The Angel Stone by Livi Michael

Author: Livi Michael
ISBN # 0141319323
Publisher: Puffin
First Published: 2006
380 pages
Rating: 7/10

The Blurb:
In every generation there are those who believe eternal life is the one way forward for humankind...Manchester, 1605 and Simeon is torn from his mother to sing at the cathedral school. In the here and now of modern Manchester, Kate's father has mysteriously vanished. Suddenly Simeon and Kate's lives are bound together by the power of the cathedral's Angel stone. One of them must make a terrible sacrifice. But who will it be - and at what cost to their future? And their past?

The Review:
Much as I love historical fiction, I have to admit, this was a little confusing in places, due to the switching between modern-day Manchester and the Manchester of 1605 – in fact, whenever the action switched to the present, my heart sank a little, along with my interest and attention, as it just didn’t hold up against the historical aspect which was far more intriguing. To be perfectly honest, this would probably read much better if the modern parts were left out (even if this would remove a plot point). The titular angel stone, although apparently playing a huge part in the plot, is barely mentioned throughout the book, which made me wonder the author had struggled to slot it into the story, having decided beforehand that this was to be a major part of the story. That said, the historical side of the story is wonderfully written and the characters have an olde worlde charm that compensates for the lack of it in the superfluous contemporary chapters.

The Abortionist’s Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde

Author: Elisabeth Hyde
ISBN # 0330443003
Publisher: Pan Books
First Published: 2006
285 pages
Rating: 7/10

The Blurb:
'The problem was Megan had just taken the second half of her ecstasy when her father called with the news'. Nineteen-year-old university student Megan Thompson is beautiful, cool, clever and sexy - the kind of girl that boys fall in love with. She's mostly steered clear of family life since the death of her younger brother. That is until the day she hears her mother, Diana, has been found floating face down in their swimming pool. Diana, as Director of the Center for Reproductive Choice, was a national figure who inspired passions and made enemies. Detective Huck Berlin is brought in to investigate the case when it becomes clear that Diana was murdered. Several people have quarrelled with Diana on that fateful day, not least Frank, her husband of twenty years, and her wayward child. Now, father and daughter are thrown together in an unexpected twist of family life. Set in a small town in Colorado, The Abortionist's Daughter is an utterly compelling novel of family secrets, dark passion and, ultimately, catharsis for those whose lives have become so strangely entwined.

The Review:
Despite the brusque title and dark subject matter, this has a surprisingly light tone and is easy to read – it’s one of those books that once you pick it up, it’s incredibly easy just to keep going till you get to the end and realise you’ve read the whole thing – not necessarily un-put-down-able, but certainly easy-to-pick-up-able. It’s essentially character driven, which is unusual for a novel about a murder, and focuses more on the effects the murder has on the people still living more than the murder itself. Looking at how people cope with loss and how they are effected both by the murder and the events leading to it is an unusual slant and this is engaging stuff that can pretty much holds it’s own against the likes of The Time Traveler’s Wife, developing a fresh, modern style that looks at the world from a different angle.

The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven

Author: Sam Enthoven
ISBN # 0385609655
Publisher: Doubleday
First Published: 2006
488 pages
Rating: 7/10

The Blurb:
Jack doesn't know what he's got himself into. One minute he and his best friend Charlie were up in Chinatown having crispy duck with Charlie's dad (and Jack was having to listen to Charlie shouting at his dad for leaving his mum) - then next minute they were in a mysterious room above a theatre, with some of the strangest characters they'd ever encountered. And they were about to take The Test... and something very, very weird was about to begin. The Test transformed Charlie - leaving him with the distinctive markings of the Black Tattoo - and with a temper that seemed out of control. The boys' meeting with Esme, a young girl with the most impressive martial arts skills this side of Bruce Lee, her huge and hairy father Raymond, and the mysterious Nick seemed to have swept Charlie and Jack into a world they had no idea existed. And it was only going to get stranger...This epic tale of good and evil, demons and hell, vomiting bats and huge battles marks the debut of an incredible new talent for children's books. Drawing on influences such as comic books, computer games and Eastern martial arts, The Black Tattoo is a book no self-respecting teenage boy will want to miss.

