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.)

Popcorn Review! - Constantine (2005)

The Film/ TV Adap: Constantine (2005.)

The Bookish Inspiration: The 'Hellblazer' graphic novels.

Main Cast: Keanu Reeves, Shia LaBeouf, Rachel Weisz, Tilda Swinton.

Director: Francis Lawrence.

BBFC Rating: 15.

Amazon: USA.



Opening credits:

Perhaps unfairly, this film flies under most people's radars. Maybe that's appropriate - Hellblazer, and Constantine, has always appealed to a small cult audience, rather than being mainstream.

This is also my best friend's favourite film. So I've seen it more than once. Because we have to support each other's insanity, obviously.


Premise:

John Constantine is a demon-hunter and exorcist trying to avoid eternal damnation (as you do >.<).

Angie Dodson's sister is found dead. Is there more here than meets the eye?

Something's coming. Are they ready?


Best bits:

There's a louche gothic-ness here that wraps you in its intricacies. The horrors are harsh. Constantine is bitter: he smokes, drinks, and takes far too much cough medicine. And somehow you end up just loving it.

Keanu Reeves, taking the lead role, delivers what can only be described as an excellent performance. But it's Tilda Swinton's brief scenes (though you will love to hate her in this film,) that will stick with you; along, of course, with the fiery and rusted vision of hell.

The effects are great - though many will find them disturbing. And the whole thing has an awesome gritty feel to it that will please fans of horror films, as well as those who like things that are a little out of the box.


Not so great bits:

There's a lot of discussion of heaven and hell, demons, mental health, cancer, and suicide. I'm sure there will be a significant portion of people that aren't in the right place to be watching this film.

It also gets somewhat graphic in terms of violence and gore, with suicide scenes that could definitely shock many people.

Don't get the wrong impression - it's not gratuitous, but then, neither does it shy away from the physicality of the thing (hard to say any more than that without getting into dangerously spoilerific territory.)


Popcorn Worthy?

This is definitely worth breaking out the popcorn - great for evening viewing, but maybe not one to watch alone at 3am with the lights off. Unless you want to, of course, but I warned ya!


Buy Now USA - IMDb



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Review Time! - Dead Ice by Laurell K Hamilton

Title: Dead Ice.

Author: Laurell K Hamilton.

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Zombies, Vampires, Crime, LGBTQIAP+ and Polyamorous

Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter (#24.)

Amazon: UK - USA.

A few starting notes:

I received a free paperback review copy of this book from the UK publisher, Headline, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is #24 in the series - I know, it's a big series. I'd read a few before, and really enjoyed them, but haven't read all of them, and certainly not in order.

Dead Ice can be read as standalone with very little problem, but there are a few spoilers for previous events in the series, so be aware of that if you want to read this book as standalone. 

As usual, the level of spoilerage in this review won't go beyond what's in the blurb of the book.

Premise:

US marshal, zombie animator, and legal vampire executioner, Anita Blake, is on the trail of someone making zombie porn.

That's ick enough in itself, but there's something different about these zombies... zombies shouldn't be capable of fear.

If that wasn't enough, Anita also has wedding plans to deal with, and relationships - both personal and political - to juggle as well. Things are going to get interesting.

Best bits:

I love the frenetic energy of these books - things happen in a whirlwind of personal, professional, fur (there are wereanimals,) and fangs.

Anita's sarcasm and exasperation are, quite simply, awesome. And she's pretty kick-ass in general.

This series is pretty much the pinnacle of urban fantasy (and I do love me some urban fantasy - what with all the paranormal faffing around cities and everything...) and this instalment does justice to Hamilton's reputation as the queen of this genre.

The plot here is involving enough to keep you reading - keeping the right mix of Anita's personal and professional lives with the promise of a criminal case leading through it all.

Strangely, this book is also pretty emotionally healthy. Nope, I mean it.

Sure, bad stuff happens, a lot, and everyone is slightly broken because of it (of course,) but Anita and her household work pretty damned hard to make sure everyone is open, and no-one ignores what they're feeling. Nice and refreshing in any book.

Not so great bits:

Not everyone is going to be happy with the references (though no graphic scenes,) to BDSM.

There are also explicit sex scenes, including with wereanimals, which ultimately aren't going to be to everyone's taste. They are however handled about as tastefully as you could reasonably expect of explicit sex scenes.

