read!

Desert Angel is released in the UK on 2nd February 2012. Pre-order your copy now!

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Ian Marchant
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-1-84737-634-3

What do you get up to when the night falls?

Something of the Night is a semi-autobiographical book by Ian Marchant, exploring Britain’s night time activities. Each chapter investigates something different, whether it’s bonfires and fireworks, life at motorway service stations, drunken nights out, Soho’s ladies of the night and other goings-on under the cover of darkness.

Just a short step into the book I realised the author lives just over the hills from me, though, admittedly, “just over the hills” is still nearly an hour’s journey away due to our lovely country lanes and roads. Put it this way, when you live in a county where there’s more sheep than people, “local” covers quite an area!

Still, it was great to see names of local places popping up every now and then as this area generally just doesn’t exist (although ex-MP Lemsip, sorry… Opik Lembit put us on the map a few years ago). Even local news has to be quite big to nudge past the North & South Wales news on the local bulletins.

Something of the Night isn’t just about what Mr Marchant gets up to when it gets dark, he also provides us with some history, facts and figures along the way too. His drunken friend Neil also comes along for the journey through Something of the Night, even though he thinks Marchant’s previous book was called ‘The Longest Mile’ (It’s ‘The Longest Crawl’ – a book about a massive pub crawl!). We also get quite an insight into Ian Marchant’s musical tastes (somewhat before my time though, I must admit!).

If you’re after an easy read with some history and some laughs along the way, then I’d recommend giving Something of the Night a go. It’s an enjoyable read.

Buy Something of the Night by Ian Marchant.

This is the 1st book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge 2012.

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Please note: I received this book free from Simon & Schuster in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.