Author: Sharon

Writer of Dark and Light Fiction. Fact, fiction, poetry, short stories, articles and novels. Cross-genre, slipstream, non-traditional romance, gothic, horror, fantasy and more... Visit this diverse writer's site.

Feb/Mar Reads 2023

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READING:
A double helping as I didn’t blog my February reads. Haven’t set all goals this year and doubt I’ll do as well as 2022 when I read 80.

February
Mr Murder, Dean Koontz
It’s often easy to forget how many accurate social statements Koontz puts into his novels, but he certainly filled Mr Murder with them. An action packed novel, with a solid plot making for an excellent supernatural thriller. I found the most absorbing sections to be those with the family. Second with the assassin, and thirdly with those following, but this could be because it is a re-read for me and I remember much of the book because of the doppelgänger element of the story. It’s also surprising how dated some books feel because of the advancement of technology; however, as in most Dean Koontz early novels, this doesn’t subtract from the enjoyment.

Wild Ride, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
If you’ve read Jennifer Crusie, or a Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer collaboration before, this book is unlike anything they’ve written. There’s a theme park, demons, demon minions, and magic. Plenty to have you engrossed, but if you’re expecting the usual romance, although the book has some romantic elements, this really isn’t romance. It’s a lighthearted but well plotted book that’s a little of fantasy, a little horror, and a little of romance. I’m still not sure if the book is lacking something, but if I asked to imagine what it is, I would say there are so many characters, you don’t get to know all of them deeply. However, that does not spoil the fun of the ride. As for the romances, you won’t learn much about why these people fall in love. In one particular instance, I found this a little disappointing. Still, I’m glad I read this.

Who Whacked Roger Rabbit? Gary K Wolf
Another good book in the Roger Rabbit series. The author must have incredible fun playing with famous people and making them part of his novels. Here, it’s Gary Cooper. The author may also try to get a world record by inventing the most number of toon puns. He certainly excels himself in this book. Jessica makes her usual appearance, this time the most saucy so far.

March
Inkheart, Cornelia Funke
I can’t help thinking fans of Narnia would love this series. A story within a story it speaks to those who love books and want to step inside them, though in some ways it’s a cautionary tale of being careful what you wish for. The cast of characters is wonderful and oddly I’m taken with the love and hate relationship towards Dustfinger. He’s not a bad guy, but like people in real life is also far from perfect. I especially love the quotations from other books at the start of each chapter because they are so well thought out and selected. The threat is there, but if I was to point out any negative, it’s that designed as a book for children the bad guys are mellowed down somewhat, so for any adults reading this it comes across as a little diluted; I’m truly sorry I never discovered these as a child, though at the time I was reading books such as Treasure Island, and Oliver Twist, so could still deal with much more menace than this book offers. Ultimately, it’s a very enjoyable story, and the author has created an incredible world.

Maybe This Time, Jennifer Crusie
Not the usual book I’m used to from this author. It’s less a romance than a ghost story, with a romance incorporated. The romance doesn’t even really kickoff until halfway, and I found myself more interested in the ghosts. Still, this was an entertaining, pleasant read. I enjoyed it, liked the characters, and I’m happy to have spent time with it, although it wasn’t as much fun as some of her earlier books.

Winter Moon, Dean Koontz
Oddly, I had completely forgotten about this book. The premise didn’t ring a bell, and neither did I recollect anything when I began re-reading. I find this surprising, as it’s quite a good story. More purely science-fiction than much of Dean Koontz’s work, which I think of as supernatural and paranormal thrillers. Perhaps I had forgotten it, because while the first half of the book contains tension, it flows around two separate men with seemingly no connection. One dealing with the adversity of being a cop injured in the line of duty, and the other dealing with a no lesser threat but undeniably strange. It’s in the second half of the book that the tension escalates, ending at a fast pace towards the end. If I have any negatives to add, it’s that although the story is over, the conclusion feels a little rushed after so much tension, which left me feeling a little dropped. I’m also not entirely certain the final decision the family makes felt entirely satisfying to me — I felt that had to be a better compromise. Still, these are small niggles, and I thoroughly recommend this book. Perhaps one to enjoy as a modern twist on the Lovecraft universe.