There's a lot of characters here - which can get a little confusing when you're trying to remember who said what with who. But overall, it's not too difficult to regain your bearings.

Some of the LGBTQIAP+ representation - especially regarding intersex people - might be a bit off; though there is so much going on here that it's difficult to fully define that. Overall though, just having this amount of LGBTQIAP+ rep in a book is great.

Verdict:

An enjoyable instalment in a tried-and-tested urban fantasy series, showing that Ms Hamilton has enough in reserve to keep the involving plots and intrigues going for quite a while yet.

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

Amended 29th October 2016

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Time to Review the Evidence - The Shape Stealer

Review Time! - Dark Hope by Monica McGurk

Title: Dark Hope.

Author: Monica McGurk .

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Angels.

Series: Archangel Prophecies (#1.)

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.

 

It's strange isn't it, just how many angel books are set in the Southern states of the USA? Still, this seemed interesting, so I decided to give it a shot.

Premise:

When Hope was a small child, she was abducted.

 

Miraculously unharmed, she was left with only a strange tattoo-like mark on her neck as a reminder of that day. Well, that and the effect the whole thing had on her parents of course.

 

Now little Hopie is a teenager - trying to forget about the past and forge a new life for herself in a new school.

 

But there are things that Hope doesn't realise - things which will drag her into a world of angels and Fallen Ones.

Best bits:

The focus on human trafficking involved here was not only bold, but also carefully handled. Nothing is explicit, the implications tell the tale for you.

 

Working with such a sensitive topic - and actually becoming involved in anti-trafficking work, as McGurk has done - is hugely admirable, and hopefully McGurk's work will help to make a difference.

 

I found the last third of this book the most readable and the most involving - this is the portion, at least as far as I'm concerned, where McGurk gains some confidence and begins to truly carry the reader along in the plot. Credit where credit is due, it's a good plot.

 

It's in this last portion of the book where Hope's parents really come to the fore. Parents? Being useful? Actually doing something? In YA fiction? I know! It was nicely refreshing, I have to say.

Not so great bits:

The religious stuff isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea - but then, it's an angel book, inclusion of religious-y things is almost a pre-requisite.

 

The violence, the implied sexual abuse, and the general topics of trafficking and abduction, as well as other, less prominent issues, may be distressing to some readers.

 

I did have some trouble really getting into this book - but that may just have been me, rather than the book.

 

What bugged me was the stupid decisions. McGurk used to write Twilight fanfiction, and seems to have borrowed a couple of Bella's stupid pills to give to Hope - stupid decisions, I'm telling you.

 

Luckily, this is fictional - but this is not a healthy way to conduct a relationship. Never let yourself be treated like this - please.

Verdict:

Fans of angel books will be happy with this offering. True, there are some problems, but it's competent and shows some promise; authors brave enough to take on sensitive topics in compassionate yet realistic ways are always worthy of praise.

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

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Zombies and Vampires Through My Letterbox

So chuffed this morning to receive Dead Ice by Laurell K Hamilton in the post from the UK publisher Headline. (As always, of course, in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

This is the whopping #24 in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series - an extensive and popular urban fantasy series (and I love me some urban fantasy - paranormal creatures faffing about in cities? What's not to love?)

I've read others in the series (though not all of them, because that's just how I roll sometimes,) and loved them, so have pretty high hopes for this one.

I'm sure this instalment will have the requisite number of vampires, zombies, and other paranormal creatures and stuff of a similar nature, to keep me very happy.

This time around, Anita's on the trail of someone making illegal zombie porn... should be an interesting read!

My review will be up as soon as I've read the book.

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

Review Time! (Woo!) - Vampire Mountain by Darren Shan

Title: Vampire Mountain. (US Link.)

Author: Darren Shan.

Genre: Kids, Paranormal, Vampire.

Series: The Saga of Darren Shan (aka Cirque Du Freak) (#4) - The Vampire Rites Trilogy (#1) (USA.)

A few starting notes:

This is #4 in The Saga of Darren Shan (US link) series - so my golden rule of sequel-reviewing applies: spoilers for previous books will be confined to the level of information found in this book's blurb.

The series is split into a number of trilogies. This is book #1 of the second trilogy (The Vampire Rites Trilogy (USA.))

This book can be read as standalone, should you wish, though it clearly leaves room for the book after it, and does make reference to the events of previous books.

