Tag: Thriller

Shelf Control #69 – 08/09/2023

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In today’s Shelf Control post, I am thrilled to share the details of a historical thriller novel originally published in German. There’s no particular reason for translated books making up only a small proportion of my TBR… I just don’t discover them all that often! That means when I do, I get really excited about them! 

Before I share the details of that book, let’s recap what the Shelf Control regular feature is all about!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Hangman’s Daughter – Oliver Pötzsch

Genre: Historical Fiction/Thriller

Pages: 450

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Amazon Crossing

Publication Date: 16 May 2011

 

 

Goodreads – The Hangman’s Daughter

Magdalena, the clever and headstrong daughter of Bavarian hangman Jakob Kuisl, lives with her father outside the village walls and is destined to be married off to another hangman’s son—except that the town physician’s son is hopelessly in love with her. And her father’s wisdom and empathy are as unusual as his despised profession. It is 1659, the Thirty Years’ War has finally ended, and there hasn’t been a witchcraft mania in decades. But now, a drowning and gruesomely injured boy, tattooed with the mark of a witch, is pulled from a river and the villagers suspect the local midwife, Martha Stechlin.

Jakob Kuisl is charged with extracting a confession from her and torturing her until he gets one. Convinced she is innocent, he, Magdalena, and her would-be suitor race against the clock to find the true killer. Approaching Walpurgisnacht, when witches are believed to dance in the forest and mate with the devil, another tattooed orphan is found dead and the town becomes frenzied. More than one person has spotted what looks like the devil—a man with a hand made only of bones. The hangman, his daughter, and the doctor’s son face a terrifying and very real enemy.

 

My Thoughts

The Hangman’s Daughter, or Die Henkerstochter, appealed to me initially as it’s a work of historical fiction. However, I’m also intrigued by the thriller and mystery element that takes place within the story.

If you like reading books that feature witchcraft, or speculation of witchcraft, then this should appeal to you as well. I haven’t read very many books from this angle, but I have several on my TBR (both fiction and non-fiction!). Off the top of my head, the only witchy book I’ve read is To Snare a Witch, now titled Bell, Book and Candle. 

The main protagonists in this book may be considered unsavoury, or at least unpleasant to deal with. Let’s face it, if you have business with a hangman it doesn’t look good for you! It’s a unique perspective to take in a book, and if done well, I think there is ample opportunity for character depth and exploration.

The Hangman’s Daughter is quite unlike anything I have read before. I’m looking forward to picking this up and exploring a new period of historical fiction and uncovering the mystery within.

That’s all for today’s Shelf Control post! Have you read The Hangman’s Daughter? Let me know what you make of this book either way in the comments!

 

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Monthly TBR – September 2023

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Hello fellow reading friends! I hope you’re as excited for my September Monthly TBR as I am!

I usually set myself a challenge every month and that’s no exception here! However, this month the stretch is more achievable. The books I set out on this list come out to around 2500 pages in total. Over the course of the month, that works out at needing to read an average of 83 pages a day. That’s about what I’ve been doing anyway.

I do have a small stretch in that in addition to the books shared on this list, I also need to finish my carryover book from August, Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. That adds an additional 400 pages to the monthly total, and ups the daily page count to 97 pages. As I say, a bit of a stretch, but not unachievable!

This month, I have a fairly even mix of fixed reads to pick up, as well as some that I have some freedom to change if I need to. Let’s get into this monthly TBR and take a look at what’s coming up reading-wise…

 

Fixed Reads

My first reading priorities of September are to pick up and finish two blog tour reads. I’m hoping to have both books finished by the 10th of September (at the latest, the first review is due on the 10th). I’ve already made a healthy start into the first and I won’t be hanging around to start the second.

The deadlines then slacken a little, as the remaining books on my ‘fixed’ reading list come from my monthly TBR pick, and a new feature, a book chosen by my Instagram followers.

 

Protector of Mercia

Protector of Mercia is my current read (Wizard and Glass is still ongoing, although I will be reading it around PoM if I can).

Protector of Mercia is the fifth book in M.J. Porter’s Eagle of Mercia series. I’ve already read and reviewed the first four books on my blog (review of Eagle of Mercia, book four linked here as that contains links to all prior books). Having really enjoyed the unique perspective these offer, I’ve been looking forward to taking part in that over the latest book… which incidentally was published today.

