Ethersay - Sarah L King

Title: Ethersay
Author: Sarah L King
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Published: 2017
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Review:
I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of "Ethersay" by Sarah L King prior to its release and was thoroughly entertained from start to finish. The book uses a dual narrative, to explore two periods in the life of Rebecca, a young political activist from Glasgow. The first follows her recovery on the mysterious island of Ethersay after a car accident strands her there. Whilst there she realises that there is something being hidden from her by the islanders and she is determined to find out what the secret is. The second narrative follows Rebecca's involvement in the Scottish Independence Referendum which results in the very accident which leaves her on Ethersay.

The pacing of this novel is spot on as the initial burst of action get the reader hooked before it slows down a notch as King builds the suspense and mystery up concurrently in both narratives. I found myself really looking forward to finding out what the secret of Ethersay was and how Rebecca would come to be there. It is quite hard to say much more without spoiling some of the plot but I suspect a few people will be surprised by the reveal at the end.

One thing I have to add in my review is that the depiction of the Scottish Referendum was spot on and whilst I didn't live in Glasgow, most of what Rebecca saw and experienced as a Yes activist was recognisable to me from my own involvement. I have seen a lot of non-fiction books charting the referendum from various high profile people but it was great seeing something written here which captured the hope and hard work of the regular activist even if the character themselves was fictional.

The best bit about this book from my point of view is that it was the first novel by King in which I have actually liked the main protagonist. Yes, Rebecca has her flaws as any realistic character would do but in this book those flaws didn't affect my ability to feel empathy for her. Rebecca being a Yes activist probably made it easy for me but I was actually quite happy to find that this time it was the main character I was supporting rather than one of the secondary ones.

Overall, this is a great first attempt at contemporary fiction from King. I can see this book really appealing to people who enjoy a good non-crime based mystery, but it should also appeal quite strongly to those people who were involved in the Scottish Independence Referendum. I can't sing it's praises enough as it entertained me but also brought back the memories of the referendum both good and bad.

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit - Jeanette Winterson

Title: Oranges are Not the Only Fruit
Author: Jeanette Winterson
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 1985
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK

Review:
“Oranges are not the only Fruit” by Jeanette Winterson is the final book I read as part of a 2013 Eclectic Reader challenge. I ended up choosing this book to fulfil the LGBT requirement after my wife suggested it to me as she had enjoyed reading it when she was in her teens.

The story itself is semi-autobiographical and follows Jeanette as she grows up amongst a devout Pentecostal mother who is raising her to be a missionary and Jeanette herself believes from an early age that she is meant to serve God. However, as Jeanette grows into a teenager she begins to explore her sexuality with a close friend called Melanie which is discovered and demonised by the church community. Jeanette therefore struggles to come to terms with her own sexuality, her love for God and her relationship with a community she has grown up with.

To be honest, the sexual elements of the story didn’t really strike me as being overly important and it kind of took a backseat to the real thrust of the novel which was to criticise the rather strict and unyielding dogma of her family’s religious community. This criticism is all supported by the way in which we can witness the clash between different generations and Jeanette’s difficult journey to find some sort of truth and self-acceptance even though it goes against the way she was brought up.

In regards to the writing style, I found that the disjointed sentences, short paragraphs and quiry comments helped to drive home the feeling that I was following a young girl. The only issue I had was that this writing style continued as Jeannette grows into a sixteen year old rebel who has lesbian experiences at least twice. The cute, almost innocent feeling of the style which worked with Jeanette was a nine year old just didn’t feel right as she grew into an adolescent. Also, whilst some of the comments made by Jeanette were quite humorous and witty on the whole it did feel rather dry and lacking in any real emotional punch as if it was being told very factually.

One element of the novel I really couldn’t be bothered with was the way in which the story was interspersed with fantasy/fairy tale sequences which were rather surreal. When the first one appeared I found it rather strange but as they kept on coming I found myself finding them rather irritating and soon just skipped them altogether. I am sure that someone can tell me of a reasoning and deep meaning behind them but for me they just interfered with the real life tale of a young woman coming to terms with herself.

