tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15799573693226524772024-03-05T09:37:48.166+00:00Rustic ramblingsAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-88055110891463600062012-05-23T21:53:00.000+01:002012-05-23T22:09:15.663+01:00Stevie Parle's Dock Kitchen Cookbook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a gorgeously sumptuous looking book. It has a padded cover which begs to be held and have time spent with it. The cover wrap has quotes from both Yotam Ottolenghi & Jay Rayner, both of who I respect greatly for their food wisdom, which gets the book off to a great start.<br />
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The book highly promotes seasonal cookery. Recipes are featured in the season when the ingredients are at their best. The treat of having one recipe per page with a colour photograph of the finished product on the opposite page is a real luxury. The result of the presentation of the recipes means that the book easy to read, and refer to.<br />
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The book is for those who are passionate about cooking and eating. I think they are perfect for a special occasion meal.<br />
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Many of the recipes sound really decadent:<br />
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Chicken roasted in mastic and pomegranate molasses with braised broad beans,<br />
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Cuttlefish Tagine and<br />
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Mexican Octopus and pork crackling with tomato salsa<br />
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I love the idea of cooking all these at home, and this book has given me the opportunity to recreate restaurant dining at home in my country kitchen.<br />
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This is a unique book, with unusual recipes and flavours which is great if you're looking for something a little different from the norm.<br />
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Full of inspirational recipes the book would be perfect for the kitchen, or the coffee table. Either way it's a must read for all foodies.<br />
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This book was kindly sent to me to review by Quadrille Publishing.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-20483066484076704542012-05-08T19:57:00.000+01:002012-05-08T19:57:54.890+01:00Eat Your Veg - Arthur Potts DawsonI love growing my own vegetables. There's nothing quite like the thrill of wandering down to the veg plot with a garden fork and digging up half a dozen potatoes for tea. In the winter and early spring the veg patch pickings are a little meagre, and at the moment I am enjoying the contents of a weekly veg box delivery. This means that each week I have no excuse for getting my 5 a day BUT have to find yummy recipes to make the most of the box.<br />
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I was lucky enough to be sent Arthur Potts Dawson's book Eat Your Veg by Octopus Publishing to review and I was immediately struck with how bright and colourful the cover looks.<br />
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The book is split into five sections: Roots & Tubers, Bulbs & Stems, Leaves & Flowers, Fruits and Fungi & Beans & Pods. Each of these sections includes various skills and feasts such as Mash, Gratin & Pickle - all of which are very useful core skills to have. At the rear of the book is the obligatory index which is equally useful if you know exactly what vegetable you wish to use and just want a relevant recipe.<br />
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The introduction also has a handy section detailing What's Best When. I try to eat as seasonally as I can, and try to grow as much as I can. It's so useful to have a quick reference guide for the vegetables that I either don't or can't grow, or for a special recipe<br />
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In this weeks veg box we received some celeriac and had no idea what to do with it. The index gave me six options, and we decided to try celeriac remoulade.<br />
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The book says:<br />
Remoulade is a classic salad that's absolutely lovely. Serve it with a ploughman's lunch or a piece of fish, or as a light snack with toast and cornichons. It's also great in a sandwich with a slice of ham.<br />
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The recipe serves 4-6. We scaled the recipe down by half and ended up with a large portion each:<br />
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50g of salted capers<br />
25g of horseradish root<br />
3tbsp of homemade mayonnaise<br />
500g celeriac<br />
2tbsp of finely chopped flat leaf parsley<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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We found the recipe easy to make:<br />
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1: Drain and chop the capers. Peel and grate the horseradish. Mix with the mayonnaise and capers in a bowl.<br />
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Then cut the celeriac in half and and slice as thin as possible<br />
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3: Add the celeriac matchsticks to the mayonnaise and chopped parsley mixture, season lightly<br />
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Towards the back of the book there is a brilliant Basics section which contains recipes for pastry, stocks, sauces and dressings. To test these out we decided to use the Homemade mayonnaise recipe which makes about 1 pint. Again we halved it to make 1/2 pint, but here is the recipe in full:<br />
