Review: The Witch's Kiss

The Witch's Kiss by Katharine Corr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m a big fan of fairy-tale retellings. I was tentative about the notion to begin with, unsure whether I would be able to get into such things considering how I would know the endings beforehand, yet I have quickly found myself addicted to such books. Whenever I find out something is a fairy-tale retelling, I find myself a little bit more eager to read the story. Thus, when I found out The Witch’s Kiss was a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a twist I knew I needed to get in there.

I would have been reading the book anyway, as my sister brought it. I always take her views of books with a pinch of salt, but she said this was a good one. It wasn’t her favourite book, but she came to really enjoy it. In fact, I ended up listening to far too many exclamations of enjoyment as she worked her way through the book. I was told to read it as soon as she was done. I considered leaving it for a while, yet the whole fairy-tale thing convinced me to do as my sister asked.

It wasn’t all bad – it was an interesting story – and yet it wasn’t what I had hoped it would be.

There are a lot of the usual clichés to be seen in this story, but there is just enough variety to prevent it from being an exact replica of other young adult books in the genre. We have the usual special snowflake, we have a far from perfect family dynamic, we have the romance set out to fail, we have the historical aspect going way back when, and we have a couple of the other usual young adult checkbox necessities. Despite all of this, it did have some unique spins on these things.

The special snowflake knew about their magic, preventing the drama of ‘oh no, I’m a witch’. This time the character knows in advance and it is very refreshing. In all honesty, I don’t think I could deal with another situation where we have to deal with the shock of finding out they’re the one to save the world when they don’t even know about their powers. Yes, there was some aspects of the cliché, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been through the main character having prior knowledge.

The family dynamic had a massive saving grace: Leo. I would gladly read a book based entirely upon his character. Truthfully, he was my favourite character of the entire book. We all want a big brother just like him. He can be annoying, but he is always there for his sister. If I’m being honest, I feel as though he was the most fleshed out character in the book. There was more depth to him than any of the other characters. My only complaint is that he wasn’t in the book enough. He was deserving of so many more scenes. Honestly, he made the book more than worth it.

The romance set out to fail wasn’t forced on us as much as it could have been. I really appreciate it. I hate it when every other line is sickeningly sweet. The romance did exist in this one, but it wasn’t blinding. I’m really grateful for this. I never came to enjoy it, and there were the usual problems to be found in these kinds of books, yet the fact it was never made the centre point of the story saved it from being really annoying.

The historical aspect going way back when was really interesting, given more time than I expected it to. The characters in the past were given almost as much attention as those in the modern world. This allowed the two time frames to weave together wonderfully. I had expected there to be the odd reference to the past here and there, whereas we were given entire chapters where things played out. It made everything much easier to understand, creating a more fleshed out story.

As I said, despite the clichés there were many decent aspects of the story. Nevertheless, I couldn’t quite bring myself to give the story four stars. I felt as though the action was rather lacking, the story was too slow at times, characters weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been, and I was left wanting more than I was given. Plus, it didn’t really feel like much of a Sleeping Beauty retelling. Not in the way I had expected, anyway.

It was an interesting tale, yet I wanted just a little bit more.

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Review: Every Dead Thing

Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’d been looking forward to this one for the longest of times. John Connolly is one of those authors I’ve always been telling myself to pick up. His Charlie Parker series, in particular, screamed out to me. It seemed right up my street: mystery and a supernatural element. It had ‘you will love this’ written all over it. I was expecting a series I would be addicted to, one I would find impossible to put down.

Unfortunately, I had a lot of difficulty reading Every Dead Thing.

It started off with promise. We’re introduced to our main character through a pivotal point in their life, the moment where everything falls apart. It goes without saying that I loved such a thing. I adore seeing characters at their darkness moments, watching as they’re put in situations that will make or break them. Thus, starting in darkness was a lot of fun.

After that, though, things quickly went downhill. It seemed to take forever before the story built up any real speed, before there was any real action. There was a lot going on, with there being stories within the story, yet I felt as though nothing much actually happened. Things moved forward but I never felt like anything was happening. In fact, for a lot of the book, I simply felt as though information was being thrown at me rather than the characters doing anything.

I think the biggest example of this is the way every character introduced seemed to have countless pages of biography. I understand finding out about characters, I adore it when characters have depth, but I dislike it when we’re given countless pages of information. It brings the main story to a halt and it makes things feel far too chunky. I prefer to be given the information over time, rather than a big history in the middle of events. Due to this, I feel as though any emotions that could have been brought to the forefront were put on hold as I came to understand who the character was.

