The Miniaturist- Jessie Burton

A short review this week as being back at university has hit me hard! But I really wanted to mention The Miniaturist. This is a really interesting story- unique and full of brilliant twists. I would describe this book as a mystery and it lived well up to expectations.

The story focuses around Nella who moves to Amsterdam to marry a wealthy merchant. It follows their life and the life of those that live in thier house. Its a gripping story and the characters are brilliantly written. I loved the character of Cornelia who really developed through the story, and thought each character was vital and crafted expertly for the book.

The writing style was easy to follow and hid the twists of the story perfectly- not too much but also not too little. Each 'revelation' was revealed at the perfect time and really elivated and gripped the plot. I have to say my only complaint is I was left a little frustrated as I still had questions at the end of the book and I feel, although tied up well, it wasn't perfect.

I really enjoyed this book and its a lovely read. I would recommend to anyone who wants a gripping, interesting and different novel to read.

Calves in the Mud Room- Jerome O Brown

This is the first novella (or short book) that I have ever read and I have to say that I'm a huge convert. I've always been interested in the idea of novellas- due to their ease and quickness- but I have just never really come across one that I've wanted to read.

When the email about Calves in the Mud Room came into my inbox I was incredibly interested as my family are big farmers and I've grown up with being told funny stories and tales about farm life, and I thought this would be a lovely little thing to read. I was not wrong. Although this is a short story it is incredibly thoughtful, interesting and funny as well as touching and full of meaning. I couldn't put it down and really connected with the main character Wade. This really is a 'coming of age story' with another level.

The book is really well written and incredibly descriptive and paced wonderfully. I love the authors style which is really well fitted to the story itself and compliments Wade's narrative voice brilliantly. I personally feel its a very honest and realistic view of farming life and the struggles and complications that can be incurred. It was incrediblt moving and real and I really enjoyed that.

If you're looking for a short story to read this is a lovely one. Not appropriate for under age readers but a really great well written and interesting story.

Note: This book was sent to me to review. This is no way alters or affects my opinion of the book and I only review books sent to me that I genuinely would have considered
purchasing for myself.

The Book Lover Quiz!

Today I thought I would do something a little different, and found some bookish questions to answer!

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
I love a hardback however I’ll have to go with paperback as that is what I tend to buy

Amazon or brick and mortar?
Brick and mortar! Book shops are one of favourite places on earth and I think its really important we support them.

Locally owned bookshop or big name chain store?
Locally owned if I can, but I don’t mind the big chains

Bookmark or dog-ear?
Bookmark! I can’t bear to ruin books.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
Random, I am far too messy

Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep, although I do try and donate books to my local oxfam book shop as often as I can

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Keep!

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
I tend to read with or I would lose it

Short story or novel?
Novel

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Hmmm probably anthology as I like comparing different styles and techniques

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
chapter breaks, but don’t be surprised if you find me still awake at 4am trying to get to the end

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
Dark stormy night!

Buy or borrow?
Buy but I love to lend

New or used?
Either to be honest, but I love buying used books as it feels like they have a new life

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
All three! But recommendations from my mum, nana and sister are sure winners!

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
I get very frustrated with cliffhangers but I still love them!

Morning, afternoon or nighttime reading?
I tend to not have a lot of time in the morning but I can happily while away an afternoon or evening submerged in a book

Single volume or series?
Again, either!

Favorite series?
The magicians guild trilogy by Trudi Canavan


Favorite books read last year?
Probably We Were liars by E.Lockhart

Favorite books of all time?
I couldn’t say!

Thank you to the guys over at good reads for providing the questions which you can find here, http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1162432-questions-for-book-lovers

Born survivors- Wendy Holden

This book was not what I was expecting at all. I was expecting a fiction book, based on real events, but a story none the less- something woven and, although probably accurate, a depiction of events rather than a written account. This is not what I got- but oh was it so much better.

This book follows the stories of three very real expectant mothers during the holocaust. The stories are laid out in an interview/account style with recollections and memories from the three ladies as of the time of writing. I can’t stress enough that this book is in no way a ‘story’ per say but is an accurate historical account. As you can imagine it is wholly gripping. This incredibly unique telling of the lives of these three ladies is remarkable and allows you to view the suffering of the victims of this monsterous point in history in a way, I personally, have never seen before.

