Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "joe-soap"
Top Ten: Favourite books I read in 2013
This is a list of my favourite reads from this year. The books were not necessarily published this year, but I read them in 2013.
In no particular order:
The Other Side
My review:
Brilliant! This is an absolutely superb novel that completely surprised me. Just when I was beginning to think it was going to be another book about four different women and what their lives could have been like if they'd only done something differently when they were young (which is a nice idea for a novel, but not an awe-inspiring one) the author put a spin on it which totally changed everything.
Having read You Wish... by this author, I knew that she is a very talented writer, and was looking forward to reading more of her books. This book has left me wondering why Terry Tyler hasn't been snapped up by one of the major publishing companies.
'The Other Side' will entertain you, but more importantly, it will make you think. So much of our time is spent comparing ourselves with others and cursing our luck. This book drives home a very important point about life. I don't want to give too much away, so I will leave it at that. I think everyone would enjoy this book. It's full of believable characters, and everyone will be able to relate to at least one of the characters. This book isn't as funny as 'You Wish', but it is just as entertaining and thought-provoking. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
Killing Instinct: A Michael Sykora Novel
My review:
This is the third in Darcia Helle's Michael Sykora series. I hadn't read any of the other books in the series, but this book reads well as a stand alone novel. The author effectively gives details of the background of each character as we meet them, so anyone who is unfamiliar with them will be able to read the book and enjoy it.
This book delves into an obscure and scary world that exists just beneath the surface of society. A hidden Internet site that deals in the darker side of life; where people are no more than commodities to satisfy the needs of disturbed individuals. One such person is at the head of the organisation: Sandman. This elusive man must be found and stopped.
In this novel, Michael Sykora and his partner in crime, Sean Riley, go in search of this evil ringleader, and in their search they discover things that surprise them about him, but also about themselves.
For Sean Riley the search is personal, his girlfriend's life is at risk, and emotions fuel his need for justice.
This book looks at how there is always more to a person, or a situation than meets the eye.
It's a compulsive read that you won't want to put down, and like many of Darcia Helle's novels, it will have you biting your nails and worrying about the characters! A must read for fans of suspense/thrillers.
Joe Soap
My review:
Absolutely brilliant.
Andrew Peters is an absolute master at comedy writing (check out his Blues Detective series), and after reading Joe Soap, I believe he is also an extremely talented all-round writer. This is a dark thriller, with lots of lovely dry humour to stop it being absolutely terrifying!
Joe Soap is actually a fictional character; a character in a series of books by author Jed Higgins. Jed is the main character in this expertly crafted story.
The novel has lots of twists that kept me interested, and there's a lot of thought-provoking stuff here. What would you do if faced with no option but to kill a stranger? After Jed is threatened by a criminal gang, that is exactly the position he finds himself in. One day he is an ordinary man, trying to make a living with his writing, the next he is involved in all sorts of criminal activity. In the past, the only crimes that happened in Jed's life were the fictional kind that he made up in his novels, now all of that was becoming a frightening reality. How will he cope? You'll have to read this book to find out.
I enjoyed the humour in this book, and also the way the story was constructed to keep you guessing until the end. Grab a copy now, you won't regret it.
Rock'n'Roll Suicide
My review:
A 30 year old mystery about the death of a rock band; a conspiracy theory about the death of John Lennon; a string of recent murders that may be linked to those deaths. This book is a wonderful suspense novel that kept me turning the pages to find out what happened.
John Lockwood used to work for the police as a psychologist but after a spell in a mental institution when he suffered a nervous breakdown, he finds himself unable to get back into the work he once enjoyed. When we meet him, he is working on a book Crash and Burn about the untimely deaths of rock stars. His friend, Ken, helped him to pick himself up after his breakdown, and with his contacts in publishing, helped him to get the contract for the book. Matters take a sinister turn when Jack begins to investigate the death of Maggi O'Kane, a member of the rock band, Border Crossing, who allegedly killed the rest of her band and then committed suicide in 1980. It appears that there might be a link with the John Lennon murder, and perhaps a cover up; were Maggi and her band murdered? As he tries to get to the bottom of the 30 year old mystery, Jack finds himself dropped by his publisher, and almost killed a few times... To make matters worse, he is sure he is being followed by a serial killer, Edward Van Leer, the man who almost killed him years ago. But how can that be when Van Leer is locked up for murder? This book is full of twists and turns, and action packed scenes that will induce nail biting.
