The Old Stories by Kevin Crossley-Holland. Illustrated by John Lawrence

Published by Dolphin Paperbacks - a division of Orion Books UK

A collection of traditional tales, folk lore, myths, rhymes and more, The Old Stories contains short pieces that are memorable and oftentimes quirky. Whether dealing with humour, fear, problem solving and many other topics, the theme often seems to turn to morals as is the way for many folk tales and myths from around the world. The rhymes are often in old dialects (though sometimes adjusted slightly to make them more understandable).

I liked this collection a great deal. I loved reading the local rhymes which, while not identical, were extremely similar to my own lancashire dialects. It made me smile and think of the region where I was raised. The writing style is beautifully descriptive and the tales are often filled with words that inspire the imagination, words such as bogles and woodwoses. I found that in the 'darker' pieces, the writing style was brilliantly chilling. As with any collection, there are always going to be favourites. Mine were the following:

• The Suffolk Miracle: In which a farmer's daughter and a ploughboy fall deeply in love much to the displeasure of her father who does everything to prevent the joining of the two. True love as always, will not be denied.
• The Dead Moon: In which the moon, who protects the local swamp from the bogles, dead things, and crawling horrors, decides to explore the swamp and see what the locals are so afraid of.
• Sea Tongue: The voices of so many objects in a town (church bell, church, houses, the cliff) come together and share moments in their history.
• Cape of Rushes: Folk tale which very much reminded me of Cinderella.
• Samuel's Ghost: Samuel tries his best to ensure his spirit can rest.
• A Coggeshall Calendar: Hilarious accounts of events during a year in Coggeshall and the steps the locals take to deal with these events. Pretty much a folk tale version of the Darwin Awards.

I was glad to see that the author includes sources and notes in the back of the book for those who wish to delve more into where these tales originated. The illustrations by John Lawrence which are of a simple style, were a tasteful and eye-catching addition. My only issue with those images was the fact that a few of them were repeated alongside different stories so I felt the illustrations in places were used more as 'fillers'. I liked that the stories are also paired with rhymes and sayings with the same theme. It's nice to see a layout so obviously well thought out.

Also, last but not least, I loved the book cover itself. In fact, I picked up this book just because of the cover. It was simply captivating. I am so glad it got my attention. While it was the cover that drew me to this author, it is his writing that has made me eager to find and read more of his books.

Author's website: http://www.kevincrossley-holland.com/
Illustrator's website: http://www.imagesofdelight.com/

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Illustrated by Portia Rosenberg

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
Distributed by Raincoast Books

Mr. Norrell is a strange man who is withdrawn and obstinate to the extreme. His passion is magic and his foremost love is his ever-growing library of magical books. In fact it is this same collection that leads to others seeking him out and requesting his aid in the unending war against Napoleon. England is astonished by his glorious feats; particularly the raising of a woman from the dead and it would soon seem that Mr. Norrell may single-handedly reunite England with her magical past which has long since been forgotten.

To Jonathan Strange life is an adventure. The regular trappings that interest a person of his age hold no interest for him. Nor does he seem able to find a career that suits him until he gets it into his head that he shall be a magician but with all the books on the subject being bought by Mr. Norrell, where is he to begin his studies?

Fate brings the two gentlemen together and so begins a love/hate relationship like no other. Fuelled not only by their own differences but also by the unremitting meddling of their acquaintances and the mischievous actions of a gentleman from the Otherworld who has his own agenda.

What follows is a magical, brilliant, captivating story that will awake the imagination of any who should read the tale.

I have only one regret with this book, and that is the regret that I did not read it sooner. I actually read The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories first which introduced me to the world of Strange and Norrell. You can read the review of that title here. As for this book, I simply adored it. While I acknowledge that I have always been fond of books containing magic and fantasy themes I find it hard to believe that anyone could pick this book up and not love it as much as I did.

I often find myself loving one character more than the rest when I read works of fiction but with this novel I found that there were too many to choose from. Each character is beautifully written and holds unique qualities that appeal to me. On the flip side, I can tell you without question that I detested Henry Lascelles who is an acquaintance of Mr. Norrell and an exceedingly nasty piece of work. I can’t remember the last character that inspired such a negative reaction in me.

