The Casual Vacancy by J.K.Rowling - Book Review

The gritty story of Pagford lacks the Hogwarts magic in Rowling's first published adult book.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K.Rowling: When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils... Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.

Thanks to J.K.Rowling's celebrity status and more than a little hype about this adult offering from the author of Harry Potter, The Casual Vacancy can be seen in book shops and supermarkets everywhere. For those looking for some more of the Potter magic you are looking in the wrong place.

This gritty narrative is told via a diverse selection of characters, with no real main protagonist. Instead the sleepy village of Pagford reveals its secrets from the point of view from overweight cafe owners to acne ridden teenagers. Introduced to drug addicts, sex in bushes and various forms of child abuse Rowling does everything she can to make sure this book is as different from Hogwarts is it can be.

The narrative flows well, with Rowling's effortless story telling style being used to good effect. Yet it was punctuated by superfluous thesaurus raping that left me using the Kindle's dictionary more than I would like to find out what she was going on about. One or two introductions to new words is what I expect from a book aimed at adults (and a reader who rarely ventures from YA) but it left me feeling more than a little but stupid at times, and could have been toned down a little so that it was more accessible to all.

With the age-old fight of what to do with the needy, whilst the rich are left to squabble about 'higher' council matters being displayed in a pleasant tongue-in-cheek way. I enjoyed the effortless flaunting of stereotypes  (think Hot Fuzz in a book, with less guns... actually no guns) in the setting of a pretty little village and council estate attachment, the blemish in Pagford's facade.

As the book draws to a close, I was shocked by more than one of its twists and turns. Drawing a tear to my eye, and causing me to cringe in disgust as grown adults squabble like children, and the younger generation doing everything they can to add fuel to the fire. Yet I was left feeling very little happened. No epic battles or huge revelations, and very little character development over the dozens of names. To call it disappointing is all little extreme, it just missed a bit of magic!

I give it a:

7/10

The most expensive eBook I have ever purchased (at £11.99) I struggle to recommend this book to those who use e-readers. My suggestion would be to pick this up on offer in your local supermarket, and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong Review

Being the Christmas break means I have been able to get a lot of reading done of late, and I have devoured the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong rather quickly. The Reckoning is the third and most recently released novel of the collection which follows the adventures of Chloe Saunders and her friends as they discover their supernatural powers.

Summary courtesy of Amazon:

The nail-biting climax to Kelley Armstrong’s bestselling YA series.Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. First of all, she happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be ‘cursed’?) friends are on the run from the evil corporation who created them. To top it all, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she’s leaning towards the werewolf. Definitely not normal...

This series gets better with every instalment. No need for me to rave about Kelley Armstrong, as we all know she is a goddess of supernatural fiction so we know it is superbly written. Yet, if you have read my reviews for the previous two books The Summoning and The Awakening you will know I have struggled with the similarities with her other more adult supernatural series, but I really feel like I really understood this series for the first time. I don't want to give too much away but it really works. 

For newcomers to the series, those who loved the previous two books or worshippers of Armstrong alike will adore this book. It has everything you need I a good narrative, well rounded characters, mystery, romance and action. Albeit for the teen audience, yet this is very well done. 

My only gripe is that I wanted to pick Chloe Saunders out my Kindle and shake her. The confused lust filled mind of a teenager has never promised to work logically, but this girl doesn't half erm and ah. But these things have a way of working out. 

I can finally give this series, and its latest instalment what it deserves... 5/5!

Great integration with other series, written for all audiences to enjoy and a fantastic read. 

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie x 

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong Review

This is the second book in the Darkest Powers series that moves seamlessly from the last page of The Summoning to the first page of this engaging teen supernatural novel.

Summary courtesy of Amazon:

“Chloe Saunders used to be a normal teenage girl - or so she thought. Then she learned the shocking truth - she is a walking science experiment. Genetically altered at birth by a sinister group of scientists known as the Edison Group, Chloe is an aberration - a powerful necromancer who can see ghosts and even raise the dead, often with terrifying consequences. Even worse, her growing powers have made her a threat to the surviving members of the Edison Group, who have decided it’s time to end their experiment - permanently . . .Now Chloe is running for her life with three other supernatural teenagers - a charming sorcerer, a troubled werewolf and a temperamental young witch. Together they have a chance for freedom - but can Chloe trust her new friends?”

As I have said in all my other Kelley Armstrong book reviews, I am a huge fan of this Canadian author. An effortless read and real page turner, well rounded characters and an engaging narrative make this book a must read for all lovers of supernatural fiction. Having said this, as I am very familiar with her work, I saw the conventions of her invented supernatural races much before they may have been obvious to new comers to the author.