Through the Woods, Emily Carroll
Certainly strange enough. Of the five stories in this graphic novel, Our Neighbor’s House lingers, as does A Lady’s Hands Are Cold, though mostly because of the rhyme. His Face All Red, and Janna felt a little disjointed. The Nesting Place has no actual surprises, but made me chuckle. The intro and end are fun, but nothing more. I love the style and atmosphere created, but only liked rather than loved.

Everything on a Waffle, Polly Horvath
Although this is a book for children, there’s a lot here for adults. Namely, the adult personalities seen through the eyes of a child. With her parents missing at sea presumed dead, it’s interesting to watch how the other adults react to Primrose’s plight and her insistence that they will return. It’s a decent read for the younger readers, and though I wouldn’t call it a must-have for a child’s library, it would be an interesting one to include. Contains some very peculiar recipes.

Thirteen Storeys, Jonathan Sims (audio)
An interesting cast of characters, each with their own story of being haunted while living in the strange building owned by Tobias Fell. A little wandering at times, though this may be because I was listening to the audio rather than reading the book, but the varied cast portraying the various occupants well read the audio. Of course, the stories come together in the climactic ending, one which wasn’t all together surprising but not entirely predictable. It’s one I might like to read on the page as well. A good one for the library of anyone who likes ghost stories.

The Book of M, Peng Shepherd
I’m ambiguous about this book. When I first began reading this, I thought this was going to be absorbing, and it is… in parts. Unfortunately, as the strangeness progresses, the author initially lost me quite early on (about 140 pages in) when something so bizarre happens, it truly makes no sense until much later. There are moments that are gripping, but moments I happily sped over. Some of the book feels overly long, or overly descriptive. I became invested with the characters, but maybe not as much with some as I should have. Parts of it are incredibly sad — made me think of what it must be like to live with someone who has Alzheimer’s, or to suffer from it — and the story has a shock or two. This is definitely one where you have to park your disbelief at the door. This is a tough book to review — on the one hand, it’s incredible. It’s certainly imaginative, certainly unique in a way that makes me want to applaud the author. Yet some will think it bizarre and it’s one I’m happy to put into the charity pile or to pass on to my local library. I think this story could’ve been told more concisely, and with more emotion to make it a keeper, but despite this, it’s an amazing concept.

Update Feb/Mar 2023

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AT HOME:
No update last month as not much to report, so a longer Reading section to cover two months next week. In the last weeks, the husband finished setting up the wall cabinets with ‘slight’ help from me, and I cheered to type a few sentences, albeit at an awkward and tiring angle, and to wash up and cut vegetables. Small conquests. I’ve improved some, but have booked some physiotherapy. Ironically, it’ll be cheaper for me to pay locally than to get cabs to and from the hospital if I could put up a strong enough fight to get an appointment. Remember, I’ve been told the wrist has healed however it’s healed and to go home and use it. I’ll keep exercising until I’m seen, but I think I could do with some help now, or at least advice. I’ve had my first story acceptance in a long time, which was pleasing as so much has been/is on hold. More on that at the end.

FILM/TV:
We’re ploughing our way through Bones as we never saw them when our Sky Box melted years ago. Sky insisted we still had a box and would do nothing, so we dropped them. Have to say we’re enjoying the show much more this time without the interruption of adverts.

We’re also working through Hotel Del Luna, a South Korean series blending horror, comedy, romance, and fantasy thanks to the supernatural setting of a hotel which acts as a kind of limbo for those spirits not ready to pass on to the afterlife. Loving it, and especially like the look of the show, but the episodes are long and need attention owing to the subtitles, so it’s taking some time.

Also watching Beyond Paradise on BBC iPlayer, though it’s strange to see Looe in Cornwall as the fictional village of Shipton Abbot in Devon. Amazed there wasn’t a riot as the Cornwall/Devon divide is real.