What I loved about this book too, were the footnotes that often reference fictional pieces of work and which I found helped to draw me into the book more, making it more real as it were. It was a wonderful addition. I also liked that many historical figures are included or referenced in the tale.

For those who love illustrations, there are black and white images sprinkled throughout the pages that are created by British artist Portia Rosenberg and which also add a little something special.

I really loved this book and while the size of the novel itself may seem a little daunting, please do take the time to check it out. It’s well worth it.

Author’s website: http://www.jonathanstrange.com/ (lots of great extras to be found including news regarding a film of this book)

Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

Published by Random House Canada

Artemis, Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares. These are names we all know to as belonging to Greek deities. When brought to mind, these names invoke images of toga wearing beings, relaxing in a stunning temple, grapes and wine all around them as they use their powers to guide the world. Marie Phillips takes these characters and brings them kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century.

Imagine if you will, a house in London. The exterior of the house in serious disrepair and in danger of falling down within a decade or less while the interior is such that it would make even the most filthy hovel seem like a show home. The occupants of this house are none other than the various Greek Gods and Goddesses who have been residing here since the seventeenth century, seemingly forgotten by the world.

Shadows of their former selves, these deities have very little power left and no idea how to fix the problem. In order to survive, they have taken on jobs usually reserved for mere mortals. Apollo for example is an overly dramatic TV psychic in addition to his usual duties as the God of the Sun. Artemis, in addition to taking care of Hunting and the Moon, spends her mornings walking dogs, and Aphrodite - Goddess of Beauty - is a phone sex operator. Ares seems to be one of the few exceptions but let's face it when you are the God of War you don't have time for a second career in this era.

This situation is bizarre enough but when Aphrodite gets irritated by Apollo one day and plots her revenge, Neil and Alice (two mortals) get dragged into it and all hell breaks loose. What follows is a non-stop tale filled with love triangles, plots, twists, hilarity and adventure.

I loved, loved, loved, loved this book. It's an absolute pleasure to read and I was laughing so much when reading it. It's brilliantly original. There are so many Gods and Goddesses squeezed into the run-down house in London that it makes for a lively setting. My favourite dynamic was definitely Artemis and Apollo who, like most twins, are very close and constantly in conflict with one another. Artemis is very level headed and practical where as Apollo spends most of his time thinking about sex and dealing with those who reject his attentions in imaginative ways.

After Artemis has an incident with a talking tree (formerly Kate who worked in mergers and acquisitions), Apollo is forced to swear on Styx that he will never harm another human. Reluctantly he complies but spends the rest of the book finding loopholes. In addition to the well-written deities, there are also 2 main mortal characters. Neil and Alice. Both seem unsure of themselves, reserved, shy even and when they find themselves drawn into the world of the deities, the results are comical. Their dynamic is most often a 'will they, won't they' situation, which is made even more complex when Apollo falls for Alice in a big way. Neil thought he was lacking confidence before; now he has to compete with a God, get his could-be-girlfriend back, and save the world!

The author paints a great picture. Her words fire the imagination and I often found myself forming great visuals in my mind as I read the book. My favourite setting in the book had to be the underworld though. I loved the obvious amount of thought put into it. Not only the aesthetics but also the way it works. As someone who lived in London for a few years and had to deal with the Tube on a daily basis, I found it fitting that it was the setting for the entrance to the Underworld.

A perfect book for those moments when you just want to unwind with a light read. Please note this book does contain some adult language and sexual content (usually surrounding Apollo and Aphrodite). Easily one of my most favourite reads ever! It reminded me at times of Terry Pratchett's writing which isn't surprising when you read the author's blog and discover that he was one of her earlier influences! As a hardcore Pratchett fan, I know I will be watching Marie Phillips for future releases.

Author's website: http://www.mariephillips.co.uk/
Author's blog: http://www.womanwhotalkedtoomuch.blogspot.com/

Consequences by Penelope Lively

Published by Key Porter Books

Consequences follows the lives of three generations of women in the same family. First there is Lorna, a young lady who finds herself on a park bench one day, distraught from yet another argument with her mother. A chance encounter with a local artist named Matt brings her hope, a hope that is shattered when war begins and Matt is killed in action. She is left to try and pick up the remnants of her life and raise their young daughter alone.

