Review on The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

In his consulting room in 221B Baker Street, consulting detective Sherlock Holmes receives a stream of clients all presenting him with baffling and bizarre mysteries to unravel. There is, for example, the man who is frightened for his life because of the arrival of an envelope containing five orange pips; there is the terrified woman who is aware that her life is in danger and cannot explain the strange whistling sounds she hears in the night' and there is the riddle of the missing butler and the theft of an ancient treasure. In the last story, there is the climatic battle between Holmes and his arch enemy, 'the Napoleon of Crime' Professor Moriarty. Holmes, with trusty Watson by his side, is equal to these and the other challenges in this splendid collection.

As I love the BBC TV show 'Sherlock' I thought that it would be a good idea to read the original stories, as the show is, let's just say very lacking in episode numbers. I had already read A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four and Hound of the Baskervilles, but this was the first time that I had read any of the Sherlock Holmes short stories. Each story is short enough to read in about half an hour, so they are great if you are interested in reading some of Doyle's work but do not want to commit to reading a novel length story.  I was interested in meeting some of the characters that are found in BBC Sherlock, but who I had not yet come across in previous works, such as Mycroft Homes and James Moriarty. As Moriarty is portrayed to be Sherlock's main enemy in many of the TV and film adaptations, I was quite surprised to find out that he was only present in the final story of the memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Instead of being the arch enemy that other media platforms show him to be, his main purpose seemed to be a plot device to enable the death of Sherlock Holmes.

 I enjoyed the stories, but my problem was that the majority of each story was spent with the client sitting in Baker Street explaining their case to Sherlock and Dr Watson. I realize that it is important to explain this, but as the stories are so short, I felt that this was taking up more time than it took for Sherlock to actually solve the case. The longer stories follow the same format, but I did not find them as problematic, as there was still plenty of content of Sherlock trying to solve the case. Overall I preferred the longer stories, as in some of the stories, I found the clients explaining what had happened to them slightly tedious, and the cases were solved in a few pages. The stories are enjoyable overall, but they follow the same basic format, so to avoid getting bored of them, I suggest not reading all twenty three stories in a short space of time.

Review on Mr Locke's Diary

Jane Keyes, a young house maid discovers that her master, Mr Locke seems to have gone missing. She is forced to pose as a gentleman in order to save the house from bailiffs, but in the process she finds she has a taste for the new found freedoms of being a young man. She discovers a dark world of seedy drinking establishments, violence and pornography. Once through the looking glass, she can never turn back.
Her freedom is short lived after her secret is discovered, and she is locked away in the asylum for insane young ladies where her luck only deteriorates. Delusions trap her in a world made of metal, filled with soulless workers loading trolleys with boxes, where you are condemned to eternal punishment to survive in boredom. There is a box, just one will lead you out of this place. Will she choose to exist in this place forever or take the risk of leaving? We all have an ending, we just don't know which it will be until it is too late.

I will admit that when I first started reading this book, I was not too keen on it. My first impression of the protagonist was that she was rather silly, as she tries to pose as her employer, Mr Locke mere moments after the bailiff has seen her as a woman. Although I found this humorous, I did not understand the reason why she thought this could possibly work. There were certain aspects of the story that had me slightly confused, for example Jane says that her literary skills are poor, but then goes on to say that she has read Great Expectations, a book that, from personal experience, I would say would not be something that someone with a low literary level would be able to read and fully comprehend. Jane goes on a journey disguised as a gentleman in an attempt to find her employer, discovering along the way what it is like to be a man in 19^th century London. I found her experiences interesting, as she realizes that she has far more freedom as a gentleman than she would ever have as a woman. However, she is horrified at some of the things Mr Locke has been participating in, and there are a few violent scenes against women which could be upsetting for some readers. As women were often treated as items rather than people during this time period, I felt that this was an important subject to touch upon even if it is potentially upsetting.

