Booklover Book Reviews

Zen Queen Synopsis

Jess Harper’s personal life is a mess. She hasn’t had a haircut since 2006 and she doesn’t have time to find better friends than the self-centred associates she’s had since University.

And instead of searching for love, she’s settled for ‘friends with benefits’ status with one of her buddies. Yet none of that matters, because professionally she’s living the dream, and has just scored a highly coveted assignment in Japan with the promise of a promotion on her return. But when she arrives in Japan, instead of the smooth integration she anticipated, Jess finds herself wrongfully fired, abandoned and broke in a country where she doesn’t speak the language.

Now she must rebuild her life and clear her name. But the friendly locals and allure of the ex-pat lifestyle soon have her reconsidering her priorities and challenging her views on climbing the corporate ladder. With a new job as an English teacher and the temptation of her cute (but already attached) roommate, Jess discovers that although life doesn’t always turn out as planned, maybe that’s not such a bad thing. (Amazon)

BOOK REVIEW

I’ll admit, it was the super cute cover art that sold this local author’s review request for me. Although Kirsty McManus’ debut novel is titled Zen Queen, do not for one minute expect her leading lady to have things under control… Oh no, she is a hapless single who stretches your average run of bad luck to extraordinary levels to comic effect.

In Zen Queen Kirsty McManus delivers an escapistic romantic comedy without pretense.

While I did not wholeheartedly identify with protagonist Jess Harper, she’s quite unlike me actually, there were enough character traits in both her and the ensemble cast that resonated sufficiently to hold my interest. In particular I think it was the leading lady’s unbridled sarcasm, and at times, an almost slapstick comedic element that I found oddly compelling. After somewhat of a slow start, the story builds well to a satisfying conclusion. There are characters to love, characters to hate, wild goose chases and karma aplenty.

Just like its leading lady Jess Harper, Zen Queen does not take itself too seriously – it is chick lit pure and simple. If what you are lucky for is some light-hearted entertainment on the back of some good natured culture clash humour, Zen Queen could be the novel for you.

BOOK RATING: The Story 3.5 / 5 ; The Writing 3 / 5

BOOK DETAILS: Zen Queen (Amazon); Zen Queen (B&N)

Genre: Chick Lit, Drama, Romance, Humour

Author Information: Kirsty McManus was born in Sydney, Australia and moved to Queensland when she was 14. When she was 25, she lived in Japan for a year with her partner Kesh and worked as an English teacher. This was the inspiration behind her novel Zen Queen. She also spent a year in Canada and then settled back down on the Sunshine Coast in 2008. She now writes part time while designing websites and looking after her young son.

- See Kirsty McManus personal blog and the website dedicated to the novel Zen Queen

* My receiving this ebook for free from the author did not impact my ability to express my honest opinions having read the novel.

Showdowns, Shootouts and Rivalries Synopsis

Showdowns, Shootouts and Rivalries! Cool illustrations and amazing facts about some of the worlds greatest duels and confrontations. From David and Goliath to Blackbeard the Pirate, this title includes 13 illustrations from new and established illustrators from all around the world. (Amazon)

BOOK REVIEW

I am not normally one for graphic novels but I do appreciate the effort that goes into creating illustrations. Showdowns, Shootouts and Rivalries uses various different styles of imagery, from cartoons, black and white line drawings through to modern computer graphics with 3D depth to support the different historical ‘lesson or moral’ featured on each page.

Tales featured include the story of David and Goliath (one of my personal favourites), Medusa, Beowulf, Julius Ceasor, Way of the Samurai, Blackbeard, Sherlock Holmes and Bonnie and Clyde.

Each page also includes a “Did you know?” factoid at the bottom which was a great touch.

Ned Kelly’s pursuits and last words ‘such is life’ are described in an objective way, much to my relief. While I enjoy the stirring nature  of the song ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as much as the next person and I do appreciate the Australian love of an underdog and rebel, I have always wondered why we have come to celebrate someone who in his life killed so many people?

A lovely collection of illustrations by some talented artists and an interesting premise for the compilation.

BOOK RATING: The Story 3 / 5 ; The Writing 3 / 5

BOOK DETAILS:  Showdowns, Shootouts and Rivalries (Amazon)

Genre: Action-Adventure, Historical

* My receiving this ebook for free from We Make e-Books did not impact my ability to express my honest opinions having read the title.