The Review:
Although I loved the dark, broodiness of The Black Tattoo, I can’t help feeling that Enthoven missed his mark slightly – it reads a little too boyishly and at times the tone feels forced and slightly patronising, but all the elements of a gothic journey into a demonic dimension make it worth while persevering. It’s perhaps a little too long – there are definitely places where I, personally, would have trimmed a bit – but it’s very imaginative and filled with very graphic description meant to appeal to the tastes of boys in their early teens. Anything that encourages kids of that age group is good in my books and you could do a lot worse than this – there are some very good ideas here and the level of excitement is kept pretty high throughout, the scale is grand and there’s enough teen angst involved that it will appeal to those who feel a little set-aside from the norm.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Author: Mary Shelley
ISBN # 0192834878
Publisher: Oxford University Press
First Published: 1818
239 pages
Rating: 7/10

The Blurb:
Obsessed by creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to fashion a new being, which he shocks into life by electricity. But his botched creature, rejected by Frankenstein and denied human companionship, sets out to destroy his maker and all that he holds dear. Mary Shelley's chilling gothic tale was conceived when she was only eighteen, living with her lover Percy Shelley near Byron's villa on Lake Geneva. It would become the world's most famous work of horror fiction, and remains a devastating exploration of the limits of human creativity.

The Review:
I once read an abridged version of this classic novel as a child (I think I was about eight years old) and I remember being absolutely absorbed by the story of a man so caught up in his own quest for knowledge that he crosses a line and descends into a life of pure horror. Picking up the full, unabridged version more than twenty years later for a reading circle was a little daunting – would I really enjoy it as much? Truth be told – no, I didn’t enjoy it even half as much as I remembered. I found the language flowery and the style stilted, but the story itself is still captivating and I can now appreciate all those nuances that were beyond me at that young age. It wasn’t what I was expecting and I was slightly disappointed, but I did still get some enjoyment from revisiting this gothic portrait of a man consumed by his own madness and the ultimate revenge of his own creation. If you’ve not read it, you really should, if only to be able to say you have, but also because there is something in it that is still relevant today in a world where the pros and cons of genetic research and cloning are debated on an almost-daily basis.

Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

Author: Eoin Colfer
ISBN # 0141382686
Publisher: Puffin
First Published: 2006
376 pages
Rating: 8/10

The Blurb:
Ten millennia ago, the fairy people were defeated in a great battle with mankind, forcing them to move underground. Only the 8th family of fairies remained undefeated: the demons. But now one demon has discovered the secrets of the fairy world, and if humans get hold of this information, the fairies are in big trouble. Only one person can prevent this disaster - teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl.

The Review:
Artemis Fowl has done a bit of growing up since he first kidnapped a fairy in order to gain possession of a fortune in fairy gold, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost any of his genius touch! The only trouble is he may have met his match – a girl! In this latest instalment, we see a different side of Artemis – he’s starting to take into account the fact that his actions will have consequences and this has an impact on the way he chooses to live his life. All the usual suspects are here, from Butler to Holly Short to Mulch Diggums to Foaly, along with a whole host of new ones that make this a light and fun read. One can only hope there’s more to come because I don’t think Artemis is done just yet!

Clash of the Sky Galleons (The Edge Chronicles / Quint Trilogy #3) by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Author: Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
ISBN # 0385607210
Publisher: Doubleday
First Published: 2006
426 pages
Rating: 8/10

The Blurb:
Quint is travelling with his father, Wind Jackal, on a mission to track down and bring to justice Turbot Smeal, the man who started the fire that killed their family. Having left behind his studies at the Knights Academy, Quint is now eager to learn what it really means to be a sky pirate and to learn from his father. But Wind Jackal is consumed by his desire to capture Smeal - and his judgement is flawed. His actions endanger the lives of his crew - and his son. As they travel from the taverns and backstreets of Undertown and the wonders of the shipbuilders' yards, to the dark dangers of the Deepwoods, where Quint and Maris become separated from the rest of the crew and encounter some terrifying creatures - and finally to the mysterious, ghostly sky-wreck in Open Sky, where they discover the truth about Smeal - and face a new terror...

The Review:
The conclusion to the Quint Trilogy has been a long time coming, and greatly anticipated, so it’s just as well that it lives up to expectations! This neatly ties together all the plot twists and revelations from the rest of the Chronicles, encompassing all three of the trilogies in a very satisfying way. This is the kind of high fantasy adventure to which every kid should be treated, even if just so the adults can get in on the action for themselves. A highly enjoyable romp that will delight kids of all ages, from six to sixty and beyond!

Vampire Beach: Initiation by Alex Duval

Author: Alex Duval
ISBN # 1862301972
Publisher: Red Fox Books
First Published: 2005
215 pages
Rating: 8/10

The Blurb:
Jason and his sister have moved to Malibu, and now live in a town full of very beautiful, very rich, very cool people - who just happen to be vampires. Jason is pretty obsessed with the sexiest girl in town, Sienna Devereux - and has little time to spend worrying about the rest of the vampires. But as Thanksgiving approaches, and Jason's Aunt Megan comes to stay, he realises that there's something weird going on in De Vere Heights. Could Megan be involves somehow? And, when his old friend Tyler turns up too, and starts to mess with the wrong people, Jason starts to understand that they're all playing with something much more dangerous than it first seemed...This is another brilliantly commercial and accessible read, with massive appeal.