WRITING:
If you only had hours to live, would you want to know exactly how long you had left? Night to Dawn Magazine will publish a short zombie story of mine entitled Brain Dead. More news when I have it.
Stay happy and healthy!
Sharon x

Reads Feb 2023

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Mr Murder, Dean Koontz

It’s often easy to forget how many accurate social statements Koontz puts into his novels, but he certainly filled Mr Murder with them. An action packed novel, with a solid plot making for an excellent supernatural thriller. I found the most absorbing sections to be those with the family. Second with the assassin, and thirdly with those following, but this could be because it is a re-read for me and I remember much of the book because of the doppelgänger element of the story. It’s also surprising how dated some books feel because of the advancement of technology; however, as in most Dean Koontz early novels, this doesn’t subtract from the enjoyment.

Wild Ride, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

If you’ve read Jennifer Crusie, or a Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer collaboration before, this book is unlike anything they’ve written. There’s a theme park, demons, demon minions, and magic. Plenty to have you engrossed, but if you’re expecting the usual romance, although the book has some romantic elements, this really isn’t romance. It’s a lighthearted but well plotted book that’s a little of fantasy, a little horror, and a little of romance. I’m still not sure if the book is lacking something, but if I asked to imagine what it is, I would say there are so many characters, you don’t get to know all of them deeply. However, that does not spoil the fun of the ride. As for the romances, you won’t learn much about why these people fall in love. In one particular instance, I found this a little disappointing. Still, I’m glad I read this.

Who Whacked Roger Rabbit? Gary K Wolf

Another good book in the Roger Rabbit series. The author must have incredible fun playing with famous people and making them part of his novels. Here, it’s Gary Cooper. The author may also try to get a world record by inventing the most number of toon puns. He certainly excels himself in this book. Jessica makes her usual appearance, this time the most saucy so far.

Reads of January 2023

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Life Signs (Firefly), James Lovegrove
Not my favourite of the Firefly books. Being rather action based, the story seems to lack some of the nuance of the crew’s banter. Still, an interesting premise and an enjoyable book, though I had to wonder if some of the crew would’ve acted differently, especially Jayne. I find it hard to believe Jayne would’ve agreed so easily to go down to the planet without some promise of recompense. I don’t know why the story felt slightly soulless; perhaps it’s because the crew are at odds in this story somewhat more than any others, or so at least it seemed to me. I found it harder to hear their voices, though I’m still happy to add this to my Firefly library.

Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
Another fun collaboration from these two with a plot that barely pauses combining romance, comedy, mystery and thriller. Possibly the wedding from hell for most, but hilarious for anyone only attending. There’s also plenty of non-graphic murder and mayhem. Took me a while to read owing to an injury, not a lack of interest. I couldn’t help picturing the hitman as a Seeley Booth type (from Bones).

Penpal, Dathan Auerbach
I’m not sure how to feel about this book. Perhaps it could’ve been written a little better, though there’s nothing exactly wrong with it. I think some of the problem is the way it jumps in the timeline, with much of the book told as memories. This makes it a first person point of view, filled with comments such as I recalled and I remember, so it’s largely telling rather than showing. For a horror or thriller lover, there are some decidedly creepy moments that build a disturbing question as to the identity of the strange penpal. This might make a rather enjoyable film and I enjoyed the read; however, the major menace seemed somehow secondary, playing along the periphery but never stepping into the light, though maybe the fact that not everything has the right answers is part of what makes the book disturbing. The story keeps you guessing, and the ending is heartbreaking. But something felt a little off. Perhaps because the children seemed older than their years no matter what their ages. It’s a decent book, that with the right editor could be excellent; I liked it but just don’t feel it quite lives up to the hype.

Dogs and Goddesses, Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, Lana Diane Rich
A solid plot, amusing characters, lots of fun, and don’t forget the talking dogs. If you don’t mind a plot driven romance with characters that aren’t all that deep, this makes for a fun read.