Then we move forward twenty years and follow the life of the daughter Molly. The reader observes Molly as she struggles to find herself. Her first job leads her unexpectedly into the arms of an older man, a man who adores her and wants to marry her, especially now that she is carrying their child but Molly is not in love with him.

It is their child, Ruth, who seems to have the most stable life as an adult. Settled down with her husband Peter and their two precious children, she seems to have it all but Ruth finds herself with a lot of questions. Questions she can only answer by rediscovering the past. Will there ever be a woman in this family who can find true - and lasting - happiness?

A friend told me I had to read this book and I am so thankful I did. It's a book that grabbed my attention from the first couple of sentences and kept me reading - often with my breath held - for the duration. I found the characters to be well written and the story as a whole was wonderfully executed. The shifts back and forth in time add something special to this novel and I especially like that we get to see how women of the same age and similar circumstances face very different challenges in each era.

I loved the reminders of England. The references to the Zannusi fridge, fish and chips, the narrow lanes that only one vehicle can pass through, and lots of British terminology. For that reason alone I was very fond of this book.

It's a wonderfully addictive tale.

Author's website: http://penelopelively.net/

The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas

Published by Harcourt Inc
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Scarlett Thomas was named one of the twenty best young British writers by the Independent on Sunday in 2001 and Writer of the Year at the 2002 Elle Style Awards. After reading The End of Mr. Y, it's easy to understand why.

This book is no slow starter. Right away the reader is thrust into a tension-building scene which finds the main character, Ariel Manto, rushing out of her office as the ground shakes beneath her, just in time to see the next building collapse. The mystery element is introduced from the start too, as Ariel sneaks back into her building to get her keys and reveals that her office, is shared with Professor Saul Burlem, who has been missing since the first week she arrived. Burlem is the only person in the world who has done research on the author Thomas E. Lumas, one of Ariel's main subjects.

Tragedy surrounds Thomas E. Lumas. It was believed that one of his books, The End of Mr. Y, was cursed. The author died soon after writing it, along with everyone who was ever involved with it. Only one copy of the book exists, safely tucked into a bank vault in Germany. Imagine Ariel's surprise as she walks home from work that night and enters a used bookstore. While looking for more works by Thomas E. Lumas, the store assistant mentions that the name sounds familiar and swears she has a copy of the book. Ariel can't believe her luck as a box is brought out, recently bought at auction, and tucked inside is a copy of the novel.

What follows is an adventure which is nothing less than spectacular. The reader gets to read the cursed novel along with Ariel, while at the same time, learning about her life, her bond with her neighbour, the affair with a college professor and her financial struggles. At the end of the book, she is troubled. There is a page missing and it's obvious that it was torn out. Why would it be removed? What did it say?

When her building resumes normal day to day business, she returns to find that two people from the collapsed building will now be sharing her office. In the process of making space for them, she is packing the books which belong to Burlem. As she does so, a piece of paper flutters out of a book. It's a page. No. It's THE page. Why did Burlem have it? Why did he have a copy of The End of Mr. Y? Where is he?

Ariel sets out to find the answers to these and many more questions and ventures into the Troposphere - A place where she can travel through time and space by using the thoughts of others. What she finds inside is beyond imagination, and while she begins exploring in awe and wonder, she soon finds herself within a nightmare that may end up costing Ariel her life.

Where do I even begin with this book? It's simply brilliant. I picked it up and was hooked from the very start. The author has a way of drawing the reader into the book, even when just sharing details of Ariel's day to day life. The characters are vivid, realistic and very easy to connect with.

The story itself is a perfect blend of present and past, and after reading it, it was easy to see why Jonathan Coe stated:

"Not only will you have a great time reading this book, but you will finish it a cleverer person than when you started."

This book explores so many theories about science, faith, conciousness, death and more. It's a book that will excite the senses, inspire the imagination, and tease the intellect.

I loved this book.

Author's website: http://www.bookgirl.org/

Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus The Corduroy Kid by Simon Armitage

Release date April 14, 2007.

