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18th century, 19th century, 19th century literary fiction, 19th century literature, 20th century literature, adventure, alan hollinghurst, alan moore, alexander mccall smith, alternate history, amanda swift, amazon vine programme, andrea levy, andrea seigel, andrew martin, andrew pyper, annie proulx, anthony horowitz, anthony mcgowan, anton chekhov, arthur c clarke award winner, articles, b. r. collins, ben wilson, bethany griffin, biography, blog book, blue peter book of the year, bollinger everyman prize, bolton book award, booker prize shortlist, booker prize winner, boris akunin, brian williams, bruce robinson, c j sansom, caitlin kittredge, carrie ryan, cassandra clare, catherine banner, catherine webb, charles dickens, charlie fletcher, children's fiction (5 - 8), children's fiction (9 - 12), childrens' series, china mieville, chris carter, chris evans, colin greenland, comic fiction, coming of age fiction, contemporary fiction, cormac mccarthy, cory doctorow, crime fiction, crime history, crime series, cwa gold dagger award winner, daniel defoe, dave gibbons, david constantine, david g hartwell, david mitchell, dean lorey, derek landy, diana wynne jones, diaries, donald thomas, dorothy l. sayers, eleanor updale, elizabeth gaskell, english translation, eoin colfer, essay, evelyn waugh, f e higgins, fantasy, fergus linnane, g p taylor, gosho aoyama, graham marks, graphic novel, guardian children's fiction prize, hanna jansen, hannah moskowitz, hilary mantel, historical crime fiction, historical crime series, historical fantasy, historical fiction, historical series, holly black, horror, humour, ian mcewan, ian rankin, ilona andrews, india knight, isaac asimov, j k rowling, j. g. jones, j. m. coetzee, jackie kessler, jake arnott, jane austen, janice hardy, jeaniene frost, jesse kellerman, jim butcher, john boyne, john kelly, jonathan strahan, jonathan stroud, joshua ferris, judy blundell, julia bell, justine larbalestier, karen haber, karen joy fowler, karin slaughter, kate atkinson, kate moran, kate mosse, kate thompson, katie hickman, kazuo ishiguro, kim newman, kit downes, kurt vonnegut, lev grossman, lian hearn, libba bray, lisa gardner, literary fiction, literature, liza picard, lois mcmaster bujold, m. r. hall, malorie blackman, manga, margaret atwood, margaret weiss, marie brennan, marina lewycka, mark billingham, mark henry, mark millar, mark walden, markus zusak, mash-up, master list 2006, master list 2007, master list 2008, master list 2009, matt whyman, matthew skelton, max brooks, melissa de la cruz, melissa marr, melvin burgess, michael bond, michael cox, michael dobbs, michael palin, michelle harrison, michelle paver, mike carey, mohsin hamid, monica ali, mythology, naomi novik, nathaniel branden, national book award, neil cross, neil gaiman, nestle book prize gold award, nestle book prize silver award, nick hornby, noir, non-fiction, oprah's book club, orange award, orange award shortlist, owen sheers, p. j. tracy, paranormal romance, patrice sarath, patrick nielsen hayden, paul begg, paul blaney, paul mounts, peter carey, philip reeve, philosophy, play, poetry, politics, pseudonymous bosch, pulitzer prize, r. j. anderson, raymond carver, rebekah lattin-rawstrone, red house book award, richard & judy children's book award, richard and judy book award, richard matheson, roderick gordon, romance, sam enthoven, sara paretsky, sarah rees brennan, sarah singleton, science fiction, scott lynch, scott westerfeld, sebastian faulks, self-help, series, seth grahame-smith, shopping, short stories, simmone howell, simon and schuster freebie, simon holt, simon r. green, sketches, social history, sonya hartnett, sophie mckenzie, steam punk, steampunk, stephen chbosky, stephenie meyer, steve feasey, suzanne collins, teenage spy series, thriller, tom lloyd, tom reynolds, tom rob smith, trilogy, trudi canavan, urban fantasy, urban fantasy series, urban fantasy trilogy, val mcdermid, victorian, whitbread award, will peterson, william cook, william shakespeare, yevgeny zamyatin, young adult, young adult quartet, young adult series, young adult trilogy, ysabeau wilce
31st-Dec-2009 11:59 pm - Master List of Books 2009
1. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (STARTED IN 2008).

2. Gordath Wood by Patrice Sarath.

3. Burial by Neil Cross.

4. How To Raise Your Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden (STARTED IN 2008).

5. Knife by R. J. Anderson.

6. The Coroner by M. R. Hall.

7. The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

8. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith.

9. Shadowmancer: The Curse of Salamander Street by G. P. Taylor.

10. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

11. Magic’s Child by Justine Larbalestier.

12. Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.

13. Predator’s Gold by Philip Reeve.

14. Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve.

15. A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve.

16. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare.

17. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

18. The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith.

19. The 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison.

20. The Poison Garden by Sarah Singleton.

21. Bloodline Rising by Kate Moran.

22. The Black Book Of Secrets by F. E. Higgins.

23. Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones.

24. The Last Siege by Jonathan Stroud.

25. Nightrise by Anthony Horowitz.

26. The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan.

27. Triskellion by Will Peterson.

28. Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr.

29. Wanted by Mark Millar, J. G. Jones and Paul Mounts.

30. Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan.

31. Changeling by Steve Feasey.

32. Tunnels by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams.

33. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

34. The Medusa Project: The Set-Up by Sophie McKenzie.

35. The Doomsday Machine by Catherine Webb.

36. Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing With Fire by Derek Landy.

37. The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter.

38. Stone Heart by Charlie Fletcher.

39. Pride And Prejudice And Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.

40. Parasite Positive by Scott Westerfeld.

41. The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman.

42. The Ashleys: Lipgloss Jungle by Melissa de la Cruz.

43. Sovereign by C. J. Sansom.

44. A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.

45. Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson.

46. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

47. Nightmare Academy: Monster Revenge by Dean Lorey.

48. The Stormcaller by Tom Lloyd.

49. Night Life by Caitlin Kittredge.

50. Changeling: Dark Moon by Steve Feasey.

51. Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel.

52. Revelation by C. J. Sansom.

53. Harm’s Way by Colin Greenland.

54. What Price Liberty: How Freedom Was Won And Is Being Lost by Ben Wilson.

55. The Pain Merchants by Janice Hardy.

56. Temeraire by Naomi Novik.

57. Restoration London: Everyday Life In London 1660 - 1670 by Liza Picard.

58. Break by Hannah Moskowitz.

59. What I Saw And How I Lied by Judy Blundell.

60. Handcuffs by Bethany Griffin.
15th-Nov-2009 10:10 pm - Handcuffs by Bethany Griffin
The Blurb On The Back:

Here’s a question for your secret diary. You know, the one with the flimsy little key. Is it better for him to lie, or to not say it at all?


Parker Prescott is an ice princess. Cold, aloof, a snob. At least, that’s what everyone says on Marion Henessy’s blog. And everyone reads Marion Henessy’s blog.

Parker Prescott is a middle child. She’s the good one, the dependable one, the one her parents trust. Well ... she used to be.

Parker Prescott’s parents want her to break up with her boyfriend. But she already did, two weeks ago. And then she realised it was a mistake. He came over. He had the handcuffs in his pocket. Everything went downhill from there. Sort of.

Parker Prescott’s world is changing and she no longer knows who she is. Does anyone?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The story isn’t my cup of tea, but the writing holds the interest and the voices are on the whole credible.
15th-Nov-2009 10:07 pm - What I Saw And How I Lied by Judy Blundell
The Blurb On The Back:

Some things are never meant to be revealed.

“It seemed like a dream. The world had exploded ...”


Summer’s ending. Evie’s stepfather is finally home from the Second World War, and Evie is tired of her glamorous mother treating her like a little girl.

Then a mysterious stranger appears: a handsome ex-GI who served with Evie’s stepfather. Slowly, Evie realises that she is falling in love with him – but he has dark secrets, and a strange control over her parents.

When a sudden tragedy occurs, Evie’s world is shattered. Torn between her family and the man she loves, Evie must betray someone. The question is ... who?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

A complex story with a good sense of period, I didn’t quite buy into Evie’s naiveté but it’s still worth a read.
15th-Nov-2009 12:54 pm - Break by Hannah Moskowitz
The Blurb On The Back:

The first feeling is exhilaration. The second feeling is pain. The feeling that never comes is regret.


Jonah is on a mission to break every bone in his body. Everyone knows that broken bones grow back stronger than they were before. Jonah wants to be stronger - needs to be stronger – because everything around him is falling apart. Breaking, and then healing, is the only way he can cope with the stresses of home, girls, and the world on his shoulders.

When Jonah’s self-destructive spiral accelerates and he hits rock bottom, will he find true strength or surrender to his breaking point?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

A satisfying and edgy tale from a writer to watch.
15th-Nov-2009 12:50 pm - Restoration London: Everyday Life In London 1660 - 1670 by Liza Picard
The Blurb On The Back:

How did you clean your teeth in the 1600s? What make-up did you wear? What pets did you keep?


Making use of every possible contemporary source, Liza Picard presents an engrossing picture of daily life in London in the decade between 1660 and 1670: the streets, houses and gardens; cooking, housework, laundry and shopping; clothes and jewellery, cosmetics and hairdressing; medicine, sex education, hobbies and etiquette; law and crime, religion and popular belief. The London of 300 years ago is brought vividly (and sometimes horrifyingly) to life.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This is a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to the period and one that anyone with an interest in social history should check out.
14th-Nov-2009 10:52 am - Temeraire by Naomi Novik
The Blurb On The Back:

Set amid the turmoil of the Napoleaonic wars, Temeraire is a thrilling tale of one of the most dramatic chapters of European history with a brilliant veneer of bold fantasy.

