THIS REVIEW CONTAINTS SPOILERS!
Addition: Review paperback

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn’t until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might’ve been telling the truth.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed – and it’s one she’s not sure if she wants to be a part of.

This is the first book in The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking and the series has a been a great hit in America. I received this as a review book from Think Jam. The novel was released on 5th January 2012 in the UK and is available on Amazon as a paperback and in a Kindle version.

The story follows Wendy; a girl with a very traumatic past. At the age of 6 her mother tries to kill her, claiming that she is not her daughter and that she is evil and a monster. Her mother is taken away to a psychiatric hospital and Wendy is raised by her brother Matt and her aunt Maggie. Wendy has never really fitted in, has always caused trouble and never settled at school. She has recently changed schools and her world is turned upside down when the weird boy who keeps staring at her – Finn Holmes – appears outside her bedroom window at 3am. What is particularly strange about this is that her bedroom is not on the ground floor. Earlier that evening they had been at the school dance and whilst dancing together Finn had said some horrid things. Upset by him, she uses the mind control powers that she has to persuade another classmate to drive her home. Finn realises what Wendy has done so turns up in the night to confront her and take her home – to the land of Trylle. It seems her mother had been right, Wendy is not of this world. It turns out she is a troll – not the kind you imagine hiding under bridges, but a beautiful, powerful woman, who is remarkably like a human. She does not want to leave Matt and Maggie and does not believe Finn until a few nights later she is attacked by trolls from a different tribe, who want to kidnap her. Rescued by Finn, she agrees to leave and to set up life as a troll. What she finds when she gets there completely surprises her – life is not what she imagined. She is the Princess, switched at birth to a wealthy family so that she will get a good education and a trust fund. All seems to be going well, until at her debutant ball her home is attacked, and they are after her…

I really enjoyed this book, in fact I read all of it this morning, in one sitting! It is not a long book – only 280ish pages long. The story is easy to follow, and very enjoyable. My favourite character was probably Matt. I loved how much he loved Wendy. He named her when she was born as their parents didn’t want her, and he has spent his life protecting her. I found Wendy an interesting character – and depending with who she was with, depended on what I thought about her! I found myself feeling sorry for her when she was with the Queen – her real mother – but when she was with Finn or Rhys – the human she was swapped with, I wasn’t so keen on her as she seemed to lead them both on. Finn had to grow on me too, as he was so hot and cold. I found that very frustrating!

Switched reminds me of both The Iron Fey Series and the Twilight Series. It reminded me of Twilight because of the house Wendy was taken too. Although the house in Switched is a lot bigger it was very modern – not what you would expect in this sort of novel – like in Twilight. I was reminded of the Iron Fey series for a number of reasons: – the lead character growing up in the human world; – the tracker being at school, like Puck; – and the lead character falling for the wrong guy, like Meghan falling for Puck.

This book is full of adventure, tense moments – the sort of “what is going to happen next” moments, a romance and a great plot. This is a young adult book, but such an enjoyable read anyway. I wasn’t keen on the swearing, especially as this is a young adult novel, but fortunately there wasn’t too much of that. This is a great book – it kept me gripped, and I’m still reflecting on it later on in the day. I will definiately be looking out for the next book in the series! This is well worth reading – especially if you like series like The Iron Fey Series.

Addition: Review e-book from Netgalley

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.
And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

This is number four in the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa – and although perhaps not as good as the others, still a great read. I have been waiting what seems like an age for this book, and squealed when I received an email telling me it was available from Netgalley. This time the book is written from Ash’s point of view, not Meghan’s and we follow his story – barely getting a glance at what was happening in the Iron Realm. At the end of book three Meghan banishes Ash for his own safety – as fey he can’t survive in the Iron Realm. Yet he made her a promise: to be her knight. He loves her and is determined to keep this promise and the only way to do that is to become human. There is only one way to do this – go to the End of the World and complete the tasks. With the aid of Puck, Grim, the Big Bad Wolf and a seer, Ash sets off; but will he succeed? And if he does, will Meghan still love him?

I really enjoyed this book – although I missed Meghan. She does feature in the story, but not heavily. We walk with Ash and only glimpse Meghan and her world occasionally. I found this book to be more graphic and gory than the others – there seems to be more bloodshed in this adventure. Yet the book was exciting and fast paced. There doesn’t seem to be a dull moment in this story – once one foe is defeated, another seems to come along quite quickly. There is a lot of energy in this book which kept me hooked.

