P.J. Skinner's Blog, page 7

Typing can be dangerous

Transcription by Kate Atkinson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I love Kate Atkinson. She's one of the best authors around. But sometimes the writing overcomes the story to the extent that I lose interest. This storyline had massive potential, but the result could have been a lot more thrilling. More of a character study than a plot. Still fascinating historical details and having lived in Dolphin Square myself I was very excited to read it. A bit disappointing TBH.



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Daisy, Daisy, Daisy

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid




I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as I'd hoped. The timeline was very linear and predictable, and there was no drama as such. I appreciated the character building and the excellent dialogues, but somehow, I was left feeling like this was an opportunity missed. A superb idea but a bit of a damp squib in the end.



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Bloody retelling of the Iliad

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A retelling of the Iliad in the eyes of the women taken prisoner and reduced to the level of concubines or slaves. Mostly, I enjoyed this book. The writing was wonderful and often haunting. I didn't need so many descriptions of death in all its forms though. At times the graphic descriptions of violence had a cartoon quality to them, and reminded me of the wall paintings in Mayan and Inca art. Still a tour de force and a fascinating read.



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Woman on the Moon

Artemis by Andy Weir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Jaz is a petty criminal who lives in the first city on the moon. She is offered the chance to make a great deal of money and change her life, and cannot resist the challenge. But life on the moon is dangerous enough without making ruthless enemies... Great science, good story, some witty repartee. Loved it



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A short way to happiness

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved this book. It struck me as a cross between the ethos's of Star Trek and Star Wars, with its diverse characters and believe in the good within us all. I loved the scientific ideas and the easy way the author mixed science, wit and pathos. The plot was light but not missing. I felt like a member of the crew by the time I put the book down. Excellent.



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Midnight Snooze

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


What a great idea for a book! What a pity the story was so meh. I couldn't get over what a missed opportunity this was. It was so predictable, I felt swindled after the millions of five star reviews. Bland, and a bit pointless. Two stars for the imaginative idea. If you like depression porn, this may be for you.



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Lacking in Aunties

Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


So near and yet so far. I loved the pace of this novel. I adored the aunties, and the sarcasm, and family dynamics. But, the romance element was just plain unnessary and ruined the book for me. I wanted more aunties and more murder, and I got a contrived romance that made me skip the pages. It's a pity, because otherwise this was 5 stars all the way for me.



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Sam Harris Adventure Series 5-7 boxset for 99¢

Hi folks,

I hope you are all enjoying the clement Autumn/Fall weather (or Spring if you are down-under). I’ve been slogging away here catching up on a backlog of things I didn’t feel like doing before. I have finally cleared the decks, and my mind, and will now be able to wrap up the third book in the Green Family Saga, Fighting Green. I will soon put up a pre-order link for you with a cover reveal.

Also I have given up my experiment to sell Sam Harris Adventure ebooks on other platforms (...

Get Mortal Mission for 99c

Offer valid until Saturday 24th Sept on Amazon UK and USA Do you love a good Whodunnit? Do you fancy a mystery with a twist for only 99c? Mortal Mission reads like an Agatha Christie mystery met the Da Vinci Code on Mars. What do readers think of Mortal Mission? Here are some 5-star reviews from Goodreads: ‘A whodunnit in space – if you’re a fan of murder mysteries or sci-fi, then you’re in for a treat. Nail biting tension to the end’ ‘A murder mystery set in space? Can I get a hell yeah!...

Mortal Mission has launched – a whodunnit in space

    We have lift off! Hello there, I hope you are enjoying the great summer weather we are having. Summer is often the season when we get time to read on a beach. If you like locked room mysteries with a twist, I may have just the thing for you. How about a whodunnit in space? A murder mystery set on the first crewed mission to Mars?
My latest book, Mortal Mission (under the pen name of Pip Skinner) has launched to great success! If you are one of the lucky readers of the free ARC I gave out,...