Review Time! - These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Title: These Shallow Graves

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Crime

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

I had the chance to read this ahead of it coming out in a new paperback edition from Bonnier Publishing/Hot Key Books, and as it was on my TBR list anyways, I of course jumped at the chance.

(There may have been some actual jumping involved... just saying.)

Premise:

Jo Montfort is one of New York city's upper class.

Her seemingly perfect world of Victorian high-society balls is hiding a lot of secrets.

And her father's death is not as it seems.

Jo's world is about to come crumbling down. But she will find out the truth.

Best bits:

A well-woven historical setting, full of secrets and intrigue? Donnelly is spoiling us here guys!

Even more evocative is Jo herself.

I truly loved her unique blend of determination, strength, and sheltered naivety, as well as her interactions and chemistry with other characters.

Basically, Jo is amazing.

And this book has a lot to say: about women and feminism, about poverty, about corruption, about doing what's right.

There's a lot of ground covered here, but in the sub-text and subtle realisations, rather than soap-box style ranting.

Even the love triangle/rectangle (depending on which way you squint) has original twists and turns, and isn't irritating (*praises the reading gods*.)

The sub-plots feel relevant and everything is tangled together beautifully; the characters are vivid, the prose well-written.

You will love the dynamic between Jo and Eddie - a reporter who's helping her get to the bottom of just what the hell is going on here. It brings a variety of the feels, and is just fab.

Seriously, could you want anything more than this from your historical fiction? ;)

Not so great bits:

This is not a quick read. Even though the chapters are short, it does require perseverance and some actual effort on the part of the reader.

While I didn't mind this, it will put a lot of people off.

And that trapped, hemmed-in, frustration, that Jo feels? The reader's feeling it too.

Now, on the one hand this shows some considerable skill on Donnelly's part, because the ability to use the prose to mirror Jo's feelings in the actual words? That takes some doing.

On the other hand, when the prose feels claustrophobic and restricted? You're going to get frustrated. And that's frustrating ;)

There's also violence and forensics-style gore (ok, I'm starting to sound like those randomly specific warnings before TV programmes,) and a couple of references to sexy-times.

But it keeps to the YA-vibe by not going too far down the sexy-times path.

Verdict:

OK, so you're going to have to put some effort in. But, you know what? It's worth it.

This is one of those books that is so different from what you were expecting - and is all the more awesome for it.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Review! (Yay!) - alt.sherlock.holmes

Title: alt.sherlock.holmes

Author: Gini Koch, Jamie Wyman, Glen Mehn

Genre: Anthology, Novellas/Short Stories, Crime, Contemporary*, Historical Fiction*, LGBTQ+*, M/M* (*one or more stories.)

Amazon: UK - USA



Individual Novellas:

The Case of the Tattoed Bride (UK - US)
A Study in Starlets (UK - US)
The Power of Media (UK - US)

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley from the publishers Abaddon, an imprint of Rebellion. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

I'm a fan of pretty much anything Sherlock-Holmes-related, so when I got the chance to read this collection of alternative takes on Holmes & Watson, I was there.

Premise:

A Scandal in Hobohemia (and) The Case of the Tattooed Bride by Jamie Wyman

 

Sanford 'Crash' Haus (this story's version of Sherlock,) is the owner of a travelling carnival in 1930s dustbowl-America.

Fate throws him together with Jim Walker (John Watson,) a black amputee war-veteran, who also happens to be one hell of a doctor.

All the Single Ladies (and) A Study in Starlets by Gini Koch

Murder and reality shows bring together Dr John Watson with Ms Sherlock Holmes, a consulting detective with the LAPD.

Will Southern California ever be the same?






Half There/All There (and) The Power of Media by Glen Mehn


This Sherlock is hanging out with some very interesting people - Andy Warhol's hangers-on, to be exact, and their drug-dealer, Dr John 'Doc' Watson.

But Sherlock is bored - and decides to find some cases to occupy his time. 

Best bits:

A Scandal in Hobohemia (and) The Case of the Tattooed Bride by Jamie Wyman

I really loved the romance between Jim Walker (this story's John Watson,) and Mrs Hudson - it was sweet but not overly, and gave a nice sub-plot to the whole thing.

