The Hypnotist (Joona Linna #1) by Lars Kepler

Read from June 12th 2017 - June 24th 2017.

Published July 5th 2011 by McClelland & Stewart.

Format    Hardback - 503 pages.

Review    Tumba, Sweden. A triple homicide, all of the victims from the same family, captivates Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the grisly murders -- against the wishes of the national police. The killer is at large, and it appears that the elder sister of the family escaped the carnage; it seems only a matter of time until she, too, is murdered. But where can Linna begin? The only surviving witness is an intended victim -- the boy whose mother, father, and little sister were killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes intended for this boy to die: he has suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and Lapsed into a state of shock. He's in no condition to be questioned. Desperate for information, Linna sees one mode of recourse: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes. It's the sort of work that Bark had sworn he would never do again-ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.


My thoughts I always try to write my reviews without adding in any spoilers. I don't believe there is any included here.

The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler, had sat on my shelf for a while. One of those 'I really want to read that' and then passing by it when the moment comes ones.

The first thing that stood out for me once I did start page turning of this brick of a book was the great translation conversion from Swedish to English. I have read one or two Swedish to English converted books before and they just haven't worked.Maybe that was one of the things that stopped me from picking it up to read, but I was pleasantly surprised and so, read on.

There was no waffle in this book.

Very punchy and entertaining throughout.

I do find when I read books, I read with no connection to characters.Maybe it is me at the moment but I loved the characters in this book absolutely and they all pulled me into the story in some way.

I was there.There in Eriks office, his landing when Benjamin was kidnapped. I really felt like it was happening around me and I was actually in the rooms but obviously invisible to the characters. No book has ever done that to me before.

I struggled to put this book down.One of those 'unputadownable' books as I call them.

Some books you would say are more directed at female buyers or male buyers.Although I don't believe any of that personally.I am reviewing this book for you guys not me,so my thoughts on this one is that is comes across very unisex.It is full of dark crime without all the blood thirsty violence that we are used to reading or seems quite on trend right now, but this still packs the same punch as those kind of books.

I found that as a reader, quarter of the way in you start being drip fed twists that totally send you off on a different track from what you thought was right and then get led down so many roads.

I personally liked how each chapter is dated so you can imagine it in real time and it helped when it was flowing from ten years ago to the stories happening in present day.

With the different scenario's and characters running along side, the author managers to keep the flow running extremely well.

By the end of the chapter I was chomping at the bit and moved to the edge of the chair.

It also left me feeling finished and fulfilled at the end with a smile on my face.

I feel it definitely goes down as a favourite book and a new favourite author to follow.


I gave this one 5 stars.

Tooth Goblins by Ash Toroid

Read from June 10th - June 16th 2016.

Published on July 4th 2015 by Createspace.

Format    Paperback - 182 pages

Review    What a fantastic, little, magical fantasy gem of a book this is. Aimed at the lower end of the YA market/middle grade readers, this book oozed all that surprise that cries out for bewilderment from that age group but the best thing is, I, at 40 enjoyed it too and anyone who likes fairies, goblins and fantasy and wants a short light read would no doubt enjoy a read of this.

Ever wondered what the tooth-fairy does with your teeth? or if anything other than fairies might have an interest in them? Ellie Merlson finds out the hard way that a small number of teeth have a much darker fate. Caught up in a deadly war between fairies and goblins, Ellie must embrace her destiny to save a world. These words form the synopsis on the back cover.

Ellie is one of the two main characters in the story and is portrayed as a nine year old girl which at times I struggled to believe due to the way she spoke and content of her speech at times. She began a convincing nine year old and then began to sound older. I could however, understand why she had to be nine and not older due to her brother Duncan needing to be thirteen as that was a main part of the story. 
I could also see in this story that she grew in maturity along with it which was noted by her brother too which partly explains this.
These two characters are very appealing to the reader and quickly, you feel 'on their side'.

This book chugged along at a great pace, incorporating action at it's fullest. It is a very enticing page turner. I can't see many youngsters putting this one down for long before they have finished it.
The story is very original, full of imagination and is much more than fairies and goblins. It even brings a spin onto the Merlin character. If you think you know about Merlin, think again. 

There are a few very small mistakes in the book - missing words and mixing a couple of the boys names up in the latter chapters once or twice but it really didn't deter from the story at all. 
Ash Toroid has written a lovely first book, showing his original creativity and a mind full of imagination. I was a little sad at the end because I wanted more and it did seem to indicate to me that there was going to be another which I think the story asks for.

A well deserved 4 stars for this one which showed so much originality.

The Secret Adversary (Tommy and Tuppence #1) by Agatha Christie

Read from April 14th - April 22nd 2015.

Published in 2001 by Planet Three Publishing Network LTD (first published in 1922)

Format    Hardback - 256 pages

Review    Wow, this is amazingly good.Hard to put down.Full of action written in such attentive detail that we have come to expect from an Agatha Christie story.

