Review: Dragon Teeth

Dragon Teeth
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Michael Crichton's recently discovered novel—an adventure set in the Wild West during the golden age of fossil hunting.

The year is 1876. Warring Indian tribes still populate America’s western territories even as lawless gold-rush towns begin to mark the landscape. In much of the country it is still illegal to espouse evolution. Against this backdrop two monomaniacal paleontologists pillage the Wild West, hunting for dinosaur fossils, while surveilling, deceiving and sabotaging each other in a rivalry that will come to be known as the Bone Wars.

Into this treacherous territory plunges the arrogant and entitled William Johnson, a Yale student with more privilege than sense. Determined to survive a summer in the west to win a bet against his arch-rival, William has joined world-renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh on his latest expedition.  But when the paranoid and secretive Marsh becomes convinced that William is spying for his nemesis, Edwin Drinker Cope, he abandons him in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a locus of crime and vice. William is forced to join forces with Cope and soon stumbles upon a discovery of historic proportions.  With this extraordinary treasure, however, comes exceptional danger, and William’s newfound resilience will be tested in his struggle to protect his cache, which pits him against some of the West’s most notorious characters. 

I've loved Jurassic Park since I was a kid, I remember watching it on Sundays whenever it was on and eating apple, mostly it would be on at Easter and despite owning the video and then DVD....I'd always watch it. I pretty much know most of the lines! I was wary of Jurassic World..but actually ended up really enjoying it too. I've been meaning to buy and read the original Jurassic Park books for a while but haven't quite gotten around to it yet, so....this is my first Michael Crichton book! 

I recently read a book by another author that was based on the Bone Wars, and my curiosity has since been piqued about that period of history and those events. I was super excited to read this because I figured it was likely to be more historically accurate and full of more history than the other book I read...and I was right! I completely loved this, and I breezed through it in one sitting. 

Dragon Teeth is fast paced and absolutely packed with historical detail and fact. But all of that is woven in to the narrative and it's so well done that it's not like history is being shoved down your throat and it doesn't affect the pace of the book at all. I was absolutely fascinated, not just with the events of the book...but with the parts that where true, and the historical figures and all the tiny little historical details that you wouldn't think twice about. This book has clearly been well researched and it made it such an authentic read. Perhaps he got a hankering to write this book after doing Westworld and Jurassic Park...I don't know. I'm not familiar with the publication order of his books and films etc. 

There's plenty of intrigue to keep you reading, it's vivid and draws you in. I got completely caught up in the adventure and action of the book. I genuinely had a moment or two, especially at the beginning, when I couldn't quite work out if it was all real or not, I had to double check that Johnson didn't actually exist! I was intrigued to find out that one of the other characters, Sternberg, did though...and that he had published a book about the trip Cope takes in this book...although obviously that trip has been tweaked and changed for the purposes of this story. 

While I liked the science, seeing the process of how the bones where found, excavated, kept safe to travel, catalogued and put together and so on....I loved the characters. The characters really made this story memorable for me, along with the historical detail and so on. We had Johnson, a fictional character who goes on quite a journey in this book. I really enjoyed seeing him grow and change and mature over the course of the book as he goes from a pampered rich boy to being able to fend for himself. He has to battle to get home, facing a dangerous journey, not just because of the overly bleak and deadly landscape but because of the Indian wars going on at the time, various nefarious characters and other obstacles, natural or otherwise. Johnson becomes quite the hero, more so on the way back than on the way there, despite facing the trials and tribulations of the journey there. 

We have Cope and Marsh, who are vastly different to each other. I have to say...I'm team Cope. I wanted to punch Marsh in the face more than once, I'm not going to lie.  He's so paranoid and he kept trying to sabotage Cope over and over, even going so far as to poison water. Cope...well I could let him off having a temper because I'd be pretty pissed off at Marsh's constant sabotage and trouble making and attempts to buy or steal bones instead of doing the work himself. Cope seemed the more honest, and hard working of the two and he really helped Johnson after Marsh abandons him. I'm intrigued to read more about Cope and Marsh. I was actually annoyed to learn at the end of the book that Marsh 'discovered' more Dinosaurs than Cope...I can't help but wonder if he managed all of them honestly. I'm going to have to buy Sternberg's book and read it because the notes at the end of the book said the feud had actually been toned down and I'm curious! 

We also have Wyatt Earp, I had to google him. I had to. I wasn't sure if he was a real character or not and then when I got to the end and there was his little mini auto biography I had to google him to see it was true..even though it was pretty obvious! I had been surprised to see Sternberg was real too! I'd assumed the only real people in the book where Cope and Marsh...but anyway. Mind blown by Earp's life story. I actually really liked him, he became quite the friend to Johnson! Along with the memorable characters I liked...there where also the memorable characters I hated. Marsh. The Curry brothers. The annoying, suspicious woman who's name escapes me now I've finished the book...she had two names anyway! 

Dragon Teeth is a rollercoaster of a read that I guarantee you'll be able to devour in one sitting. Crichton really brings the West to life, with saloons, gunfights, and desolate, dangerous landscapes. There's history in every page, the book has clearly been well researched. There's a lot of information about the various Indian tribes, and how they where treated, and the wars between the Tribes and the US Military. Let's just say the US weren't painted in a flattering light in this book, and I can't say I'm sorry about that. I was pleased Crichton didn't try to gloss over or hide how badly the Native Americans where treated by the US Government and Military and so on. It was horrendous and should be portrayed as such. 

