Author: Schizanthus Nerd

Shapeshifters – Lisa-ann Gershwin

They are so adaptable and so perfectly suited to changing environments they have outlived 99 percent of the species that have ever existed. And still they thrive.

Jellyfish have fascinated me since I was a kid. I remember a ferry ride with my grandmother that was much too short because I was busy looking over the side at these amazing creatures in the water.

A quirk has emerged over the past couple of years when I walk on the beach. Whenever I come across insects struggling in the water or with their wings stuck in the damp sand, I give them somewhere dry to recover. More often than not, they want to stay on my hand until they’re ready to fly away. Fish that are out of water, I return.

Since I discovered Glaucus, which I know as blue dragons, they have been one of my favourite creatures to try and save. Carefully, so I don’t get stung. Over the past couple of months, I’ve started trying to save jelly blubbers, even more carefully.

After reading this book, I’ve realised I need to be even more cautious. The sting of a jellyfish, at 40,000 G’s (!), is the “fastest process known in the animal kingdom”. It’s the world’s most venomous animal.

This book is divided into eight sections. Because I can’t help myself, here’s my favourite jellyfish from each section.

Poisonous: the long stingy stringy thingy (Rhizophysa filiformis), for its name alone.

Troublesome: jelly blubber (Catostylus mosaicus), the jellyfish I watched from the ferry so many years ago.

Beautiful: flower hat jelly (Olindias formosus) are fun because they change colour. By day, it’s the two rarest jellyfish colours, bright pink and black. “But by night, or under ultraviolet light, it becomes radiantly beautiful, with the body glowing softly blue, accentuated by an aura of luminous, golden-tipped tentacles.”

Amazing: by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella). Due to their sails, they’re at the mercy of the wind. They can be either left or right handed, though, so a breeze that spells disaster for a right hander will ensure the safety of a lefty, and vice versa.

Tiny: sticking jelly (Cladonema radiatum) can often be found in home aquariums. They’re “tiny, transparent beads bearing numerous threads attached to the insides of the glass walls.”

Sticking jelly
Photo credit: David Wrobel

Huge: bitey whitey (Lobonema smithii). Seriously, I need to know who names jellyfish.

Strange: sea lizard (Glaucus atlanticus), which aren’t jellyfish but sea slugs. These are my beloved blue dragons. This sea slug “preys on jellyfish and consumes their stinging cells without triggering them to discharge, then deploys these weapons for its own defense.”

Obscure: painted box jellyfish (Chirodectes) have markings that provide camouflage in their coral reef habitat.

I’m not sure what I thought bluebottles were exactly but I didn’t realise they were jellyfish. I was stung by one when I was about three. While I don’t remember the sting, I know the story well and I’m always wary when I see them on the shoreline. I don’t want to repeat the experience.

Bluebottle
Photo credit: Matty Smith

This is a beautiful book with incredible photography. The descriptions of each jellyfish are, well, descriptive, in that they tell you what they look like, where you’ll find them and oftentimes the symptoms you’ll experience if you’re stung by one. I wish there’d been some more fun facts but I still know a lot more about jellyfish today than I did yesterday. I’m keen to learn more.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Shapeshifters: The Wondrous World of Jellyfish is a breathtaking collection of photographs and expert commentary that shed light on the most mysterious creatures of the deep sea. 

Jellyfish come in a dazzling array of colours, shapes, and sizes, drifting through every ocean, from the surface to the deepest of the deep seas, and are even found in freshwater locations. These ancient creatures, also called sea jellies (they are not, technically, fish), are so otherworldly and luminous that it is no wonder they are often compared to mythical shapeshifters. Some are so delicate that they shatter with the smallest disturbance to the water, while the tenacity of others means they can withstand almost any temperature, any salinity, starvation, and even being dismembered. And some are truly biologically immortal.

This visually breathtaking book showcases 100 species of jellyfish within its pages —from the ubiquitous Aurelia to the enigmatic Velella — along with astounding facts about these fascinating marine life-forms. Some are splendid, some strange, some poisonous, some deadly. Some carry surprising secrets, and some are barely known, but every one of them is remarkable and has a tale to tell. An introduction by noted expert Lisa-ann Gershwin, with her commentary throughout, invites you into the wondrous world of jellyfish.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , ,

The Book of Doors – Gareth Brown

‘Don’t let the world pass you by.’

