Book Review: Apocalypse Cow

Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan

The blurb: When scientists with warped imaginations accidentally unleash an experimental bioweapon that transforms Britain’s animals into sneezing, bloodthirsty zombies with a penchant for pre-dinner sex with their victims, three misfits become the unlikely hope for salvation.

Abattoir worker Terry Borders’ love life is crippled by the stench of death that clings to his skin from his days spent slaughtering cows; teenage vegan Geldof ‘Scabby’ Peters alternates between scratching furiously at his rash and baiting his overbearing New Age mother; and inept journalist Lesley McBrien struggles forlornly in the shadow of her famous war correspondent father and the star journalist at the Glasgow Tribune.

When Britain begins a rapid descent into chaos and ministers cynically attempt to blame al-Qaeda, Lesley stumbles upon proof that the government is behind the outbreak. During her bumbling quest to unveil the truth, she crosses paths with Terry and Geldof, and together they set out to escape a quarantined Britain with the evidence and vital data that could unlock a cure for the virus.

Standing in the way are rampaging hordes of animals, a ruthless security agent and an army ready to shoot anybody with a case of the sniffles on the off-chance the virus has mutated.

Three losers. Overwhelming odds. A single outcome: the world is screwed.

My review: I don’t do Zombie books. I don’t do Zombies full stop. They completely freak me out, my imagination is already too crazy without mindless, unreasoning dead things to contend with! However, the title appealed to me so much that I had to suppress those feelings and give it a go. This was the perfect tonic to reading the bittersweet Black Heart Blue. This book is nonsensical but scarily realistic! Meaning that the development of a bio-weapon that accidentally leaks into the general populace doesn’t sound that far fetched!

I definitely won’t be looking at squirrels the same way again! I loved this and have already bought a copy for my brother as I think it’s hilarious and didn’t want to give mine away. It reminded me strongly of Shaun of the Dead, an irreverent look at Zombies, not shying away from the violence and single-minded nature of the un-dead.

But it’s not governed by Zombies. There’s a very pacy plot here too, the human characters have real emotions and I cared about them. It was also interesting to see how people reacted under situations of immense stress and self enforced captivity. What would you do if you had to hide from rampaging sheep and a very real death threat from rats? Would you be a hero? Or would you only try to save yourself. There’s some interesting, deep philosophical questions here as well as laugh out loud moments.

I couldn’t put this book down, it’s a perfect tonic for anyone who needs cheering up. And a concept that has stayed with me on late nights, watch out for the animals!

9 out of 10 stars! *********

BUY ME! Apocalypse Cow

Book Review: Dead Scared

Dead Scared by S. J. Bolton

The blurb: When a Cambridge student dramatically attempts to take her own life, DI Mark Joesbury realizes that the university has developed an unhealthy record of young people committing suicide in extraordinary ways.

Against huge personal misgivings, Joesbury sends young policewoman DC Lacey Flint to Cambridge, with a brief to work under-cover, posing as a depression-prone, vulnerable student.

Psychiatrist Evi Oliver is the only person in Cambridge who knows who Lacey really is – or so they both hope. But as the two women dig deeper into the darker side of university life, they discover a terrifying trend . . .

And when Lacey starts experiencing the same disturbing nightmares reported by the dead girls, she knows that she is next.

My review: Sometimes I do silly things. Last week it was starting to read Dead Scared at 8pm one evening whilst the other half was out playing football. At 1am I’m still reading and am petrified.

A small note on back story. I discovered S. J. Bolton through the Transworld Reading Challenge last year and I absolutely love her writing style.  Her books are crime fiction with a twist, there always seems to be an element of the otherworldly running through them, enough for you to get out of bed and just double-check that all the windows are locked. But here’s the mastery, there is no supernatural factors in any of Bolton’s books, logic and reason and pure human evil are always the culprits. To turn fantasy to fact is an impressive quality.