The story is told in the first person, from Jack Lockwood's perspective. It is not only a great crime thriller, but also very insightful about the human psyche, betrayal, friendship, loneliness, relationships, and other such matters. The descriptive quality of the narrative is such that the reader can easily imagine the sights and sounds, which makes the nail biting scenes even more thrilling! This is part one of a series of books. Chapter One of the second book is included at the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good suspense thriller.
Nocturnal Embers
My review:
After reading her debut collection of poetry, Silent Dreams, I was keen to read more from this writer. In this collection, as well as poetry, Helle Gade is also showcasing some of her photography. Just like her first book, this is a passionate collection of poetry. These are words from her soul. Many of the poems focus on pain, loneliness, and isolation, as seen through the eyes of someone who has a chronic illness. Her poem, 'Excruciating Pain' gives us some idea of how someone suffering Fibromyalgia feels. It's a touching and heartfelt collection of poetry. I think the photographs really fit with the poems and added a little extra. A nice touch. Some of my favourites are 'Dust', 'The Sting', and 'Hush Hush'. The title for the collection is great because there is a real dreamlike feel to much of the poetry and you really get the sense of the silence and darkness of the night when reading it. At the end, there is even a poem which was written while the author was asleep! I enjoyed this collection as much as Silent Dreams, and look forward to reading more from this talented artist in the future.
The Blues Detective
My review:
This book is hilarious. I think there is at least one laugh out loud moment on every page. It's a collection of short mysteries where a private detective, Otis King, tries to solve a few cases for random clients. Every client has a link to the Blues in some way. The stories are mostly set in Memphis. Otis is originally from Wales in the UK, and tries his best to fit in to the US lifestyle. His comments about the language differences are very funny. Unable to completely give up his Welsh roots, he still has traditional Welsh food packages sent to him by his mum and aunts. He has an interesting way of looking at life, has a love for blondes, alcohol, and of course the Blues, and an aversion to jazz musicians. You must read this book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of Andrew Peter's books; he is a comedy genius.
A Virtual Love
My review:
I had great expectations when I started reading this novel, because Andrew Blackman's debut novel, On The Holloway Road is one of my all time favourite books. A Virtual Love is just as absorbing, and just as thought-provoking as his first book. I love this writer's style. It takes no effort to read and understand what he is saying, and that is a mark of quality literature. It's no surprise he has won awards for his writing.
In this novel, Blackman has taken the topic of today's obsession with the Internet and has created a carefully structured story examining one man's manipulation of the web that is scarily realistic, and makes you wonder whether this is already happening all around us. How many people are pretending to be someone else when they are online? The book shows how easy it is for people to create multiple identities on the Internet, and it touches on the subject of how the anonymity of hiding behind a computer can be misused by the untrustworthy as a way to manipulate others. The fragility of truth is exposed in this story.
The main character is Jeff Brennan, but we never hear the story from his point of view; each chapter is narrated by different characters, in the first person as if they are talking to Jeff. I thought this was a very interesting way of telling the story, and it works well.
Towards the end I wondered whether the story might seem unfinished if we don't hear from Jeff at least once, and was expecting the last chapter to be from his viewpoint, but the ending surprised me and is extremely well done leaving the reader with a lot to think about.
All the characters are believable and seem like real people, and the Jeff Brennan character is well-developed as we see his life change throughout the book as seen through other people's eyes.
This book is all about secrets, lies, and how the world wide web has changed the way we live, and the way some people view reality.