The turnaround point in this book for me however was once Jane had started to have delusions, and seemed to be trapped inside her own head. There were elements of fantasy in this part, and as fantasy is my favourite genre, I enjoyed the last part of the book the most. I loved the idea of everyone having their own box, and opening it would decide their fate. This part of the novella was both fascinating and terrifying, especially during one particularly violent scene. One problem that I had with the book, which is no fault of the author, was that I found quite a few grammar mistakes. This would be understandable had it been an ARC copy, but as the copy I received was the final copy, I felt this would be a problem for readers in general, as although the story is enjoyable overall, I found myself having to read sentences a few times before I understood what it was trying to say. Therefore I think a review of the book and a release of a second edition would be a good idea, as it seems slightly unprofessional as it stands now. However I recommend the book overall, if mostly because of the second half. It is a quick read and perfect for those who enjoy reading but have difficulty in finding the time to read full length novels.

For UK readers, Mr Locke's Diary is available to purchase HERE

For those of you in the US, it is available HERE

For more information, visit author Joseph Clark's personal blog

Review on Bentwhistle the Dragon #1 A Threat from the Past

Peter Bentwhistle seems like an ordinary man. He works as head of security for a company called Cropptech, he plays for a hockey team at the weekend, and enjoys spending time with his friends. However, Peter is hiding a huge secret. He is a dragon! Disguising himself in human form, Peter spends the majority of his time living on the Earth's surface with the humans, helping to guide them through life and influencing them to do the right thing. Everything is going to plan, that is until Manson arrives at Cropptech. Peter can't quite put his finger on it, but he knows that there is something not quite right about Manson. As things go from bad to worse, with the boss becoming mysteriously ill, and unneeded armed security being installed at the Cropptech facility under Manson's command, Peter, along with his two dragon friends, Richie and Tank, must find a way to overthrow Manson and restore Cropptech to it's former glory.

As soon as I was sent a request to review this book, I was immediately excited to read it. Dragons! Who doesn't get excited over dragons? I had high expectations for this book, and I was not disappointed. This story was both exciting and original, showing dragons in a completely unique perspective, with them protecting humankind rather than trying to destroy it. I found it interesting that Peter was living a double life, one on the Earths surface among the humans, and one underground with his fellow dragons. The story features a number of different sports, and although I was not too keen on reading about the hockey matches, I was hooked on the dragon sport of Laminium Ball. I do not enjoy watching or playing sports, so I was not able to fully understand Peter's love for playing hockey, but I found myself wanting to attend a Laminium Ball match. This sport is definitely up there with my favourite magical sports, just behind Quidditch.

 The only thing I was able to criticize about this book is that I was able to guess one of the big reveals near the end of the book quite early on, and therefore was not surprised when it happened. I thought that it was too obvious, although other readers may not have made the connection as early on as I did. I loved the climax of the novel, and when it came down to around the last one hundred pages, I could not put it down and read on well into the night. The character development for the main three characters was well written, and I loved that we got to know about Tank and Richie's thoughts and feelings, not just Peter's. The writing style is simple and easy to understand, so children will have no problem reading this book. If you are a fan of Harry Potter or The Hobbit, then this book is definitely for you.


Get your free 'Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past' e-book HERE

(For American readers click here)

Review on The Infernal Devices #3 Clockwork Princess

In the final installment of the Infernal Devices series, Tessa Gray and the Shadowhunters of the London Institute must prepare for their final battle to defeat Mortmain once and for all. However, it will be no easy task, as the Consul, the head of the Clave, is refusing to corporate, causing the Shadowhunters to be heavily outnumbered against Mortmains army of clockwork creatures, the Infernal Devices. Meanwhile, Jem is steadily becoming more and more ill, and with Mortmain in obsession of the drugs keeping Jem alive, Will is in a race against time to find a cure for his Parabatai before it is too late.

Firstly, I apologize for how long it took to write this review. This was for two reasons. Firstly, I love this series and I was unwilling to say goodbye to the characters I had grown to love, so I was taking my time with it. Secondly, I had to wait for the tears to stop pouring before I was able to physically write. I adored this book, and although I was crying towards the end, I thought the ending was the perfect way to end the series. I have often been disappointed by the ending to a series that I have loved, but it was not the case with The Infernal Devices, which I was grateful for. Although this was a long book, there were few fillers, and the majority of the book contributed to the main plot of the story. I usually dislike the romance elements to adventure or dystopian novels, as I feel that they are not needed, but I enjoyed the love triangle between Tessa, Will and Jem, and it made a change that Will and Jem were friends, rather than fighting over the girl, which is the norm for Young Adult novels. For me, there was no “Team Will” or “Team Jem,” as I loved both boys equally, and understood perfectly how it would be difficult for Tessa to make a decision. 