The first thing you learn about Cassie is that she works in a bookstore. So, basically, she’s a kindred spirit.

It’s just beginning to snow as she’s getting ready to close Kellner Books for the night. Mr Webber, a regular, is mid coffee. He’s reading The Count of Monte Cristo again. Mr Webber loves the classics.

‘A good story is just as good the second time around.’

This is the night that Mr Webber gives Cassie a book. All books are special but this one is life-changing. I mean, more than other life-changing books. Cassie gets a glimpse of just how much when she gets home that night. You see, Venice isn’t usually in her bedroom.

This is the Book of Doors and the possibilities are endless. It’s one of the most coveted books in the world and many who seek it have nefarious agendas.

Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.

The heart of this book for me was Mr Webber. He was an absolute sweetheart. He could have been on every page and I still would have wanted to spend more time with him.

I wasn’t a fan of the way two characters spoke at times. One of the baddies was misogynistic, racist and made light of domestic violence at one point. You can be the biggest Bad without resorting to any of this and, other than making me despise them more, it added nothing to the story. Neither did Izzy body shaming herself.

I’ve decided I should never live above a cheesecake shop. I am, however, ready to move in to the Shadow House.

This book contains a lot of magic. My favourite magic, though, was the ice cream that didn’t go off in ten years. Not that ice cream will ever have a chance of expiring in my home but I liked the idea that, if you were so inclined, you could go back and finish off that ice cream you started eating a decade ago. Although, now that I think about it, if you’re the sort of person who could leave ice cream unfinished for years, I’m not sure I trust you. This type of magic may be wasted on you.

I don’t know if you can read this book without thinking about how you would use the Book of Doors. I’d be walking through my maternal grandparents’ front door in the 90’s. They were my favourite people and there are so many things I want to tell them about: what’s happening in my life, stories they’d laugh at, movies and books I know they’d love. I’d want to hear more stories about their lives and have the opportunity to have random conversations with them about whatever.

I also thought about which book other than the Book of Doors I’d like to have in my possession. There are so many that wield enormous power, that could be used to change the world, for better or worse. I think the Book of Joy is the one for me, though. The possibilities alone make me smile.

‘It’s always about the books, isn’t it?’

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, Penguin Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Because some doors should never be opened.

New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she’s doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message:

This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.

Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book – a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous – or dreadful and terrifying – things.

Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it. 

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all…

Because this book is worth killing for.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

The Pulling – Adele Dumont

Pulling out just one shaft of hair at a time always felt so insignificant, something imperceptible. Who could notice one strand missing from a whole, overly thick head of hair?

I’ve never known anyone who compulsively pulls their hair out. I mean, I probably have because an estimated 2% of the population have trichotillomania, but shame keeps it hidden in plain sight.

Hair pulling is not even something that makes a whole lot of sense, even to those who live with it.

I am struggling to translate all this to you; when I am not in the midst of it I myself struggle to fathom it. Such is the strangeness of all this that – once I have returned to the world – I find it difficult to contemplate or believe in its subsuming power.

Logic would say that pulling your hair out couldn’t possibly help anything. For people with trichotillomania, though, it does (in the moment at least) and that makes it even more confounding.

It’s such a well kept secret that most people haven’t heard of it. Even amongst those who compulsively pull their hair, there’s isolation. Yet, despite this, there are commonalities.

We all like to think we’re unique but one of the fascinating things about trichotillomania is that it looks similar across sufferers, including those who don’t yet know there’s a word for it. Who knew that there’s a hierarchy of hair, that it’s not just about pulling hair but the right hair? Why do people who pull do so in a predictable pattern? When hardly anyone is talking about this, how are there so many common denominators?

I’m not the biggest fan of the medical model when it’s applied to mental health. It can result us taking on a diagnosis as our identity and with the amount of time people can spend pulling, it’s not hard to see how this happens but it makes me uncomfortable.

This is a brave book. Because, as I’ve mentioned, people simply don’t talk about this. Because there’s so much shame attached to it.

This is a painful book. It hurts to witness, even from a distance, the struggle Adele experiences every day.

This is an important book. Brené Brown says it better than I ever could: “If you put shame in a petri dish, it needs three ingredients to grow exponentially: secrecy, silence, and judgement. If you put the same amount of shame in the petri dish and douse it with empathy, it can’t survive.”

