Hello everyone,
In the next few weeks I will be posting reviews of several series' of books that I have read over the last couple of months.
I have held onto the reviews because I wanted to publish them in their series groups, rather than individually.
However, some of the series are still continuing, such as the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. In this case, I will post the reviews that I have already done, in anticipation of the fifth book, Spirit Bound, which will be released in Australia in May 2010.
Remember, if there are any books that you would like me to review, feel free to leave a comment and I will do my best to fill your request.
Happy reading!!
Cat :)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Book Review: The Reluctant Traveller by Bill Lumley
The Reluctant Traveller - Bill Lumley
Synopsis:
Bill Lumley is a freelance writer who loves nothing more than going down to his local pub and getting intoxicated on numerous pints of beer. His whole life revolves around his fears, and his possession of a laminated note his mother wrote for him after a serious accident, that excused him from all physical activities at school, and which he still holds near and dear to his heart. In direct contrast, one of Bill’s old friends, Gar Powell-Evans, is a professional rock climber and photographer who lives for adventure and the great outdoors.
One day at the pub, while Bill is celebrating the completion of a large article, Gar suggests that Bill join him on his search for the legendary lost Ethiopian mountain, Wehni. The plan is to meet up with a group of mountaineers, known as the Hot Rock expedition, as they complete the Ethiopian leg of a three-year tour around the world. Aiming to get a place in the Guinness Book Of Records for driving a convertible truck the entire length of six continents, and climbing remote and unclimbed peaks around the world, Bill can’t see how their expedition will be of any worth to him. But he drunkenly agrees to come along, much to his dismay later on when he realises that he has agreed to write a travel book outlining their journey to find Mount Wehni. What follows is Bill and Gar’s voyage from London to Ethiopia, to find the truck and the lost mountain. They encounter many people (some helpful, some not) in their travels, and experience many things that are uncommon in most developed nations, including faeces-covered latrines, wild animals, and countless beggars.
Completely out of his comfort zone, and struggling to find a way to escape working (or finding and climbing the mountain for that matter), Bill’s narrative details the collective effort involved in locating the lost mountain of Wehni and becoming one of the first people in 200 years to climb it.
What I gained from reading this book:
Although this book is mostly about Bill and Gar’s journey to find Mount Wehni, it also touches on the extreme poverty that many Ethiopians live in. It appears that Western aid does not extend to many of the villages that the rock climbing crew drove through on their trip. Many of the Ethiopians they met lived in primitive housing, with minimal (or no) electricity and very little fresh drinking water. Many also appeared to rely on begging from white strangers to assist in their survival, while some utilised their knowledge of different areas by acting as tour guides or guards (for a fee of course). These accounts show that despite the millions of dollars donated every year to combat third-world poverty, the people are still not getting enough aid to survive, especially in the remotest parts of the country. Poverty is still around and it will take a long time before it ends for good.
Positives:
This book actually provides quite a bit of information about Mount Wehni, its colourful history, and the numerous people who have attempted to find and climb it. Unfortunately, however, this information is scattered throughout the text and does not appear to be in any particular chronological order. Lumley’s account of the people of Ethiopia- and their mannerisms towards white strangers- is also fascinating, and provides a captivating insight into visiting a third-world country.
Negatives:
I found it difficult to read this book and not detest the man that wrote it, and that possibly prevented me from finding any real worth in reading this novel.
Besides the numerous spelling and grammatical errors that litter this travel narrative, readers also have to put up with whiney Bill, a self-confessed slacker, complaining constantly about everything he comes across. If you’re looking for a book that perfectly illustrates the definition of a ‘Whinging Pom’, then you’ve found it.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Genre: Non-Fiction Travel Narrative
Recommended for: People who are looking for personal account stories about Ethiopia’s legendary ‘lost mountain’.
Synopsis:
Bill Lumley is a freelance writer who loves nothing more than going down to his local pub and getting intoxicated on numerous pints of beer. His whole life revolves around his fears, and his possession of a laminated note his mother wrote for him after a serious accident, that excused him from all physical activities at school, and which he still holds near and dear to his heart. In direct contrast, one of Bill’s old friends, Gar Powell-Evans, is a professional rock climber and photographer who lives for adventure and the great outdoors.
