Autonomous by Annalee Newitz

“She was designed to look human, her face the replica of a woman whose image Med’s tissue engineer had licensed from an old Facebook database.”

When I spotted this novel at my local Kinokuniya store, I felt compelled to buy a copy. The premise sounded so intriguing. Unfortunately, I found that the most exciting aspect of the book. Time and time again I’d pick it up, read a few pages and then put it down.

The scene was set early for some interesting action and I looked forward initially to see how it panned out. By the time I was less than a third through, my interest had waned entirely. Perhaps this was due to my usual preoccupations inherent in a busy, stressful life distracting me from the plot. Perhaps it just wasn't my cup of tea. In any case, this review lacks effusive praise.

On a positive note, this is the one hundred and twentieth book I've read this year - hurrah!

2 out of 5 robot drugs aren't as exciting as they sound.

Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House (Agatha Raisin #14) by M.C. Beaton

“He forgot that he had recently found Agatha attractive. Now he thought of her as a pushy middle-aged woman who might be mad.”

One of the most thrilling aspects of this murder mystery is the promise of what lies in the next book, hinted fiendishly by the author in the final page. That is not to say that this isn’t an entertaining read. It is a gem as all the Agatha Raisin tales have been to date.

Agatha has yet another new neighbour, but this one is married. Admittedly Paul Chatterton’s Spanish wife doesn’t seem to be around and when a haunted house mystery presents itself he calls on Aggie to do some sleuthing. As thirteen previous novels clearly demonstrated, Agatha is not one to say no to a handsome man with a mystery.

A hilarious scare in the night, isn’t quite what the two adventurers have in mind and it isn’t long until there is the usual body count for this otherwise quaint village. Add in a potential historical treasure hunt, passionate historical society and amateur dramatics, and you know things are about to get entertaining. Bill Wong has yet another attractive officer in tow. She and several other women are bound to get Agatha in a jealous frisson.

I just love Agatha and the return of Sir Charles is always a welcome one (ooh look he’s single and trim again). As you might tell, I just love getting lost in the little village of Carsely. It is the perfect respite from the stressful world in which we live. It’s strange isn’t it that villages with a body count seem far more idyllic than offices full of hidden malevolence.

5 out of 5 things that go bump in the night are harmless.

 



Milkman by Anna Burns

"No one has ever come across a cat apologising and if a cat did, it would patently be obvious it was not being sincere.”

When I commenced reading the latest winner of the Man Booker Prize, I was instantly captivated by the first-person narrative. Burns expertly weaves a spell of ever tightening walls. The walls talk; and the perceptions of others can be a death sentence.

Our heroine is being stalked by The Milkman and he is a dangerous man to know. The locals see his attempts to interact with her and believe that she is having an affair with the married man, rather than actively seeking to avoid his clutches. She’s more interested in maybe-boyfriend.

Jogging with her brother in law is a means of escape. She is an outsider reading books and taking French classes, where others fill their days with gossip and violence. Her mother’s inability to believe her is particularly frustrating and initially quite funny. That is until the humour takes on a more dangerous tone. Perhaps that is the most interesting aspect of the novel the black humour that tinges the fight or flight terror of the everyday.

As I read the latter parts of the novel in a piecemeal fashion on my way to and from work, I think it lost something. It was too easy to drift out of the peculiar parlance of the book and having to constantly re-acquaint myself with it was frustrating. That aside, this is a great read and an intriguing character exploration.

 

5 out of 5 - the dead cat scene is visceral.

 

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

“I like the idea of keeping my world in these little compartments where there is no risk of collision.”  

I had this book in the to be read pile for quite some time and yet it was only when the trailers for its adaptation bombarded my Netflix feed that I decided it was time for action. This is an easy read, which you would expect given its young adult subject and audience.

Growing up as a gentle giant with an extremely svelte mother (not that she is anymore), I could really relate to Willowdean’s story. Actually, Willowdean seemed way more popular than me and self-assured, which was a delight to read. Clearly, she had a lot more success in high school with the opposite sex too – me, I was a late bloomer in that department by comparison (don’t worry I made up for it later).

 

When the pinnacle of your mother’s existence is the local teen beauty pageant and you definitely don’t fit the mould, life can be challenging. Couple that with feelings of grief for a recently deceased, much-loved aunt and confusion around a rather spunky workmate at an after-school job and you have ample fodder for a great teen story. I’ve seen some rather negative comments about aspects of the story online and yet I found it refreshingly honest and rather adorable. It captures perfectly that prickly time when everyone takes offence as they’re trying to work out who they are in the world.

 

If you like drag queens and Dolly Parton, double down on this little book, you won’t be disappointed. It is tailor made for Trixie Mattel fans (guilty).

 

 

5 out of 5 lip synch for your life.