Published by House of Anansi Press Inc.

In Tyrannosaurus Rex Versus The Corduroy Kid, Simon Armitage brings us vivid and memorable poetry that guides the reader through incalculable emotions. Armitage has a style which manages to make the reader's spirit soar, all while keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground with the often serious conflict presented.

This book deals with so many issues which we all face often and does so in an original yet familiar way. Simon Armitage has a style of writing which is so easy to love that even from the first few pages, you will feel as though you have been reading his works for years. Such is the ease with which the reader can connect to this sublime collection.

What I loved most was the inclusion of playful presentation and especially I loved the Sympathy poems which were written with an accent much like my own. I loved reading those aloud and hearing the familiar twang cross my lips. I will be eagerly looking forward to more releases from this author.

Great book! If you only ever buy one book of poetry in your life, this is the one to get.

Author's website: http://www.simonarmitage.co.uk/

Winterton Blue by Trezza Azzopardi

Published by Key Porter Books

Trezza Azzopardi brings us two wonderfully written and complex main characters. Lewis and Anna are both trying to deal with fears and events which haunt them. For Lewis, trouble began when he was in the back of a stolen car which was driven by Carl, the bad-seed who had befriended Lewis's younger brother. Tragedy struck and from that moment Lewis has been fighting his inner demons and trying to put things right.

While Lewis is struggling with his past and present, Anna is having issues with her present and future. Her mother 'Rita' is driving her crazy. Rita herself is a larger than life 76 year old character who is very flirtatious and outspoken much to Anna's dismay. She runs a movie-themed guest house which only has one paying guest for the most part - a dramatic character known as Vernon Savoy (aka cabbage) who was once very famous and had a ventriloquist act with a stuttering dummy. Vernon is a thorn in Anna's side almost from the start and her biggest fear is that he may one day become her stepfather.

Lewis and Anna cross paths in the most unexpected of ways and find in each other a kindred spirit. What follows is a greatly moving mix of love, mystery and thrills which grabs the reader from the start and refuses to let go.

Azzopardi has a delightful way with words and divine descriptions. The characters are so vivid they practically leap off the page and the plot is a brilliant and emotional rollercoaster ride. I haven't read anything else by this author yet but I am sure that will change as I found a great deal to like about this book.

Don't Tell Mummy by Toni Maguire

Published by Harper Element - An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers

Don't tell Mummy is the true story of Toni Maguire's tragic and brutal childhood. A friend (thanks Jean-Luc!) brought this to one my attention and I just knew from the raw emotion it wrought in him, that I had to read it too. I am so glad I did.

In this book we are shown her early beginnings in life, such happiness and innocence which is all too quickly taken away when her father leaves the army and comes home for good. What happens next is beyond imagination. While the outside world sees an almost picture perfect family, behind closed doors there are so many dark secrets. Over many years, Antoinette's defenses are broken down, her faith and trust in all around her is shattered and all she wants is her mother's love and protection. It really isn't much to ask for.

I loved the way the author could take a simple thing and make it so bright and breezy, and later come back to that and weave such a darkness across it. One such instance that will stick with me for a long time, was a visit to an old school-friend of her grandmothers who made homemade sweets:

Engrossed I would watch. my cheeks bulging with some of her samples, as I rolled the one she had told me I could 'test' around my tongue. When the last drop of the sugary syrup had slid down my throat I would play the same game we played every time.
'Mrs Trivett, what are little girls made of?'
I never grew tired of her reply.
'Why Antoinette, how many times do I have to tell you? Sugar and spice of course, and all things nice!'
I would giggle happily and she would reward me with another sweet.

Then later, she writes:

I knew then that although they liked the sweets, they were never going to like me. After that day they liked me less for they could sense how desperately how I wanted their approval and despised me for it.

I remembered then the visits to Mrs Trivett's house and the question I would always put to her: 'What are little girls made of?' I remembered her reply, and thought now that I must be made of a different substance.