I also liked that Jim was a black man in 1930s America - along with all the prejudice that comes with that, despite being a wounded war veteran.

Jim's the narrator here, and never lets himself be pigeon-holed as a victim.

I also love the careful balance of the PTSD elements - a realistic struggle, but not something which overwhelms Jim's whole life.

The 1930s circus/carnival (not entirely sure which,) setting gave it all a slightly Carnevale (UK - US) vibe, which I kind of loved.

All the Single Ladies (and) A Study in Starlets by Gini Koch

I think this was the scenario where Sherlock seemed most like Sherlock - despite being a woman instead of the traditional male role.

She's clever, cutting, but also occasionally playful.

She has a strong edge to her which just spoke totally of Sherlock Holmes to me - determined and non-nonsense; as far as I'm concerned she rocks.

I liked the part-showbiz setting, and the title of 'A Study in Starlets,' is just fantastic ;)

Half There/All There (and) The Power of Media by Glen Mehn

I really liked the prose here in particular - it was incredibly well-written and was quite beautiful in places.

I also loved the Holmes/Watson relationship dynamic here - totally made sense, and was believable and sweet t'boot :)

Plus there was always the sense that everything interweaved with everything else in this one, even if not directly, which gave it a really unique vibe.

Hard to explain it really, but I liked it, whatever it was.

I liked that this novella tried to deal with the racial tensions, and the issues faced by LGBTQ+ people in the 1960s - unfortunately it maybe didn't always get the balance right.

Not so great bits:

There's various instances of violence and swearing throughout the collection, which won't be to everyone's taste.

A Scandal in Hobohemia (and) The Case of the Tattooed Bride by Jamie Wyman

There were moments when I felt that things just didn't quite gel together with this take on Holmes.

I'm not sure why exactly - maybe it was just trying to achieve too much in too short a time, but this made it seem a little jumpy and incoherent in places.

Also, it kept switching from a circus to a carnival, and I'm like: which is it?!

I felt like maybe we could've done with a stronger show of Sanford (this version's Sherlock,) or 'Crash,' and his general character.

He didn't seem all that detailed, character-wise, and, to me at least, I would've liked some more depth.

That's a personal thing though, and I think a lot of people will be happy enough with Wyman's portrayal.

All the Single Ladies (and) A Study in Starlets by Gini Koch

There were moments here where the prose seemed to drag a bit. It wasn't too bad, but it did slow me down in places.

Largely speaking it zipped along, there was just the odd moment where the prose slowed down a little too much for my liking.

Also, occasionally Sherlock acts like a bit of a douche - but then, the character always has been a bit of a douche. (In the best possible way.)




Half There/All There (and) The Power of Media by Glen Mehn

I wasn't too thrilled by all the casual-drug-taking here. In places, it felt like it was a little too normalised, and that's not great. *Shrugs.*

I was also a little confused by the 1960s references in places - I'm not from New York in the '60s, you may have to explain a little more. Just saying.

Also, if the author could've dialogue-tagged the speech a little more? Explained who was talking and when? That would've been great.

I did feel a little uncomfortable with the way some of the racial and LGBTQ+ issues were dealt with.

Referring to LGBTQ+ people as 'homos,' for example, may be historically accurate (i.e. for the 1960s,) but it doesn't feel right to a 21st Century mind-frame.

It's highly uncomfortable - at best.




Verdict:

I really enjoyed this collection overall.

Each one of the interpretations somehow managed to bring a freshness to a story that's been told time and time again (and very well at that.)

Sure, there were hiccups here and there, but largely speaking? An enjoyable read.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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Month in Review(s) - April 2016

Lots more reviews this month! Especially of graphic novels.

There've been some truly rocking graphic novels out this month - my faves are probably Blood Stain and I Hate Fairyland.