I was extremely moved whilst reading this book- by 50 pages in I was crying. Due to the style of this book you are so connected to the ‘characters’ that it is impossible not to sit in heartbreak for the suffering these ladies endured. What really gripped me were the tiny stories interwoven into each ladies main story- I don’t want to go into too much detail because you really need to read it for yourself to truly appreciate these memories. These ‘untold’ miracles and accounts truly blew me away and I was left speechless at the courage and risk others took in the face of such fear and oppression.

Everyone should read this book. It is so important that the holocaust is never forgotten, to stop anything like this every happening again and to draw attention to atrocities that are currently happening in the world now. Literature such as this book is vital for coming close to understanding what truly went on during this horrifying time- it is especially important for the younger generation, 15/16+ to learn about what happened. A fantastic book.

Interrailing through Europe: My guides and how I used them

So as very few of you will know this summer I spent a few days short of a month travelling on trains through Europe with my sister. This was an INCREDIBLE experience and I hope it explains my absence! I just want to clear up firstly- Interrailing is the same exact thing as Eurail(ing?) except you buy an 'interrailing' ticket if you live within the EU rather than a 'Eurail' ticket.

We flew from the UK to Paris before travelling on to Barcelona, then Nice, Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Vienna (where we did a trip out to Salzburg), Munich and finally Amsterdam. We did two night trains (where you sleep overnight on the train) as well as regular trains. It was such a brilliant experience and I'm so glad we went- I shall try to stay clear of all the 'cliche' rubbish in this post but it truly was unforgettable and one of the best months of my entire life.

Books took up a big part of my trip- not just books I read along the way but also guides! Obviously it was unrealistic to think I could take lots of individual city or country book guides, especially due to lack of space when you are living out of a back pack for a month, and I know I could have downloaded lots of ebook versions but, for me, a physical all inclusive guide book was what I wanted. I was generously given a guide called 'Europe by Eurail' written by LaVerne Ferguson-Kosinski (2015- 39th edition) by my parents. This book was incredible.

It includes up to date timetables, ticket prices for thousands of attractions as well as buses/metro tickets and discount city cards. it also offers brilliant recommendations for things to do, especially if you are short of time which for us was incredibly useful. It was this book that suggested the trip to Salzburg where we did one of my top three things in the whole trip- having lunch in a huge beautiful fortress overlooking the whole of Salzburg and the mountains. I will never forget that experience.

This guide, which we nick named 'the book', became what we really relied upon- from working out how to get from the airport to our hostel to figuring out how to budget for the trip. I wanted to talk about it in a whole post because honestly I would say this book (or a similar book-but this one is amazing) is vital when planning and travelling a trip like this. The suggestions allowed us to see some unbelievable places that we never even would have thought to go see- from attractions, hidden gems, places to eat and even places to stay.

As well as the guide book we took a pocket phrase book. For us this was really important as I can speak (some) Spanish and my sister can speak German but that was it, and it was great to be able to at least attempt to order food/converse a bit. The guide we took was fine- they are all pretty similar and ours had big sections for menus and ordering drinks and food which was helpful. I would say a phrasebook is really important and we used ours A LOT.

If anyone has any questions, or is interested in hearing more about the trip (not really sure how interested people are!) then feel free to leave a comment, send me an email at lizzyisreading@hotmail.com or tweet me @lizzyisreading

We are all completely beside ourselves- Karen Joy Fowler

Firstly let me just apologies for the lack of posts on here; I have been travelling around Europe for a month but much more on that in the future. Stay tuned.

The first thing to mention about this book was the incredible writing style; the author has an incredible grip over the writing. The lead character, Rosemary, talks directly to the reader which is something I love in a book and really allows the author to hold the attention of the reader really really well. That being said, this style has some restrictions- for example it would have been really interesting to hear more thoughts from Rosemary's father in this story. Although this does'nt bother me too much as it fits with the theme and story line of the story that Rosemary can only explain her own feelings.

The twist in this story is brilliant- especially for soemone who is interested in the themse (I can't really go into too much detail because it gives the whole thing away) like I am. I can say, however, that this twist comes and precisly at the right time and in a way that was so simply and beautifully revealed. I was worried from the start that this book would be really hard to grasp and a bit confusing but this really wasn't aa problem- it was straight forward and flowed really well.

The detail in this story is simply stunning- there is a section (and if you read the book this will make much more sense) about 'will you take my pack' and I can't stress enough how much this part touched me. I know that doesn't explain it at all  but trust me- its fantastic. This brings me on to the themese themselves in the book; the issues raised are incredibly interesting and not widely talked about in mainstream media, be it books, films, tv ect.