I love memoirs. There’s something special about being invited into someone’s life and having them share some of their innermost thoughts. Adele Dumont, in sharing her experience, is shining a light on trichotillomania. Shame and secrets don’t do so well in the light.

Thank you so much to Scribe Publications for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

When Adele Dumont is diagnosed with trichotillomania — compulsive hair-pulling — it makes sense of much of her life to date. The seemingly harmless quirk of her late teens, which rapidly developed into almost uncontrollable urges and then into trance-like episodes, is a hallmark of the disease, as is the secrecy with which she guarded her condition from her family, friends, and the world at large.

The diagnosis also opens up a rich line of inquiry. Where might the origins of this condition be found? How can we distinguish between a nervous habit and a compulsion? And how do we balance the relief of being ‘seen’ by others with our experience of shame?

The Pulling is a fascinating exploration of the inner workings of a mind. In perfectly judged prose, both probing and affecting, Dumont illuminates how easily ritual can slide into obsession, and how close beneath the surface horror and darkness can lie.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , , 3 Comments

Here Be Dragons – Susannah Lloyd

Illustrations – Paddy Donnelly

Our arrogant pompous self assured knight is on a mission: to find a dragon. He’s determined, he has a map and a trusty steed who is, quite frankly, the brains of the operation.

The knight trusts his own judgement and buries his head in the map, oblivious to the signs he passes. Even the literal ones.

The knight misses the signs

This is one of those picture books where the words and the pictures tell vastly different stories. If we trust the knight, we’ll believe there’s nothing to see here, but we know better.

Paddy Donnelly’s illustrations tell us the other story. It’s not only the dragon the knight fails to see. He misses practically the entire story. Just some of what he misses are a unicorn, treasure and the real heroes of this story.

If I’d read this as a kid, I would have loved pointing out all of the times I found the dragon. Adult me may have also enjoyed doing this but also loved seeing the expressions on the animals’ faces.

My favourite expression happened early in the book, when the knight is in Ye Olde Shoppe. He may have purchased that map and bargain bin sword or he may have appropriated them when the shopkeeper’s back was turned. What’s not in doubt is how bored his horse is; without a word you can see they’re well acquainted with the knight’s self-aggrandising behaviour.

I read a lot of picture books. Not all of them make a lasting impression. This one has. I borrowed it from the library in 2021 and as soon as I saw it again I knew I had to reread it. It was just as much fun as I remembered.

I got even more out of the illustrations this time around. There’s so much to see. It’s taken me four reads to pick up on the fact that the bunny flying through the air is still visible when you turn to the next page.

I’m definitely going to be reading this again.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group, for the opportunity to read this picture book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Children will love this hilarious book about a silly knight who goes in search of a dragon to battle!

The other knights have told him that there’s no such thing as dragons, but he says, ‘Forsooth! There is TOO such a thing!’ You just need to know where to look!

And luckily, this knight has something very special that no one else has – a map that says: ‘HERE BE DRAGONS’!

So, he sets off armed with the map, his sword, and his trusty steed. He travels straight to the spot marked ‘X’, past shiny treasure, some suspicious bones and many signs telling him to TURN BACK!

But alas, he’s too busy looking at his map to notice. He wanders up and down a spiky hill (the dragon’s back), shouts into a burrow (the dragon’s nose), and eventually walks into a very dark cave (the dragon’s mouth).

In this laugh-out-loud story, young readers will love seeing the hapless knight search for the dragon, all the while not seeing how close he truly is to the beast!

Will he see the dragon before it’s too late?!

With expert storytelling from the author of This Book Can Read Your Mind, Susannah Lloyd, and whimsical illustrations from the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal nominee, Paddy Donnelly, this is a book that will delight time after time. Kids will love coming back to the bookshelf and seeing if they can spot the fearsome dragon in the background. Comedic illustrations with hidden clues hinting at the dragon’s whereabouts accompany funny and lively text which kids and parents alike will love to read aloud!

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , , ,

Polyvagal Prompts – Deb Dana & Courtney Rolfe

Naming our experience begins the process of letting go of judgment and self-blame and making room for curiosity.

I first encountered Polyvagal Theory about a year ago but initially had trouble getting past the sciencey bits so hadn’t made it to the understanding part. That changed when I read Our Polyvagal World by Stephen Porges and Seth Porges. So many lightbulbs went off in my head I may as well have had the sun in there.