Check out all the lovely reviews! :)

Kids

Eliza Rose by Lucy Worsley - historical fiction



New Adult

Growing Up by Tricia Sol - contemporary, LGBTQ+, short stories, romance (m/m)



Adult

Play Hard by J T Fox - LGBTQ+, romance (m/m,) short stories, contemporary
Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult - contemporary, crime*, witches*, magic realism* (*ish)



Graphic Novels

Golem by Lorenzo Coccetti - dystopian, sci-fi, manga
Paper Girls, Vol 1 by Brian K Vaughan - sci-fi
Blood Stain, Vol 1 by Linda Šejić
Echoes by Joshua Hale Fialkov - horror, crime
I Hate Fairyland, Vol 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young - fantasy, fairies/fae, humour

Review Time! - Eliza Rose by Lucy Worsley

Title: Eliza Rose

Author: Lucy Worsley

Genre: Kids, Historical Fiction

Release Date: 7 April 2016

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publishers, Bloomsbury Children's/Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

A children's book, written by uber-awesome presenter and historian, Lucy Worsley?

I heard about it and I was there! I was metaphorically standing at the front with a banner reading 'I heart Lucy,' and jumping up and down, squealing.

So, we have a Tudor-set book, written by one of the most passionate and engaging historians on TV. Bring it on.

Premise:

Eliza Rose Camperdowne is her father's only child. It's up to her then, to save her family's fortunes.

But the world of Henry VIII's court is not all Eliza had hoped it would be, and she is forced to walk the tightrope of court life, sticking close to her cousin, an ambitious girl named Katherine Howard...

Best bits:

You know what's awesome? When authors know their stuff. And Lucy Worsley knows her stuff. With bells on.

She's able to create a sound Tudor setting without sticking your face in all the detail 'til you're sick to death of it. And she clearly loves history, loves writing in the setting, loves the period.

Worsley's passion is the life-and-soul of this book, complimented by the lovely silhouette-style illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. Sometimes the little things bring a smile to your face ;)

What I also liked is that she doesn't write-down to kids - there's no condescension here, just the story Worsley came to tell.

Also missing is insta-love (thank God!) Instead we have slow-burn and icky-sticky missteps. More realistic, and far more interesting in my view of things.

Not so great bits:

This isn't a quick read - the chapters are bite-sized, but I tended to take breaks between them to allow my whirring brain to take things in a bit; there's a lot going on here!

And it's not one for very young readers, for sure, but ages 12-13+ (dependent on the maturity levels of the kids involved,) should be able to cope with the violence and facts-of-life/sex references.

Not all parents will be happy with the honest approach Worsley employs. There are references which the prudish will not want little Jimmy or Jenny to read.

I personally would also have loved just a chapter or two more at the end to round things off.

But that's me - I just would've liked to bask in the ending a bit more!

Verdict:

This is a great book.

This book is perfect for any fan of Tudor-period drama, and any fan of historical intrigue told through the eyes of an ordinary girl in an extraordinary situation.

I think you'll enjoy this, I did!

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Site

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• Review! - The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters by Michelle Lovric
• Review (Yay!) - Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson

The Month In Review(s) - March 2016

Ahhh, spring and March and books and reviews :)

Check out all the books I've reviewed this month:

Kids

Midnight by Jacqueline Wilson - contemporary, chick lit
After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross - dystopian

Young Adult

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell - fantasy, paranormal, LGBTQ+ (M/M)

Adult

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King - crime, thriller
Orlando by Virginia Woolf - classics, historical fiction, LGBT*Q+
The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters by Michelle Lovric - historical fiction
The Zoo Father by Pascale Petit - poetry

Graphic Novels

Adulthood is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection by Sarah Andersen - humour
The Beauty, Volume 1 - dystopian, horror, sci-fi

Non-fiction

Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Review! - The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters by Michelle Lovric

Title: The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters

Author: Michelle Lovric

Genre: Historical Fiction

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I've read two Michelle Lovric books before - The Book of Human Skin (UK - US) and Carnevale (UK - US.) (To read my review of Carnevale, click here.)

Lovric's books are usually pretty damned entrancing and thought-provoking. So I decided to try this one too.

Also, the blurb said that it was about girls with uber-long hair. I have some uber-long hair myself (though not as long as theirs!) and wanted to see where this was going.