The war tearing Europe apart is not fought upon land and sea alone, for battalions also fill the sky. And the fiery death they bring has little to do with gunpowder – it comes from the very guts of the beasts they are flying: DRAGONS.

Weeks out of port at Madeira, a British vessel – the Reliant, commanded by Captain William Laurence – captures a French frigate. Within its hold lies a precious dragon egg. And it’s close to hatching.

Once harnessed, a young dragon will accept no other master, so when the new-born ignores his chosen rider and approaches the Captain instead, Laurence’s life is changed forever.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Although there isn’t as much plot as you’d expect in a book of this kind and the use of semi-colons is excessive, there is much to enjoy in this story – not least the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire, which is simple but elegantly depicted.
10th-Nov-2009 10:52 pm - The Pain Merchants by Janice Hardy
The Blurb On The Back:

Nya has a secret she must never share.
A gift she must never use.
A world she must never question.
And a sister whose life depends on her doing all three.


Fifteen-year-old Nya survives on odd jobs and optimism, finding both in short supply in a city crippled by war. Then a bungled egg theft and a stupid act of compassion exposes her secret to two powerful groups – the pain merchants and the Healers’ League.

They discover Nya is a Taker, a healer who can pull pain and injury from others. Unlike the League apprentices, she can’t release that pain into their store of enchanted metal. All she can do is shift it from person to person, a dangerous skill that she must keep hidden from the forces occupying her city.

But when a new disaster strikes, Nya finds that her talent is suddenly in great demand – but at what cost?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

An excellent debut filled with original ideas and strong characterisation. Definitely worth a look.
29th-Oct-2009 10:04 pm - What Price Liberty: How Freedom Was Won And Is Being Lost by Ben Wilson
The Blurb On The Back:

Individual liberty will be the defining issue of the twenty-first century, while fear of terrorism, crime and social chaos has put out ideas of liberty into retreat in recent years.

It is clear that there is not just a crisis of liberty, but a crisis in the way people talk about liberty. How do we, as individuals, negotiate the maximum amount of freedom in such a complex world? How can we resist the growth of intrusive authoritarianism without exposing ourselves to crime, terrorism and other risks? Even those who instinctively support social freedoms are losing confidence when confronted with such hard truths.

History provides a guide to answering these questions. We have a rich legacy to draw upon to help define our approach to current problems. Yet it is a history which we are in danger of forgetting or misreading. In What Price Liberty? Ben Wilson travels through four centuries of British, American and European history, elaborating not just how civil liberties were constructed in the past, but how they were continually re-thought – and re-fought – in response to modernity. The last chapters put into context the controversies of the last decade or so – the threat of terrorism and the rise of the database nation. If liberty is to survive now it must, like it did in the past, adapt to new circumstances. But to do this we need to agree about the value we place on liberty.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The density of the material makes this a challenging read, but the material comes alive in the second half to make for a thought-provoking book.
25th-Oct-2009 09:51 pm - Harm’s Way by Colin Greenland
The Blurb On The Back:

”You keep out of harm’s way, Sophie Farthing.”


Her father’s advice seemed only sensible. The flying island of High Haven was a dangerous place. So what was she doing down on the docks at midnight, talking to the sinister gentleman with the iron jaw? Where had he come from on his majestic space yacht? And why did he laugh when she spoke of her poor dead mama?

Sophie only wanted to talk to him again. She didn’t really mean to stow away – certainly not on the wrong ship. Her unintended quest is to take Sophie far from home, to the pleasure gardens of the Moon, the grogshops and grime of Lambeth Walk, through the perilous Asteroid Sea and the cruel canyons of Mars where Angels fill the red sky with their ravenous cries.

Meanwhile, on a frozen moon of Jupiter, her destiny waits ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Very imaginative and evocative of 19th century literature, this is a novel that’s well worth
25th-Oct-2009 09:45 pm - Revelation by C. J. Sansom
The Blurb On The Back:

Spring, 1543


King Henry VIII is wooing Catherine Parr, whom he wants for his sixth wife. Archbishop Cranmer and the embattled Protestant faction at court are watching keenly, for Lady Catherine is known to have reformist sympathies.

Matthew Shardlake, meanwhile, is working on the case of a teenage boy who has been placed in the Bedlam insane asylum, and fears that the boy’s terrifying religious mania could lead to him being burned as a heretic.

When an old friend is horrifically murdered, Shardlake promises his widow that he will bring the killer to justice. His search leads him to Cranmer and Catherine Parr – and to the dark prophecies of the Book of Revelation.

As London’s Bishop Bonner prepares a purge of Protestants, Shardlake, together with Jack Barak and his physician friend, Guy Malton, investigates a series of horrific murders which soon bring talk of witchcraft and demonic possession – for what else would the Tudor mind make of a serial killer ... ?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sansom never fails to impress and this series shows no signs of flagging. It’s a sumptuous page-turner full of satisfying twists and turns.

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