Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have read most of the Disc world novels and this one was no exception and made me really giggle. I just love the characters and Pratchetts wonderful use of words.


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The Monstrous Regiment in question is made up of a vampire, a troll, Igor, a collection of misfits and a young woman who shoves a pair of socks down her pants to join the army. Here you have the characteristically charming novel by Terry Pratchett. Polly becomes Private Oliver Perks, who is on a quest to find her older brother, who's recently MIA in one of the innumerable wars the tiny nation of Borogravia has a habit of starting with its neighbors. This peevish tendency has all but expended Borogravia's ranks of cannon fodder. Whether Sergeant Jackrum knows her secret or not, he can't afford to be choosy as Perks and her/his comrades are among the last able-bodied recruits left in Borogravia. This collection of misfits includes the aforementioned vampire (reformed and off the blood, thank you), troll, and macabre Igor, who is only too happy to sew you a new leg if you aren't too particular about previous ownership. Off to war, Polly/Oliver learns that having a pair of, um, socks is a good way to open up doors in this man's army. For those who haven't made this underrated author's acquaintance, Monstrous Regiment is as good a place to start as any. Readers will encounter Pratchett's subtle and disarming wit, his trademark footnoted asides along with a not-too-shabby tale of honor, courage and duty in the face of absurd circumstances. --Jeremy Pugh, Amazon.com

Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley by M C Beaton

Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley by M.C. Beaton

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book. I love the characters, especially Agatha. These books must be read in order or you kind of miss the plot between Agatha and James!


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Synopsis:

Returning to her beloved Cotswold village only to be coolly received by her attractive neighbor, Agatha Raisin becomes involved in the murder case of hiker Jessica Tartinick, who had incurred the wrath of wealthy landowners.

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book! I wouldn't have normaly picked this book up to read. I found it compelling reading and loved the way Groff mingled the present with the past. I thought it was multilayered, riverting and unpredictable. The story was rich with history. A fabulous first debut novel!


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Synopsis:

One dark summer dawn, at the very moment that an enormous monster dies in Lake Glimmerglass, twenty-eight-year-old Willie Upton returns pregnant and miserable to her hometown of Templeton, N.Y. Willie is a descendant of the creator of the town, Marmaduke Temple, and she expects to be able to hide in the place that has been home to her family for centuries. But the monster changes the fabric of the village, and Willie's mother, Vivienne, has a surprise for the girl that will send Willie careening through her family's history to dig up clues about her heritage. Spanning two centuries and based on Lauren’s hometown of Cooperstown, New York., the story is told through two centuries of voices, from Templeton ghosts to residents, masters to servants, natives to interlopers, and historical figures to literary characters.

Rapture in Death by J D Robb

Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I always like reading her Eve Dallas books. I love the characters, especially Roarke, the dashing Irishman.

This book was nice easy reading, with a good story and likability factor even though I guessed who dunnit quite early on in the book.


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Treasure Trove by Peter Turnbull

Treasure Trove by Peter Turnbull

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I always enjoy Turnbull's books. They are set in Yorkshire and the characters are very believable. The down side on this book was that I felt the last chapter was lacking.....it was like the book wasn't quite finished.


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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Synopsis

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor, Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.

I really thought I wouldn't like this book seeing it is predominately a romance novel, but I just loved it and couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading to see what happened. All through the book I pictured Mr Darcy as Colin Firth........I've never seen any tv adaptation but now I want to see it......the one with Colin Firth of course! I won't say much more as I do not want to spoil the book for anyone, but I am so glad I read it!

The First Apostle by James Becker

Synopsis

An Englishwoman is found dead in a house near Rome, her neck broken. Her distraught husband enlists the help of his closest friend, policeman Chris Bronson, who discovers an ancient inscription on a slab of stone above their fireplace. It translates as 'Here Lie the Liars.' But who are the liars? And what is it they are lying to protect? Pursued across Europe, Bronson and his ex-wife uncover a trail of clues that lead them back to the shadowy beginnings of Christianity; to an ancient code inscribed upon a stone; to a chalice decorated with mysterious symbols. And to a deadly conspiracy which - if revealed - will rock the foundations of our modern world.

I really enjoyed this book even though it was very Da Vinci Code like. It is quite an even paced book and some of it is based on actual facts like Jesus is only mentioned once in the Bible which I didn't know, along with some really good other facts based around Christiananity, and some really surprised me. Good brain candy.