The Kingmaker's Daughter (Cousin's War #4)

The Kingmaker’s Daughter (Cousin’s War #4)

Phillippa Gregory

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

 At the court of Edward IV and his beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, Anne grows from a delightful child brought up in intimacy and friendship with the family of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, to become ever more fearful and desperate when her father makes war on his former friends. Her will is tested when she is left widowed and fatherless, with her mother in sanctuary and her sister married to the enemy. Fortune’s wheel turns again when Richard rescues Anne from her sister’s house, with danger still following Anne, even as she eventually ascends to the throne as queen. Having lost those closest to her, she must protect herself and her precious only child, Prince Edward, from a court full of royal rivals

Having recently watched the BBC adaptation of the Cousin War books, it really encouraged me to pick up this book. Focusing on Warwick ‘the Kingmaker’s youngest daughter, Anne, we follow Anne through her life as she grows up close to the crown and is dragged into her father’s manipulations and plots to control those on the throne. She grew up in the House of York but her first marriage is to the heir of the House of Lancaster which means she is front and centre of some of the most intriguing political and actual battles of the ‘Cousin’s War’.

Anne is young and naive at first but she learns from those around her especially the different way the women around behave from her mother’s self-preservation to Margret of Anjou determination to fight for her son’s throne and even her sisters fear of Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen. This was a period of time when women were used for their family connections and bloodlines, yet managed to carve out their own roles behind the scenes. The events Anne lives through are tense and exciting which make for a fun read especially her possible involvement with the princes in the tower. Anne maybe overlooked in history in favour of the men in her life – her father, the kingmaker, her first husband, Edward, Prince of Wales and her second husband the infamous Richard III but she makes a lively and engaging narrator with her very different view point on events from Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen and Margaret Beaufort, the Red Queen.

That period of history was largely unknown to me previously with most history lessons focusing on the Tudors, but I’ve loved learning more about the era immediately prior to the infamous Henry VIII. There are some great mysteries from this era with whispers of witchcraft, and sibling rivalry over the throne pushed to extremes. I really enjoyed this story which felt fresh and enticing as a summer’s breeze on a warm day.

Recommended for fans of Alison Weir and Anne O’Brien. 8 out of 10  

A Night On The Orient Express Review

A Night On The Orient Express

Veronica Henry 

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group

 The Orient Express. Luxury. Mystery. Romance. For one group of passengers settling in to their seats and taking their first sips of champagne, the journey from London to Venice is more than the trip of a lifetime. A mysterious errand; a promise made to a dying friend; an unexpected proposal; a secret reaching back a lifetime...As the train sweeps on, revelations, confessions and assignations unfold against the most romantic and infamous setting in the world.

My overwhelming thought when I finished this book was that I need to go on the Orient Express. An overnight journey from London to Venice via Paris in all the luxury and decadence that this famous train journey continues to offer sounds wonderfully sumptuous and plush. If nothing else this book is a wonderful travel brochure for the journey with the surroundings, the history and food on offer. I really hope Veronica Henry gets a percentage of future holidays booked after people read this!

The story itself actually follows several characters on the same train journey – a modern family with two late teens rebellious children with big secrets, a strict father and nervous new step-mother, an art dealer who is heading to Venice to pick up a birthday present from her grandmother, but struggling to decide between an unsuitable romance and a new job offer, an aging photographer and his muse making their annual trip to Venice, but he has a surprise in store for this year and finally a young couple on a blind date but each with a  broken heart. While they are all on the same train, their stories don’t overlap much, if at all so at times it feels like a collection of short stories. Especially as there are flashbacks to the Grandmothers past and how she ended up on a similar journey years ago.

However, I will confess this story had me in tears before the first 50 pages were over due to a character’s early demise – and it is an emotional story. I had initially picked it up thinking it was a light read – a little chick-lit but the setting of the Orient Express and Venice is just rich background for big emotional upheavals in many characters life’s at different points. By the end they have all made big choices and while we are left unaware of how these choices will affect each person, there is some satisfaction in knowing things do change.   

While the beginning and middle was stronger for me, this is a wonderful holiday read with a pleasing balance between romance, family relations and the impact the past can have on the future. Like a champagne breakfast, this should be savoured and enjoyed until the last crumb.

Recommended for fans of Erica James and Kate Mosse. 8 out of 10

I've Got Your Number Review

I’ve Got Your Number

Sophie Kinsella

Publisher: Black Swan

I've lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!! :)

A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls at a charity do and Poppy's life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but in the panic that followed, she's lost her phone too. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number with the hotel staff. It was meant to be! Except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn't agree. He wants his phone back, and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, phone messages and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents, can things get any more tangled?