Suddenly I made sense to me. Not only that, other people also made sense. My optimism was tempered by a history of thinking something’s a great idea, knowing it would be better for me if I incorporated it into my life and momentum fading as life invariably happens.

This stuck, though, so much so that I now think in terms of colours. Thanks to the bazillion times I watched Twister in the late 90’s, I began to think of the ventral vagal state as ‘greenage’.

Twister greenage meme

Thanks, Dusty!

And you know what? It also stuck and I’m delighted to report that apparently it’s contagious. The fun of hearing people who usually speak quite formally casually mentioning greenage makes my green that much brighter.

Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to read more about Polyvagal Theory. I started at the end of this book because of course I did. Actually, it is suggested as an option in the Introduction so this wasn’t me going rogue.

There you’ll find A Beginner’s Guide to Polyvagal Theory and a glossary. The Beginner’s Guide can act as either an introduction or a refresher. I found it helpful to revisit what I’d previously learnt.

The guided prompts are presented in a logical progression, although you can work through them in any order. I’d be interested to discover how my answers change over time.

I absolutely loved the haiku examples to describe each state. I’ve gotten so used to understanding what state I’m experiencing in terms of colour, I tend to get confused when I read dorsal, sympathetic and ventral. These helped a lot.

Dorsal:

How long have I sat

No voice, no movement, slow breath

Far away from you

Sympathetic:

Look around, danger

Who is safe and who is not?

Get me out of here

Ventral:

A bright heart beaming

Wrapping all with love and warmth

Holding space for you

Overall, I was encouraged, knowing that I’m still implementing what I learned from reading Our Polyvagal World. I also appreciated being reminded of some things I’ve unintentionally let go of along the way. I plan to pay closer attention so I notice glimmers throughout my day and will be on the lookout for awe inspiring moments.

I’m keen to read more about Polyvagal Theory so don’t be surprised if you hear more about it from me in the near future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Discover the remarkable ways your nervous system works in service of your safety and wellbeing.

Polyvagal Theory, developed by researcher and scientist Dr. Stephen Porges and popularised by therapist Deb Dana, has impacted countless lives. It has changed the way therapists work with their clients and provided a pathway toward healing for those who have experienced hardship or trauma. 

In Polyvagal Prompts, Deb Dana and Courtney Rolfe invite readers to explore their nervous systems through Polyvagal Theory with engaging questions and exercises, which readers can respond to directly in the pages of the book. Readers are guided in noticing their systems, listening with curiosity, and reflecting on what they learn. The prompts can be used as a daily practice or to explore specific topics at the reader’s own pace, and are also ideal for helping clients track and reflect upon their polyvagal-informed therapies. 

No matter how readers decide to explore, Polyvagal Prompts offers an invaluable opportunity to begin the life changing journey of befriending one’s nervous system.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , ,

Finding the Light – Marian Henley

This was always going to be a difficult read. Marian’s story is both shockingly common and unusual. Marian has survived two rapes, both perpetrated by strangers.

Statistically, one out of every six American women have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, although I’d wager the number is significantly higher. Eight out of ten rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. Source: RAINN.

Marian’s story is heart-wrenching. Be aware that this graphic novel includes some details of the rapes Marian experienced, along with other violence. There’s victim blaming and injustice. There’s also a significant amount of swearing.

Anyone who has experienced dissociation will identify it the first time it’s pictured, well before it is named. The impacts of sexualised violence are explored, as is the courage and resilience of survivors.

I absolutely loved the panels depicting Marian’s relationship with her son, especially as we watch him grow up.

Marian with her son

Marian captures his innocence, as well as the relationship we have with the animals that adopt us, with such purity and heart.

Much like the yin-yang symbol Marian uses to illustrate the revelation she has about being a mother to a boy, the devastation in this graphic memoir sits alongside hope.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Marian Henley’s beautifully illustrated memoir tells an emotionally resonant story about the wonder and redemption of raising a son after surviving extreme male violence.  

This poignant graphic memoir describes the most difficult conversation between a mother and her son — the one about the two rapes she experienced as a young woman. It’s something she always knew she would share with her son, but the process of doing so is harder — and more freeing — than she could have imagined. This difficult but beautiful story chronicles how she overcame trauma and violence to find love and healing as a mother. Drawing on her decades as a professional cartoonist, Henley’s elegant black ink illustrations, trademark humour, and witty writing style shine through even in the darkest moments and tell a story of survivorship, parenting, and hope.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Worst Week Ever! #5: Friday – Eva Amores & Matt Cosgrove

So far, we’ve cat-alogued with shameful delight Justin Chase’s mortification on Miserable Monday, been triggered by Traumatic Tuesday, wigged out on Wacky Wednesday and seen the best/worst bits televised on Thunderstruck Thursday. We’ve seen him cat-apault from insignificance to infamy.