This is a kids book - probably suitable for age 11+ - but obviously, age shouldn't be a barrier if the kid is mature and/or capable of reading to this level.

And, of course, this book is suitable for adults who refuse to be bound by the restrictions of age (like me!)

Premise:

Darren Shan (the author's pen-name doubles as the name of our young protagonist,) a half-vampire child, must make the dangerous journey to Vampire Mountain (hence the name,) to be presented to the Vampire Princes by his mentor, Mr Crepsley.

Best bits:

The whole vampire society is clearly understood by the author - and that makes this world both believable and absorbing. Not least because of the names and histories of the vampires in this world (the names are great: Larten Crepsley, Gavner Purl... the kind of names that make a book otherworldly and rich in detail.)

The story is interesting - which is always a plus. This alone may be enough to tempt even a reluctant reader through the chapters (which are fairly quick and pacey.)

The dynamic between Darren and the world he now inhabits is well portrayed - with particular room for expansion in the relationship between Darren and Mr Crepsley.

I also like the female vampire Arra Sails, because she's pretty damned cool. And I love the challenges Darren faces as a slow-aging kid-vampire - it adds an extra dimension of feeling older than the world perceives you to be.

Not so great bits:

Some of this verges on the gory, and there is some violence, mentions of killing, etc. - which might upset younger and/or more sensitive readers.

What I object to, though, is the treatment of the old, the infirm, and the 'mad,' vampires - politically correct this is not; euthanasia is not a topic which should be treated in a manner that's quite this blasé, and almost cold. This isn't integral to the book as a whole - it's more of a side-detail - but it p**sed me off.

Verdict:

A pacey and enjoyable kids' book which is equally entertaining for the adult. A vivid world with a gothic edge, this might be useful to tempt the reluctant reader, or boys.

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

Books Everyone Else Seems to Have Read (But I Haven't)

My TBR list is currently taller than I am (not that that's difficult - I'm short,) but there are books that everyone else seems to have read which I just... haven't. Not that I particularly mind. I'll either get around to it eventually or I never really wanted to read it in the first place. But I thought it would be fun to have a little meander through the books I haven't read which everyone else has.

A lot of these turned out to be YA, but I guess that's because I read a lot of YA in general, and it's such a popular genre. I'm sure there's more than what's on this list - but this is what I could think of right now.

Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I know! I loved The Hunger Games, but just haven't gotten around to reading Catching Fire yet. I do want to - but it's been sitting on my shelf now for what I can only describe as years. I'll read it one day... I just don't know when that day will be.

The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

I know people who swear by this series - and one of these days, I may even get around to reading it. But currently, I'm not all that bothered either way. It could be cool though, maybe some day I'll give it a try.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I have to admit that I have no real desire to read this. I mean, never say never, but it doesn't really seem like my thing. That's not to say that other people won't enjoy it, but I really just have no drive to read this. Sometimes that happens. Everyone else is raving about something, and you're just there like... meh.

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner

My best friend loves this - so eventually she will grind me down, and I will have to read it. Not that I mind, it's part of what friends are there for, after all. I tend to like dystopia, so I'll probably enjoy it.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Part of me is like, 'Ooh, that looks interesting!' and then part of me is like, 'But it's going to be some sort of contemporary romance, and those can get silly/annoying really fast.' So, yeah, in two minds about whether or not to read this one.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I've read Shiver - the first book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series - by Maggie Stiefvater, and that was OK. The Raven Cycle actually looks quite interesting, and I wouldn't mind giving it a go.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I've heard good things about this but it's another one that has me in two minds. Part of me thinks it might be a little pretentious for my tastes - but then I think I'm being the one being snobby by making a snap judgement...


The Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

I really want to get into this series. I've seen the films, and loved them, and these books seem like they'd be totally on my thing. So, when I get around to it, I will - at some point - read The Lightning Thief, and get sucked in to all the Percy Jackson-ness.

Carrie by Stephen King

I will get around to this! It's on my tbr list! I will read it!

The Fifty Shades Trilogy by E L James

I am in no way a prude (I read fanfiction for Chrissakes!) but I really couldn't care less about Fifty Shades of Grey. All power to you if you like these books - you have the right to read and like to read whatever you want - but I just don't give a damn to be honest. This won't be on my tbr list for the foreseeable future.