Reads of 2022

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Owing to unforeseen circumstances, namely having broken my wrist, I won’t be blogging much, and my publishing plans will change a little this year. For now I’ll leave you with my 2022 reading round-up. I set myself a goal of 75 books and, including audio, I managed 80. Noting some of my favourite books, here goes:

Cunning Folk, Adam L.G. Nevill
Having experienced bad neighbours, this book contained some personal horror for me, so much so, I found it hard to switch off after reading one section. Yes, this is supernatural horror, but the twin joys of moving in a money pit of a house next door to the worse neighbours one can imagine makes for a memorable folk horror. I must admit, the ‘folk next door’ presented a greater horror than what might be out in the woods for me. Maybe disturbing more than scary, but, though horror is a favourite genre for me, I’ve yet to find a truly scary book. I found a few of the descriptive sentences a little too much, perhaps excessively flowery, needing to read them twice, but I find Nevill’s style of work compelling, so even an occasional awkward sentence would never deter me. Opinions are just that, anyway, with no true right or wrong. I’m a reader who appreciates an author who takes me on an unexpected journey, and I also appreciate Nevill has an extensive vocabulary. The descent into madness (neighbours driving a person crazy), is spot-on and disturbingly delightful.

Thud, Terry Pratchett
A less humorous book than many other Discworld novels, but so intelligent. There’s a lot of subtexts here covering government, racism, human nature, among others, with all the stupidity that comes along with these failings. An education in erudition with Sam Vimes, the teacher of the decade. And most of all, a book where every reader will root for Sam to get home on time to read ‘Where’s my Cow?’

Hex, Thomas Olde Heuvelt
This book may well be unique in terms of a haunting. The setting is not a haunted house but an entire village, and the ‘ghost’ is that of a witch which has corporal form yet the ability to wander at will. Something of a slow burn in places it’s received a few mixed reviews, though fans who love not to be rushed and like Stephen King, might get on well with this. I hated every moment I had to put it down. Written in mostly omnipresent head-hopping viewpoints, the novel suffers from an overuse of cliches, but the story blows these minor issues aside. There’s so much subtext here, dealing with all we know about violence and fear, and of how humans don’t need true evil to misbehave. The revelation of evil is inspired, and the ending is a simply perfect conclusion, pulling all threads together. I’ve seen reviews from those who feel otherwise, but it comes down to what the reader wants from a horror story. I’ve yet to find such a book that truly scares me. Some have come close to disturbing me, but for me, that’s not quite the same thing. Hex does neither, but I loved this book, found it insidiously fascinating. This story will always be with me, as will my copy, and that’s what the best books have — an unforgettable quality. Would make an excellent film if done well.

Operation Wildcat and Other Stores, Edited by Tim Gambrell
Not sure I should review this as it contains one of my stories, so let me just say my favourite idea in the book is Honourable Discharge by Chris Lynch, though I also liked Old Fowlkes’ Home by Martin Parker as it’s an Anne Travers story.

The Mangle Street Murders, M.R.C.Kasasian
Best described as a black comedy, the novel deals with a series of grisly murders and a seemingly unsolvable crime, but the most criminal thing about the story is the unrepentant and awful personality of Grice — a detective far more cutting than Sherlock and darkly comic because of it. The type of blunt and terrible temperament, one cannot help but laugh at and cringe while doing so. I loved to loathe him, though loathe is too strong a word. The tale’s told through the viewpoint of his ward, March Middleton, and it is as much about her having to put up with Grice as her strength and determination that makes this book amusing. And like any good detective story, there’s a meandering puzzle that only the warped mind of Grice could easily work out. I’ll be reading more of these.

Crazy for You, Jennifer Crusie
Loved this immediately. Quinn’s fury over the dog is priceless, and understandable to pet owners everywhere. The author well worked the overlapping relationships in this story. Women everywhere will get the issue the women have, and men reading this might become enlightened. Nick and Quinn are excellent characters for a romance. One word of warning: this book could contain triggering issues for abuse victims, though dealt with well toward the end. A few viewpoints may also seem outdated, but then all books are of their time.

Who Censored Roger Rabbit, Gary Wolf
When a book makes you laugh in the first few sentences, it’s a good sign, but I know not everyone feels this way. I suppose it depends how attached to the Disney film you are. The book’s different, written in a more serious tone. I have to say I liked both versions. I found the noir detective feel and ‘heard’ an occasional sentence as spoken by Bob Hoskins. This book isn’t the film. Anyone expecting that is bound to feel disappointed. Roger’s in no way as zany, but I liked the character’s development and grew extremely attached to him, though in a completely different way from the film. I can’t say more without giving away the ending, but it even plucked at the old heartstrings. I own the other three books and will read them.

