Synopsis:

High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own — populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this, but in truth: I loved it. John Connolly has played with the idea of fairy tales and children’s nightmares – he has taken them and made them into an adventure. The story centres around David, a boy whose life changes when his mother dies. His father re-marries and they move to the country. There David finds himself spending most of his time in the attic surrounded by old books. World War 2 is taking place, and one night, having thought he had heard his mother calling him David goes into the garden, just as a German bomber crash lands. David finds himself transported into another world. Here he faces wolves that have started to morph into men, monsters and Crooked Man.

I loved what Connolly did with this. The wolves, or Loups, came out of the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the monster which followed David came from his nightmares and the enchantress in the tower came from Rapunzel. Connolly has taken these childhood fairy tales and made them into violent, adult stories, and battles which David has to face. The worst for me was the Crooked Man, who steals children to expand his life. The descriptions of his actions and his torture chambers were horrific and not for the faint hearted.

I wouldn’t call this book scary but it is intense and some of the things David and his friends fight are quite chilling. This is quite violent and graphic, but so readable. I didn’t want to put this down, I was engrossed. I wanted to know what David would have to battle, what happened to the king and how the story would end. This book was exciting and full of adventure. There was not a dull moment in this book.

I loved the characters Connolly created and how they evolved. At first I felt empathy for David, then I was anxious for his welfare, and by the end I was confident in him and happily cheering him on. He matured and became fearless, and I liked how things worked out for him. The men who helped David were courageous and fun to read. I loved the dwarfs the most. They are not like they are in Snow White – and neither is she in this book. All I could do was laugh at the situation and their attitudes – they were very funny!

There was nothing to dislike about this book. I can easily give it 5/5. I loved it

I have to say I was disappointed with this book.

Synopsis:

BOOK 1 OF THE TAWFORD CHRONICLES: A STORY OF INTRIGUE, PASSION AND BETRAYAL IN THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR. Devon, September, 1642: Charles I has raised his standard and declared war on Parliament. The South West is in danger of being lost to his cause. It is imperative that the King’s men continue to fight on. On the Somerset marshes, Roundhead soldiers capture a vagrant carrying vital information, but he is not what he seems. He is ALEXANDER DYNAM of TAWFORD. Deadly with a blade, a master of disguise and a Royalist spy. Widely and wrongly believed to be the bastard son of his guardian, Viscount Westley, he has to cope with learning the truth of his parentage and accepting that he cannot reveal his feelings of love for Ellen, the woman everyone thinks is his aunt. As the country spirals into bloody civil war Tawford buries his frustration in acts of reckless courage and debauchery and faces dangers that go beyond the Royalists’ struggle for supremacy in the South West. Somebody wants him dead, but who? And why? What is the secret of his identity and does it hold the key? Seeking help from Cobb, leader of a band of outlawed Exmoor gypsies, and the lovely Arabella, an accomplished actress and spy, Tawford is drawn inexorably into a tangled web of intrigue, murder and deceit that carries him and his faithful band of followers from Exmoor to London, to Cornwall in service of the King.

There were a lot of characters, and I just could not remember who was who and who was fighting for which side. It was a descriptive book which made me laugh in places, but the story took a while to get going and sometimes it was too descriptive and graphic, leaving violent images in my mind. This book was a let down I’m afraid.

I have just finished Humble Pie (Quick Reads) by Gordon Ramsay

Amazon synopsis:

Everyone thinks they know the real Gordon Ramsay: rude, loud, driven, stubborn. But this is his real story! In this fast-paced, bite-sized edition of his bestselling autobiography Ramsay tells the real story of how he became the world’s most famous and infamous chef: his difficult childhood, his brother’s heroin addiction, his failed first career as a footballer, his fanatical pursuit of gastronomic perfection and his TV persona – all the things that have made him the celebrated culinary talent and media powerhouse that he is today. Gordon talks frankly about: / his tough childhood: his father’s alcoholism and violence and the effects on his relationships with his mother and siblings / his first career as a footballer: how the whole family moved to Scotland when he was signed by Glasgow Rangers at the age of fifteen, and how he coped when his career was over due to injury just three years later / his brother’s heroin addiction. / Gordon’s early career: learning his trade in Paris and London; how his career developed from there: his time in Paris under Albert Roux and his seven Michelin-starred restaurants./ kitchen life: Gordon spills the beans about life behind the kitchen door, and how a restaurant kitchen is run in Anthony Bourdain-style.

/ and how he copes with the impact of fame on himself and his family: his television career, the rapacious tabloids, and his own drive for success.

I was a bit surprised by this book. I had no idea what to expect, and I knew nothing about Gordon Ramsay at all. He is very open and honest about his childhood, which seemed horrible, experiencing domestic violence and poverty. However, he does not dwell on the issue to gain sympathy. He is honest and then moves on the story. His rise to fame wasn’t easy but he is someone who has worked very hard, and often for no pay, to get to where he is today.

He explained restaurant ratings well, and he has broken a few records. I had no idea how many restaurants he owns, but he has a little empire it seems. He is honest and open, he gives his opinion about what he likes, how he works, what he wants in his kitchen and he defends his friends, such as the Beckham’s.

Having read this and seen how much blood, sweat and tears have gone into making him, I have a lot more respect for him. He has come from nothing to having restaurants and media success all over the world, quite an achievement.

This was a Quick Read so was only 83 pages. I didn’t feel I missed out not reading the longer version though, this was detailed, fast paced and easy to read.

My only complaint would be his bad language, which does some through in the book. However, that isn’t really a surprise!

A good read

8/10