The sun is shining, I’m in short sleeves and I really don’t feel like reading a dark story about the end of the world or creatures who only come out at night, so what do I reach for...? Sophie Kinsella for some bright light reading, with plenty of humour, fun characters and some unique situations. On every level this book delivers warmth, entertainment and some sweet relationships.

Poppy is in the final weeks before her wedding and while she feels a little intimidated by her fiancés family she is looking forward to the big day. However, losing her engagement ring – a family inheritance and her phone on the same day is not what she had planned. Then she finds a phone in a bin and becomes involved in owners life. From the opening conversation between Poppy and Sam on the found phone there is a real chemistry and connection between them – after all how likely are you to stop a Japanese businessman leave a hotel by singing his name in the style of Beyonce for a stranger?

I loved that the phone complete with emails and texts is the main connection between them – these days a lot of friendships and romance rely heavily on this type of communication and so many modern romances overlook this everyday method of communicating. Poppy’s relationships with her soon to be in-laws, her work friends and now with Sam are all believable – and if some of the situations lean heavily towards extreme they still amuse. There were several occasions when I laughed out loud (receiving some bemused looks on the train!) and I was urging Poppy on throughout. Occasionally in Chick-Lit I find the main heroine a little wet or annoyingly stupid but Poppy was actually quite capable and emotionally confused. She was someone you wanted to do well.

This is the perfect summer read – easy, fun and with a fabulous leading lady and a commanding guy. This helped me pass a couple of days journey to work quickly and with much amusement!

Recommended for fans of Jenny Colgan and Jane Green. 8.5 out of 10 

Early Review: The Bone Season

The Bone Season

Samantha Shannon

Publisher: Bloomsbury - Released 20th August 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley & Bloomsbury

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing. But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army. Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

Set in the near future, but in a world which diverged from ours two hundred years ago, The Bone Season has its work cut out introducing us to a world and society very different from what we know. However Samantha Shannon succeeds brilliantly by introducing us, not only to one new world, but to many via a multi-layered complex society with secrets and prejudices. The world building is strong and could withstand an earthquake! Scion hold cities in their grip, terrified of those among the population who can read minds, communicate with ghosts and use the dead as weapons. Paige is one of these voyants, working for a criminal mime-lord in central London when she is captured by the Scion and sent to the former city of Oxford where she discovers that there is more to voyants and Scions hatred of them than she ever knew.

Paige is a great heroine – tenacious, determined but smart and slightly on the defensive side as she has had to hide what she is all her life, even from family. She resolves to escape Oxford however she can but there are multiple threads around her with many people working on their own agendas – who can she trust? Other voyants are self serving and her Keeper, Warden is distant and unsympathic.

I admit I was a little wary when I first started The Bone Season as I thought it was going to be like multiple other YA stories with simple characters and a straight forward right verses wrong story. I was so happy to be proved wrong! The characters are all three dimensional with their own prejudices. The Rephiam, far from being slightly different types of human are unique, with their motivations mysterious. They feel different and like Paige, you are never sure what they are up to or what they want. Paige’s reaction and relationships are well explored and you do feel that she is a good person in an impossible situation. However, I have to admit that the timing of the story felt a little off to me – I felt that only a couple of weeks had passed for Paige wince she was captured but it turned out to be months.Manybe I was just reading too fast! J

My real joy in reading The Bone Season was the complexity of the plot which varied and twisted back on itself. There is some truly horrific violence. While the story started here is complete with a satisfying conclusion there are plenty of questions and mysteries still outstanding not least is how Paige has changed after her experiences. I will be looking forward to seeing how the rest of this wider arc plays out!

Recommended for fans of Deborah Harkness and Isobelle Carmody. 8 out of 10

Mr Lynch's Holiday Review

Mr Lynch’s Holiday

Catherine O’Flynn

Publisher: Viking

Welcome to Lomaverde - a new Spanish utopia for those seeking their place in the sun. Now a ghost town where feral cats outnumber the handful of anxious residents. A place of empty pools, long afternoons and unrelenting sunshine. Here, widowed Midlands bus driver Dermot Lynch turns up one bright morning. He's come to visit his son Eammon and his girlfriend, Laura. Except Eammon never opened Dermot's letter announcing his trip. Just like he can't quite get out of bed, or fix anything, or admit Laura has left him.Though neither father nor son knows quite what to make of the other, Lomaverde's Brits - Roger and Cheryl, Becca and Iain - see in Dermot a shot of fresh blood. Someone to enliven their goat-hunting trips, their paranoid speculations, the endless barbecuing and bickering. As Dermot and Eammon gradually reveal to one another the truth about why each left home, both get drawn further into the bizarre rituals of ex-pat life, where they uncover a shocking secret at the community's heart.