Reviewing the Evidence (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Death Vigil (Vol #1) by Stjepan Šejić

Title: Death Vigil (Vol #1) (US Link)
Author: Stjepan Šejić
Genre: graphic novel, fantasy, paranormal

A few starting notes:

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

I had very little expectation of this graphic novel - to be honest, I just went 'Ooh shiny!' and started reading it. It collects issues #1-8 of Death Vigil.

Premise:

Demons exist. And Clara is having a very bad day. She's recruited into the Death Vigil - a team of demon hunters lead by the grim reaper, who prefers to go by the name Bernadette. They're almost like a family... who hunt demons. But what are the demons planning?

Best bits:

This book hooked me in. For the first few pages I was like 'Oh, this is ok, quite interesting...' and then somehow it was a hundred pages later and my coffee was cold. It's awesome.

The art is incredible - it has that fantasy feel that needs to be done right: and its done right. The figures are clearly where Šejić excels - though fans of visions from hell may make a good argument for his demons being the selling point here. I'm more into people than monsters, but that's just me.

The characters are complex and, perhaps most importantly, believable. Bernie rocks - she's just awesome, and beautiful, and funny. Sam is perhaps the most relatable - maybe because we see him when he's first recruited and now, 12 years later. He also makes me laugh, which is great.

The plot is complex and detailed - a whole world with well-defined rules, but never seems to get out of the control of the author - a pitfall that many a writer has fallen into. Šejić seems to know exactly what he's doing, meaning that we, as readers, don't have to worry about the quality suddenly suffering a noticeable drop.

Not so great bits:

Some people - particularly those who aren't fans of fantasy - might find this a bit much. I mean, I love the demons and the magic weapons - but I'm a nerd girl: this stuff is how we survive between TV series and movie franchises. I'm told that 'normal' people can sometimes find this alienating. I did find some of the battle scenes a little too close to video-gaming for my taste - but, again, to each his own, and lots of people would really love that.

If you have serious issues with depictions of demons, then there are a lot of them here, and you're likely to get seriously freaked out. There's also a bunch of gore and violence.

There was the occasional panel which hit a bum note - sometimes (very rarely) the background and the action seemed somehow disconnected, but I honestly can't put my finger on what was causing this, so it may just be my personal design preferences.

Also, I did have some issues with the digital formatting when a panel or artwork crossed the middle of the double-page - because I could only get the software to view it in single page form. That may've just been my general uselessness. I far prefer print - lovely, physical, touchable, print - anyway, as you all know; but I can't hold that against this book.

Verdict:

I could ramble on about this book for quite a long time. But the long and short is this: this is good quality artwork, well drawn (both figuratively and literally) characters, a complex and interesting plot, and an absorbing read. If you're a fan of graphic novels, especially of fantasy, then you could do a damn sight worse than to give this one a go.

This is Halloween! - Top 5 Spooky Hidden Gems

'Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?'

I thought that for Halloween I'd highlight some books that either get overlooked or unfairly forgotten. I'm something of a fan of all things horror and gothic - so I'm going to give you fair warning that these books are not for those who scare easy. If you've got the stomach for it, then read on...

1. For the Rock Fan - Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Judas Coyne is an old rocker with a thing for collecting macabre and occult objects. He may have just bought the real deal.


This was the first book I read by Joe Hill. This was the start of my love of his work. I adore this book. It may be too scary/spooky/grim for some - Hill has horror running through his veins - but for anyone up for a walk on the darker side of life, I seriously recommend this. The quality of the writing speaks for itself; this is easily one of my favourite books.


2. For the Scandi-Noir Fan - Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

1981. Sweden. A bullied twelve-year-old, Oskar - finds a friend, Eli. Eli is not all she seems. And people are dying.


This is not a book for the faint-hearted. Fair warning. These are not the vampires who sparkle - these are the kind of vampires based in the gritty realism of Scandinavian winter. It also involves some fairly uncomfortable social problems - including a character who is a paedophile. While Lindqvist's deftness with difficult topics is evident even through the translation, this is still highly disturbing fair.

3. For Your Inner Goth - Florence & Giles by John Harding

New England in 1891. Neglected by their guardian, Florence and Giles have made their own entertainment. But then there's what happened to the last governess, and Florence's suspicions of the new one.