As I’ve already briefly alluded to above, the review deadline for this book is the 10th of September. With just a few days left before that review was due, I am making all haste through this narrative and enjoying every second of it!

 

The Trail

The next book I will be picking up straight after Protector of Mercia is The Trail by M.A. Hunter.

The review deadline for The Trial comes thick and fast after Protector of Mercia, being just two days later. I’m sure you can see why I’ve put down Wizard and Glass for now in favour of these books. I decided to take part in the blog tour for this book based on the sound of the synopsis. I haven’t read anything by this author before, so it will be a new experience for me. having not read a thriller for a little while, I’m looking forward to a change up in genre as well.

 

Twelve Years A Slave

September’s TBR Jar pick works really well with my goal of reading more non-fiction. I happened to pull Twelve Years a Slave from the jar.

I feel like I featured on my blog not that long ago, but in reality, it’s probably longer than I thought. Already, I’ve downloaded a digital copy of this book from my library already, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in! Although I am familiar with the title, and I know that there has been a film based on this true story of the author, I am very ignorant of what actually happens. It’s for that reason that I am looking to pick this book up.

It offers a perspective I have never read before, and provides the educational aspect that I need. I’m a firm believer that we shouldn’t shy away from even the nastiest parts of our history. How can we learn from such things if we try to hide from them?

 

Priest of Bones

The last book on my fixed reads list of this monthly TBR is Priest of Bones by Peter McLean. In order to choose two books from my reading list, from which to poll my followers, I used a random number generator. This month, my followers had the choice of picking either Priest of Bones, or the runner-up, Killing for Company. I would have been happy with either choice, but I’m excited that this particular book won. I am predominantly a fantasy reader, yet I only have one other fantasy on this TBR (excepting Wizard and Glass once again!)

I suspect I’ll be reading the runner-up selection next month, as I’m keen to get to that one as well. If you want to have a say in my future polls, be sure to follow me on Instagram ahead of the next vote.

 

Mood Reads

 

A Storm of Swords – part 1

One of the things I set out to do earlier this year was to re-read the A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka A Game of Thrones), ahead of publication of the sixth book in the series. There were rumours that this was going to be towards the end of this year, although I’ve heard very little since.

That works out for me, because I am nowhere near as far along with the re-read as I initially planned. Instead, I’ve been picking up some other great reads, and this has fallen by the wayside a little.

In September, I’m going to be reading the first part of A Storm of Swords only. That’s hefty enough at about 600 pages. This is also the longest book on this monthly TBR… by a long shot! More typically, I would read books closer to an average of 500 pages. This month I’m uncharacteristically less at 357!

 

Lost Solace

The one book I didn’t touch at all in August is Lost Solace by Karl Drinkwater. I’ve read a number of books related to this main series and reviewed them for blog tours in the past. Lost Solace has been on my backlist to read. Since I didn’t get to this book in August, I am making it the highest priority mood read of the month.

 

The Last Thing To Burn

I’ve been a member of a local bookish group on Facebook for a while, and another member recently suggested starting a book club. There’s nothing set in stone as yet. But, I quite like the sound of the book that’s been chosen. So, I’ll read it in case an event (virtual or not) goes ahead.

 

Summary

As if quite often the case nowadays, I have quite the range of books and genres in this list!

Have you read any of the books listed in today’s monthly TBR? Are any of them on your reading list?

 

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First Lines Friday – 18/08/2023

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Good evening friends and welcome to today’s First Lines Friday feature! It’s turning out to be a rather miserable evening, but if we’re being honest, is there better weather for a bookworm? I’ll be cozying in with a blanket, a cuppa and my current read as soon as this post goes live. That’s what you’re here for, so let’s get right to it!

Today’s feature was chosen as a result of a challenge I set myself in last week’s Sunday Summary post – to feature a book from my physical TBR. For today’s First Lines Friday feature, I’m sharing a book by an author I have read once before and thoroughly enjoyed! It was popular a few years ago and features a plot with a Groundhog Day theme. It also has slightly different titles in the UK and US.

Can you guess what today’s book is based on those clues, or who it’s by?

 

Arent Hayes howled in pain as a rock slammed into his massive back.

Another whistled by his ear; a third, striking his knee, causing him to stumble, bringing jeers from the pitiless mob, who were already searching the ground for more missiles to throw. Hundreds of them were being held back by the city watch, their spittle-flecked lips shouting insults, their eyes black with malice.

