The Eighth Scroll by Dr. Laurence B. Brown

No. of pages: 332
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Stirring the flames of age-old controversies, The Eighth Scroll by Laurence B. Brown draws on the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to create an unbelievably dynamic and powerful story. Set in a world that teeters between orthodoxy and heresy, this thriller is packed with intrigue and adventure. When a Roman Catholic scholar involved in the Dead Sea Scrolls Project hides one of the scrolls because of the heretical message it contains, no one is the wiser until decades later, when a prominent archeologist discovers reference to the scroll in an archeological dig. This discovery spurs the world religions into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, in which all who seek the hidden scroll are mysteriously silenced, leaving the salvation of humankind to a father and son, who must either find the hidden scroll . . . or die trying.

Review: When archaeologist Gerald Hansen receives a cryptic phone call from one of his friends, he rushes half way around the world to the dig where his friend is working, dragging along his son Michael. What they find there completely changes their lives forever. It would seem there is another Dead Sea scroll which has never been found, and it will completely change the face of religion as we know it. The trouble is, they aren't the only ones looking for it, and it will be a life or death race to find it first...

When I was asked to review this book, it was compared to The Da Vinci Code, which is a book I really enjoyed. I am always wary though, when a book is said to be 'like' another, because usually they fall a little short. In this case I can definitely see why the comparison is made, but personally I think Brown can stand with his own merit though, this is a fantastic book. I'm not a follower of any religion, but it has always fascinated me, and so mixed with the gripping thriller aspect as well, made for a really great read. It is immediately clear that this was a subject the author knew a lot about or researched very throughly, and it is all written in a very understandable way for people who do not necessarily know a lot about the three religions spoken about. I liked the characters involved, and thought it was a great move to switch narrators part way through the book. For me, I enjoyed savouring this book over the course of a few days, it gave me time to digest each section of information and think about the story, but I can definitely see it being a book that is impossible to put down as well. I would definitely recommend this to fans of religious thrillers, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, I can assure you this is just as good!

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

No. of pages: 550
Rating: 9/10
Series: Harry Hole (Book 7)

Synopsis: The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother’s pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry’s suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity.

Review: A little boy awakes to find his mother has disappeared, upon his search for her around the house, he sees a snowman in the garden with his mother's scarf wrapped around it. A few days later, another mother goes missing, and there's another snowman. So begins Harry Hole's chase after the 'Snowman' serial killer, but considering Harry is a disgraced ex-alcoholic, it's not going to be a smooth ride...

My one and only niggle about this book is the cover, I absolutely hate the massive 'the next Stieg Larsson' sign, and it almost put me off of reading this book completely. It's like comparing an apple to a banana, sure they're both fruits, but that's where the similarities end, and it's the same with these authors. Personally, I prefered this book over the one I've read by Stieg Larsson, so I find the sign a bit frustrating, plus it's rude to try and launch an author in a new country by saying he's 'like' an already established author, especially when they have so much talent and merit of their own. Apart from that I loved this book! It very dark, and truly what a thriller should be in every sense. Harry Hole is one of those characters that's hard to love, but he's great at his job, and I found him to be very funny throughout the book. I loved the mystery of the murders, and it unravelled nicely, with lots of twists and turns. I thought I knew who the killer was a few times, but of course I was completely and utterly wrong! The ending was amazing, one of the best endings I've ever read in a thriller book, and I cannot stress enough how great a thriller this book is! If you're a fan of them, then this is definitely a MUST read. I can't wait to get my hands on more books from this series!

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

No. of pages: 307
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Review: An apocolyptic event has happened, and the earth has burned. Few humans have managed to survive, but a man and his son have and are walking south in the hopes of out running the bitter cold in which they will not survive another winter. As they scavange their way through towns trying to find food and shelter, they have nothing but a gun with two bullets to protect themselves and their map to lead them south.

