Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman

This is one of the books that has been on my to read list for an absolute age and I finally managed to do it when it was featured on my OU course reading list, and it was well worth it.

The plot races along and so much happens quickly, the characters are mostly divided into good or bad although there are some that can cross the divide and redeem themselves. Now also a major film, (the golden compass) I knew some of the plot before reading but the book really draws out the characters and wonders of the child that is the main character.

Lyra is a feisty girl, a tomboy in many ways although her initial encounter with Mrs Coulter allows her to explore her more girly, feminine side and so she appeals to girls and boys alike. Written for older children the book although easy enough to read has real danger, intrigue and fear that could frighten more able younger children and there are a lot of characters to keep track of.

The idea is that all humans have daemons that are linked to their soul, when they feel pain so do the humans to which they belong and when the humans die so do the humans. There is however a board that wants to find out what happens when you separate a child from their daemon and then there is the strange dust that settles on everything but also seems do disguise other worlds hidden behind the Aurora in the North.

This is a read that has a little bit of everything, the struggle between good and evil, witches, fantastic creatures, daring children and of course towards the end the blurring of the divide between good and evil and the problem of deciding which is which. For those aged 9 and upwards and adults I would recommend this book.
4/5

Divas by Rebecca Chance

If you like Jackie Collins, you are going to love this. Treachery and intrigue, well painted characters and a series of events that whizz you along like a speed boat!

Lola Fitzgerald has everything, pin up boyfriend, tabloid celebrity lifestyle and a pin-up boyfriend, that is until her trust fund is frozen and the locks have been changed, her boyfriend is in the papers for all the wrong reasons and the people she once thought of as friends are busy stabbing her in the back and making money out of her misfortune. Lola has to learn to stand on her own two feet and find out some real lessons about life.

Evie on the other hand, the other lead female is street wise and used to having to do unspeakable things to squeak by, that was until she met a sugar Daddy who met her every desire, sadly he is now ill and she too is out on the street. She does however become a more mediocre character in the latter half of the book and I felt this was a shame as she could have been better explored.

The characters are spot on, the dialogue well observed and the action relentless. Towards the end I found I was greedily devouring the book to see how it would all turn out as the characters find themselves in ever more disastrous scenarios. A perfect read for holidays or for some wonderful escapism, a solid debut.

Lazy Town Live stage show

It was a gloriously sunny day, we had taken a railway journey and then had lunch al fresco, followed by a walk along the sea front. We arrived at the Cliffs Pavilion twenty minutes before the show was due to start. We queued for overpriced neon flashing toys which delighted the children (5,3 and 1.) We bought a program with stickers included and visited the toilets!

We took our seats in the stalls, in the centre of the fifth row and the babble from the assembled children, many of them dressed in the blue of Sportacus and the pink wigs of Stephanie had an excited tone. On time a warm up lady appeared to set the scene, we were going to voyage to Lazy Town, and we did.

The show was superb, high energy, bright and true to the show. A mixture of two well known episodes, the pirate adventure and the one where Sportacus forgets who he is. The premise being that if the apple tree in Lazy Town ever died life would effectively end! The actors were clear and the singing and dancing brilliant, the kids were encouraged to join in a few times which of course they loved. Having been to the original show I was pleased to find the cast was pretty much the same, but had grown into their roles and were performing with more precision. The children really believed they were in Lazy Town and loved the show. There were plenty of gasps and shouts at the right moment and I for one will be booking tickets should they tour again with a new show. 5/5

The Brutal art by Jesse Kellerman

This book is a little bit in danger of running away with itself, the premise itself is original, a truck load of drawing is discovered in mysterious circumstances in a long since deserted apartment. The art is passed onto an art dealer who just happens to be estranged from his father and deals with his Pa and friend. Strange things happen that end with the art dealer meeting up with and working on finding the artist with the help of a dying police officer. The loose ends are all tied up by the end of the book but somewhat disappointingly, attempts to redeem characters don't really ring true and although I was initially gripped to find the ending, when I did I was left a little flat.
The book is well written and the first three quarters are exciting, the historical interludes slow the pace down and will require the reader to hold in their head two sets of characters, and did in the end become a little tiresome.
I also found some of the characters a little stereotypical, particularly Marilyn.
For this reason I can only award 3/5

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (film)

If you have seen the other films in the franchise and read the book then there will be very little surprises for you in this film.

It is darker in some ways than the others, teenage love and the difficulties of growing up are all apparent in the film, love and who is into who also take central stage (am I the only one who wanted Harry and Hermione to get together?)