‘Take shelter for pity’s sake,’ implored Sammy Pipps over the din, his manacles flashing in the sunlight as he staggered across the dusty ground. ‘It’s me they want.’

 

 

 

The Devil and the Dark Water – Stuart Turton

Genre: Mystery / Historical fiction

Pages: 548

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Raven Books

Publication Date: 06 Oct 2020

 

 

Goodreads – The Devil and the Dark Water

 

A murder on the high seas. A detective duo. A demon who may or may not exist.

It’s 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world’s greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Traveling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent.

But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered.

And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.

Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?

With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.

 

My Thoughts…

If you hadn’t guessed the answer to my clues, the book I was alluding to was Stuart Turton’s debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (or The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in the US). 

I read that book four years ago according to Goodreads, and I thought it was great. Firstly, where had that time gone?! It doesn’t feel like it was four years ago…

With that experience in mind, I didn’t hesitate to get a copy of The Devil and the Dark Water. To be honest, I bought that book without really knowing much about it, other than it was written by the same author. That’s all that mattered. As it happens, I really like the sound of the premise and setting in this book and would have bought it for that reason as well. Having just concluded a series with heavy emphasis around ships and sailing, I’m definitely in the mood for it! Knowing my TBR though, it’ll probably be another four years before I get round to it!

Jokes aside, I’m not going to leave it that long… I PROMISE!

If the book is as cleverly written as the debut, then I have every expectation of enjoying this book. It’s also a great length to be able to enjoy a complex mystery, but without getting bogged down in so many details that I’ll become overwhelmed.

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s First Lines Friday post!

Have you read The Devil and the Dark Water, or The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle? What did you make of either of these books?

 

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Monthly TBR – July 2023

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Happy Friday and welcome to my monthly TBR post for July!

We’re now over half way through the year and I’ve already made some great reading progress towards my goal of 50 books (15 of which non-fiction, as well as completing series). I’m going to share a mid-year review post soon, but for now, let’s share how I plan to kick off the beginning of the second half of the year!

 

Fixed Reads

I’m starting off this month’s fixed reading list with a few books I need to read for blog tour obligations. Whilst I’m not strictly touring for all of the books, I do need to catch up with one as it’s a second instalment of the series in order to be able to read the third book – which is for a blog tour!

In addition, I am also reading the book club pick over at Ezeekat’s book club this month.

 

Death at the Caravan Park – Susan Willis

The first book I am touring for this month is Death at the Caravan Park by Susan Willis. That blog tour post will be coming to you in just over a week. Naturally, I’ve already made a start with this book and as of drafting this post, I am a third of the way through it.

So far, Death at the Caravan Park is proving a relatively easy read. We have a good set up of characters and we now understand the baseline for the story. I’m interested to see how it progresses.

If you are interested and want to check out my thoughts on this book, I’ll be publishing my review on the 15th of July.

 

Storm of War – Peter Gibbons

This next book I’m picking up isn’t strictly for a blog tour. Rather, I need to read it in order to get up-to-date with the series before starting the third book. I will be providing a review as part of the upcoming blog tour for that book early next month.

I must have inadvertently missed reading this second book in the series when it went on tour itself. Fortunately, I’ve been able to download a copy via Kindle Unlimited, so I can read it before picking up the third book in the series.

I read and enjoyed the first book, Warrior and Protector, towards the end of last year; if you want to find out about that book, here is a link to my review.

 

Brothers of the Sword – Peter Gibbons

As I mentioned above, I will be taking part in the blog tour for Brothers of the Sword, but not until early next month.

That gives me a bit of leeway to read this instalment. And, it’s so happens, I also need the time to read the second book first!

There’s not really much more to say in this monthly TBR post, other than letting you know that my review date for Brothers of the Sword is 4th August.

 

To Shape A Dragon’s Breath – Moniquill Blackgoose

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is the book club selection over at Ezeekat’s book club on Fable. I didn’t read last month’s pick, so I definitely want to try and make the effort to read this one.

I am intrigued by the synopsis of this book. And, who doesn’t love a fantasy that contains dragons?! I also like the idea of having minority representation in this book. I am under no illusion that the English have, shall we say, put their stamp on the world in the past. The events of this book heavily imply conflict between culture of indigenous people and the “Anglish”. I’m interested to see how this fantasy take on modern events plays out.