This is a wonderful book and a terrific read. Defintily give it a try, it raises some really interesting thoughts and some powerful questions.

Lumaworld- Rachel E.Kelly

Lumaworld is the third instalment of the Colorworld series written by Rachel Kelly. Please find reviews of the first book, Colorworld and the second book, Teleworld, below.

The story that runs through this series is totally unique; from the first book I fell in love with it. I have to say this isn't my favourite book in the series but I still really enjoyed it, and find the the whole plot compelling and fascinating to follow. With this particular book I did however, unfortunately, struggle a little with the middle portion of the story- I felt it was a little slow and got a tiny bit lost. That being said it's 100% worth sticking it through and vital detail is included in this section.

Something I do struggle a little with in these stories is following them completely without difficulty. You have to keep your whits about you as you are reading them as it can be easy to get lost, especially in this instalment, but that definitely shouldn't put readers off. I personally feel that spreading out the action slightly may have made it easier to follow.

I adore the characters in this series; Gabe being a particular favourite. The characterisation and development in Lumaworld is lovely- which really elevates and influences the emotional sections of the story, of which this book has many. Some sections of the story were written so beautifully I was really moved (a rare thing for me) and the way the characters have been written really adds to the emotion and depth of the story. As I mentioned in the previous review of Teleworld, I really wanted to see development of other characters in Lumaworld, in particular Ezra. I was not left disappointed. The story was greatly elevated and made much more interesting by us learning much more about a number of other characters, including Ezra and Robert.

Again this instalment was packed with twists and turns and unexpected surprises. I did feel that a couple were a little too out of nowhere but that's just my personal opinion. I love how Kelly has managed to maintain the air of mystery and surprise through out the series-mainly through the extensive development of the colorworld-world. I am totally hooked on the series, its truly unique and interesting and I love that I've finally found a sci-fi esq series to read which really brings me out of my comfort zone!

Colorworld review
Teleworld review

Note: This book was sent to me to review. This is no way alters or affects my opinion of the book and I only review books sent to me that I genuinely would have considered
purchasing for myself.

My 'to re-read' list

I have been searching my bookcase and shelves and found so many books I had forgetting about wanting to reread, here I’ve shared just a few. Re – reading is something I love to do when I don’t have anything else on the go, but I do find it hard to make time for it!

The Art of Racing in the Rain- Garth Stein:  written from the point of a dog this book is truly unique. I love Garth Steins work and I loved this book dearly when I first read it many years ago; I did reread it subsequently but haven’t since and it is definitely one I would like to revisit. The story is also beautiful, wonderfully written and heartbreaking.

Elsewhere- Gabrielle Zevin: Basically this story of ‘heaven’ (elsewhere) where inhabitants get younger and return to earth as new born babies. I thought this was fascinating story and I would love to revisit it now with a slightly broader and older mind. I was young when I read this the first time around, and although I got a lot out of it, I imagine I would get much more from it now.

Grow up- Ben Brooks: This is a modern coming of age tale that is both wonderfully funny but also incredibly true. Its wickedly told and captures the nuances of teenage life in a way you probably haven’t read before. I first read this when I was in my first few years as a ‘proper’ teen and I would love to read it again to reflect on how I was growing up in those difficult teenage years. I imagine a lot of it makes much more sense to me now. I warn you though- I wouldn’t suggest this book for those younger than 16.

The bower bird- Ann Kelley: The first line of this book reads ‘I am not dead yet’ which sums up this book perfectly. We follow the story of Gussie a 12 year old who recently had open heart surgery and is waiting for a heart and lung transplant. A story all about how she wants to grow up and experience normal things like running on a beach and kissing a boy. This is a very humbling book and, like the others in this post, I want to revisit it with an older mind.

What I was- Meg Rosoff: This is yet another coming of age story but this one focuses on a much less discussed aspect of growing up. I am reluctant to go into more detail as it spoils the story but this is a brilliant, what I like to call, question book; it leaves you wondering a lot about the story and makes you think and question. A very interesting and unusual read.

The island- Victoria Hislop: I fell in love with this book when I read it because it is beautifully written and a brilliantly heartbreaking tale. The writing was so great in this book that for the longest time I so desperately wanted to visit the place it was, and still do to this day. It’s based on a fascinating piece of history but one you probably haven’t read or heard much about before: leper colonies. I would whole heartedly recommend this book, and Hislops work in generally as she is a truly wonderful writer.

