Review: Life Among the Dead by Lisa Williams

Lisa Williams is a medium, psychic and clairvoyant and when I came across her TV show Life Among the Dead on Foxtel I was hooked. I was instantly drawn to her warm personality and watched every episode I could, as she met with people and passed on messages from loved ones who had passed away.

I was so excited when I learned she was touring Australia however her tour sold out before I could get tickets. The next time she toured the country I bought tickets straight away and went with a friend to see her show at Hamer Hall. Now, I'm a true believer in her gift and was touched by her ability to accurately communicate messages, names, places and other information that she couldn't otherwise have known.

When I learned Lisa had written a book, I just had to read it. This is an autobiography of sorts, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've read several books by mediums and others have contained explanations of their gift, views on the afterlife and examples of readings that have stayed with them or touched them in some way.

This book is essentially Lisa's life story from childhood to the astonishing success of her hit TV show in LA. It contains a lot of details of her social life that readers looking for the meaning of life will find dull and uninteresting. I didn't, and that's because I really like her and didn't mind reading about her personal life, her love life, her battle with cancer and her journey as a psychic.

Although I've got to say I struggled with how long it took for her to recognise her gift and start to have faith - pardon the pun - in her ability to help people and begin to develop her gift into a full-time occupation. She has now achieved this end and has changed many lives around the world with her abilities and her love and warm character.

Fans of the show will enjoy this book, it was a nice easy read.

My rating = ***

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Review: Out of the Shadows by Kay Hooper

Having read the first two in the Shadows series by Kay Hooper, Stealing Shadows and Hiding in the Shadows, I was really disappointed when I'd finished reading Out of the Shadows. This novel was nowhere near the same standard of writing as the first or second. Sheriff Miranda Knight is psychic and has escaped to a small town in America, where she has changed her name to escape her past.

Miranda's past is referred to throughout the book, however the complete story came far too late and after waiting so long to find out, it was almost an anti-climax.

The tension/romance between FBI Agent Bishop and Sheriff Miranda Knight annoyingly detracted from the plot in which young people were being murdered in the town. The snow storm was a cliche and I found myself rolling my eyes at the predictability of certain points.

I read about the hunt for the murderer with interest and the ending was satisfying, however in general this was an average read. I would enjoy reading about further cases featuring this team of FBI Agents made up of psychics and those with special abilities, so I'll leave myself open to reading further books by Kay Hooper in the future.

My rating = **

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Review: The Magician's Death by Paul Doherty

This is the fourteenth book in the medieval mystery series featuring Sir Hugh Corbett. As in every book in the series, Doherty weaves fact into his story, making it a convincing historical fiction.

This time Corbett and his retinue are called to Corfe Castle in England to discuss Roger Bacon's Book of Secrets. I enjoyed the premise of this story immensely, and found reference to the works of the controversial scholar quite intriguing. Roger Bacon imagined inventions such as the aeroplane and submarine and this book by Doherty has inspired me to investigate this further at some point in the future.

However, it's not long before murder reaches Corfe Castle and Corbett is almost assassinated by the killer. His investigative skills are put to the test again as young women from the Castle are found slain and two French scholars who are also gathered in an attempt to decipher the code in The Book of Secrets, seem to have had suffered fatal accidents.

I'm still enjoying these historical fiction mysteries set in 1300s England however this has been the longest series I've ever read from start to finish. I'll enjoy 'catching up' to the most current one so to speak and really enjoyed this one.

My rating = ***1/2

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Review: The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I don't know why, but up until now, I've never read any of the books written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the celebrated character Sherlock Holmes. When considering my reading goals for 2010, Sherlock Holmes didn't rate a mention and I guess it was only that someone else brought one into the house that I became interested at all (thanks Brett).

And so it was that I came to read The Sign of Four. I warmed to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson much quicker than I ever thought possible. This is probably a result of my ignorance and assumptions I'd made over the years as to the dynamic between them and just what type of character Holmes was. I didn't find Dr Watson to be dumb or dopey in any way, although he is readily portrayed as such in many circles. I didn't realise that Holmes was such a genius when it came to observing the detail in a fashion that even Simon Baker's character from The Mentalist tv show would be proud. Holmes was in no way stuffy or old-fashioned, and I was shocked to learn of this character's involvement with drugs that are now illegal.