 

Mood Reads

 

I already have a number of fixed read on this monthly TBR, but I’m still hoping to pick up some mood reads this month as well.

 

A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking

Something I am looking forward to, and equally expect to challenge me this month, is reading A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. It is a book that I have wanted to get to for quite some time. As a non-fiction, it also goes towards my goal of reading more non-fiction throughout 2023.

Having read around about this book, I suspect it could get quite mathematical and/or scientific. If it is, I’ll hold my hands up and admit that’s not an element I’m going to get too invested in. I get no desire out of understanding the maths behind this sort of stuff. But, that’s not to say I’m not interested in the science or the history of our world as we know it.

At just over 250 pages, I’m not sure how this book is going to play out. It could be quite a quick read if I don’t get too invested or bogged down in the science. Equally, as it’s out of my comfort zone, it could take me longer to read. Only time will tell.

 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

Last month, I picked another book out of my TBR jar. For those of you uninitiated, I have a jar I have on my bookshelf that’s full of titles I have not yet read. In order to add some randomisation to my reading, I try and pull one out to read every month. Last month, I’ve pulled out Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

After borrowing a copy from the library just this afternoon, I started this book at lunch. I’m only a couple of chapters in so far, but it’s made a decent impression already. I’m not really sure where the narrative is going to go, but I’m along for the ride to find out.

 

Cytonic – Brandon Sanderson

When going to the library, I also wanted to have a browse for a second book to borrow. I deliberately didn’t set myself a particular book to take out as my second loan. I wanted to see what caught my eye when I got there.

Whilst looking for a book to pick up, I found that my library had a copy of Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson. This is the last instalment of a YA sci-fi series I want to finish, so I thought this would be perfect to take out and read. Not only do I get to pick up a fantastic book again, but once I’ve read it, I get to tick that series off my list as complete. That’s another goal I’ve set myself for this year!

 

Stretch Goal

 

Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb

On the off-chance that I manage to get through all of the reading list I’ve set myself for July, I would like to start Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb. You may recall that Ship of Destiny was on my June TBR. However, I didn’t get around to reading it, given my experience and some difficulty with one of my books last month.

At 903 pages, there is absolutely no way on this earth that I’m going to finish it in July. However, if I could even make a start on it, I’ll consider that a win!

 

So, those the books on my monthly TBR that I’m going to be picking up very, very soon! Have you read any of the books on this monthly TBR post?

 

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Book Review – The Feedback Loop: Harmon Cooper

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Today’s post is another (long overdue) book review for The Feedback Loop by Harmon Cooper. I was intrigued by the premise of The Feedback Loop, and it was a nice short read to pick up!

If you want to find out more, here are the details!

 

The Feedback Loop – Harmon Cooper

Genre: Science fiction

Pages: 182

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Boycott Books

Publication Date: Aug 2015

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

 

Goodreads – The Feedback Loop

Stuck in a virtual dreamworld called The Loop, a man named Quantum Hughes struggles to free himself from a glitch that forces him to live the same day on repeat. His life changes when a mysterious letter arrives one morning from a woman named Frances Euphoria, the first human player he has made contact with in a very long time. Once Frances appears, members of a murder guild known as the Reapers begin surfacing in The Loop, hoping to capture Quantum or worse — kill him. To further complicate matters, The Loop itself is doing everything it can to stop Quantum from finding the hidden logout point by turning everything in the virtual dreamworld against him.

With time running out, will Quantum break free from his digital coma before he’s captured or killed by the Reapers? Who is Frances Euphoria, and what does she actually know about how long Quantum has been trapped?

The Feedback Loop Series takes place thirty years before the Life is a Beautiful Thing Series. It shares the same world, but is a standalone series that focus on dream-based virtual reality worlds and the people who are trapped in them. The next book in the series will be called Steampunk is Dead, and will be released in the fall.

 

My Thoughts

 

Plot

The Feedback Loop is a fun, short, science-fiction read. It makes for a good palate-cleanser between reads as it’s less than 200 pages.

The premise and concept behind the narrative is a familiar one. Imagine Groundhog Day, only you are stuck in an ultra-violent virtual world which is determined to prevent you from logging out. That is exactly what you should expect from The Feedback Loop. 