The Review:
This sassy, sexy sequel is just as fast-paced, edgy and cool as the first book, Vampire Beach: Bloodlust – if the characters were any more hip, they’d be perpetually pelvic! Yet, there’s more of a human side shown in the vampires this time round – they might be the cool kids, but they have problems too, and it’s not necessarily the blood-drinkers that cause all the trouble. This is exactly the kind of brash, bold book that teens will love to get their teeth into (if you’ll pardon the pun).

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Author: Khaled Hosseini
ISBN # 1594480001
Publisher: Riverhead Books
First Published: 2003
371 pages
Rating: 9/10

(Olympic Challenge – Afghanistan)

The Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting toumament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him? for he always helps Amir? but this is 1970s Afghanistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although Amir still feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father's heart. But neither of the boys could foresee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.

The Review:
It’s rare to come across such a captivating book by pure chance, but that’s exactly what happened to me: I was approached by a woman at work whom I’d never previously set eyes upon – she had seen me constantly reading and wanted to lend me a book she thought I might enjoy.

She couldn’t have been more right!

I had heard of The Kite Runner before, but for some reason it had never appealed to me enough to actually pick up a copy for myself, however, when someone is kind enough to lend me a book, I feel obliged to at least give it a try, and this was no exception. Within a few pages, I found myself completely engrossed in a world totally alien to my own. Growing up in Afghanistan in the 70s (and even nowadays) is so unlike my own experiences of youth that I was fascinated. What unfolded was an epic story, a coming-of-age, and a quest for redemption that was completely unexpected.

The writing was sublime and I found myself transported directly into the heart of Kabul, identifying and sympathising with the people and transfixed by this heartrending story whish is, in parts, deeply disturbing and utterly real. I was moved to tears on several occasions.

It’s peppered with Afghan words, which helps draw the reader into the story, and on a personal note, I was struck by the similarities in language to Turkish (I spent a fair bit of time in Turkey a few years back and loved the people, the culture and the language), which again acted as a draw to me on another level.

If you haven’t yet read this book, please do. And if you’ve never tried a foreign author, Hosseini is a wonderful example of the abundant wealth of writers from different countries and will surely make the prospect of adventuring further with others an enticing and exciting one!

The School for Husbands by Wendy Holden

Author: Wendy Holden
ISBN # 0755325087
Publisher: Headline Review
First Published: 2006
314 pages
Rating: 7/10

The Blurb:
Sophie's marriage was perfect, but now it's all gone wrong. Mark works late; she's left with the baby, domestic drudgery, her own career to keep on the go and the growing feeling that Mark is having an affair. When he fails to come home one night it's the last straw. Sophie wants a divorce. But Mark doesn't. He hasn't been unfaithful, just thoughtless. Desperate not to lose his family, he signs up to the 'School for Husbands'; which transforms hopeless spouses into perfect marriage partners. But will its intensive and unusual tuition be enough to get him back with Sophie? Especially now an eligible millionaire is after her!

The Review:
I don’t usually go for books in the chick-lit genre, but sometimes it’s nice to find something that’s easy to read as well as entertaining, and if that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for, than you could do a lot worse than The School for Husbands. A lot of it is silly frippery, but it’s balanced by the author taking a look at the little things that can scupper a marriage, such as leaving the top of the toothpaste; leaving the loo seat up; forgetting birthdays and anniversaries; leaving dirty socks and ancient boxer shorts on the bathroom floor; the list is endless (I know we women do a million things that bug our hubbies too, but this book is looking at things from the point of view of the so-called fairer sex), and all too often, it’s a case of “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.

There are several moments which really are laugh-out-loud funny and there are plenty of chuckles in between to keep you going, as well as engaging, if exaggeratedly stereotypical, characters and a fun plot. If you’re looking to fill a few pleasant hours, you might like to pick this one up – if nothing else, it might help you appreciate your own “better half” and make you pick up on the little things that matter in reverse. Maybe we could all end up with better relationships to boot!

A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil by Christopher Brookmyre

Author: Christopher Brookmyre
ISBN # 0316730106
Publisher: Little, Brown
First Published: 2006
344 pages
Rating: 8

Blurb:
We could tell you about the bodies. We could tell you their names, where they were found, the state they were in. We could tell you about the suspects too, the evidence, the investigators; join a few dots, even throw you a motive. But what would be the point? You're going to make your own assumptions anyway. After all, you know these people, don't you? You went to school with them. We all did. Granted, that was twenty years ago, but how much does anybody really change? Exactly. So if you really knew them then, you'll already have all the answers. If you really knew them then… Put on your uniform and line up in an orderly fashion for the funniest and most accurate trip back to the classroom you are likely to read, as well as a murder mystery like nothing that has gone before it. Forget the forensics: only once you've been through school with this painfully believable cast of characters will you be equipped to work out what really happened decades later. Even then, you'll probably guess wrong and be made to stand in the corner.