Despite this, a number of times whilst reading the book I found myself blaming their challenges on a dramatized metaphor for puberty, but after reading a number of other reviews I have to agree learning that you can bring dead people back to their bodies while you are sleeping are more than the average struggles of a hormone riddled teen.

Overall I do love this series, and this instalment in particular, but it is for a younger audience. I quote my good friend Sam Crossley when talking about the series as a whole: “they are good, a bit teen occasionally, but that is the audience after all”. Despite this, we both finished this book in record time, myself in just under two days and moved straight on to the next one.

I have really struggled not giving this 5/5 but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as other books I have read.

4/5 (lower that the first book for the pure reason I am trying to avoid half marks)

Thanks for reading,

Rie xx

Read my review of the first book 'The Summoning' here.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - Review

Hi all.

As the title suggests, this is a review for The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. I have been wanting to read the Darkest Powers trilogy for a while now, and after downloading the first chapter onto my Kindle and giving it a quick read, I made the investment to my sanity by downloading all three at once. I know how difficult it can be to wait for new books to be released in a series so I thought I would just bite the bullet and buy them all, and I am so glad I did!

(I have done something a bit different here, by including a summary of the book so you can know what I am talking about. Let me know if you like this, or if I should stick to just my review.)

Summary courtesy of Amazon:

"The first book in the Darkest Powers trilogy - a brand new series by bestselling author Kelley Armstrong. All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager - the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be normal again. Soon ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she's admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients - charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek; obnoxious Tori; and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire - Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn't your usual 'problem kid' behaviour. And they're about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either ..."

So what did I think of it?: It was good!

With a much younger protagonist than the books of the Women of the Otherworld series, I had my reservations if I would enjoy it as much. But they were defiantly not founded. Armstrong has a talent for creating well rounded characters, and this was no exception. It encapsulates a confused teenage mind in such a well articulated way it was a pleasure to read. 


At times I did find myself guessing what made each character unique within the book, and 99% of the time my guesses were correct. Without giving too much away, Armstrong is a fantasy writer and she doesn't fail to provide that familiar supernatural flair.

This book really does get better towards the middle, the first half can be a little tedious with Chloe, the protagonist, explaining her predicament and her surroundings. Yet as I always, after a few too many late nights thanks to not being able to prise my Kindle from my hands, the book came to a gob-smacking conclusion. 


I want to be able to say I saw it coming, and it was predictable, but to be honest it was a really nice surprise ending. 

I am gagging to get reading the next book, The Awakening but with other reading commitments and a mountain of university work I am saving it for a treat. But one I will be tempted to start everyday!

4.5/5

Thanks for reading,

Rie xx

Why I Will Always Love Books.

With all things literary moving digital it seems the future will move away from books. But I can't help but love the printed page and the little messages left behind by previous readers. It seems to tell a history that will never be gained by a eBook.

Library books in particular are some of my favourite reads with post-stick notes, pencil scribbles and full on highlighting of pages really enhancing my reading experience.

Here is a book I got out of my university library this week that I really loved.

Black book on bottom right - Mythologies by Roland Barthes (2000)

Little pencil notes of a library book reference, a meeting & a website URL.

Post stick notes found inside the front cover including a shopping list!

There are some book that I will always purchase where I can namely the Charlaine Harris 'True Blood' series and Kelley Armstrong's 'Women of the Otherworld' series - and undoubtedly new. I still hold dear to my heart the printed book.

And I will always be a library dweller reading the notes left by others before anything else.

Despite the above I will not miss carting heavy text books, or running out of reading material whilst on holiday. I may be slow in embracing the digital trend, and will never fully abandon my books I still look forward to the future of reading!

Rie xx

Reading makes you a better person...

Source

A story published in the Guardian.co.uk today says that those that read fiction have increased empathy.

Participants in a Boston university where given an extract from two of my favourite children's authors - JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. They were then tested on a number of scales and results showed that those that read JK Rowling's extract from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone identified themselves with wizards, magic and broomsticks, where those who read Stephanie Meyer's extract from Twilight identified with blood, the undead and fangs!

So for those of you that need more encouragement to read, reading fantasy fiction improves your empathy to what you are reading about - which is a little strange when your are reading about characters that are, well, fictional! However, being more empathetic towards over people can only make you a better person in everyday life, and who doesn't love getting lost in something fantastical!

One of my English Literature teachers in college said he loved reading because it let him understand more about the world he might never get a chance to see, and I couldn't agree more!

So what ever your genre of choice, pick up a book today and make yourself more empathetic.

Thanks for reading,

Love Rie Reviews xx

Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/rpYeqA