Girl meets boy- Ali Smith

The blurb describes this book as 'funny and fresh, poetic and political' and I think it would be a difficult task to find a better description. Smith's writing truly is poetic- it flows beautifully, intertwining the stories with a grace that only a gifted writer can master. This is one of those books that although short, at only 161 pages, it makes a big impact.

There are two obvious themes: homosexuality and equality for women. The first of these themes, for me, was best portrayed in the thoughts of the character Midge (Imogen). Through her thought process you can really understand societies views and presumptions about homosexuality and its incredibly heartfelt seeing her develop and assess her own opinions- in particular regarding her sister. That being said I also loved the thought track of Anthea who has an innocence about her that really contrasts to the harsh judgement of those in society. This is thoughtful writing at its best.

 The second of these themes, equality for women, was also portrayed thoughtfully and creatively. In the sense that you got to see from the start of the book how women are treated in the workplace, subtly to begin with, then getting deeper until you are met with real life statistics that hit you hard. This makes reflection for the reader easy and helps you to understand earlier sections of the story. It was a unique and interesting comment on this highly important topic.

I wish that I had known more about Ovid and the myth of Iphis, the basis of this story, before I started reading.However, don't let this put you off. Personally I feel that 're-tellings' are brilliant ways to access old stories and legends and this book is certainly no exception.

I have to say as a random little side note: I adore the chapter titles in this book- 'I, you, us, them, all together now'. I think they're so cleaver and really compliment and sum up the story. I really enjoyed this book, its a beautiful read and quick. Definitely worth picking.

The Girl on the Train- Paula Hawkins

To begin with I was so excited to read this book but I have to say that I struggled a little to begin with. For some reason I really struggled to get into the story even though I was enjoying it, however I did get more into it around the middle. 

The story itself is really interesting, and made even better by the writing style. The book is split into 3 separate voices- Rachel, Megan and Anna- and each of these is broken into morning and Evening. This is a very unique style, an intriguing set up and made the story easy to follow. It also made the mystery side of the story fresh and different from the classic mystery set ups. I won't lie, this wasn't the best mystery book I've read but its ok and not a bad story. Unfortunately, for me the ending fell a little flat because it was ever so slightly predictable- some characters were ruled out too soon for 'not having done it' for my liking.  

Another thing I like about this book is the idea of how we view others is portrayed, as well as how similar strangers lives can be. How the relationship between Rachel and Megan/Scott changes is fascinating and really emphasises how our expectations and assumptions about people can be totally wrong. The writing style hid a lot of character traits until the last moments which was a great addition to the story and the theme of mystery. 

The characters are ok, a little rash, a bit depressing and a tad all over the place, but good on the whole. Its great how they interact with each other, especially Rachel and Anna. It was interesting to read about Rachel, who is an alcoholic, and her thought patterns. She's unique and I liked reading the parts where the story was written in her voice- she was definitely my favourite. Her thought pattern is brilliant- she has some amazing lines, especially when she's talking about her alcohol problem and by the end you really are rooting for her despite her problems. 

In my opinion this book is ok,  definitely not incredible run out to the shops right this second to purchase it because you have to read it immediately, but not terrible. I enjoyed it, I probably wouldn't read it again. Not for YA readers. 

My top 5 YA series

Here I have compiled a top 5 of some of my favourite YA book series. I’ve tried to keep clear of the most obvious ones and maybe bring your attention to lesser known/older releases. Enjoy! 

 
The Magician’s Guild trilogy by Trudi Canavan – This is a trilogy that I have talked about before on this blog but I couldn't help but mention it again. I LOVE this collection of books- from the writing style to the characters and story itself I think it’s a really interesting and unique series. Perfect for YA fantasy lovers, as well as those interested in mystery or ‘other realm’ stories.
Please find a link to a more detailed review I did a while ago:Magicians guild trilogy

 

Chaos walking trilogy by Patrick Ness- ok well I'll admit, this series isn't exactly completely unknown but give me a chance. I fell in love with this series when I was given a copy of the first book, The Knife of never letting go, by my school for some sort of YA book competition (I forgot what the deal was but it was to do with a short list of books and YA readers voting for a winner- anyway I digress). It’s an incredible series, unlike anything I've read since and I still re-read it to this day. I know that Patrick Ness has written a short story as a prequel to the trilogy and I defiantly want to try that out soon. I would say this probably isn’t  for everyone, but worth a shot because it is fantastic. I think this is an excellent universal book gender wise as well.  I also hear rumour on the grape vine that it is being adapted to a film in the near future, so read it now!