Eamonn Lynch is stuck in Spain, in a village that was never completed due to financial difficulties and the global recession. He’s lost his job and his wife has just left him when his father Dermot visits unexpectedly. There are many differences between Eamonn and his father – not just generational, but aspirational as well. Eamonn works with computers, an area than befuddles his father, a retired bus driver. Dermot arrived in the UK from Ireland and considers himself Irish while Eamonn thinks of himself as English. Dermot can’t understand his son’s inability to do little jobs round the house. For the two weeks Dermot and Eamonn struggle to reconnect as father and son and as two people with very different lives.

This is a very different read from my normal fantasy and paranormal stories. It just covers the two weeks of Dermot’s holiday, his first visit abroad and the extraordinary people who have also been left behind in this incomplete village. There are some amusing characters that will bring a wry smile or two, but this is less a comedy novel than a view into the difficulties and expectations of moving abroad, of your own children, of your parents and of the changes life throws at you. Does a change of scenery improve your life? Because no matter where you go, you’re there.

I read this in a day and found the writing involving. The scene of this deserted ex-pat new community is quite haunting and stays with you. However, I found the ambling pace a little slow for my tastes and the soul searching a little tiring. I enjoyed the book but I didn’t feel excited by it. This is a good contemporary story asking questions and exploring how life doesn’t always meet expectations.

Recommended for fans of Emily Barr and Jojo Moyles. 7 out of 10

Love In Revolution Review

Love In Revolution

B.R. Collins

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Esteya is fifteen. As war rumbles closer, Esteya's brother - an important figure in the Revolutionary Communist Party - is able to protect their family from the worst of the privations of war. Then Esteya meets an extraordinary girl, Skizi, an outcast, shunned by all. But Esteya and Skizi are drawn to each other. Slowly and wonderfully love blossoms ... And then Esteya's family are betrayed and forcibly taken away. Skizi disappears. Esteya is left deserted, heartbroken and in terrible danger. But she must find a way to escape - and to find Skizi

Many YA books concentrate on first love by our leading lady – usually with a few obstacles thrown in such as the guy of their choice is a ‘bad boy’ from the wrong side of tracks (or occasionally a vampire or werewolf). Love In Revolution follows the same type of route only Esteya, our heroine falls for Skizi, a gypsy girl. What I loved most about this story is that while Esteya has fallen for a girl, the issue dividing them is mostly the class difference between them rather than any gender issues. Set against a background of the Russian Revolution class is an extraordinarily divisive issue – especially when the haves and have-nots are still there post-Revolution – just some of the names change.

I remember studying the Russian Revolution(s)  in history and this book is incredibly well researched and reflected of what did happen at that time. However, all events are seen through Esteya’s eyes where her focus is always on her life and her feelings (as most teens are!) so it also feels incredibly personal and perhaps a little naive at times. She thinks about Skizi in a purely selfish way, but through lack of wider awareness of the world rather than an mean spiritedness.  

The writing is evocative and almost musical in prose making reading Love In Revolution a pure pleasure. It was a quick read – I was finished in a day but it really made a refreshing change from any other book I’ve read recently - a palate cleansing glass of cold water on a hot day.

Recommended for fans of John Green and Ruta Sepetys. 8.5 out of 10

Early Review: Lawless and the Devil of Euston Square

Lawless and the Devil of Euston Square

William Sutton

Publisher: Exhibit A - To be Released on 30th July 2013

E-Arc Courtesy of Netgalley and Angry Robot

London 1859-62. A time of great exhibitions, foreign conquests and underground trains. But the era of Victorian marvels is also the time of the Great Stink. With cholera and depravity never far from the headlines, it’s not only the sewers that smell bad.
Novice detective, Campbell Lawless, stumbles onto the trail of Berwick Skelton, an elusive revolutionary, seemingly determined to bring London to its knees through a series of devilish acts of terrorism. But cast into a lethal, intoxicating world of music hall hoofers, industrial sabotage and royal scandal, will Lawless survive long enough to capture this underworld nemesis, before he unleashes his final vengeance on a society he wants wiped from the face of the Earth?

Imagine living in a time when technology changes almost daily and what seemed wonderous quickly becomes mundane, a time when politicians only look after themselves and their cronies leaving the ordinary people to fend for themselves. Okay, so some things haven’t changed much but when communication with others depending on actually seeing them or passing notes through urchins – no mobile phones, no landlines, no internet, no computers, no forensics but your own eyes and experience and then mix this early Victorian world with a crime that seems bafflingly complex and pointless. Where someone steals the inside of a clock workings, causes flooding in buildings across London, and breaks into houses only to leave a bone and take little of true value. This is the world that Lawless, a new sergeant at Scotland Yard finds himself in.

