Thursday's Children by Nicci French (a Frieda Klein novel)

What is it about?

Frieda Klein's past intrudes harshly on the present, when a young girl she counsels tells a story of rape that bears a remarkable similarity to something that happened to Frieda herself, more than twenty years ago.

Worth the read?

I give it 9/10, definitely my favourite Frieda Klein story so far. The characteristic bluntness is still present in French's writing, but my perception of Frieda as a slightly chilly character has been softened by this view into her history, and her efforts to rekindle some kind of contact with her estranged mother.

The Wolf in Winter by John Connolly (the 12th Charlie Parker novel)

Just a warning upfront: this book is for the fans. There are no long character or event introductions, the story has been woven so that readers familiar with the cast and their histories can effortlessly slot into the plot, cheering for Charlie Parker, Louis and Angel all the way.

What is it about?

Charlie Parker and his cohorts are drawn into the ancient and sinister practices of a town called Prosperous. The town's fortunes are true to its name, but only because the residents all collude in making sacrifices to their hungry god.

Worth the read?

YES! The atmosphere is rich and bright with impending violence, even though very little action is actually described in the book. Uneasy and unlikely alliances are formed against a greater enemy, and the scenes describing the interactions between good and evil were downright delicious to read.

The Wrath of Angels by John Connolly (the 11th Charlie Parker novel)

What is the story about?

In a tangled and sinister part of the Maine woods, a plane has crashed. Within the wreckage lies a list, containing the names of people who have traded their souls to the devil. A desperate hunt for the list ensues, the forces of good and those of evil racing to get to the prize first.

Is it awesome?

Hells yes! I give it a deserved 9/10.

The story is dark and atmospheric and wildly compelling, John Connolly at his best. Sure, this novel could be read as a standalone, but why would you want to? A nearly full cast of characters from books past make appearances, including Angel and Louis, the rabbi Epstein, the lawyer Eldritch and his sinister serial killer client the Collector. 

Favourite quotes / paragraphs 

The Fulcis were almost as wide as they were tall, had cornered the market in polyester clothing that always looked a size too small for them, and were medicated to prevent excessive mood swings, which meant only that any damage caused by nonexcessive mood swings would probably be limited to property and not people.

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Some revelations only came with the sound of dirt falling on a coffin: the ones that mattered, the ones that made for regrets.

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... the boy wore an expression that was simultaneously blank and malevolent, the way Grady had always imagined concentration camp executioners looked after their victims grew too many to count.

Step 1: Get a Kindle

If you love reading, get a Kindle. There, I said it. Most of my friends who read are still steadfastly going on about the smell of paper and the feel of holding an actual book. I was once of the same voice. But then one day, on a whim, I bought a Kindle. I read all of about 5 pages before I fell hopelessly in love, and I've never looked back.

During my four years of Kindle ownership, I've come across only a few (slight) disadvantages:

• The battery needs to be charged. Super sucky for most devices, but the Kindle battery life is really quite awesome. And also, you can recharge using any mini USB, so nice and easy to plug in next to your bed at night.
• Food mess and crumbs. I like eating while reading. Books are easy - you mess, you wipe it off. Kindles - not so much. Same for reading in the bath, big Kindle no-no, especially if you are even half as much of a klutz as I am. 
• Sharing books. You don't have a physical book to hand to a friend, which can get a bit annoying. Fortunately you can get around this by having multiple Kindles on the same Amazon account. Works well, and I think you can have a book on up to 5 devices simultaneously?

On to the list of things I adore about this gadget:

• The screen. Seriously, it rocks.
• Books are cheaper. Not as cheap as I think they should actually be, but substantially cheaper than buying a newly published hardcover or trade paperback.
• Amazon itself. Their reviews are really helpful, and with such a large reviewer base you can pretty much tell whether a book is for you or not.
• No more hand cramps trying to prop a book up in bed. Also, in winter you can turn the page with your hand under the covers. Beat that, paper relics!!!!
• You can make notes. As I read, I like to highlight favourite lines (yes, I will be including these in future reviews). 
• You can share books by linking multiple devices to a single account. I mentioned this in the "disadvantages" section, but it bears repeating here. 
• You can carry LOADS of books around in a single little lightweight device. I used to be the girl whose books made up 50% of her total luggage weight. But those days are gone. My Kindle lives in my handbag.
• Buying books is so easy. One click, it gets delivered. I'm not sure if Amazon's one click system is entirely ethical though, waaaaaaaay too easy to buy a lot without taking the total cost into account. But I'm a creature of convenience, so I think it's brilliant.

Happy reading!