Unclean Spirits by M L N Hanover

Normal Paranormal?
Review by The Mole

Jayné Heller has inherited her uncle's estate but what does that estate entail? Jayné has absolutely no idea but when the door explodes open and she is attacked by trained killers she didn't expect that to be part of her legacy! Not only has she inherited phenomenal strength she has also inherited phenomenal enemies.

ADMISSION... This is the first 'paranormal' book that I have read but from what I have heard this one is not from the normal mould. Yes the enemy are various forms of demons, vampires, werewolves and other rather nasty stuff, but the story puts them all on the side of the bad guys and the good guys are normal humans trying to rid the world of the bad guys. But the armoury of the good guys is not without magic of various types.

'Urban fantasy' the cover says and yes, I suppose it is but I feel that first and foremost it's an action adventure... a well written and well delivered action adventure at that. I loved nearly every character in this book - the good guys side I mean - with the exception of Midian. But I don't think we are supposed to like Midian. I hope.

I suppose it's one of the difficulties of putting every book into one of the recognised 'genre's - there will always be those that fit into several. First and foremost this book is about a 24+ year old. Her antics do stray to adult material - although there is no romance in this story at all!

A really great read as an action adventure that left me hungry for more stories of Jayné Heller's adventures. It's not a spoiler to say she survives this story as it's the first of a trilogy.


Publisher - Orbit Books
Genre - Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Action Adventure

Buy Unclean Spirits: Black Sun's Daughter: Book One from Amazon

The Goblin and the Girl by Neil Irani

The Power Of The Mirror
Review by The Mole

The Girl has a mirror which whenever she looks in it all she sees is a goblin. Frightened that other people will see the goblin too she hides her face behind a large hat and avoids people until one day when The Boy talks to her in a friendly way and she can't hide from him.

One thing that surprised me in this book is that "The Girl" and "The Boy" don't have names. It's something that I hadn't noticed until I re-read it and the more I think about it the more relevant this idea actually is.

While the pictures (by Park Yun) are powerful they also manage to catch the mood very well of The Girl as the story progresses.

My only concern is if a child on their own could catch the true understanding of the important subject that this book covers, so I feel that at some point it needs to be shared and talked about. Self-esteem. Perhaps one of the earliest character developments that can shape a person for many years. The book is written such that if it is shared with a child and discussed it can be used to show that 'the quiet child in the class' should be talked to and treated kindly even if not actually befriended by everyone or it can be used to show a shy child that they don't look like a goblin and are perfectly normal and that they can talk and play with other children.

A beautifully drawn and well scripted book for sharing and discussing.

Publisher - Maverick Books
Genre - Children's Early Reader

Buy The Goblin and the Girl from Amazon

The Brothers by Asko Sahlberg

Finnish Epic
review by Maryom

The Brothers is the first offering in Peirene Press' Year of the Small Epic, the tale of Henrik and Erik - two brothers different in almost every way: one is courageous and adventurous, going off to see the world and make his fortune; the other is steadier, the type to stay at home and tend the family farm; one appears to have everything he could want; the other is thwarted at every turn. Through accident, the brothers found themselves on opposite sides as the Russians and Swedes fought over Finland, and as the story opens Henrik returns home for the first time after the ending of the war - the perfect dramatic set-up for an opening up of old wounds and long-held grudges on, yes, an epic scale!

The Brothers is another wonderful offering from Peirene Press - one which might top Portrait of The Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian Delius as my favourite.
A "small epic" seems a curious oxymoronic thing but although The Brothers is short on pages it's certainly not short on plot or characterisation. In just over 120 pages Sahlberg brings to life a family drama of long simmering resentment, sexual tension, financial mismanagement and long hidden secrets. It's rather like watching an intensely focused, dramatically packed 90 minute film, instead of the slow progression of a 12 part TV series. I loved the depth of characterisation and scope of the action achieved in such a small space.
There's something reminiscent of Greek tragedy to the story in the inevitable working out of fate and also in the presentation - each character talks directly to the reader, revealing his/her thoughts, desires and secrets and the action is seen through their eyes. Yet the opening sequence has all the hallmarks of a Western - the crunch of footsteps as Henrik approaches, the measured step, his slow appraisal of his surroundings, for all the world like a gunslinger walking up the main street of a Wild West town. Once you start to think "western" a lot of other things fit in - the horse, the girl, the squabbles over land -perhaps it just underlines the timeless quality of the story.