Contemplations: An Anthology of Short Fiction & Poetry
My review:
There are writers who stand out from the crowd. L.M. Stull is one of those writers. I read a lot of books, but not many of them are able to keep me interested and make me feel compelled to read in this way. Not only that, but I was totally engrossed in the stories and really sensing the characters' emotions, and understanding them. L.M. Stull takes the reader to some dark places with this collection of short stories and poems. Reading the collection was almost like reading someone's private diary. The characters' feelings seem real, the characters could be real people. Themes include: abuse, secrets, revenge, betrayal, and regret. At the end of the collection, there is a short story told in about 9 chapters, so it's almost a mini-novella. In this story we follow two different characters, in what is, in essence, a love story.
One of my favourites in the collection, only because it totally surprised me at the end, is, 'The Things You Keep To Yourself'.
'The Bus' is another stand-out story; very poignant.
I enjoyed all the stories, and poems. There is a realism, sometimes quite dark, that pervades the writing.
Having read this collection, I am looking forward to reading more from this talented author. If you're looking for a new writer to try, you must pick up a book by L.M. Stull. Her literary skills are exemplary. Definitely an author to look out for.
Rise of the Shadow
My review:
This is the third book in J. Michael Radcliffe's Beyond The Veil Trilogy. It's sad to see the end of such a wonderful fantasy tale. Before reading the first book in the series, The Guardian's Apprentice, I didn't read these types of fantasy books, but it is such an engrossing story and so imaginative, it made me more interested in this type of fiction.
The second book, Bloodstone - The Guardian's Curse, is just as enthralling as the first and I was very much looking forward to reading this final instalment. I was lucky enough to receive a pre-publication copy of this book.
I think, Rise of the Shadow is a very well written conclusion to the story. The author has done well to write this as the third book in the series as well as making it readable as a stand alone book. Each of the characters is reintroduced in the book; this worked well for me as it had been a while since I read the second book and it was nice to be reminded who everyone was. I found that remembering the characters also brought a nostalgic feel to the story as they are all well drawn characters who seem larger than life and I found myself almost getting to know them all again.
In this story Keegan, newly crowned Guardian of the Veil begins his life as Guardian without a Veil to protect, as of course it had been destroyed in book two. Keegan's task in this final story in the trilogy is to stop the wraith of his enemy committing murder five thousand years in the past. Will he be successful? We follow him as he travels back in time, risking his life and that of everyone dear to him. Some new and interesting characters are introduced in this final part of the trilogy. The author is a gifted storyteller, in my opinion, and I think his writing style has progressed in leaps and bounds throughout the course of this series; he started off as a fabulous and enchanting storyteller and is now a master. The ending of Rise of the Shadow is a testament to his skill. Read it and find out why.
No Justice: A Michael Sykora Novel
My review:
I'm already a big fan of Darcia Helle's writing. I've read most of her stand alone novels, and short stories. I've been wanting to read this series of books for ages. I finally found a bit of time and am so glad I did! This is a fast-paced action packed thriller that is so well written you feel as if you know all the characters and that they're real people. I actually read the fourth book in the series before this one as I was lucky enough to receive a pre-publication copy, and I have to say, this character, Michael Sykora, is larger than life. He is a likeable man even though he kills for a living. He's a hitman with a conscience: he only kills bad people.
In this book he's on a mission to protect an old friend, Nicki, whose life is in danger after she becomes involved with the wrong people. Will he be able to eliminate them all before it's too late?
This book introduces the character, Michael Sykora, and we learn the reason he became a hitman. We meet his best friend, a policeman, and learn of the reason they have such a tight bond. We see what could be a developing relationship between Michael and Nicki, we find out about his history and see learn of his less than perfect childhood. His father is dying and he's forced to face demons from his past as he reconnects with him. Towards the end of the novel there is also mention of him trying to find a long-lost sister, one of the things I'm looking forward to finding out more about in book two.
There is so much to like about this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes good suspenseful crime fiction.