Lacey and Mark, the main two characters we’ve been following since the first novel in what I hope is a very long series, Now You See Me, are perfect for each other. The sexual chemistry is smouldering and handled with finesse. I completely want them to get together because they are meant to be. Like Booth and Brennan in Bones, a perfect fit.

The premise of this story is the manipulation of fear – vulnerable students at Cambridge University are being targeted and exposed to the things they fear the most, until they can stand it no longer. Bolton is brilliant at creating tension until you’re fit to burst. The short chapters in the book make it extremely fast paced, and a technique that really involves the reader, short bursts of information keep you hooked and tied in to the characters fates. I found myself actively worrying about Lacey and what she was doing! Always a good sign. Cambridge as a location is also a beautiful setting and the idea of those towers of intelligence being penetrated and used for evil is really creepy!

If you love crime fiction and haven’t read this yet I highly recommend Dead Scared. The only problem with it is I read it too quickly, I’ll need more from S. J. Bolton soon!

8.5 out of 10 stars! ********.5

BUY ME! Dead Scared

Book Review: The Queen’s Secret

The Queen’s Secret by Victoria Lamb

The blurb:  July 1575

Elizabeth I, Queen of England, arrives at Kenilworth Castle amid pomp, fanfare and a wealth of lavish festivities, laid on by the Earl of Leicester. The hopeful Earl knows this is his very last chance to persuade the Queen to marry him.

But despite his attachment to the Queen and his driving ambition to be her King, Leicester is unable to resist the seductive wiles of Lettice, wife of the Earl of Essex. And soon whispers of their relationship start spreading through the court.

Enraged by the adulterous lovers growing intimacy, Elizabeth employs Lucy Morgan, a young black singer and court entertainer, to spy on the couple. But Lucy, who was raised by a spy in London, uncovers far more than she bargains for.

For someone at Kenilworth that summer is plotting to kill the queen. No longer able to tell friend from foe, it is soon not only the queen who is in mortal danger – but Lucy herself.

My review: I have never read Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir or any of the other stalwart Tudor novelists so I came to this book with fresh eyes – and what a gorgeous cover. I am always a little shallow with books and if they look beautiful they are much more likely to catch my eye, one of the reasons I suppose why I will never be an ebook girl.

The Queen’s Secret is set during the summer progress of Elizabeth 1 – I didn’t know she even went on a summer outing so I already feel like I’ve learnt something. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Elizabeth, Lamb did a great job of really humanising her character and I wanted to give the poor woman some friendly advice, despite her terrible tantrums, you can’t help but feel she’s signed up for a horrible job! All the characters were interesting and detailed, Walsingham in particular was a favourite of mine and it was interesting to see historical figures come to life on the page.

The book runs along a pace which is good, I felt like the historical detail was rich and interesting without being too heavy. The writing is gorgeous which is rare and it drew an interesting line between romance and crime which kept me engaged. There were a fewbits and pieces I would’ve liked to have developed more but I suppose there are historical boundaries to consider! Plus I think this is the first in a series (I hope) as I’d like to see more of Lucy Morgan! I don’t want to give anything away so will end on that note! Definitely worth picking up!

7.5 out of 10 stars! *******.5

Book Review: The Autobiography of Jack the Ripper

The Autobiography of Jack the Ripper by James Carnac

The blurb: This memoir was recently discovered and appears to have been written in the 1920s by somone who asserts that he was Jack the Ripper. This person is James Willoughby Carnac, this memoir written shortly before his death is an account of his entire life, including a few short months in 1888 when he became the murderer known to posterity as Jack the Ripper.

This book introduces a new suspect for the infamous murders in Whitechapel in 1888. There is information in this book that does not appear to be derived from contemporary newspapers or any other publications and the descriptions of Tottenham in the 1870s, the visits to performances of Jekyll and Hyde, the intricate geography of Whitechapel in 1888 are written with pin-point accuracy. There is also a credible motive given for James becoming the murderer Jack and also a reason for the end of the murders. Given the fact that the author also appear to have knowledge about aspects of the case not in the public arena at the time it could be that this actually is the autobiography of Jack the Ripper.