All the way through this series I have been Team Ash – and that didn’t change in this book either. It was nice to get a better look at Ash, although at times that was a touch heartbreaking. One trial he has to go through is examining his conscience and relieving everything he had ever done – all the hurt he had caused people. There were a few incidents described and it was sad that Ash is not the perfect prince I imagined him to be. This was an honest portrayal though and we saw his struggle with the anger and hate that come from being part of the Unseelie Court.

I loved Puck as well. Although I was always rooting from Ash, I loved that Puck stuck around and was there to help Ash because he loved Meghan so much. He is funny and kept me entertained throughout the book. There were other characters I liked too – Grim is fabulous. He is sarcastic, clever and I love how when trouble arises he vanishes! The Big Bad Wolf was entertaining too – I enjoyed the attitude between him and Grim.

There is a big surprise halfway through the book that I wasn’t expecting. It added to the book and Ash’s torment and made for some great reading! I won’t add in a spoiler but suffice to say – it was good and added another dimension to the story.

There were a couple of things I didn’t like about the book – I missed Meghan – she is a key character and we didn’t see a lot of her – and Kagawa’s writing seemed different – simple and sometimes not completely engaging. However, the good completely overthrows the bad, and this is a great read and a great instalment to this series.

Addition: Review e-book from Book Lovin’ Bitches

Genre: Historical, fantasy romance

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Lady Kathryn’s father has sent her to court to find a husband, but being penniless and disinterested doesn’t bode well for her success. Bored by the petty intrigues of court, she finds her loneliness is eased when the king charges her with the care of his newest acquisition: an uncanny black wolf. What the king doesn’t realize is his remarkable pet was once Gabriel, his favorite knight, cursed into wolf form by an unfaithful wife.

The beast’s too-knowing eyes and the way he seems to understand her every utterance convinces Kathryn the wolf is more than what he seems. Resolving to restore him, she doesn’t count on the greatest obstacle being Gabriel himself. The longer he stays in wolf form as a captive of the court, the harder it becomes for him to remember his humanity. And to fight his wolfish urges to maim and kill.

As Gabriel and Kathryn grow to care for one another despite his horrific curse, rumors of an uncanny wolf reach the ears of Gabriel’s former wife and her unscrupulous new husband, Reynard. Together, they plan to dispose of the king’s pet, knowing if Gabriel ever regains his human form he could strip them of everything they have schemed so hard to gain.

Only Kathryn’s affection and determination stand between Gabriel the wolf and Gabriel the man. But when Reynard returns to court, will Kathryn’s love be enough to keep Gabriel from exacting a brutish revenge that will condemn the wolf to death?

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure what to make of it when I read the blurb, but I really enjoyed it! I read it in a day and so glad I did The story follows Gabriel, a knight – who is also a werewolf - who is trapped as a wolf due to his wife’s betrayal and Lady Kathryn, who is a in the Queen’s court. Kathryn is out with the court fox hunting when she comes across the wolf. She instantly recognises there is something special about the wolf and prevents the King from killing him. The wolf is put in Kathryn’s care and with the help of the court sorcerer they discover the wolf’s secret and work to try and restore him back to his human’s form.

This was well written and engaging. I found the story enjoyable and liked the characters. Of course, being a fantasy book there were some elements that are unrealistic – such as, the way Gabriel can act like a human even though he is a wolf. I liked Gabriel. Even though he did have a lot of anger issue, he is caring and can see the error in his ways. It did make me laugh how he could intimidate everyone. I loved how protective he was and the lengths he went for Kathryn. I liked her as well. Although only in the the Queen’s court, she was strong and knew her mind. She was intelligent, but she was also a woman, she fell in love and struggled with her feelings.

The story was great. There was action and mystery – there were times I laughed and I felt much empathy for the characters. This is a good book and I really enjoyed it. I liked how the story played out. I wasn’t surprised how the story ended but the fighting and the resolution made it worth while. I am happy to recommend this book and can easily rate it 4/5.