One day at the pub, while Bill is celebrating the completion of a large article, Gar suggests that Bill join him on his search for the legendary lost Ethiopian mountain, Wehni. The plan is to meet up with a group of mountaineers, known as the Hot Rock expedition, as they complete the Ethiopian leg of a three-year tour around the world. Aiming to get a place in the Guinness Book Of Records for driving a convertible truck the entire length of six continents, and climbing remote and unclimbed peaks around the world, Bill can’t see how their expedition will be of any worth to him. But he drunkenly agrees to come along, much to his dismay later on when he realises that he has agreed to write a travel book outlining their journey to find Mount Wehni. What follows is Bill and Gar’s voyage from London to Ethiopia, to find the truck and the lost mountain. They encounter many people (some helpful, some not) in their travels, and experience many things that are uncommon in most developed nations, including faeces-covered latrines, wild animals, and countless beggars.
Completely out of his comfort zone, and struggling to find a way to escape working (or finding and climbing the mountain for that matter), Bill’s narrative details the collective effort involved in locating the lost mountain of Wehni and becoming one of the first people in 200 years to climb it.
What I gained from reading this book:
Although this book is mostly about Bill and Gar’s journey to find Mount Wehni, it also touches on the extreme poverty that many Ethiopians live in. It appears that Western aid does not extend to many of the villages that the rock climbing crew drove through on their trip. Many of the Ethiopians they met lived in primitive housing, with minimal (or no) electricity and very little fresh drinking water. Many also appeared to rely on begging from white strangers to assist in their survival, while some utilised their knowledge of different areas by acting as tour guides or guards (for a fee of course). These accounts show that despite the millions of dollars donated every year to combat third-world poverty, the people are still not getting enough aid to survive, especially in the remotest parts of the country. Poverty is still around and it will take a long time before it ends for good.
Positives:
This book actually provides quite a bit of information about Mount Wehni, its colourful history, and the numerous people who have attempted to find and climb it. Unfortunately, however, this information is scattered throughout the text and does not appear to be in any particular chronological order. Lumley’s account of the people of Ethiopia- and their mannerisms towards white strangers- is also fascinating, and provides a captivating insight into visiting a third-world country.
Negatives:
I found it difficult to read this book and not detest the man that wrote it, and that possibly prevented me from finding any real worth in reading this novel.
Besides the numerous spelling and grammatical errors that litter this travel narrative, readers also have to put up with whiney Bill, a self-confessed slacker, complaining constantly about everything he comes across. If you’re looking for a book that perfectly illustrates the definition of a ‘Whinging Pom’, then you’ve found it.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Genre: Non-Fiction Travel Narrative
Recommended for: People who are looking for personal account stories about Ethiopia’s legendary ‘lost mountain’.
Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:
Book Review: How To Kill Your Husband (And Other Handy Household Hints) by Kathy Lette
How To Kill Your Husband (And Other Handy Household Hints) - Kathy Lette
Synopsis:
Cassie O’Carroll and her best friends, Jasmine Jardine and Hannah Wolfe, couldn’t be further apart in terms of looks and lifestyles, but their differences do nothing to hinder their strong friendship.
Cassie is a harried mother of two who juggles two full-time occupations- working as a primary school teacher, and looking after a household filled with the injured animals her vet husband takes in.
Hannah lives with her ‘artist’ partner Pascal, runs her own art gallery, and sees her career as the perfect substitute for having a childless relationship.
Jazz, on the other hand, gave up a promising career as a chef to become a stay-at-home mum to her beloved son Josh, and a domestic goddess for Studz- her incredibly rich husband who is renowned for his humanitarian efforts in the medical field, and his flawless work as a cosmetic surgeon.
When Jazz is thrown into prison, accused of murdering her husband on their ‘make-or-break’ trip to Australia, her friends are unable to believe that she is capable of such criminal activities.
But as Cassie recalls the months before the unexpected arrest, she realises that her friend’s sanity may not be completely trustworthy. This is especially the case when she considers all of the betrayals, adultery, toy boys, marriage counselling, work issues and acts of revenge that the women have experienced within that time, and which have impacted immensely on their relationships with their husbands and partners.
It would be enough to drive any self-respecting, modern housewife mad. But could Jazz really have put an end to her marital woes and bumped off her husband?
What I gained from reading this book:
The main thing readers ‘learn’ from perusing this novel is that marriage is a one-way ticket to hell! But there is also a less overt message of love nestled deep within the often-caustic marriage storylines. Cassie habitually complains about her husband Rory’s inability to do anything domestic in the household, but she still defends him when her friend Jazz brings up the issue of his lack of cleanliness. When events in the novel see her and Rory reach breaking point, she comes to realise that even though he has his faults, she still has strong feelings for him, and that a life with him and his messy ways is better than a life without him. This realisation is important for readers because it shows that every relationship has its ups and downs and sometimes the only way to solve the problem is to endure the hardships, and attempt to make things work, no matter how difficult it seems.