Ultimately it is up to the reader to decide if they believe the mystery has been solved at last but even if they end up deciding the account to be a work of fiction it would still be one of the very earliest imaginings of the Ripper case, written in the early years of the twentieth century, a fascinating piece of period writing and a worthy addition to the Ripper canon.

My review: Wow this is one creepy book. The cover is beautiful especially the little hat on the spine! It feels like velvet, a very nice book to have on your shelf. I find this whole book fascinating, the idea that you could find something like this buried in an attic or cellar,  a document with huge historical importance is just mind-blowing. I will begin shuffling through my grandparents files the first chance I get!

It’s hard to review this book as it’s non-fiction (according to the publisher) so I don’t know if I’m allowed to critique the writing style! The dedication is fantastic: ‘Dedicated with admiration and respect to the retired members of the Metropolitan Police Force in spite of whose energy and efficiency I have lived to write this book.’  See what I mean – creepy! The font is perfect too, very old school type-writer-esque.

James Carnac’s life is disturbed from the beginning, the events in his early life are unconventional at best and traumatic at worst. The tone of voice he delivers is chilling in its assuredness and strikes a note somewhere between a madman and a psychopath. I was slightly disappointed by the bits that were suggested had been removed from the manuscript, I’m not a huge lover of gore but I feel that to make a truly informed decision on whether this was the REAL Jack the Ripper you would need to see those pieces, if in fact, they did exist.

I would urge any crime or true crime fans to read this book, it’s gripping and has a potential answer to the UK’s biggest crime mystery! I am leaning towards believing James Carnac was Jack the Ripper but without forensic evidence I guess we’ll never know!

9 out of 10 stars! *********

Black Swan Rising

Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll

The blurb: Jeweller Garet James isn’t the same as everyone else.
She just doesn’t know it yet.

With her fair share of problems – money (lack of), an elderly father, a struggling business – Garet should be just like any other young, feisty, single New Yorker. If only it was that simple…

It begins with the old silver box that had been soldered shut. All Garet has to do is open it. A favour for the frail owner of the antiques shop. Who wouldn’t help?

Only it’s then that things start to change. Garet doesn’t notice at first, the shifts barely perceptible. But the city in which she grew up is beginning to reveal a long-hidden side – darker, and altogether more dangerous: parallel world of chaos, smoke and blood.

And now it’s out of the box…and it has no intention of going back in.

My review: I really enjoyed Black Swan Rising and I think one of the main reasons was that the heroine Garet James is the same age as me! It’s quite nice to find an older heroine who can still kick some arse! I was always saddened that I hadn’t received my Hogwarts letter at 11 and now I know that the magic can find me at any age!

Odd ranting aside, I love this book. Garet is the last in a long line of strong women who guard the barrier between this world and the other realm (of the Fey), the story has a strong good against evil theme which can drive a narrative along nicely. But the complexity lies in the characters, you never quite know who’s on the good side and what their agenda’s are, I don’t think we’ll completely know until the trilogy is completed (this is the first of three).

I think what made Black Swan Rising stand out for me were three things, the settings – New York is one of my favourite cities and this book shows a completely different side of it. The history – I love the mythology of the story and how it all seems worryingly plausible. The magic – I think everyone loves a tale where an ordinary person finds out they are extraordinary, plus the elemental guides were really cool! Ill definitely be looking out the sequel.

8 out of 10 stars! ********

The Killing Place

The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen

The blurb: Something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Meals remain untouched on dining room tables. Cars are still parked in garages. The human occupants have vanished, seemingly into thin air.

This is the unsettling place where Maura Isles finds herself trapped during a snowstorm. She has joined a group of friends on a drive to an isolated ski lodge, but when a wrong turn leaves her car stranded in deep snow, she stumbles down a private road into the valley of Kingdom Come, where she takes shelter – and disappears.

Days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. The authorities assume that one of the women is Maura. But is it?

