14 - Peter Clines

The first two thirds of 14 have the makings of a truly fantastic book. It is everything you are looking for in a science fiction thriller. Mysterious apartment building, strange happenings, interesting characters, clues you can try and put together yourself; I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I love how Clines wrote about the apartment building itself. It was as though the Kavach building was a character in its own right. The way it was described made you feel like it was alive and changing as the story developed, as well as helping or hindering the protagonists along the way.

I also enjoyed the way we slowly learnt little bits and pieces about the inhabitants of the building. As certain apartments were drawn into the mystery, we learnt things about the people who lived in them. And you really got the feeling each little detail was adding to the developing plot. I was completely sucked in.

That is until the last third.

It got weird. Think Lost after too many seasons strange. It seemed to stray far away from the mystery/thriller vibe that it had built up, and focused solely on the science fiction based resolution, I was a bit disappointed. That’s not to say it became badly written or boring, I still enjoyed it, I was just hoping for something a little cleverer or less cliché. It lost the tightly written ‘pull you in’ feel that came before it, and branched out too wide and lost me. The well placed clues and details disappear as soon as we find out the truth.

All in all I would recommend this book to fans of the genres, for the most part it is a really good read, and who knows, you may be a fan of the ending; it just wasn't where I hoped it would go. 

ebook c/o NetGalley & Permuted Press linking up for Book Club Friday

The Written Word...

Since I got my Kindle for my birthday I have been reading up a storm. I find that I find more time to read thanks to the kindle as I tend to take it most places, whereas I would often forget to pack books. But if I am at home with access to a real book, I will always prefer it! I am on fire lately, getting through books quite quickly which I am loving! I'm currently reading both A Clash of Kings and Red Dragon (I tend to have book ADD) and am switching between them when I feel like it.

Here are some of my most

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I have to admit I struggled to get through the first book in this series. Not because it wasn't good (it was) but because I made the mistake of watching the TV series before I read the book and it was just so similar. Props to the creators of the show, because Book One follows Season One almost exactly, even most of the dialogue is taken directly from the book. made it a little difficult to stay focused when I knew exactly what would come next. Season Two strays from Book Two a bit more, and I'm enjoying A Clash of Kings a lot more.

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Wow. I'm not sure what to say about this book. So uniquely written and with such a touchy subject, Emma Donoghue deserves recognition for that. I found it really easy to read this, I sped through it quickly and was completely drawn in. You really care about the characters and root for their success. It paints such an interesting picture on the horrors of kidnapping, and isolation. Definitely recommend this one!

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I'm a sucker for the zombie genre, this book sounded like, and was, an interesting variation of the typical zombie/war novel. A middle aged man documents the zombie apocalypse on his blog as it plays out around him. Interesting concept, and sometimes interesting book, however it didn't quite pull me in as much as I hoped. It was slow moving at the start and occasionally throughout, however certain parts got rather exciting. So depends on your level of interesting in zombies for this one!

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Bohemia by Veronika Carnaby

Today I have a treat for you all.

By now you should all know that I love to read. Like a lot. All the time!

So when Veronika contacted me and asked me if I would like to review her book Bohemia, I jumped at the chance!

"In her debut novel, Veronika Carnaby picks up where the Beat Generation left off. Set in 1960, Bohemia chronicles a group of twenty-somethings who defy the "ideals" of a mid-twentieth century society to seek creative fulfillment. In the process, they spotlight the creative path that artists of all mediums tread, all the while depicting the challenges faced by youth in the decade that changed the world."

I really enjoyed reading Bohemia. It was very reminiscent of Jack Kerouac's On The Road which I loved! It follows the same style, following a group of young adults as they set out to discover the world and themselves.  This is something that we can all easily relate to, which is what I think makes the novel so special. It allows us, as readers, to identify with the characters, and put ourselves into the narrative. For me in particular, being in my early 20's and trying to figure out how to start my life, I could totally see myself in their shoes, which for me is hugely important for me to enjoy reading something.

Obviously I am not familiar with the setting that is the 1960's, but the writing style and narrative really draw you in and make you feel immersed in the culture and freedom of the beat-nik generation. Everything Veronika writes is to draw you into a world she has created, the language, the slang, the way the characters act and interact; all come together to paint you a 60's, freedom inspired, restless picture of life.

My main criticism is that the writing style did make the narrative difficult to follow at times. If you aren't familiar with the beatnik style you might have trouble with this one. The pace and timing was a little rushed at times, and I would often get lost in a long description and find myself having to reread a page to remember where we were in the plot. Mostly during the first few chapters, towards the end I was hooked! I enjoyed being drawn into the novel so much and I think if this is the right book for you, you will love it! If not, give it a go anyway, you might be surprised!

My Rating: 4/5