Darcia Helle's books are a joy to read, and though the subject matter is often quite dark, there is a wonderful sense of humour throughout that always brings a smile.
In no particular order:
The Other Side
My review:
Brilliant! This is an absolutely superb novel that completely surprised me. Just when I was beginning to think it was going to be another book about four different women and what their lives could have been like if they'd only done something differently when they were young (which is a nice idea for a novel, but not an awe-inspiring one) the author put a spin on it which totally changed everything.
Having read You Wish... by this author, I knew that she is a very talented writer, and was looking forward to reading more of her books. This book has left me wondering why Terry Tyler hasn't been snapped up by one of the major publishing companies.
'The Other Side' will entertain you, but more importantly, it will make you think. So much of our time is spent comparing ourselves with others and cursing our luck. This book drives home a very important point about life. I don't want to give too much away, so I will leave it at that. I think everyone would enjoy this book. It's full of believable characters, and everyone will be able to relate to at least one of the characters. This book isn't as funny as 'You Wish', but it is just as entertaining and thought-provoking. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
Killing Instinct: A Michael Sykora Novel
My review:
This is the third in Darcia Helle's Michael Sykora series. I hadn't read any of the other books in the series, but this book reads well as a stand alone novel. The author effectively gives details of the background of each character as we meet them, so anyone who is unfamiliar with them will be able to read the book and enjoy it.
This book delves into an obscure and scary world that exists just beneath the surface of society. A hidden Internet site that deals in the darker side of life; where people are no more than commodities to satisfy the needs of disturbed individuals. One such person is at the head of the organisation: Sandman. This elusive man must be found and stopped.
In this novel, Michael Sykora and his partner in crime, Sean Riley, go in search of this evil ringleader, and in their search they discover things that surprise them about him, but also about themselves.
For Sean Riley the search is personal, his girlfriend's life is at risk, and emotions fuel his need for justice.
This book looks at how there is always more to a person, or a situation than meets the eye.
It's a compulsive read that you won't want to put down, and like many of Darcia Helle's novels, it will have you biting your nails and worrying about the characters! A must read for fans of suspense/thrillers.
Joe Soap
My review:
Absolutely brilliant.
Andrew Peters is an absolute master at comedy writing (check out his Blues Detective series), and after reading Joe Soap, I believe he is also an extremely talented all-round writer. This is a dark thriller, with lots of lovely dry humour to stop it being absolutely terrifying!
Joe Soap is actually a fictional character; a character in a series of books by author Jed Higgins. Jed is the main character in this expertly crafted story.
The novel has lots of twists that kept me interested, and there's a lot of thought-provoking stuff here. What would you do if faced with no option but to kill a stranger? After Jed is threatened by a criminal gang, that is exactly the position he finds himself in. One day he is an ordinary man, trying to make a living with his writing, the next he is involved in all sorts of criminal activity. In the past, the only crimes that happened in Jed's life were the fictional kind that he made up in his novels, now all of that was becoming a frightening reality. How will he cope? You'll have to read this book to find out.
I enjoyed the humour in this book, and also the way the story was constructed to keep you guessing until the end. Grab a copy now, you won't regret it.
Rock'n'Roll Suicide
My review:
A 30 year old mystery about the death of a rock band; a conspiracy theory about the death of John Lennon; a string of recent murders that may be linked to those deaths. This book is a wonderful suspense novel that kept me turning the pages to find out what happened.
John Lockwood used to work for the police as a psychologist but after a spell in a mental institution when he suffered a nervous breakdown, he finds himself unable to get back into the work he once enjoyed. When we meet him, he is working on a book Crash and Burn about the untimely deaths of rock stars. His friend, Ken, helped him to pick himself up after his breakdown, and with his contacts in publishing, helped him to get the contract for the book. Matters take a sinister turn when Jack begins to investigate the death of Maggi O'Kane, a member of the rock band, Border Crossing, who allegedly killed the rest of her band and then committed suicide in 1980. It appears that there might be a link with the John Lennon murder, and perhaps a cover up; were Maggi and her band murdered? As he tries to get to the bottom of the 30 year old mystery, Jack finds himself dropped by his publisher, and almost killed a few times... To make matters worse, he is sure he is being followed by a serial killer, Edward Van Leer, the man who almost killed him years ago. But how can that be when Van Leer is locked up for murder? This book is full of twists and turns, and action packed scenes that will induce nail biting.