Positives:
Lette never fails to put down men in the most humorous, tongue-in-cheek ways possible. Of course, some of the phrases she uses are clichéd, and don’t really come up often in natural conversation, but they’re still good for a laugh.
Negatives:
There are many people who probably won’t be amused with the author’s continuous insinuations about the relevance of men in the family household. Admittedly, sometimes the consistency of her putdowns can get a little overwhelming. But this book is marketed as a comedy, so if Lette’s humour doesn’t appeal to you, then you can always put it down and find something else to read.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Genre: Black Comedy
Recommended for: People who enjoy reading Kathy Lette’s ‘man-bashing’ literature.
Synopsis:
Cassie O’Carroll and her best friends, Jasmine Jardine and Hannah Wolfe, couldn’t be further apart in terms of looks and lifestyles, but their differences do nothing to hinder their strong friendship.
Cassie is a harried mother of two who juggles two full-time occupations- working as a primary school teacher, and looking after a household filled with the injured animals her vet husband takes in.
Hannah lives with her ‘artist’ partner Pascal, runs her own art gallery, and sees her career as the perfect substitute for having a childless relationship.
Jazz, on the other hand, gave up a promising career as a chef to become a stay-at-home mum to her beloved son Josh, and a domestic goddess for Studz- her incredibly rich husband who is renowned for his humanitarian efforts in the medical field, and his flawless work as a cosmetic surgeon.
When Jazz is thrown into prison, accused of murdering her husband on their ‘make-or-break’ trip to Australia, her friends are unable to believe that she is capable of such criminal activities.
But as Cassie recalls the months before the unexpected arrest, she realises that her friend’s sanity may not be completely trustworthy. This is especially the case when she considers all of the betrayals, adultery, toy boys, marriage counselling, work issues and acts of revenge that the women have experienced within that time, and which have impacted immensely on their relationships with their husbands and partners.
It would be enough to drive any self-respecting, modern housewife mad. But could Jazz really have put an end to her marital woes and bumped off her husband?
What I gained from reading this book:
The main thing readers ‘learn’ from perusing this novel is that marriage is a one-way ticket to hell! But there is also a less overt message of love nestled deep within the often-caustic marriage storylines. Cassie habitually complains about her husband Rory’s inability to do anything domestic in the household, but she still defends him when her friend Jazz brings up the issue of his lack of cleanliness. When events in the novel see her and Rory reach breaking point, she comes to realise that even though he has his faults, she still has strong feelings for him, and that a life with him and his messy ways is better than a life without him. This realisation is important for readers because it shows that every relationship has its ups and downs and sometimes the only way to solve the problem is to endure the hardships, and attempt to make things work, no matter how difficult it seems.
Positives:
Lette never fails to put down men in the most humorous, tongue-in-cheek ways possible. Of course, some of the phrases she uses are clichéd, and don’t really come up often in natural conversation, but they’re still good for a laugh.
Negatives:
There are many people who probably won’t be amused with the author’s continuous insinuations about the relevance of men in the family household. Admittedly, sometimes the consistency of her putdowns can get a little overwhelming. But this book is marketed as a comedy, so if Lette’s humour doesn’t appeal to you, then you can always put it down and find something else to read.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Genre: Black Comedy
Recommended for: People who enjoy reading Kathy Lette’s ‘man-bashing’ literature.
Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:
Monday, March 15, 2010
Book Review: And Hope To Die by J.M. Calder
And Hope To Die - J.M. CalderSynopsis:
Lieutenant Solomon Glass has faced many demons while working in the Homicide and Serious Crime division, but none have challenged him more so than the case he is working on now.
A nine-year-old girl, Amy Gardner, has just been abducted- the fourth child taken in the past year. Like the previous three abductions, this one follows the same sadistic pattern- a package arrives at the family home, addressed to the mother and containing a body part. An anonymous letter follows, telling the mother that in order for her child to be released alive, she will have to take her own life. So far, two women are dead and, for reasons unknown, a third is spared and her child released physically unharmed.
With no clues as to who the abductor could be- or what his motive is- and with the public starting to become increasingly alarmed, Glass and his team find themselves at a loss. The kidnapper always seems to be one step ahead- able to anticipate every move that the police make- and the chances of finding Amy alive are growing slimmer every day.
But then the sadistic activities start to become more personal, as the kidnapper begins to insinuate to the lieutenant what he has suspected for some time- the abductions directly involve Glass and his less-than-admirable past, and the children and their mothers are just pawns in a very deadly game.
