FALL FROM GRACE | Book Review (NO SPOILERS)

Title: Fall From Grace (David Raker #5)

Author: Tim Weaver

Originally Published: 2014

Page Count: 578 pages

Genre: Crime  

Published by: Penguin Books

Date Read: December 3rd - 19th 2015

After reading Never Coming Back in the summer of 2014 I became instantly hooked to Tim Weaver's missing persons investigator, David Raker. I proceeded to read the previous three books (Never Coming Back being the fourth in the series) and have since reviewed some of Raker's ventures (see here). However, for some reason it has taken me eight months to pick up this book after finishing Vanished (the third in the series, and potentially my favourite). But after coming to my senses, trying desperately to remember what happened in Never Coming Back, I fell back into place with Weaver's writing.

THE DEAD TRACKS | Book Review (NO SPOILERS)

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Title: The Dead Tracks (David Raker #2)
Author: Tim Weaver
Originally Published: 2011
Page Count: 550 pages
Genre: Crime
Published by: Penguin

Date Read: January 6th - 18th 2015

The second book with Weaver's antihero, David Raker, sees him back on form as he investigates the disappearance of 17-year-old Megan Carver. The plot deepens and the mystery intensifies as the disappearance seems to be bringing back cases from over 100 years ago.

This is my fourth Tim Weaver story, and I have to say this is up there with his better ones. The introduction to Raker with Chasing the Dead was a bit shaky, whilst this one certainly picks up and chips away at his character even more. Raker's backstory, whilst not as fleshed out or as interesting as say Rowling's Cormoran Strike, the backstory is steadily improving.

NEVER COMING BACK by Tim Weaver (SPOILER FREE)

Title: Never Coming Back (David Raker #4)

Author: Tim Weaver

Genre: Crime / Thriller
Originally Published: 2013

Page Count: 533 pages

Published by: Penguin

Date Read: 21st July - 30th July 2014

Never Coming Back is the fourth instalment of Tim Weaver's thrillers that use missing persons investigator, David Raker, as the protagonist. In this, my first, and Raker's fourth outing, we see Raker return to his family home in the south of England, recovering after the events of (what I assume was) the third book, 'Vanished'. Whilst there a body washes upon the shore, while at the same time an old flame visits him and asks him to investigate the disappearance of her sister, Carrie, and her family. 

This the basic gist of what sparks the rest of the novel. There are a series of flashbacks from Raker's past but mainly from other people as well, which I assume is just to keep the reader interested and so we're not just following Raker trying to piece things together whilst pissing everyone off in the process. The novel was confusing to start with, we start with Raker in 2007, and then we're in the shoes of former-Cop, Healy. It was confusing switching back and forth between the pair, who were both as annoying as one another. 

By the end of part one, we're essentially following just Raker with the occasional flashback to other characters in Las Vegas. The characters in the novel range from the stereotypical mob-boss with bird-like mannerisms (he reminded me a bit of Norman Bates, or Billy Drago in The Untouchables), to the equally stereotypical villagers, where Raker lives. The whole novel seems to focus on the enigma of one of these 'gangster-type' men, Cornell, whose stern seemingly follows everyone. 

I must admit this took a slightly different path from what I expected, I thought it was going to match that of Linwood Barclay's No Time For Goodbye, but it didn't. It became some political crime novel, which I really enjoyed.

The characters were frustrating, all the male characters are arsey with one another and can't seem to listen to each other. The dynamic between Healy and Raker was annoying, and as a first time reader with this series, I question Healy's relevance to the novel. I put in my review on goodreads: 

 "Read this if you like characters who are so arsey with other people it's a wonder people bother with them, several incredulous plot twists, and very descriptive writing."

The writing was clumsy at times with its phrasing, but what novel isn't nowadays? It was annoying that the most redundant things were being described to us. 

The strength of the novel comes with its mystery, it wasn't exactly original but it held my attention and kept me coming back for more. I just wish it strayed from the stereotypes, and had tried to keep its 'plot twists' down. I can't quite count how many chapter endings I could hear the 'Eastenders' credits sequence in my head. Despite this, the mystery was engaging, the writing was brilliant, and whilst I couldn't really care for Raker, I'll be checking out some more of his adventures soon. 4 stars.

WONDER | Book Review

Title: Wonder
Author: R.J. Palacio
Genre:YA / Middle-Grade 
Published by: Random House
Originally Published: 2012
Page Count: 310

"WONDER is the funny, sweet and incredibly moving story of Auggie Pullman. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, this shy, bright ten-year-old has been home-schooled by his parents for his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the stares and cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, Auggie is being sent to a real school - and he's dreading it. The thing is, Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, underneath it all?" (taken from goodreads)

I picked this book up at my local library due to recommendation of a friend and the ever-growing booktube community that have garnered much praise around it. I started hesitantly but grew to become fairly fond of this book.