The story actually takes place over three years as little incidents build up to become one truly complicated case. I have to admit I was never less than intrigued by what was going on and what the purpose of it was. The world building effortlessly mixes real events like the Great Stink and the opening of the London Underground with new characters and historical to create a compelling world. Unfortunately the pacing was very slow – the long timeline while realistic seemed to rob the story of any urgency. It never really felt like there was a major threat to the city or individuals – someone who has that level of patience and ingenuity should really have ‘got over it’ after that amount of time.

Lawless is an interesting character – young and being inducted into the ways of Scotland by a well respected Inspector, but he discovers that even the watchers sometimes need watching. The librarian he starts to work with is a fantastic character – learned and book smart, she determines to help Lawless whether he wants her help or not. Adding to the character lists is an entrepreneur who is all confidence and little substance, Urchins trying to make a living on the streets, professional ‘Actresses’ and the workers’ rights movement.

The book has loads of potential and would look great in one of those Sunday evening dramas, but the slow pace meant it took me longer than normal to read and numbed my enjoyment a little. However, I would relish another visit to Lawless to see what he gets up to next!

Recommended for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Lynn Shepherd. 7 out of 10 

Nowhere Review

Nowhere

Jon Robinson 

Publisher: Puffin

 'No one's coming for us.No t our families, not the police. No one.'

Alyn, Jes, Ryan and Elsa are Nowhere.A concrete cube in the middle of a dense forest.
Imprisoned inside are one hundred teenagers from all over the country.
They're all criminals. But none of them remember committing any crimes.
Who has put them there. What do their captors want?
And how will they ever break free...?

Set in the near future, this is about a country that is slower dissolving into one of those dystopian worlds we keep reading about. But for these teenagers it is just their world. They find themselves arrested and taken to a prison somewhere having been found guilty of crimes they don’t remember committing. This is an intrigue premise and while the adult clearly know what they are doing, the teens – and us – are kept in dark. Unsure about who is right and who is wrong and why they are hidden away from the world and forced to admit to their crimes. There are a lot of different characters with most of the focus on the children but occasional flashes of the Prime Minister and how he agreed to set up this prison. 

I loved the way some of the teens become institionalized and believe what the adult tell them, while cling desperately to what they know as the truth and plot escape and some telling on others to the guards in exchange for an easy life. The depiction of the inside of a prison feels very real and increases the tension with the kids being their own enemies at times. There is plenty of action with some frantic escapes attempted, while the differences in the teens characters show are pleasing to see. 

The writing is competent and engaging. The brisk pace means you will not stop reading until the end where there are some shocking events that will make you gasp and cry out. This is definitely not a book to read if you hate cliffhangers as this is a doozy! I can hardly wait to see what happens next and really hope that some answers are given to us. I have to admit to being a little bored of YA stories but this one really pulls you and manages to challenge as well as entertain. I certainly feel like I’m ready to read some more YA books now!

Recommended for fans of Veronica Rossi and Richelle Mead. 9 out of 10

Mistress of the Sea Review

Mistress of the Seas

Jenny Barden

Publisher: Ebury

Mistress Cooksley may be a wealthy merchant's daughter, but she blushes at my words and meets my eyes look for look. Yet I cannot hope to court her without fortune, and a dalliance with a pretty maid will not hinder me from my path. Captain Drake's endeavour might bring me gold, but I, Will Doonan, will have my revenge. 
The Spaniards captured my brother and have likely tortured and killed him. For God and St George, we'll strike at the dogs and see justice done. I thought I'd left Mistress Cooksley behind to gamble everything and follow Drake, and here she is playing the boy at the ends of the world. She's a fool with a heart as brave as any man's. Yet her presence here could be the ruin of us all...

Ellyn Cooksley is fed up of everyone expecting her to choose between two very boring and dull suitors and get married. Especially when the only man who makes her heart flutter is the frustrating Will Doonan, who has just signed up with Sir Francis Drake to find Spanish gold in the New World. So she sneaks aboard Drake’s ship dressed as a boy, not expecting to find herself so far from all she knows amongst pirates, escaped slaves, and the Spanish...

It’s a pleasure to find a historical fiction novel set in Tudor times that doesn’t focus on royalty and the English court. Not that the court hi-jinks aren’t fascinating but variety is the spice of life! Ellyn is the daughter of a merchant trader so has a slight advantage in that she has options in who she can marry but the limits of class at the time still means she can’t follow her heart. So instead she follows her father to sea and finds herself in the Spanish Caribbean.