Overall, I did find this to be an interesting look at a young woman’s attempt to find herself in the face of a strict religious upbringing. Given the novels strong LGBT portrayal I was surprised that the sexual element was actually very subtle and was used to criticise the way in which a strict upbringing can affect a child to the point that they struggle to understand and accept themselves rather than just criticising an anti-homosexual viewpoint. This was definitely a new experience for me and I am glad my wife recommended it as it was enjoyable enough even if some of the writing style didn’t work for me.

A Parade of Clowns - Evan Bollinger

Title: A Parade of Clowns
Author: Evan Bollinger
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2012
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

Review:
“A Parade of Clowns” by Evan Bollinger is a short story which follows four friends as they set out to cause some noise in their small town. Determined to get over the boredom and feeling of going nowhere that has invaded their lives they embark on a drink and drug fuelled adventure to rob the local alcohol store.

This book is incredibly short and I finished it in no time at all, helped by the fact that I was also enjoying what I read. The writing is sharp, fast paced and at times quite crude which really helps to bring out an almost dystopian feel. The story itself is rather dark with an ending that in my opinion really reinforces the futility of life that appears to have infested the town as a whole.

As this is a short story, the characters are not that well developed but Bollinger appears to have worked specifically on capturing the idiosyncrasies of the four friends which results in a strong satirical vibe. I can’t say I know much about them but I can see how they have their own issues and element of boredom in their lives that could have led them along the path they take in the story.

Overall, I found this story to be quick and quite crude at times but this is used to create a interestingly dark feel which entertained me. If you are interested in reading some quick dark fiction that fuses drink, crime and the quandaries of small time life then this is a book that should appeal.

Almost Home - Frank Marcopolos

Title: Almost Home
Author: Frank Marcopolos
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Kobo
Amazon UK

I started reading “Almost Home” by Frank Marcopolos under the assumption that it would be a very sports centric novel and was therefore surprised to find out that it was actually much more than this. The plot has several twists and turns and explores the overall drama of college life with particular attention being paid to the more seedy aspects.

The novel follows the conflict between two protagonists, Barry Budiski and Enzo Prinziatta which occurs from the moment they meet at a Halloween Frat party. Things get worse at the part when a stripper appears to die from a drug overdose and Enzo is thrown out by a few of Barry’s fraternity brothers. Barry, who is president of the Frat house soon realises that he should try and keep his potential enemies closer and therefore joins the same baseball team as Enzo and even invites him to be a honourary fraternity brother. Before long the two of them are more or less working together but there is still a level of conflict that continues to bubble along beneath the surface, enhanced by the involvement of two women named Jenny & Shannon.

I found the book to be cleverly written, fast paced and interesting in the way it explored multiple elements of University life, from the wild parties to life in the dorms. I also appreciated how Marcopolos gives the readers a narrative that alternates between the viewpoints of both Barry and Enzo. This alternating viewpoint ensured that I could attempt to understand the way in which the characters were acting to the point that at times I couldn’t actually decide if I actually liked or disliked them. There really was no good or bad guys in the story, these were meant to be characters with both negative and positive aspects which I enjoyed seeing.

However, I did have some issues with the characters and that was in regards to their maturity. I will admit it was 10 years since I was at University myself and it was based in the UK but I don’t remember myself or my friends acting in such an immature manner. Maybe I am misremembering it as being much more highbrow that it really was or perhaps my friends and I were not the norm but either way it ensured that I struggled to really relate with the characters as much as I wanted to.

Overall, this was an interesting book and I enjoyed seeing characters in both a positive and negative light even if I did feel that they were a little bit immature for University students. Personally, I suspect this book will appeal to people in their mid-teens as that is the age group of people I think who would really relate with the characters and perhaps therefore gain more from reading it.