After reading this book, I definitely have the urge to read up on Marsh and Cope and the time period, and do some research of my own! Not to mention actually get around to getting copies of Jurassic Park and reading them! Crichton really brought the Bone Wars, the West and the historical figures featured in the book to life and I was riveted from the first page. 

Review: Warlock Holmes

Warlock Holmes: A Study in Brimstone
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Titan! 

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes.

Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.

An imaginative, irreverent and addictive reimagining of the world’s favourite detective, Warlock Holmes retains the charm, tone and feel of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while finally giving the flat at 221b Baker Street what it’s been missing for all these years: an alchemy table.

How could I not pick this up!? Like the synopsis says Baker Street gets what it's missing with an alchemy table. And Vampire Inspector Lestrade. And Ogre inspector Grogsson. And ya know Watson who's the real detective and the Warlock Sherlock who's kinda only helpful because of his magical insight. It sounded awesome, a re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes but with plenty of awesome new elements to make it even more fun than it usually is! This book has 6 different stories in it, they're mostly narrated by Watson and he has a brilliant narrative. The writing is reminiscent of Conan Doyle, it fits the time, and the writing pulls you in to the time and the setting. It keeps you reading, it paints a picture of the scene for you. It brings the characters and the world to life for you. Literally that last paragraph of the synopsis is SO FREAKING TRUE! This book just completely blew me away and the wait for The Battle of Baskerville Hall is too far away, because ya know...I want more of this Holmes world, and Baskerville is my favourite story AND the last story left me wanting so much more! 

I loved the twists to the story, it was entertaining, there was intrigue, I loved picking out similarities from the regular books, I just love how the writing is so true to the original books keeping it witty and sharp  while keeping them fun and fresh! There are lovely illustrations in the book. I just can't even, this book is so brilliantly imagined and I never realised how much I wanted something like this until I had it in my actual hands! 

I'm excited to see more magic, see the characters developed more, see more of the characters we all know and love. I'm loving what the author is doing with this series, and with this world he's created, I love his writing, and this was the perfect start to what's going to be a brilliant series, I'm sure! 

Review: Who Killed Sherlock Holmes

Who Killed Sherlock Holmes
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, MacMillan! 

Someone has murdered the ghost of Sherlock Holmes. As a fictional character remembered by the people of London, Holmes’ ghost walked the city, and now someone has put a ceremonial dagger through his chest. What could be the motive? The small team of Metropolitan Police detectives who have The Sight find themselves pursuing a criminal genius who soon lures them into a Sherlockian maze of too many clues and too much evidence. Ross finds herself drawn to an actor who may or may not be a deity, and goes on a quest to win back her happiness. Lofhouse seeks the answers, finally, about why she brought the team together. Quill battles for his sanity. Costain battles for his soul. And Sefton just wants to bring his team back together, even if that takes him to the edge of death.

Okay so I straight up need to say that I haven't read the other two books in the series, and I think I did okay with the book without having read them. I didn't actually realise this was in a series until it arrived! But I wanted to read it because ya know...Sherlock Holmes and his ghost...and said ghost being murdered! It sounds completely and utterly awesome. I mean in the beginning I did struggle a bit with getting in to it, but I managed to pick up what had been going on and stuff! Once I had...I had a burning to desire to read the other books as well because the team of sighted Police Officers who can see things like ghosts, and who all have their own problems like you know...possessed husbands..completely hooked me in! 

As we join the team they're investigating a series of murders that mimic murders from the Holmes books, and the murder of the great detective himself! Turns out we made him real with our belief! How cool is that?! This book is so cleverly written with references from the books that Holmes fanatics are going to love, as well as putting the pieces together and everything. It's complex, it's well written, clearly a lot of research has gone in to it and it hooks you in as you start coming up with your own theories. 

This book shocked me more than once, one time being when I found myself actually enjoying Moriarty and wanting to see him. I know right. SHOCKING. It's original and unique, not just with the Shadow Police but with the take on Sherlock Holmes in the book. There's Holmes actors all over the place, Gods, magical objects, it's dark and twisty and completely addicting as you go further and further in to this new side of Holmes and London. 

Review: The Amber Shadows

The Amber Shadows

Rating: 5/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy 

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Simon and Schuster! 

Bletchley Park typist Honey Deschamps spends her days at a type-x machine in Hut 6, transcribing the decrypted signals from the German Army, doing her bit to help the British war effort.
Halfway across the world Hitler's armies are marching into Leningrad, leaving a trail of destruction and pillaging the country's most treasured artworks, including the famous Amber Room - the eighth wonder of the world.

As reports begin filtering through about the stolen amber loot, Honey receives a package, addressed to her, carried by a man she has never seen before. He claims his name is Felix Plaidstow and that he works in Hut 3. The package is postmarked from Russia, branded with two censors' stamps. Inside is a small flat piece of amber, and it is just the first of several parcels.
Caught between fearing the packages are a trap set by the authorities to test her loyalty or a desperate cry for help, Honey turns to the handsome enigmatic Felix Plaidstow. But then her brother is found beaten to death in nearby woods and suddenly danger is all around… 

I'm going to straight up tell you all that I'm a huge fan of this authors work! I completely and utterly loved her debut book The Hourglass Factory and I've been so excited to see what she does next, and it's like the author read my freaking mind! She seems to know which bits of history fascinate me and that I want to know more about and then makes it her book! Like I said when I reviewed Hourglass Factory...I'm excited to see what she does next, and she's an author that I'll keep an eye on and read pretty much anything she writes! 