I have mixed thoughts about this story...I liked Ellyn as a leading lady – she had quick wit and an independence that was unusual in that day and age. However, after a spirited start she spends a lot of time waiting for Will to come and rescue her. Will I had plenty of issues with as he never really put Ellyn first – he was not much of a hero to her really. It’s difficult to fully enjoy a historical romance if you don’t like one of the leading characters.

The story of Drake’s adventures in the Caribbean is fascinating and I really liked the battles and adventures they have - in fact I wish a lot more time had been spent on that rather descriptions of Ellyn’s days on various islands. There was a lot of waiting especially as the story takes place over three years and that slowed down the pace. However, the atmosphere and historical detail is vibrant and exhilarating and I would interesting in the next book Jenny Barden writes!

Recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory and Anne O’Brien. 7 out of 10

The String Diaries Review

The String Diaries

Stephen Lloyd-Jones 

Publisher: Headline

 A jumble of entries, written in different hands, different languages, and different times. They tell of a rumour. A shadow. A killer. 

The only interest that Oxford Professor Charles Meredith has in the diaries is as a record of Hungarian folklore ... until he comes face to face with a myth.

For Hannah Wilde, the diaries are a survival guide that taught her the three rules she lives by: verify everyone, trust no one, and if in any doubt, run. But Hannah knows that if her daughter is ever going to be safe, she will have to stop running and face the terror that has hunted her family for five generations. And nothing in the diaries can prepare her for that...

If you like your beach reads packed full of family mysteries, historical anomalies and some tense “can I trust you?” scenarios then, The String Dairies should be packed in your suitcase for this summer. As well as a fascinating multi-generational mystery where horror and death have stalked one family, there is some sweet romance which will make your heart flutter as well as much thought about the strength of parental love for their children. 

The main story is told in three time periods – the present day where a wife flees with her husband and daughter from an assault in their home, the seventies Oxford where an English professor finds himself perusing an intriguing French visitor who had the tenacity to sit in his chair in the library and finally in late 19^th century Hungary where a young man is struggling to define himself against his family and society expectations. There is a real mix of story types with adventure, historical, romance and thriller all mixed together to create a very exciting and intriguing story which is difficult to put down. 

The writing is like swimming in treacle – easy to get into and very difficult to get out. I found myself just wanting to sit and read a few more pages as the wide scope of the story spread over so many years is finally pulled together. I liked Hannah, the fleeing wife as she struggles to balance the threat from her families past with her responsibility to her husband and daughter. She is a great character and I really felt connected to her, willing her on despite the obstacles she was facing. The end was very tense and satisfying without the need or set up for sequels – which makes a refreshing change! 

This is one of those stories where the less you know going in, the more surprising and exciting the read is but I really think this worth reading especially if you liked The Historian or Before I Go To Sleep! 

Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Kostova and Deborah Harkness. 8.5 out of 10

Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe Review

Meet Me At The Cupcake Café

Jenny Colgan

 Publisher: Sphere Publishing

 Ever dreamed of starting over? Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that – Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe’s bakery she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. So when she’s made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment and open up her own café. It should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. As her friends point out, she has trouble remembering where she left her house keys, let alone trying to run her own business. But Issy is determined. Armed with recipes posted to her from Grampa, and with her local bank manager fighting her corner, Issy attempts to prove everyone wrong. Following your dreams is never easy and this is no exception. Can Issy do it?

This book is a little like a cupcake recipe itself. Take one cute but slightly insecure leading lady, mix with two possible romantic lead – one sour and obviously wrong for her but very good look and successful in his field, the other sweet and scatty but less forward. Blend with a range of quirky but well-meaning friends and family, set in a picturesque area of London and sprinkle with delicious sounding cupcakes. Enjoy the heart-warming story and funny misunderstandings. 

Actually, while the story is very predictable, there is something adorable about Issy and her friends as she struggles to establish the café – it may just be the wonderful cupcake recipes that are the start of most chapters, but Issy is a lovely lead character without being too stupid or annoying (chick-lit can be filled with leading ladies you just want to throttle for being so stupid and staying with a guy even when he is obviously up to no good!). Issy may on occasion make mistakes but she is honest with herself and figures out her relationship issues for herself. 

What I most enjoyed was the selection of friends that Issy surrounds herself with – from her no-nonsense flatmate Helena, the single Mum Pearl from the estate and the divorcing super-Mum, Caroline they are a diverse mixture of women and add a lot of flavour to the story. I also loved the details of the customers and how the regulars really become part of their lives. It was an easy read, but very enjoyable and perfect slice of summer sunshine. 

