The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Being Chosen isn't always a good thing.
review by Maryom

Kyra and her family are part of a repressive religious polygamist closed community where everyone's personal wishes come second to those of the Prophet and his Apostles. Their restrictions are becoming more severe, books are banned, no more trips into town, and anyone who disagrees is likely to be beaten up or disappear. Kyra has been sneaking round these rules - borrowing books from a mobile library van, meeting with one of the boys in secret but then she finds that she has been Chosen as the latest, 7th, wife of her 60 year old uncle and realises that she is running out of options.
I picked this up one afternoon and was so caught up in it, that I had to finish it that night. I was absolutely engrossed! The story is told in the first person through Kyra who takes this situation - 1 father, 3 mothers and 21 siblings - as normal, even when she feels that she doesn't quite fit in. When the prophet announces that Kyra is The Chosen One, the reader really shares her astonishment and disbelief and the helplessness of both Kyra and her family, caught in this world where no opposition or free thought is allowed and women and girls are treated as chattels to be disposed of by others. The plot was a little predictable for an adult reader with a vague knowledge of American religious cults who watched the TV series Big Love but an excellent read nonetheless.

Maryom's review - 4 stars
Publisher - Simon and Schuster
Genre - teens

Shadow Bringer by David Calcutt

Something nasty in the attic.
review by Maryom

Nathan is staying with relatives while his Mum takes a break. Strange things are happening there - something is lurking in the attic, something is hiding in the gunk at the bottom of the pond, there are scuffling noises in the night and a voice inside his head.
In another world, Rasha is setting out on a spirit journey to hunt down an evil creature before it escapes into the real world. Will she be in time?

A true spine-chiller of a book from David Calcutt, with the lurking, menacing creature there from page one. "I'm coming to get you", it says at the end of the first short chapter and this sets the tone for the book. Nathan and the reader with him hover between believing a creature really is there calling to him and thinking it's only his imagination playing tricks - whichever, I found myself willing him to not open the attic door or go back to the pond, to not disturb or provoke whatever evil thing was waiting.
The way real world and the ghostly spirit one are woven together in Shadow Bringer reminded me of the Alan Garner books I read as a child. If you loved those, even if trembling with fear as you read, or are looking for a scary story for Halloween, go buy this for your children.

Shadow Bringer was reviewed by The Mole


Maryom's review - 5 stars
Publisher - Oxford University Press
Genre - children's, fantasy
Seem to have a bit of debate over suitable age bracket for this. Obviously it depends on how easily your child is frightened and how much you want a quiet night's sleep, but I would have said 10 -12, though children either side of that group would probably still enjoy it.

Shadow Bringer can be purchased from Amazon

7 Day Low Fat Low Salt Diet Plan by Carolyn Humphries

An unusual sort of book for us to review - but I found it cheap - very cheap- in a sale at The Works and due to Hubby being on a VERY low fat diet I'm always on the lookout for new ideas.
It's mainly aimed at low fat replacements for family favourites - Spaghetti Bolognese, Scotch Lamb Stew, even Baked Fish and Chips - but with some slightly unusual ones - Vitality Moussaka or Ratatouille Summer Pudding. There's everything from breakfast ideas to planning your meals for the week and even low fat cakes, biscuits and deserts.
I found some slight drawbacks to this book - it's a 1999 edition and I think some of the advice on the nature of fats may have changed since then - for instance there is no mention of trans-fatty acids anywhere. There are no photos of any prepared dishes. A far bigger problem, though, to the novice low fat cook is that although all the recipes are calorie counted, there's no figure for the fat or salt content. Since this book was published this kind of information is generally given in books and magazines and on food packaging. It's probably more useful for someone looking to just modify their diet in the general direction of lowering fat and salt than for someone cutting back severely due to health problems.

It's not, to be honest, the best cookbook I've got and it's certainly not the glossy coffee table sort that are gorgeous to look at and read even if you never cook anything from them, but it is a practical guide to low fat, low salt cooking.