I didn’t anticipate the developments or conclusion at all. Once the narrative really started to unfold at end, I couldn’t put the book down. It was that gripping! I read this book in just two sittings. It is comparatively lighthearted to a lot of books, and I was aware of this having read a dense book just before this one. I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much!

 

Characters

I enjoyed the protagonist, Quantum Hughes, in this book. In the circumstances he has to live through every day, we get to see a very rough and ready character. He is literally dodging death from the moment he wakes up every single day… and more often than not, it catches up with him.

His character has definitely shaped and adapted to his surroundings. Set in a gritty, grimy, rundown cyberpunk-y cityscape, Quantum has come to learn who he can trust, and who he cannot. Violence is second nature to him now. This virtual environment is littered with all the nasty things you would expect in any modern day city. Alcoholism, addiction and depravation are prevalent throughout.

 

Narrative Style

The Feedback Loop is an easy, action-packed and quick read. The structure of the narrative, as it is, makes the book more enjoyable. It is a narrative style that has been done before, but at the same time, varies enough that you want to see what the character is doing next to avoid falling into the same traps on his quest to escape.

Aside from the themes discussed above, The Feedback Loop could be picked up by most people. Although is has a lot of violence in, I wouldn’t say it is any worse than young readers are exposed to in games. Plus, the book has an approachable writing style that I enjoyed – clearly, given I read the book so fast! 

 

Summary

All in all, I enjoyed this book as a one off, but I won’t be continuing with the rest of the series. It was a perfectly adequate read, but equally nothing exceptional. In my opinion, the plot-line is neither unique, nor does it stand out in an ever-growing market. If anyone were to ask me for a recommendation for a similar themed book, but better executed, I would recommend Ctrl+S by Andy Briggs. This book doesn’t have the Groundhog Day element, but it has a far better exploration of virtual reality. It has a slightly longer page count, but it’s worth the investment. 

It was worth a read to try out, but ultimately, it wasn’t captivating or promising enough to lure me back for book two or beyond.

Have you read The Feedback Loop? Is it on your reading list?

 

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Shelf Control #64 – 28/04/2023

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Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control feature post! I’m looking forward to sharing today’s post, as I get to feature a legal thriller by an author that is well-known, but I am yet to try!

Before we get into it, let’s recap what my Shelf Control feature is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Rainmaker – John Grisham

Genre: Legal Thriller

Pages: 419

Audience: Adult

Publisher: 01 Apr 1995

Publication Date:

 

 

Goodreads – The Rainmaker

In The Rainmaker, John Grisham tells the story of a young man barely out of law school who finds himself taking on one of the most powerful, corrupt, and ruthless companies in America — and exposing a complex, multibillion-dollar insurance scam. In his final semester of law school Rudy Baylor is required to provide free legal advice to a group of senior citizens, and it is there that he meets his first “clients,” Dot and Buddy Black. Their son, Donny Ray, is dying of leukemia, and their insurance company has flatly refused to pay for his medical treatments. While Rudy is at first skeptical, he soon realizes that the Blacks really have been shockingly mistreated by the huge company, and that he just may have stumbled upon one of the largest insurance frauds anyone’s ever seen — and one of the most lucrative and important cases in the history of civil litigation. The problem is, Rudy’s flat broke, has no job, hasn’t even passed the bar, and is about to go head-to-head with one of the best defense attorneys — and powerful industries — in America.

 

My Thoughts

The Rainmaker isn’t the first John Grisham book I have featured in a Shelf Control post. However, as of writing this, I am still yet to read any of his books.

I have heard a lot of good things about John Grisham as an author. In what I have already read of the legal thriller genre, this is also something I enjoy. It’s not something I read a lot of, granted. However, it is a genre that I enjoy reading as something different to the typical books I pick up!

I like the sound of The Rainmaker as the synopsis and storyline is one we can all get behind. It deals with a humanitarian subject. I’m not sure how detailed this plot explores the circumstances of Donny Ray, but I am intrigued to read about his story and circumstances all the same. You may recall that I went out of my way to read Me Before You as it features difficult themes around disability and assisted suicide.

Obviously, those are two very different things. However, I really enjoyed that the subject even made it into a book. A lot of people like to look the other way when it comes to this sort of thing, but I’m not one to shy away. What I’m trying to say is, if we get some gritty detail in The Rainmaker, I’m all for it.

Have you read The Rinmaker or any other books written by John Grisham? 