TGIF? Not for Justin Chase. For Justin, today is Fraught Friday.

Can the depths of his despair get any deeper? Well, if the depth of the hole he finds himself in at the beginning of the day is any indication, things are looking pretty dark. The only way from here is up, right?

Friday has running and jump scares and it’s all very cat-astrophic.

Justin screaming

Justin may be scared but he’s no chicken. Oh, wait.

Once again, the cat-aclysm Justin is facing is interactive and includes spot the difference, colour by number and the opportunity to show off your own artistic skills.

Just so you know, there’s cat-egorically nothing to see on the tunnel walls…

There’s a very good chance, with all of the trauma Justin has experienced recently, that he’s going to be cat-atonic by the end of the week. Rats.

While we’re cat-egorising, though, it’s not all cat-erwauling. Nickers may accidentally teach us a lesson about perspective, we get to spend some quality time with Nan and Mia’s art continues to astound me. Then there’s the gratitude that this isn’t a smell-o-book.

Pictures of yummy foods to distract you from the smell

Beware the poo-nami! It’s cat-aractous!

So, what’s the cat-alyst for all of these cat-astrophes? No idea!

I’m looking forward to our Scary Saturday cat-chup.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Have YOU ever had a BAD WEEK?

Justin Chase sure has, and this is it!

Against all odds, he somehow survived the trials and torments of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. But now … it’s FRIDAY!

Just when Justin thinks his wacky week can’t get any worse, he’s plunged to a new, all-time low. We’re talking subterranean levels. The actual pits. An abysmal abyss. So prepare to plumb the depths!

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , ,

Lola and Larch #1: Lola and Larch Fix a Fairy Forest – Sinéad O’Hart

Illustrations – Rachel Seago

Lola and Larch meet during a storm. Larch has lost her way. Lola is excited by the prospect of having her very own rabbit.

Only Larch isn’t a rabbit; she’s a tree fairy with wonky magic. Sometimes she’s a fairy. Sometimes she’s a rabbit. Sometimes she’s even a fairy with bunny ears.

While Lola’s mother, a forest ranger, is busy investigating an odd purple mist in the forest, Lola gets to know her new friend. It turns out being a magical creature doesn’t mean you don’t have problems, the most pressing of which for Larch right now is the shadow on the forest floor that could spell danger for her village.

I haven’t found a Sinéad O’Hart book that I haven’t liked yet and don’t expect to anytime soon. I loved getting to witness the beginning of Lola and Larch’s friendship. I appreciated Larch’s range of emotions and the fact that she’s different, giving readers the opportunity to learn to celebrate their differences while having adventures along the way.

I really enjoyed Rachel Seago’s illustrations. The details line up well with the story and the characters, especially Larch, are very expressive.

While I loved them all, one in particular has me fascinated. On page 64, Lola is laying on the grass while Larch is mid feast. There’s a snail making its way across the garden wall. I’m not sure if this is pareidolia (who knew there was a word for it?!) or if there really is supposed to be someone wearing glasses hiding behind the shrub on the right side of the picture. Either way, I can’t stop looking at it!

Lola and Larch in the garden

The nighttime scenes accompanied by white text were some of my favourites.

I initially puzzled over bad fairy Euphorbia Spurge’s name. Then I Googled it and discovered that this works perfectly for her. I saw this plant described as ‘elegant yet tough’ and learned that its sap is poisonous and a skin irritant.

She may not technically be poisonous (although the sequel may prove me wrong) but being a power hungry baddie certainly speaks to her toxicity. I can’t help wondering if I could trick her into helping me out on the nights I have trouble sleeping…

I’m always drawn to the Grandma in children’s books and Lola’s Grandma is adorable. She didn’t leave her belief in magic behind in childhood so I really hope at some stage Larch breaks Rule the First for her.

Rule the First. Never reveal yourself to an Adult Human Creature, for they are Foolish and Not to be Trusted.

I trust you, Grandma!

I would have loved this book as a kid. Adult me found it delightful. It’s one of those books I’d happily read to a child. More than once.