I decided to read this after watching and appreciating the film, and I'm so glad I did. The book is just as bleak, if not even more so than the film, and it really makes you think about what would happen if such a thing were to really occur. I found the lack of punctuation slightly strange, and it took a little while to get used to, but that and the lack of chapters lends to the feeling of endlessness, to the lack of hope the man must feel as the story evolves. While normally I wouldn't like such a book, for this particular story, it was absolutely perfect. I found it hard to put down, because it's just so gripping, the story of this man and boy trying to survive against all odds. I found the ending very sad, but in a way, it was hopeful too. I would absolutely recommend this, it's beautifully told, even if it's almost too hard to bear at times.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

No. of pages: 472
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy (Book 2)

Synopsis: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Review: Katniss and Peeta have survived the Hunger Games, but only by defying The Capitol, which has made them very angry. There are rumours of rebellion in the air, with Katniss and Peeta being coined as the leaders of it. That can only mean one thing for Katniss and Peeta, and that is punishment from The Capitol, but they can only wonder what will happen...

Catching Fire felt a lot slower than the first book, especially for the first half, and whilst it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I didn't feel quite as gripped as I did with The Hunger Games. But I did enjoy seeing how things had changed for Katniss, and the slow build up to the second half of the book, which I really enjoyed. I thought the theme of the arena was great, and I loved the introduction of Finnick, who became a fast favourite. I'm really glad I went into this series not having read much about it though, because they are the kind of books that you need to go into not knowing what's going to happen, that way, when the twists come along, it's a lot more enjoyable. I'm not a huge fan of the Peeta/Katniss/Gale love triangle, and I dislike the way it seems like Kaniss is just playing them both along, so I hope that is addressed early on in the last installment. Although Catching Fire is a great book in it's own right, I can't help but feel most of the events in the book are just filler to lead up to the great final that is due in Mockingjay, but still, I love this series, and think Collins is a great writer.

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

No. of pages: 416
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Wolves Of Mercy Falls (Book 2)

Synopsis: It's about after. What happens after you discover there are werewolves in the wood, after you've fallen in love for the first time, after you've lost what you think you can't live without, after you've become someone you can't live with.

Sam, who spent most of his life as a werewolf, has undergone an unlikely cure and no longer transitions between fur and skin as the temperature changes from cold to hot. This should be a happy time for Sam and true-love Grace, but just as he begins to trust his new human life, Grace feels herself slipping away. Sam's focus is split between worry for Grace and his role as caretaker of the werewolf pack, which for the first time in years includes new members.

Review: Grace finally has what she's always dreamed of - Sam, in human form. But of course, love never runs smoothly, and the couple start coming across many obstacles to their life together. Isabel is trying to recover from the death of her brother when she meets Cole, and together they find a way to discover the meaning of truly living.

I absolutely adored Shiver, which has been one of my favourite reads in recent history, so although I was massively looking forward to Linger, I was also a bit apprehensive about where the story would go. I have to admit, I never imagined before I started reading it that it would end the way it did, that was a complete surprise, but it's a plot point I guessed pretty early on when reading it. I loved that Isabel and Cole were narrators, Isabel is a great character, and I never imagined that I would enjoy reading her chapters as much as I did. Cole grew on me as the book progressed and we learned more about him. Sam is... well he's Sam, and I can honestly say I have a serious crush on that boy! Sam and Grace are such a perfect couple though and so I can't wait to read the final book in the trilogy to see how it all ends, because this is such a fantastic series, with great, lovable characters. I would definitely recommend Shiver and Linger both!

Fade Out by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 345
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 7)

Synopsis: Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again…

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve’s castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger—and way more dangerous—than anyone suspected.

Review: When Eve makes a new friend at her theatre group, Claire is kind of put out, but then Kim goes missing and in the search for her, they stumble across Kim's biggest secret and they realise the whole situation is so much worse than they initially thought...

I didn't quite enjoy this as much as some of the others in the series, not to say it was bad, it was as gripping as ever, but again I just didn't like a few of the characters in this one. Kim and Ada, both new additions, and neither very nice ones. Both annoyed me a bit, and I was glad to see they weren't going to be carried over to another book. The plot was slightly slower too, more wrapping up various storylines rather than starting anything new. I'm still loving this series which is great, because sometimes when storylines are so action packed it can feel a little silly or unreal, and I never feel like that with this series. The plots are engaging, as are the great characters, and I definitely recommend these to all fans of YA vamp books, they are some of the best I've read.