This is a relatively long review - because I clearly had a lot to say about this book. :)

Premise:

Manticory Swiney (I know, that's a fab name!) is one of seven sisters - herself, Darcy, Oona, Enda, Berenice, Pertilly, and Idolatry (known as Ida,) - living in poverty in the rural Irish village of Harristown.

Their way out seems clear to the ambitious Darcy - they have only one thing going for them: their exceptionally long and thick hair.

And so the Swiney sisters become a stage-show. And learn the terrible price of fame and fortune.

Best bits:

As ever, the high point to any Michelle Lovric book is the louche and sinuous prose - it's rich, it's beautiful, it carries you along with the sensuousness and the decadence of it all.

This book has a real gothic vibe to it - and I love me some gothickyness! (Yes, I invented a word - shush.)

Between nineteenth century Ireland, and Lovric's beloved Venice (I have yet to find a Lovric book without Venice in some capacity,) my gothic-thirst was well and truly sated.

I also loved the way that 'modern' topics - celebrity, journalism, commercialism - are handled in a nineteenth century setting. It's fascinating.

And, of course, the hair.

I can vouch for the fact that sometimes people think of you as somehow being public property when you have long hair.

This can be sweet (like the little old lady behind me at the bank who just had to touch my rain-speckled hair because it was 'like diamonds,') or down-right creepy (for example, the middle-aged guy who stood behind me at a concert, and every so often gave the strands of my hair a sharp little tug, then acted innocent whenever I turned around to glare at him.)

And of course, there are plenty of people in between who think it's ok to twirl it around their fingers and paw at it in random places. Sometimes it is ok. Like, if I've ever actually met you before. Or if you ask, not just grab.

Lovric definitely captures the creepy - though not so much of the sweet.

Instead, the girls' hair seems a burden, weighing them down both literally and metaphorically throughout the book - which fits in with all the gothic stuff anyway I suppose.

Manticory is a really sympathetic and relatable narrator/character - and she's a bit bookish, which I always like to see.

A quick word about Darcy - she's just brilliantly psychopathic, and I love the way she provides such a manipulative influence on all the girls' lives, which they find themselves unable to break because of the ties of blood and family.

Not so great bits:

This book might be distressing to some people (I say this a lot - is it just me? Is my taste in reading particularly warped or something?)

There's some gore, violence, and a bit of general warped disturbing-ness.

There is some sex, as well as some sexual assault on a child early on (which luckily isn't written overly-disturbingly, but obviously is still pretty unpleasant to read.)

It's also not a quick read - it's not that it drags, it doesn't - but, somehow, I just didn't get through it that quickly. Maybe it's the style or the fact that there's so much going on.

Verdict:

This was a great book with a gothic-atmosphere and a lot going on. I really enjoyed it, but it's not the quickest read - more of a marathon than a sprint. But worth it.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

Liked this post? Try these:

• Review Time! (Yay!) - Carnevale by Michelle Lovric
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Review! (Classics Edition!) - Orlando by Virginia Woolf

Title: Orlando

Author: Virginia Woolf

Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction, LGBT*Q+

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

This had been on my TBR list for so long that I honestly can't remember when or why I put it there.

I borrowed this from the ebook facilities that are offered by Welsh Libraries. You guys should see if your libraries have something similar - it saves me a lot of money on books from my TBR.

Premise:

Orlando, our eponymous hero/heroine (yes, I do mean both,) lives his/her life through several centuries, spanning the time between the late Elizabethan age and the 'present' (which in the case of this novel is 1928.)

It's generally thought to be a novel-length love-letter to Virginia Woolf's female lover, Vita Sackville-West.

Best bits:

There's a lot of both discussion, and subtext, of gender roles and sexuality in this book - not least because Orlando transforms (fairly randomly) into a woman, about half-way through (this isn't a spoiler - it's a well-known feature of this book.)

It really is a surprisingly modern and bold book for something that was written in 1928 - and says a lot about the interaction between the sexes, as Orlando finds that her new gender is subject to different social restrictions than her old gender.