Thanks for taking the time to check out today’s Shelf Control post, and I look forward to seeing you in the next one!

 

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Well, I Didn’t Know That! #4

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In today’s Well, I Didn’t Know That! post, I feature a podcast from the Financial Times (FT). It focuses on a genre of books I wouldn’t naturally have picked up all that readily – business books.

I read a vast array of genres. However, the concept of a business book fills the mind with connotations of stuffiness and, well, that they’re going to be dull. In just 16 minutes of my day, I discovered a number of titles proving this is can be a misconception.

If you are new to the Well, I Didn’t Know That! series, you can check out my introductory post here.

The podcast featured today discusses the shortlisted and prize-winning books of FT’s 2022 Business Book is the Year award. To be considered for this award, FT specifically look for “compelling and enjoyable” books. So, if there are any business books to pick up, then these are going to be the best of the best!

If you want to check out the podcast for yourself, I will provide a link to Apple podcasts here.

So, which books featured in this podcast caught my attention?

 

Winner – Chip War

The winner of the 2022 Business Book of the Year award went to Chip War. This particular book details the reliance we have on a small number of companies to produce one of the most significant technologies in the world – microchips.

One of the facts I learned in this podcast is that this technology, which is a used widely in electronics to date, stemmed from development for military missiles. Perhaps we have the Cold War to thank or something?

This book appeals to me because we have seen the consequences in the last year of the shortage of the technology. But, the most interesting thing about this book is that it is described as a non-fiction thriller by readers and has been very highly rated!

 

Shortlist – Dead in the Water

One of the shortlisted books for this award also caught my attention. Dead in the Water is a true crime novel which arose as a result of investigative journalism into the hijacking and subsequent destruction of an oil tanker. I have never heard of this incident, but given that there is clearly more than meets the eye here, I want to read and find out what happened!

Dead in the Water is also quite a short read. Even if it isn’t normally your cup of tea, I feel like this is the kind of book, you could try regardless. If the book is any good, I would also be inclined to recommend it to a friend of mine who works in the shipping industry!

 

FT’s podcast has introduced me to some titles that I wouldn’t necessarily have looked at before. It’s also challenged my thinking that books of this type are dull and boring. I’ll definitely pay more attention to books shortlisted for this award in future!

Have you read any business books? Do you have any to recommend to me?

 

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Shelf Control #60 – 27/01/2023

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Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post! If you are looking for a fun, short sci-fi crime thriller, then stay tuned to check out today’s featured book.

Before I share the details on that book, here is a recap of what Shelf Control is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog. It’s a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies… a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Now, let’s dive into today’s featured book!

 

Punishment – Scott Holliday

 

Genre: Sci-fi / Crime 

Pages: 240

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publication Date: 31 Jul 2018

 

 

Goodreads – Punishment

 

Do you want to know what it’s like to die, to kill, to really fear for your life? Then get hooked…

Detroit-based homicide detective John Barnes has seen it all—literally. Thanks to a technologically advanced machine, detectives have access to the memories of the living, the dying, and the recently dead. But extracting victims’ experiences firsthand and personally reliving everything up to the final, brutal moments of their lives—the sights, the sounds, the scents, the pain—is also the punishment reserved for the criminals themselves.

Barnes has had enough. Enough of the memories that aren’t his. Enough of the horror. Enough of the voices inside his head that were never meant to take root…until a masked serial killer known as Calavera strikes a little too close to home.

Now, with Calavera on the loose, Barnes is ready to reconnect, risking his life—and his sanity. Because in the mind of this serial killer, there is one secret even Barnes has yet to see…

 

My Thoughts

I can’t remember exactly how I discovered this book when I added it to my reading list back in 2018. However, now, I love the idea of the synopsis!

Punishment is a very short book at just 240 pages. I imagine it would be the kind of book that would be great for crime or mystery readers who want to try a cross-over of science fiction for a change. Having read other books about virtual reality, and seeing/experiencing things from alternate perspectives relating to crime (Ctrl+S and Dark Matter are good examples), I’m excited to see how this comes to play in the narrative.

with the inevitable psychological element to the plot (and the impact witnessing such events would have on detectives investigating such crimes), there is a lot of potential for character development and future exploration of the impact using this technology has on people. As a former student of psychology, I would like to see some of this introduced in this short book.