Nightmare Along the River Nile - Suzanna E. Nelson

Title: Nightmare Along the River Nile
Author: Suzanna E. Nelson
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2009
Formats: Hardback/Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
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Kobo
Amazon UK

“Nightmare along the River Nile” by Suzanna E. Nelson is a book that appears to have been written for one fundamental purpose. It aims to highlight and expose the rather harsh fact that modern day slavery does exist. For me, personally this book has succeeded in fulfilling that purpose as prior to reading it had no idea that slavery still went on in the modern age.

The story itself is set during the 1990’s and follows Edgar and three friends who have just graduated from High School in Uganda. Whilst travelling home to his mother, the bus Edgar is travelling on gets ambushed by an insurgency group known as the LRA. Alongside the majority of the passengers Edgar is abducted and so begins an ordeal of suffering and misery as he ends up being sold into slavery in the Sudan. Meanwhile, when Edgar’s three friends find out about his kidnapping they undertake an attempt to locate and secure Edgar’s release.

This book is quite simply heart-wrenching at times as the reader is subjected to following the unbearable circumstances that Edgar must endure. The cruelty and hate shown by his captors really does highlight the simple fact that evil is still alive and well in the world. However, Nelson doesn’t just leave the reader feeling miserable and gloomy because she has also tried to highlight some of the good that people can do. Edgar’s friends are used well to highlight the various different people who are willing to try and do the right thing. I think it highlights well that good and evil are there no matter colour, race and religion of the people involved.

One issue I did have with the novel though is that I don’t think Nelson did a great job in using her characters to capturing a real deep emotional element to the story which in turn affected some of the tension within the story. I basically found that the novel came across in a very direct and factual style, with that characters telling the reader how they felt instead of having their feelings expressed through actions and descriptions. I really do think that it would have been an incredibly powerful novel if the reader had got to feel the character’s fears rather than just be told about them.

Overall, this novel does vividly highlight the suffering and horror that people can still face due to slavery. I think the overall tension and emotional impact do suffer a little bit due to the style of the story telling but I still found the entire novel entertaining enough to ensure I followed it through to completion. On a personal note, I really appreciated reading a story that explored parts of Africa I knew nothing about and it created enough interest that I have read more about the countries and people introduced to me in this story.

Discontents - James Wallace Birch

Title: Discontents
Author: James Wallace Birch
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Smashwords
Kobo
Amazon UK

It has been quite a while since I read any form of political thriller so I was looking forward to reading "Discontents" by James Wallace Birch. What I discovered was a slow burner of a novel that explores the various ideologies that our societies are currently based around. It really did make me think about things such as the roles of governments and corporations in our lives, which I suspect are the main purpose of a novel such as this.

The story itself follows the life of Emory Walden, an infamous blogger who has been sharing his dissatisfaction with the government and society in general. Upon his return to the US after travelling around Europe, he is approached by a wealthy man named Fletcher Spivey who wants to help Emory spread the word about the ails of society. Fletcher uses his money to create an alternative identity for Emory to ensure he remains safe and free. However soon paranoia beings to influence Emory and he begins to question various incidents and the relationships he has formed with people who know his true name.

I found the story to be quite dry and slow at first as it revels in the various issues and opinions of those who are unhappy with what society currently offers. After the first few chapters I really wasn't sure if I would enjoy it as I can't say that I follow similar views to what we see in the novel. However I am glad that I stuck with it as even though it isn't the fastest paced novels Birch still manages to take this political view point and integrates it into a rather interesting political thriller full of intrigue, paranoia, subterfuge, a few plot twists and even a little bit of romance.

Whilst I didn't really relate to Emory's overall viewpoints, it was still quite enjoyable to follow the viewpoint of an outsider like him, someone with no real prospects who was quite simply dissatisfied with what society could offer. In addition I found Emory to be a believable character, full of the hypocrisy, ego and flaws prevalent in most personalities. There was no attempt by Birch to make him perfect and this was a welcome change to the standard thriller novel that would usually follow the antics of a super spy or highly intellectual analyst.

There were a few issues with the novel however; the first is that there is a plot twist regarding a homeless man called Renton which I won't say much about beyond the fact that it just seemed thoroughly incredulous to me. There were also a few logical issues that had me feeling the same way such as one about Emory's face being plastered around the place yet no one seemed able to identify him even when he was in the police station or wandering around the streets all because he was using a different name.

