Darkly Dreaming Dexter (14/01/15)

This is the first book in the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsey. It could roughly be classed in the genre of crime. However unlike other crime novels this is told from the murders perspective. It isn’t often I start a book and consider the fact that I am going to be on the killer side. I have watched most of the TV show which I thoroughly enjoyed, the book is different enough that you don’t feel like you have been through it before.

The book starts with Dexter and his ‘Dark Passenger’ the voice inside him that drives his need to kill. Dealing with a killer worse than him by far. We follow him and his strange thoughts through his day to day life. He repeatedly mentions that he is not human and does feel the way he should towards others. His closest relationship is with is foster sister Deborah who is following in her father’s footsteps and aims to move up from the normal police to the homicide team. Dexter is a blood spatter analyst and manages to keep his extra curricula activities hidden from all the police officers and detective around him. However Dexter starts to question himself and his grasp on sanity when it starts to look like he is involved with a string of vicious murders on hookers grips Miami.

This book was so easy and fun to read. At no point did anything Lindsey wrote feel like a chore to get through. I started to forget about the show and just go with his utter brilliance that shone through every single page. It is such a good book I can’t think of any other way to explain it. The book won’t make you think too deeply but it is fun and different and happily part of a larger series of books.

My lasting impression of this book is liking a character that should be likeable. Hoping he stays out of the clutches of the law which will always try and stop him. Also I can tell there is more to Dexter than meets the eye and I can’t wait to read the rest and delve into his sick and twisted mind again.

Bridget Jones's Diary (04/01/2015)

I can’t begin to imagine why it has taken me so very long to get round to reading this book. Of course I was in my mid-teens when the film came out. Obviously I have seen the film, it happens to be one of my favourite chick flick films to curl up under tons of covers to. Maybe that’s why it has taken me so long to get round to….

So unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past 10 years, most people have a rough idea what Bridget Jones’s Diary is all about.

I found Bridget less frumpy then the film portrayed her and I think she is much stronger than she believes she is. Although she was at times pretty self-centred… but this is her diary… everyone thinks about themselves when they talk to their diary and are less concerned with other people.

I could whole heartedly relate to Bridget’s constant dilemma about dieting and trying to lose weight…. And often failing due to food tasting so damn good. On the whole it was as I imagined it would be. I particularly liked the parts where Bridget makes references to fancying Mr. Darcy (ie Colin Firth) from Pride and Prejudice. Never expecting that he would one day turn out to be her Darcy in the film.

If you liked/loved the film and haven’t read the book, I would recommend it. Don’t expect anything more than the film, but you definitely don’t get less. I will read two following books as I am sure there are many other deep thoughts Bridget needs to share with me and it was a fun easy read.

The Name of the Wind (02/01/15)

The Name of the Wind can only be classed as an epic fantasy. The first installment in a series of books I will definitely be carrying on with. I am a great lover of fantasy books, I will not compare it to others as I don’t believe it is that similar to others I have read. True, certain elements seem familiar, the loss of loved ones, finding one’s self, falling in love with an unobtainable person, continuing an education above the class of the main character… I could go on but I won’t. However for all these similarities, it still felt new and fresh in its delivery.

The main character Kvothe is likeable and I was really routing for him. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective as he endeavours to tell his story to a scribe who had come seeking the truth about his extraordinary life. We follow his story from his unlikely beginnings as part of traveling troupe to him becoming nothing short of a hero.

I a sucker for love, I have to say some of the most enjoyable sections of the book involved Denna, as soon and the two meet I could feel the glimmerings of hopefully first love. Without giving anything away, this love doesn’t go the traditional way that most stories would travel. But it is obviously there and knowing that there are more books to read I am sure there is more to Kvothe and Denna story together.

My least liked character has to Ambrose (what a silly girly name to begin with). He is petty and unlikeable from the on start. I feel the dislike between Kvothe and Ambrose will culminate into something sinister which no doubt will be an integral part of the tale…. But I really wish he would get his comeuppance…. Soon.

If like me you want to read a fantasy book that has all the elements you would want; love, conflict, revenge, magic, friendship and injustice. But doesn’t play by all the rules and is obviously building strong foundations towards what hopefully will be an impressive ending, then I believe this book is for you.