I’m not entirely sure how graphic the book will be in its descriptions, but I’m not intimidated by that. There is very little I will shy away from in a book. Once I read this one, I’ll be sure to let you know.

It seems to me that there is a lot to fit in to the narrative with such a small page count. I’m hoping for a fast paced, crime thriller, full of action and with an interesting sci-fi twist!

 

That is all from me in today’s Shelf Control post.

Have you read Punishment by Scott Holliday? Have you read any other books like it?

 

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Shelf Control #59 – 13/01/2023

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Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post! This week, I’m excited to share my featured book. I have absolutely no idea what this book is like, and I have never tried this author before. However, I have added this book to my list as the main character of this book is one I’ve loved from a TV series I used to watch. If you want a sneaky hint before we jump into the book, the character was a detective, played by Idris Elba.

Do you know which character I’m talking about?

Before we get into it, I’ll quickly go through the usual recap of what Shelf Control is all about for any new readers.

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog. It’s a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies… a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Now, let’s dive into today’s featured book!

 

The Calling – Neil Cross

Genre: Thriller/Crime

Pages: 362

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 04 Aug 2011

 

 

Goodreads – The Calling

Meet DCI John Luther.

He’s brilliant. He’s intense. He’s obsessional. He’s dangerous.

DCI John Luther has an extraordinary clearance rate. He commands outstanding loyalty from friends and colleagues. Nobody who ever stood at his side has a bad word to say about him. But Luther seethes with a hidden fury that at times he can barely control. Sometimes it sends him to the brink of madness, making him do things he shouldn’t; things way beyond the limits of the law.

The Calling, the first in a new series of novels featuring DCI John Luther, takes us into Luther’s past and into his mind. It is the story of the case that tore his personal and professional relationships apart and propelled him over the precipice. Beyond fury, beyond vengeance. All the way to murder…

 

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed the TV series, Luther. I’m not convinced I started watching it from the very beginning, but what I did watch was great!

I had no idea there was a book about his character, never mind a potential series (there is a record on Goodreads for at least a second book). Idris Elba was a fantastic portrayal of Luther; he encapsulated the description of the character in the synopsis above perfectly. Of course, I want to read the book that inspired the character! I have added this to my reading list based on my enjoyment of the TV series alone. And why not?

I have no idea if the storyline in the TV series is related to the book, but I don’t think it would matter if it was. For one thing, it might fill in the gap in my mind of what happened in the first series. I’m pretty sure I missed that one. Even if it’s not, I am here for the character more than the plot line seen in the TV series. I’m going into this with a reasonably open mind.

If the execution of the character doesn’t meet my expectation, then that may colour my interpretation of the book. It’s rare that a TV series has made an impression on me before a book. That can be a make-or-break experience sometimes, but I’m willing to give it a go!

 

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Monthly Wrap-Up – November 2022

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Somehow we are already into the final month of 2022, and that can only mean that it is time for my monthly wrap-up post for November!

I read quite a few books in November. All in all, it has been a very productive month. I took part in a couple of blog tours early on, and then went on to work my way through my whole reading list. That is something I haven’t achieved for a long time!

Let’s dive into the books I read in November!

 

Warrior and Protector

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads

My first book of the month was Warrior and Protector by Peter Gibbons.

This was the first read as I had a fairly imminent blog tour deadline to meet. That said, it was an incredibly easy read to pick up and enjoy. I read this in just a handful of days. If you enjoy books like Bernard Cornwell’s the Saxon stories, or anything set in 10th century England, I’d recommend this one highly.

I really enjoyed the character development in this particular book. It has a perspective that you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a book of this kind. If you want to find out more, you can check out my full review here.

 

Warrior of Mercia

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads

The next book I picked up was very similar in setting but was part of a series that I started earlier this year. I have been really enjoying the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles by MJ Porter.

When I received the invite to take part in the tour for Warrior of Mercia, I knew I would be daft not to take it up! The plot lines of these books are full of action, but equally do not script on character development either.

For entirely different reasons to Warrior and Protector, the protagonist of his book makes an interesting character in terms of his motivations. He is a dutiful young man, but his heart isn’t really in being a warrior. If you want to find out more, again, I have a full review where you can find out more.

 

Babel

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads

It was nice to pick up and be able to stick with Babel by R.F. Kuang. With my ongoing blog tour commitments, I was picking up and putting this down quite a bit. However, once all my obligations were over and done with, I read this book very quickly.