The story is told in the first person, from Jack Lockwood's perspective. It is not only a great crime thriller, but also very insightful about the human psyche, betrayal, friendship, loneliness, relationships, and other such matters. The descriptive quality of the narrative is such that the reader can easily imagine the sights and sounds, which makes the nail biting scenes even more thrilling! This is part one of a series of books. Chapter One of the second book is included at the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good suspense thriller.
Nocturnal Embers
My review:
After reading her debut collection of poetry, Silent Dreams, I was keen to read more from this writer. In this collection, as well as poetry, Helle Gade is also showcasing some of her photography. Just like her first book, this is a passionate collection of poetry. These are words from her soul. Many of the poems focus on pain, loneliness, and isolation, as seen through the eyes of someone who has a chronic illness. Her poem, 'Excruciating Pain' gives us some idea of how someone suffering Fibromyalgia feels. It's a touching and heartfelt collection of poetry. I think the photographs really fit with the poems and added a little extra. A nice touch. Some of my favourites are 'Dust', 'The Sting', and 'Hush Hush'. The title for the collection is great because there is a real dreamlike feel to much of the poetry and you really get the sense of the silence and darkness of the night when reading it. At the end, there is even a poem which was written while the author was asleep! I enjoyed this collection as much as Silent Dreams, and look forward to reading more from this talented artist in the future.
The Blues Detective
My review:
This book is hilarious. I think there is at least one laugh out loud moment on every page. It's a collection of short mysteries where a private detective, Otis King, tries to solve a few cases for random clients. Every client has a link to the Blues in some way. The stories are mostly set in Memphis. Otis is originally from Wales in the UK, and tries his best to fit in to the US lifestyle. His comments about the language differences are very funny. Unable to completely give up his Welsh roots, he still has traditional Welsh food packages sent to him by his mum and aunts. He has an interesting way of looking at life, has a love for blondes, alcohol, and of course the Blues, and an aversion to jazz musicians. You must read this book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of Andrew Peter's books; he is a comedy genius.
A Virtual Love
My review:
I had great expectations when I started reading this novel, because Andrew Blackman's debut novel, On The Holloway Road is one of my all time favourite books. A Virtual Love is just as absorbing, and just as thought-provoking as his first book. I love this writer's style. It takes no effort to read and understand what he is saying, and that is a mark of quality literature. It's no surprise he has won awards for his writing.
In this novel, Blackman has taken the topic of today's obsession with the Internet and has created a carefully structured story examining one man's manipulation of the web that is scarily realistic, and makes you wonder whether this is already happening all around us. How many people are pretending to be someone else when they are online? The book shows how easy it is for people to create multiple identities on the Internet, and it touches on the subject of how the anonymity of hiding behind a computer can be misused by the untrustworthy as a way to manipulate others. The fragility of truth is exposed in this story.
The main character is Jeff Brennan, but we never hear the story from his point of view; each chapter is narrated by different characters, in the first person as if they are talking to Jeff. I thought this was a very interesting way of telling the story, and it works well.
Towards the end I wondered whether the story might seem unfinished if we don't hear from Jeff at least once, and was expecting the last chapter to be from his viewpoint, but the ending surprised me and is extremely well done leaving the reader with a lot to think about.
All the characters are believable and seem like real people, and the Jeff Brennan character is well-developed as we see his life change throughout the book as seen through other people's eyes.
This book is all about secrets, lies, and how the world wide web has changed the way we live, and the way some people view reality.