As soon as I started reading I immediately found myself getting swept away with the authors writing again, I was right there in every single scene, I could feel the atmosphere, picture what the scene would have looked like and I found myself walking the grounds of Bletchley. I know a fair bit about World War Two, it's the war we studied the most at school, but I still keep finding there are bits I didn't know. For instance, when we took a school trip to learn more about WW2 it was to Berlin we went and we saw the German side, if you will. I had no idea about Bletchley Park until The Imitation Game was released and upon watching that film, I immediately wanted to know more. Then Lucy Ribchester is casually like "oh yeah my next book is Bletchley Park"...you see why I'm convinced she read my mind! 

The thing I like most about Ribchester's books is that yeah they're fiction, but they're also historical and full of so much fact. There's so much knowledge in this book, woven throughout the narrative and dialogue. You find yourself learning more and more about the time period, the events and what went on at Bletchley without feeling like you're trudging through pages of information. Ribchester's research is immaculate and you can tell just how much research has gone in to it. Not just about the Park, but about the time period. Ribchester writes so authentically, she brings the time period to life with descriptions yes, but also with words. Which makes no sense, but she uses the language and slang of the time to help bring you in to the world and without overusing certain phrases. She uses little tidbits here and there, like an actor from the time period that was popular, a film that everyone saw, food that was eaten, and so on. So you can see how thorough the author's research was, not just on the big stuff, but on the little stuff, so you get an authentic look at the time. I'm honestly in awe of her research skills! 

Honey is an interesting main character, she has a brother who is a CO, Conscientious Objector, and who's a ballet dancer, a mother who is a singer and is singing for the troops (although she's put out she has to sing White Cliffs of Dover), and a step-father who's main business is in soap. I found it interesting to see how Honey has such a musical and kind of eccentric family, yet she herself is rather plain in comparison. She's intelligent, she'd have to be to be at Bletchley, and she has no idea about her father, only what her brother has told her. I felt for her, thinking she was in contact with her father this whole time, and finding out that everything is a lie, everything her brother said was a lie and so on. You root for Honey and can't help but be suspicious when she is and so on. Not to mention when she got in to trouble and had a talking to about being in an "out of bounds area" with a "foreigner" and how it "looks" and got handed a load of pamphlets! 

There's plenty of other characters to bring this story to life, the mysterious Felix from Hut 3 who's not all he seems, Honey's previously mentioned family (I will admit, I was surprised by her step-father, I was expecting someone nasty!), there's a very brief Alan Turing cameo, Moira, the other girls in the hut and so on. All of them are so realistic and so authentic that you feel like you've stepped straight in to the time, and the place. I love how Ribchester writes her characters and brings them to life. 

This book doesn't half make you feel angry as well. You get a front row seat to how women where treated in the time, yeah we were allowed to help out and everything, but we got paid less than the men, I mean, I didn't know that and I really shouldn't have been surprised but there you go! The unfairness to women was insane, especially what happens to Moira, I can't even with what happened to Moira! I felt for her so badly, and she was one of the few friends that Honey had! Although, I can't say I was surprised at the behaviour of that Reuben bloke, we have a family story that reflects what things where like in the War, although we're not actually sure how true it is, because I'm the only one who bothered to research it and I think it's a fairy tale, but still! 

While there's mystery and action, the book isn't all excitement and danger. You learn about the bruises the ladies got from typing so much, how the CO's spent time in prison and how they where generally treated by others. You saw how much everyone was monitored, how bad the rationing was, how bad the looting was. The book somehow takes things you know and makes them hit home more than they do when you read about them in a history book. You have such a sense of unease as you're reading, everyone's always monitored, always watched. It creates an uncomfortable and suspicious atmosphere that is rather infectious as you're reading. 

I loved how the movie Suspicion was twined with the plot of the book, I can't say I've seen the film but it was appropriate and worked so well with the book and the atmosphere for it. The plot kept you guessing, there where twists and turns, and you where suspicious of everyone and trying to work out just what was going on, what was true and what was not, and no matter what you worked out...you where wrong! I loved reading and not knowing what was going to happen next, to be honest, I've found a recent influx of books that are rather predictable! It's a truly brilliant plot line, it has to be said! We also get another fantastic historical note, Ribchester lists plenty of books that you can check out to learn more and other little bits that prove how much research she's put in to the book, in case you where in doubt! 

The Amber Shadows is another fantastic novel from Lucy Ribchester, her writing is on point, the plot is perfect and full of surprises, her research is insane and her characters are authentic and believable, as is the world and setting. Reading this book is like watching a photograph come to life. You know what Bletchley Park looks like, whether you've come across it in your own reading or googled it, you'll have seen a photo of what it looks like and have that image in your mind. Well the author takes that image/photograph and she brings it to life by adding the hustle and bustle, and the characters, and the extras as it where. What was before in your memory, an empty, ghost of a building, is once again busy and full of people as the drama plays out, and you are engrossed until the very end. 

Review: Jane Steele

Jane Steele
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Headline!

Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked - but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors.