Overall, this was a thought provoking and interesting read that I think most political minded readers should enjoy. This is definitely not a book for people expecting a light or easy read and I think the slow pace could prove a challenge for some. However, if you do want your ideas and thoughts challenged by what is at its heart an entertaining story then go ahead and pick it up.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Free Reads Challenge

Ooter's Place and Other Stories of Fear, Faith and Love - Karl El-Koura

Title: Ooter's Place and Other Stories of Fear, Faith and Love
Author: Karl El-Koura
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

"Ooter's Place and Other Stories of Fear, Faith, and Love" is a collection of short stories written by Karl El-Koura that were written over a 12 year period. Whilst the title itself maybe a little bit of a mouthful, the stories themselves are all well paced, entertaining and incredibly varied. The collection really does cover a large range of genres, although the majority are speculative fiction such as Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy.

I have to admit that as I had never heard of the author prior to reading this collection and due to it being self-published I was expecting to find a fair few turkeys alongside any gems in this collection. In hindsight, this was a rather blinkered view to take as what I found was an enjoyable range of well written and engaging short stories. Every single one of them had me thoroughly entertained no matter the genre or subject.

The collection itself is split into three sections under the headings of Fear, Faith and Love with four stories appearing in each. To be honest, I found the placement of the stories rather arbitrary and I think many of the stories could easily have fit into either section. However, El-Koura himself does actually realise this himself and freely admits it in his introduction. One element I really appreciated with this collection was the forewords written by El-Koura prior to every story. It gave a decent basis for the story itself and helped to ensure that the reader had some understanding about what the story was conveying.

The first section in the collection which covers stories about fear is probably the most self explanatory portion of the collection. The stories here range from an incredibly short and quirky piece entitled "Tom's Refrigerator" about a man's rather controlling computerised fridge to an engrossing story called "How You Die" that takes a look at how the imagination of two young brothers telling ghost stories can lead to a rather dangerous outcome.

The second section covering stories about faith was the one I wasn't looking forward to as I had visions of stories written around religious preaching etc. However, I was happy to see that there was no hidden intent behind these stories. In fact, whilst some of them did have elements on religion within them, some of them didn't and the stories were mainly focussed on faith as a concept and how it shapes our lives. These stories ranged from an enjoyable, poignant and slightly amusing look at a man who comes to believe he is a superhero that is entitled "The Man Who Mistook Himself for a Superhero" to a rather engaging journey of a man whose sub-conscious seems to give him one last adventure before his life ends in the story "Blink".

The final section includes stories about love and I was quite impressed to see that El-Koura didn't just take the easy route of concentrating only on romantic love. They also covered platonic love such as that between two friends as shown in the rather surreal alien invasion story "They Came From Ooter’s Place". These stories about love didn't just stop there however as the final story in the section entitled "The Curious Case of the Book Baron" follows the mysterious case of someone breaking into homes and leaving books and is based around the love of reading. I suspect, most people who read this collection will read that story with a big smile on my face as I did.

Overall, I found this to be a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable collection of stories, with some of them reaching me on an emotional level. I can't recommend this collection highly enough, especially if you are a fan of engaging speculative fiction in the short form. If you aren't sure then head along to smashwords and read the free sampler that includes three stories from the collection.

Available at:
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Smashwords
Amazon UK

Running Wide Open (Full Throttle Book 1) - Lisa Nowak

Title: Running Wide Open (Full Throttle Book 1)
Author: Lisa Nowak
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

"Running Wide Open" by Lisa Nowak is a YA novel that for once doesn't involve paranormal events, love triangles or female protagonists. I know that some of you are probably dumb struck that a YA novel like that could actually exist but this book honestly is different to the norm. Instead the book involves stock car racing, a troubled male protagonist and an emotional plot about overcoming the challenges of the past. I found the entire novel to be a refreshing change in addition to being an enjoyable and interesting read.