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3 free range egg yolks<br />
1tbsp Dijon mustard<br />
2tbsp white wine vinegar<br />
1tsp caster sugar<br />
2tsp salt<br />
pinch of pepper<br />
500ml vegetable oil<br />
2tbsp lemon juice<br />
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We found the mayonnaise recipe slightly harder to follow - but it was well worth it in the end.<br />
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We teamed our Remoulade with some cheese, boiled eggs and salad<br />
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There are so many recipes in the book which I am looking forward to trying- some more unusual than others. My book keeps falling open at the recipe for Iced pea and mint lollipops which sound very interesting.<br />
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This book is a very useable resource and one which will be my first port of call for vegetable main courses or sides. It is easy to read, has bright clear pictures and gives inspiration for even the most unusual vegetable.<br />
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Definately a book for everyone who enjoys a good meal.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-18196871638564119692012-04-29T10:59:00.000+01:002012-04-29T10:59:39.159+01:00Butlers Almond & Orange Dark Chocolate<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">When eating dark chocolate I like to ration myself and this 100g bar from Butlers of Ireland is marked into ten pieces making it easy to savour over a number of days. The chocolate itself is 58% cocoa solids which is good if you don't like a strong dark flavour, for me though I would prefer a deeper taste. The bar contains 6% roasted almond pieces which is enough to get a mild crunch in each bite, and the almonds are finely chopped so a subtle nutty flavour lingers on the palate. The candied orange pieces were a lovely addition giving the bar a hint of luxury, but the orange left me wanting more, perhaps a hint of orange oil would be nice, or more peel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Overall this bar was nicely presented, and encased in a gold inner wrapping. It would be pleasant as an after dinner treat if you wanted to try something a little different.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a chocoholic it's great to try brands I haven't tried before, and Butlers is certainly one I'll be looking out for next time I'm looking for an indulgent treat.</span></span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-53602377240245619872012-02-09T15:11:00.000+00:002012-02-09T15:11:45.710+00:00Yesterday's Sun - Amanda Brooke - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUGrya8tDOen21S-h66aN1WQ-ppSIVCrRaT6S_YI16ZdeLBy11ICZXukJxFVbzqV4ZVVa_8LNllhJ0VREZHrcMYUvdMFWm4jnlRehUo-me93BznhgWedc6kgSVtvamJ8YZ6X6tAkhaMc/s1600/35613404_l_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUGrya8tDOen21S-h66aN1WQ-ppSIVCrRaT6S_YI16ZdeLBy11ICZXukJxFVbzqV4ZVVa_8LNllhJ0VREZHrcMYUvdMFWm4jnlRehUo-me93BznhgWedc6kgSVtvamJ8YZ6X6tAkhaMc/s320/35613404_l_f.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br />
Holly & Tom move to a rural English village to begin their new life together. Holly's unhappy childhood haunts her, but with Tom's family background she believes she can move on with her life. Her job as a sculpter allows her to spend time getting to know her new environment and make friends with a past occupant of her house. Tom is a journalist whose job takes him away from Holly for long periods of time, leaving her to make the biggest decision of her life without him.<br />
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Holly discovers a moondial half buried at the bottom of her garden which takes her into a future where Tom and their beautiful baby daughter live, but where she is absent. Holly has a choice to make - does she save herself, or the life of the baby she has already fallen in love with.<br />
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This novel is the debut from the author and is inspired by her own personal torment when her son died prematurely. It is written with great feeling and emotion from the author, that left me feeling very sad in places for all the characters, as it is not just Holly who has demons to battle with. This book does not have a happy ending, nor a conclusive one. It is a sad ending, but satisfying to the reader.<br />
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The thing that sets it apart from so many other books in the "tragedy/drama" genre is the use of the moondial. The supernatural element describes the future/and the past excellently and works well in this context. <br />
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This book is featured as one of the eight books selected in Richard and Judy's Spring Book Club 2012. I enjoy looking at the books featured in this list as it rarely disappoints. The choices they make encourage me to try authors and books I would not normally read, and this book falls into this category. I usually prefer my books to be less emotional, however I'm pleased to say I was glad I didn't judge this book by its cover as it was well worth the read. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=35613404" target="_blank">whsmith</a> edition features bonus material which includes notes from the author and a Q&A with the author and Richard and Judy<br />