Lord Of Misrule by Rachel Caine

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Morganville Vampires (Book 5)

Synopsis: In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat. Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.

Review: With forces divided, the town has descended into total chaos. Houses are being burned down, violent gangs are forming and everything is just falling apart...

This was probably my least liked book in the series. I didn't dislike it as such, I just got bored of the whole Bishop thing and wished it would hurry up and end so we could move on to a new storyline. Lord Of Misrule is just as action packed as the other books though, so even though I was slightly bored of Bishop, it still only took me two short sittings to complete, because the books are totally unputdownable! I didn't really like the ending on this book either, although I can understand why it was put there for the plot, I just felt like it was too much personally.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 390
Rating: 9/10
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 1)

Synopsis: My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House… before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

Review: All Chloe wants is to be a normal 15 year old girl that fits in, which is kind of hard when she's constantly changing schools. But finally she feels like she's found her place at her new art school... that is until she sees a ghost and has a complete melt down. It's insisted that Chloe go to Lyle House, a place for troubled teenagers with mental problems, in the hopes she can be helped. But then Chloe and the other teenage residents of Lyle House start finding out disturbing things about the house, and must hurry to find out what's really happening there...

I am a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's, so I knew going into this that I was going to love the books and that they were going to be great, and I was right! As with her Women Of The Otherworld series, Kelley mixes a haunting story with great characters and some action, and pulls off yet another fantastic book. All of the characters are beautifully written, but my favourites are Chloe and Derek, I loved seeing their troubled relationship evolve, and I can't wait to see how it carries on in the next few books. The storyline was gripping, and I loved the twist at the end, which I didn't see coming at all, but makes for a very interesting lead in to the next book. I have to admit, I did find it almost impossible to put down and cannot wait to read the next two books. Would definitely recommend this to everyone, as there's a bit of everything in it, and it's just so well written!

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

No. of pages: 391
Rating: 9/10
Series: Hush, Hush (Book 1)

Synopsis: For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Review: When Nora's Biology teacher decides to change the seating chart, Nora is annoyed to be moved away from her best friend Vee, and to no less be stuck with the new kid, Patch. But then he tells her that he knows things about her, things it's impossible for anyone to know about, but she still feels weirdly drawn to him. Even when she suspects him of stalking her, she can just never seem to escape his constant presence. But then Patch starts letting her in, telling her the truth about what's going on, and ends up endangering her life...

I had heard an equal mix of great things and terrible things about this book, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it. But I'm a sucker for supernatural romance books like this, so I'm firmly in the 'love it' camp. I loved the relationship between Nora and her best friend Vee, they were so funny together and had little best friend quirks that reminded me a lot of me and my best friend, so that was really fun to read. And then there's Patch - dark, brooding and dangerous - what's a better mix than that!? This book is compared a lot to Twilight, and whilst the brewing relationship between Nora and Patch is a little reminiscent of the one between Bella and Edward, this book is certainly good enough to stand on its own merits. I loved the whole fallen angel thing, and enjoyed the progression of the storyline, which was fairly fast paced. I did guess some plot points fairly early on, but a few things did take me by surprise which is always good. Definitely recommended to fans of this genre (YA supernatural romance), and I can't wait for the sequel, Crescendo.

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

No. of pages: 404
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Forest (Book 2)

Synopsis: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

Review: Gabry has grown up within the safety of one of the last cities that's not infected with the Unconsecrated/Mudo/zombies. Living with her mother Mary in the lighthouse, she's always felt secure and loved. But then one night of silly risks ends all of that and Gabry suddenly has to grow up over night. Along the way she finds out a lot of things she never could have imagined, and she finally discovers the truth about the forest of hands and teeth...