 

 

Agatha Raisin and the Case of the Curious Curate by M.C.Beaton

“Sol MacGuire was another Adonis, but a black-haired, blue-eyed one.”

She’s "raisin" hell again (sorry, pardon the pun). Agatha’s quiet village life is turned upside down by the arrival of a rather stunning Curate. All the local women are beside themselves, as they do get with the arrival of any good looking new man in Carsely. Indeed, the church has never been so full. Feeling a little burnt from the James saga and trying, rather unsuccessfully, to avoid her new neighbour, Agatha believes herself immune to his charms. Next minute dinner, next minute, dead body and poor Mrs Bloxby’s husband is the prime suspect.

A delight as ever as Agatha teams up with her writer neighbour to try and unpick the mystery. Not to mention to clear the name of Mr Bloxby’s husband. I could go on about the plot and the murder, which do make for some thrilling set pieces in this particular outing and yet, Agatha’s domestic woes are far more entertaining. Blackmail, adultery, there are multiple mysteries going on here and just when you think the killer has been captured…well you’ll have to read and find out – I don’t wish to spoil it for you.

I do wonder how many good looking, single men could possibly move in next door? Surely there’s a limit. Will Agatha ever learn that this pattern isn’t working out so well?

5 out of 5 much better than Agatha’s microwaved meals.

Serpentine (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #26) by Laurell K. Hamilton

“It was as if his human body was turning into a mass of serpents”.

The latest Anita Blake was released in August of this year and yet again, I’ve fallen victim to its siren’s call of weird sex, magic and violence. The novel is indicative of a proven combination that the author has been pounding out with amazing regularity for many years now. Is it formulaic, certainly, but it still has its charms.

Edward (Ted) is getting married and Anita will be the best man. Not only that, all your favourite marshals will converge for the island wedding. I mean who doesn’t love the creepy psychopathy of Olaf – such a spooky, demented character. Naturally, there’s more going on in this idyllic island paradise than just nuptials. A strange curse sees one particular family shift into snakes – think Medusa.

Now young women are disappearing, is it Olaf, what’s the go with Peter, why is the local constabulary blaming Nathaniel and what about the snake people? All will be revealed in what I have to say is a far more plot driven outing than the previous book. Here we have action and suspense, along with a lot of the best characters back in play.

Rather than just being about taking on some other new supernatural bed partner, this one is more about consolidating her ties with her already overcrowded schedule of paramours and solving a mystery before anyone else meets a horrific end.

So why have I given this a 5 – well it seemed great when I couldn’t sleep during the wee hours of the morning and I was entertained. Sure, I knew what I was getting into when Anita was busting out of bridesmaid’s dresses, but I’m used to it. Actually, that could me in a change room these days – why are clothes made for boy like figures?

Yes, there are troubling aspects to Anita’s relationships. Nathaniel might be hot, but man is he needy. I can’t handle him anymore – unless he’s sniffing out clues in wereleopard form and even then, he whinges about sore feet. Notwithstanding, this one got me through the cold, lonely night.

 

 5 out of 5 because shapeshifting strippers are a girl’s best friend.

 

Crimson Death (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #25) by Laurell K. Hamilton

 

“I was told I was beautiful and some days I believed it, but looking down at the three of them I was still amazed that everyone and everything in the bed was mine, and I was theirs”

I thought I had sworn off the vampire killing, necromancing, sex pot that is Anita Blake and yet here I am, back on the horse. To be fair, I’m more than a little bit jealous of Anita and her menagerie of hot men (and now women) that she absolutely must sleep with or all hell will literally break loose. I admit I am a massive fan of Nicky, Jean-Claude, Nathaniel and Micah. Let’s face it they are all impressive supernatural specimens. My only query is to how big Jean Claude’s room is to fit a bed that big in?

 

Back to the plot line though and it is time for Damian, another vampire, to really enter the mix. Pairing with Anita and Nathaniel as yet another supernatural power up coupling. Blah blah more writing about polyamory – I don’t’ know why this has to be explained in such painstaking detail in every book. We get it… move on.

Anyway, there are two saving graces to this furry love fest and they are EDWARD (got to love that cold steel killer) and a trip to Ireland. Baby vampires seem to be wreaking destruction in Ireland and Edward has put in the call for his favourite of the four riders, to come and save the day.

Naturally there are fey, which makes for a fun new supernatural being in the mix, along with supernatural seals who are (go figure) beautiful too. There is also way too much talk about therapy. So much talk about therapy – need I go on?

 

Still, we find a way for Anita to get over (momentarily) her fear of flying. We get some action and before you know it, 720 pages have flown by. It can’t have been all that bad, I admit I stared on the next book straight away.

 

 

4 out of 5 because vampires and werewolves need love too.