The Truth About These Strange Times Synopsis

Saul Dawson-Smith can memorise the sequence of a shuffled deck of cards in under a minute; he can recite pi to a thousand decimal places and he remembers every conversation he’s ever had. He is 10 years old. Howard McNamee is 28: lonely, overweight and poorly-educated. He lives in the north of England, far from the scene of his difficult Glasgow childhood, in the home he shared with his mother before she died. Struggling to pay his rent with a succession of menial jobs, Howard comes home each day and talks to the late Mrs McNamee, as he sits in front of the wardrobe that still contains her clothes. Through a series of unexpected events, these two solitary people find themselves forming an unlikely friendship, as Howard is taken under the wing of Saul’s parents, thrust into a life in London (where he makes new friends, tries to navigate a bewildering new city, and accidentally acquires a Russian internet fiancee) and Saul prepares himself for the World Memory Championships – the event he has been training for his whole life.

But as the pressure mounts on the little boy, and his well-meaning but single-minded parents grow increasingly less able to see beyond their own ambitions for their son, Howard realises he must act to save his small friend from a life of soul-destroying competitions and unbearable expectation. The decision he reaches turns all of their lives upside-down. (Audible)

BOOK REVIEW

I am left with very mixed feelings about this book. The title ‘The Truth About These Strange Times‘ and the synopsis sounded like just the right mix of quirky and offbeat subject matter to pique my interest. I ask myself however, why is it that on multiple occasions while listening to this audio book did I consider not continuing? Note this is extremely unlike me – if I start something, I finish it.

It was not because of the narration. Colin Moody’s reading of this novel was absolutely first rate, and probably what kept me listening until the end. His character differentiation and timing seemed effortless. I will be seeking out more narration by Colin Moody on this basis.

It was not because of Adam Foulds prose. He developed his characters quite well and created some evocative moments.

The only thing I can cite as the reason I did not feel a compelling connection with The Truth About These Strange Times, is the fact that Adam Foulds’ protagonist just downright annoyed me at times.

If Howard had had to describe Husain he would have got stuck on the fact that he bore a weird but compelling resemblance to Howard’s waist-high fridge. The likeness was so strong that Howard had tried on one night of too many lonely beers, to draw Husain’s face on its door with a felt-tip. Husain’s face however turned out to be hard to draw, being just a plain brown rectangle with heavy eyebrows as the only distinguishing characteristics. Howard’s drawing bore no resemblance to the man and although he had tried to rub it off immediately, there was still a greasy blue ink stain on Howard’s fridge which he somewhow held Husain responsible for, adding to his dislike.

Although it was presumably Foulds’ intention that the audience feel sympathy for the hapless character, Howard McNamee was just that little bit too ignorant for my tastes. There were also a few dark moments that I found unsettling.

I think I understand what Adam Foulds was trying to achieve in his debut novel The Truth About These Strange Times but I think he just did not pull it off (contrary to the opinion of literary award judges). His most recent novel, The Quickening Maze has received favourable reviews and was shortlisted for the 2009 Man Booker Prize, so I will be giving Foulds’ work another chance in the future.

BOOK RATING: The Story 2.5 / 5 ; The Writing 3.5 / 5

BOOK DETAILS:  The Truth About These Strange Times (Audible); The Truth About These Strange Times (Amazon); The Truth About These Strange Times (TheNile – Australia)

Genre: Drama, Humour, Action-Adventure, Mystery, Audio

Author Information: Born 1974, Adam Foulds is a British novelist and poet. In 2008 he won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award.

Other reviews of The Truth About These Strange Times : Mary MacKillop Library;  Watershed Online

Other titles by Adam Foulds: The Quickening Maze

No One  To Hear You Scream Synopsis

In upstate New York, Brett and Pamela Jameson find the house of their dreams on twenty acres of land. Bucolic and serene, it is the answer to all of their prayers. But their dream soon turns into a nightmare when violent ex-gang member Rory Madden, the property’s former owner returns, and will stop at nothing to reclaim the home he lost to foreclosure. Rory unearths the secrets hidden within the Jameson family, and begins to leverage his knowledge to slowly drive wedges between them. When their seventeen year-old daughter Justine falls prey to Rory’s advances, she becomes a co-conspirator, setting about a series of increasingly treacherous events that could forever tear the Jameson family apart. A terrifying odyssey into the dark side of the American dream, No One to Hear You Scream captures the fear of the modern middle-class, the alienation of those left out, and the heart-stopping terror at the realization that it can all be taken away in an instant. (Amazon)

BOOK REVIEW

At it’s heart Julia Madeleine’s No One To Hear You Scream is an exploration of how life experiences shape us and influence the decisions we make many years into the future.