The story follows a 15 year old boy named Cody who does not have the healthiest of family lives. When, his rebellious ways leads to minor brush with the law he is sent away by his father to live with his uncle name Race, in order to avoid being sent to a military school. Cody is initially unable to take his uncle seriously as he eats Twinkies for breakfast, is dedicated to racing cars around in circles every weekend and has the most ridiculous name ever. Over time though, Cody learns to understand and respect his uncle and allows him to become the mentor and friend that he has been missing most of his life. However, when his uncle is involved in a terrible accident, Cody is suddenly forced to choose between reverting to his old ways or stepping up and showing loyalty and support to his uncle who faces the possibility that he may never race a car again.

In all honesty I am not a big stock car racing fan, I have never really seen the enjoyment in watching cars drive in circles. The only racing I really do follow is Formula 1 and it is pretty much in a different world to the racing portrayed in this book. However, Lisa Nowak has done a superb job in ensuring the reader is brought up to speed on the racing world as you get to discover the racing rules, car types and parts alongside Cody. I had no issue understanding what was going on and it was easy to get caught up in the thrill of the race.

The actual racing and car elements of the novel however aren't actually the main aspects of the book. There is a much deeper story here with the second half of the book really delving into Cody's growth as a person. It can at times be quite emotionally draining as Cody strives to accept both his past and current challenges and tries to become a better and wiser person. I felt that it was quite a complex area for a YA novel to enter, but I enjoyed the fact that the book did explore these elements amongst the backdrop of the racing world.

As this type of novel is based primarily around its characters, it was therefore not surprising to note that the characters were all quite vivid and memorable. I was able to gain a good understanding of most of them and could actually see things from their individual points of view which meant I was really able to get into the book. I think Cody himself was an interesting enigma, the regular bad boy aspects were all present but there was also an intellect and creativity that came out well. I did find it a little bit difficult to like him though due to his obnoxious streak but he did have an enjoyable sense of humour present and it was nice to see a deeper side present in this type of character.

One strange aspect of the novel though was in regards to it being set in the 1980s. I didn't really understand the need to utilise this period as all the issues that Cody faces are just as common today as they would have been in then. I had no real issue with this time period but I just found it to be an odd choice for a YA novel as I can't see many teens relating to the novel as much as they would have done had a current period been utilised.

Overall, I found "Running Wide Open" to be an admirable book that contained a complex and deep drama that many young adults should be able to relate to. Lisa Nowak has quite simply written an enjoyable and interesting story within a racing environment that has been depicted wonderfully so that anyone should be able to enjoy the book no matter their knowledge of stock car racing.

Available at:
Amazon
The Book Depository
Smashwords
Amazon UK

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)
Free Reads Challenge

An Epitaph for Coyote: A Novel - Bryan R. Dennis

Title: An Epitaph for Coyote: A Novel
Author: Bryan R. Dennis
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

"An Epitaph for Coyote" is a rather thought provoking read that I struggled to define as being part of any specific genre. Whilst it contains a slight romantic element it is without doubt centred on satirising corporate America and the consumerist ideology that currently drives most Western economies. It wasn't a fast read by any stretch of the imagination, but it still kept me interested and I always enjoy reading the odd book like this that is designed to make me think.

The story itself follows Henry Pluck, a quiet man devoted to his work who is happy enough living out a life that some would call mundane. The only rather unusual aspect to his life is around the fact that he spends his leisure time at nursing homes chatting with the elderly. His life however changes forever when he meets a rather atypical woman named Rosa. As he finds himself become attracted to her, he can't help but become influenced by her own views and slowly but surely he begins to see that the life he had previously held in such high regard was actually lacking in so much.

The start of the novel really presents Henry as a rather unsympathetic character, his obsession with his work and the over regulation of his life wouldn't win him many friends. However, as the novel progressed I could see his sense of humour and enjoyable sarcastic side coming through alongside the other small changes that were mounting up in Henry's life little by little. I especially found that Henry's rather amusing internal monologues really brought out these changes as well as being some of the most entertaining aspects of the novel.