A fugitive navigating London's underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate's true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon caught up in the household's strange spell. When she falls in love with the mysterious Charles Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: can she possess him - body, soul and secrets - and what if he discovers her murderous past?

Reader, I murdered him. With that one line I was ridiculously intrigued, how could I not be!? This was presented as a "gothic retelling" of Jane Eyre, but it's not really. Jane tells us the story as her autobiography and frequently mentions how she's read Jane Eyre, there's quotes from the book at the beginning of each chapter, but from what I remember of Jane Eyre...I couldn't see any links between Jane Steele and Jane Eyre. 

I feel like the book was written with a kind of Bronte feel to it, and I enjoyed the writing style of the book. Jane was a complicated character for me, I felt for her in the beginning, don't get me wrong, the first murder was an accident and could arguably be self defense, and to be fair she is only killing bad guys who kind of have it coming....but like, as the book goes on she sounds more and more like a psycho. Like you can see her justification and understand it but she's not really on the empathy train with the rest of us, if you know what I mean!? It was hard for me because I wasn't sure if I should be rooting for her or not! 

The writing is compelling and oddly fascinating, the story is very grim with an atmosphere full of despair. The whole thing with her aunt and cousin, the boarding school which was particularly grim, the events of London and so on. There's plenty of blood and murder, and I loved the relationship between Jane and her female friend and all the drama that went on in Janes life, it kept me hooked and kept me reading. 

This didn't last, however, when Jane entered the governess stage of her life. Don't get me wrong, the romance was good, I liked how it developed gradually over time, and I liked that they got their happy ending. But the thing is, once the romance started to come in to it the pace slowed down, and I found myself losing interest. I thought the book ended well, I liked the ending, but it wasn't as climatic as I was expecting! I was expecting a lot more blood and murder, among other things, I think! So the first half is brilliant, the second just didn't keep it up! 

Review: Beloved Poison

Beloved Poison
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Little Brown.

The object I drew out was dusty and mildewed, and blotched with dark rust-coloured stains. It smelt of time and decay, sour, like old books and parchments. The light from the chapel's stained glass window blushed red upon it, and upon my hands, as if the thing itself radiated a bloody glow.

Ramshackle and crumbling, trapped in the past and resisting the future, St Saviour's Infirmary awaits demolition. Within its stinking wards and cramped corridors the doctors bicker and fight. Ambition, jealousy and hatred seethe beneath the veneer of professional courtesy. Always an outsider, and with a secret of her own to hide, apothecary Jem Flockhart observes everything, but says nothing.

And then six tiny coffins are uncovered, inside each a handful of dried flowers and a bundle of mouldering rags. When Jem comes across these strange relics hidden inside the infirmary's old chapel, her quest to understand their meaning prises open a long-forgotten past - with fatal consequences.

In a trail that leads from the bloody world of the operating theatre and the dissecting table to the notorious squalor of Newgate and the gallows, Jem's adversary proves to be both powerful and ruthless. As St Saviour's destruction draws near, the dead are unearthed from their graves whilst the living are forced to make impossible choices. And murder is the price to be paid for the secrets to be kept.

Beloved Poison completely blew me away, even more so since my recent discovery! I got to talking with a Tumblr blogger about the book, Novel Addictions, and she told me something really interesting! I knew that the author was working in Edinburgh, but I didn't know that some mini coffins very similar to those in the book, had been found buried in Arthur's Seat (in Edinburgh) back in the 1830's! There where originally 17 of them but there's only 8 of them left and they currently reside in a museum, and no-one has ever worked out what they where for or who made them but there are some rather interesting theories! She sent me THIS article if you want to check it out! I'm not entirely sure if it is the author's inspiration or just a coincidence, but either way, it adds a nice layer to the book! 

Beloved Poison effortlessly pulls you in to London in the 1840's, you find yourself in the book, walking down the streets, moving around St. Saviours. It's deliciously authentic, and each setting rises up out of the London fog, so you can vividly picture the scenes. We spend most of our time in St. Saviours, but we also visit Newgate, a rather chilling Asylum and a dodgy brothel. The settings are colourful...but dark. There's a grim undertone to each setting. 

The writing was incredibly compelling, I kept wanting to know what happened next, what the coffins where for, who planted them and so on. The mystery kept having more and more threads added, the plot was definitely thickening, and the deeper you went in to the book, the deeper you went in to the mystery. I reached a point when I was completely obsessed with the book, and I was reading..but my brain was running through theories. All of which turned out to be wrong, but still. I read the book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. As I was reading, I was getting a very Dicken's vibe from the characters, but also the general feel of the book. 

Each and every one of the characters was fascinating, they where certainly a colourful and lively bunch! Each was brought to life with care and detail, each had plenty of secrets to keep as well as being full of depth. I was never entirely sure who to trust other than Jem. Each had their own motivations when it came to the mystery and each had a depth to them that left you intrigued about them. I thought in the beginning that Dr. Bain was a bit of a douche...but my opinion of him changed a lot over the course of the book, he ended up being not so bad, if a bit of a man whore! There was much more to him than met the eye. The nasty Dr. Graves who had a case of the green eyed monster going on. Poor old Dr. Catchpole whose wife was in love with Dr. Bain, which was kind of hilarious at points, I'm not going to lie! 

