Alma Books Competition

Hi, I have just heard about this competition. Good luck!

Manisha Jolie Amin - Dancing to the Flute

I have recently returned from 3 weeks in southern India and what a book to take with me to accompany me on my journey. This book is superb, lyrical, evocative, magical and spiritual. Manisha beautifully captures rural India, at it's best and worst. She does not balk at describing the poverty and inequality but has the rare quality of not sinking to the maudlin. She effortlessly creates pace in the background to send us on wishing to genuinely know what will happen. Her characters are full and well drawn, by the end of the book I felt I knew them well and was invested in their futures and lives.
Then throughout the book is the music, the flute, the Ragas, the hint of Krishna himself. It is this that makes the book soar. That and the feeling of hope, friendship and love.

This will make a superb reading group selection I have already ordered our copies for Bournemouth Libraries.

Justin Cronin - The Twelve

This was worth the two year wait! Once again we are totally immersed in this post viral dystopian world. It does not disappoint and leaves us wanting more. The only fault I could find is that due to the long wait I had forgotten some of the characters and it would have been helpful to re-read The Passage but as it is such a big book I was a little put off, but a quick skim sufficed. This is an author that has really thought about his world and environment in depth and it shows. We also see the story arc of the characters growing and deepening. I am really looking forward to the next one!

There is an excellent interview with Justin Cronin on Amazon here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Twelve-Justin-Cronin/dp/0752897861/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355744146&sr=8-1

 

Christopher Fowler - Bryant and May and The Invisible Code

This series just gets better and better, if you haven't read them yet I thoroughly recommend that you do. They are best read in order as they have a fabulous story arc but the joy especially for Reading Groups is that they can effectively stand alone.
These books are well written, clever and intelligent. They also have some genuinely laugh our loud moments among the death and mayhem. The characters of Bryant and May are a delight.
In this latest book the ancient duo ( I am fast approaching them though!) take a case from their arch enemy. Will he be their nemesis or is it something far more dangerous and archane? This case involves witchcraft and not the nice white sort, Bryant is forced to make a pact that will have serious repurcussions for the whole unit and himself potentially in the future. I await with trepidation and enthusiam for the next offering.
There are some marvellous scenes, Christopher is spot on with the the braying Civil Service wives, Meera on her moterbike, Janice Longbright in a power suit, oh and I learnt something, I downloaded flashlight to my phone, brilliant I must be aging, as I discovered everyone else has it!

Jill Paton Walsh - The Attenbury Emeralds

I really rather enjoyed this. I was not sure if I was going to, I have rarely liked anything sequelled or prequelled  by a classic author but this worked well for me.
In this novel it is 1951 and Lord Peter is of course much older and he and Harriet are more concerned with their family than mysteries but this cleverly links to an old case from 1921.
I have ordered her other books but also the originals by Dorothy L Sayers from the library and will let you know how I get on with them!

Rhys Bowen - Her Royal Spyness

This is a classic cosy crime mystery. Set in the 1930s we have a minor Royal, a suitably fluffy aristo called Georgie.
Much fun and shenanigans take place and if you are looking for something amusing, light and rather decadent then this is for you.
|loved it and have set about reading the series, so far there are 6 in the series with more promised.
It makes a pleasant break from the Bookers, back to The Yips!

Sock puppetry and Fake reviews

Hi all, absolutely fascinating article in the Guardian today about authors faking reviews and websites offering favourable reviews for cash!

As a librarian and book reviewer this is a very sad state of affairs. I love reading and giving reviews. It is very rare that I give a really bad review and I always acknowledge that it is the fact that I am at fault, as the reason I do not like the book. No one likes their hard work disparaged  but sometimes one just has to be honest and leave other readers to make up their minds.

To try and influence things for gain, and manipulate genuine readers,  is just not on and makes a mockery of sites like mine. Hopefully publishers and agents will nip this in the bud and perhaps Amazon could be a little more proactive in its monitoring of "reader" comments!

There is a fine line between cynical self promotion and naive over enthusiam. I suspect that Waterstones as we are, are deluged by self published authors wishing us to promote their wares. Unlike Waterstones we are limited and not bound by sales and are always intersted in promoting books of local interest.

As for published authors we are alwqays willing to host them to talk as we have avid readers who fill our coffee mornings and we are always looking for speakers, albeit with very limited funds to pay!

So for authors wishing to promote their books and who are willing to do so free of speaking fees, libraries make excellent venues to engage with readers and they are always assured of a warm welcome.

Here is the link to the article

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/sep/04/sock-puppetry-publish-be-damned?CMP=EMCNEWEML1355

It reads like a crime novel all on its own! Well done to Stuart Neville and Jeremy Duns for exposing this.

Vicki Goldie
Librarian
Bournemouth Libraries

Late entry here is what Crime wroter Christopher Fowler has to say

http://www.christopherfowler.co.uk/blog/2012/09/04/when-the-competition-turns-nasty/