In a race against time, Glass and his team have to find Amy, outwit the person holding her captive, and ensure that no other children, or their mothers, meet the same fate.
What I gained from reading this book:
This novel highlights the sadistic plots that some people will create in order to feed and nurture the symptoms of their ‘God complex’. This is when some sick individuals feel justified in creating life and death situations in order to exert their power and control over others. Although the abductor in this case is only fictional (luckily), his actions have surely been replicated (although not in exactly the same way) throughout history, in the form of murderous predators who enjoy holding power over their victims. This novel serves as a reminder that these kinds of people actually exist in society, and that they could be the person you least expect to participate in such gruesome behaviour.
Positives:
In many crime novels, it takes a while for the author to set the scene and introduce readers to all the main players in the story. But in And Hope To Die, readers are thrown right into the middle of an ongoing police investigation, knowing just as much about the ‘predator’ as the police who are trying to solve the case. This scenario makes the story much more engaging for readers.
Negatives:
Some moments in the novel’s plotline were a tad predictable, even if they didn’t seem particularly possible during the moments they occurred. Afterwards, however, when each of these moments is explained, the sense of predictability that you felt reading the novel proves to be right. While this helped to move the story forward, it also put the novel into the not-quite-original category for crime narratives.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Genre: Crime/ Thriller
Recommended for: People who are interested in crime novels where the reader only learns as much as the investigators at a particular point in time.
Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:
Book Review: Do They Wear High Heels In Heaven? by Erica Orloff
Do They Wear High Heels In Heaven? - Erica Orloff
Synopsis:
Lily Waters is a successful newspaper columnist, who has a teenage daughter and a young son and can’t cook to save herself. Michael Angelo (yes that’s his real name), works in the English Department at Hudson University, loves baseball and is blatantly homosexual. Yet despite their differences, the two are the best of friends, and have been ever since their early twenties (Lily almost burning down the apartment building they both lived in, while trying to cook a chicken, formed the catalyst of their friendship). Since then, they’ve experienced many things together- numerous boyfriends, marriage, childbirth, divorce, AIDS scares, drunken nights and all the hair and fashion challenges of the 80’s.
But now they’re about to face a new, more serious challenge.
After Lily’s editor sends her to get a mammogram so she can write a column for Breast Cancer Awareness month, she is horrified to find out that she requires a biopsy for a spot on her right breast. Before long, Lily is attending chemotherapy sessions and has put her life on hold indefinitely. While Michael lends as much support as he can, he can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the realisation that his best friend is slowly dying.
But Lily is determined to win her battle against cancer, and continues to wear her high heels and lipstick as she fights for her life.
What I gained from reading this book:
This book is a reminder of just how fragile human lives really are (as if we needed more proof of that!) At the beginning of the novel, Lily is a vibrant woman with a smart-aleck attitude and a strong personality, who gives as good as she gets and doesn’t let anybody push her around.
But as the reader gets further into the story, and the cancer grows, we begin to see Lily’s fighting spirit start to wan. This is one opponent that Lily is unable to use her wit against, and although she has Michael, her children and a few other close friends to support her in her battle, Lily’s vivacious life is reduced to a fragment of what it once was.
What makes this novel so heartbreaking is how realistic it is.
So many good people, who live full and stimulating lives, are struck down by this terrible illness and succumb before they get the chance to experience old age.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and what makes it worse is that these are events that are occurring in somebody’s life right now, not just in Lily’s.
The author also tackles another issue in this novel that is just as life changing as facing an unexpected illness- dealing with the after-effects of bullying and abandonment. Michael has faced severe prejudice from people close to him because of his sexual orientation, and only through excerpts of the ‘fiction’ he is writing, are readers allowed to see the horrors that he has gone through. As a young man, Michael faced unspeakable abuse from his best friend and his baseball team, and was rejected and disowned by his father. By the time Michael meets Lily, he has grown into an attractive and somewhat slutty guy who juggles boyfriends and embarks on one-night stands for thrills. Yet he still harbours deep insecurities following his traumatic history, and finds himself dredging up painful memories as he attempts to finish his novel.
Even though he matures to become a father figure to Lily’s children, he finds that his past continues to haunt him. This proves that no matter how much people try to move on in their lives, there will always be reminders of a past experience, which time cannot always heal.