Recommended for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Katie Fforde. 8 out of 10

Queen of the World Review

Queen of the World

Ben Hennessy

Publisher: Inspired Quill 

In the legends, the Four saved the world from war and poverty. These incredible men walked the lands, seeking an audience with the ruler of each nation. They demanded that mankind focus its efforts on education, trade and culture. No longer would the people face starvation and terror. This commandment was enforced with displays of miraculous power. After all, it is difficult to argue with the Gods. Once finished, the Four left with a promise: If ever your people fall back into darkness, then we shall return. Now, over five centuries later, Sarene grows tired of her village life. Suffocated by the confines of her surroundings and the overbearing protection of her family, she yearns to have an adventure of her own. But the world outside is not as tranquil as it seems. And Sarene is already in danger... 

Queen of the World is an intriguing and realistic fantasy. Covering a lot of similar ground to those big epic fantasy’s such as sheltered young person discovers they are being hunted for no reason, prophecies and stoic protectors, Ben Hennessy manages to take this tropes and make them feel real and true. Our main character, Sarene is mute which makes communication challenging and gives her a unique perspective on people and the world. She might be young but she is someone that is easy to root for and sympathise with. Her protector is strong, loyal but also intelligent and quick witted. Along their way they meet a variety of people, all with their own problems, issues and history. I really enjoyed the way their journey took time and effort and the amount of world building that went into the characters to bring each of them alive.

 One of the best characters was Spasmodic, a demon who follows them in order to enjoy the chaos that occurs around them. He takes a simple pleasure in action, doesn’t understand humans and you’re not quite sure if he is trustworthy or not but he is a lot of fun and adds a certain amount of fission to their journey.

 While I loved the realism, this also holds it back slightly as the events are still very personal and less world impacting so far. I’m sure following books in this world will raise the stakes and open up the world more, but this time around I found myself wishing that Sarene would make some positive decisions to act rather than just react to everything. This is understandable given her youth but I like leading ladies who act and initiate events (for good or bad at times!). 

This would be a good introduction to fantasy for those who don’t read outside the real world and I am interested to see what happens next and how the Four will react now!

Recommended for fans of Jennifer Fallon and Michael J Sullivan. 8 out of 10

The Long Earth Review

The Long Earth

Stephen Baxter & Terry Pratchett

Publisher: DoubleDay

1916: the Western Front, France. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind in the leaves in the trees. Where has the mud, blood and blasted landscape of No man's Land gone? 
2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Cop Monica Jansson has returned to the burned-out home of one Willis Linsay, a reclusive and some said mad, others dangerous, scientist. It was arson but, as is often the way, the firemen seem to have caused more damage than the fire itself. Stepping through the wreck of a house, there's no sign of any human remains but on the mantelpiece Monica finds a curious gadget - a box, containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a...potato. It is the prototype of an invention that Linsay called a 'stepper'. An invention he put up on the web for all the world to see, and use, an invention that would to change the way mankind viewed his world Earth for ever. And that's an understatement if ever there was one... 

...because the stepper allowed the person using it to step sideways into another America, another Earth, and if you kept on stepping, you kept on entering even more Earths...this is the Long Earth. It's not our Earth but one of chain of parallel worlds, lying side by side each differing from its neighbour by really very little (or actually quite a lot). It's an infinite chain, offering 'steppers' an infinite landscape of infinite possibilities. And the further away you travel, the stranger - and sometimes more dangerous - the Earths get. The sun and moon always shine, the basic laws of physics are the same. However, the chance events which have shaped our particular Earth, such as the dinosaur-killer asteroid impact, might not have happened and things may well have turned out rather differently. But, until Willis Linsay invented his stepper, only our Earth hosted mankind...or so we thought. Because it turns out there are some people who are natural 'steppers', who don't need his invention and now the great migration has begun...

When a series of alternative Earths with all the same natural resources but no humans are discovered, it’s a new era for humanity as trailblazers and opportunists head out into the Long Earth, and discover what awaits out there. The Long Earth is packed full of huge ideas of parallel worlds and witty observations of humanity as you would expect from two giants of British literature like Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett and this pulls you in like an explorer yourself to see what universe they have created.  

Joshua is a natural stepper – meaning he can move between different Earths without the technology or sickness that most people suffer. As such he is recruited by the TransEarth corporation on an adventure to the end of the Long Earth, to see if there is an end and what is really awaiting humanity if they carry on stepping out from home. Joshua is a basically good man but with a need for peace and has spent much of the time since Step-Day, when the multiple world’s first opened up, on his own in worlds were humans have not made an impact and accepting the differences. His travel companion Lobsang is either a Tibetian reincarnated in AI form or very intelligent AI and seems to represent humanities need to catalogue and note the differences in each world. The developing friendship between this two characters is great fun and the different worlds are fascinating.