I did find the romance between Dr Watson and the leading female character to be totally unrealistic for the modern reader, but who knows, perhaps it was completely believable at the time of publication.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the explanations of logic Holmes provides Watson and the setting in London in the 1880s is immediately appealing. In fact, it's hard to believe the author was writing these mystery novels more than 130 years ago, and I can now understand how the Sherlock Holmes series of books can endure all this time, and why they're a treasured classic!

If you haven't read any Sherlock Holmes, I encourage you to get onboard, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised!

My rating = ****

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Review: Relentless by Dean Koontz

I love when authors write about 'writers' in their novels and that's exactly what we find in Relentless.

The main character in this book is 'Cubby' who happens to be a writer, his wife is a children's book author and their six year old son is a prodigy. When Cubby (I found this nickname somewhat annoying throughout the book for what it's worth) receives a poor review of his latest work by Shearman Waxx, well known book critic, Cubby can't 'let it go'. He pursues Waxx to find out more about the reclusive critic, however soon wishes he had followed everybody's advice to 'let it go'.

Shearman Waxx turns out to be psychotic and begins hunting Cubby and his family and trying to kill them. Cubby does some investigative work while on the run, and learns that other authors who received poor reviews from Waxx have been killed or are in hiding.

The book moves along at a great pace, and for once the main character seems to think ahead and make all the right moves. It's frustrating in books when the characters make stupid decisions and you know it's going to result in their death and you feel like yelling out at them.

Cubby's son Milo is extraordinarily gifted and is working on a device that he cannot explain to his parents but which the reader knows will save them in the end. This is a little predictable and unbelievable at times but if you can 'go along with it' then it doesn't interfere with the pace of the book.

Koontz loves to write about dogs with special powers and children who are intelligent and mature beyond their years and Relentless is no exception. Familiar themes, a terrifying nemesis and much murder and mayhem means that I really enjoyed this book.

Recommended for any Dean Koontz fans or those who enjoy a thriller but who are willing to submit a little to some of the sub plots.

My rating = ***1/2

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New Year, New Decade

It's a new year and a new decade, and who knows what the future holds for any of us. One thing that will remain stable and that is my love for books and reading, and I'll continue to share my thoughts with you here.

Having said that, I have 3 book reviews to catch up on (whoops), so I'd better get typing.

That's my four bucks!

Review: Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson

When a book really takes off and becomes a huge bestseller, I tend to steer away from it, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's a desire not to read what everyone else is reading, not to conform and become 'one of the crowd' and follow the trend. Anyone can stick to reading novels from the top 10 bestseller list, but it doesn't take any effort and in my opinion is a lazy way to choose a book. I believe that books need to be 'discovered' and I love to find a book that isn't well known and tell everyone about it afterwards.

However, it must be said that the Millennium trilogy by author Stieg Larsson has drawn so much attention this year, and is being highly acclaimed amongst critics, that I had to bow to the pressure and dive in. And boy I'm glad I did.

In the first book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, we meet two of the main characters: Michael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist is a Swedish journalist, working for Millennium magazine (hence the name of the trilogy) and is hired to investigate the mystery surrounding the unsolved disappearance of an heiress, Harriet Vanger.

Lisbeth Salander is a genius hacker with a photographic memory, extremely poor social skills and a mysterious past who becomes involved in the investigation with Blomkvist. I was instantly drawn to the character of Salander, and for me, this is what made the book so intriguing and cutting edge.

Salander and Blomkvist continue on in the second book of the Millennium series, The Girl Who Played With Fire. This too was a riveting read, and I raced through it. This time Salander is in trouble and Blomkvist tries to help. I don't want to give any of the plot away, but it needs to be said that the crimes are nasty, and there is quite a lot of graphic description littered throughout the pages in both books that may be too much for some readers.

