Racing To Mongolia to Pay Back A Ukrainian Mafia Boss You Lost To At Poker. You Know. The Norm.

First Paragraph:

"I am horizontal, mid-air, my feet planting into his chest. He sprawls backwards and the anger knotted inside of me bursts out of my mouth in a shout as he thumps down onto the mat. He scrambles to his feet and comes at me again and in my mind I see myself yesterday, stood up against the window in the office with its view out across the docklands, along with the rest of the trading floor, suited and booted, being told we no longer have jobs and as he tries to jab me my bile rises and I block him, sweep his feet from under him and hop from foot to foot, arms raised and ready. I turn from my waist and switch my front and back feet and then back again."

      Amazon / Amazon.co.uk


Rich in Small Things by Helen J Beal is a story focusing on how much the small things in life actually mean to us.

PLOT 

Melissa had was she considered her perfect job. Working as a city trader she made more than enough to get by, and enjoyed the finer things in life. Now her decade of service has gone down the tube, as the economy hits the company and thousands of employees are made redundant. Luckily she has enough saved to last a few months, but a new job is top priority on her now considerably empty 'To-do' list. Especially with her hobby.

Melissa enjoys online poker, and she's very good at it. But now that she's unemployed, she realises just how little social life she actually has. No friends and the only person she sees on any regular basis is her grandmother- Babu. Desperate for some face-to-face company, she decides to try her luck at a poker game downtown- resulting with her being scouted by a less than scrupulous character. Her poker skills get her noticed by his boss- Victor, who invites her to a private high-stakes game. Despite the fact that he is clearly the type of man you never want to owe money to (and is probably pretty much a sure bet to win) she buys in- for £25,000. Six players, and her confidence is her downfall. She makes a mistake and ends up £175,000 in debt- more than three triple what she has in the bank, plus interest. 

Victor makes her a deal. He likes her. If she joins his team he will clear the debt. She declines, realising the kind of men they are, but is now spectacularly indebted to a Ukrainian mobster. With very little options, she takes any work she can find. In this case, a waitress at a small cafe- where she bumps into an old school friend- Julia- who tells her all about the Ulaanbaatar Cup- a kind of car race from Hyde Park to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia- with a prize of £1,000,000. Melissa sees her chance, however slim it may be, and she and Julia decide to give it a try. 

Meanwhile, a couple other teams are preparing for the same race. Some for the experience, others for the cash. One of the teams is one of Victor's- who has the race on the books. He's determined his team wins- not only for the large gambling sum that will come his way, but also to force Melissa to work for him.

Slowly the groups all begin to interact. They discuss the race, the riddles they are given for bonus points, and what they would do with the money. And slowly, bonds are formed. There are (of course) more than a few mishaps along the way- some accidental, some not. With very few rules regarding sportsmanship and such a large prize to be had, there's plenty of hijinks and some sabotage. But soon each character will realise just what a difference five weeks can make.

REVIEW

This is a book with interesting, fallible characters- and none of them are clear cut. There is no black and white. Each character can forgive or be forgiven, and those that start off seeming like the antagonists are just people by the end. Neither right or wrong, capable of both good and bad. One of the recurring themes of the story is that everybody has the ability to change, given the right incentive.  Likewise, the characters can make mistakes. There are areas where occasionally a character seems to have inexcusably poor judgement, but you can let it slide, not because it isn't stupid (because let's face it, it is), but because sometimes people do, say or believe stupid things. 

The story focuses on its title, managing to deliver a realistic path that leads the characters to each of their own revelations and the beginnings of change. We know from the start how the book will end (or at least can make an educated guess), but like the plot that draws each character in, we're along for the ride. As the old saying goes, "It is not the destination, but the journey."

I thoroughly enjoy road-trip based stories. They offer all the usual things characters go through to reach the people they become by the end of the story, but add in some adventure and sight-seeing. All the different locations and their descriptions, never fail to entice and enthral me. Not only that, but these types of plots help the reader feel like they've travelled the distance with the characters. It makes the 'journey' seem longer and more real- so we experience some its the length too. Not anywhere near as much of the characters, of course, but enough to give us a taster of the weariness, or the sense of triumph and accomplishment once the end is reached. 

The only criticism I have is understandable, but slows the story down. A lot of the information is repeated again and again. Each group of characters discuss the Ulaanbaatar Cup in their own times and places, going over a lot of the things we already know. It makes sense that they would each discuss the race, but we don't need to see it for each group. The race doesn't even get going until around two hundred pages in.

