Review: Death Dance by Linda Fairstein

This is the first book I've read by this author, who led the sex Crimes Unit of the DAs Office in Manhattan for 25 years before becoming a writer.

Despite a promising plug by James Patterson on the front, this book wasn't nearly as gripping as a typical JP book. However, I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in theatre and especially the magical behind-the-scenes world of Broadway. This book contained a fabulous insight into the world of musicals and theatres including the history and politics of the industry.

Rating = **

Carpe Librum!

Proof Of Intelligent Life

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Review: The Cup Of Ghosts by Paul Doherty

Set in the early 1300s during the reign of Edward II, this is the first in a series by Paul Doherty about Mathilde of Westminster, the lady-in-waiting to Princess Isabella.

Mathilde escapes the persecution of the Templars, assumes a new identity and is placed in the service of Princess Isabella. An arranged marriage between Princess Isabella and Edward II sees them move from France to England. Mathilde has an in depth knowledge of herbal remedies and by 1322 was considered the finest physician in London.

This book was full of suspense, political intrigue and violence, coloured by Royal decadence - definitely a recipe to keep the pages turning quickly.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, although this is the first time I've come across this author, who has written 14 books set in medieval times (which I can't wait to read).

I absolutely loved this book, and can't wait for the next one in the series.

Rating = *****

Carpe Librum!

Book Crossing

I had never heard of Book Crossing until recently, but apparently it's a new hobby sweeping the globe.


The 3 R's of BookCrossing

1. Read a good book (you already know how to do that)
2. Register it at their website (along with your journal comments), get a unique BCID (BookCrossing ID number), and label it.
3. Release it for someone else to read (give it to a friend, leave it on a park bench, donate it to charity, "forget" it in a coffee shop, etc.), and get notified by email each time someone goes to the website and records a journal entry for that book. And if you make release notes on the book, others can go hunting for it and try to find it!

Pretty amazing huh? Not sure that I could part with my books like that though, and I think I would be too annoyed if someone picked it up and didn't register it on the website, and I lost track of it for good. I imagine this is an obsession waiting to happen, and that 'leaving' it in a coffee shop and running up to the stranger who has picked it up (2 hrs later) and saying 'you better register that' might not be in the spirit of BookCrossing.


Fascinating hobby though, what do you think?
http://www.bookcrossing.com/home


That's my four bucks!

Review: Cell by Stephen King

Stephen King's latest novel Cell begins with a Pulse that turns people who use mobile phones crazy. Filled with Kings' predictable gore, the story follows the main character Clay, who leads a small band of normal people against the 'phone crazies'. The plot moves quickly and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying this mindless tale. This novel is nowhere near the literary heights of The Green Mile but entertaining just the same. My favourite quote was on page 37:

"That tight little accent grated on Clay's frayed nerves. He thought that if it had been a fart, it would have been the kind that comes out sounding like a party-horn blown by a kid with asthma."

Very amusing, and typical of the King style of writing I'm quite fond of.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!