While Joshua is the central character, some chapters take little diversions from different points in time (and different worlds) to explore what is happening in the wider tide of humanity. Despite all this going on, the overall plot of the books is quite slow and unfolds like a flower, when you suddenly realise quite how many petals the bud has. Despite the exploration theme, there just isn’t much urgency to their trip and feels more like a pleasure cruise at times. In total this is a glorious exploration into ‘what-if’ territory with ideas and hidden humour pull you along rather than the characters actions.

Recommended for fans of Arthur C Clarke and Tom Holt. 8 out of 10

Poison Review

Poison

Sarah Pinborough

Publisher: Gollancz

A beautiful, sexy, contemporary retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale, illustrated by Les Edwards. 
POISON is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the Snow White story which takes all the elements of the classic fairytale that we love (the handsome prince, the jealous queen, the beautiful girl and, of course, the poisoning) and puts a modern spin on the characters, their motives and their desires.

One of the first stories we ever hear are fairy tales with charming princes rescuing the sweet naive Princess from evil stepmothers and magic enchantments so these classic tales get lodged in our collective consciences. And it was with both anticipation and trepidation that I approached this adult version of the children’s story of Snow White – the ‘true story’ as it was always meant to be.

Despite the small page count – just 200 pages, this is definitely an adult version with sex and swearing, but is still simply told, managing to capture the feel of classic fairy tales. Interestingly, despite being the story of Snow White, the tale is told mostly from the point of view of other characters – the wicked Stepmother, one of the dwarves and the handsome Prince and gives a very different interpretation of their roles and motivations from the simplified version. I particularly liked getting to know Lilith, the stepmother who managed to become three-dimensional character with her own issues and her descent into wickedness was an intriguing addition to the story. The prince also has a very different role from his usual handsome rescuer position. Yet, despite these twists many of the expected notes are included in the story from seven dwarves, the huntsman, the old crone with the apple and the magic mirror, but none happens exactly as you had expected.

Overall, Poison has a charisma and instinctive appeal that will stay with you long after you finish reading with the story of Snow White in your own mind subtly different from before. I loved the wider world Sarah Pinborough hints at behind Snow White’s story with hints and glimpses of other fairy stories. This gentle teasing has whetting appetite for Charm and Beauty, two more sexed up fairy tales from Sarah coming soon.

Recommended for fans of Neil Gaiman and Malinda Lo. 8 out of 10

The Lady of the Rivers Review

The Lady of the Rivers (Cousin’s War #3)

Philippa Gregory

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Descended from Melusina, the river goddess, Jacquetta has always had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she meets his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and recognizes her own power in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the “wheel of fortune” before Joan is taken to a horrific death at the hands of the English rulers of France. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream. Married to the Duke of Bedford, English Regent of France, Jacquetta is introduced by him to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy. Her only friend in the great household is the Duke’s squire Richard Woodville, who is at her side when the Duke’s death leaves her a wealthy young widow. The two become lovers and marry in secret, returning to England to serve at the court of the young King Henry VI, where Jacquetta becomes a close and loyal friend to his new queen.

This is the third book by Philippa Gregory set during the Plaganets periods and the start of the War of the Roses, but the first book chronologically speaking as it focuses on the life of Jacquette of Luxembourg, who becomes the mother of the White Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Jacquette is a new figure in history – there hasn’t been much study of her life despite the extraordinary events she lived through and was a part of. As such this really feels fresh and original – it’s not a character I’ve ever met before in historical fiction and that is something truly original these days!

Jacquette is a strong woman at a time when women who tried to control their own destines were brought low quickly. The example of Joan of Arc, who Jacquette meets when she is young is imprinted on her and since then she struggles to balance her own wants and needs against duty and way the world works. It was such a complicated time when the true King of England is not strong enough rule or even know his own mind leaving the court a mass of intrigue and politics and the dukes and royal kinsmen vie for position and power. Friendships and loyalties change frequently and it is fascinating seeing Jacquette wade in these waters while protecting her own family and battling her conscience.

Another element that I really enjoyed was the relationship between Jacquette and Richard Woodville, her second husband. They married for love at a time when love was not required in marriage – unusual in itself. Even more wonderfully they remained in love and had a very large family to prove it! Most historical fiction set at this period has more politics than romance in marriage and I loved seeing the way their relationship grew, changed and evolved over the years.

With The Lady of The Rivers Philippa Gregory is back to her strengths brining to life an extraordinary woman at a fascinating time.  I wasn’t keen on The Red Queen, mostly as I disliked the main character, but now I have fallen for Historical novels again – and am I glad I have The Kingmaker’s Daughters, the fourth book in the Cousin’s War already on my TBR pile!