Another minor issue was some of the writing- or rather spelling and grammar. Some of the wording can seem a little off- as though it's a bad translation. There are also a few grammatical/ spelling errors or inconsistencies, but overall I don't really count them as common enough or severe enough to be problems. I was still happily able to enjoy the story.

OVERALL

A fun, entertaining read. Part adventure, part romance and part comedy. Perfect to take along on any adventures you may be planning yourself, or to relive the memories and emotions of a past excursion. It left me with an overwhelming sense to start my own month long road-trip.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Gore, Lore, "The Roar" and More Than Enough Ice

First Paragraph: 

"My name is Norman Leonard and at one time I lived in Liverpool, North West England, with my wife Chrissy. We were among the stubborn few that stayed. The speed of the advancing ice had taken everyone by surprise and the edge of the glacier had already reached the ruins of the Forth Road Bridge, the old one, not the narrow one-lane nightmare they threw up some years back when a heavy ice storm finally snapped the suspension cables. Before long, the glacier would rumble its ponderous path down into England and pretty soon Cumbria would become as uninhabitable as Scotland had been for the last five years."


  Amazon /Amazon.co.uk


Hard Winter: The Novel by Neil Davies is a dystopian horror/thriller.

PLOT

The year is 2118. The world is rapidly falling prey to mother nature, as she brutally crushes it with inescapable, unstoppable ice. It is unclear how the world got into this state, but we'll put it down to global warming mixed with the nuclear winter of 2062.

Norman and his wife Chrissy live in Liverpool. When "the freeze" happened two years ago, all the 'VIP's' were evacuated from the city. Many others left, and Liverpool is as lifeless and bleak as the grey skies that bare down on it. Norman and Chrissy are forever on the move. Little by little the glacier advances, pushing them out of whatever abandoned building they called home. And everyday they have the same conversation, stay or leave? Chrissy believes the government will eventually step-up and come back for those who remain. Norman retains his life-long cynicism of mankind. Travelling is undeniably dangerous, but the approaching glacier is inevitable- eventually they will have to move. What's holding them back is fear. They have no destination, no shelter, no food. With no law and order, other people are a threat, as hungry eyes hunt for easy prey. Large groups could provide safety, but trust is hard to come by in these harsh times, especially with rumours of cannibalism spreading through the figurative grapevine.

But when the River Mersey floods, destroying everything Norman holds dear, the choice is taken. There is no more time. It's leave or die. South or bust. So begins his harrowing journey through pain, exhaustion, grief, frostbite, infection and fear. 

Along the way, various people will flash through his life, but his deep mistrust for others keeps them at a distance. And the terrifying Norseman and inexplicable giants that follow close behind keep him moving, while all the time one question haunts him- is there anywhere left to go?

REVIEW

As with most post-apocalyptic stories, the focus is more about the people. How they adapt and change when their existence depends on it. When law and order is wiped and responsibility is meaningless. The cruelty and ruthlessness of those who will do anything to survive. However, this story also places a lot of emphasis on community. On the kindness of strangers. For the setting, Norman meets a surprising amount of people on his journey. Yes, I suppose it's not like there's dangerous, human-seeking zombies out and about, forcing people to hide. Other than the ice and humanity itself, there isn't much threat, so unlike zombiepocalypses- where most of humanity is instantly zombiefied or dead, we still have a lot of people about. However there are still dangerous people about. Cannibalistic raiders for one. Who have trained wolves. If there's anything I've learnt from this genre, it's that the end of the world tends to bring out the worst in people, and I would be inclined to have a little more self-preservation that most of the people Norman meets seem to have. There were looters, addicts and murderers long before the apocalypse hit, and it's only going to get worse. There are plenty of people willing to sell out their humanity in order to keep it a little longer. 

I know the author was focusing on the good in people (as well as the bad- since there is no such thing as purely good or bad people), but I'm not sure how realistic that is. Yes, there are kind people who would help, but would you trust a random stranger knowing that it was quite literally a life or death decision? The only reason the untrusting Norman is even involved with them is because he would be dead anyway without them, so there was no harm giving it a shot. But that's what the story focuses on. The people who will trust without anything to gain.

The plot itself is pretty non-existent to be honest. Not necessarily a bad thing. The whole concept is running. Trying to outrun something that can never be escaped, for the sake of it. Because why wouldn't you? Even if you know you're just delaying the inevitable, why wouldn't you run to the very last step?

