Simon
I think I enjoyed this more than Shadow Of The Wind, probably because of its darker edge. I love a bit of ambiguity but I did feel there was so much going on, particularly at the end, that I felt I missed something and so much was left un-answered. I mean who or what was AC? Is David now a vampire or other creature? Where did the child at the end come from? Saying all that, reading this book was a pleasure, heavy on atmosphere and fluffy of word. Will definitely read the next one where I expect all the questions left in this book to be answered... but I bet they won't be.
Utterly, utterly, utterly off the scale bonkers. In Marco we have one of the dumbest characters in the history of twisty thriller fiction. I know you have to suspend your disbelief when you read this sort of stuff, but seriously?? Saying that I had great fun reading it and I feel a bit mean with the 3 but that last chapter was just too much, even though I knew it was coming. Time for a biscuit..... A fake bourbon I think.
A world ravaged by a virus
A coash crash
A stranded cable car
A group of survivors at a remote research station
It's so very very cold.
It's all linked, but what's the link. Who? Where? or................ WHEN?
5 out of 5 for sheer entertainment and originality. Hope there's a sequel, it definitely feels like there could be one.
Without a doubt, this book has some incredibly uplifting and emotionally charged moments in it. BUT, it was also one of the most irritating reading experiences I've had in a long time. No quotation marks? Pffffft!!! Mrs Wolstenholme would not be pleased. Also, the visions about the Olympics and the World Cup? Utterly bonkers. Equal amounts of...... amazing, beautiful, weird, horrible.
I really enjoyed this. Obvious comparisons with Dan Simmons' The Terror; A ship full of men, all beards and hands and chunky jumpers, freezing environment, disaster, unimaginable suffering, paranoia, madness, hallucinations etc etc.
The only grumble, and it's a slight one. I Wasn't really sure what to make of Johnathan, I didn't particularly like them, thought the relationship with Harry was strange and was confused by their reaction to Tarlington and Nicholls. Can't decide if the author missed an opportunity to do something amazing or if they were spot on with the character. Ponderings.......... the sign of good book. Will definitely read more from this author.
The incredible story of Lale Sokolov, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Unfortunately I don't think the author does it justice. I just feels like a superficial skimming of the story with hardly any emotion, any sense of the terror and the hardships they must have suffered. Like I said, the story is incredible and it needs to be known but I think it could have been told better.
I was going to give this 3 stars but the final 2 chapters are brilliant and nudged it up to a four.
In our neighbourhood, the problem wasn't the person who made the mistake; it was the person who acknowledged the truth
Small town Minnesota 1977 and it's a summer that will change the lives of Heather, Brenda and Maureen forever. This is a story about secrets and trust. Who do you trust? Your friends or the grownups who are meant to protect you?
This is as good as any thriller I've read this year. The author perfectly capturing that period of flux between childhood and adulthood where everything behind you is safe and familiar, and everything ahead of you is unknown, exciting and slightly terrifying.
Absolutely loved this paranormal crime mystery thriller romance novel about love, loss, loneliness and home made chocolates. Home made chocolates, something I had completely forgotten about until I read this book. Mrs Gresley, my Nans neighbour used to make them and they always smelt of flowers and were generally unpleasant but you had to pretend to like them because being nice and all that was important, even though they tasted like devils anus. My favourite theory about what happened to the men was that they all fell in love with each other and ran off to live in one of those lovely little chalets they have at Fitties campsite in Cleethorpes, it wasn't that though. Do read this book because it's very good.
This is an incredible story of courage and survival and I'd really love to know which parts of the story were true and which parts the author added in for dramatic purposes. I did eye roll a couple of times at the stuff that happens because it really is just so incredible, almost too incredible and I think this spoilt it for me a little.
“Folks like to talk about revenge like it's a righteous thing but it's just hate in a nicer suit”
WOW!! Just incredible. Whatever I try and say won't do this book justice so I won't even try. Blacktop Wasteland was amazing but this blows it out of the water.
One of the most satisfying horror books I've read in ages. Best read with the headphones on listening to sounds of a blizzard. Definitely reading more of this author.
I don't really know what I was expecting, probably something a bit more highbrow with some deep hidden meanings. This is just a better than average dystopian novel with a pretty lame ending, in fact I hated the ending. The New Wilderness refers to a vast area of untamed land, untouched by humans, but they put 20 humans in there to see if they can live without harming the environment. I hated pretty much ALL the characters, especially Carl who basically wants to repopulate the world with little Carls, but the relationship between mother and daughter is really interesting and watching that develop was the best thing about the book. Like I said, hated the ending, nearly lopped a star off but it is Christmas.
Parish priest, single mum, chain smoker, exorcist.... Satanists are planning something really evil in Hereford and, with the help of her daughter Jane, shy folk singer Lol and grumpy Yorkshireman and head exorcist Huw, its up to newly appointed deliverance (exorcist) minister Merrily Watkins to stop them. Slow placed and complex with some brilliant characters. Don't be put off by the very average tv adaptation, they only used about a 3rd of the book and although Anna Maxwell Martin was a really good pick for Merrily, for me Merrily will always be Nicola Walker.
Just boring. The promise of an evil midget failed to bring any excitement. The story with the body in the boot is just ridiculous
Absolutely loved this. Can't recommend it highly enough, especially people who love folky wicker man style tales of ritualistic sacrifice. It was made into a mini series with Bette Davis in 1978. Anyone seen that?
Posh people, drugs, art and sex in bushes all taking place during the madness of Thatcher's Britain.
I thought I would bring in 2024 with a grim tale about the end of the word, humanity reduced to it's basest level, a nightmare world, everything dead, no hope. 2 figures, father and son moving slowly across the desolate landscape, in search of something, in search of good guys, in search of,............... Guy Pearce.
Dark, funny and beautifully weird. Full of sharp observations and eye opening revelations. Brilliantly crafted, possibly a bit slow to start but once it gets going.... Would be unfair to say anything else, because not knowing is everything.