Will Work for Nuts by Matthew Cole

This is an entertaining book that allows people to arrange for certain wildlife, and the occasional pet, to take park in stunts / experiments. I would say most of the stunts require quite a lot of patience and some have a need for wildlife in your back garden. Teaching your goldfish to play football certainly looked interesting as shown by the video on amazon. I have seen the squirrel stunts played out on TV, but most of the other ideas are all new to me. I have to say I can’t imagine myself entering my local wood with a battery powered drill! Read the book to find out more about this.

I would recommend this book as a stocking filler at this time of year and I believe it will entertain and amuse, dare I say, quite a few nature loving men, as I don’t see many ladies wishing to race slugs over razor blades. It’s written in a very humorous way and will lead to a few chuckles, but I would have liked a few more cute animal pictures, however I feel it’s a book more suited to the practicalities of playing out the stunts. One fact I did learn along the way was that if another woodlouse happens upon an upturned woodlouse he will help flip his pal over. It’s good to know even the bugs help each other out!

Overall an enjoyable fun book!

Published by Collins, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers Ltd

£9.99 Hardback

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

This is a fabulous and utterly compelling debut novel, set in Mississippi in the 1940s, a time when white people and black people were not friends, and did not socialise together.  It is a novel about hatred and intolerance, about anger, about family and about love.

Laura McAllan is not happy when her husband Henry decides to move them from their comfortable life in the city to a remote cotton farm in the Mississipi Delta.  She misses her home comforts, and struggles with the harsh and sparse lifestyle (she names the farm ‘Mudbound because that is precisely what it is when the rain falls and makes the bridge to town unpassable).  What she hates most of all is that they have to share their home with Henry’s hateful father, ‘Pappy’.

Into their home comes Henry’s charismatic younger brother Jamie, who is more sensitive to Laura’s unhappiness than her own husband, but having recently got back from fighting in World War II, Jamie is fighting his own demons.

Ronsel Jackson is the eldest son of the black family who work on Henry’s farm.  He too, has been fighting in the war, but in the South in the 1940s, there is no hero’s welcome for a young black man.  Jamie and Ronsel become friends, but in such a heated and claustrophobic atmosphere as they are living in, such a friendship can only lead to tragedy.

I was gripped by this book from the very first page.  There was a sense of impending doom all through it, and the final denouement was shocking.  The book disturbed me in many ways, especially in the way that the racism displayed is just accepted as normal, by white and black alike.  The book is told from the viewpoints of several of the characters, and the author successfully gave each character their own distinct personality.

Highly, highly recommended.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Todd is the last boy of Prentisstown, who is shortly to become a man. Only men live in Prentisstown as the women have all died, and it’s an uncomfortable place as everyone’s thoughts can be heard by everyone else, otherwise known as ‘Noise.’

Todd’s parents are both dead and he’s been brought up by Cillan & Ben. Suddenly he finds himself being ordered from his home as Cillan and Ben feel it’s no longer safe for him. He takes with him Manchee his talking dog and takes off into the swamp, where he meets Viola, another orphan. They are destined to travel together on a hunt for Haven: the safe town! At the same time they are the hunted by the men of Prentisstown who will not let him just leave and Aaron, who has only recently become a man is also on their trail.

Great, dystopian, young adult novel, but I believe is suitable for us oldies too! It’s a real page turner! I haven’t read a story of this genre in a long time, but enjoy it I most certainly did. Its drama all the way through and just as you feel all will settle down the pace accelerates again. Every time I picked it up I found it very hard to put down. It’s a dark read and all told from the view that Todd has on his world. I thought the characters are all well drawn and I adored Manchee, the dog, and his funny ways. I was really sad to finish the book, with an ending I wasn’t expecting, but was very pleased to learn that this is only the first book of a trilogy. I can’t wait for more!

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

Date of Publication: 2006, Vintage Books

Number of Pages: 427

Synopsis (from back cover): The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama’s call for a new kind of politics – a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America’s place in the world, refreshingly candid about his family life and his time in the Senate,Obama here sets out his political convictions and inspires us to trust in the dogged optimism that has long defined us and that is our best hope going forward.

Review: To be fair, I should say up front that I am a very enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama. This bias of course affected my reaction to this book, so please take that into account when reading this review. First of all, this book is superbly written.Obama has an immense talent for writing and for clearly putting forth his views. There is no more doubt about who the real Barack Obama is…all you have to do is read this book. It’s easy to get a sense of his intelligence, his thoughtfulness, and his idealism, all of which have affected the way he approached politics. He comes across not as a perfect person, but as a real person, someone to whom all Americans can relate.