The future setting is more of warning factor, I think. As far as I can make out, absolutely nothing is different a hundred years in the future- other than the fact that ice rules the world. And impossible, gigantic creatures run ahead of it, killing everything in their path. But judging by the characters' responses, I doubt that's the norm. 

Speaking of, the Icelandic Trolls (or whatever they are) were certainly chilling in their immenseness, but ultimately irrelevant and unnecessary, what with the encroaching glaciers from all sides that will eventually encase the entire world in ice- killing everything in the process. Though they do provide a more immediate threat, and create some tension that running from a slow block of ice (albeit a very fast slow-moving block of ice) wouldn't quite convey.

Not the most hopeful of endings, but what can you expect? There's an inevitability that can't simply be deus ex machina-d away- well I suppose it could, but not very convincingly, and would've left me with a little bit of not-a-happy-bunny-syndrome, so I'm glad there was no easy answer- not that fantasy horror/thrillers are known for easy endings. 

My main criticism is the main character himself- Norman. He's a hard character to hate, but also to like. To be honest, I had no strong feelings either way- which is a shame since we see everything through his eyes, and therefore spend a lot of time in his mind. He has a tendency towards extreme self-pity- which is arguably very human, but also very annoying when a lot of the book is him thinking about how little he thinks of himself, how selfish he is, how much he hates himself. It can become a little grating as page after page after page, Norman feels sorry for himself. Wishing he was braver, cursing his cowardice. It's relatable, but I got tired of it very quickly, and wanted to smack some sense into him. For goodness sake man, I know the situation is bad, I know you've lost a lot, and you've made some mistakes, but get on with your life, instead of curling up in a ball of self-hatred. If you feel so bad about being untrusting or being a burden, if you feel guilty above past sins, then man-up and take action. Make the change, because it's not going to happen with you moping in the corner, drowning your sorrows with bitterness. He is aware of this, but it only makes him hate himself that much more. Every time he takes a step in the right direction, he falls and retreats even further back, with more and more guilt and fear holding him there. To his credit, he does try, but always despises himself for not doing more.

He does develop a few exceptions as the story progresses- through necessity more than anything (fair enough)- but they make him more vulnerable because of it. It is very human, but in this adapt-or-die world, I struggle to understand how he survived so long through anything but sheer dumb luck, since he seems so incapable of doing anything. I can understand that most people would not instantly be survivalist experts, but it's been two years. How can you survive two years without learning anything?

I think a lot of people may disagree with me on this front- citing him as realistic and well-rounded, but when you have someone as self-depracating as Norman as your main character, and have to listen to his self-hatred for two hundred and fifty pages, it can wear a little thin. He does eventually snap out of it, but it's so late in the game that it's pretty inconsequential. I think if the book had been based around ending Norman it would've been so much better. A Norman who still thinks little of himself, but manages not to let that get in the way of actually doing something. Who can put that to one side when push comes to shove and people are in danger. Yes it is realistic, and yes it may be human, but how much do you want to listen to someone whine about how useless they are? 

Overall, a dark, brutal read, with cannibalism, mass-murder, rape, buckets of gore and a lot of violence. It is certainly not for the faint of heart. An interesting premise and a story that focuses a lot on the connections between people. The bonds, the cruelty and the kindness. As to the genre, I suppose it could be considered a horror/thriller/adventure with a little fantasy thrown in, but it comes across as more of an exploration of the human psyche, set against a backdrop that tears down all the social walls people normally hide behind . 

Even with my gripe with Norman, I still enjoyed this book. It had tension, it had fear. If you don't like gore, this may be a little too intense for you, but if you're a fan of more adult-themed dystopian stories, this may be right up your street. If you're put off by my views of Norman, think as I did. Norman is like that one person you find yourself stuck with during the apocalypse. He's whiny and annoying (though you can see where he's coming from), but he's still a person, and that alone is enough of a reason to stick by him.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

One Broken Man's Journey to Save a Little Girl

First Paragraph:

"The man with the wild black beard walked down the hot, white sidewalk, slowly lifting up his old brown boots and then tentatively setting them down again as though he were not certain he wanted to move at all; sometimes he would stop, simply staring at the faded concrete, as if he were making up his mind whether to continue. His matted black hair hung over his forehead as his fiery eyes stared with a power that seemed to bore a hole clear through the heard cement."

Amazon /Amazon.co.uk

The Searcher by Ray Dacolias stars Joaquin Bridger- a homeless man who is tormented by his past. The story starts off in Redwood, California, where we meet Joaquin as he wanders the same path he has taken for the last 5 years. He prays for agony and punishment. He wishes to die, but would consider that more of a blessing than he deserves. The villagers have nicknamed him 'El Buscar' or 'The Searcher', because he wanders with his head down, never looking up, as though he's looking for something.