 
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver- I adored this series when I read it, and I pretty much just read each book one after the other. It’s 6 books long, and I made it to book 5 however when I was reading them 6 was yet to be released ( I am definitely going to be making a purchase of it though now). It’s set in ancient times and involves magic and plenty of action. A very unique story and once again a great all rounder gender wise. 

 
Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini- also known as the ‘Eragon series’. I can’t really express to you how obsessed with this series I was; I was literally racing my friends to finish it first. Currently it is 4 books long, and unfortunately (a similar story to the chronicles of ancient darkness series) I only made it to book 3. This is a really great fantasy series, packed with action and magic with a really detailed and gripping plot. Please don’t be put off by the film that was made of the first book; it really doesn't give justice to how great this series is. Definitely a story that is better read and imagined than seen in front of you on a screen.

  

Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage- this is another series that I was really really into however I have a vague recollection of it seeming to drop off a little towards the end? I adored the first 3 books, liked the 4th and the final 3 I never got around to reading. That being said the last book was only released in 2013 so it’s definitely a series I may go back and revisit. Again fantasy and magic driven but very quirky and interesting. I would say this is probably aimed at the younger YA audience but the plot does develop and would continue to be interesting for slightly older readers I feel. 

The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle - Kirsty Wark

Warning: writing a review for this book is pretty impossible without revealing a few spoilers.  Apologies. But I will try to be careful. 

I’m saying from the start that I thought this book was great and I would recommend it whole heartedly. That, however, does not stop me from having a few issues, but let me start with the basics. Many I have seen had great concerns for this book before reading as the author, Kirsty Wark, appears to be a big wig journalist and not a ‘proper author’ (*sigh*) thus many thought she would not be able to write a decent novel- it would appear that I live under a rock and had literally no idea about this before reading. I thought the writing style was beautiful, full of stunning description and unique detail that only someone who really knew the setting, Arron,  could achieve- which leads me to believe that those that have a connection to arron or know the island well would get a lot out of this story. Those that have been skeptical of Warks ability to write are very misjudged- journalists are the best story tellers- and you can’t tell she is in the public eye (not that it should matter) so don't let that put you off. 

That leads me on to discuss the story. This is a beautiful story, and really captures the interest and mystery of other people’s lives. I love that it is told in two voices- that of Elizabeth and Martha’s- and I like that the story is set in two parallel times. The flow is excellent through the story until you reach almost the end where ‘the big mystery reveal’ occurs. Now I have a few problems with this revelation- I felt that clues were left out/ over forced which left the ending a huge surprise but also made it feel out of place and a little rushed; Elizabeth reveal chapter didn’t fit the style of her previous voice which was a little out of character and place. That being said you can't get away from the fact it truly is a tragic story and one that really tugs at your heart. Many would disagree but that’s just the way I feel. The rest however I really liked; well thought out, interesting and detailed. The story is compelling and unique- it fascinating to learn about the amazing things that Elizabeth did and you truly appreciate that others lives can be utterly fascinating.

The characters were also a huge plus for this book: in particular the female characters, which were the focus, and also the different relationships between these females, mothers daughters and friends. Elizabeth's character was wonderful,  so interesting and incredibly developed: you couldn’t help but want to learn more about her. Even the minor characters were unique and complimented each other beautifully. The only character development problem I had was with Niall- at the start he is very angry and stand off-ish with Martha which is completely unexplained and continues on for a while untill suddenly their story develops too quickly. This irritated me a little, more due to the lack of explanation than the rushed development.

All in all this book was lovely: beautifully written and incredibly interesting. I would defiantly say it is not designed for a YA audience; more of an adult book as it focuses more on detail and description than action. In addition, this a must read if you have a strong connection to Arron itself. I will definitely be picking up Kirsty Wark's future novels.

Teleworld- Rachel.E.Kelly

Firstly, I know how long its's been; I am a dreadful blogger clearly that can't keep up with anything and is generally a bit rubbish. Apologies. But exams are over, summer is here and I'm ready to swing back into reading with full force.

Teleworld is the second instalment of the Colorworld series; the first book 'Colorworld' I reviewed some time ago (please see a link to this below). I very much enjoyed Colorworld however, although I did still enjoy Teleworld, I felt it wasn't quiet as enjoyable as the first instalment. I personally find this common in series/trilogies of books that the middle book is more of a filler/link between the developing stories. That being said, there was still plenty going on in this second book.