In my opinion, the detailed plot, complex characters and ability by Larsson to keep the readers on the edge the entire time is the secret to his success. Sadly Stieg Larsson died in 2004, and I must admit that knowing this in advance also added to the intrigue and my decision to pick up his first book.

I'm yet to read the third in the series The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest however I'm really looking forward to it.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - my rating = ****1/2

The Girl Who Played With Fire - my rating = ****1/2

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Review: The Ghosts of Sleath by James Herbert

I saw this book in a $5 bargain box at Borders and decided to buy it based on the fact that I already wanted to read Others also by James Herbert.

This is my first introduction to James Herbert, and I thought this was a very decent 'ghost book'. I was sucked in the moment I discovered it was about a psychic investigator who is sent to a quaint village called Sleath by request of the Vicar's daughter. David Ash discovers hauntings and bizarre incidents in the town and tries to get to the bottom of it all as the town and its inhabitants are endangered any further.

This was one of my 'work books' which I read on my lunch break and it was quite interesting/amusing to read about a cold haunted town for 30 mins a day whilst in the middle of summer. I'm sure I would have found it more scary had I read at home alone at night, however it was a very easy and enjoyable read.

There was an extremely graphic sex scene that caught me by complete and utter surprise, and Herbert's talent for graphic descriptions is evident throughout the novel. His explanation for the cause of the trouble in Sleath is interesting but wasn't completely surprising.

I enjoyed this and look forward to reading Others in the future.

My rating = ***

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Review: Corpse Candle - Paul Doherty

This time Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the King's Seal is sent by King Edward I to the abbey of St Martin's-in-the-Marsh to investigate the death of Abbot Stephen.

The death toll begins to escalate as the assassin murders other monks in the monastery and Hugh Corbett, Ranulf and Chanson investigate the killings whilst fending off threats to their own lives.

Doherty is able to create a creepy, cold and haunting atmosphere throughout the medieval mystery, with rumours of Sir Geoffrey Mandeville's ghost galloping through the fens and corpse candles glowing out in the marshes, which forewarn men of their own deaths.

Hugh Corbett arrives at the truth at the end, and all is revealed in the manner typical in this series. I enjoyed the character 'Brother Dunstan' the Treasurer for obvious reasons, and this was a good mystery. I'm slowly making my way to the end of the series, with this being the 13th in the series with 3 to go.

My rating = ***

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Review: Hiding in the Shadows by Kay Hooper

Hiding in the Shadows by Kay Hooper is the second in the Shadows Trilogy and I must say I enjoyed the first one better, Stealing Shadows, rated 4 stars on this blog in July 2008.

This novel doesn't feature the main character from the first book, and in fact could be read as a stand alone. In this book Faith Parker has a car accident and has finally awoken from her coma without any memory of the crash, or her life before the accident.

Meanwhile, journalist Dinah Leighton has gone missing. Dinah regularly visited Faith in the hospital and made sure all her hospital bills and expenses were paid for, but Faith has no recollection of their friendship.

Not as chilling as the first in the series, this was nevertheless a good read.

My rating = ***

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Review: The Journey by Brandon Bays

The Journey is a non-fiction book about self-healing and awareness. The author healed herself of a basketball sized tumour in her stomach, and then went on to help thousands of people 'heal' themselves of physical and emotional damage, taking each of them on their own 'journey'.

I found each of the personal stories extremely inspiring and moving, and it reaffirmed my belief that unresolved emotions can manifest themselves in a physical illness or ailment in the body. It also reaffirmed my belief that in some cases we can heal ourselves without heavy drugs or surgery.

Brandon Bays now runs healing workshops and many practitioners all around the world are trained in her techniques. I'm not sure I've been inspired so much as to seek one out but if it came across my path, I might consider going along.

I recommend this book to anyone who is suffering from a physical illness or ailment in the body, looking to open their mind about the healing options available and the power of the mind and body.

My rating = ***1/2

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Review: Eifelheim by Michael Flynn

This book is best described as science fiction meets historical fiction and I absolutely loved it!