Maryom's review - 3 stars
Publisher - Foulsham
Genre - Non-fiction, Cookery

Buy 7-day Low Fat, Low-salt Diet Plan from Amazon

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

I read this book for Nayu's Reading Corner and THOROUGHLY enjoyed it!

Mrs Ames by EF Benson

Desperate Housewives - 1912 style
review by Maryom

Mrs Ames is queen of her social circle until a new resident arrives and charms first her son and then her husband. Desperate measures are called for - but, when she turns from changing her appearance to trying to change society, will Mrs Ames' efforts to re-attract her husband actually end up sending him straight into the arms of her rival?
First published in 1912, this is a gentle comedy of small town life, its gossip and power struggles - falling somewhere between Cranford and Desperate Housewives.
An enjoyable, entertaining and timeless tale. The concerns and attitudes of the ladies of Riseborough differ surprisingly little from those of the ladies of Wisteria Lane - Mrs Evans flutters her eyelashes and charms the men with her helpless little woman act, Mrs Ames resorts to hair dye and wrinkle reducing creams in her efforts to fight back and the supporting characters of Mr and Mrs Altham provide a comic chorus to events.
Less acerbic wit and backbiting than in Mapp and Lucia, but still an excellent gentle comedy.

Maryom's review - 4 stars
Publisher - Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre - Chick lit, humour

More on Seren's Mabinogion Series

Following on from Maryom's review of White Ravens we have heard of this event. It should be a good evening for all Mabinogion fans.

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Mabinogion Series Launch - St Davids Hotel, Cardiff - Thursday October 28th, 7pm

An evening to launch Seren's Mabinogion Series Thursday October 28th, 7pm.

This is an unique opportunity to hear Owen Sheers, Russell Celyn Jones, Niall Griffiths and Gwyneth Lewis discussing their own take on the Mabinogion. In the prestigious settings of the St David's Hotel, the audience will have the opportunity for Q&A and the chance to get all four books signed by the authors.

Part of BayLit organised by Academi. Tickets £10 (Early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment)

Ticket Line 02920 472 266

Owen Sheers White Ravens

Russell Celyn Jones The Ninth Wave

Niall Griffiths The Dreams of Max and Ronnie

Gwynwth Lewis The Meat Tree

For more information on BayLit Shock of the New contact Academi: 02920 472 266 / post@academi.org

www.academi.org

White Ravens by Owen Sheers

Re-imagining Myth
review by Maryom

Owen Sheers brings a contemporary twist to the ancient Welsh tale of Branwen, daughter of Llyr with two different, but entwined, stories, one set in the present day, one during WW2.
Rhian and her two brothers live on a remote Welsh hill farm, the family's home for generations, but following an outbreak of foot and mouth the brothers decide to set up in a different line of business - one they feel is less effort and more lucrative.
Matthew O'Connell is sent on a secret wartime mission to bring 6 raven chicks from a remote Welsh farm to the Tower of London but is unwittingly bringing tragedy with him.

This book is part of a series from Seren Books - New Stories from the Mabinogion - though there's no need for any prior knowledge of Welsh myth to enjoy this story- it's gripping enough and perfectly capable of being read as a stand alone story.
I was drawn in by Sheers' storytelling skills, his ability to tell part of the tale from a woman's perspective, to give Rhian a voice and let her speak. White Ravens is very much a story set in the real, everyday world, not a magical, fantasy tale but, in the way of myth, the characters are drawn powerlessly along towards their inescapable fate. Although this is a story about men torn apart by violence and bloodshed, of men who release their torment and rage on the people and animals around them, it also offers the possibility of ending the vicious circle they find themselves caught in.


Warning - there is a certain level of violence against animals in this book that some readers may find distressing.

Maryom's review - 4.5 stars
Publisher - Seren Books
Genre - Adult Literary Fiction

Buy White Ravens (New Stories from the Mabinogion) from Amazon