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I was sent a copy of this book to review by WHsmithAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-68876798871414921502011-10-30T17:18:00.000+00:002011-10-30T17:18:41.284+00:00Steampunk! - Book Review<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is an 'Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories' from fourteen masters of Speculative Fiction.</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Imagine an alternate universe where romance and technology reign. A world of automatons, ornate clockworks and time travel, where scientists and dreamers, intrepid orphans and schoolgirls solve dastardly crimes, escape from monstrous predicaments and hover over volcanos in steam powered airships.</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwNtqwwFpZhDwOM3-r7fnD38OOA09xWo1WFCyrDl6Qi-MducllWrD6dNjF4SfKJa2Se7JBmGhd7WCLs1v4zDqpT78qebiNVNQv6WGDijcxqfrOmVUjEHkxCAHH4ieblaPq0wWixn_u7E/s1600/steampunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwNtqwwFpZhDwOM3-r7fnD38OOA09xWo1WFCyrDl6Qi-MducllWrD6dNjF4SfKJa2Se7JBmGhd7WCLs1v4zDqpT78qebiNVNQv6WGDijcxqfrOmVUjEHkxCAHH4ieblaPq0wWixn_u7E/s320/steampunk.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Steampunk to me is very “Heath Robinson” a mish mash of old and new, young and old mixed together with bits of the future and obscure concepts too. It requires imagination, thought and a little bit of romance.</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is a great introduction to the concept of steampunk as there is a mix of short stories and graphic novels in the book. A huge advantage for the reader with short stories is that it's so easy to dip in and out of the book, and I enjoyed the interspersal of the two graphic novels between the twelve short stories</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I particularly enjoyed the graphic novel: Seven Days Beset by Demons by Shaun Cheng about a characters unrequited love. The drawing is so intricate and full of little extras that I found myself reading the story & glancing at the drawing, then returning to the beginning to look more closely at each frame of the story to see what I had missed. A simple story illustrated brilliantly by the author, which deserves several re-reads.</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A stand out short story for me was Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare. Rose's father has gone off to war and she lives in the country awaiting his return. She has had no human contact for six months , and spends her days in the company of her servant robots. When she encounters a soldier injured near to her house, she nurses him back to health and dreams of a life together with him in the Capital. She'll do whatever it takes to make him want her in his life.</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The anthology features authors from America, New Zealand, Australia and the UK, & also acknowledges influences from the great Japanese anime director Hayao Miyazaki. The diverse mix of nationalities adds to this great compendium which has certainly aroused my interest in cross-genre fiction and graphic novels.</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This book was sent to me for review by Waterstones.com</span></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-2715794081803406382011-10-27T18:42:00.000+01:002011-10-27T18:42:12.809+01:00Death Sentence - Mikkel Birkegaard - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuRgo3qHrggMkS9SO2wcnO3hyphenhyphenJ7OqIsK8rY53GMD4hsI2goYc4-smsRCREdup_-WolNivLJV-Kjb4ATup3Q2qUzZpiRE83dSNA7VjZr9E1STGM3ZLivaG1hV-K8Xzdp7tEhLSFDI2zLY/s1600/death-sentence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuRgo3qHrggMkS9SO2wcnO3hyphenhyphenJ7OqIsK8rY53GMD4hsI2goYc4-smsRCREdup_-WolNivLJV-Kjb4ATup3Q2qUzZpiRE83dSNA7VjZr9E1STGM3ZLivaG1hV-K8Xzdp7tEhLSFDI2zLY/s320/death-sentence.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br />
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Frank Fons is a very successful crime writer. His books are famed for their shock factor and now someone has recreated a murder scene straight from one of his novels. Frank needs to become detective and try to work out who is committing the crime before it's too late.<br />
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This is a really well written novel which is not for the faint hearted, It's a fast paced story which is full of details of each of Frank's novels through his career. Frank's personal life is also explored in the book and the flashbacks of his family life is interspersed with details of his book publications. This is a very graphic and brutal story with some of the violent scenes proving a little bit too much for me. I have to admit that although the ending itself was well written, I could only skim read it through my fingers as it really was gruesome. <br />
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Was the gore necessary? Yes it probably was (if you can cope with it!!), as it was the climax to a nailbiting book which kept the reader guessing to the end - and beyond.<br />
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I loved the book, even through the skim reading and therefore give it 4.5 out of five.<br />
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I look forward to reading more of this author in the future.<br />