In this book, Obama explores all aspects of American politics, like race, family, and relations between the two major parties. It’s obvious that he’s a Democrat, but it’s also apparent that he respects Republicans. His approach to politics isn’t one of exclusion and strict party loyalty. He knows that all Americans, no matter their beliefs or political leanings, have worth and he fights for all of them. He doesn’t just representDemorats…he represents Americans.

All this may sound like an endorsement of Obama’s presidential candidacy (you can take it that way if you want), but this book truly opens one’s eyes to who the real Obama is (a funny, friendly, intelligent, and thoughtful man), what he stands for (liberty, freedom, and opportunity for everyone), and how he thinks politics should be exercised in America (with an open dialogue and a real debate of the issues). If you want to get to know Obama, or if you simply want to be inspired and believe that America is still a great country, then you have to read this book!

Rating: 10/10

Reviewed by Sarah

Mistress of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle

Erotic fiction is not a genre I usually go for.  But this book is hugely enjoyable and good fun.

Maybelle de Maitenon has always believed that she must never fall in love or give her heart to anybody.  The grand-daughter of a famous French courtesan (and having to live with the reputation which that fact brings with it), she has grown up believing that to fall in love would mean giving up her independence and opening herself up to misery.  But then she meets Edmund Worthington, Duke of Rutherford, a man whose own family’s reputation has been dragged down in recent years.  The attraction between Maybelle and Edmund is instant, but while she simply wants a fling, things end up getting far more complicated than she had intended.  Maybelle’s grandmother has opened a school of gallantry – where she teaches men how to pleasure their partners.  But when her grandmother is taken ill, Maybelle finds herself having to reluctantly take over the teaching at the school.  Edmund enrols at the school, and things get rather steamy!

There are several funny moments in this book, and certainly plenty of very steamy moments!  Edmund and Maybelle are both very likeable characters, but also both very human and fallible.  I found myself getting frustrated at their behaviour, while at the same time understanding exactly how and why they behaved in certain ways.

It’s not a ‘deep’ book; there is no profound message here.  But there is plenty of fun and laughter to be had, and it is certainly a great read (and occasionally made me get a bit hot under the collar)!  I am hoping that this is not the last we will see from Delilah Marvelle, and if she writes any more books, I will certainly be reading them.

I would definitely recommend this one!

The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams

Dennis was differnt.
Why was he different, I hear you ask?
Well, a small clue might be in the title of this book…

I’m sure David Walliams doesn’t need any introduction, but in case you don’t recognise the name, he’s most well known for his partnership with Matt Lucas in Little Britain.

The actual book is a visual delight, both inside and out. It’s illustrated by Quentin Blake, famous for his illustrations in Roald Dahl’s books. An addition such as this cannot fail to add charm to a book, and it certainly works here.

The story is what you would expect, and I won’t go into the details. It is basically a simple children’s story, one I can imagine appealing to my nine year old daughter, and upwards. It explores, in a gentle way, the issue of being different to others, accepting yourself, and finding acceptance from others.. and for others. There is also just the right degree of humour, to make this appeal to most people.

This book will also appeal to adults.. not so much because there is some hidden depth to the book, but rather for it’s simplicity, it’s humour, and it’s delightful illustrations. It’s not an in depth commentary, but rather a simple story, with an important message.

I’m about to hand my copy over to my previously mentioned daughter.. she has already picked it up and said it looked good, but of course the test will be how it reads! For fans of David Walliams, or even Quentin Blake, this will make a nice addition to the bookshelves.

Added Nov 08 – As mentioned, I did in fact pass this on to my nine year old daughter. Her initial impressions were good, I believe she found the cover attractive, and immediately recognised that the drawings were the same as in her Roald Dahl books.

She then needed a little persuading to give it a try.. she’s not keen on longer books, and I think she was worried by the length. However, once she started reading it, she kept going.. even picking it up instead of turning on the TV!

She enjoyed the characters, found the story funny, and she also said that the illustrations were good, because they helped her picture what was happening. Importantly, she also understood the message of acceptance.

As I have said, she’s not that keen on longer books, so if this one held her, then it’s definitely a thumbs-up!

Published by HarperCollins Children Books
Oct 2008

Buy at Borders

Buy at Amazon.co.uk

The Universal Crammer by Susannah Frieze

Subtitled ‘Everything you ever learned at school but have long since forgotten’, this book attempts to remind you of all those little facts, theories etc that you learnt back in the days of O levels and GCSEs.

It’s broken down into twelve subject areas, covering everything you would expect.. from English Lit to Music, Geography to Physics. The Periodic Table is in there, along with the side view of an eye, plus that diagram we all learnt.. how to wire a plug!