Like the first book The Forest Of Hands & Teeth, I read this in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. The story in this book is set some 20 years after The Forest Of Hands & Teeth, and centres around Mary's daughter Gabry, who has grown up oblivious to what has happened to her mother in the past. As a result, she's quite naive at the beginning of the book, in a way that Mary never was. Because of this though, I felt Gabry had more of a journey realising how sheltered she's been all these years and growing up from that, where as Mary was always very realistic and hardened to the world of the Unconsecrated/Mudo/zombies. I did really enjoy the storyline of The Dead-Tossed Waves, and I loved the character of Elias, who I was rooting for throughout. I didn't quite like the main character of Gabry as much as I liked Mary though, and that's why I've marked my rating down to 4.5, although that's just a personal preference, both books are equally fantastic in all other ways. If you liked the first book, then you'll love this sequel, and if you haven't read The Forest Of Hands & Teeth, I highly recommend you do! It's a fantastic series, and the only problem is now, the next book isn't released until spring 2011, and that's too long a wait!

Burned by P.C. & Kristin Cast

No. of pages: 323
Rating: 9/10
Series: House Of Night (Book 7)

Synopsis: Y’all need to get yourselves together. Here’s a newsflash from the only High Priestess you have left at this dang school: Zoey isn’t dead. And believe me, I know dead. I’ve been there, done that and got the fricken tee-shirt.

Zoey Redbird is the youngest High Priestess in House of Night history and is the only person – vamp or fledgling – that can stop the evil Neferet from raising all kinds of immortal trouble. And she might just have a chance if she wasn’t so busy being dead.

Well, dead is too strong a word. Stevie Rae knows she can bring her BFF back from her unscheduled va-cay in the Otherworld. But it’s going to take a lot more than hoping to bring Zoey back. Stevie Rae will have to give up a few secrets of her own...

Review: Zoey's soul has shattered, and unless she manages to piece herself back together, she'll stay forever as a restless soul wandering through the Otherworld. So Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, Stark and the 'nerd herd' make it their mission to save her, but like everything, it comes at a price...

I thought this book really brought this series back to how good it was at the beginning. The past few books have been all about Zoey being so boy obsessed, that they became kind of boring to read, but this moved completely away from that, so it was really refreshing to read. I loved the focus on Stevie Rae as she's my favourite character, and I'm really enjoying the direction of her story. I've also fallen completely in love with Rephaim, which is almost wrong, but he seems so adorable, and I loved his character development in this book. I can't wait to see what happens with that whole storyline as you can be sure it's going nowhere good! My one grouch was how much pointless swearing there was, in some instances it was so out of place and it jarred the flow of the dialogue. As usual, the writing flowed really well, and it was so easy to read and I liked that it continued with the alternating between characters with the chapters. Definitely a great return to the series, and I can't wait for the next installment, here's to hoping that it is as good as Burned was!

Once by Morris Gleitzman

No. of pages: 150
Rating: 9/10
Series: Felix Trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: Once I escaped from an orphanage to find Mum and Dad.
Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house.
Once I made a Nazi with a toothache laugh.
My name is Felix. This is my story.

Review: Felix is a Jewish boy being hidden in a Catholic orphanage, his parents having hidden him there when they knew they were all in danger. Felix however is completely oblivious as to what is happening, he thinks Hitler is someone to look up to, and he doesn't really understand what the Nazi's are. That is until he escapes the orphanage to look for his parents and realises life isn't what it once was...

Even though this book was amazingly written, and so easy to read, the actual storyline was very harrowing, and really quite sad. Not only because of the effects of the war, but seeing how Felix slowly loses his innocence and realises life isn't what he thought it was and none of his stories can make this go away. Felix and Zelda are both really sweet characters, and I thought it was lovely how they cared for each other after everything that had happened. Once bears a close resemblence to The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, it has a similar feel and both are written from the identical perceptions of young boys during a war they don't really understand. I would definitely recommend it, although it's a short book, it certainly gives you a lot to think about, and it's well worth an hour or two of your time.

Kill For Me by Karen Rose

No. of pages: 581
Rating: 9/10
Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 3)

Synopsis: Brutalised
Susannah Vartanian's life changed overnight when, as a teenager, she was viciously raped by a sadistic gang of youths. Now she won't allow anyone to get close to her.

Sickened
Luke Papadopoulos is approaching burn-out. As a detective working on sex crimes against children, he will do anything to find those responsible for such evil atrocities.