But what caused this man to break? What thrust him down the dark hole to his never-ending torture?  His general story is this. Joaquin was part of the 110th Infantry Division. Then 15 years ago he settled in Redwood, becoming a police officer. One of the best. 5 years ago, an event occurred that turned him into the shell of a man he is today. There was a bank robbery. Two people were taken hostage as the robbers were escaping. Their car crashed and the police caught up to them. The car had flipped and the leader of the bandits had the hostages with him in the front. The police quickly surrounded the area and set up Joaquin for a shot at the leader (as Joaquin is an ace shot). The leader had completely covered himself and the two hostages with his coat, and threatened to kill both hostages if his demands weren't met. Joaquin had to take the shot, but before he could the leader shot one of the hostages. Joaquin quickly took a shot of his own, but as he fired the car slipped in the muddy ground and moved enough for his shot to go wide and hit the other hostage instead. Joaquin ran to the car, the leader threw out his gun and surrendered, but it was then that Joaquin discovered who the hostages were. His wife and daughter. The leader had killed his wife and he had killed his own daughter. It may have been an accident, he may not have been at fault, but the guilt and the grief broke him and turned him into the agonised man he now is.

Now 5 years later, events seem to be repeating. He happens to be standing outside the bank. Juanita Chavez (an old friend of his that offers him food whenever they happen to meet) is in town with her 4 children. She visits the bank and is on her way to her car when her youngest daughter, 9 year old Sylvia, realizes she's dropped her toy on the way and runs back to find it. Juanita runs to her as three men run out of the bank and grab her child. Another robbery is in progress and another hostage is taken as they make their escape. Joaquin briefly glimpses one of the men as they barge past him, and recognises the man who killed his family. Shock paralyses him and allows them enough time to get away with the child. Joaquin makes it his life mission to track down the man and bring back the child. He gives his word to Juanita. Her faith in him makes brief appearances throughout the book, as she and her family struggle to deal with the loss.

Along the way, Joaquin is helped by two men. Captain Ricardo Montoya, the chief of police in Redwood- who is an old friend of Joaquin and Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal Jacob Shipper, who is part of the investigation as the kidnapper is believed to be a fugitive. Joaquin's name has travelled far, but his story has not. Once Shipper hears it, he does all he can to help the broken man, even making him a Marshal in order to help him track down the kidnapper.

Thus begins a journey that spans nearly three years, across several states, including Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and many others. Through harsh environments and extreme situations, both mental and physical. We learn more about the tracker and his prey, John Slaughter.

If evil could have a physical form, it would be John Slaughter. He is a man who detests man-kind. So much so, that he wants to eradicate it and form a super-army, with himself at the lead. He travels with a convoy and has many safe-houses, all of which are well 'off the beaten track'. He always has young girls with him. He wants to 'educate' them to be the perfect 'ants'. To him, women are simply big children. A genetic mutation. He wants soldiers with no emotion and little 'ants' to tend to their needs. The girls will become the perfect women- 'ants' devoted to the colony, utterly devoid of self-preservation or being. All in his presence must call him 'The Master", for that is what he believes himself to be and what he wants to become. 

Sylvia is brought to the convoy two weeks after her kidnapping. It's a harsh life, constantly marching, constant physical exertion in Slaughter's very own 'survival of the fittest' world. The weakest are 'thinned from the herd'. He occasionally gives the girls tests. Whoever fails is left behind. All the girls are given ankle bracelets upon their arrival, which contain a tracking device, meaning the girls can't run or get away. If they try to remove it, it sends out a signal and they are found out instantly. She meets many other girls along the way, as Slaughter constantly leaves girls (whether at one of his safe-houses or alone in the wild) and brings others in. When the girls turn thirteen, they are left at a safe-house for further education. 

Joaquin is angry and desperate for revenge. He is willing to kill all who get in his way without a second thought. During one of his attacks, he finds himself taken down too. Saved by a massive man he calls 'the Giant', he spends a lot of time with the man as he recovers. 'The Giant' no longer remembers his name, but his story is seared into his mind and he tries to reason with Joaquin to leave his anger behind and accept forgiveness. This odd prophet delivers a pathway to inner peace for Joaquin. His story resonates so deeply and is so similar to Joaquin's own, that the man feels he has found a kindred spirit in this huge hermit. 