I liked Jem, Jem was a very good character and incredibly well created. I felt for Jem and Jem had a rather interesting secret to keep, although I liked how Will was on to it straight away! Jem was easy to root for, the more and more you found out about Jem, the more you felt for Jem and wanted Jem to succeed, the resolution between Jem and Jem's father was just...beautiful to me. Jem was an excellent narrator and very intelligent, a joy to read about. I liked Will and Jem's relationship, how Jem was dead against Will at first, but a friendship bloomed between the two as they tried to work out what was going on. I liked Will's well....willingness to help out Jem and throw himself in to solving the mystery. 

I had an incredible sense of foreboding as I was reading, as well as intrigue, because of little hints dropped throughout the narrative, alluding to future events. The book actually had me on edge at more than one point, thanks to the tension and the general creepiness of the setting. Don't get me wrong the setting was interesting, but it was incredibly creepy at some points. I was surprised by the book at every turn, every time I thought I'd worked out who the person behind it all was...I was wrong. I mean I worked it out...but like, right before the reveal happened and it was pretty obvious at that point who it was! 

Beloved Poison was also incredibly fascinating, because of all of the medical knowledge from the time period in the book. It was fascinating reading and learning about the medicine at the time, the new advances they where working on, how they did things and so on. I was so enthralled by it, as it isn't something I know all that much about. Clearly there's been a lot of research put in to the book, and it's been thrown in to the narrative in an engaging way! 

Beloved Poison was a gripping and enthralling read, pulling you right on to the streets of 1840's London. Each setting was vivid and atmospheric and the book had a very Dickensian feel to it in places, and in certain characters. There was a fascinating amount of information on medicine and surgical practices at the time, that's kind of gross, but you just can't look away! Beloved Poison was dark, and kind of creepy, and had a brilliantly created and written plot, with a fantastic mystery that is solved in an incredibly satisfying way, although not without some seriously sad scenes! It's a book you'll be able to lose yourself in, and be completely gripped by. I'm hoping for more of Jem, and I'm excited to see what the author will do next! 

Blog Tour: The Madwoman Upstairs

The Madwoman Upstairs
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Quercus! 

Think you know Charlotte, Emily & Anne? Think again. Samantha Whipple is the last remaining descendent of the illustrious Brontë family, of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre fame. After losing her father, a brilliant author in his own right, it is up to Samantha to piece together the mysterious family inheritance lurking somewhere in her past - yet the only clues she has at her disposal are the Brontë's own novels. With the aid of her handsome but inscrutable Oxford tutor, Samantha must repurpose the tools of literature to unearth an untold family legacy, and in the process, finds herself face to face with what may be literature's greatest secret.

This book is a weird one for me, because it was very good and it was fascinating and I was completely engrossed, but at the same time...not much really happens in it! I wasn't really sure what to expect going in, but I was intrigued by what I'd heard about the book. I read Jane Eyre back in school and it was actually one of the few classics I read at school that I actually enjoyed. I also recently finished Wuthering Heights for the 2016 Classics Challenge so I was feeling quite confident going in!

The writing was beautiful, I marked so many passages that I enjoyed, it really is fantastically written! Some of the turns of phrase where very reminiscent of the Bronte's if not the time period. The book itself has such a Bronte feel to it, gothic and dark in tone and atmosphere. There where some nice little hidden Bronte gems in there, like the red room. I mean it had peeling paint but still. I immediately honed in on that like AHA! The thing about the writing was that while it was slow to start, and not much really goes on for the majority of the book...the writing was so compelling that I couldn't stop reading. I was curious about what her father was leading her to, and curious about the Bronte's. The book really allows you to get in to the heads of the Bronte's and get to know them as well as Samantha. 

There's clearly been a hell of a lot of research that's gone in to the book. I mean we did Jane Eyre at school but we didn't learn much about the author, and this book has so much information to give you and it's so fascinating that you end up eagerly reading it. I was genuinely so interested in all the information about the Bronte's whether true or not, and I found myself kind of wishing it was all true. The whole Charlotte and Anne thing, the thing with The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, part of me really wished it was true because it really, really did make sense. Although I now have no desire to read Agnes Grey at all. 

The book was like a giant literary treasure hunt as Samantha sets out to find out what her father left her. Every single time she mentioned that library burning down...I winced. Because imagine having an impressive library like that and then poof. There's books being left mysteriously for her with clues in and there where so many plot threads to the book, that all wove together to make the plot, and I was always intrigued to see what was going to happen next. 

The book's really made me look at the Bronte's in an entirely new way, as well as their works. Particularly Wuthering Heights. I have a blog post with my thoughts on WH and it was a tricky one for me, but this book actually helped me understand it a little more, and at one point the narrative perfectly puts in to words exactly how I felt about the book, better than I ever could have! 

Samantha was an interesting character, I connected to her because of how awkward she was and I could relate to that. I liked her, she had a fantastic sense of humour, I mean...she's probably just as snarky and sarcastic as me! I just got her and I felt for her, she has a forbidden romance thing going on. Which reminded me a bit of Jane Eyre, or perhaps Orville reminded me of a certain character I'm not sure. For me, I found the romance to be subtle and not at all the main point of the book, I don't think I'd have liked the romance having more of a focus on it. I liked it how it was. I liked the scenes with the two of them even if some of their discussions did make me lose a smidgen of interest. But just a smidgen. 