Terrified
Monica Cassidy's life is under threat. Held in a bunker with ten other teenage girls, she barely escaped with her life when her kidnappers fled, killing five of the girls as they left. Now Monica is the only one free who can identify her abductors, and they know where she is.

Review: Susannah Vartanian has overcome a lot in her life, and has always sought answers as to why it all happened. Finally, the time has come for her to find out, but there are plenty of shocks along the way. Agent Luke Papadopoulos, is determined to find answers too, and together he and Susannah finally find the way to the truth.

Following along the same lines as the previous two books in the trilogy, I really enjoyed this one also. It was great to find out the ending of the whole thing, and finally piece together the puzzles of the various storylines. This book was a bit darker than the other two, due to the storyline involving kids forced into the sex business, but Rose handled it well. Although sad to read about, it was written really well, with great characters, and an interesting conclusion to the whole storyline, it certainly wasn't what I was expecting that was for sure! A really great series, definitely recommend to thriller fans who like a bit of romance thrown in.

Scream For Me by Karen Rose

No. of pages: 661
Rating: 9/10
Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 2)

Synopsis: A terrifying ordeal
Special Agent Daniel Vartanian has made a horrific discovery - photographs, taken years ago by his brother Simon, showing a gang of teenagers raping young girls. Disgusted, Vartanian is determined to bring the rapists to justice.

A sinister abduction
Alex Fallon's family fell apart when her sister was murdered thirteen years ago. And history now seems to be repeating itself with her stepsister Bailey's disappearance. When Vartanian meets Alex, and realises that her dead sister was in the photos, he starts to believe that the rapists may be behind Bailey's disappearance.

An evil unleashed
Bailey Crighton is being held captive by a monster. Alone and unable to escape, all she can do is scream for help. Vartanian and Alex must confront their pasts head-on if they are to find Bailey - before it's too late.

Review: When Agent Daniel Vartanian finds depraved pictures of teenagers boys raping girls that his brother had taken, he vows to find the young men in the pictures and bring them to justice. Along the way he meets Alex, a woman looking for her stepsister who has disappeared into thin air. Then women start getting murdered and together they plan to get to the bottom of what's happening to the women of Dutton.

Another great installment from Karen Rose, I'm really enjoying the series about the Vartanian's. The storyline was completely different from the first book in the series, but equally as enjoyable to read. Again, the characters were great, I enjoyed how real they seemed, in particular Alex, I think she was my favourite overall, but I really liked Daniel as a character too. I'm really looking forward to the final book in the series and seeing how it all wraps up. I definitely recommend these to fans of this genre, they're great books, and I for one will be reading all I can by this author in the future.

Die For Me by Karen Rose

No. of pages: 695
Rating: 9/10
Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: A secret cellar
A multimedia designer is hard at work. His latest computer game, Inquisitor, heralds a new era in state-of-the-art graphics. But there's only one way to ensure that the death scenes are realistic enough...

An isolated field
Detective Ciccotelli's day begins with one grave, one body and no murder weapon. It ends with sixteen graves, but only nine bodies and the realisation that the killer will strike again...

A living hell
When it's discovered that the murder weapons are similar to those used in medieval torture, Ciccotelli knows that he's up against the most dangerous opponent of his career - let the games begin...

Review: A game designer is killing people using medieval torture as inspiration for his new game, so when the field of previous bodies are found, it's a race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.

This is the first Karen Rose I've read, and using this as an example, her books are exactly the kind of thrillers I love to read. At 700 pages, it's a hefty book, but I never once felt like the plot was dragging, or the story was boring. The characters were great, and easily distinguishable even though there was a lot of people to remember. Vito and Sophie were my favourites, although as they're the main characters it's not all that surprising, but I thought they had a realistic depth about them, they weren't perfect and were down to earth, so that made them enjoyable to read about. The plot, whilst nothing massively original, was interesting and gripping, I particularly liked the medieval aspect of it which seemed extensively researched. I also enjoyed the fact that she mixed some pretty gruesome murder scenes, with some nice family scenes, and a blossoming romance, so it all flowed through really well. I can't wait to get started on the second book, and would definitely recommend them to thriller fans, but don't let the size of them put you off, once you're reading them, you don't even notice the length.