The book is set in two time periods, modern day and the late 1340's Germany. In the current day, Tom is a mathematical historian and has discovered an anomaly regarding settlement patterns in a particular area of Germany. According to his work, a town called Eifelheim was abandoned in the 14th Century and never re-settled which is extremely uncharacteristic. In fact, centuries later, the roads turned back on themselves and went out of their way to avoid the area.

Meanwhile, we are inserted into the daily lives of the inhabitants of Oberhochwald (as it was known back then) through the eyes of Pastor Dietrich. We learn quickly that this is the lead up to the abandonment of the town. Without ruining the story, there is a discovery of 'beings' living in the forest and the ever encroaching threat of the black plague.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from so many angles. I enjoyed unravelling the mystery with Tom and his partner Sharon, and following along as the drama unfolded at Oberhochwald.

I enjoyed pondering the different responses by the towns people to the events occurring and how different the behaviours, beliefs and values were in that time period in Europe. It was also fascinating comparing the technology of the beings to those of the time period, and also to what we know today.

The book had a satisfactory and solid conclusion, and I was still thinking about it days after finishing it, which is the mark of any great novel.

Highly recommended!

My rating = ****1/2

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Review: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

The Little Stranger was written by UK based author Sarah Waters and is hailed as a ghost story set against the backdrop of the fall of the British class system following WWII. The story begins when Dr Faraday is called out to Hundreds Hall to tend to an ill servant who has just started working at Hundreds Hall. The Doctor begins to develop a relationship with the family, and strange things begin to happen from there.

The book takes a while to 'lift off' however I enjoyed the pace and the narrative kept me engrossed from the beginning. The portrayal of Hundreds Hall was enchanting, and I longed to walk through it's gardens and decaying rooms myself. In fact, I think I enjoyed this aspect of the novel the most. I wanted to explore the empty locked rooms, whisper down the speaking tube and ring the servants bells.

I couldn't help but find the lead female character a little annoying, as well as Dr Faraday, however this didn't distract me from enjoying the book as a whole.

I don't believe this novel works strongly as a 'ghost story', however the mystery certainly kept me quickly turning the pages in suspense. I was working up towards a climax and hoping for a Koontz or King moment towards the end, but was unfortunately let down. The end of the book is a little controversial and for those that enjoy an ambiguous ending, you'll love this book. It's fair to say I rarely enjoy an ambiguous ending to a novel or movie, and when I finished reading the book I instantly started scanning the internet for different opinions on the ending.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy the 'softer' side of a ghost story or a novel with a paranormal sub-plot, and those who enjoy a thought provoking and ambiguous conclusion.

My rating = ***1/2

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Review: The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell

This is another in the Kay Scarpetta series and again I enjoyed the forensic style 'whodunnit' by Patricia Cornwell. I thought the title a little too much given how small a role the farm actually played in the plot. In fact I would have liked to pursue this further in the novel, however the reader was given just a glimpse into the scientific nature of the body farm.

This book can be read as a stand-alone, however there are references made to previous cases Scarpetta and Marino have worked in the past.

After reading the first 5 books in this series in the last 8 months, I'm growing a little weary of the predictability of the main characters and the similarity in the plot outline in each novel. I think I'll give the series a rest for now, besides there are plenty of other books out there waiting to be read.

My rating = **1/2

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Review: Satan's Fire by Paul Doherty

I've been trying for more than 6 months to buy a copy of this book, but I couldn't order it as it's out of print! I made the difficult decision to keep on reading the series, and skip this one until I could track down a copy - argh, but I hate when things aren't 'in order' so I've been desperate to get this book!! I finally found a second hand copy for sale on eBay, and snatched it up straight away and have just finished reading it.

I enjoyed it, but the relief at having read it and now restoring 'order' to the series was also, sadly, more important to me than it should have been (sigh).

Okay, all that aside, what's it about? It's another of the medieval mysteries featuring the King's Keeper of the Secret Seal, Sir Hugh Corbett. This time murders are being committed during a visit to York by members of the Order of the Temple. Corbett is asked by King Edward to investigate these murders at the hand of a mysterious fire that seems to erupt from hell.