This e-book can be purchased at Amazon for £4.24

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of the Book Lovin’ Bitches Ebook Tours and a copy was provided to me by the author. although payment may have been received by Book Lovin’ Bitches Ebook Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book’s publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Addition: Review e-book from NetGalley

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

This is the first book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series by Jackie Kessler. The first horseman she has chosen is Famine. Lisa is tasked with this job when after months of struggling with bulimia she overdoses on medication her Mum has. Whilst unconscious she is visited by Death, who offers her two choices: die, or live as Famine. In a confused state she chooses the latter. When she wakes up she sees the scales and her horse but thinks she is just having a breakdown. When she finally realises what is going on she is in for a shock. She travels to places were people are gorging on food, and places where children are starving. She has to learn to control her rage, find a way to help those with nothing and face up to, and fight War – a dominating and intimidating lady. Will she ever stop being Famine? What will happen to her and her health if she does?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked Lisa a lot. I felt so sorry that she was having eating-related issues. This is a big problem in Western society, and I think Kessler deals with the issue well – she addresses the way it can manifest, the thoughts the person has, what it can lead to and the effect it has on others. It was thoughtful and provoking. Of course, her solution to the problem, making Lisa famine, isn’t realistic but I thought it was great that Lisa overcomes her problems and is willing to accept help and counselling.

I thought the story was very good. It is full of different, eccentric characters – such as Death, who sat on his horse singing. He just made me laugh! There were some characters who we needed to get to know before we liked – such as Lisa’s Mum, some characters who were a bad influence, such as her bulimic friend and others who were just lovely, like her Dad. This range of characters added depth and interest to the book.

This is a fantasy young adult book, but one I enjoyed very much. It was well written and researched. It took me a couple of days to read through. I laughed, enjoyed the storyline, and could have cried in some places. Really worth reading.

Addition: Audiobook

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

In James Patterson’s blockbuster series, fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it’s like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the “flock”–Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel–are just like ordinary kids–only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time…like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the “School” where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare–this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf “Erasers” in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb–now her betrayed and greatest enemy–that her purpose is save the world–but can she?

This is the first James Patterson book I have read, and I really enjoyed it. I listened to it – and did not want to turn it off or for it to finish. The story follows Max, a girl who has the ability to fly. They have to lie-low as they are being chased by the Erasers – a group of people who want to see the end of the flying children. However, Max and her gang get caught hiding in a tree, and Angel, the youngest is taken. Now Max has to keep calm and rescue her. But what she uncovers on the way is shocking.

This book is full of imagination, adventure and excitement. I found the chases and the flying the best bit. I liked how Patterson used the time in the sky for the characters to sort their minds out – and sometimes the views were great to read about. Along with the ability to fly, they can also run exceptionally fast. One scene that stays with me is where Max takes on a couple of men who are attacking a girl. Because she can move much quicker than anyone else, she leads the men away from the girl – saving her. Max gets wounded but the girl and her mother are more than happy to look after her because of what she did, and a friendship is formed.

Max is like that through a lot of the book – caring, reckless and a great friend. I think that is why I liked her so much. She looks after Angel, who is only six, and when she is taken she does everything she can to rescue her. She is sensible and clever, and works so well in her gang. She lets everyone use their abilities the best they can and she was a delight to read.

This is a young adult book, although I really enjoyed it. This is the first in the series, and I hope to read them all. The story is exciting and fast-paced and I thoroughly recommend it.

I saw these questions over at The Diary of a Domestic Goddess, and thought I would answer them too!

1. Who is your all-time favourite author, and why?

My favourite all time author is Roald Dahl. I love his books. They gave me hours of entertainment when I was small, and now keep me entertained as an adult. I’m currently re-reading James and the Giant Peach, and I’m laughing, and I’m gripped, and I love the illustrations by Quentin Blake. I don’t think it is possible to be too old to enjoy Roald Dahl, I love him.

2. Who was your first favourite author, and why?  Do you still consider him or her among your favourites?

Enid Blyton. I loved everything of hers that I read. I loved The Magic Faraway Tree, and remember my Mum reading that to me and my brother – and the Secret Seven, the Famous Five, Mallory Towers…the list goes on. I loved them all! I always found myself wanting to live in those books! I haven’t read any of these books in a long time, but I really want to – I’m sure I would still love them. I think I would still put Enid Elyton as a favourite author because of the memories I have of reading her books and really enjoying them.

3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favourite authors, and why?

Sarah Dessen. I discovered her when I was blogging about young adult books. Every one of her books that I have read I have loved. I found her gripping, entertaining, touching, realistic and just fantastic. I read Just Listen first and it blew me away. I haven’t found a bad book by her yet – thankfully!

4. If someone asked you who your favourite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth?  Are there any you’d add on a moment of further reflection?