The characters in this book are incredibly well-thought out, it's nice to read a perspective from someone younger than who I normally read about. But the book does not just have August's perspective, but many people who interact with him throughout his first year at middle school. His sister Via probably has the most thought-provoking narrative and perspective, she offers another view to August's story, one that is in itself rather sad at first, but also rather wonderful. It was a great idea on the author's part to divide perspectives to gain a real sense of the world 'Auggie' is living in. I wish we had a perspective perhaps from one of those people who had taunted August, but this was not to be. 

The writing of this book is very simple, but that is to be expected, in part due to its younger characters, but also its audience. I would probably recommend this for a younger audience, those in middle school themselves, not necessarily for me. But that does not mean I did not appreciate this book. 

I won't say too much because not only has a lot been said already by many reviewers alike, but this book is such an easy read that I think you should make up your own mind as always. 

Definitely worth a read; it has its touching moments and heart in abundance. ★★★★☆.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. (NO SPOILERS)

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Genre: YA / Romance 
Published by: Penguin books
Originally Published: 2012
Page Count: 318


I've only recently got around to reading one of the most-talked about and anticipated book from 2012, and wow am I glad I did actually buy and read it.

The book is written in first person, from the perspective of Hazel Grace Lancaster, a sixteen-year-old girl suffering from Thyroid cancer, as a result a tank of oxygen is constantly trailing by her side. Hazel's life almost certainly changes instantly when she meets Augustus Waters, a seventeen-year-old plot twist in remission after losing his leg to osteosarcoma. It is a cancer support group where they meet and it is from there that this story develops into a breathtaking adventure about love and the meaning of life.

First of all I completely avoided this book after reading Paper Towns by John Green as I thought this book would almost be the same; annoying, a let down and incredibly pretentious. Now this book doesn't shy away from its dabble in pretentiousness, but you have to allow John Green to do this, as it adds to the likability and allure of his two main characters.

I had very little idea of the plot when going into this, in fact I thought it was going to be the same basic idea of a film I'd recently watched, Now Is Good, which starred a 'British' Dakota Fanning, and the gorgeous Jeremy Irvine. However, this book had so much more substance than the film I had watched. The film I had watched was very much counting down to the day the protagonist died, this book however may have had cancer at its core, it is the agent that pulls Hazel and Augustus together, but it doesn't necessarily drive the novel all the time.

The two main characters is where my love for this book initially came. Hazel and Augustus have this almost witty way of speaking and they're incredibly clever and well-spoken. In Paper Towns you could argue 'Q' is the same, but frankly he's boringly irate compared to these two. It may be said that this is not typical teenage behaviour or speech, but these two protagonists are not typical teenagers. Hazel has this view on life that is so refreshing and raw, she's not afraid to say what she thinks about those who treat her differently because of her cancer, she's not afraid to be blunt or hide away due to cancer. You end up respecting Hazel, she's just a teenager who happens to have cancer, and is terrified she's a grenade. A word she uses to describe herself, she feels if certain people form attachments to her its a matter of time until the grenade explodes and they are all left inconsolable and heartbroken. It's heartbreaking when you hear Hazel describe herself like this, as as a reader you want nothing more than for her to be happy and safe.
Augustus or 'Gus' is another wonderful character, he's witty, charming and in my head, he's incredibly attractive. He's not afraid to joke about what may be seen as sensitive issues, he finds humour in everything and he'll be damned if anything stops him from doing what he wishes. He's romantic and charming and you can see why he's so appealing to Hazel.

The plot follows the two as they get to know each other, we meet their mutual friend Isaac, who sadly is about to lose his eyesight due to his condition. Isaac is another heartwarming and funny character you can't help loving and feeling sorry for.

There's a quote on the edition that I own by Jodi Picoult that describes this book perfectly:

"Electric... filled with staccato bursts of humour and tragedy."

If a book can make me feel emotions and make me long for these characters then to me, it's a pretty good book. This book plunged me deeper into my emotions than I cared to think a book could take me.
I found myself laughing out loud several times, and I found myself crying at 1am over this book, actually not being able to breathe properly because my heart was breaking. Even in moments of sheer heartache this book still manages to make you laugh and immediately whimper after it.

Closing this book was like leaving friends behind. It was a journey that struck a note with me. It's filled with so many wonderful quotes that you can take with you on your way, my favourite being something that I associate with this book:

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." 

I don't want to be cheesy but this quote resonates so much with me for this book, you come accustomed to the wonderful writing and the magnificent characters John Green has created and you feel yourself being succumbed to the book's charm. And then you suddenly realise when you close this book that its nothing like anything else. It is perfect:  ★★★★★