Maryom's review - 5 stars
Publisher - Peirene Press
Genre - Adult Literary Fiction

Buy The Brothers from Amazon or You can purchase a subscription from Peirene Press

Midwinter Sacrifice by Mons Kallentoft

A chilling read!
Review by The Mole

It's an unusually cold winter in Sweden and the people are in a state of apathy waiting for warmth to come when a body is found hanging in a tree. The body is naked and has been beaten and slashed beyond recognition and Malin, with her partner Zeke, are called to start the investigation. Without identification and no-one matching having been reported missing there won't be a quick solution.

This is the first Scandinavian crime thriller that I've read and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe 'enjoy' isn't quite the word I'm looking for but I would most certainly do it again.

The style was comfortable for me to read (being of the squeamish nature) for example the victim suffered some horrific injuries and it could have been described in a stomach churning fashion - but it wasn't, and where ever the opportunity arose to shock the impact was thoughtfully minimised. The purpose was to shock and horrify the characters but not the reader.

Malin has lots of life 'issues' but show me a fictional detective that lives a happy life. (OK.. they do in Midsomer but they're more fictional than fiction!) But we also get close to most every other character in the book.

The investigation develops slowly but that's not to say the story moves slowly - it doesn't and you start to wonder where the 420 pages went! With the entire detection process no secrets are held back from the reader and in fact as the victim actually has a voice from the grave throughout the book it's arguable that the reader knows more than the detectives. And in the end was justice served? Is justice ever served fairly? Maybe and maybe not and as with life not all the loose ends are tied off. Some are left for the reader to ask about, wish for or wonder at. But as with all good crime thrillers it's not guessing who did it that matters - it's the story of actually getting there.

A really good book and I look forward eagerly to Malin's next case - and maybe we'll find out what Karim's wife WAS thinking!

The version of the book I was reading was The Richard and Judy Book Club version that is exclusive to W H Smith and has bonus content including the first chapter of the next book as well as a Q&A with the author, Mons Kallentoft.

Publisher - Hodder
Genre - Adult Crime Thriller

Buy Midwinter Sacrifice from W H Smith

The Book Of Summers by Emylia Hall

Long Hot Hungarian Summer
review by Maryom

One day Beth's father comes on a surprise visit, bringing with him a parcel sent to her from Hungary. She knows who it will be from - the handwriting on it is that of her estranged mother's Hungarian artist partner, Zoltan - and at first she determines not to open it.
For seven years after her parents' separation, Beth made the long journey to Hungary for a week long summer holiday at their home, Villa Serena. At the time these weeks seemed idyllic -in comparison to her dull, plodding life at home with her quiet, almost silent father, Beth found Hungary to be hot, exotic and vibrant - but after they came to an abrupt end Beth has tried to block all memory of them.
Curiosity wins over her original decision - and inside the parcel she discovers The Book Of Summers, a scrapbook with an exquisitely painted cloth cover, compiled by Beth's estranged mother, Marika, filled with photographs, postcards and pressed flowers celebrating the holidays Beth spent with her in Hungary. Beth finds herself drawn back into her life there, rediscovering the joyful summers and the traumatic ending to them.