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I'm a member of the Transworld Book Group and was sent this book to review by Transworld<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s1600/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s320/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-6222487910925212332011-10-02T19:34:00.000+01:002011-10-02T19:34:14.557+01:00The Water Room - Christopher Fowler - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHZDbvOWF-s6dDMxiHaGVbNpOYRkSEbzcYV21Ropy3Cfhs1mQkl-7ZU_1cqiShlDka0h63b2uARwXlz_-kg2WmMml-TvsyFKaBAjGL3T8MYJnhBjMG82nS5oflpsJrXfvHN6LSs-IzVI/s1600/the-water-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHZDbvOWF-s6dDMxiHaGVbNpOYRkSEbzcYV21Ropy3Cfhs1mQkl-7ZU_1cqiShlDka0h63b2uARwXlz_-kg2WmMml-TvsyFKaBAjGL3T8MYJnhBjMG82nS5oflpsJrXfvHN6LSs-IzVI/s320/the-water-room.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br />
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This is the second book in the series. I have not read the first, but it did not seem to matter. There were references to the first which got me up to speed with the back-story of the two main characters.<br />
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London's two longest serving detectives Bryant and May are like chalk and cheese, both completely different characters who work tremendously well as a team. The Peculiar Crime Unit is an offshoot of the Met, set up to deal with those crimes which don't quite fit the 'normal' remit. They find themselves investigating an unusual death of an old lady in her basement which leads to them going deep into the underground rivers beneath London.<br />
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This is a wonderful crime novel with wonderful colourful characterisations of both Bryant & May but the mix of individuals they meet along the way. Both detectives are eccentric, the reader learns so much about them with the intricate details given about their lives. The eccentricities add to the drama & by the end of the book I felt as though I almost knew what made them tick. <br />
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This is quirky intelligent crime drama. It is very well written with lots of weird and wonderful facts about London. I loved the pace of the book which kept me wanting to keep reading to wonder what on earth was next on their agenda. Very much recommended.<br />
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I'm a member of the Transworld Book Group and was sent this book to review by Transworld<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s1600/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s200/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-92129525112240204532011-09-07T13:06:00.000+01:002011-09-07T13:06:26.202+01:00Black Swan Rising - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s1600/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s320/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Garet James lives in New York, with an elderly father, money worries and a struggling business. She discovers an antique shop one day whilst out walking and that's when her problems intensify.</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The old man in the shop asks her to use her skills as a jeweller to open an old silver box which has been sealed shut. She takes it home, opens the box, and a whole new parallel world.</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Her destiny and history is revealed to her by a number of characters which make themselves known to her, and it becomes a race against time to close the box and capture the demons of Despair and Discord before the world is changed forever.</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The story is filled with twists and turns, with plenty of new characters revealing themselves to Garet along the way. There is a hint of romance with a vampire, which felt like a token gesture relying on the current public favour for vamps, and this does distract from the underlying fantasy/mystery theme. However the scenes set by the author are at times breathtaking, and I found myself on tenterhooks to see whether Garet managed to battle the demons threatening the world. There are great references to mythology and literature, but as the authors are American there is an over-emphasis on the explanations of Shakespeare and his characters.</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Good concept, slow start, but the story certainly developed after a few chapters. The 'author' is a husband and wife team - Carol Goodman and Lee Slonimsky which may be why the writing at times felt a little patched together </div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Overall a good enjoyable read particularly recommended to lovers of urban fantasy. </div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">'I'm part of the Transworld book group!' and was sent this book to review by Transworld. </div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS24_qVZmqCpqkk0MaetBxND-W05sK0i2whNGQ5vGilGICw6369sXwE1_CFHqdvP1_GblU3YOcEqL4aJmNoVBys5CUzZFXu4E26c389DAbaKCrhsb5yRYk5IK0NcOS6IPbvXYfQx-h7HE/s1600/black-swan-rising.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS24_qVZmqCpqkk0MaetBxND-W05sK0i2whNGQ5vGilGICw6369sXwE1_CFHqdvP1_GblU3YOcEqL4aJmNoVBys5CUzZFXu4E26c389DAbaKCrhsb5yRYk5IK0NcOS6IPbvXYfQx-h7HE/s320/black-swan-rising.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-54345620769274141212011-08-01T17:39:00.002+01:002011-08-01T22:39:03.618+01:00I'm part of the Transworld Book Group!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s1600/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W5dedGtr7QwkEtON4XXlNUuXoPuIuitJ__9Dh4USYAb021m6ThjieSxfsxyiQCyyUvYo7TDs1q1kw7aNVtvlS2Yrh9JhLjjhce6spKhIM6ebYkmH1zYn4cOBxegVwKbhhOfYYJi0CWw/s320/Book+Group+Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wonderful people at Transworld publishing have launched the </span><a href="http://www.between-the-lines.co.uk/?p=1378"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge</span></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If you're within the EU and enjoy reading, posting reviews on Amazon or are an avid blogger then you can join the challenge too.