Joaquin tries to understand, tries to accept, but his mission and hate are so strong and burn so bright inside him that it is an impossible task. 

This is one of the few stories I've read, where you feel like you've been on the long journey with them. The weariness and tension experienced by so many of the characters, begins to take its toll on the reader as well. Joaquin's non-stop determination towards his goal. His extreme lows- where he becomes just a being, a creature and forgets everything except that he's tracking a monster and can never stop- are hard for the reader to bear too. Not as hard as it is for the characters, obviously, but enough to make the journey feel the length it actually is. This is a story that spans years and miles and the author does a great job making the reader not only believe that, but experience it to the greatest extent they can. 

There is very little dialogue in this book, and what is there feels very old-fashioned. The way they talk, the words they use, all add together to give the impression of an long ago story, though this is a book set in very modern times. There's technology and all the other marvels of the modern world, so the result is a world that feels a little juxtaposed with the people in it. Not necessarily a bad thing. Some people may find it a little distracting, but I found it more intriguing. 

Another thing that may be an issue for some readers is the changes in Point of View. It doesn't happen incredibly often, but the problem lies more in the manor of the changes. Every time the POV switches, the story returns back to the last moment we saw that character in, even if that means returning to the start of the book. It can be a little confusing in places at first, but once you get used to it, I don't think it's a problem. 

The characters are hard to describe. Everything is said through their actions and presence, with very little spoken between any of the characters. They come alive when they interact with each other, but when they're alone, they somehow become less of a person and more of a character. Maybe that's the problem, they're more characters than people. It's not that they're unrealistic, it's more that so many of them are so obscure or unusual that's it hard to relate to them. I fully believe that anyone can become any of these characters given the right circumstances. However, that doesn't make it any easier to understand them. I can understand their motives and the reasoning behind what they do, but actually understanding them is a different story. They interact so strongly together, that the reader is almost kept out of the loop. This means that while the characters are interesting and work well together, there's no real sense of loss when one is left behind or lost, because they're more important to each other than to the reader. 

As I mentioned earlier, there is an amazingly small amount of dialogue. Instead we get beautiful descriptive writing, that flows flawlessly and paints stunning landscapes and brings the characters and places to life. It fits very well with the strong 'back to nature' feel I got from this book. I'm interested in knowing whether I was the only one who got that vibe. The story is very big on leaving behind the cold, technological world in favour of the bounties of nature. This theme can be a little overshadowed by another sometimes. I know a lot of people got annoyed with this second theme- religion. There is a lot of forgiveness and God talk, but I personally didn't find it an issue. I know a lot of books with religion in them can seem preachy, but this wasn't a book about religion to me. It was just a book with religion in it. And the characters are preaching, but to one another, not the reader. Yes, some people might consider those two the same thing, but it's not. I live by the 'to each his own' motto, and am perfectly happy for people believe whatever they want to. Why should it matter to me? The only time I get irritated by it, is if someone tries to force their beliefs on others or if they use their beliefs as an excuse to do bad things. That's not how religion should work. Some people may say, but aren't the characters in this book forcing their beliefs on others? To an extent, maybe, but mostly they're just trying to offer comfort and support the best way they know how, which just happens to be in the form of religion some of the time.

Mainly, this is a story of forgiveness and hope in their purest forms. One man finding peace within himself and accepting redemption. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It's not what I'd call a mainstream book. I have a hard time categorising it. From the description I would call it a thriller, but it's so very atypical of your general thriller that it doesn't quite fit in the genre. For this reason, some people may dislike it, but if you're a fan of unconventional stories, that have more of an 'indie feel', or are a fan of adventure-thrillers, why not take a look?

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Famous Five Meets Tintin

     Amazon /Amazon.co.uk

The Mystery of Smugglers Cove by Paul Moxham is the first in his new The Mystery Series. Set in 1950's England, we follow a group of four children (Joe, Amy, Sarah and Will) on their adventures.

The first book starts it all off. Three siblings meet a fourth member and together they explore the local caves and get a greater adventure than even their imaginations could have thought of.

Reading the first book is very reminiscent of the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton. The author himself states that he took inspiration from it and it really shows. I was a huge fan of the 1995 tv series and it was a large part of my childhood, so reading this book has the rosy tint of nostalgia added to it. Anyone familiar with the Famous Five will know what to expect from these books. Great childrens' adventure stories that never disappoint.

However, this story is not nearly as well-written as their inspiration source. The children are just a little off, and the characters all make nonsensical decisions. They're nowhere near as likeable, and their 'adventurous spirit' mostly comes off as stupidity or foolishness. 