I have to say, one character really got my back up, John. Like....yeah, maybe there are "Bronte Artefacts" hidden from the public by Sam and her dad...what of it? Why shouldn't they be kept within the family? The sisters where people too, and this John guy doesn't have a right to all of their possessions. It really hit home for me, how these three women have become larger than life to the extent that people seemingly forget they were actual human beings, if that makes sense. John wasn't all bad though, I mean I kind of felt sorry for him in the end. 

There's a lot of characters in the book, they're all very well written and strong. Sam's mother cracked me up at one point, when she found out Sam had broken in somewhere and was just like "Next time you use the window", I genuinely laughed out loud! You have Rebecca, who wasn't an entirely pleasant character, and I kind of want to say that Anne and Charlotte were characters in a way. Each character was so fascinating to read about. 

I'm used to reading books with a lot more action, and when the whole hunt for the Warnings of Experience started I was thinking we'd start to get some action. We didn't, but what surprised me about the book was how engrossed I became in it despite the lack of action, it was so unusual for me. I was genuinely, completely and utterly engrossed in the book, wondering if any of it was really true. You get insights in to the Bronte sisters and their books and it was so brilliantly done, working it all in to the narrative in a way that completely gripped you. I also loved learning about Anne, I don't know much about the Bronte's but I know she's the lesser known of the two, and she's also the only one I haven't read a book by, but I loved what was done with her and her book, and I'm so intrigued to read Tenant Of Wildfell Hall now, I'm definitely going to have to read it soon! I want to learn more about the sisters too, and it was just all so fascinating to think about. 

The other thing I loved was how many literary references there where in the book, to other books, like even the epilogue...I squealed a bit, I can't lie! I'm a book worm I couldn't not squeal at each new reference. I was so gutted there was no author's note at the end...but then while the book is wrapped up perfectly and you're not left wondering...the lack of author's note kind of makes me continue to wonder about the whole Charlotte and Anne thing. 

The Madwoman Upstairs is an engrossing and fascinating read. Fantastically written and with a very Bronte tone and feel to it. The characters were interesting, and intriguing and well brought to life, and the plot was intriguing and just plain fascinating. You will see the Bronte's in a new way, and even see their works in a new way. You may possibly, like me, want to immediately read one or two of the books mentioned if you haven't already! 

The blog tour continues tomorrow with The Brunettes Bookshelf! 

Review: Star Wars The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2,and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters. Darth Vader may have been redeemed and the Emperor vanquished, but peace can be fleeting, and evil does not easily relent. Yet the simple belief in good can still empower ordinary individuals to rise and meet the greatest challenges.

So return to that galaxy far, far away, and prepare yourself for what happens when the Force awakens. . . 

Okay so I'm not going to expand on the synopsis from GoodReads because I don't want to spoil it because some people may still have not seen it and ya know...just spoilers in general! 

So, I completely love Star Wars, I'm a Star Wars nerd, I got to see the movie on Christmas Eve and I was so excited to read the book and get to re-live the movie, I mean I could practically hear the opening theme music as I was reading the beginning! But then I sing the opening titles to the tune of the theme song soooo.....

ANYWAY. There's a few scenes that I don't remember being in the film, that where nice additions and helped to expand on the movie a bit more. There where scenes that where extended from what I remember of the movie, and a few changes here or there. Because of all of this, you get a lot better understanding of what's going through the characters heads in the movie, what their motivations are, what the history of the places featured are and so on. You also learn more about the situation with the New Republic and what went wrong and the problems with it and how the New Order rose up. 

I thought the book translated perfectly from the book in that it retained it's cinematic values. If that makes sense, like I've read book versions of films that where so dull and boring, but this was very cinematic, even if you haven't seen the film I would think it would be easy to picture the scenes and the settings and get a feel for the places. The beginning did go on for a while, and all of the bits at the end did feel a little bit rushed in comparison, so I think the book could have been longer, or the beginning cut down perhaps, but other than that I really enjoyed it and getting to go back to the movie! 

There where so many bits in the book that I wished had been in the film, but then the film probably would have been like a million hours long, but then....would any of us really care? Nope not really! The dialogue was great, the action scenes translated well on to the page, you got a feel for the characters, especially Kylo Ren! It also helps you to spawn even  more theories! I just loved reading the movie, as it where, because it added so much more insight! I mean BB-8...I loved BB-8 in the movie but you actually get to understand him a bit more! It's definitely worth a read whether you've read the books or not guys! 

I can't believe I've never read a Star Wars book before! 

Review: For The Most Beautiful

For The Most Beautiful 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy Courtesy of the publisher, Transworld!

Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that made - and destroyed - both men, a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War that had yet to be told?

Now is that time - time for the women of Troy to tell their story.

Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the true story of true for the first time. The story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes.

In a novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a story that has waited millennia to be told.

I like to think that one or two of you have been reading my reviews for a while, and so a few of you should know something about me, but for those of you who don't....I'm a history nerd. One of the areas of history I'm obsessed with? Ancient Greece. I guess I liked all the stories of the Gods and watched Hercules one too many times as a kid, but there you go! 

I couldn't resist getting started on this book near enough straight away when I received it, I mean..the ladies of the Trojan War. All the big names are in there, but we get a better look at two lesser known ones. Briseis and Krisayis. As well as a nice look at Cassandra I might add, the look we got at Helen wasn't all that flattering, if I'm honest. 