A young Tommy and Tuppence are such loveable characters.Post WW1, down on their luck and looking for adventure.
Advertising themselves as-
'Two young adventurers for hire. Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good. No unreasonable offer refused', fancying themselves as sleuths.
Quickly, they become embroiled in a case of mystery involving a missing girl, important war time papers and some not very nice men, including criminal mastermind-The Elusive Mr Brown!

Trouble follows them around this adventure.

I loved this book and recommend to any Agatha Christie reader but please remember it was written in 1920, full of all the playfulness and terminology we would surmise from that time.

5 stars for this one.

The Dark Army (Keeper of the Realms #2) by Marcus Alexander

Read from November 25th - December 21st 2014.

Published February 1st 2013 by Puffin Books

Format    Paperback - 412 pages

Review    Marcus Alexander has only gone and done it again.Book 2 in the Keeper of the Realm series really doesn't disappoint, chocca with endless imagination.The story is so vivid, a reflection on how good Marcus's writing is. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end, it never faltered.
I liked the character of Edge Darkmount, he is scarily untrustworthy but wins Charlie over by promising to decipher her mysterious pendant she holds for a price- if she will help him get revenge on Bane by carrying out a dangerous mission where she faces demons, gods and experiences torment and a darkness that mixes with her keeper powers to find and bring him back an urn which contains his 'god'.
She completes this task and realises she cannot trust the evil lord as he turns on her. The future of Bellania relies on Charlie's special powers. The evil lord conjours up a stone army via his god to advance upon Bane. Clever Charlie banishes the evil lord through a portal in the middle of nowhere and the urn with his god in it to the bottom of a lake again in the middle of nowhere and with the help of her fellow keepers, they combine their skill and power and take over the entire stone army to advance on Banes army that is pulling Bellania to shreds.

5 stars given.

Cruel Reality: Games of Life and Death by C.J. Whitley

Read from April 30th - May 8th 2016.

Published May 27th 2016 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform


Format    Paperback - 590 pages

Review    I was asked whether I would read and review this book by the author C.J Whitley, and what an honour it was to be asked as this was an amazing, imaginative read. It was marketed to me as a YA (young adult) read, somewhat resembling a modern day Hunger Games style. I thought to myself, bring it on. I am not adverse to a bit of dystopian fantasy. 
Soon enough, this book came flying through my letter box. I say flying, really, that is not the right word for a book of it's size. I have read books of many more pages and books of much less so wasn't at all daunted by it's sheer size.
Upon opening and reading the first few pages, I was soon to realise that it held lots of very short chapters. This was a smart move by the author I felt as there is nothing more off putting than a huge book with extremely long chapters and worse still, no chapters to some. Remembering the target audience, shorter chapters in busy lives are quite attractive. The chapters were catchy and gripping, willing me onto turn the page, onto another chapter. I was loving this book, it appeared.

300 British people of varying ages wake to find themselves in a room, a room with no windows, doors that do not open (from their side at least), but they have been provided with food and water and a blanket for warmth/comfort. What is it all about? Have they been kidnapped? Is it all just a scary dream for someone? Once all awake, this picture slowly becomes clear and the reality isn't the most desirable.

As regular readers of my reviews know, I am not a fan of repeating the plot/story as there are many that do that and people just want to read thoughts and opinions and after the first handful, tend to scroll past until they get to the desired review part. The above paragraph is all you are getting out of me regarding the story line. 

This amazing story encouraged convincing imagery with the detailed but light descriptions although I did find on the subject of detail, that it bounced around with how full it was of it. At times, like some of my reviews ;-) it was a little too wordy in places. There is a sentence which says of one of the main characters, '....she went and used the toilet'. Nice to know that unlike on television, they actually carry out normal every day activities, but this is where tv have it right, as I felt it wasn't needed.
I found myself feeling for the characters, I felt very connected to them as the story went on and I think that is the sign of a good writer if they can get a reader feeling (with) for the characters portrayed. I felt the claustrophobia and fear when it was being described for the characters and went on that first recce with Mike (the main pratagonist), armed with those scary feelings. Another element that stood out for me was when I read some of the book earlier in the day, I was thinking often about the characters and the story most of the day and couldn't wait to get my nose stuck back into those characters lives again.

This story was all a bit far fetched really, as with all books of this subject but but not completely unbelievable. 
There was one point (by page 85) where I remember thinking the young children were being exceptionally good. Really? by this point, none of them had 'created' about having no gaming systems etc? hmmmm, hard to believe and if going to the toilet is mentioned, surely this wouldn't be excess detail to add. 

The author seemed to have an understanding of what runs through a young ladies mind when in 'love'. It reminded me of when I was young and in that lust stage and I felt myself smiling with the memories of this. Great thought and empathy shown there from C.J Whitley. I felt a bit emotional a few times reading this book.

