The Ask and the Answer By Patrick Ness Review

Patrick Ness has succeeded in continuing a truly unique young adult story without all the trappings on most of the other series in that genre.  The Ask and the Answer is the second book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness.

The first book in the series, The Knife of Never Letting Go, was a fast paced story of the chase of Todd Hewitt across largely uninhabited frontier land of a newly colonised planet with new comer Viola Eade, who’s parents were killed in the crash landing of their scout vessel.

In this instalment of the story, Todd and Viola are caught in between two warring factions when Major Prentiss (now President Prentiss) finds resistance to his hostile takeover of Haven (renamed New Prentisstown) in the form of Mistress Coyle (a local Healer) and her reformed gorilla group from the Spackle Wars, The Answer.

The Answer snatch the uncooperative  Viola away to help in their bombing raids of New Prentisstown. Whilst Todd is held captive and manipulated into working for President Prentiss’s cause.

This book is written in an amazingly graphic and compelling manner, with the change in font for both main characters POV and that of the “noise”. I felt like screaming at the characters at points when I knew they would be walking into a trap, and crying with them in others when everything seemed so without hope. These emotions, I believe are the signs of a well written book. Can not recommend this series enough. 4/5 Stars 

Day 3 Book Photo Challenge: Childhood Favorite

 This is one of those books that I have no idea of its origins in my home but has just always been there. It is so old its falling apart but I still love opening it up every so often and looking at the picture of the little mermaid getting her hair done sitting on an elephant's skull. The elephant's skull always intrigued me, how did an elephant's skull come to be in the ocean, let alone why it was adopted as a seat to have one's hair done. The drawing is exquisite and it reminds me of my child hood.

Wasps at the Speed of Sound by Derryl Murphy Review

Wasps a the the Speed of Sound by Derryl Murphy

This is the newest edition of Wasps at the Speed of Sound, with 11 short science fiction stories (the original had 10). All of the stories have an environmental warning but this enhances the stories rather than detracts from them.

My favourite story was the Blue Train in which most of humanity that still exists after an extreme water shortage travels the world on a gigantic train in search of water and their subsequent  freedom from this train by one man who dared to question the company's monopoly on the earths water.

Murphy constructs the world of each story so well, with little extraneous language as possible so the reader can create a vivid image of their own.  Truly a pleasure to read for any science fiction fan and possibly for any environmentalist too.

I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers 

Day 2 Book Photo Challenge: New Year, Newest Book

Whilst getting my Christmas gifts together I could not resist this little gem at my favorite book store. I read Howl's Moving Castle a while ago and hadn't seen this anywhere since, but knowing I wasn't going to be getting any books for Christmas, (which I didn't) I decided to bay myself a book for the occasion.

24 hr Reading Challenge Completed

Well i took part in the 24 hour reading challenge on tumblr today and completed my first book on the first day of 2014. According to goodreads that makes me 1% through my reading challenge for the year (1/70).

I read Doctor Who and The Carnival of Monsters by Terrance Dicks, a book of a mere 125 pages.  Picked because I didn't know how my dyslexia would go with anything to long and it satisfied my 1 Doctor Who book per month clause on my reading challenge.)

I set myself up for a good day of reading in the library and Colin, in turn set himself up for a good day of lap sitting:

Now for the review: (as this is also part of my book challenge and I can't very well fall at the first hurdle.)

Doctor Who and The Carnival of Monsters By Terrance Dicks

This book was published in 1977 and hence stars the 3rd Doctor played by Jon Pertwee with Jo Grant played by Katy Manning.
Once again the Doctor's overconfidence in his ability to steer the TARDIS is the catalyst to the darama in the story with the Doctor thinking they were headed for Metebelis Three that is described as if some utopia but arrive in the haul of a 1920 steam liner. As it turns out they are not on earth as Jo is trying to convince the Doctor either.

With the Doctors usually bluff and blunder they manage to save the day.  Written in a style that portays the Doctor and not going outside that ethos, this was a nice simple read to start my foray back into Doctor Who books.
 3 out of 5 stars.

Day 1 January Book Photo Challenge: Reading Goal for the Year

This year I am going to stretch myself and go for 70 books read. Last year I read 58 books and my initial goal was 40 (officially on goodreads but I thought I would get to 50 anyway.)

I will be trying to do a couple of things with my reading this year.

1. I will try to read at least 1/3 to a 1/2 of my own books because if i keep reading library books my partner might just notice and my book budget might get restricted.

2. I am going to try to read some more classic science fiction (suggestions are welcome)

3. I am going to try to read a Doctor Who book a month because i have a lot o them and haven read them, old and new and this would also take care of number 1.

4. I am going to try and read at least 6 Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books because i used to love them when I was younger and haven’t read any in years, (also my library got all of them in last year so i know i can read them in order.)

5. I’m taking part in the 2014 genre challenge as well, to get some different genres under my belt too.

6. Finally, i am going to endeavour to review every book i read…

Could be a challenge with a full time job but tis the season to make unrealistic resolutions and try to live up to them.
Wish me luck.

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Day 31 Book Photo Challenge: Last Book in A Series

Day 31 Book Photo Challenge: Last Book in A Series.

Found I have a lot of these.

Read some, some on the read list for this year.