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are fifteen books to choose from. Choose four to review. Review the book on your blog or on Amazon and send them the link , then the next book will be sent.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are the four books I've selected:</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS24_qVZmqCpqkk0MaetBxND-W05sK0i2whNGQ5vGilGICw6369sXwE1_CFHqdvP1_GblU3YOcEqL4aJmNoVBys5CUzZFXu4E26c389DAbaKCrhsb5yRYk5IK0NcOS6IPbvXYfQx-h7HE/s1600/black-swan-rising.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS24_qVZmqCpqkk0MaetBxND-W05sK0i2whNGQ5vGilGICw6369sXwE1_CFHqdvP1_GblU3YOcEqL4aJmNoVBys5CUzZFXu4E26c389DAbaKCrhsb5yRYk5IK0NcOS6IPbvXYfQx-h7HE/s200/black-swan-rising.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee Carroll - Black Swan Rising</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 0.7em; line-height: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuRgo3qHrggMkS9SO2wcnO3hyphenhyphenJ7OqIsK8rY53GMD4hsI2goYc4-smsRCREdup_-WolNivLJV-Kjb4ATup3Q2qUzZpiRE83dSNA7VjZr9E1STGM3ZLivaG1hV-K8Xzdp7tEhLSFDI2zLY/s1600/death-sentence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuRgo3qHrggMkS9SO2wcnO3hyphenhyphenJ7OqIsK8rY53GMD4hsI2goYc4-smsRCREdup_-WolNivLJV-Kjb4ATup3Q2qUzZpiRE83dSNA7VjZr9E1STGM3ZLivaG1hV-K8Xzdp7tEhLSFDI2zLY/s200/death-sentence.jpg" width="127" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Death Sentence- Mikkel Birkegaard</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhndsZZwNvubTcQ7YlC3jxVbFpYD8_O6TYOenCZWsFLB-N-1ypg31RbADtm55pSzM77oG8hSyhldFqBGLoq8cisK8AA6Zuo70P46KlbD7B311zRLAAgMVb9bwYd_IX239Vpwpe1new0Q/s1600/the-secrets-between-us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhndsZZwNvubTcQ7YlC3jxVbFpYD8_O6TYOenCZWsFLB-N-1ypg31RbADtm55pSzM77oG8hSyhldFqBGLoq8cisK8AA6Zuo70P46KlbD7B311zRLAAgMVb9bwYd_IX239Vpwpe1new0Q/s200/the-secrets-between-us.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Secrets Between Us - Louise Douglas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHZDbvOWF-s6dDMxiHaGVbNpOYRkSEbzcYV21Ropy3Cfhs1mQkl-7ZU_1cqiShlDka0h63b2uARwXlz_-kg2WmMml-TvsyFKaBAjGL3T8MYJnhBjMG82nS5oflpsJrXfvHN6LSs-IzVI/s1600/the-water-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHZDbvOWF-s6dDMxiHaGVbNpOYRkSEbzcYV21Ropy3Cfhs1mQkl-7ZU_1cqiShlDka0h63b2uARwXlz_-kg2WmMml-TvsyFKaBAjGL3T8MYJnhBjMG82nS5oflpsJrXfvHN6LSs-IzVI/s200/the-water-room.jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Water Room - Christopher Fowler<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-80774764305511995402011-07-31T11:09:00.000+01:002011-07-31T11:09:57.799+01:00Book Review - Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Meet Karou. For seventeen years she has successfully managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she is an art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to an inhuman creature who deals in wishes and is the closest thing she has to family. Her friends just think she’s kooky, but they don’t know the half of it... The beads of her necklace are no mere beads; her blue hair grows out of her head that colour; the monsters from her sketchbook are all real; and yes, those ARE bullet scars on her belly. The mysteries that surround Karou’s existence and have long tormented her are about to be laid bare... And the truth is more terrifying than she could have possibly imagined.</span></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><b>The 'fantasy' genre is not one I've read much of in the past, although I have long been a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Vampire Diaries on tv so I am</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b> very much in tune with the imaginative side of my heart.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>From the very first page I was engrossed in Karou's two lives. Her normal life in Prague with her student friends, and her secret life in Elsewhere with Brimstone the Wishmaker. </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Laini Taylor paints a vivid picture of both worlds,with from gothic Prague to exotic Marrakesh. Karou's life in Elsewhere is full of amazing characters where scuppies are used for wishes and teeth are collected for Brimstone to work with. Karou is a great heroine and there are some really poignant moments that made my heart melt. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>This shouldn't be dismissed as yet more young adult fiction though, as the book is so eloquent and has such a multi stranded storyline it should be enjoyed by anyone wanting an intelligent read. </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><b>It's full of forbidden love, demons, angels, friendship, and a little bit of kookiness</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>. I loved this book and found it hard to put down. As the first in a trilogy the book does draw to a conclusion, but has left me desperate to read the next novel to find out what challenges Karou will face next. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>I was sent this preview copy to review for the Best Book Club.</b></span><br />