This, however, was just a personal thing. I believe it could have been done so much better, and the way it happen merely made it difficult for me to get into the story. That isn’t to say it was a badly written piece of work – the writing was fine, I had no flaws with the writing itself – it was merely the way the story was told.

Moreover, I was somewhat disappointed by the supernatural element of the story. I had convinced myself that there was going to be a lot of supernatural elements to the story, with the crime and paranormal aspects working together. Since reading this one, I have found out that the paranormal elements slowly build throughout the books. Nevertheless, I had been expecting something more from this one. I’d been ready for spooks and bumps in the night. Instead, there was a tiny paranormal element. In fact, this paranormal element reminded me a lot of Stephen King’s The Stand, minus the end of the world aspect. Due to this, I found myself drifting more than I should have been.

Overall, this one was not what I had been hoping for. I went in ready for something mind blowing, a series I would bulk read. What I found, however, is a series I’m unlikely to continue. Sometimes I give three star books another try, willing to continue on with the series, but when it comes to this one I’m really not that eager to see what comes next. I truly am disappointed by what I was given.

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Review: Joyland

Joyland by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have the most complicated relationship with Stephen King books. There is this weird love hate thing going on, something more intense than what I share with any other author. Some authors I will pick up all of their books because I adore their work. Some authors I will avoid like the plague because I cannot bring myself to enjoy their work no matter how hard I try. Stephen King, however, is different. King’s books fall upon a spectrum. It’s a rather complicated spectrum, whereby he has earned every possible rating for a book, and yet I continue to pick up his stories. I never know whether I’m going to get something wonderful or whether I’m going to get something that will leave me wanting to ignore his books for the rest of my life. As I’ve had both, I’m always tentative when I enter his books.

Thus, when I entered Joyland, I was unsure was to what I was going to get.

Would I be receiving a Misery, one of my five star King reads? In these five star reads Stephen Kings creates something wonderful, showing us why pretty much every person has a King novel on their bookshelf. These are the books that let you know why he is such a big name.

Would I be getting a four star read, where things get more complicated? Complicated as there are high and low four star ratings. The high ratings go to the likes of Pet Semetary and Under the Dome. High four star books really grip you but they’re lacking in some of the things which made the five star books. The low four star books belong to the likes of The Shining and Doctor Sleep. I’ve found in such cases it is the writing that lets them down. Stephen King can create a truly wonderful story (in most cases) but his writing style is very far from being my favourite. What often leaves me giving low four star ratings is when the story blows my mind but the writing style isn’t quite up to his better standards. For example, The Shining would have been a five star book for me had it not been one of my earlier King books when I was in the stage of comparing his writing to better authors.

Would I get a three star read? The three star books generally sit in the middle. Either they’re great ideas with the poorer writing or they’re his better writing with poorer ideas. So we’re split down the middle with the three star books – hence why his short story collections are so often three star books as in these we’re given the mixed bag of goodies.

Would it be a two star read? The two star books are the ones where the story leaves me wanting so much more. Take Gerald’s Game and Dolores Claiborne. I kept waiting for something to happen and it never really did. There was the odd thing here or there to remind us that it was a King book yet for the most part time is wasted by reading theses.

Would I get a one star read? Sadly, there are the single star books. I should point out that I hate giving single stars to books. Authors have taken the time to create something and whilst it may not be my cup of tea a book is something to be proud of. Alas, sometimes I dislike books so much that I have to hand off just a single star. For King, Dreamcatcher falls into this category. The single star goes to those where I want nothing more for the story to end, where I’m unsure why I tormented myself by finishing the book. It’s repetitive stuff. It’s ‘so boring it took me days to read’ stuff.

I know these ratings will be argued by some people, but for me that is how King works: you either receive something mind blowing or you are left feeling as though you want to blow your brains out. Thus, I was on edge as to what Joyland would give me.

Surprisingly, I was given a four star read. A high four star read. Truthfully, I had not expected as much. The synopsis left me fearful that the book would be somewhat drab. It had potential, yet I was unsure how a book so short could fulfil as much as was being promised. Boy oh boy, was I wrong. This book was great. It wasn’t what I was expecting, not at all, and yet it gave me so much more than I had ever imagined it could.

I’m sure you recall that scene from Shrek where they talk about onions and all the layers – well, that’s what this story is. It’s an onion. There is so much more to it than you would initially believe. It’s a coming of age story. It’s a mystery. It’s a horror story. These things are all brought together to create a story that flows beautifully, creating a tale with much more depth than the synopsis would ever have you believing.