Contemplations: An Anthology of Short Fiction & Poetry
My review:
There are writers who stand out from the crowd. L.M. Stull is one of those writers. I read a lot of books, but not many of them are able to keep me interested and make me feel compelled to read in this way. Not only that, but I was totally engrossed in the stories and really sensing the characters' emotions, and understanding them. L.M. Stull takes the reader to some dark places with this collection of short stories and poems. Reading the collection was almost like reading someone's private diary. The characters' feelings seem real, the characters could be real people. Themes include: abuse, secrets, revenge, betrayal, and regret. At the end of the collection, there is a short story told in about 9 chapters, so it's almost a mini-novella. In this story we follow two different characters, in what is, in essence, a love story.
One of my favourites in the collection, only because it totally surprised me at the end, is, 'The Things You Keep To Yourself'.
'The Bus' is another stand-out story; very poignant.
I enjoyed all the stories, and poems. There is a realism, sometimes quite dark, that pervades the writing.
Having read this collection, I am looking forward to reading more from this talented author. If you're looking for a new writer to try, you must pick up a book by L.M. Stull. Her literary skills are exemplary. Definitely an author to look out for.
Rise of the Shadow
My review:
This is the third book in J. Michael Radcliffe's Beyond The Veil Trilogy. It's sad to see the end of such a wonderful fantasy tale. Before reading the first book in the series, The Guardian's Apprentice, I didn't read these types of fantasy books, but it is such an engrossing story and so imaginative, it made me more interested in this type of fiction.
The second book, Bloodstone - The Guardian's Curse, is just as enthralling as the first and I was very much looking forward to reading this final instalment. I was lucky enough to receive a pre-publication copy of this book.
I think, Rise of the Shadow is a very well written conclusion to the story. The author has done well to write this as the third book in the series as well as making it readable as a stand alone book. Each of the characters is reintroduced in the book; this worked well for me as it had been a while since I read the second book and it was nice to be reminded who everyone was. I found that remembering the characters also brought a nostalgic feel to the story as they are all well drawn characters who seem larger than life and I found myself almost getting to know them all again.
In this story Keegan, newly crowned Guardian of the Veil begins his life as Guardian without a Veil to protect, as of course it had been destroyed in book two. Keegan's task in this final story in the trilogy is to stop the wraith of his enemy committing murder five thousand years in the past. Will he be successful? We follow him as he travels back in time, risking his life and that of everyone dear to him. Some new and interesting characters are introduced in this final part of the trilogy. The author is a gifted storyteller, in my opinion, and I think his writing style has progressed in leaps and bounds throughout the course of this series; he started off as a fabulous and enchanting storyteller and is now a master. The ending of Rise of the Shadow is a testament to his skill. Read it and find out why.
No Justice: A Michael Sykora Novel
My review:
I'm already a big fan of Darcia Helle's writing. I've read most of her stand alone novels, and short stories. I've been wanting to read this series of books for ages. I finally found a bit of time and am so glad I did! This is a fast-paced action packed thriller that is so well written you feel as if you know all the characters and that they're real people. I actually read the fourth book in the series before this one as I was lucky enough to receive a pre-publication copy, and I have to say, this character, Michael Sykora, is larger than life. He is a likeable man even though he kills for a living. He's a hitman with a conscience: he only kills bad people.
In this book he's on a mission to protect an old friend, Nicki, whose life is in danger after she becomes involved with the wrong people. Will he be able to eliminate them all before it's too late?
This book introduces the character, Michael Sykora, and we learn the reason he became a hitman. We meet his best friend, a policeman, and learn of the reason they have such a tight bond. We see what could be a developing relationship between Michael and Nicki, we find out about his history and see learn of his less than perfect childhood. His father is dying and he's forced to face demons from his past as he reconnects with him. Towards the end of the novel there is also mention of him trying to find a long-lost sister, one of the things I'm looking forward to finding out more about in book two.
There is so much to like about this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes good suspenseful crime fiction.
Darcia Helle's books are a joy to read, and though the subject matter is often quite dark, there is a wonderful sense of humour throughout that always brings a smile.