I really enjoyed how this book delves into language and translation. Although it is a fantasy fiction novel, it reads quite academically. The story is cleverly interwoven with the fantasy element, but also combines more serious topics including racism, colonialism, and even classism. To an extent, Babel was everything I expected it to be – however it was also so much better!

 

Malice

Rating: DNF

Goodreads

Malice by John Gwynne is the one disappointment in my monthly wrap-up for November. I have owned my copy of this book for a very, very long time. I attempted to pick it up once somewhere in the region of 2016. However, as this pre-dates both my blog and my Goodreads account, I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started it.

Unfortunately, the fact that I didn’t make it much further than the third chapter back then should have told me everything I needed to know. I gave this a solid attempt, but I just wasn’t getting into it at all. After three days of pushing through the first 50 odd pages, I decided to hang this one up. There was absolutely no point in trying to struggle on with it. I knew I was onto a good reading streak, and I didn’t want to spoil it.

It’s not the end of the world. Yes, it is a shame when you don’t enjoy a book as much as you would like. However, thinking on the bright side, I have enough ongoing series as it is without adding another one!

 

Dear Child

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads

Next, I decided to pick up a genre that I haven’t read very much of lately – psychological thriller.

I had wanted to read a book like this in my October TBR. However, I didn’t get around to it. I recently featured Dear Child in my Autumn TBR post. The synopsis has been playing on my mind ever since. Given that I already owned a copy of the book ready to pick up, it was a no brainer decision.

And this was a fantastic psychological thriller. For me, I determine a book like this to be a hit if I’m thinking about it even when I’m not reading. If I’m trying to work through who the characters are, and determine what potential motives and hidden plot twists there are yet to unveil, that’s a very good sign! Of course, I was doing it with Dear Child.

Another good indicator is how quickly I managed to read this book. I started it on a Sunday morning and finish it by Thursday the following week.

 

The Motivation Code

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Goodreads

Having worked my way through my November TBR at this point, it took me a while to decide what to read next. I hadn’t even considered my December TBR at this point, so I was at a bit of a loss. In the end, I turned to my recent TBR additions for some inspiration. I found The Motivation Code.

I recently took the online assessment that accompanies this book, and I wanted to find out what my results really meant. And in that way, this has been an insightful read. Some of the results I got were to an extent, a surprise. However, having read about these different motivation codes, I can see myself in them 100%. They go a good way to explaining why I like to work in certain settings, and equally importantly, how I like to work. I don’t necessarily just mean employment. I mean as in how I operate. How I do things. 

The book is also useful in that it highlights where there may be gaps in your skill set. For example, one of my top three motivators is to explore. That means I am good at delving into new things and starting many projects (hardly shocking news to anyone who knows me). However, one of my downfalls is that I might try to take on too many things and lose focus on what I’ve already started. I am the kind of person who, at times, needs to be re-focused away from the ‘new and interesting’. I can do this myself, but it is something I need to consciously do.

Reading The Motivation Code has helped me understand who I am and why I think it act the way I do. It is one thing to know it subconsciously, but to read this book and bring it to the forefront enables me to work on the elements of my personality that aren’t necessarily positive.

 

Queen of Our Times

Current Read

Goodreads

I haven’t really made much progress with Queen of Our Times this month. I started the month with every intention to pick up and listen to this audiobook more regularly. However, I will be completely honest and say that I haven’t done it.

Quite often, I’m in the mood to listen to music. Especially so this month, as Dermot Kennedy released his new album and I’ve been listening to it on repeat since it was released mid-month. I have no shame.

Also, I have been making more of an effort to watch more TV this month. As you are probably aware, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here has just been on and I really enjoyed watching it! However, for me, watching a show like that is a commitment. My TV doesn’t go on that much, and certainly not as regularly as I’ve needed to keep up with the show. That’s also impacted on my time to listen to audiobooks.

This is a book that will rollover into December.

 

So, those are the books I’ve been reading throughout the month of November. Technically, I also started the first book of my December TBR on the 29th of November. However, I’m not giving any spoilers as to what that book is. Instead, you’ll have to check out my TBR going live on Saturday!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my monthly wrap-up post. Have you read any of the books on this list? Have any of them caught your eye?

Let me know in the comments, and until next time, happy reading!

 

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