This book has a fabulous twisted feel to it - truly gothic. Inspired by The Turn of the Screw, and devilishly readable, all fans of spooky period drama, and things that go bump in the night, will be thrilled. This isn't particularly long, and has quite a fast pace to it; plus some real page-turning credentials.

4. For the Movie Fan - The Crow by J O'Barr

Eric Draven has a score to settle. The Crow has brought his spirit back to wreak his vengeance.


Born of grief, and plagued by it's own mythos, The Crow has developed something of a life of its own. Long before the film which would be Brandon Lee's last, there was the graphic novel. This is not a happy book. It is graphic. It is violent. There is rape, drugs, and murder. For all that, there's something about which is sublimely beautiful - it's a piece of art. I had the great pleasure of meeting James O'Barr once (one of my heroes, if you must know) - and he is a genuinely lovely person, despite everything he's been through in his life.

 

5. For All Horror Fans - NOS4R2/NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Some people creates worlds in their heads. Vic McQueen has her bridge, Charlie Manx has Christmasland.


You can find my full review of this novel here. This is another fantastic book from Joe Hill. It's long, but very much worth the read. I do recommend that if you're not ok with having your childhood memories possibly irreparably ruined, you read this at any time except Christmas. I'm just saying.

Reviewing the Evidence - Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall (US Link)
Author: Susan Ee
Genre: angel, paranormal, dystopian, YA
Series: Penryn and the End of Days (#1)

A few starting notes:


This is a young adult angel book that's also dystopian - I'm talking the apocalypse. Hold on tight, there are some things to say here.

Premise:

It's been six weeks since the angels returned to earth; the angels are not the friends of humanity. The angels are here to destroy everything.

Penryn Young is trying to help her family to safety. This is made more complicated when her sister, Paige, is kidnapped by angels. Penryn had to get her back. Add an injured angel to the mix, and you've got a whole lot of trouble.

Best bits:

This is original; the premise mixes the grit of dystopia with the otherworldly of angel books, creating something fresh. Written entirely in the present tense, the prose is sparse - something which I thoroughly applaud. Words are not wasted here, and I'm a big fan of short sentences with impact.

There is no insta-love - it's always awesome when relationships develop instead of erupt. In fact, despite the romantic subplot, I don't think the words 'I Love You' are ever spoken - another great point.

I'm also pleased that the author has attempted to add in some diversity of characters. True, I have some issues with the way both physical disability and mental illness are portrayed - which I'll discuss in the next section - but the very fact that Ms Ee has tried to include these characters in the book is a positive. I also love that the main character, Penryn, is a carer - complete with conflicting thoughts and self-sacrifice to a destructive level. Believe me when I say that there are not enough books that depict carers - let alone ones that paint a realistic picture. This does a half-decent job; and I know that Penryn's feelings and determination are very realistic for someone in her position.

Not so great bits:

I have some problems with the representation of physical disability and mental illness in this book. Paige, Penryn's little sister, is wheelchair bound; that is fine - what isn't fine is the pedestal Paige seems to inhabit. She's just not realistic; no seven year old girl is that saintly, serving only as an idealised damsel in distress for Penryn to rescue and feel responsible for. She needed to like, throw a tantrum, or laugh at the word 'booger,' or do something stupid for the hell of it. If someone is too good, they become unreal.

The portrayal of mental illness - Penryn's mother is a paranoid schizophrenic - is blunt at best. Penryn's mother is seen as little more than a liability - a potential danger to Penryn and Paige. She has very few moments of lucidity. Penryn (whose POV we are following here,) portrays her with a level of disdain that could do with some tempering. There just doesn't seem to be enough recognition of their mother as someone who has thoughts and feelings beyond the 'craziness' the plot calls for; and there's certainly not enough recognition that their mother is, in her own way, just as innocent as the saintly Paige.

This book gets gory. A lot. And a lot of people won't like that. There's also the aforementioned depictions of mental health. And there's a fair amount of stuff that wouldn't be out of place in a horror novel - including cannibalism. People of a religious persuasion may be offended by the part of the angels as cruel and arrogant creatures, many of whom have some pretty nasty things lurking in their pasts.

Verdict:

This is a page turner. There are some downsides, but over all this is fresh and thoroughly enjoyable.