I really could say so much about this one, but I’ll cover those three main themes quickly and then leave you to read it yourself. After all, if I’m being honest, half of what I want to say will ruin the story for you. It’s a short read, a gripping read, and you’ll be done with it before you realise.

First up, then, is the coming of age aspect of the story. Personally, I would not go as far as to label this a young adult book. It’s an adult book with coming of age aspects. It’s a retrospect, looking back at youth. You’re not getting The Perks of Being A Wallflower, not here. Yet, you do watch as the main character goes from being a boy to a man. We have the heartbreak of youth, the decisions that will impact life, the naivety of having your entire life ahead of you. It has all the aspects of a coming of age story whilst being aimed at those who have already been there and done that, those who can look back at the folly of youth and realise how silly things seem with the eye of experience. At the same time, however, it is possible for the younger readers to enjoy this one. I would say it is more for the older end of the young adult fan base, but it is possible for those readers to enjoy it as well.

Second, we have the mystery aspect of the story. It isn’t your typical detective novel. In fact, this aspect of the story is nowhere near as prevalent as giving it a ‘mystery’ label would have you believing. Crimes have been committed, there is a murder leaving a dark cloud over things, and yet solving the mystery is more of a side hobby than the real focus of the story. That is not to say it is unimportant… merely there is no running off to play private investigator in a ten-on-one gang shoot out. It is a simple mystery, one that can be worked out with ease, but there is enough information thrown around to leave you questioning things.

Finally, we have the horror aspect of the story. This is not your super fearful King read. This is a simple paranormal encounter. A lowly haunting. We’re lacking in the freights offered up in his classical horrors, but such is fine. This book does not need the fear of other books, it just need the supernatural elements to add something more to the story. It wasn’t a necessary aspect to add, yet it was nice to see it. It was almost as though it was an ode to King’s usual work, a small way of saying he is still capable of adding in the spooks people want even if he doesn’t leave your heart palpitating.

Honestly, I had so much fun with this one. I really was surprised, and I would certainly recommend it to both new and old King fans. It’s not his usual, yet it is certainly one of his better works.

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Review: The Crossing Places

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For a long time I debated whether or not to pick up the Ruth Galloway books. They seemed interesting, and yet I wasn’t compelled to read it in the way I have been by other books in the genre. It was one of those ‘maybe I will get around to it someday’ books. I would probably read it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get my hands on it. Due to this, it wasn’t until I found a copy shoved at the back of a shelf in Poundland that I decided to grab it. After all, who says no to a book in Poundland, especially when said book holds some interest to you?

Being a short read, it was bumped up my to-read list. I needed something quick to fit between other books, something that did not require much time or attention. The Crossing Places, therefore, fit perfectly. It was quick and easy, it did not require much by way of brainpower, and for the most part it was an okay read.

To begin with, I found it difficult to get into the book. I cannot say for sure why this was, but it changed pretty quickly. Once the story was moving, I was turning page after page to see where things would be going. It was an addictive read, one where you wanted to see how it all played out, but it was far from perfect.

My biggest issue, I believe, relates to the main character. Specifically, I had an issue with her self-view. I understand being self-conscious and having a far from perfect main character. In fact, I love characters with flaws. Yet the constant talk of how she was fat really bugged me. It doesn’t help that it made me feeling bad by proxy. The weight of the main character was less than some people I know who are of an average body size. The clothing size, however, was much higher than people of her weight would be wearing. It just bugged me, as though the author decided being slightly above the recommend body mass index results in a person being huge. As someone who is not skinny, I found myself constantly annoyed by the endless references to weight and unattractiveness through size. Without this focus, I would have enjoyed the main character a lot more. She had the potential to be interesting, yet I found myself disliking her because I was constantly fearing weight comments that would leave me feeling as though I’m unlovable because I’m not a size zero model.

When this kind of thing was not happening, the story itself was a lot of fun. There was a lot of predictability in terms of who was to blame for what, yet it was fun to watch things unfold. There was a simplicity to the story that I could appreciate, with just enough action to stop the story from being boring. It kept you engaged, slowly feeding you the specific information, ensuring you wanted to carry on reading to know exactly how things played out in the end.

Overall, it wasn’t what I had expected. I had wanted something more from this, yet it was still a decent enough read. The more I read, the more I enjoyed it, but it never reached the high I had hoped for. At present, I’m unsure as to whether I will carry on with the series. I will not go out of my way to read the other books, but should I stumble across them cheap or should I find them on a friend’s bookshelf I’ll give them a go.