The Blue Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver

No. of pages: 430
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Wyatt Gillette, a cybergenius who's never used his phenomenal talent for evil, is sitting in a California jail doing time for a few harmless computer capers when he gets a temporary reprieve--a chance to help the Computer Crimes Unit of the state police nail a cracker (a criminally inclined hacker) called Phate who's using his ingenious program, Trapdoor, to lure innocent victims to their death by infiltrating their computers. Gillette and Phate were once the kings of cyberspace--the Blue Nowhere of the title--but Phate has gone way past the mischievous electronic pranks they once pulled and crossed over to the dark side.

Review: A cracker called Phate has found a way to invade people's computers, taking every piece of information about them from the machine and is then using it to murder them horrifically. The Crimes Computer Unit bring in Wyatt Gillette, a hacker that's in prison, to help them try and find Phate, but the Blue Nowhere is big, and Phate is determined to stay hidden...

This is the first Deaver I've read, but I knew from other people's reviews of him that he would be someone I'd love, and I was right. I was actually surprised at how he manages to make you feel like you've guessed what's going to happen and who the bad guy is, and then he does the complete opposite thing and throws you completely off track! A great storyline, actually quite scary when you think of something like this being possible. It goes to show that we really put our whole lives into our computers and never think about who could get into them and read everything. I loved Wyatt as a character, he and Bishop were my favourites, and I thought they were both written really well. My one dislike, and the reason I've knocked the 0.5 off is because there were so many male police officers, that I found it quite hard to remember who was who at times, and that frustrated me a little, but overall I loved the book and definitely will be reading another Deaver soon! Recommended for fans of thrillers, because in terms of not being able to guess what will happen next, this is one of the best I've ever read.

I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

No. of pages: 357
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Meet Ed Kennedy—underage cabdriver, pathetic cardplayer, and useless at romance. He lives in a shack with his coffee-addicted dog, the Doorman, and he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence, until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That’s when the first Ace arrives. That’s when Ed becomes the messenger...

Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary), until only one question remains: Who’s behind Ed’s mission?

Review: When Ed accidentally stops a bank robbery, he's considered a hero. Then the aces start arriving, on each ace are a list of people Ed has to help, so off on his mission he goes, only it's not exactly what he expected. This book follows Ed as he tries to help the people on the aces he's sent, wondering all the while who's behind it all...

Reading the first few chapters of this I didn't really think it was my 'thing', it took a while to get used to the writing but once I did I really enjoyed it. Ed the main character is completely loveable, even though he's supposed to be a weak aimless guy, you can't help but like him for it, especially as the story moves along. The other characters of the people Ed helps were great too, you really had a sense of why they needed whatever they did, and so you kind of felt like you really got to know each and everyone one, even though most were only briefly there. The story itself is really good, it kept me wondering who would be next and what would happen, and it kept it up right until the last page. Definitely one I'd recommend, it's a great book, although don't go into it thinking it'll be like The Book Thief, because it's completely different, but not in a bad way.

The Keeper by Natasha Mostert

No. of pages: 388
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Mia Lockhart has a secret. Her mother was a keeper, as was her grandmother - women who were warriors, healers and protectors. And when a mysterious man enters her life, she puts this to the test. Adrian Ashton is a brilliant scientist - and a killer. With the aid of an ancient Chinese text, he has mastered the art of capturing the chi of his opponents - the vital energy that flows through their bodies. Mia finds herself drawn to his dark genius. But when he targets the man with whom she is falling in love, she is forced to choose between them. Soon it becomes a fight to the death in which love is both the greatest weakness - and the greatest prize.

Review: Mia is a Keeper - a healer and protector of the fighters in her care. That is until Adrian Ashton suddenly shows up. She's never met him before, but she feels connected to him in some elemental way and it scares her. But when she finds out what he does, and that he's after the man she's falling in love with, she must fight Ash to protect everything she cares about...