One issue I had with the novel was in regards to the first chapter. This section of the book actually had me thinking that the novel was going to be based around some sort of supernatural premise when it really isn't. I actually spent the first half of the book trying to work out if Rosa was going to turn into some sort of shape shifting monster! I just found that this first chapter was a little bit disconnected from the rest of the novel and by the end of the book I still had no idea why it was even included. It wasn't a major issue really but it created some confusion and expectation that didn't need to be there.

Overall I found this book to be an enjoyable and interesting look at ourselves as a people that enables the reader to take stock and look at their own lives and relationships. The story isn't fast paced or action packed, but the characterisation is spot on and the journey itself is quite engaging. Due to this you do really need to be 'in the mood" for a novel like this but if you are looking for a thoughtful yet humourous novel then you should defiantly give this book a shot.

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (The Eclectic Bookshelf)
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)

Laughing Dog - D.C. Burns

Title: Laughing Dog
Author: D.C. Burns
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Kobo
Amazon UK

"Laughing Dog" by D.C. Burns is a rather quirky little story that follows the life of a woman named Lauren as she tries to recover from a debilitating illness. Along the way she receives help and advice from a ghost, God and her rather eccentric little dog called O'Poo.

There is quite a large amount of the novel that is based around the relationship between Lauren and O'Poo and I have to admit that early on this almost caused me to give up on the book. I am not much of a dog fan and don't really understand the relationships that some people seem to build between themselves and their dog. So after the first few chapters that seemed to mainly concentrate on this type of a relationship I found myself struggling to keep reading. However, I did keep at it and the amount of plot and story that was heavily based on the interaction between Lauren and O'Poo decreased to a level that I found easier to follow.

Besides that, I found it to be an interesting and in the end, quite a heart-warming story. The reader follows Lauren through all her traumas and problems from a woman that can barely walk into a woman who works on a ranch and has her own child. The writing was also competent enough and the story was amusingly quirky at times, I found myself smiling when some rather random events occurred such as when a Scottish ghost appeared and spoke with Lauren.

The novel does suffer a little from its short length though in that it does seem to jump very quickly from one important aspect in Lauren's life to the next. This was a shame really as it would have been nice to really see some more development of the characters and relationships that were built up around her. I specifically found that whilst the relationship between Lauren and her dog is well defined and both of them are well developed, the other characters in the novel seemed quite light.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting and quirky story that could easily have been expanded further into a longer novel. I suspect that if you are a dog lover then some aspects of this novel will really appeal to you and I would therefore advise you to give this book a read for the dog sections alone. However, if you are like me and don't "do" dogs then you may find it a little hard going at times but there is still a nice little story there for you to read and enjoy.

Where's Unimportant - Daniel Shortell

Title: Where's Unimportant
Author: Daniel Shortell
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Paperback/Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Smashwords
Amazon UK
Alibris UK

I have to admit that "Where's Unimportant" by Daniel Shortell isn't normally the type of book that I would personally read. In fact the first person I thought about when I received a copy to read was my wife as it looked like something she might enjoy. In fact she started reading it before I managed to sneak it back off her so I could read it and write a review.

The book is an enjoyable, interesting and satirical look at a day in the life of a regular guy named Jake who is trying to make a living and survive in the rather cut-throat world of corporate America. As we follow his day, we get snapshots of his many enjoyable past adventures around the world and how what he saw and experienced there compares to the various events he is now encountering. I did find that the novel can get quite confusing as we jump between Jack's current life and his past experiences but this didn't detract too much from the overall flow of the story.

As I read the novel I really felt like I was following the downward spiral of a very depressed person. The stark differences between the boring, miserable, drudgery of his current life and the fun, exciting, hopeful memories of his past were quite powerful and you could see how this type of change in life could really affect someone's state of mind. Many of his issues of course are linked to the materialistic, almost "Big Brother" society we currently live in and the book does delve into this in a smart and rather sarcastic way.