I’m keen to see what this green haired fairy and her Child Human Creature get up to next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Lola can’t believe her luck – the rabbit she’s rescued is actually a fairy in disguise. Now she has her very own fairy! There’s just one problem. Larch, the rebellious fairy she’s rescued, is convinced that Lola is her human…

But while Larch and Lola discuss the merits of snail slime for breakfast and try to decide who should be in charge, there’s a bad fairy on the loose. Evil Euphorbia Spurge wants magic, and Larch is full of it. Soon it’s a battle of wits, wands and fairy wings as the new friends take on the wildest fairy in the woods…

Beautifully illustrated throughout, Lola and Larch is a heartwarming, funny celebration of friendship. It’s the perfect series for 7+ readers who like fairies, magic, and very naughty rabbits!

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , , ,

Sworn Soldier #1: What Moves the Dead – T. Kingfisher

The dead don’t walk.

Although maybe sometimes they do…

Madeline’s letter was disturbing, enough so that Alex Easton, a Gallacian sworn soldier, and kan horse, Hob, went to the gloomy manor that’s seen better days to see her. Madeline lives there with her twin brother, Roderick, and let’s just say that they’re not doing so well.

“I no longer know what needs to be done.”

This fungi infused reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher gave me a lake full of stars. It also introduced me to Eugenia Potter, whose enthusiasm endeared her to me immediately. I now need a Miss Potter book so I can spend more time with her.

“I do not know what you know of fungi, but this place is extraordinary!”

The only negative feedback I have is about me. Why did it take this novella so long to reach the top of my TBR pile? I will not be making the same mistake with the sequel.

Favourite no context quote:

“Deer are the ones that go moo.”

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , 1 Comment

The Stranger Times #4: Relight My Fire – C.K. McDonnell

It’s The Stranger Times: Celebrity Edition. They’re all here. Well, the ones that meet a specific criteria are. Regardless, you’re bound to come across a few familiar faces.

It’s the lead up to Halloween so, if you know this series even a little bit, you know you’re in for a treat! And maybe a couple of tricks…

I’ve been wanting more Stella and more Stella is exactly what I got. She may have preferred a smaller role in this book, though, as she didn’t appear to particularly enjoy having a guy fall for her. From the sky. Splattered all over the pavement.

‘You’ve got dead guy all over you, love.’

And that’s only the beginning of the ‘weirdy bollocks’ in this book.

Hannah meets her celebrity crush. Banecroft is given a deadline. Manny’s ability to remember to wear pants is improving. Sometimes.

These days, not only was anything possible, but almost everything was far too believable.

There’s more time spent in a graveyard than your average book and people seem to have a whole new appreciation for Laurence of Arabia. This is the book with the tone deaf roadie and a rage problem which, believe it or not, is not Banecroft’s. Or not only Banecroft’s.

And you’ll be introduced to Brian.

‘Nothing is weirder than Brian.’

With everything that’s going on for the team, I’m surprised they find time to print a newspaper at all.

‘News does not sleep.’

This series has action, humour, strangeness (obviously) and a weird little found family that I absolutely adore. The more I get to know them, the more time I want to spend with them. I will be reading The Stranger Times for as long as new editions keep getting published.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, Penguin Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Some comebacks can be murder…

Stella is enjoying life as an almost student, or at least she is until a man falls from the sky right in front of her, leaving a big old hole in the pavement for Manchester Council to fill. The obvious question of how he ended up in the sky in the first place has no obvious answers, which is where The Stranger Times come in.

But this isn’t just the hunt for another story. Dark powers think Stella might have been involved and the only way she and the team can prove her innocence is to find out what the hell is really going on. And what have dodgy gear, disturbed graves and a decommissioned rock star got to do with all this?

Vincent Banecroft has problems of his own in the form of a tall, dark but-definitely-not-handsome man dressed like a funeral who has been sent to make the paper’s editor atone for his sins. Once he finds out exactly what that entails, Banecroft is not keen. Being banished to a Hellscape for all eternity looks like being no fun at all, not least because he has that pale Irish skin that burns really easily…

All that plus territorial ghouls, homicidal felines, eternal (and seemingly unstoppable) gnomes and a celebrity Who’s Who that’d put a royal wedding to shame, and you’re looking at a wild few days for The Stranger Times.

by Categories: ReviewTags: , , , , , , ,