No One To Hear You Scream is a thriller for those not fazed by violence – both of the body and the mind.

In this tale Madeleine has brought together several characters with a range of dark pasts and traumatic experiences, and therefore predisposed to trust and intimacy issues.

Between the clouds, a half full moon suspended in the darjening sky followed him, illuminating his path, watching him as he wandered down the side of the highway. Its presence was comforting, as a cold wind tore at his jacket. He walked, entangled in the gloom of his soul from so long ago, screaming inside of him. Shaped from the fire that burnt him to ashes, his spirit unfolded as a great bird, yearning calling him forth, all the whole knowing there was no escape from the wasteland of his heart.

Although Madeleine fleshed out her central characters well, I personally found it hard to identify with or have empathy for any. And while feeling empathy for characters is not always necessary, in this case it would have enhanced my enjoyment and engagement in this thriller.

Madeleine draws upon many societal issues such as the treatment of mental illness, adultery and even the costs of palliative care to build this thriller to its climatic end. Although I was pleasantly surprised at the complexity of the central characters, I found No One To Hear You Scream a little slow to develop. The pace and action does however pick up dramatically in the last third of the novel and the climax was a strong and fitting ending.

BOOK RATING: The Story 3 /5 ; The Writing 3 /5

BOOK DETAILS: No One To Hear You Scream (Amazon – Kindle); No One To Hear You Scream (B&N – epub)

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Mystery

Author Information: Home for Julia Madeleine is Mississauga, where she lives with her husband and teenage daughter. For a year she lived in the country on a 30-acre property in the middle of nowhere, which became the inspiration for No One To Hear You Scream. When not writing or sticking needles into people (she’s a tattoo artist), Julia enjoys cooking, sewing, yoga, meditation, health and fitness and gardening. Julia is obsessed with true crime shows and researching ways to kill people which makes her husband nervous.

- Check out Julia Madeleine’s website

- Watch the evocative book trailer for No One To Hear You Scream

Other Reviews of No One To Hear You Scream : Elizabeth White ; I Meant To Read That ; Lynnette’s Book World ; Cafe of Dreams

Other titles by Julia Madeleine: Fear The Night, Raised in Hell, Scarlet Rose

* I received a copy of this novel from the author for review purposes. My receiving this book for free in no way affected my ability to express my honest opinions about it.

Flash and Bones Synopsis

Just as 200,000 fans are pouring into town for Race Week, a body is found in a barrel of asphalt next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The next day, a NASCAR crew member comes to Temperance Brennan’s office at the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner to share a devastating story. Twelve years earlier, Wayne Gamble’s sister, Cindi, then a high school senior and aspiring racer, disappeared along with her boyfriend, Cale Lovette. Lovette kept company with a group of right-wing extremists known as the Patriot Posse. Could the body be Cindi’s? Or Cale’s?

At the time of their disappearance, the FBI joined the investigation, only to terminate it weeks later. Was there a cover-up? As Tempe juggles multiple theories, the discovery of a strange, deadly substance in the barrel alongside the body throws everything into question. Then an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes missing during Race Week. Tempe can’t overlook the coincidence. Was this man using his lab chemicals for murder? Or is the explanation even more sinister? What other secrets lurk behind the festive veneer of Race Week? (TheNile – Australia)

BOOK REVIEW

I am a huge fan of the Bones TV series inspired by the Kathy Reichs Temperence Brennan series. So I thought the audio book version of the 14th novel in the series, would be a fun listen.

In Flash and Bones Kathy Reichs has good old Tempe Brennan doing her usual thing, sticking her forensic nose in where it is not wanted in the pursuit of the truth.

Narrator Linda Emond provides clear characterisation and a dry delivery that suites Tempe to a tee. The mystery is intriguing and complex and true to her previous form Reichs is not afraid to keep the momentum going by killing off a character or two along the way.