In essence The Book Of Summers is a coming of age story, a journey of self-discovery while facing up to hidden, unpleasant truths, one in which the heroine cannot build a future without coming to terms with the past. But what makes it stand out from so many similar tales is the way in which it is told.
The Book Of Summers brought the sights and smells of the Hungarian countryside to life for me. It's one of those novels that can transport you to a different time and place - I read it last week in the biggest freeze so far this winter and would swear I could feel the heat of the Hungarian summer as I read. It's such a beautiful evocation of hot, lazy summer days, of meadows disappearing into heat haze, hidden forest pools and not forgetting the wonderful Hungarian food - goulash, spicy sausages, juicy water melons, bullet-holed cheese.

I wondered slightly as I was reading, entranced as I was, quite where the plot was leading - whether it was solely a series of enchanting snap-shots. Then without warning, wham, came a lightning bolt of a plot twist - one that stopped me in my tracks and made me reassess the story so far.

I was told that this was a book that I would adore - and I do!

Maryom's review - 5 stars
Publisher - Headline
Genre - adult, literary fiction

Buy The Book of Summers from Amazon

Snowy Favourites

With snow and ice lying around for the third day, we started thinking about our favourite snowy reads - so here's yet another Top 5 list

Maryom's Top 5

When I started thinking of snowy day stories, the first one that sprung to mind was the AA Milne one in which Pooh and Piglet go in search of a woozle - admittedly it's not a complete story, just a chapter from Winnie the Pooh but it's complete in itself and captures the essence and excitement of snow and of tracking something through it.
There are lots that didn't quite make the Top 5 - Cold Mountain and Possession both have memorable snow storms though the overall feel isn't 'snowy'; almost anything Russian is bound to include snow - Dr Zhivago, War and Peace, Eugene Onegin - and so many murder mysteries - The Murder on the Orient Express, The Virgin in the Ice, The Opposite of Amber .....

Anyway, these are the ones that made the final cut;

In Which Pooh and Piglet Go Hunting and nearly catch a Woozle - classic snowy weather hunting tale for the under-5s

Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith - faceless dead bodies and fur smuggling introduce us to Arkady Renko of the Moscow militia.

Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow by Peter Hoeg - Nordic Noir. The police claim a boy's death is an accident, Miss Smilla, with her indepth knowledge of snow, insists it's murder.

The Still Point by Amy Sackville - memories of a polar explorer unearthed by his great-grand niece on a hot summer's day, making the cold colder and the heat, hotter.

Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson - snow covered fir trees alternate with ripe strawberries against the background of teen love and a murder trial.

The Mole's Top 5

Well I don't see how any top 5 snowy stories can be completed (or even started) without including The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. Magic, snow, friendship and love - all the components for an excellent story.

And when it comes to magic The Lion The Witch And The Wardobe by C S Lewis has captured so many imaginations since it was first published and is still capturing them today.

But snow is not all soft and fluffy whiteness as we see in Dark Matter by Michelle Paver when we see the darkest and most hostile side to winter.

And when people become dark in their intentions and join forces with winter we end up with stories like Dead Of Winter by P J Parrish. A truly chilling and thrilling tale.

But sometimes the darker side of people does not involve murder and mayhem as we see in Legend Of A Suicide by David Vann when winter conspires with mood to bring very dark times.

Your Top 5 snowy stories

Do tell please?

The Comic Cafe by Roger Stevens

A Work of Art
Review by The Mole

By a strange and plausible turn of fate, Wilf and his 4 sisters are accidentally abandoned in the seaside cafe that their parents have bought. Sounds like a recipe for parties and fun but instead they decide to do the cafe up and open it up again. Sounds like an adventure but becomes much more when things don't go quite to plan.

Written with bags of humour and with all the characters having a their own contribution to the plot, this book must appeal equally to both boys and girls. Laughs come thick and fast from Wilf who is the only one that doesn't take life too seriously but is also the most focussed of them all. Sounds like a contradiction? Yes, I suppose it does but it works and gives a really entertaining, light hearted read for children of about 9+.

One comment that was made as I was reading it was that it would make a children's television series. Well it would but let's not overlook that it's a really good children's book first though.

Publisher - Frances Lincoln
Genre - Children's 9+, Comedy

Buy The Comic Cafe from Amazon