Jane Rizzoli’s search for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come, where a terrifying and gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow …

My Review: I seem to be on a crime spree at the moment, not a literal one I hasten to add, although after reading all these crime books there’s a part of me that thinks I could get away with things!

This is the first Tess Gerritsen I have ever read and have now put an order in for the back catalogue, this woman knows how to write! She also knows how to grip you by the throat and not let go until you’re a screaming puddle on the floor! Probably the best crime I’ve read in 2010, The Killing Place combines the eerie, helplessness of being trapped in the wilderness without any means of communication, something we’ve all gotten a little too used to.

The characters are brilliant, fiesty females and I hope to always have a Jane Rizzoli in my life watching my back. Read this book for chills and conspiracies, twists and cliffhangers. Its my July recommended read!

8.5 out of 10 stars ********.5

Twenties Girl

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

The blurb: Lara has always had an overactive imagination. Now she wonders if she is losing her mind. Normal twenty-something girls just don’t get visited by ghosts! But inexplicably, the spirit of Lara’s great aunt Sadie – in the form of a bold, demanding Charleston-dancing girl – has appeared to make one last request: Lara must track down a missing necklace Sadie simply can’t rest without.

Lara’s got enough problems of her own. Her start-up company is floundering, her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, and she’s just been dumped by the love of her life.

But as Lara spends time with Sadie, life becomes more glamorous and their treasure hunt turns into something intriguing and romantic. Could Sadie’s ghost be the answer to Lara’s problems and can two girls from different times end up learning something special from each other?

My Review: I love Sophie Kinsella, the shopaholic series is a dream and of the stand alone’s Can You Keep A Secret is particularly good. I started Twenties Girl expecting greatness; I could draw an accurate graph of my interest in this book. It would look like this – starts off high, I am Lara in many ways at this point, progresses smoothly until the first big event – the funeral of Aunt Sadie.

Here is where my graph takes a giant dip, practically to the bottom or negative 10. Its not that I don’t like ghost stories its just not what you’d expect from a Sophie Kinsella. I’m not sure how well funny chick-lit and fantasy ghosts mix in together. I persevered as I love Kinsella and my determination to finish the book paid off, the characters are lovely, funny and original. The love story is heavy on the improbability (but then there is a ghost as a matchmaker!) so once you’ve made your peace with the unlikelyness of it all you’ll get along just fine.

For me personally it’s not my favourite Kinsella, but it’s a great, humorous read and well worth picking up. I am biased as I am already a fan, so that should be taken into account. However it definitely brightened up my January!

7 out of 10 stars *******

Sunshine

Sunshine by Robin Mckinley

The blurb:
There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it’s unwise to walk.But the lake had been quiet for years. . . .She never heard them coming. Of course you don’t, when they’re vampires.

They took her clothes and sneakers. They dressed her in a long red gown. And they shackled her to the wall of an abandoned mansion – within easy reach of her fellow prisoner.

She knows he is a vampire. She knows that she’s to be his dinner, and that when he is finished with her, she will be dead. Yet when dawn breaks, she is still alive. And now he needs her to help him survive the day…

My Review:
Wow, I really, really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down literally. Rae ‘Sunshine’ Seddon (great last name by the way – how often does that happen!) is a baker, makes fantastic cinnamon rolls, gets up at 5am every morning and lives her life through the cafe and bakery owned by her family. Her world is small, the same people everyday. But her time has seen blackness, the voodoo wars have left scars on the world and its only a matter of time before they come back.

The darkest of others, the vampires kidnap Rae and she’s put into a perilous situation with a vampire named Con who doesn’t suck her dry but who seems to understand her. Rae has powers she never realised and now must learn to use them and acknowledge the side of her family that she has long suppressed. A powerful, wonderful book, with real light versus dark struggle, with all the glorious grey shades inbetween. For fans of twilight and vampire fiction this is a must and I highly recommend it. My only dismay is that she hasn’t written a follow up as its screaming out for a sequel.

10 out of 10 stars **********!!!