Although a solid crime thriller, I did not enjoy Flash and Bones as much as the previous Kathy Reichs novel I read, Cross Bones. Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s on-again-off-again love interest is one of my favourite characters and he does not play a large part in this storyline. Also Tempe recounted the details of the investigation just one too many times for my liking and was a little slow to put the pieces together for someone so bright.

Flash and Bones is an enjoyable light listen for fans of Tempe Brennan, but for those not already acquainted with Kathy Reichs, I recommend starting with one of her earlier novels.

BOOK RATING: The Story 3 /5 ; The Writing 3.5 /5

BOOK DETAILS: Flash and Bones (Audible); Flash and Bones (Amazon); Flash and Bones (Kobobooks – epub); Flash and Bones (TheNile – Australia)

Genre: Action-Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Crime-Detective, Audio

Author Information: For all the information you ever needed to know about author Kathy Reichs, check out her official website.

Other Reviews of Flash and Bones: CSI Librarian ; Book Him Danno! ; Murder by Type

Some other titles by Kathy Reichs: 206 Bones , Devil Bones , Bones to Ashes , Break No Bones , Mortal Remains , Cross Bones

Some other audio titles narrated by Linda Emond: The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman ; Brida by Paulo Coelho ; The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

The Arranger Synopsis

The year is 2023 and ex-detective Lara Evans is working as a freelance paramedic in a bleak new world. She responds to an emergency call and is nearly killed when a shooter flees the home. Inside she finds the federal employment commissioner wounded, but she’s able to save his life. The next day Lara leaves for the Gauntlet—a national competition of intense physical and mental challenges with high stakes for her home state. She spots the assailant lurking at the arena and soon after, she lands in deep trouble. Who is the mysterious killer and what is motivating him? Can Lara stop him, stay alive, and win the Gauntlet? (Amazon)

BOOK REVIEW

In The Arranger L J Sellers has created some intriguing characters and set them on a compelling collision course.

The protagonist and hero Lara Evans – an underdog haunted by her past with appealing strength and spirit.

Lara loved these moments – rushing to a scene, no knowing what chaos she would encounter. In some ways, it was better than being a police officer because she kept on the move and did a lot less paperwork. She missed the authority of the badge though. She’d liked having people pay attention and feel nervous when she approached. It beat the hell out of her current personal life: a forty-two-year-old woman with no partner, no children, no power.

Her deeply disturbed nemesis – someone marginalised by society taking matters into their own hands.

The Arranger is a futuristic thriller that taps into today’s trending topics and societal concerns to great effect.

Current issues such as government funding cuts, police injustice, unemployment, and advancements in mobile communication devices have manifested themselves to disturbing but oh so plausible effects in the world of The Arranger.

Sellers’ prose is very easy to read, if somewhat direct and spare at times. I found the physical and mental challenge element of ‘The Gauntlet’ and the broader concept of a competition where employment is the prize, very interesting ideas.

The Arranger is an easily digestible thriller that certainly provides food for thought.

BOOK RATING: The Story 3.5 /5 ; The Writing 3 / 5

BOOK DETAILS: The Arranger (Amazon); The Arranger (Kobobooks – epub)

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi-Fantasy, Romance, Thriller

Author Information: Check out L J Sellers’s website for more information about her back catalogue, The Detective Wade Jackson Suspense Series and her blog ‘Write First, Clean Later’. Read her post on how the standalone novel The Arranger came about.

- Read L J Seller’s interview with The Big Thrill

- Did you know that Seller’s Detective Jackson Series is on Amazon’s Kindle’s bestselling police procedural list?

Other Reviews of The Arranger: An American Editor; The Dirty Lowdown; Romanceaholic

Some other novels by L J Sellers: The Sex Club, Dying for Justice, Passions of the Dead, Thrilled to Death, Secrets to Die For

* I was provided a copy of this novel from the author for review purposes. My receiving this book for free in no way affected my ability to express my honest opinions about it.