Comics Wrap-Up - Disorientation and Vampires

Spring 1: Born Again, is another of the Double Take comics that I've been working my way through. I have to say, unfortunately, I wasn't impressed with this one. Apart from the unnecessary naked girl on the cover (which, let's face it, happens in comics from time to time,) and some of the (ahem) artwork that is most definitely not appropriate for younger audiences, I didn't actually have a clue what was going on. This may just have been me being a bit dull. But I have no clue what this was about - something to do with water? I was even confused about whether this was supposed to be one time period or two - there was 1960s stuff going on, and then what seemed to be modern stuff (though I'm not sure,) and I just got really disorientated with the whole thing (sigh.) Maybe I'll try reading it again some time - with more coffee in me - to see if it makes sense then.

The other comic-reading I've done this week is of the vampire variety - Halloween is coming up after all. I read Dark Horse Does Vampires Right - this is a sampler of vampire stories from Dark Horse - one of the larger non-Marvel, non-DC, publishers. Dark Horse's stable (ha, unintended horse pun,) tends to be quirky and/or slightly gothic. Vampires are one of their mainstays because of their rights to various Buffy the Vampire Slayer titles, which continue on past the show's seasons. Half of this collection of six tales involve titles from the Buffy pantheon - and I have to say, the Spike story bl***y rocked! I also love that the big, cataclysmic event, which changed everything in the Buffy universe was named 'Twilight,' somebody knew what it was they did - and is probably still chuckling to themselves to this day. The Strain and Baltimore stories were pretty cool - if a little creepy/bloody for some tastes. I like the art for the House of Night story - a comic adaptation of the House of Night YA novel series by P.C. and Kristin Cast. I've noticed a lot of YA gets adapted to comic/graphic novel form these days - which is pretty cool in my ever-so humble nerd-girl opinion. So, yeh, if you want a taste of Dark Horse's vampire titles, I do recommend this sampler - though it's perhaps a little mature for some readers.

Time to Review the Evidence (Classics Edition!) - Dracula by Bram Stoker

Title: Dracula (US Link)
Author: Bram Stoker
Genre: Classics, Horror, Paranormal, Vampire

A few starting notes:

I've read 'Dracula' several times now - it really is the godfather of vampire fiction. What Mr Stoker would have thought of Twilight et al is anybody's guess, but this was considered terrifying and risqué when it was first published.

Premise:

Jonathan Harker (one of the most under-appreciated characters in literary history, in my humble opinion,) a young solicitor's clerk, is engaged in work that takes him to Transylvania and one Count Dracula. He soon finds that things are not as they first appear.

Back home in Britain, Jonathan's fiancée, Mina Murray, is planning a break in Whitby with her friend, Lucy Westenra. Soon, Mina is worried about Lucy's health - what could be causing her illness?

Meanwhile, Lucy's jilted lover, Dr John Seward, continues his work at the lunatic asylum. His patient, Renfield, is acting very strangely...

Best bits:

This still has the power to draw you in to its atmospheric Gothicism and delectable prose. Perhaps we now consider it less frightening than our Victorian forebears did, but then, we have been de-sensitised by shocking films, books, TV shows, and video games. It's a wonder that anything frightens us, really.

The characters (with some notable exceptions) are vivid and intriguing. I personally favour Jonathan Harker - a man who fights his way through the darkest of situations.

The epistolary (look at me with my shiny literary terms - that means it's written in letters, diaries, etc.) form is used fantastically to highlight portions of plot with pin-prick precision, and to document the passing of time without getting in too much of an ever-loving muddle.

Not so great bits:

OK, don't yell at me, but I can't stand Lucy Westenra. She, to me, is the most awful stereotype. She is contradictorily pure and tainted at the same time - a symbol of Victorian sexual politics if ever there was one. She faffs about like a wet rag for most of her screen-time (I know there's no screen, but you know what I mean.)

The casual sexism is what bothers me the most about this book. The urge to scream at statements about thanking God for brave men is quite high. Unfortunately, I think this is largely a by-product of the time in which it was written.

Some may find it a very slow read - Victorian English, and not exactly short - but please don't let it put you off.

Verdict:

This is, and ever will remain, a classic. The book that popularised the vampire still has the power to entrance, absorb, and delight.