The Sleeper and the Spindle, Neil Gaiman
A short story of a re-imagined fairy tale from one of my favourite writers brought to life with the meticulously illustrated works of Chris Riddell. I know it’s aimed at children but had to have it as part of my Gaiman collection, and it’s a beautiful book to look at and handle. I would have loved this as a child and still do as an adult.

Bet Me, Jennifer Crusie
This fast-paced, hysterical romance has to be one of Crusie’s best books. I’ve always loved her banter, but here almost every line is perfect and funny. A story about a commitment phobe, a woman who has viewed herself through her mother’s eyes for too many years, and a shabby cat that loves Elvis Presley’s music. This might be classed as a big beautiful woman book, though truly Min is a perfectly normal woman. After reading this, many women will want their own ‘donut pusher’. This doesn’t beat my favourite book of hers, but it’s close, winning on the laughs alone.

The Vessel, Adam L.G.Nevill
All the way through this book, I kept thinking this book should be a film, which makes perfect sense once I got to the end and read the author’s notes. The old woman struck me as the harbinger of evil, and there didn’t have to be anything supernatural about her to make me shudder. But this is horror, so nothing is straightforward. Present tense omnipresent isn’t really a style I love, but for this book, it’s perfect. We see the action from a wide camera lens, which does a good job rocketing up tension. I wasn’t terrified, but found this satisfying creepy with a conclusion I adored. A short but entertaining read that’s a perfect example of dark fiction, which I feel has a broader connotation than horror.

A Short Stay in Hell, Steven L.Peck
How does one even describe this novella of only 100 pages? At first I found it somewhat tedious, but that only seems right considering the events in the story. Slowly, I found I couldn’t put it down. As a lover of books, I thought eternity in a library doesn’t sound like such a bad thing… until I learned the truth of those books. Then the truth of love found and lost, which seemed even greater punishment. A truer horror was the inevitability of some human natures. Though a simple idea, here, the author proves hell doesn’t have to contain hellfire to be torturous. A horror novel? No. And certainly not horrific. But insidiously horrifying.

A House at the Bottom of a Lake, Josh Malerman
Some books defy definition and this is one. Some will love this; others loathe it. I honestly don’t know what I just read. I know I enjoyed it, but was it good, or was it bad? There are some creepy moments, in part (I feel) owing to the strange setting. The underlying sense of threat in being able to drown down in the dark is present like a character all its own, but drown in what? In water? In horror? In the hope and hopelessness of love? The book reads like an allegory of love. There is menace here, but those expecting a true horror novel may be disappointed. Those approaching the story with an open mind may be better rewarded.

Last Days, Adam Nevill
Asked to film a documentary about a defunct cult is a job Kyle will come to regret. A bold idea exceedingly well-written. My only negative isn’t that it’s a long book but that it also felt a little overlong. Would take an experienced editor to know what to cut, though, as there’s a lot to take in, but I feel the length diminished the deliciously creepy suspense some. Not enough to affect my enjoyment, but for me the book loses a star because of it… which isn’t drastic criticism by any means. Had I not read the book, I would have missed a wild ride and much scary imagery. Extremely imaginative and well worth spending time with.

Piranesi, Susanna Clarke.
A strange book that made me question what in the world I was reading. It’s certainly memorable. Like it or not, this story may well stay with the reader for a long time, if not forever. All the number of day in the month of the albatross in the number of hall got rather monotonous, which made me feel uncertain at first, but the more I read the more engrossed I became. The best thing about this book is the way the author reveals the mystery, and the way she builds Piranesi’s world in the mind. To my mind, this is no Strange and Norrell epic (the first book for which the author’s so well-known), but it’s still impressive, mostly in its construction. On a minor note, though a small volume, the hardback is a lovely-looking book to have on the shelves.