This book is one that you won't want to put down but at times I had to. As a survivor I found parts hard to deal with, common ground making me a little uneasy. Other times, I had to put the book down purely because the emotion and anger that I felt when reading this was overwhelming. New levels of disturbing attitudes and behaviour are around every corner and this book left me at the end, totally in amazement and in awe of this author for not only being able to survive such an experience but for being able to put it here, in a book and share her story with world.

A great read and a brilliant reminder that not everything in life is as it seems.

The sequel to this book, picking up where this left off is called When Daddy Comes Home and should be available around August 2007. Personally I can't wait.

Talk to the Hand: #?*! The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door by Lynne Truss

Published by Gotham Books - An Imprint of Penguin Group USA.

Okay, the first warning I need to give with this book is that you really shouldn't read it in public unless you are prepared to deal with the strange looks you receive when you laugh out loud. My significant other cast many an amused look my way as I tried to read this book quietly and instead, I found myself chuckling, grinning and reading parts aloud to him that I just had to share.

In this book, Lynne Truss takes us on a tour of todays society, rudeness and all, and casts a new light on it. It's not often you see a book that manages to be so lighthearted while making you think about things seriously but this one does so, brilliantly. Have you found yourself in moments of stunned silence when you show courtesy to someone by opening a door, only to have them walk through it with no sign of acknowledgement at all, or maybe a driver cuts you off without warning, or even store assistants who treat you as if you are invisible or worse. Then this book is for you.

Within chapters titled: Was That So Hard To Say?, Why Am I the Only One Doing This?, My Bubble - My Rules, The Universal Eff-Off Reflex, Booing the Judges and last but not least Someone Else Will Clean It Up, Lynne Truss might not help you to feel less stressed about the ignorance around you but I guarantee she will help you feel less ashamed of being nice. The books contains many references and quotes which I adored and my absolute favourite which I aim to remember each day is:

Three thing in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind. - Henry James

This book is a gem. I loved it. I don't think I am ever going to think of Lynne Truss again without thinking of the Grand Old Duke of York and cracking up. I especially loved that much of the book reminded me of the many things about England which I miss (or don't).

Author's website: http://www.lynnetruss.com/

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

From the Publisher (The Berkley Publishing Group - A Division of Penguin Putnam Inc.):

Lord of the Flies remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, igniting passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. Though critically acclaimed, it was largely ignored upon its initial publication. Yet soon it became a cult favorite among both students and literary critics who compared it to J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in its influence on modern thought and literature. Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies has established itself as a true classic.

I had never read this book before but I felt I should since it is a classic. Now that I have finished it, I see why. What I thought would be a simple story turned out to be so much more. A bunch of small boys are stranded on an island and must learn how to survive and exist by trying to form their own society. I had no idea that this book would contain so much depth and I found that as I read along, my mind was constantly clicking into gear and reading so much more into everything. I adore when a book has that effect.

For those who haven't read this, and would be put off by the fact that this book is from 1954, you would be surprised (as I was) at just how timeless this book actually is. It doesn't seem dated at all and had I not paid attention to the note from the publisher, I would have guessed it was much more modern.

The characters are brilliantly written and you can't help but think that these children have managed to mimic the adult world perfectly. The scenery descriptions are vivid and delectable:

Here, on the other side of the island, the view was utterly different. The filmy enchantments of mirage could not endure the cold ocean water and the horizon was hard, chipped blue. Ralph wandered down to the rocks. Down here, almost on a level with the sea, you could follow with your eye the ceaseless, bulging passage of the deep sea waves. They were miles wide, apparently not breakers or the banked ridges of shallow water. They traveled the length of the island with an air of disregarding it and being set on other business; they were less a progress than a momentous rise and fall of the whole ocean. Now the sea would suck down, making cascades and waterfalls of retreating water, would sink past the rocks and plaster down the seaweed like shining hair: then, pausing, gather and rise with a roar, irresistibly swelling over point and outcrop, climbing the little cliff, sending at last an arm of surf up a gully to end a yard or so from him in fingers of spray.