Review:
How well do we know our friends? Now think back - how well do we know the people we knew twenty years ago when we were kids? We spend a good twelve years of our lives spending every day, Monday to Friday, with the same people, yet does that mean anything at all when the chips are down? Do the opinions we form of people in the school playground have any bearing at all on the adults we become?

Brookmyre is, in my opinion (and it’s one that’s seemingly shared by quite a few folks), one of Britain’s greatest living satirists and his latest novel adds to this opinion in bucket-loads! Out of the darkest mind has come a gem of nostalgia that will tickle the funny bone of the most humourless soul; a murder mystery that has it’s roots firmly entrenched in the past, and a grim look at how we remember the people we thought we knew so well. There’s something in the kids that will strike a chord with every reader – everyone had a bampot Robbie, a smelly Ellie, a bitchy Jo-Jo, a smart-a*se Scot and a clever-clogs Martin – but what happens when they grow up? Do we all manage to throw off the persona we adopted in adolescence and become better people? Do we really learn from our past mistakes?

This is a must for any Brookmyre fan and if you’ve never read any of his novels before, this one is a stand-alone that will introduce you to his pitch-black style and leave you begging for more.

Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett

Author: Terry Pratchett
ISBN # 0385609841
Publisher: Doubleday
First Published: 2006
399 pages
Rating: 7

Blurb:
Tiffany Aching is a trainee witch - now working for the seriously scary Miss Treason. But when Tiffany witnesses the Dark Dance - the crossover from summer to winter - she does what none has ever done before and leaps into the dance, into the oldest story there ever is, and draws the attention of the Wintersmith himself...As Tiffany-shaped snowflakes hammer down on the land, can Tiffany deal with the consequences of her actions? Even with the help of Granny Weatherwax and the Nac Mac Feegle - the fightin', thievin' pictsies who are prepared to lay down their lives for their 'big wee hag' ...

Review:
This is the third Tiffany Aching novel and it’s every bit as enchanting as the previous offerings. Pratchett’s Discworld is superbly realised and his younger fans will be delighted with Wintersmith. The Nac Mac Feegles are the ultimate in comic relief as well as being fantasy’s most unlikely heroes (think Glaswegian Smurfs – honestly, it’s better than it sounds!), and Tiffany, still struggling to come to terms with her being different to other girls her age (even the other trainee witches) and having great responsibility heaped on her young shoulders. Still, standing up and taking responsibility for your own actions is a lesson well-worth being learned and Pratchett manages to do this without sounding at all preachy or condescending.

There’s everything we have come to expect from Pratchett; clever, witty humour, excellent writing and superb story-telling, all in the most lush worlds ever to spring from a fertile imagination. If you’ve already read The Wee Free Men and Hat Full of Sky, do NOT miss this one. And if you’ve not already read them, why not? Go on, go and pick up a copy right now and get caught up! Tsk, there’s no telling some people!

Girl with a One-Track Mind by Abby Lee

Author: Abby Lee
ISBN # 0091912407
Publisher: Ebury Press
First Published: 2006
310 pages
Rating: 8

Blurb:
'They say men think about sex every eight seconds - I want to know what they think about for the other seven...' Abby Lee is smart, sassy, and perpetually single. Frustrated with her mediocre love-life, she's now looking for the kind of sex she's always wanted. This is the intimate diary of her extraordinary journey. Never one to turn down an opportunity - even if it does include the use of a whip, the thrill of the outdoors, or the involvement of a third party - Abby enthusiastically romps her way through a series of one-night stands, casual flings, and same-sex shags. But as she revels in her sexual quest, Abby meets Blog Boy and begins to wonder: will she ever be able to give up the bed-hopping and finally settle down?

Review:
Many people write blogs secretly wishing to have their talent “spotted” and end up with a lucrative book deal, but most don’t ever really expect it to happen to them; however, that’s precisely how this book came about. Abby Lee realised there was a lack of representation among bloggers of women who enjoy sex and aren’t afraid to talk about it. And not just sex, either, but having lots of sex, of thinking about it all the time, of having kinky thoughts, of being experimentative and not being made to feel like a freak about it.

It’s refreshing to read something so open and easy to read, especially written by someone who’s ballsy enough to be completely explicit when it comes to saying out loud what many women think and feel, but keep hidden away for fear of being labelled “slut” (or worse!).

This completely frank diary has caused a bit of a stir and the anonymity of the author was not left intact by the time the tabloids were done (she maintains the anonymity was more about protecting her future relationships and her home life than being ashamed of anything she’s said or done), but it remains a fascinating read that you will whiz through and be finished before you realise it!

And it’ll probably have many readers thinking up a few fresh ideas for the bedroom too!