Who P-P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit?, Gary K.Wolf
At the start of this book, I felt I would not enjoy it as much as the first, but as soon as a short relative of Jessica’s was introduced, I laughed all the way to the end. Gary has the witty patter down p-p-p-perfectly. I have such fond memories of the film, but feel as though the rabbit written here is worth loving all over again. I’m also left feeling a mite sorry for him, which only adds to the charm of these stories. Another surprise to enjoy was a whole new take of how Gone With the Wind was cast.

Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo Del Toro & Cornelia Funke
If you’ve watched the film, there’s no real reason to read the book, though I wanted to, and the lovely illustrations, and the stories within the story, which aren’t told on screen enhance the experience. The book’s a charming keepsake and complements the film somewhat as it’s always nice to get internalisations which almost no film provides. Also, the book is English, whereas the film is Spanish with English subtitles (not that I find subtitles a problem). Neither the book nor the film is a fairy tale for young children owing to the violence and imagery, but is a wonderful fantasy for some teens and adults alike.

Ending with my outstanding reads of the year I have to go back to a classic and to an audio dramatisation:

Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
I thought I’d read this when young, but I remembered little of it. It’s more likely someone told me the story, because had I read this, there’s no way I would have forgotten the writing. I can’t help thinking had I ever turned in a story written in such a style, my teachers would have thrown fits, siting grammar rules until I grew dizzy. But this is the indomitable Bradbury and not only does he know how to break the rules, he does it so well. Some of my teachers would have cited that many sentences don’t make grammatical sense, and they don’t in a purist way, but what they do is conjure up sensations and emotions. Take the title alone, which at least one teacher would have told me should read Something Wicked Comes This Way… but it would never have been so memorable; would never be so visceral. Plus, there’s the multi-layers of subtext: a book about good and evil, being young, growing old, accepting these things, not harping on them, not worrying about them and not fearing them so much one forgets to live, to enjoy and feel blessed every day. It also speaks of friendship and family, of love, and of laughing in the face of despair as a way of pushing back the darkness — the sorrows of life and the eventual darkness. I’m sure others will find their own interpretations, but for me, this book covers the gamut of life and death in all its joys and woes. Chilling, full of dread, atmospheric, mesmerising, thrilling, captivating, and masterfully executed.

The Sandman (Volume One), Neil Gaiman and cast (audio dramatisation)
Thoroughly loved this. Maybe you need to be a fan of the source material, but this is an enjoyable and faithful representation of the graphic novels. Some purists may not agree, but I feel this added to my appreciation of the books and Gaiman’s work. With a great cast, including Michael Sheen, Andy Serkis, and Bebe Neuwith, James McAvoy is the perfect choice for Morpheus. It’s a lovely thought that this production also brings the story to the blind.

Recommendations Dec 2022

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FILM/TV:
Slumberland was a lovely film, visually stunning with a pleasant story. Nice to see Jason Momoa not taking himself seriously and I’m in love with the pig.

Finished watching Wednesday and liked it, but can’t say we loved it. Preferred it when it was just Wednesday and Thing as opposed to having her family around, but also felt Wednesday should have made a better sleuth and not made so many (sometimes arrogant) mistakes. Would watch another series but a little disappointed. I knew who the monster was from about the second episode in part because they dropped the biggest, most blatant hint ever for the audience that I thought, no, they can’t have just told us.

The Old Man starring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow is one of the best series I’ve watched in a long time, which makes me interested in reading the novel.

On a sadder note, not only is Henry Cavill not appearing after season three of The Witcher because he doesn’t like the direction they’re taking the series, a decision I hate to support but do if the story becomes far removed from the books, they’re dropped him from Superman because he’s not suitable. They’re saying it’s not an origin story but they’re going backwards in Superman’s timeline so can’t use him, apparently a decision made after the announcement. Sounds like an origin story to me and frankly I’m not interested in watching that, and on principle won’t be. DC has apparently done this with a few actors, so just as we’ve become invested in them (despite less than perfect stories) they’ve gone. Seems like they’re more interested in trying to win a race against Marvel than they are in giving fans what they want.