The whole book was a joy to read. It was mildly shocking in some parts and I can only imagine how shocking and controversial it must have been when it was first released. I loved that this copy of the book had some notes included by E.L. Epstein, from which I learned many interesting things. I also found a great site about this book for which the link is below.

http://www.gerenser.com/lotf/

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde

From the Publisher (Viking Adult - An Imprint of Penguin Group USA) :

Jasper Fforde does it again with this dazzling new series

It’s Easter in Reading—a bad time for eggs—and no one can remember the last sunny day. Ovoid D-class nursery celebrity Humpty Stuyvesant Van Dumpty III, minor baronet, ex-convict, and former millionaire philanthropist, is found shattered to death beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. All the evidence points to his ex-wife, who has conveniently shot herself.

But Detective Inspector Jack Spratt and his assistant Mary Mary remain unconvinced, a sentiment not shared with their superiors at the Reading Police Department, who are still smarting over their failure to convict the Three Pigs of murdering Mr. Wolff. Before long Jack and Mary find themselves grappling with a sinister plot involving cross-border money laundering, bullion smuggling, problems with beanstalks, titans seeking asylum, and the cut and thrust world of international chiropody.

And on top of all that, the JellyMan is coming to town . . .

This book is one of my favourites, easily. I loved reading Lost In A Good Book by this author and had bought this with the hope that it would be as much fun to read and it didn't disappoint.

The reader gets to tag along as Detective Inspector Jack Spratt heads up the NCD (Nursery Crime Division) and tries to solve the crime that begins when Humpty Dumpty is found shattered at the base of a wall.

I challenge anyone to read this and not get drawn into repeating childhood nursery rhymes about each character as you recognise them! I loved the humour and found myself laughing out loud so many times and it didn't hurt that so many things in the book reminded me of growing up in England.

Great book and I will definitely be reading it again and looking out for more by this brilliantly funny author.

You can read an excerpt of this book here

Author's website: http://www.jasperfforde.com/

Nursery Crime website: http://www.nurserycrime.co.uk/index.html

Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud

From the Publishers (Hyperion Books for Children & Miramax):

Three years have passed since the magician Nathaniel helped prevent a cataclysmic attack on London. Now an established member of the British Government, he faces unprecedented problems: foreign wars are going badly, Britain’s enemies are mounting attacks close to London, and rebellion is fermenting among the commoners. Increasingly imperious and distracted, Nathaniel is treating Bartimaeus worse than ever. The long-suffering djinni is growing weak and vulnerable from too much time in this world, and his patience is nearing its end.

Meanwhile, undercover in London, Kitty has been stealthily completing her research on magic, demons, and Bartimaeus’s past. She has a plan that she hopes will break the endless cycle of conflict between djinn and humans. But will anyone listen to what she has to say?

In this thrilling conclusion of the Bartimaeus trilogy, the destinies of Bartimaeus, Nathaniel, and Kitty are thrown together once more. For the first time, we will learn the secrets of Bartimaeus’s past, and get a glimpse into the Other Place -- the world of demons -- as together, the threesome must face treacherous magicians, unravel a masterfully complex conspiracy, and defeat a formidable faction of demons. And worst of all, they must somehow cope with one another....

This book is part 3 of the Bartimaeus Trilogy and out of all of them, my favourite one by far. It brings us the conclusion of the battle between the wizards and the commoners but in a totally surprising way that I would could never have anticipated.

Great storyline, brilliant character development and the number of surprises in this book are just countless. The humour that started in book one, only to vanish mostly in book 2, returns with a vengeance. It really was a terrific read and I know I will be reading this trilogy again sometime.

Read Chapter 1 at Hyperion Books for Children.

Trilogy website: http://www.bartimaeustrilogy.com/home.html

Author's wesbite: http://www.jonathanstroud.com/ (check out the news and events section for all the awards this series won.)

The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud

From the Publishers (Hyperions Books for Children & Miramax):

The second adventure in the Bartimaeus trilogy finds our young apprentice magician Nathaniel working his way up the ranks of the government, when crisis hits. A seemingly invulnerable clay golem is making random attacks on London. Nathaniel and the all-powerful, totally irreverent djinni, Bartimaeus, must travel to Prague to discover the source of the golem’s power.

In the ensuing chaos, readers will chase a dancing skeleton across London’s skyline, encounter the horror of the dreaded Night Police, witness a daring kidnapping, and enter the Machiavellian world of the magician’s government. Eventually, Nathaniel and Bartimaeus have to go head to head with the fearsome golem before the surprise identity of his master is finally revealed.