Recommended for fans of Victoria Lamb and Mary Hooper. 8 out of 10

Early Review: The Disgrace of Kitty Grey

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey

Mary Hooper

Publisher: Bloomsbury - Released 8th May 2013

 Ecopy Courtesy of Netgalley and Bloomsbury

Kitty is living a happy, carefree life as a dairymaid in the countryside. The grand family she is employed by looks after her well, and she loves her trade, caring for the gentle cows and working in the cool, calm dairy. And then, of course, there is Will, the river man who she thinks is very fond of her, and indeed she is of him. Surely he will ask her to marry him soon? Then one day disaster strikes: Will disappears. Kitty is first worried and then furious. She fears that Will has only been leading her on all this time, and has now gone to London to make his fortune, forgetting about her completely. So when Kitty is asked to go to London to pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice, the latest novel by the very fashionable Jane Austen, Kitty leaps at the chance to track down Will. But Kitty has no idea how vast London is, and how careful she must be.

Set in Regency England, the story follows milk maid, Kitty Grey who is left with her beau’s young sister after he disappears. She follows him to London with Betsy, the sister and finds herself getting deeper and deeper into trouble. It is amazing how quickly Kitty manages to lose her money and without instant communication that we enjoy today is stranded and friendless. The time is not easy on Kitty especially as she has a young child to look after – which most people assume is hers. A lot of people look down on her because of this and she easily finds herself on the wrong side of the law, even without meaning too. The law doesn’t seem fair and is weighted towards those with money.

Once again Mary Hooper has managed to capture the atmosphere and tone of the era with London bustling, crowded and moving towards a city we might recognise now as well as the gentle country life that hasn’t changed in years of Kitty’s home. I adore the way that the environments described come to life with the sights, sound and smell stirring all senses. Kitty is a sympathic character if naïve and her trials really make you feel for her. The writing is layered simplicity which draws you in, involves your senses, invokes emotions and teaches all at the same time.

This is not a long book and I was able to read it in a couple of sittings, but for those who love and appreciate historical stories with a splash of romance, then Mary Hooper is the author for you. I am a complete fan and still have a couple of book from her back catalogue I want to start reading soon!

Recommended for fans of Ceclia Rees and Sophie MacKenzie. 8 out of 10

The Minority Council (Matthew Swift #4) Review

The Minority Council (Matthew Swift #4)

Kate Griffin

Publisher: Orbit

Matthew Swift, sorcerer, Midnight Mayor, is in charge. Or so he'd like to think. And London, being London, is having its issues. Drug use is rampant. Teenage vandalism is driving away business. Violent crimes are on the rise. Once upon a time, Matthew Swift wouldn't have given a toss. Now it's his mess to clean up. Especially when the new drug on the market is fairy dust and the production process involves turning humans into walking drug labs. And when the teenage vandals are being hunted by a mystical creature. And when the petty criminals of London start dying by magical means. 
It becomes clear that not only is this Swift's mess to clean up, but someone is trying to tell him how to do his job. Now he has to sort out who's behind the crime wave and who's interfering in his business. Swift has a lot of old enemies and few friends. If he's going to save London from a rising tide of blood -- he's going to have to learn his lessons and fast

Matthew Swift is one of the few remaining Sorcerers left in London – wizards who can create spells and manipulate the magic of the city. Added to that is the Midnight Mayor, protector of that city. He is also having a bad day. When he finds out that something is sucking the souls out of teenagers in his city and a dear acquaintance calls asking for help, he decides that these things must be dealt with, no matter the cost.

Matthew is a unique character – he came back from the dead merged with the blue electrical angels of the wires and is enormously powerful and at the same time completely helpless. He is both inhuman and humane. He cares about the city, but not at the expense of the people. As well as Matthew we meet again his apprentice Penny. She is total awesome but at the same time vulnerable and realistic, with a perchance for speaking too much and swearing a lot. Matthew also gains an assistant in the shape of Kelly, who over the course of the book becomes very endearing.

Kate Griffin’s writing is once again melodic and descriptive, allowing you to fall into this London, this world and be swept along with the other debris as the story races around the city and between subplots. London is depicted as a magical place but at the same time it is not dressed up like a Richard Curtis film to look all sweet and innocent. It’s a magnificent city full of the best and worst of humanity, with some parts falling into disrepute and decay, while others thrive. I love this view and the scenes set in areas I’m familiar with add a fission of depth and colour.

This is London UF done well and done differently. However, unlike the previous instalments of Matthew Swift’s adventures, there was a certain hint of menace missing. While this threat is more personal and emotional for Matthew, it was not a threat to the city and as such seemed to miss a certain element for me. Not that this was a bad instalment in the series – just not my favourite! I would still highly recommended this series!

Recommended for fans of Anne Rice and Jim Butcher. 8 out of 10