What I love about this series is that it is jam packed full of twists and unexpected turns which make the books really gripping to read; and Teleworld was no exception. The story developed on from the first very smoothly, despite the large gap I had between reading them, and kept a nice pace. The story is really interesting, a wholly unique (for me at least) plot that, although dips slightly into superpower cliché, mainly sticks to an original story with strong development. There is generally plenty of action to keep a reader interested but still a drive for detail and description to bring this new world alive. The story is believe able,   something I look for and love in a book, but still allows for a lot of imagination.

The characterisation is good; Gabe being a particular favourite of mine. That being said, the more I read of this story the more I see how people's opinions of the characters could be wildly different. Will I adore Gabe others may find him overbearing and annoying, it's all a matter of opinion. Wendy I do have a little more trouble with; I do like her character but I do find her a little irritating and irrational in certain situations however that is part of her character process, so I can't complain too much. In addition in the next book I would love to see more development from other characters, such as Ezra,  and I feel this would bring the series up a level and develop the story in a whole new direction.

Teleworld is never going to be a solo read, none of the books from the series are; once you're in you will be in till the end because there is something about the story that just keeps you hooked: you have to know what is going on and what will happen next! Its full of surprises. I think this series would be suitable for most ages and an interesting way to get into the diverse  supernatural genre. I shall defiantly keep reading this series!

Colorworld review: http://lizzyisreading.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/colorworld-rachelekelly.html

Note: This book was sent to me to review. This is no way alters or affects my opinion of the book and I only review books sent to me that I genuinely would have considered
purchasing for myself.

The King's Curse- Philippa Gregory

I would consider myself an advocate of Philippa Gregory's work, namely because I have read a vast majority of her books, however I didn't feel as thrilled as I have before reading this latest instalment in the cousins war series.

That is not to say this book is bad, on the contrary, this book is very good, however it is rather long. Descriptive sections are dragged out and due to the nature of the story the description is quiet repetitive. Although, as with all of Gregory's books her writing style is impeccable- she is a gifted storyteller and has a unique way of making a reader route for their favourite character till the very last second. She brings this historic era to life fantastically, better than most other writers who write about the tudor or York courts- the colours,food, music and culture jump off the page. I adore her writing but as I have said it can be a little repetitive.

The nature of this tail, concerning Margaret Pole the countess of Salisbury, lends to a gripping story, if however, played out over a great many years. The book is full of unrest and heartache that is addictive to read- Margaret's life was incredibly interesting and, personally, I rarely find her mentioned in great detail in other similar books which adds another depth of interest. In addition to Margaret there are a great number other characters who I love, her children in particular and of course Katherine (I always adore the character of Katherine no matter who writes her), and I love the development of Henry's character throughout the story- it is clear a lot of time was spent working on him and it really pays off, the contrast between Prince and King is wonderful.  

I'll be honest I found some sections a little boring, not really because of any fault of the author, more because I think I've reached the end (for a little while) of endlessly reading Gregory's work. However if you are a lover of Tudor/war of the roses history, as always, I can't recommend Gregory enough. This was another great addition to her long list of books but I couldn't honestly claim it out suppresses my favourites- just nestles in amongst the others.  

The Taxidermist's Daughter - Kate Mosse

I've said it before and I will say it again, I adore a mystery; and this one is a cracking one. The opening scene, set in a churchyard, is instantly gripping and really sets of the story from the outset. I must admit that this opening scene is a little confusing to begin with, however stick it out because all becomes clear in the end.

Throughout the book there are sections depicting sections from books about taxidermy which are really interesting unique sections to add and increase the level of errieness that surrounds the story, in addition to adding more detail to description included in the main body of the story. It is clear to see the amount of work that went into the research for this book and it really pays off; the characters are incredibly believable.

As I've said before the story is a little confusing but I feel this is understandable due to the nature of mystery stories, however many of the characters are are little similar and quickly dissappear. That being said I find the characters full of depth, in particular Connie, as well as being likeable. My only real issue with the characterisation is that of Joseph who seems to swiftly swap in personality, however again this is me being pernickety. I would have been interested to read more about certain back stories of some characters, for example Davey, but with so many characters it is impossible to explain everybody fully and I like the added questions this lends to the story; even after it has finished.

This book was good, not incredible,but worth a read if you're interested in crime and mystery. On,  interested is a little predictable, but the interesting setting of fish borne and the time it was set add more to a straight forward mystery story.There are a few little twists that are really great and elevate the book higher, however I would have liked to have seen a little more surprise and less coincidence. A few moments are a tad unrealistic and spoil an otherwise good read.

(No Subj