Another enjoyable read, and the end of a book saga that has bothered me for some time.

My rating = ***

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Review: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

This is a non-fiction 'self help' book that has sold millions of copies around the world. It has also been featured on the Oprah show, no doubt increasing its popularity.

It was written by the author of The Power of Now Eckhart Tolle, and is essentially a book about 'awakening to your life's purpose'. The book shows you how to 'awaken' by recognising your ego. 

Many of the key themes were insightful, with quotes from many religions and wise men of different ages. 

I enjoyed these references and there are a few key ideas I took away with me, after reading this book.

My rating = ***1/2

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Review: Tomorrow, When The War Began by John Marsden

Written by Australian author John Marsden, Tomorrow, When The War Began was published in 1993 and was the first in what was to become the Tomorrow series. The series became very popular, however at the time I was trying to plow through books like Moby Dick at University and I guess it passed me by. I'd always promised myself I'd go back and read it and I finally have.

The book is based on events in a small country town and involves a group of teenagers and their response to an invasion from a foreign land. I admired the ingenuity of the characters and the manner in which they react to the situation and the danger. They're forced to grow up very quickly and I admired their quick thinking and bravery.

This was an enjoyable read, and quite an imaginable scenario. I also chuckled along at the small town references throughout the book, and I can imagine this novel would have been very popular amongst readers growing up in rural areas in Australia.

I don't think I'll read the rest of the series, although I do want to find out how it ends, however it's the age old 'too many books, too little time' scenario, and sometimes you have to make a decision not to continue so you can move onto other books.

At least I now know what the fuss was all about, and after reading it, I now admire the creativity and imagination of John Marsden even more. What a terrific Australian author!

My rating = ***

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Review: A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice

This book came to my attention because it was written by the son of one of my favourite authors, Anne Rice. Based in New Orleans, A Density of Souls is about four young friends whose relationships change dramatically when they enter High School. I found the depth of the relationships absolutely fascinating and the insights by each of the characters to be beyond their years, but altogether convincing.

I enjoyed re-reading certain sections throughout the book in order to savour the language and the writing. There were also particular sections I needed to pause and reflect on, as they were deeply moving and poignant.

I couldn't help but compare Christopher's writing to that of Anne Rice, and I was surprised to draw the conclusion that this book is better than some of her novels. I wonder if they share a happy rivalry.

This book isn't for everyone. Some of the themes are quite heavy going and include violence and sexual themes. The review on the book cover claims this book is a "shocking, sexy tale. An intricate novel about four childhood pals whose friendships deteriorate into a nightmare of violence and chaos" and I can't help but agree.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Christopher Rice, although I don't think I would have the courage to recommend it to anyone.

My rating = ****1/2

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Review: The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas

After watching The Lord of the Rings series in a massive movie marathon, I was inspired to introduce some fantasy books to my repertoire. The Adamantine Palace is a story of dragons and humans living together in a different world consisting of many Queens and Kings of the different realms.

After a somewhat slow start, the book took an exciting turn when one of the dragons starts communicating with the humans. The story really picks up here, and I thoroughly enjoyed the drama, conflict and the secondary plot featuring court plotting, lust and deception. I also enjoyed the description of the diamond palace, and found myself imagining how this could be depicted on the big screen.

I couldn't help but side with the plight of the dragons, led by the pure white dragon 'Snow' and would be interested in reading a sequel.

Great read!

My rating = ***

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Review: The Treason of the Ghosts by Paul Doherty

This is the eleventh book in Doherty's series featuring the medieval sleuth Hugh Corbett.

Whilst I enjoyed this mystery set in the small town of Melford, it lacked the political intrigue of the court that I've enjoyed in previous novels.

It also included too much reflection on the details of the murders by Hugh Corbett that has the potential to become tedious in parts. As I draw nearer to the end of this series though, I can't imagine not reading through to the end. There are 5 more in the series to go, so look out for the next instalment! I do hope it's better than this one.

My rating = **

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