The danger that Harry is in becomes more menacing and seems ever present. The tension is ratcheted up. There are some light hearted moments the twins new shop and the quidditch scenes are particularly well shot.

This film does however feel a little disjointed in a way the book doesn't, I almost felt as though some bits had been left out to get the novel down to a cinema friendly length but couldn't put my finger on what was missing. Perhaps part of that is down to the fact that the film is highlighting the unease shared by the characters, living in difficult times and danger.

Malfoy as well comes into his own, his character now not flanked by Crabbe and Goyle has been seen as a comment about fitting in, growing up and facing your demons. I enjoyed the film overall as a fan of the Potter series.
4 out of 5

Cut Short by Leigh Russell

This book comes with a money back guarantee, you won't need it. The book is well written, fast moving and I can easily imagine it becoming a franchise worthy of being converted into a television series.

The characters are well drawn and diverse. The action is fast moving and a lot of the tension is created by the reader being in the know. This is not a whodunnit in the Agatha Christie style, you know who the killer is and see things through their eyes, this is unusual and refreshing as you also get Geraldine Steel's point of view and thoughts allowing you to see the different events from all angles.

I found it difficult to put down as I wanted to find out who cam out on top, was anyone else going to die? There was plenty of sub-plot and character development to sustain interest as well so that the cops weren't just cops and the killer wasn't just a killer and the characters connections were revealed neatly by the end without any loose ends.

If you like Ruth Rendell and Prime Suspect or Trial and Retribution then you should read this book, I think we will be seeing Geraldine Steel again.

In the Kitchen by Monica Ali

The story starts with a dead body, something which I thought would be central to the story, maybe it would be a crime novel and the killer would be unmasked in the traditional whodunnit style, but in the end is not. The event is central to the main character and the point at which things begin to change for Gabriel. Indeed the novel follows Gabe through a horrible mid-life crisis and charts his turmoil. The characters are believable and well created. The events wide ranging and perhaps towards the end a little strained but on the whole I bought into it. As a study of the human psyche, how we make decisions and what drives us to act the book has a lot to offer. Indeed the characters themselves discuss this as Gabe struggles to find significance in an insignificant death.

I enjoyed the book, it made me concentrate on it and the momentum towards the end carries you along nicely, it did take me a little while to get into the book as after the initial excitement at the beginning it all slows down a bit but is well worth persevering.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I am late coming to this book and I was wondering what all the fuss was about until I read it! Being a Buffy the Vampire and Angel fan piqued my interest.
The book is great, accessibly written like the Harry Potter series it can appeal to all ages from teen to adult!

The first person narrative gives the reader a close relationship with Bella and we share her emotions and concerns as she wonders about Edward and his family. I couldn't help rooting for her and was genuinely moved when they got together, the writing is so vivid that you can feel the tension and hurt when Bella and Edward are separated. The danger seems palpable when Bella is in hiding and at the conclusion every bit of you is screaming out to Bella not to go to James alone! Still there are unresolved issues, compelling enough to ensure that I will read the rest of the book. Essentially a teen love story but much more complicated than that and a book that once you have started is hard to put down.

The Longshot by Katie Kitamura

I like reading novels by new writers and that is one of the reasons why I chose this one, also it is out my comfort zone which usually consists of thrillers and chick lit.
The book is well written and flows nicely and is in the main a detailed character study of Cal and Riley as well as the ever present Rivera.
The plot is simple, Cal is facing a rematch against the legendary Rivera, four years in the making. UP until the moment he steps into the ring he is confident he will be alright, after all he is the only man whom Rivera has failed to knock out. He realises as soon as he steps into the ring that Rivera means business.

I know nothing about the world of fighting but the way the preparations are described are convincing and compelling, the weigh in and buzz from journalists, the crowd filling the arena ratchet up the tension before the fight begins. As a reader you certainly begin to share in Cal's emotions and will him on, the fight itself is brutal and described in detail.

On the surface the novel may seem to be just a description of a fighter preparing for the most crucial fight of his career but look deeper and you will see that the fight is how Cal and Rivera and Riley judge their own success and failures, what it means to have to let go of your dreams and how things change as we grow older.

A great debut novel that I would recommend.

Instructions Not Included by Charlotte Moerman

This book is a real gem. It talks about the adjustment many women make from a high flying career girl to a Mother, at first confronted with a bundle of joy which is a complete mystery.

