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Odd Hours

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by: Dean Koontz

July 01, 2008
A bit disappointed with this one. I've enjoyed all the other `Odd Thomas' books, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this one - it was just a bit flat.

I found it rather short and very single track. Nothing particularly supernatural - just a guy trying to stop a disaster while skipping over a lot of the details that I enjoy from an Odd Thomas book. Just from reading this one you can tell there is another one on the way explaining the significance of many items/people skipped over in this book. It felt like a prelude to a good story.

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Dark Fire (Matthew Shardlake 2)

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by: C.J. Sansom

May 18, 2007
In this Second novel Dark Fire, two stories have been entwined over a twelve day period; C. J Sansom has brought us forward three years to 1540, the hottest summer of the 16th century. Based in London where brutality of life is harsh, noisome, sweat, stench and greed is everywhere. Thomas Cromwell's position as chief of staff for King Henry VIII is filled with great uncertainty, for the King is preparing to dump yet another wife Anne of Cleves. Sansom has also questioned Hunchback London lawyer Matthew Shardlake views after his Dissolution experience, he is now less sure of his political position, religious convictions and more sceptical of others.

Shardlake had been trying to keep a low profile; business had not been great since he ... Read More:

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The Front

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by: Patricia Cornwell

May 15, 2008
I have been an avid fan of Patricia Cornwell since book 1 but of late I have been extremely disappointed and this book was no exception. It lacks everything that made her earlier books so gripping and I can't help but think that maybe this was written for the money. The plot is poor, the characters feeble and well, I did read it through to the end but only because I had paid good money for. I think that in future I will be giving her books a wide berth.

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The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Or the Murder at Road Hill House

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by: Kate Summerscale

April 07, 2008
If you are fascinated by the hypocrisy of the Victorians, you'll love this book. If you want to read a great murder mystery, you should probably search out a work of fiction instead.

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher has a wide charter: Tell the story of the murder of three-year-old Saville Kent in his English country home, describe the police investigations, relate the public reaction to the murder and investigations, detail what happened to the characters, help us understand our psychological need to read detective fiction, and provide new insight into the seeds of the crime.

Although the book claims to give us a fiction-like description of the murder and its investigation, Ms. Summerscale's writing isn't quite in the style: She's ... Read More:

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Cold Granite

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by: Stuart MacBride

January 16, 2006
One of Stuart McBride's more recent books caught my eye in a bookshop, but I decided to start at the beginning so I bought this, his first book.

It is an excellent book. Good storyline; complex enough (various children going missing, unidentified bodies being found), but there are enough subtle reminders to help you keep up. There are a few twists & turns as different strong suspects prove to be innocent; quite a good "whodunnit" element. I quite enjoyed the occasional humour.

Excellent characterisation. The main two characters in particular are very interesting, and I look forward to seeing them develop further in forthcoming books. There are plenty of supporting characters, making a very interesting cast, and plenty of scope to bring different ... Read More:

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The Stuff of Thought:: Language as a Window into Human Nature (Penguin Press Science)

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by: Steven Pinker

June 05, 2008
One of Stuart McBride's more recent books caught my eye in a bookshop, but I decided to start at the beginning so I bought this, his first book.

It is an excellent book. Good storyline; complex enough (various children going missing, unidentified bodies being found), but there are enough subtle reminders to help you keep up. There are a few twists & turns as different strong suspects prove to be innocent; quite a good "whodunnit" element. I quite enjoyed the occasional humour.

Excellent characterisation. The main two characters in particular are very interesting, and I look forward to seeing them develop further in forthcoming books. There are plenty of supporting characters, making a very interesting cast, and plenty of scope to bring different ... Read More:

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Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark)

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by: Kresley Cole

June 02, 2008
I enjoyed this book very much even if it is not as much action as the first ones in the serie. The characters are special: a demon, the first in the serie and a girl that is very far from the typical heroine. The ending was a bit abrupt, but the rest of the book was well developed and very much worth reading.

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The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld)

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by: Gena Showalter

2008-05
As soon as I started reading this story I loved it. Maddox and Ashlyn are great strong minded characters.

I will not bother going into the details as this has already been done but if you enjoy other Gena Showalter stories then you will like this one.

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Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People

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by: Jonathan Dimbleby

May 01, 2008
After quick first reading I have found how difficult it could be for a West foreigner to learn Russia without more or less good knowledge of Russian language. That is good lesson for Russian authorities if especially they want to attract investments more actively and thus to reopen the country, make it easier to be understood.

In many aspects, the book is full with illusions and stereotypes. The author as a representative of older generation tries to find answers for questions which have been relevant to this audience. This book heads into wrong direction. Worst of all, such the attitude is very close to position of official London.

For example, the author describes Mikhail Khodorkovsky as a man who "worked to create genuine multi-party democracy and strengthen civic institutions". ... Read More:

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Top 100 Baby Purees: 100 Quick and Easy Meals for a Healthy and Happy Baby

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by: Annabel Karmel

September 01, 2005
I really don't need yet one more unqualified would-be dietician telling me I need to keep cramming mush into my baby. Even UNICEF now reccomends we drop the facination with purees, so I'll quite happily stop giving Ms. Karmel my money to tell me how to puree the family meal.