I seldom watch BBC, but we caught up with Death in Paradise by watching the Christmas special. We had also wanted to watch Detectorists for ages, so with the Christmas special coming up, we sped through the lot and loved it. Excellent gentle comedy.

READING:
I’d Kill for That, Multiple Authors
Published in 2004, this is a multi-authored novel for charity with too many names to mention, but I picked it up because one of those authors is Jennifer Crusie. Apparently not a new idea, but this is the first time I’ve come across a published novel with a different author writing each chapter. Starting with the first and the next author carrying on the story until the last author writes the ending. A murder mystery with little romance. The novel has a lot happening, with a large and entertaining cast, and it all felt a bit of a jumble but was impressive, with many fun sections. Not sure it’s a book I would want to read twice, but it was worth checking out.

An Autumn Crush, Milly Johnson (audio), Read by Colleen Prenderghast
These aren’t the type of books I would usually read in print, but enjoy largely to Colleen Prenderghast’s excellent performance. This story is touching, funny, sad, and the author deals well with the way people get the wrong idea, and jump to conclusions. I wouldn’t usually go for books that head-hop, but part of the delight of this story is knowing immediately that two characters have got what’s happening completely wrong.

Who P-P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit?, Gary K.Wolf
At the start of this book, I felt I would not enjoy it as much as the first, but as soon as a short relative of Jessica’s was introduced, I laughed all the way to the end. Gary has the witty patter down p-p-p-perfectly. I have such fond memories of the film, but feel as though the rabbit written here is worth loving all over again. I’m also left feeling a mite sorry for him, which only adds to the charm of these stories. Another surprise to enjoy was a whole new take of how Gone With the Wind was cast.

Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo Del Toro & Cornelia Funke
If you’ve watched the film, there’s no real reason to read the book, though I wanted to, and the lovely illustrations, and the stories within the story, which aren’t told on screen enhance the experience. The book’s a charming keepsake and complements the film somewhat as it’s always nice to get internalisations which almost no film provides. Also, the book is English, whereas the film is Spanish with English subtitles (not that I find subtitles a problem). Neither the book nor the film is a fairy tale for young children owing to the violence and imagery, but is a wonderful fantasy for some teens and adults alike.

Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie
Another fun little read by this author with a fabulous cast and snappy dialogue, plus lovely dogs and a psychotic cat. I had cause to question Lucy’s decisions, especially when her life’s in danger, but this moves the plot and gives the character plenty of room for change. Light fiction, but enjoyable.

Dragon Tears, Dean Koontz
A re-read for me. This novel’s an interesting concept, one that explains why people often label Koontz a horror writer (when I think of him as a supernatural thriller writer) — a mysterious, changing antagonist who’s seemingly impossible to escape. This is definitely supernatural, regardless of what explanation the reader imagines while speeding through the pages. I have to admit, despite my love of dogs, the author lost me a bit using a dog’s POV, though that’s pivotal to the plot. Using human descriptions like ‘policeman’ which a dog would have no concept of pulled me out of the story, but eventually, I just went along with it and enjoyed it, finding it cute it places. This feels like a book of two halves. The first when we don’t know the cause, the second after we have some inkling and have identified the baddie. Koontz has taken a well-known creation and used it in a modern setting to excellent effect. Perhaps not his best, but certainly imaginative and a reminder of why I loved early Koontz novels. Some of the social problems mentioned in the book seem almost ahead of their time, or perhaps it’s that those problems have worsened and were only beginning then; even so, the author included them, though a few of the societal issues and scenes go on too long and feel overly described. I didn’t enjoy reading the sections from the antagonist’s POV possibly because he’s a little cliched and several of the horror elements weren’t necessary for me to dislike him. Worth a read and even a re-visit many years later.

The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes, Jennifer Crusie, Eileen Dreyer, Anne Stuart
A great example of a collaboration between authors, though more degrees of emotion would have made the book better. In a sense, this is park your brain at the door romance, but there’s not necessarily anything wrong with that, and to give the characters the depth to make this something more would have required a far longer book. Three writers, three central protagonists, three love interests, and three romances with some magic, and a villain woven in. I wanted a light read over Christmas week and this was perfect for that, though with enough threads to keep the story interesting.