Terry Pratchett, CS Lewis, Sarah Dessen, Erica James, Wendy Virgo, Philippa Gregory, Roald Dahl. After some thought… Enid Blyton, Ben Elton, Dorothy Koomson, Beatrix Potter, A A Milne, Mark Driscoll, Debbie Macomber, Elizabeth Noble, Nicholas Sparks, Sophie Kinsella, Stephanie Meyer, JK Rowling, Andrew Wilson and Jane Austen I think.

5. Which “unknown” author do you recommend to people most often?

Probably Wendy Virgo. She writes theology books, mainly for women and I love her. I wrote a Recommended Author post about her. The books are easy to read, engaging and for me, life changing. I think everyone should read her books.

Addition: Borrowed hard back

Genre: Love and Fantasy

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Edinburgh, 1874: Little Jack is born with a frozen heart and immediately undergoes a life-saving operation — the implantation of a cuckoo-clock in his chest. From then on his days all begin with a wind-up, in this dark, tender fairy tale spiced with devilish humour.

I borrowed this book as my friend gave it a really good review, and I am glad I did. the cover is gorgeous and definitely helped attract me to the book, but it was the story line and the delicious use of language which kept me gripped.

The story is about Little Jack. He is born with a frozen heart, so Dr. Madeleine fits him with a wind-up cuckoo-clock to keep his heart going. As he grows up and is put up for adoption it quickly becomes clear that Little Jack’s ticking is putting off potential parents so Madeleine chooses to keep him and bring him up herself. All is going well until Little Jack breaks a vital rule: he falls in love. This causes bullying at school, and an accident that sees him fleeing from Edinburgh. He follows his heart and travels across Europe to find Miss Acacia, the girl he loves. On his travels he learns about the pain love and jealous can cause and ultimately sees his life changing forever.

I found the beginning of this book slow, but it soon picked up! The language is just beautiful. It is so descriptive and inviting. My favourite quote from the book is:

“We love each other like two matches in the dark. We don’t talk, we just catch fire instead. Our kisses are an inferno as an earthquake registers across my entire body, all one metre sixty-six and a half centimetres of it. My heart escapes its prison. It flies away through the arteries, settling in my head. My heart is in every muscle, all the way through to my fingertips. A savage sun, everywhere. It’s a romantic disease with reddish glints.”

The love in this book is passionate and compelling, but ultimately this is a sad story. Jealousy and mistrust floats through this book and destroys all that is beautiful. The book has a sombre end but that does not spoil it at all. It is not what you would expect, which makes a nice change.

I loved Little Jack. I loved the way he followed his heart, even to the point of destruction. I felt for him as he was bullied by Tom, and how he struggled with a whole range of emotions. I felt so much empathy for him, and loved the people he surrounded himself with, including Melies, Anna and Luna. They support him and care for him like family.

The imagination in this book is great; from Madeleine and her medical inventions to the language and descriptions Malzieu uses. It is amazing that this is a translation – I didn’t notice at all. Aside from the slow beginning I loved everything about this book. At times my heart ached and at other times I enjoyed the humour in the book. This is a short book, small and sweet, and so readable. One I got to about page 60 I whizzed through the story and could not put the book down. I highly recommend this novel

Translator: Sarah Ardizzone

Addition: Review e-book

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan’s own fey powers have been cut off. She’s alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can’t help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

This is number two in the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, and I loved it ♥ Meghan, half Summer court princess and half human is a prisoner in the Winter Court. Having made a deal with Prince Ash of the Winter Court to go there willingly if he helped her rescue her brother, she is now alone. She fell in love with Ash on her adventures, and thought he loved her. But instead, since arriving at Court he has shunned her. Then, at the party to celebrate the changing of seasons in Nevernever, the Seasons Sceptre is stolen. Meghan knows that the Iron Fey have stolen it, but no one believes her. Winter is blaming Summer and the two courts are about to go to war. Ash re-appears and tries to get Meghan to safety but his brother catches him in the act, and he is deemed a traitor. He decides to drop off Meghan and go find the sceptre. Meghan, now reunited with Puck also has the same idea. Through unforeseen events they find themselves reunited and fighting the Iron Fey.

I really enjoyed this book. The story flowed and I found myself engaging with the characters. When Ash shunned Meghan my heart broke with hers, but I was very pleased with the ending! And quite a cliff hanger I felt! Again, I loved how Kagawa wove the story, the events and what she is able to imagine.