This was a really interesting read for me, I liked how the author took martial arts, tattooing, chinese medicine, spirituality, love, life, death and rolled it all into one great read. Being as the killer is revealed on the back cover and right from the beginning, I wasn't sure how the story was going to pan out, but it still held a few surprises that I wasn't expecting and I never felt like it was boring or dragging at any point, in fact the combination of all the different elements kept the whole book easy to read and enjoyable. Would really recommend this book, it's something a bit different and refreshing to read, and you can even learn something along the way.

Girls Of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

No. of pages: 300
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Gamrah's faith in her new husband is not exactly returned. Sadeem is a little too willing to please her fiance. Michelle is half-American and the wrong class for her boyfriend's family. While Lamees works hard with little time for love. The girls of Riyadh are young, attractive and living by Saudi Arabia's strict cultural traditions. Well, not quite. In-between sneaking out behind their parents backs, dating, shopping, watching American TV and having fun, they're still trying to be good little Muslim girls. That is, pleasing their families and their men. But can you be a twenty-first century girl and a Saudi girl?

Review: This is the story of 6 years in the life of four friends ~ Gamrah, Sadeem, Michelle and Lamees. Following their stories of trying to fall in love and get married whilst sticking to their strict cultural rules, which doesn't make it easy for them at all. Covering issues such as divorce, infidelity, pregnancy, love before marriage and being an independent woman in a male dominated culture, this book, although fiction, is written by a Saudi Arabian woman giving insight to culture so different from our own.

This book was not what I was expecting at all, but it was a great surprise. It is essentially a chick-lit book set in a culture far different from our own, and so the situtations and problems the characters faced were not ones we would necessarily face. For example, if we fall in love with someone, we have the freedom of our own choice to do what we want, no one can stop us. However, if it happens in Saudia Arabia, it has to be in secret unless the male asks for the female's hand in marriage, and even then it's usually only with his family's permission. It was really interesting to read about the culture, although it was hard to imagine such a strict life because the way we live is so completely different. It was a great read though, and something I'd recommend to people interested in other religions or cultures.

Night's Edge by Maggie Shayne/Barbara Hambly/Charlaine Harris

No. of pages: 377
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Three new stories in one delicious volume of horror and romance.

Her Best Enemy by Maggie Shayne
Kiley Brigham refuses to believe there's a ghost in her house, but when an unseen hand leaves a bloody message on her bathroom mirror, she's forced to turn to local psychic Jack McCain. As the two work to uncover a long-buried secret, Kiley finds that she's haunted not by spirits, but by thoughts of Jack...

Someone Else's Shadow by Barbara Hambly
Maddie Laveau worries about her young roommate, Tessa, when she stays late to practice ballet in the old Glendower Building...and when Tessa goes missing, Maddie enlists mysterious tenant Phil Anderson to help. But is Phil the white knight she needs, or the predator she fears?

Dancers In The Dark by Charlaine Harris
Layla LaRue LeMay is no ordinary dancer - her partner, Sean McClendon, is a three-hundred-year-old redheaded vampire. So when Layla Rue acquires a stalker, she's forced to face the music...and wonder if this will finally be her last dance.

Review: Night's Edge is a book of 3 short stories about supernatural romance. I really enjoyed Her Best Enemy and Dancers In The Dark, but didn't really think much of Someone Else's Shadow. Her Best Enemy was pretty creepy, and I really enjoyed the ghost aspect of the story, but the romance aspect was predictable as they always are in romance books. Dancers In The Dark was about vampires, so I knew I would love it, the fact it's set in the Sookie universe made it that much better, as I already knew the references to such things as The Fellowship Of The Sun. The story itself was enjoyable, I liked the characters and thought she wrote them really well. I found Someone Else's Shadow pretty boring though, I felt like it was dragging on even though it was only a short story. I didn't much care for the characters and thought it was silly how they loved each other after only a handful of meetings. The ghost aspect of the story was the best bit about it, although I didn't much like that either. I probably wouldn't bother reading anything by Barbara Hambly again if this short story is anything to go on. I'll certainly be looking into reading more by Maggie Shayne though, and would recommend this book to fans of Charlaine's if only to read her short story!