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</b></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-15712555669950324032011-05-13T20:11:00.001+01:002011-05-13T20:27:56.192+01:00Trinny and Susannah All in One Body Smoother - ReviewLike most ladies I appreciate help in looking my best. When I was invited to try some <a href="http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/shapewear">shapewear</a> by <a href="http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/">Tights Please</a>, I was more than happy to have a go.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-cQ-k23LChj8mwdO41Wlk5xIwtBBJOpMPWQdRHsGeFWCODZi-wpvvMIEDllD7XJIgaQJ6s34Eup_lYFMR6j5ygMYxEd8ycBlU-XNc3oNKBJ5ELjdNA6tiRRKu8-fjPYWFNobKosBwQc/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-cQ-k23LChj8mwdO41Wlk5xIwtBBJOpMPWQdRHsGeFWCODZi-wpvvMIEDllD7XJIgaQJ6s34Eup_lYFMR6j5ygMYxEd8ycBlU-XNc3oNKBJ5ELjdNA6tiRRKu8-fjPYWFNobKosBwQc/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" width="240" /></a>The product I was sent was one of a range by <a href="http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/brands/trinny-and-susannah">Trinny and Susannah</a> who are well known for hoiking and squeezing better than any exercise regime can do! In my opinion a celebrity endorsement does not always mean a wonderful product, but Trinny and Susannah certainly seem to have brought their expertise to this range.</div><br />
The <a href="http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/brands/trinny-and-susannah/all-in-one-body-smoother">All in One Body Smoother</a> comes in two colours: skin and black. I chose the black, as it is a slimming colour. The <a href="http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/shapewear">shapewear</a> has plenty of lycra in it which allows for it to be easily worn. I found it initially a little difficult to get into, due to the close fitting, but once I'd wiggled into it, it fit like a glove. I found it 100% easier to step into it and pull it up (like a pair of tights), rather than put it over my head (like a jumper)<br />
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I wondered whether I would feel constricted when wearing the shapewear, but it was so comfortable it seemed to fit like a glove. I felt more confident wearing fitted clothes as I was sculpted in all the right places, and my lumps and bumps had been smoothed out. As the Body Smoother is all in one, there were no awful VPL marks, which often happens when wearing fitted clothes. These really are <a href="http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/shapewear/magic-knickers">Magic knickers</a>, so comfortable, I forgot I was wearing them!<br />
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Recommended? Yes 100%.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 13px;">Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.</span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-58677721189054499022011-03-29T20:33:00.000+01:002011-03-29T20:33:38.982+01:00Book Review: Sacrifice - S J Bolton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s1600/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s320/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the third and final book I have read as part of The Great Transworld Crime Caper which I have really enjoyed taking part in. Three books, eight weeks = one happy reader.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33_UMwZsV1XHADo6ei3EKdjQXaT9gMv0A06wU4s380OpPsfHq92P5cSS7JRMSuD5s9QslYV0f8g1WkOyjU3e1WvAJ7Kf55CiYaqrRPN1gDE2iVcoHqftyTcvFHyI3VtRUEWwxzUxAMeI/s1600/IMG_0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33_UMwZsV1XHADo6ei3EKdjQXaT9gMv0A06wU4s380OpPsfHq92P5cSS7JRMSuD5s9QslYV0f8g1WkOyjU3e1WvAJ7Kf55CiYaqrRPN1gDE2iVcoHqftyTcvFHyI3VtRUEWwxzUxAMeI/s320/IMG_0145.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The blurb:</div><div style="text-align: left;">Moving to remote Shetland has been unsettling enough for consultant surgeon Tora Hamilton, even before the gruesome discovery she makes one rain-drenched afternoon...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The corpse I could cope with. It was the context that threw me.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Deep in the peat soil of her field, she uncovers the body of a young woman. The heart has been removed, and marks etched into the skin bear an eerie resemblance to carvings Tora has seen in her own cellar.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>And there I'd been, thinking the day couldn't possibly get any worse</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But as Tora begins to ask questions, terrifying threats start rolling in like the cold island mists...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My thoughts:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This book covers a deeply chilling subject, and one which some may not wish to read about. The author tackles it well, and it makes for an exciting and chilling read.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The negatives: The main character Tora seems a little unbelieveable, one minute she has a high powered job as a Consultant Surgeon, then next she is running around the countryside like daft teenager. I found the overly descriptive parts of the book off putting at times. I would rather have had the information about the location of the islands by way of a map at the front of the book</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>The positives: The author writes in a compelling way which makes it hard for the reader to put the book down, and I was fascinated by the descriptions of the ancient runes and their meanings. The setting is in contemporary Britain, but often felt like another world, as the different landscapes and folklore just adds to the chills.<br />