Each chapter covers approx 25 pages, and is broken down into small diagrams, facts, or comments. Obviously it can’t cover a whole curriculum, so the author has tried to focus on particular areas.. some I certainly remembered, others I didn’t. However, this is to be expected, as it covers a range of topics, and time range.

This is a book to dip in and out of.. I enjoyed remembering those forgotten facts and issues, and also learning a few new ones. I haven’t yet read every page, so it’s a book that I will keep going back to.

Published by Think Books, part of panmacmillan
£12.99 Hardback 17/10/08

Buy At Amazon.co.uk

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Title of book: The Host

Name of author: Stephenie Meyer

Synopsis:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn’t expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves ared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body’s desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she’s never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, The Host is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.

Before I continue, I want to make it very clear that I enjoyed this book, despite the frankly scary reviews I have read elsewhere, I am staking my ‘I like’ claim, it was a great book. When I started reading it, I had visions of it being like ‘Twilight’, there was the same style of writing (obviously), its written in the first person, in this case, Wanderer , the soul as they are known who has taken over Melanie Stryker’s body.

‘The Host’ tells the story of the secret invasion of Earth, the souls arrive and slowly but surely
take over by implanting souls into human beings.

The story is interesting, I liked the idea of the souls taking over the earth, truly believing what they were doing, is for the greater good but as you read, you find out maybe it was not and Wanderer finds that out too, which is an important part of the story.

Wanderer is a wonderful character, she really is, because she is a soul, she knows nothing of violence, et, she just wants to give and help, as all the souls do but even though as much as they want to help, they fail to see the good in humans, all the see are their flaws.

For the first time in a long time, Wanderer finds a home, love, the last remaining family of Melanie and the human survivors. Melanie/Wanderer is willing to risk it all to save others.

I enjoyed ‘The Host’ because it was about the good in people, all people. not just the souls but humans.

‘The Host’ is not just a sci-fi book, its more than that I felt, Stephenie Meyer creates an amazing character in Wanderer, a character you genuinely care for.

The only downside I found, was Jared, Melanie’s partner, who refuses to accept Wanderer or what Wanderer says but eventually he does but I just it was all for his own gain, which of course, highlighted another human trait which the souls felt had to be taken away.

Read ‘The Host’ with an open mind, you will thank me for it.

Rating 10/10

Buy at Amazon.co.uk

Unemployed Struggles by Wal Hannington

This book is the memoirs of Wal Hannington from the 1930s. This is the decade remembered for mass unemployment, the decline of the staple industries, the removal of slum housing and the depression. It was an interesting book to read as a primary source for studying the 1930s, however Hannington himself annoyed me. We read about how he was Communist, and was imprisoned for that; how he was an active member of the National Unemployed Workers Movement – and the many clashes with the police he had and all the campaigns he was involved in. It was an interesting read as we don’t hear about him out looking for work, instead we read about him campaigning for better pay for employers, attempting to get trade unions on his side, his problems with the government and the benefits he is on and his general dissatisfaction with the “capitalist government” leadership. Although a very interesting point of view, it was these things about him that annoyed me. I just wanted to tell him to stop moaning and go get a job!! This book was a good historical source, but one must remember Hannington’s bias when reading it.

7/10

Stained Souls by Ferran O’Neill

How well do any of us really know the people we surround ourselves with?  Sandra Reid is a Police Officer returning to work after the tragic death of her husband.  Although a gentle start would have suited Sandra better, she finds herself landed right in the middle of a gruesome case, about someone with murderous intentions who is targeting women with a secret in their past.  Sandra finds herself getting drawn further and further into a case, where the person they are after always seems to be one step ahead.  As Sandra’s own family suddenly find themselves in danger, Sandra and her boss Jeff seem to come up against one dead end after another.  Matters are not helped by several people who have good reasons to want to hide their own parts in past events, but sometimes you just can’t keep the truth hidden forever.

I really enjoyed this thriller.  It rattles along at a fair old pace, and there are plenty of twists and turns – several of which I did not see coming – and I never could have guessed the twist at the end!  There are several threads to the story, and throughout the book, we see them drawing together, and learn how they are intertwined.  I did need to concentrate on the story – the whole direction of the story can change in just a few pages and a lack of concentration could really cause confusion – but that is not a complaint and it did not spoil it at all for me.

For those of a queasy nature, it’s worth mentioning that there are a few very descriptive gruesome moments!

If you like psychological thrillers, or good crime stories, I would recommend this book.  I look forward to more from this author.

Published by four o’ clock press, at www.discoveredauthors.com

Price £9.99 (22.10.2008 on Amazon.co.uk)