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Deborah (162 KP) rated Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death in Books

Dec 19, 2018

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death

James Runcie | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Religion

6.3

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

First off, I expected this to be a novel, so when I got about 70 pages in and it seemed to be winding up the mystery, I was a bit confused. It's actually a series of 6 stories which are different mysteries that Cannon Sidney Chambers finds himself getting involved in. Also, except for the division into stories, there are no chapter breaks.

Of the six stories here, I thought that some worked better than others. The first ones were a little more genteel whereas the later ones, particularly perhaps the penultimate story, were a little more dark and disturbing.

I'm too young to remember this period, so I can't comment on how accurate it is, but I didn't feel that I got a really strong sense of the period. The geographical setting is mainly around Cambridge, with several jaunts up to London. Perhaps the author thought this was just the sort of thing to appeal to those readers of Agatha Christie, because the solutions to no less than three of her books are revealed here - good job I'd read them already....

Altogether, there's enough going on to sustain the interest and I see that the author is proposing a total of six volumes, taking us right up to the early 1980s.

Kudos

Kate (496 KP) rated Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1) in Books

Jan 22, 2020

Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1)

L.J. Epps | 2016 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Gripping (0 more)

Didn't realise it was part of a series (0 more)

I loved this book but didn't realise it was part of a series. I like to have a few books in the series so I can go straight onto the next book if I was as gripped as I was with this book.
I wouldn't normally read this genre but it sounded similar to the hunger games and I really enjoyed those films.
The book gripped me from the first chapter and it got better and better and I couldn't put this down. There were a few mistakes and a few lines that didn't make sense when read as a word was missing but it didn't affect the book at all.
This book made me really invest in the main character. I agreed with her at all stages in the book and I was so invested in her to succeed. I like a book where I am 'in' the book and actually feel like I am part of it.
In my opinion this book is aimed at late teenagers - early teens.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

Kudos

Tallulah22 (211 KP) rated Then She Was Gone in Books

Jan 8, 2020

Then She Was Gone

Lisa Jewell | 2017 | Thriller

8.1

(21 Ratings)

Book Rating

This is the first book that I have ever read by Lisa Jewell and I was NOT disappointed. The characters were so well written that I felt what they were feeling and I was going through all of the motions with them. The plot was one that hooked me in straight away and kept me there until the very last sentence.

It was recommended by my mum who wanted someone to talk about the book with after she finished it in a day and it was another day before I was able to join her in conversation.

We both drew the same speculations as we read about what we thought had happened to Ellie and who was involved and these changed with every chapter that we read. Some of mine were a bit more outlandish in my mind but it all came together with bits and pieces of all of our ideas in a perfect culmination.

I felt bad for characters in the end and there were a couple that I despaired over the ending of but it was what needed to happen to them for the book to be as good as it was.

Truly a great read and we are on the look out for more books by this author.