For The Most Beautiful is inspired by the poem the Iliad, if you haven't read it, you might fancy giving it a go after reading this! Hauser has given us a really nice Author's note with lots of information about the Iliad and the story she's told, as well as guides to characters, place, pronunciation and other reading you might want to do. I must say, I geeked out a bit reading all of that as much as the actual book, but anyway, the author will tell you aaaalllll about it in her Author's Note so I won't be expanding too much on the poem! 

ANYWAY. Guys. I might have people disagreeing with me on this but I totally felt like this was The Hunger Games: Greek Edition. I loved the story, really I did, but some of my favourite parts where the Gods. Throughout the book we not only get the ladies point of view, but we also get glimpses of the Gods, I found myself laughing quite a bit at them as well and rolling my eyes, they're so perfectly brought to life and embodied from what I've read in other books! But they're all kind of casually chilling up on Mount Ida, after you know, casually starting a war, sitting there watching everything unfold and influencing things. Like a bit of plague here....a miraculously improved aim there. I just could so easily picture the Gods as the Game Makers in The Hunger Games and all the characters we know as the tributes. Sorry, it's an odd comparison but it's one that sprang to mind! 

I got completely lost in the book, becoming more and more gripped as we went through events before the war, up to where the poem kicks off and onwards. The writing was compelling and wove a story full of so much pain and betrayal and treachery and bravery and so on. It was all woven together, the book made you feel a lot of things. The authors writing really brought the Trojan War to life, it was vivid, the imagery was fantastic, you felt like you where there, strolling along. Well maybe not strolling in the war parts, but whichever the setting it had an atmosphere all of its own, and it was brought to life before your eyes. 

I have to say, at this stage, that I have never really liked Helen and Paris. The two are just like "yeah..don't worry I'll bring you back to Troy with me" "omg Paris thanks so much" *casually starts war* *Paris is completely useless* *casually sit back and let everyone else fight for them in the WAR THEY BROUGHT* and in this book, I actually ended up just plain disgusted with them. Hector was too though, so it's all good! I mean seriously. The dude hides in his room while his brothers die, and their soldiers die and it's his fault. But you know. Whatever. 

The other characters however, I came to like a lot! Including Achilles, which was a surprise after seeing him through Briseis eyes in the beginning! I'm not going to talk much about the characters we all ready know fairly well. I want to talk about Briseis and Krisayis, because they where so freaking fantastically created. I loved them. They where brave, they where strong, they both went through a hell of a lot and came out the other side. Sort of. Briseis could have taken revenge at one point near the end, she really could have, but she didn't. She got what she finally wanted, heartbreaking as it was. Krisayis also never gave up on what she set out to do and took such huge risks to help her people and was instrumental in convincing the King to make a particular moved that saved so many people. I just couldn't get over how utterly fantastic these characters where. They really came to life before my eyes, and I was rooting for them and heartbroken for them and just connected with the both of them a lot and wanted them to succeed. 

For The Most Beautiful is a completely fantastic read, yes, it did take me a little while to get completely gripped by it, but I was intrigued from the start by the premise and the opening scene. I ended up gripped as the events of the book played out, and our brave female characters showed their true bravery and took risks to help the people they loved. I'm so intrigued to see what the author is going to do next, and I'm expecting great things! 

The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School

The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Titan! 

A week after Mother found her sleeping on the ceiling, Amy Thomsett is delivered to her new school, Drearcliff Grange in Somerset. Although it looks like a regular boarding school, Amy learns that Drearcliff girls are special, the daughters of criminal masterminds, outlaw scientists and master magicians. Several of the pupils also have special gifts like Amy’s, and when one of the girls in her dormitory is abducted by a mysterious group in black hoods, Amy forms a secret, superpowered society called the Moth Club to rescue their friend. They soon discover that the Hooded Conspiracy runs through the School, and it's up to the Moth Club to get to the heart of it. 

Daaammnnn this book is SO GOOD! I'm a big Kim Newman fan, meaning I've only read Anno Dracula basically. Just gonna admit that straight away! This intrigued me because of the whole floating on the ceiling, school for the daughters of criminal masterminds etc. I immediately read that and was like SIGN ME UUUUUPPPP! 

The story starts straight away with Amy arriving at the school, no chapters of discovering the powers and faffing about. It's straight in there. In a way it kind of reminded me of St. Trinians, not entirely sure why. I think it's because all these girls and their schemes and the way things work at the school and stuff. Unlike St. Trinians this is darker, and it's kind of like a superhero origin story with the Moth Club. There's also powers and different abilities and stuff. There was just something about this that I can't really put my finger on exactly, that really reminded me of St. Trinians but maybe I'm wrong haha! I think it was the houses and the "the sporty girls, the posh girls" and so on. 

Drearcliff is a YA and it's incredibly different, I know I'm not the only one who likes books that are a little bit unique, a little bit original and so on. This book is full of originality! It's dark fantasy, and is incredibly sinister as the book goes on and the plot thickens. I loved how it started out fairly normal, but got darker and more sinister as the book went on and added the fantasy in more and more. I loved watching it build and develop, and as you read on this feeling of unease and not right-ness builds until it all comes to a head. 