Reviewing the Evidence - Diary of a Wimpy Vampire: Prince of Dorkness

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Vampire: Prince of Dorkness (US Link)
Author: Tim Collins
Genre: humour, paranormal, vampire, ya
Series: Wimpy Vampire (#2)

A few starting notes:

This is the sequel to the funny and entertaining 'Diary of a Wimpy Vampire' - since I enjoyed the last one, I decided to give the second book a go. As it's a sequel I'll go by my general rule of thumb for reviewing sequels - the blurb dictates the level of spoilerage for previous books. This means that the only plot details for previous books that I divulge are of the same nature as those found in the blurb for this book - it just seems fair to me.

Premise:

Nigel Mullett, the wimpy vampire, records a second year of life as the undead. Things are never plain-sailing when it comes to being stuck at the awkward age of 15; no matter how long you've been in school for, it all comes around again. And there's his barmy family, girls, and weird school-mates to deal with - nothing is ever easy.

Best bits:

This has the same tongue-in-cheek humour as the first book, focussing on the melodramas of teenage life, which don't go away simply because you're undead. The tone is great because Nigel is so grimly serious about the most ridiculous of things.

I personally really liked the addition, in this book, of the topic of vampire romances - which Nigel even tries his hand it! It's that sly, satirical humour that Brits do so very well, and made me smile.

The book is quick and readable, with funny cartoon-like illustrations and a diary format that splits the entire thing into short sections. Again, if you have one of those bizarre creatures, a tween or teenage boy, to force books into, it might be worth sticking the wimpy vampire series under their nose nonchalantly - might work, you never know.

Not so great bits:

I did find some parts - relating to new school-mate Jason in particular - quite predictable, but then I live on a constant diet of paranormal novels, so might have warped my brain to the point where nothing really surprises me anymore.

I can't help but feel like there's more potential for hilarity in Nigel's family, and his long past, than Mr Collins has unlocked. An opportunity missed perhaps.

Verdict:

This is fun and funny - a light-hearted take on the vampire craze that made me smile at more than one off-hand comment. Might even tempt the reluctant reader.

Reviewing the Evidence Time! - Sweet Evil

Title: Sweet Evil (US Link)
Author: Wendy Higgins
Genre: paranormal, romance, ditzy, angels, ya
Series: The Sweet Trilogy (#1)

A few starting notes:

So, this was a random library haul selection - according to the blurb there were angels and much ditzy goings-on, according to the cover there was a freaking huge red dress and a bloke staring moodily over a girl's shoulder, so I decided to give it a shot.

Premise:

Anna Whitt is a girl from Georgia (the state, not the country,) who is a little quirky. She's the ultimate good-girl, a rule follower to a T. Except she also sees other people's emotions - and can remember being born...and the time before she was born. Inevitably, she meets a dude that's a little bit quirky like her - bad boy Kaidan Rowe - and everything turns into this whole angels/demons complicated thing.

Best bits:

Anna is actually likeable - something not to be sniffed at in YA paranormal romance. Sometimes she can be a little stupid - but she is 16, and does require plot-points to happen, so we can excuse her the slip-ups. Although I have to admit, I would've attempted to get in touch with my biological parents at about the point where my senses got hyper-charged - not several years later. She's worryingly un-curious about herself.

The whole angels and demons set-up is quite interesting, and managed to keep me reading - which is what you want really.

The whole book is entertaining and enjoyable, and I read it in a couple of days. It draws you on through the story, and doesn't require any deep levels of attention to enjoy.

Not so great bits:

Anna's modesty bugs me. I don't like her statement about dressing modest because she understands how difficult it is for teenage boys to deal with their hormones. Let them deal with them. Dress however the hell you want - it's for you, not them. Women should not have to consider what blokes think of their clothing - it doesn't matter.

There's a bunch of issues that are touched upon or referenced: abortion, drinking, drugs, adoption, suicide, lust, sin, rape, etc... Because it's angels and demons based there's a lot of pondering the nature of sin etc. etc. It's also religious in places (no big surprise,) which may not be to everyone's taste. I personally found the preoccupation with Anna's 'virtue' more than slightly annoying - particularly as for a book that's so prude-y in its attitude, it never seems to stop mentioning sex.

I also think the romance would've been better off more subtly nuanced and that demons weren't blamed for everything that could possibly go wrong, but that would be asking a bit much I suppose.

Verdict:

It's enjoyable, it's different - it does (occasionally) make you think. It's also an easy read for the train. I liked it - I may even consider reading something by this author again - but it's a take-it-or-leave-it kind of book.