My favourite character this time was probably the Iron Horse. He was noble and fought for what he believed in, and he was loyal to his causes. I was surprised with his story line but really enjoyed it. His character developed and changed in a great way. I loved Grim as well. That cat is so arrogant and blunt – just what I would expect a cat to be like if they could speak! I was pleased to see Puck back, I missed him Winter’s Passage, and of course I’m still in love with Ash!

The characters Kagawa has created are incredible. Her descriptions are often breath taking and the action is superb. There are many fight scenes, many fleeing scenes and great interactions between characters. There is nothing to dislike about this book. I was gripped from the beginning and hooked all the way through. This did not take long to read and it was exciting and full of fantasy. The love story isn’t overpowering. This is young adult fantasy at its best!

And yes, I am:

Addition: E-Book

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl…until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck–Meghan’s best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon–who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash’s detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter–a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat….

This is a short novella, less than 70 pages long. It is number 1.5 in the Iron Fey Series. It follows on from The Iron King. Meghan is home after having rescued her brother, but she made a deal with Prince Ash – the man who should be her enemy but instead she is in love with – that if he helped her save Ethan, she would hand herself over to his court without hassle. However, she does want to make a detour – to check up on Puck, who was seriously injured during her quest. Yet there is something chasing them, something deadly. Will Ash be able to save her and get Meghan to the Winter Court?

I have given this 3 out of 5 for one reason: this book is too short! I love this series and this book is good. It includes Kagawa’s imagination and what Meghan and Ash face is great to read! This is fantasy and adventure at its best! I found this easy to read and gripping. The story follows on nicely, and of course leaves the reader on a cliff hanger, ready for The Iron Daughter. The fight scene was great and the language is simple yet effective.

I loved Ash and Meghan as before but this book was too short for any further character development. It was a shame that Puck was not used in this story, but as a teaser for this series, it is good.

Addition: Audiobook

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:

“Arch-swindler Moist Van Lipwig never believed his confidence crimes were hanging offenses – until he found himself with a noose tightly around his neck, dropping through a trapdoor, and falling into…a government job?” “By all rights, Moist should have met his maker. Instead, it’s Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork, who promptly offers him a job as Postmaster. Since his only other option is a nonliving one, Moist accepts the position – and the hulking golem watchdog who comes along with it, just in case Moist was considering abandoning his responsibilities prematurely.” “Getting the moribund Postal Service up and running again, however, may be a near-impossible task, what with literally mountains of decades-old undelivered mail clogging every nook and cranny of the broken-down post office building; and with only a few creaky old postmen and one rather unstable, pin-obsessed youth available to deliver it. Worse still, Moist could swear the mail is talking to him. Worst of all, it means taking on the gargantuan, money-hungry Grand Trunk clacks communication monopoly and its bloodthirsty piratical head, Mr. Reacher Gilt.” But it says on the building Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Glo m of Ni t…Inspiring words (admittedly, some of the bronze letters have been stolen), and for once in his wretched life Moist is going to fight. And if the bold and impossible are what’s called for, he’ll do it – in order to move the mail, continue breathing, get the girl, and specially deliver that invaluable commodity that every human being (not to mention troll, dwarf, and, yes, even golem) requires: hope

This is number 33 in the Discworld series. As ever, it is full of action, comedy and adventure.

The star of this story is Moist van Lipwig. He is a conman, and is shocked to discover he didn’t die when they hanged him for his crimes. Lord Vetinari, the city’s leader has other plans for him. Instead of killing him, Moist is ordered to revive the Post Office. This seems a ridiculous task as the city has clacks. Yet a meeting with the questionable man who runs the clacks and the fact they keep breaking down leads him to take up the challenge. It is not easy – he has to contend with people trying to kill him, falling in love and fire.

This is another enjoyable Discworld instalment. There is great characters, competition, fire and angry women, and of course, the post! I liked Moist. He was a funny man, but also determined and clever. His previous crimes gave him a shady, yet ingenious mind that was very helpful for him, and very entertaining to read. Lord Vetinari was my favourite character in the book. His dry wit just made me laugh.

In the synopsis there is talk of hope. I didn’t find this a big theme throughout the book. I thought the main idea was to remember there are old fashioned ways to communicate! It seemed to me that Pratchett was having a sight a dig at modern technology, and I thought that was funny.

This is not my favourite Pratchett book but there was nothing wrong with it. It was funny and action-packed, and full of the genius that is Terry Pratchett.

As an aside, I just want to say that I really enjoyed the Sky adaptation of Going Postal, and if you can watch it, do!