I've not really read many boarding school stories, except for some Enid Blyton when I was younger, so I can't really compare it to other books out there right now other than to say it's obviously going to be very different. Like them almost, but darker....duh! That being said, adults could read this just as easily as teens and young adults. As you read you won't get the sense that it's for a younger audience with things simplified or a bit cheesy. The plot was very complex, with lots of different threads going in to it to keep you guessing. It was incredibly well written and I was never entirely sure what was going to happen next. 

I loved how it was divided in to three parts, and in the first part it was like a mystery book, trying to find their kidnapped friend. Then as you go in to the second part, it changes and there's this new girl and that's when it starts to get darker. The people who kidnapped her are still at large and you see how much more is going on, and then in part three it's like the final battle for the school. Each part is slightly different, even though the last two parts are the same main plot thread as it where. I'm really not explaining this very well! There where different stages basically! I just got the sense that I was reading stories within stories and I loved it. There genuinely where all these little stories about other girls, the teachers and events and the book was dark, but also so much fun. 

There's adventure and mystery and strange goings on and the storytelling is completely fantastic. I loved the imagery the author creates, I loved the language/writing style. Like I said, it makes everything in to a story. There's twists and turns all over the place. I was particularly partial to the story about the ship under the school, and the stories about the army manoeuvre type exercises one of their teachers has them doing as part of the Women's Auxiliary Army. The book is genuinely funny with all these moments of humour that just go so well with the darker undertones of the book. Could have done without all the ant imagery though, it made my skin crawl a bit! 

The characters where all so lively and interesting. Kali and her way of speech learned from the Americans. Amy herself and her moths and alter ego. Light Fingers and her parentage and ability. Frecks just in general, I loved her she was one of my favourites along with Amy! Then you've got the more vile characters like Gryce and her cronies determined to keep up school Spirit. The characters where one of the things that made the book so authentic. As you're reading you're remembering bits from school like "ah yes....I may not have been to a boarding school but that's bringing back some memories". 

Every single character is memorable, and they're a colourful and diverse cast of characters. Like I said, the vile characters perfectly spring in to mind as they go about their villainous ways. Then you have our crew of four, kind of like the Musketeers. THEN you have all the rest. The snitcher, Palgraive who's brain has been eaten by a maggot,  Marsh and her gills! OH and the one girl that's in every school, who makes up all these wild stories was also present! I liked how she changed when the Black Skirts arrived. Just saying! They're all very eccentric I think and I enjoyed meeting all of them and learning about their place as it where in the hierarchy of the school. Like I said there's a school snitcher, there's another one who's obsessed with a teacher, then there's one that makes people a bit forgetful. I loved learning about the different abilities. The interaction between characters is genuine and authentic and funny and it's so easy to get lost reading this book and just read and read and read. 

I loved the Moth Club, I loved how Amy's obsession with moths was explored, it was very original. The Moth Club really felt like the Musketeers and fledgling superheroes rolled in to one. When the Black Skirts came in to play, I t think the division between those with abilities and those without was done brilliantly. It all felt almost uncomfortably real and you couldn't help thinking on current affairs and past affairs although on a lesser scale. 

The book has so much detail to it, you learn about the school rules, official and unofficial and I imagine as you arrive at the school with Amy you feel just as overwhelmed as she is as all the rules become apparent. The slang and wording of the time was done perfectly, the way the teachers acted. You always had one horrific teacher, and others on varying levels. Never have I ever been to a school where all the teachers where fantastic and amazing and nice. It's not real. Drearcliff has a range which is much more authentic. The teachers themselves all had little stories to go with them that the girls discuss, and rumours and so on that was another nice little authentic detail. 

The book is set, from what I worked out, sometime in the 20's or 30's, I think 20's because I don't think it was long after the war from things that where said. I loved the setting. I loved seeing how the girls and their families where effected as well as the school and the country in general by the war and the aftermath. It was genuinely interesting to read about. Frecks Uncle in particular, he was in the Pendragon Squadron, and had this chainmail from the Lady of the Lake. I freaking LOVED that detail. But also love how it was kept real with Frecks saying he was a man of war, like, he was useful in the war but after the war he didn't really have much to do and wasn't good at much else. It was so real and so heart breaking to read that because it's what was true for a lot of people I imagine at the end of the war. I just love the detail and the stories the other girls had about their war experiences and their families, it was present everywhere. Most people who wrote a book set after the war, wouldn't mention it much. Newman takes a very authentic approach and it's just brilliant. The war and the aftermath is in the mindset of the teachers (hello army manoeuvres) and the girls I think as they go off to do battle. I just liked that it wasn't mentioned once and then swept under the rug, it was present everywhere and it was such a nice touch. As I keep saying. I'm babbling because I can't find the words I'm looking for!

SO much happens in the book. It's such a satisfying read when you come to the end. Newman teases you as well with this one little chapter that whips us forward in time. It also shows that ya know....Newman has looooaaaddsss of ideas for potential other Drearcliff books. Just saying. I wouldn't be complaining if it becomes a series, I'd be cheering. It was so brilliantly British and I want to read more about the girls and their adventures especially after the near teaser trailer Newman gives us! 

The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School is a completely fantastic read. Descending father in to darkness and getting more sinister as you read on it keeps you guessing and allows you to fall in to the world completely. I'm not sure why I pictured everything in dreary tones but I did. The imagery and the setting where fantastic. Newman has a way of storytelling that makes everything in to a great story, even if it's only a tale about a teacher. The book is so authentic and so genuine and is funny as well as serious. It's such a dose of originality and I loved every page!