I did note that the nature of the story did mean that it got quite slow at times and could come across as being a little boring when dealing with some of Jack's day to day activities. However, the writing itself was very clever and the author's use of the English language really helped create a vivid and enjoyable picture. In addition though, the ending could be described as being almost explosive with Jack's eventual breakdown leading to a rather interesting and ambiguous finish that actually leaves you questioning both the story itself and some aspects of your own life.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this book which turned out to be a very thought-provoking, yet at times amusingly sarcastic book. However, I do have to say that it isn't something you would want to or expect to read to just pass the time whilst travelling or on the beach. It is a book that I think most people would read over an extended period, slowly digesting and questioning the various points the novel makes. Specifically I think the book is something I would recommend to be read as part of a book club where you can actually discuss and debate the novel's various aspects with other people.

Inklings - Aparna Warrier

Title: Inklings - Very short stories and other babies born of Ink.
Author: Aparna Warrier
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes & Nobel
Smashwords


"Inklings" is Aparna Warrier first book and it is a short collection of unrelated flash fiction stories. In all honesty, I don't normally read this type of book and the last flash fiction collection I read left me rather confused at times. However, I am always willing to keep on trying things and was happy to give it a read when the Author asked me to do a review.

After reading this collection, my opinion is that it would actually be a good introduction to flash fiction. I found that the stories were all very varied in regards to length, topic and style. But the majority also seemed to have some sort of deep and profound meaning behind the basic story that the author was trying to portray. Personally, some of the stories did confuse me a little and think that I missed the point the author was trying to make. However, this is likely due to the fact that I am not someone who likes to go over stories multiple times to try and pick apart everything an author is trying to put across.

I did still enjoy several of the stories however and liked the fact that each one seemed to be so varied. My favourite piece in the collection had to be "The Revolt of the Coconut Trees". It was funny and there was a little hint of sci-fi to the story. I also believe there was an underlying point being made by the author regarding how we treat the environment. It actually reminded me of the movie called "The Happening".

To summarise, if you would like to try out flash fiction and enjoy trying to understand some of the deeper meanings behind a story, then I would recommend this book as one to pick up. It is not as heavy as some of the previous flash fiction collections I have read and Aparna Warrier has created a nice range of stories.

The War is Language: 101 Short Works - Nath Jones

Title: The War is Language: 101 Short Works
Author: Nath Jones
Genre: General Fiction
Published: 2010
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
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Amazon UK
Smashwords
Barnes & Nobel

When I was first asked to review this book by the author I was a little bit unsure, it did sound interesting but I was put off by the synopsis which used statements like; "Flash Fiction", "Anti-Authority Conformists" and "Prose Poetry". This all sounded a little bit too "arty" for me; however I decided to have a read anyway in the hope that I could expand my horizons and read something that I normally wouldn't have picked up.

The first section of the collection on memories is titled Breadcrumbs Ablaze and on the whole I found it rather enjoyable. Some of the stories made me grin, some made me think and others just plain entertained me. The imagery used by the author was impressive although I have to admit that some of the stories were possibly a bit "beyond" me and left me a little bit confused. My favourite two stories in this section had to be Poetry & AT-4.

The second section on dichotomy is titled Chimerical Pinwheels and I think this had to be my least favourite section of the collection. Firstly I need to admit that I had to look up dichotomy because I had no idea what it was, wikipedia told me that a dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts. I am not sure that really helped me understand what I was going to read but I made a go of it anyway. I just found I had to try and think a lot to understand what was being presented and reading it before I went to bed and was therefore tired was probably the wrong thing to do.

The third and final section about letters to a fake advice columnist was titled Letters When Gods Won't Do and this was my favourite section. Some of them were hilarious and I felt that I had to pass my Kindle across to my wife to let her read them, I think she started getting annoyed when I ended up doing it for nearly every letter at one point.

Overall, I didn't find this collection very different from many other short story collections I have read, in that I enjoyed some stories but there were also some that left me cold. I did feel that my brain had been given a workout by the end of the collection which is probably a good thing to do now and then. If you are after a thought-provoking and at times amusing read then you should give this collection a go, the final section alone I think is worth picking it up.