I love the way that Orlando suffers from the 'affliction' of literature - and the discussion of poets, writers, and writing, that this provokes at various points.

But then, I love it when books talk about books - reading, writing, whatever. It appeals to my inherent bookishness.

And the writing itself draws you on - this was one of those books where 'just one more page' became a meaningless mantra, because one page, more often than not, turns into ten, or twelve...

Not so great bits:

The seemingly rule-less, accepted-on-face-value, nature of the surreal aspects just won't appeal to everyone - but I liked it.

I do like the surreal aspects of this novel - Orlando's transformation, and the way s/he barely ages over the centuries (this extends (though to a lesser degree) to the people around her,) - but this is likely to put some people off.

There's also a dab of casual racism - acceptable in 1928, uncomfortable at best in 2016. It's not a huge amount - but it's there.

Occasionally Woolf just tries too damn hard, and ends up coming off as pretentious. This is rare, but annoying when it happens.

Verdict:

Basically, and for all it's weirdness, I loved this book. Hugely readable, and ginormously (it's a word now, shh!) thought-provoking.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Virginia Woolf Society's Site

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The Month in Review(s) - January 2016

From now on I'm going to provide a brief 'Month in Review(s)' post.

This is literally a re-cap of all the reviews that I've written this month, collated in one post.

So now you can take a shufty at the books (and the odd film) that I've reviewed in the month, and catch up on any you may have missed.

Enjoy! :)

Kids

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson - Historical Fiction

Young Adult

Dark Hope by Monica McGurk -  Angels, Paranormal.
The Invisibles by Francis Gideon - Romance (M/M), LGBTQ+.



Adult

Dead Ice by Laurell K Hamilton - Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Zombies, Vampires, Crime, LGBTQIAP+
Poetry From the Lady of the Pier by Effrosyni Moschoudi - Poetry, Short Stories, Chick Lit

Graphic Novels

STARVE Vol 1 - dystopian

Non-fiction

Death, Disability, and the Superhero: The Silver Age and Beyond by Jose Alaniz

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Batman (1989)
Constantine (2005)


I'll do a Charity Reading Challenge 2016 update when I've actually read something towards it. (Note to self: remember to read stuff for that challenge.)

Books On My 'To-Buy' List

Do you have a 'to-buy' list?

My 'to-buy' list isn't quite the same as my tbr - if I bought everything on my tbr I wouldn't have any money left for things like... food.

Some of them are on my tbr, obviously, but a lot are books that I've already read but want to own so that I can re-read them, or just because I want to know I have them (Don't judge me!)

I really want these books... I'll just have to save my pennies!



Straight James/Gay James by James Franco (UK - US)

You may have noticed, but I really love this book. That's why I want to own it. I want to have a nice paperback copy in my hands :) That came out decidedly weirder than how I intended it to sound.





Crimson Peak: The Official Movie Novelization by Nancy Holder (UK - US)

I've seen the film (UK - US) (Tom Hiddleston - yes, please!) but have heard very good things about the novelisation - which caught my attention, because normally people are a bit like 'Ehhhh...' when it comes to novelisations.







20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (UK - US)

I've read this twice from the library. I love Joe Hill. I love short stories. I love Joe Hill short stories. I really want this book.







Locke & Key: Welcome To Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (UK - US)

Joe Hill + graphic novels = one happy reading addict!






Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (UK - US)

Another book I've borrowed from the library not once but twice, and one I was first inspired to read by the Leo DiCaprio film (UK - US) (yes, sometimes I watch the film without having read the book - please don't hurt me!)


It also started my Dennis Lehane addiction; Leo has a lot to answer for.






Live By Night by Dennis Lehane (UK - US)


Another Lehane book to feed my junkie habits. This is book #2 of the Coughlin series (you can read my review of book #3 'World Gone By' here.)

I love Joe Coughlin; I shouldn't because he's a gangster. But I love him.






Like this post? Try these:

• Review Time! (Oh Yeah!) - Straight James/Gay James by James Franco
• Review! (Woo!) - World Gone By by Dennis Lehane
• Book or Film? The debate continues!