I was left wondering throughout, what people must have been thinking with this disappearance of many. This question kept rearing it's head and the author didn't fail to disappoint. From page 207, this was indeed answered. 

The pages included some truly unexpected, shocking and brutal twists that are certainly not for the feint hearted but it just kept giving more and getting more exciting and shocking. I couldn't work out what was coming next. There was no build up to events, just a pure adrenaline fuelled read. I have seen two of The Hunger Games films although I have not read the books but I actually preferred this to watching those if I am honest. The author did a magnificent job of making the story feel real, so real in fact that it has taken me a while to be able to put a review together for it.

I highly recommend this book and not just to young adults but anyone who is willing to take chances, wanting an adventure, able to believe the unbelievable and isn't afraid of an emotional roller-coaster that may leave them feeling a bit of an emotional wreck of any age.

4 out of 5 stars for this one - well earned.

The Babble Hinge - 7.

Hellooooooo,
Ok, ok, so it has been a little while since I added a review (apart from a couple of old ones, I transferred over from Goodreads).
I have had a fair bit of overtime at work lately and well, basically life happened and got in the way.
I have a couple of reviews to put up on here and promise you they will be going up by the end of the week.

I have had a crazy prescription day today. Boots (chemist) keep messing up my script.I am on a couple of pain meds. The first, I get more than enough of and the second,well, that's another story. The script is, 1-2 4 times daily.I get a box of 100.Boots order this for me ONCE a month.Now, my maths is dire but even I know that if I am taking my max dose, then a box of 100 just isn't going to make it through the month so, I place an order with my Drs manually for that and my cholesterol pills.Oh my word, all this pillage, sounds like I am a right druggie.I would rather not be on any of it but I do know it is only temporary. Back to the story.The order was put in on Thursday,which was 4 days ago explaining that Boots keep messing the script order up and this was an extra order as well as their monthly one. Now, I understand why people get so annoyed talking to answer phones as all this is done via a prescription voicemail system. Today, I rang Boots who confirmed they had got my cholesterol med script all ready to go and yes, I could collect after work.Fantastic, what about my pain relief. "What about it" you ask. Oh no, it hasn't been put on. I rang the G.p next and spoke to a receptionist who says, yes it has been written but to be sent over to Boots for the 26th. Argh!! "But, I have had no pain meds over the weekend and left my repeat med req on Thursday". She says but you have them once a month and Boots have requested it for 26th."Look", I said "with all the will in the world and my maths isn't great, you can not make a box of 100 last a month at a dosage of 1-2 4 times a day, it just doesn't equate". The receptionist seemed to understand and said she would just speak to the Dr................5 minutes later, she returned to the phone. "The doctor says they will scrap that script and get you another done, it will be ready tomorrow". "Tomorrow?!? but I called it in on Thursday, giving over the required 48 hrs notice and I have work and have been without meds all weekend". She giggles, I think what is so darn funny.You don't have my pain obviously.Yes, it only takes off an edge but that edge enables me to sleep a little and to work better a little more which is huge to me.Here we go again.I decide to pop into Boots after work and get my cholesterol meds and some shop strength co-codamol. I waited ten minutes for someone to take note that I was there and then they couldn't find the meds.They looked high and low and then apologised to me.The pharmacist apologised saying I had been given incorrect information and even that med wasn't ready for me either and that they would text me once it was in and ready........really ready.
Off home I went almost empty handed.I went somewhere else for the co-codamol and they didn't have any but did have their own capsule mix which I thought, that will do and took it.

Oh dear.What a palarva! I love that word - palarva.
Talking about words, I was having a conversation with some others about lovely sounding words on The Bookshop Cafe (a group on Facebook for book lovers of all kinds).We liked agog, I love place names such as Mesopotamia and Constantinople and I also like Pumpernickel. We also came up with these beauties to name just a few - flibbertigibbet. rambunctious, widdershins, bunting, doily and cockwomble. Ohhhhh, should I have said that word on here? hehe (feels naughty now). I shall leave you with that one.What words do you like the sounds of? 

Will be back soon to review and babble some more.

Equal Rights (Discworld #3) by Terry Pratchett

Read from August 24th - August 31st 2014.

Published April 3rd 2014 by Gollancz

Format    Hardback - 240 pages

Review    Loved this book.Full of fantasy,humour and magic .I'm not convinced that Esk is just 9yrs old.I think Terry Pratchett writes her much older,like a teenager.Absolutely enjoyed the relationship between Granny Weatherwax and Cutangle.I could imagine them in the boat together (felt like I was there too) like an old married couple.very humorous and really made the book a clear hit for me.An easy,comfortable read. Wyrd sisters next....

5 stars given.

One of my first reviews. A little shorter than others. Will expand on this in the future.