Friday Reads | 10th January 2014

So the last Friday reads post that I wrote up was a complete fail. I remain on page 300 of 'The Lost Hero' by Rick Riordan due to my attention wavering and action lacking. 

However, I haven't been that bad this week, having read 'Sharp Objects' by Gillian Flynn and 'Giovanni's Room' by James Baldwin - both excellent novels!

But this Friday I shall be reading: 

'Never Coming Back' (David Raker #4) by Tim Weaver is the fourth in a series of crime novels, following David Raker who deals with finding missing people and bringing them back into the light.

I haven't actually read any of the other novels in the series but I'm hoping that I can find my place easily with it. So far it hints at a past to the characters, one I'm not sure was explored in the earlier books but I'm guessing it was so. I'm keeping up, though.

This novel follows Raker after a woman called Emily Kane comes to him after the disappearance of her sister and her family. It becomes evident that there's something more sinister at play here, and it's up to Raker to find out what. 

It has an interesting premise, i'm on page 46 at the moment and so far it's had a great start. Hopefully I'll stick to this read. 

Thanks for reading and i'll talk soon, 

Robert.

SHARP OBJECTS | Book Review

Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Crime / Thriller 
Published by: Phoenix
Originally Published: 2006
Page Count: 321

If you've read my blog or watched my youtube, it's definitely clear that my love for Gillian Flynn's books is a strong one. She writes in such a gritty and macabre fashion that you can't help turning the page till you reach the intense finale the novel has to offer. 

This novel follows Camille Preaker, who after escaping her sad childhood has moved to Chicago to write as a reporter. Whilst there, her boss informs her of a shocking story that has tongues wagging in Camille's hometown; the death of a child who was found strangled and with her teeth pulled out. Now another child is missing, and Camille returns home to uncover the truth and astound her readers. 

The novel works from this basic premise, we've seen it before, I'm sure. Yet something feels entirely different. Camille hints at a darker past; her sister died when she was young and the novel's title 'Sharp Objects' takes on a meaning that becomes incredibly compelling and interesting. 

Flynn's writing style is one to be desired as always, she shocks the reader but it doesn't always feel like she's writing it for that purpose; it's to gain a sense of character. I've said it before and I'll say it again, she definitely understands her characters. From the protagonist, who is oddly likeable in comparison to Flynn's other protagonists, to the over-sensitive mother, right down to the brother of the murdered child. Everyone has a certain psyche that as a reader you want to explore. 

The plot itself is astounding. There's some tried and tested plot points like the sexy cop, the bitchy popular girl, and the whole idea of a woman returning to her hometown to uncover secrets of her past is incredibly generic. Yet, it all accumulates to present an intense finale.

The mystery itself is by no means unsolvable, but that's not the point. The point is the story, the arc of the characters. The psychology of the murderer, of Camille, of the whole bitch-infested town. Yes, every woman in the town seems like they know everyone else's business and try to exploit it in such a way. Some may say a tired cliché, but it's one that definitely adds to the novel, and once you reach the conclusion to Flynn's debut novel everything becomes clear and sickening.

The novel is, to use a cliché for thrillers, gripping. The final few chapters were very tense, something that after reading Flynn's later novels is something she's established very well as an author. I don't think this is Flynn's best work. Dark Places and Gone Girl show an author developing her ideas and putting lessons into practice. Sharp Objects is not the best novel I've read, but the themes and sickening characters make you want to return to Flynn for more. Sadly, I've read all Flynn's published thrillers and I have to wait for more books to be published or for the Hollywood adaptations that are coming away in the next year. GONE GIRL HAS A DATE IN OCTOBER! 

Overall, an astounding debut novel for Flynn with the final Epilogue being the best ending to a Flynn thriller I've read yet. It was emotional and poignant, and has overall made me very unnerved. Fantastic!  - ★★★★★ - 

Friday Reads | 3rd January 2014

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's 2014, which means it's time to make resolutions we won't keep, grow another year older, and start panicking about how fast the previous year went. Seriously, I say this every year, but where did the year go?!

Anyway, one of my 'resolutions' a.k.a. 'things I'm going to do for maybe, a month?' is to post on my blog a lot more. I'm sure those who know me / read my blog know that posts are irregular and I'll be lucky to remember such a thing exists. HOWEVER (yeah, capitals, bolded and underlined - I'm attempting some seriousness here, guys), I intend to actually stick to this and if I don't well then, more fool me for being a complete waste of space.

So, I decided to start the year with a classic 'Friday Reads', something I rarely do but now intend to post every week or so on my blog, just so I've got something to definitely post on my blog. And with Friday Reads should come a review on at least one of those books read... hopefully, definitely.

This weekend I'm attempting to finish:

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (Heroes of Olympus #1)

I've become one of the Percy Jacksons and the Olympians series' number one fans after reading them last year, they're a great set of adventure stories that are more aimed at the middle-grade audience (9-12), but I can't help but read them or else I would feel like those middle-graders would have gained something I'd missed out on, and we can't have that happening. I need me some children's fiction, even if it does prompt strange looks on the bus to campus.
I'm currently (as of 9.27pm) on page 208 of 551, so I do have a bit to go but so far, so good. The series follows predominately new characters/heroes than its predecessor but that shakes the world up a bit, makes it a little more interesting as the opening was a fast-paced, fantastic one. Excited to finish this.

I'm not going to add anything more. I have a busy-ish weekend and this will probably be the only book I read, but, not bad, that'll make 2 books read within the first week of 2014, which means I'm on track to read a total of 52 books for the year (that's a book a week, but you worked that out already).

OK, I'm off to read and watch The Great British Bake Off.

Have a great weekend & Happy Reading,

Rob.