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I would have liked to have read more about the "folklore" and less about the relationship between Tora and her boss, however this is a book which kept me interested right up to the final page, and made me want to learn more about Shetland folklore<br />
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This is the debut novel by SJ Bolton and I am lucky enough to have her next novel waiting on my "to be read" pile. I look forward to it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span id="goog_72508983"></span><span id="goog_72508984"></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-23806265927452894722011-03-06T20:34:00.001+00:002011-03-06T21:35:39.566+00:00Book review - Telling Tales - Ann Cleeves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">I came across this author quite by accident and I'm so glad I did. </div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">I bought Red Bones, which is part of The Shetland Series as part of a three for two offer. It was an excellent and chilling read, and although I read it completely out of sequence it encouraged me to seek out more.</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">I then read Hidden Depths which is the third book in the Vera Stanhope series. This is being dramatised by ITV this summer with Brenda Blethyn as Vera and I look forward to seeing her on screen.</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">Telling Tales is the second book in the series yet does not suffer from being read out of sequence. </div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">It is ten years after Jeanie Long was charged with the murder of fifteen year old Abigail Mantel. Residents of the East Yorkshire village of Elvet are disturbed by the new evidence which has emerged proving Jeanie's innocence. Abigail's killer is still at large.</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">For her friend Emma Bennett, the revelation brings back haunting memories of her vibrant best friend and the winter's day when she discovered her body lying cold in a ditch.</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope is such a well written character, and whilst she's not perfect you'd rather have her on your side than not. There's an overwhelming sense of sadness in this book, which as the story unfolds, seems to hang over every character. There's no real happy ending in this, but a great solid conclusion. </div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;">I'm looking forward to reading more of Ann Cleeves, and hope that the ITV series serves her character well!</div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-41150878954343415792011-03-06T19:47:00.003+00:002011-03-29T18:54:01.287+01:00Book Review - The Chemistry of Death - Simon Beckett<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s1600/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s320/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
This is the second book I have chosen to read for the Great Transworld Crime Caper. Published by Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld, it was shortlisted for the CWA Duncan Lawrie Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year.<br />
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Forensics expert David Hunter retreats to the remote Norfolk village of Manham to escape from a family tragedy. By taking up a job as the local Doctor he believes his old life can be left behind. However when a local woman is murdered, the police are desperate for his help. When it happens again, and the tight knit community worry that a serial killer is on the loose his assistance is invaluable. The villagers become suspicious of each other and no one is exempt from investigation.<br />
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This novel started really well, but I found it hard to get into until the pace picked up towards the middle of the book. There is a “love interest" which I often dislike, however I felt tied in well with the story and helped make David a little less one dimensional. I didn’t feel as though I knew any of the characters very well, as the novel wasn’t particularly descriptive.<br />
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I was concerned this would be a gory novel, which is not something I enjoy reading, however the level of gore was contained and not over the top. It was much more Midsomer Murders than Silent Witness!<br />
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The level of intrigue intensified half way through the book, and I was glad of this as the red herrings and story developments made me want to keep reading, and the ending was very well written.<br />
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A good start to the “David Hunter” series of novels. This is an enjoyable easy read, which sets the stage well for his subsequent investigations.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1lc6kdyto4tOfb5opPJnbVhZm2CRFKIBjnwOvfyDWHxtn-pXuy2dcLjhdZuTkHLo4MfXhSv0ZyRdGX88VdW6M1VLFPHgKaMHSqPVZM2D-u7eVw870yLyA9OIJBE2z_FegPdoP6ff674/s1600/IMG_0136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1lc6kdyto4tOfb5opPJnbVhZm2CRFKIBjnwOvfyDWHxtn-pXuy2dcLjhdZuTkHLo4MfXhSv0ZyRdGX88VdW6M1VLFPHgKaMHSqPVZM2D-u7eVw870yLyA9OIJBE2z_FegPdoP6ff674/s320/IMG_0136.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-63461157404308243302011-02-20T21:49:00.002+00:002011-03-29T18:55:44.233+01:00Book Review: Echoes from the Dead - Johan Theorin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s1600/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s320/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is the first novel I've been sent as part of the Transworld Crime Caper. I'm a big fan of Nordic crime, so this was a good choice for me.<br />