 Although I loved this element in the romantic side to the story, I felt that it was a bit much to give every main character a romantic interest. Not everyone needs to find love at such a young age, as the majority of the Shadowhunters are still teenagers. I felt that Cecily talking about marriage was too soon, as she is still only fifteen. Although people got married earlier in the 1800s, I felt that Cecily should still have had some time before her before she started thinking about marriage. Romantic aspects aside, I loved the adventure part to the story, and there were often times when I was unable to put the book down, and read into the early hours of the morning. The battle at Cadair Idris was brilliant, and I was not expecting the battle to end as it did. I also loved the addition of a family tree at the back of the book, as I spent at least half an hour looking at how the characters from The Infernal Devices were related to those from The Mortal Instruments. Although this series is over, I can't wait to read the final instalment in The Mortal Instruments series, and any further writing that Clare creates about the Shadowhunter world. But for now

Ave Atque Vale

Review on 'Otherworldly'

Otherworldly is a collection of short stories by Nicua Shamira. They are all based around the fantasy genre, and are told in a first person narrative from individual characters, from a strange, unearthly creature, to a human who lives in a world where everyone can live up to six hundred years, but with terrible consequences.

As this is a collection of short stories rather than a novel, I am going to rate them as a whole rather than individually. This means that although I may have liked some of the stories more than others, I am going to give my overall opinion on them.

I thought that the imagery in all of the stories was beautiful. The surroundings were described perfectly, and it gives a good idea of where the stories are taking place. I feel as if the plot in a large amount of short stories is lacking, which is why overall I prefer to read a novel, where you can understand the characters motives better. However, as a short story collection, I enjoyed it. It was a fun, quick read, and as I love the fantasy genre I loved reading about these other worldly creatures and their coming into contact with the human race. I particularly enjoyed the third story, “Footsteps,” as this had a well thought out plot as well as the imagery. I feel as if this story could be developed into a full novel, as I found myself wanting to know more about this dystopian world, how everything had started and how the character would go on with her life. Overall it was a great read, and perfect for anyone who likes the fantasy genre but does not have much free time to read full novels.

Review on the Broken Line Series #1 The Copper Witch

Adela Tilden has always been more ambitious than her station in life might allow. A minor nobleman’s daughter on a failing barony, Adela’s prospects seem dire outside of marrying well-off. When Adela catches the eye of the crown prince, Edward, however, well-off doesn't seem to be a problem. Thrown into a world of politics and intrigue, Adela might have found all the excitement she ever wanted—if she can manage to leave her past behind.

I love Historical novels, and this book was no exemption. Adela Tilden is very ambitious, and will do anything necessary to climb up the hierarchy. Although Adela is the protagonist of the story, I had mixed feelings about her. I usually love female characters with ambition, but as Adela was seemingly dating men of high social ranking to climb the ladder herself, I felt myself feeling sorry for the men who fell in love with her. There are a few cases where it is clear that she does not love them, although they love her, and consequently she ends up breaking their heart. I did however enjoy the ending, as she seems to come back down to earth slightly, even though she is still ambitious and not altogether a likable character. Men are drawn to her beauty, and she uses this to her advantage to get what she wants.

Sadly Adela is not a character who I cared for, although I loved some of the male characters, particularly Antony. At the start of the novel, I thought that Adela and Antony would make a good couple, but as the novel progressed and Adela's ambitions became more clear, I felt that Antony deserved someone who did not sleep around to get what she wants. Jessica Dall is a good writer, and I overall enjoyed the book, but for a novel to really grip me, I have to fall in love with the characters. Unfortunately, this was not the case with Adela, as I disliked her lack of sympathy for the other characters, and particularly that she was comparing her beauty to other women, and silently mocking them for not being as beautiful as her. Adela is vain and egotistic, and I feel that if she wasn't so beautiful, men would not so easily fall in love with her. I loved the setting and the overall plot of the book, but the characters let it down slightly as a whole.

Copper Witch will be available from March 13th

For more information please visit http://jessicadall.com/about/the-copper-witch/