Positives:
Despite the depressing nature of the story- in the form of Lily’s cancer and Michael’s prejudice-filled life- there are still many uplifting moments. Lily’s sharp and witty exchanges with Joe, the editor of the newspaper she writes a column for, are very amusing. They actually remind me of the old-school grumpy newspaper editors that you see in movies like Spiderman and Superman.
Besides that, Lily and Michael’s friendship is something truly special and they do for each other what many people would not do even for a blood relative. Their love and support for each other is unsurmountable and that makes their relationship a big positive in my eyes.
Negatives:
I wasn’t that impressed with the ending of the book. If Michael’s chapter had been the final one, I think the novel would have had a better, open finish.
But I suppose for some people, hearing Lily’s voice at the end is more comforting, because it means that there is hope after all for people who are looking for peace after cancer.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Genre: Family/ Relationships
Recommended for: Anybody who knows someone strong who is facing cancer, and would like to see how a fictional character- and her family and friends- deal with the illness.
Synopsis:
Lily Waters is a successful newspaper columnist, who has a teenage daughter and a young son and can’t cook to save herself. Michael Angelo (yes that’s his real name), works in the English Department at Hudson University, loves baseball and is blatantly homosexual. Yet despite their differences, the two are the best of friends, and have been ever since their early twenties (Lily almost burning down the apartment building they both lived in, while trying to cook a chicken, formed the catalyst of their friendship). Since then, they’ve experienced many things together- numerous boyfriends, marriage, childbirth, divorce, AIDS scares, drunken nights and all the hair and fashion challenges of the 80’s.
But now they’re about to face a new, more serious challenge.
After Lily’s editor sends her to get a mammogram so she can write a column for Breast Cancer Awareness month, she is horrified to find out that she requires a biopsy for a spot on her right breast. Before long, Lily is attending chemotherapy sessions and has put her life on hold indefinitely. While Michael lends as much support as he can, he can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the realisation that his best friend is slowly dying.
But Lily is determined to win her battle against cancer, and continues to wear her high heels and lipstick as she fights for her life.
What I gained from reading this book:
This book is a reminder of just how fragile human lives really are (as if we needed more proof of that!) At the beginning of the novel, Lily is a vibrant woman with a smart-aleck attitude and a strong personality, who gives as good as she gets and doesn’t let anybody push her around.
But as the reader gets further into the story, and the cancer grows, we begin to see Lily’s fighting spirit start to wan. This is one opponent that Lily is unable to use her wit against, and although she has Michael, her children and a few other close friends to support her in her battle, Lily’s vivacious life is reduced to a fragment of what it once was.
What makes this novel so heartbreaking is how realistic it is.
So many good people, who live full and stimulating lives, are struck down by this terrible illness and succumb before they get the chance to experience old age.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate, and what makes it worse is that these are events that are occurring in somebody’s life right now, not just in Lily’s.
The author also tackles another issue in this novel that is just as life changing as facing an unexpected illness- dealing with the after-effects of bullying and abandonment. Michael has faced severe prejudice from people close to him because of his sexual orientation, and only through excerpts of the ‘fiction’ he is writing, are readers allowed to see the horrors that he has gone through. As a young man, Michael faced unspeakable abuse from his best friend and his baseball team, and was rejected and disowned by his father. By the time Michael meets Lily, he has grown into an attractive and somewhat slutty guy who juggles boyfriends and embarks on one-night stands for thrills. Yet he still harbours deep insecurities following his traumatic history, and finds himself dredging up painful memories as he attempts to finish his novel.
Even though he matures to become a father figure to Lily’s children, he finds that his past continues to haunt him. This proves that no matter how much people try to move on in their lives, there will always be reminders of a past experience, which time cannot always heal.
Positives:
Despite the depressing nature of the story- in the form of Lily’s cancer and Michael’s prejudice-filled life- there are still many uplifting moments. Lily’s sharp and witty exchanges with Joe, the editor of the newspaper she writes a column for, are very amusing. They actually remind me of the old-school grumpy newspaper editors that you see in movies like Spiderman and Superman.
Besides that, Lily and Michael’s friendship is something truly special and they do for each other what many people would not do even for a blood relative. Their love and support for each other is unsurmountable and that makes their relationship a big positive in my eyes.
Negatives:
I wasn’t that impressed with the ending of the book. If Michael’s chapter had been the final one, I think the novel would have had a better, open finish.
But I suppose for some people, hearing Lily’s voice at the end is more comforting, because it means that there is hope after all for people who are looking for peace after cancer.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Genre: Family/ Relationships
Recommended for: Anybody who knows someone strong who is facing cancer, and would like to see how a fictional character- and her family and friends- deal with the illness.
Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:
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