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The island of Oland off the south eastern coast of Sweden is the setting for this mystery. Twenty years ago a child goes missing, his body is never found. His mother now lives on the mainland, but his grandfather a retired sea captain still lives on the island. When the little boys shoe is posted to the old man, questions and answers seem destined to be asked<br />
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This novel won the CWA Best First Crime Novel of 2009 and is well deserved. The little boy goes missing in the fog, and it is this bleakness that permeates through the book. The plot twists and turns allow the story to move at a good pace, with several shock developments. The characters were well rounded and showed that all of them had secrets, some more important to keep to themselves than others. <br />
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I thoroughly recommend this novel. It's well written, has a good storyline and kept me guessing right to the end. I will certainly be looking for the authors next book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih76LU87tLumKEi_6aGmb_h0qQRj4NjPXuTJuX2vdKz511SsNl6bVoBT0MKyZxDaclTcu_-OfoE-kUhuyZh0zPiFkbVcw2skpBIUqoSz33olDZ9xRRNO1oPsIcYuhVwMFd2u2T-y3Vyec/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih76LU87tLumKEi_6aGmb_h0qQRj4NjPXuTJuX2vdKz511SsNl6bVoBT0MKyZxDaclTcu_-OfoE-kUhuyZh0zPiFkbVcw2skpBIUqoSz33olDZ9xRRNO1oPsIcYuhVwMFd2u2T-y3Vyec/s320/IMG_0153.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-85065861008084467222011-02-17T21:13:00.000+00:002011-02-20T21:54:39.058+00:00I'm an accessory in The Great Transworld Crime CaperImagine my delight when I came across the following post on Transworld books blog:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s1600/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5geBsiXcSO95SMQDHnKwaeO0g3cxwJ9hX8Rs_WZsIwWdRKPJFRfNI4XFA0f3taaHZAZzGvAV1i425VEU2NLfmnqarFAFdzgUVj06gTLqbliNWw0MdqmWy-3EOgNqDg757WOvsZFy-jM/s320/Crime+Caper+Thumbnail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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One thing we really know how to do in Transworld Towers is crime, be it spooky Scandinavian, grizzly moorland or armchair killers we publish crime that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let you go!<br />
Thanks to the success of all who took part in the Summer Reading Challenge we have decided to repeat our crimes and launch <b>T</b><b>he Great Transworld Crime Caper</b>, an opportunity to go back to the beginning and revisit the scene of the original crimes that launched our most experienced villains.<br />
We want you to be the judge, jury and executioner of the titles listed below.<br />
We will have a two week registration period ending the 14th February, Valentine’s Day which will make us repent our sins and feel the love! Pick <i><b>three</b></i> books from the list below to read and review on a venue of your choice (Amazon, blog, etc) The challenge will finish on the 31st March whereby we will dust for fingerprints, weigh up our case and post up some of the best (or worst) reviews that we’ve had in. <br />
For more information see here: <a href="http://www.between-the-lines.co.uk/?p=260">http://www.between-the-lines.co.uk/?p=260</a><br />
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Chose three titles from the books below:<br />
1. <b>Full Dark House</b> by Christopher Fowler<br />
2.<b> Sacrifice</b> by S. J. Bolton<br />
3. <b>Blacklands</b> by Belinda Bauer<br />
4. <b>Birdman</b> by Mo Hayder<br />
5. <b>The Chemistry of Death</b> by Simon Beckett<br />
6. <b>Past Caring</b> by Robert Goddard<br />
7. <b>Mistress of the Art of Death</b> by Ariana Franklin<br />
8. <b>Echoes from the Dead </b>by Johan Theorin<br />
9. <b>The Surgeon</b> by Tess Gerritsen<br />
10. <b>If I Never See You Again</b> by Niamh O’Connor<br />
11. <b>The Accident Man</b> by Tom Cain<br />
12. <b>The Business of Dying</b> Simon Kernick<br />
Enjoy your stretch in the clink!<br />
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I decided to choose the following three to review:<br />
Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin<br />
The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett<br />
Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton<br />
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I have nearly finished reading Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin, and am thoroughly enjoying it. A review will of course be here soon. Narrowing it down to a choice of three involved several glances at Amazon to decide which to pick, and I know that I'll be keeping an eye out at the library for others from the list which I fancy.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1579957369322652477.post-78604175770202921942011-02-14T18:46:00.000+00:002011-02-14T18:46:49.761+00:00Why?So, this is my first ever blog post. I'm not usually one to follow the crowd, preferring more to make my own decisions whether to "do" something or not. However blogging seems to be the in thing at the moment, and I currently have a lot of ideas going round in my mind. Therefore being of the opinion that ideas are best written down, mostly as I tend to forget them otherwise, I have decided to record them here.<br />
I know a lot about a little, or a little about a lot, so my posts will be rambling, and random.<br />
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We shall have to see how it goes.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17309584145585922860noreply@blogger.com0