This book was pretty fun but not as good as the first one, for me at least which was mainly because it seemed to have less humour. The plot was awesome but it was transparent way too soon in the book. I felt a lot more of bartimaeus could have been done. It seemed to just rehash a lot of his earlier quirks and personality traits rather than give us a deeper/closer look into him. I did note a few nice surprises along the way though.

I am still looking forward to reading the 3rd book in the trilogy

Trilogy website: http://www.bartimaeustrilogy.com/home.html

Author website: http://www.jonathanstroud.com/ (check out the news and events section for all the awards this series won.)

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

From the Publishers (Hyperion Books for Children & Miramax):

Nathaniel is a young magician’s apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hotshot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of everyone he knows, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who’s boss. With revenge on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all: summoning the all-powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, blackmail, and revolt.

Set in a modern-day London spiced with magicians and mayhem, this extraordinary, funny, pitch-perfect thriller will dazzle the myriad fans of Artemis Fowl and the His Dark Materials trilogy. And with the rights sold in more than a dozen countries, and a major motion picture in the works, the Bartimaeus trilogy is on the fast track to becoming a classic.

I found this book to be delightful and funny. I had thought it would be the same humour as Terry Pratchett books but not quite. The footnotes are hilarious though.

This book is part of a trilogy named The Bartimaeus Trilogy and if the other two are as quick and great to read, I will be thrilled! I fell in love with the characters. Bartimaeus being a demon who by the end of the book, shows a remarkable amount of depth and many surprising traits. Nathaniel being a young wizard apprentice who seems to stumble into trouble wherever he may go, but has a wonderful pure heart and the best of intentions.

This is the first thing I have read by Jonathan Stroud but I will be working my way through the rest of the trilogy in the next few days.

Trilogy website: http://www.bartimaeustrilogy.com/home.html

Author's wesbite: http://www.jonathanstroud.com/ (check out the news and events section for all the awards this series won.)

Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

From the Publisher (Viking Adult - An Imprint of Penguin Group USA) :

Intrepid literary detective Thursday Next is back in the second installment of Jasper Fforde's one-of-a-kind series

The inventive, exuberant, and totally original literary fun that began with The Eyre Affair continues with Jasper Fforde’s magnificent second adventure starring the resourceful, fearless literary sleuth Thursday Next. When Landen, the love of her life, is eradicated by the corrupt multinational Goliath Corporation, Thursday must moonlight as a Prose Resource Operative of Jurisfiction—the police force inside books. She is apprenticed to the man-hating Miss Havisham from Dickens’s Great Expectations, who grudgingly shows Thursday the ropes. And she gains just enough skill to get herself in a real mess entering the pages of Poe’s “The Raven.” What she really wants is to get Landen back. But this latest mission is not without further complications. Along with jumping into the works of Kafka and Austen, and even Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, Thursday finds herself the target of a series of potentially lethal coincidences, the authenticator of a newly discovered play by the Bard himself, and the only one who can prevent an unidentifiable pink sludge from engulfing all life on Earth.

Oh boy, where do I even start with this book. I loved it from the moment I picked it up and I have definitely found an author who I adore the work of, as much as Terry Pratchett.

This book was original, imaginative and just beyond fun. There were so many laugh out loud moments and ideas that just made you think they were crazy and yet they could happen, all at once and don't even get me started on all the made up words. *grins*

My only regret with this book is that I didn't read the Eyre Affair first but it is definitely the next book I wanting to buy and the third and fourth books in this series won't be far behind.

I have so many favourite moments in this book. It's one I will be reading again and again. As a booklover it was a bonus that the story was based so much on books and I adored how people could jump from one book into another (not to mention the character exchange program). The tongue in cheek humour is there through and through, a fine example is in the naming of many of the expendable agents, my favourite two being Lamb and Slorter.

I also checked out the authors website http://www.jasperfforde.com/ as well as the character website which can be found at www.thursdaynext.com where they have many extras and fun things for all lovers of Thursday Next.

This book also won the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Dilys Award in 2004.