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Review: Keeper of the Bride

Keeper of the Bride by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I adore Tess Gerritsen’s work, and I’m trying my hardest to get my hand onto everything she has written. I accept, however, that not everyone shares this view. I’ll gladly admit that her more recent work is her best, but her older stuff is also fun. However, when it comes to her older stuff you need to enter with an open mind. There is no question that her recent work falls into the mystery and thriller category, whereas her older work falls into the romance. Romantic suspense, even. Due to this, I know a lot of her more recent fans do not enjoy her older work.

Now I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest lover of romance, but I am coming to enjoy it more and more. With Tess Gerritsen, I find myself enjoying her older books – those that fall more into the romantic category than anything else – a lot more than I ever expected. Due to this, I find myself easily giving four stars. When compared to her more recent work – such as her Rizzoli and Isles – they’re a different kind of four stars. Her mystery stories are four stars because of the countless layers she adds, whereas her romantic stories are four stars because they’re easy and enjoyable. The plot is straightforward, the story telling to the point, and they’re generally easy reads.

As cheesy as this one is, Keeper of the Bride is one of my favourite early Tess Gerritsen books. I cannot really explain what in particular has left me with such an opinion, yet such is the case. I believe her bridge book – Girl Missing – will always have the title of my favourite romantic Gerritsen book, yet this one certainly had me hooked from the get-go.

It starts off with a left at the altar scene, and quickly develops into a bombing mystery. Who is to blame? Why does Nina appear to be a target? What bigger player is involved in the game? It is very far from Gerritsen’s modern day mysteries, but you can see the start of them developing here. This book is still more romance than anything else, but it is possible to see how Gerritsen is starting to develop into the author we know and love today.

Overall, another fun read. Even though I love some more than others, this one highlights how I’m never disappointed by Gerritsen’s work.

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Review: The Enemy

The Enemy by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I say this every time, but Lee Child is more of a guilty pleasure read than anything else. I enjoy the Jack Reacher stories yet I’m less sure about the story telling. Nevertheless, I mostly enjoy the books – some more than others.

As always, the writing left me feeling somewhat iffy. Whenever I have time away from the Jack Reacher books, it takes me a while to get back into Lee Child’s way of writing. Fortunately, this story was an interesting one meaning it did not take long before I was entertained enough to overlook the issues I have. In fact, I found this story to be super fun. It isn’t my favourite Reacher story, but the notion of the story pulled me right in.

With this one, we go back in time. We go back to when Reacher was in the service, showing the male in his role of a military police officer. Of course, when I heard this, I was pulled right in. Throughout the prior books, I have been hoping to find out more about Reacher’s time in uniform. This one didn’t disappoint: it had all the action of the prior books, added in with the military workings. When you put the two aspects together, you have another gripping Jack Reacher read.

Despite this, it failed to make it into my favourite Reacher reads list. It was an average read, even though the setting and story had such promise. It just missed out on those things that made some of the other books go the extra mile. It was fun, but it wasn’t enough to leave me crazy excited at the end of every chapter.

Overall, another fun addition to the series, yet it is not my favourite.

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Review: The Missing Hours

The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Missing Hours was my first Emma Kavanagh read, and I’m not entirely sure what I think. For me, it was a case of up and down. I never really got into the story as much as I’d hoped to, yet at the same time I found it to be a decent read.

The story is made up of two mysteries: a missing person who returns quickly and a murder. From the get-go it is obvious that the two crimes are related in some way, yet you are not sure how. Whilst I love interconnected crimes, I prefer it when it is less obvious that one event is so directly related to another. It meant I was constantly looking for the how, when I prefer the sudden heart stopping moment of a revelation.

Despite the obvious link between the two, it was fun to see how the crime unfolded. Following two police officers, the focus flickers from the one mystery to the other. Between these chapters, we’re also given information pertaining to the lives of some of the characters, seeing aspects of their job, leaving us with more questions about what was going on.

Whilst it was a lot of fun to watch these things come together, I found it exceptionally difficult to get into. I’m not entirely sure why this was, but it took me much longer to reach the point of enjoyment than it usually does. Partly, I think this is because of the speed. For me, things were rather slow. Moreover, whilst there was a mystery to uncover there wasn’t much by the way of action. Things happened, but nothing stopped the heart.

Overall, it was an okay read yet I wasn’t crazy about it.

As a final note, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this.

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