I don't think this is a terrible book. I think comparing it to what it so obviously tries to pay homage to is expecting too much. 

Overall, it's not a book that will become a children's classic, but that doesn't mean it's not worth reading. Perhaps the other books in the series are better done.

This series could be good for any younger readers, any readers nostalgic for the good old days and especially any fans of the Famous Five series, but maybe just go for that series instead.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Delicious Food, Romance and a Sardinian Mystery

First Paragraph:

"Clara had long suspected that Paolo was going to propose soon. They'd been together for four years, and recently he'd been trying to tell her something, but always postponed at the last minute. He would get nervous, his hands would go cold and sweaty, and his words would get tangled. This was a clear signal that what he wanted to say was important, but perhaps, he didn't quite know how to say it. Clara had decided to make things easier for him, so she's suggested, on this occasion, that they ought to go for a romantic walk by the mountains. He loved being outdoors, and particularly hill walking."

  Amazon /Amazon.co.uk 

A Deal with a Stranger by Marina Munzittu is set in Sardinia, in the city of Cagliari, we follow the story of 25 year old Clara, as -day by day- her world destabilises a little more, starting with meeting an old man in a forest.

The plot is an interesting one, varying between predictable and completely new. Or rather there are elements that are predictable. I would say the romance was a little, just because we've seen it a million times, but that doesn't mean the plot or writing is bad. I'll come back to this in a second, but I want to talk about the plot itself first. The concept is fantastic. I think the idea of a stranger coming into your life and making this kind of deal with you (not giving anything away) is original and thought-provoking and this mixed with the consequences (and some bad luck) lead to an unusual turn of events. The nonsensical logic and unlikeliness of it all are still realistic and kept me hooked.

Back to the romance. Anyone who loves a good, light romance novel will like this. It's nothing new, but mixed with the plot it works. And no one says it has to be new to work. There's a reason the old formulas are used.

The characters themselves- I have to admit, I didn't like at the start. They seemed a bit stereotypical and could sometimes be unnecessarily cruel and harsh, but they do grow on you and become more human as the story progresses and more is revealed about them and we see them deal with the good, the bad and the ugly.

Something of a side note here, but I also enjoyed the description of the foods mentioned. Our protagonist had a bit of a weakness for delicious food and doesn't spare the details when describing them. But be warned, you will want something delicious to munch on when reading this book.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I wasn't immediately pulled in, but I'm glad I kept reading as I got a good read out of it. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Italy or a lover of romance novels. If you're travelling to Italy soon and want a light, holiday read, why not try this one out.

Disclaimer: This was sent to me by the author through a giveaway. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own.

"Lies, Damned Lies and Prophecy"

Today I'm reviewing Marie Brennan's "Lies and Prophecy".

     First Paragraph:

"Arguing with my advisor over my class schedule was a familiar ritual. We'd done it six times before, like clockwork, once for every quarter of my freshman and sophomore years, and without it, my junior fall at Welton would not have been ready to start."

Amazon /Amazon.co.uk

Set in Minnesota, in a world containing magic of many varieties- from sorcerers and wiccans to diviners and wilders. Wilders being one of the main themes of the story. I won't say much about the plot because that would be spoiling, so here are a few basic details.

We read the story from the point of view of Kim, a student studying at Welton Academy. At the start, I was reminded of the basic premise of Harry Potter. Some people are normal and some have magic.  As in Harry Potter, it can appear suddenly, only in this series it can be lethal too, with a chance of developing psi-sickness.

The writing style is fast-paced and captivating and the characters are believable and individual. Towards the second half of the book we begin to get brief flashes of events from Julian's point of view. Never for very long and used sparingly. At first, they felt a little shoehorned in perhaps, with no real point to them. Until I began to realise the cleverness of them. Julian as a person is naturally reserved by nature and due to his existence as a wilder. Showing us his side of the story is letting us into his mind and allowing us to briefly see his thoughts and emotions that he rarely ever shows otherwise. Not only does this make him more relatable, but also more human.

The story and writing style remind me of a mix of the Harry Potter series and the Morganville Vampire series, both of which I enjoyed. While similar to both, this story has it's own essence and makes a great read. The ending was fantastic and left me craving more.

I look forward to the next instalment in the Wilders series and would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of magic, fantasy or adventure.

Disclaimer: I received this book through LibrayThing (www.librarything.com). I am not being sponsored. All my opinions are my own. LibraryThing is a free website and anyone can sign up.