Crack Down Synopsis

There was only one reason Manchester-based private eye Kate Brannigan was prepared to let her boyfriend help out with the investigation into a car sales fraud – nothing bad could happen. But by now Kate should know that with Richard you have to expect the unexpected. With the unexpected being Richard behind bars, Kate seems to be the obvious choice to look after his eight-year-old son – who proves even more troublesome than his father. Kate finds herself dragged into a world of drug traffickers, child pornographers, fraudsters and violent gangland enforcers… bringing her face to face with death in the most terrifying investigation of her career. (Kobobooks)

BOOK REVIEW

Okay, so this particular storyline did not exactly blow me away, but Crack Down is the next novel after Kick Back (a novel I enjoyed immensely) in Val McDermid’s Kate Brannigan PI series.

There are fast-paced action sequences, including illegal entry and car chases, and Kate finds herself and those she cares about in dangerous situations. But the real draw card for me was not the storyline this time.

For a bit of light entertainment, I just really like the main protagonist and narrator Kate Brannigan. She has had her share of bad experiences and cannot help be jaded by them, but she has an admirable resilience and is prepared to get her hands dirty to get justice for those who deserve it. She is smart and street-wise. She has acquaintances who dance on the thin grey line of right and wrong that she can and does call upon to help her when she’s in a bind.

Val McDermid’s Kate Brannigan is appealingly forthright and in Crack Down her sarcasm hits the right note with me.

Clive and I have never been buddies, probably because I can’t bring myself to be anything more than professionally polite to social climbers. So when the Edmund Hillary of the Cheshire set accosted me so joyously, I knew at once we were in the realms of hidden agendas. I smiled politely, shook his hand, counted my fingers and said, ‘Nice to see you too, Clive.’

This novel is by no means a world beater but I will certainly continue reading this enjoyable Kate Brannigan series – perfect for a quick and easy read on those days when my ‘jaded meter’ is peaking!

BOOK RATING: The Story 3 / 5 ; The Writing 3.5 / 5

BOOK DETAILS: Crack Down (Amazon);  Crack Down (Kobobooks – epub);  Crack Down (The Nile – Australia)

Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime-Detective

Author Information: Check out Val McDermid’s official website.

Some other novels by Val McDermid: Star Struck ; The Grave Tattoo ; Fever of the Bone ; The Retribution

Book Synopsis

This is the nineteenth novel in Sue Grafton’s ever popular “alphabet” series featuring PI Kinsey Millhone.

Just after Independence Day in July 1953 Violet Sullivan, a local good time girl living in Serena Station Southern California, drives off in her brand new Chevy and is never seen again. Left behind is her young daughter, Daisy, and Violet’s impetuous husband, Foley, who had been persuaded to buy his errant wife the car only days before …

Now, thirty-five years later, Daisy wants closure. Reluctant to open such an old cold case Kinsey Millhone agrees to spend five days investigating, believing at first that Violet simply moved on to pastures new. But very soon it becomes clear that a lot of people shared a past with Violet, a past that some are still desperate to keep hidden. And in a town as close-knit as Serena there aren’t many places to hide when things turn vicious…

Book Review

This is the second novel by Sue Grafton that I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed B is for Burglar  over a year ago and was looking forward to reading another Kinsey Millhone mystery.

Unfortunately S is for Silence didn’t quite live up to expectations for me. The murder mystery story itself was quite good, with a reasonably complex plot with clues gradually unveiled through flashbacks from multiple characters viewpoints. For me however, the element I most enjoyed in B is for Burglar, the personal touch of PI Kinsey Millhone, was somehow lacking this time round. Rather than being a central figure, she seemed to play a lesser role in this novel. Of course she ultimately solves the mystery, but she just didn’t seem to be the controlling force. Protagonist Kinsey, generally likeable because of her no-nonsense, independent attitude, was just a bit too distant in this novel for my taste.

Note, I probably went in with too high expectations for this novel and perhaps made an error jumping from Letter B straight to Letter S in this alphabet series. As a stand-alone novel, the story told is an interesting mystery and is definitely a nice easy read.

Perhaps Grafton and Millhone were experiencing a rough patch in their long-term relationship at S ? Or perhaps my reading tastes have changed?

BOOK RATING: The Story 3 / 5 ; The Writing 3 / 5

BOOK DETAILS: S is for Silence (Amazon).

I purchased a good quality used copy for a bargain price from BetterWorldBooks.com .

Genre: Mystery, Crime-Detective, Thriller

About the Author:  Sue Grafton’s website is packed full of great information for the Kinsey Millhone fan.

Other Reviews of S is for Silence: The Independent ; Jandy’s Reading Room ; Blue Rectangle