Charlotte accurately captures the emotions many of us go through, the guilt we feel when we are trying to convince the children to eat something vaguely healthy and come away from the television. The warmth of the book reflects the love with which it has been written and the love shared within the family.

By turns this book made me laugh out loud, well up and cringe as I either recognised myself in the anecdotes, particularly the I will not shout, I am calm episodes or I had seen other mummies experiencing the things Charlotte describes.

This book will not tell you how to be a better mummy but it does highlight and capture what it is to be a mummy, how wonderful, frustrating but ultimately rewarding it can be. I found it inspirational, I also have three young children, currently all under the age of five and my husband often works late or has to travel all over the world, reading Charlotte's account made me realise that it is doable and I think I came to the same conclusion as Charlotte in the end that the work is worth it.

Perhaps the best thing about this book is its honesty. Charlotte doesn't hold back on the tears and tantrums, and not just from the children. If you want to know what it is like to be a Mother, warts and all, then this is the book to read.

I would recommend this book to anyone with children and even without as the book is so warm and well written it can be enjoyed by everyone. 5/5

Wedding Party by Sophie King

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had its emotional ups and downs but in the main left me smiling. The characters are all individual and very well drawn, no cardboard stereotypes among them! There is one here that everyone can identify whether it is the career woman struggling to juggle everything, the well meaning woman who still manages to get it wrong, the divorcee with regrets or the person struggling with a moral test.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot and I don't want to give too much away by telling you what happens but there was plenty of will they, won't they? moments and intrigue as to how personal problems would be resolved. The refreshing thing about the novel is that the characters are not all perfect, immaculate women, this novel takes real women and shows them how they are, the jealous thoughts and competition between them is well written and convincing.

Each chapters is narrated by one of the main characters and at first it was difficult to see how they would all come together but this becomes clear very soon, the ending was a real surprise and I think there is plenty of room for a sequel.

Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh

I don't normally read historical novels but this one drew me in. It took a little while to get into the novel as the cast of characters is large and the narrative jumps between them. Once I was a few chapters in, I was as hooked on the book as some of the characters on the opium. I did find some of the dialect a little off putting at time and although it could be argued that it adds authenticity, at times I felt it distracted from the overall narrative.
The novel is written very sensuously allowing the reader to place themselves in the characters shoes, this in itself can be harrowing however and the read is not light or easy.
It is also worth remembering that this book is intended to be the first of a trilogy and as such there is no overall resolution to the end of the novel but well worth persevering.

My Bump and me by Myleene Klass

I have had three pregnancies and having read this book more out of curiosity than anything I now wish I could have had it when I was pregnant.
As Myleene says in the introduction it is not intended to be a medical guide, the week by week information provided does give you some idea of how big the baby is growing and when to expect some of the bigger milestones such as scans.
The best thing I found was the refreshing honesty with which the book is written, highlighting some of the less glamorous aspects of pregnancy. Initially I was sceptical, after all celebrities have it easy don't they? This book showed me that this was not the case, Myleene worries about child care, looking after the baby during the pregnancy when to go public and how much to buy for the baby just like the rest of us.
Also included were some snippets from Gray, the father-to-be which provide a man's perspective, something usually lacking in pregnancy books.
I finished this book quickly as I was eager to read it, it is well written and I sympathised, laughed and empathised as I read. For a non-medical take on what pregnancy is really like I would recommend this book to mums to be and for nostalgia and a good read for Mums and women everywhere.

Writing Therapy by Timothy Atkinson

It is not often that I can call a book truly unique but this one is. It held my interest from star to finish. The plot told through therapy which could also be usefully extracted as a lesson on how to write a book is extremely cleverly done.
The narrative is also said, haunting as it chronicles a young girls breakdown and slow recovery. Some of the scenes are in ways harrowing but told in such a way that the action is somehow immediate but at the same time distance. Perhaps more remarkable is the author's ability to write convincingly as a teenage girl.

The writing is clear and multi-layered. I honestly felt compelled to reach the end of the story as from the beginning an attachment is formed with the characters that makes you want to find out how the story ends, if there is a cure, if the staff find happy resolutions. I would recommend that people who enjoy a read that will make them think get a copy of this book, as you will not be disappointed.

Artist and Writers Yearbook

This book is a compendium of information. It provided details of publishing houses, literary agents, magazines and also provides essays from well known names to help you achieve success. The listings are easy to navigate and relevant information is included so that those trying to place their work don't waste time contacting people who don't deal with their line of work. I have used this book practically when trying to place work and it has helped me to match my work with the right people. A must buy.