The Reluctant Assassin (W. A. R. P. #1) by Eoin Colfer

The Reluctant Assassin

W. A. R. P. #1

Eoin Colfer

Front cover

Date read: 1 - 8 March 2021

Length: 321 pages

Published: 2013

Chevie Savano is send to England on the most boring FBI mission ever. But when the deadliest magician escapes Victorian London, it turns out to be not so boring after all. Can Chevie stop this mad man and save London as we know it?

The FBI has a secret hideout.

A place no one would ever look.

The past.

This is an interesting concept for time travel, using keys and what appears to be a worm hole sort of thing. A machine is still needed, so I guess it's an adaptation of a time machine.

I'm a bit indifferent to Savano. I didn't really feel a bond with the character, although I don't dislike her. She's got a bit of wit, but sometimes a bit too much attitude for my liking.

I do like Riley and I think he's funny. He's a bit younger than Savano so he still has that child-like charm. He takes to being in the future quite well actually, and it ready to help save the day.

Albert Garrick is power mad, and wants to take knowledge from the future back to the past in order to become more powerful. He doesn't care who he has to kill to get what he wants. A horrible man.

This book seems to be well tied up so I'm left wondering what the next one will be about! I guess I will have to read it to find out.

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Howl's Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle #1) by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl's Moving Castle #1

Diana Wynne Jones

Front cover

Date read: 21 - 28 February 2021

Length: 329 pages

Published: 1986

Sophie works in her father's hat shop until one day The Witch of the Waste comes in, takes a disliking to her and puts a curse on her, turning her into an old lady. Now Sophie needs to reverse the witch's spell, but she doesn't know how. She goes to Howl's moving castle and makes herself at home, but gets more than she bargained for. Will she get back to her young self?

I like Calcifer, the little fire demon is probably my favourite character. He acts like he doesn't care about them, but he really does. Howl is weird. Sometimes he can be really nice, but other times he's actually quite nasty. I feel like poor Michael is often neglected by Howl. He is expected to do a lot and he's just sort of left to get on with things.

Sophie actually helps them in many ways. Even apart from the fact that she cleans up the 'castle' for them, she helps them to open their hearts and become better people. As much as she needed them, they needed her.

I was given Howl's Moving Castle by a friend, as was sad that I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I'd heard of it before but didn't know what it was about. I still liked the story though, and will continue to read the rest of the series!

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Belfast Confidential (Dan Starkey #7) by Colin Bateman

Belfast Confidential

Dan Starkey #7

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 11 - 20 February 2021

Length: 410 pages

Published: 2005

After the death of his best friend Mouse, Dan is asked to take over the popular magazine Belfast Confidential. But while compiling the Power List, many of the contenders find themselves dead. Will Dan figure out what's going on, and stay alive long enough to do so?

I liked Mouse. He didn't appear very often but he was always there to help Dan out. He was the only really consistent friend Dan had and I'm not sure how Dan will be in the subsequent books with him gone.

Dan has so many close calls, one day he's not gonna be so lucky! In every book he almost dies at least once, and I'm pretty sure in the last book, he will actually die. I mean, he comes so close every book, it would be strange if that wasn't what happened! I still have a few more books to read before we find out though!

Another book where he doesn't cheat! This must be some kind of record. I hope that Dan can remain faithful because him and Patricia are just so much better when they're together.

I feel like the ending was a bit rushed. The rest of the book had a slower pace and then it felt like everything just sped up at the end. I'm not sure if that was intentional or if it was just rushed.

Looking forward to more Dan soon!

Colin Bateman

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Through the Looking Glass (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #2) by Lewis Carroll

Through the Looking Glass

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #2

Lewis Carroll

Front cover

Date read: 7 - 10 February 2021

Length: 173 pages

Published: 1872

Alice goes on another adventure, this time through the looking glass into a world of chess pieces, nursery characters, and talking insects and flowers. On a quest to go from pawn to queen, she meets many interesting characters and hears a lot of poetry. Will she become Queen?

The poems are interesting and a nice way to break up the narrative. 

I like Tweedledee and Tweedledum, they are very friendly and entertaining. They want to help Alice on her quest but do it in a fun way!

Alice is sympathetic and understanding to all creatures. She seems a bit more mature here and she is willing to help any creature in any way she can.

I preferred the first one, although that could be because I'm more familiar with it, but the second is still good. These were a nice read for a bit of nostalgia!

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Fall of Troy by Peter Ackroyd

The Fall of Troy

Peter Ackroyd

Front cover

Date read: 1 - 6 February 2021

Length: 215 pages

Published: 2006

Sophia marries Obermann, an archaeologist obsessed with discovering the lost city of Troy. But strange things keep happening to their discoveries, and Sophia begins to learn Obermann has not been honest about his past.

I did not like Obermann AT ALL! He's very single minded, he only wants to see Troy and as a result is very dismissive of facts that contradict his ideas. Despite the fact he could be discovering something else wonderful; if it's not related to Troy in any way, he's not interested. Even in his personal life he dismisses anything that gets in the way of what he wants and doesn't tell the truth.

I feel sorry for Sophia and especially the way she finds out the truth about Obermann's past life. I'm not sure if my hatred of Obermann made me feel more sympathetic towards Sophia, but I'm glad she got away from him regardless.

I wonder about what happened in the cave. It's very mysterious and the events aren't fully explained, it's just kind of swept under the rug and left there. I think that would have been interesting and I wish there was more detail there!

I don't know much about Troy and I'm not sure if that had an impact on my appreciation of this novel. Or it could be my hatred of Obermann that got in the way. If I rated in halves I would have given The Fall of Troy 2.5 stars, but I did like some parts of the story and I liked Sophia, so I've rounded up to 3.

Peter Ackroyd

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Driving Big Davie (Dan Starkey #6) by Colin Bateman

Driving Big Davie

Dan Starkey #6

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 23 - 31 January 2021

Length: 357 pages

Published: 2004

After the death of Joe Strummer from The Clash, an old friend gets in touch with Dan. On the pretence of going with Davie on his honeymoon after his almost-wife leaves him, they spend 3 weeks in sunny Florida. But that's not the sole reason for their visit, Davie has something else in mind for Dan. Will he go through with it?

I'm glad that Dan and Patricia are back together. Things just seem better when they're together, especially for Dan. Without Patricia he loses focus and has very little motivation for anything.

This is the first book in the series where Dan doesn't sleep with someone else! Almost, but he didn't! He's clearly growing up and realising that even though his relationship with Patricia is far from perfect, on the most part it works for them and they do love each other.

Bateman clearly doesn't like village mentality. He portrays them as a bit mad and quite secluded. I know there must be some weird ones out there but I'm pretty sure they're not all like that!

Dan always manages to get himself in very tricky situations! Even when it just seems that he's going on holiday! I guess we should know by now that nothing is as it seems!

Bring on the next one!

Colin Bateman

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #1) by Lewis Carroll

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland #1

Lewis Carroll

Front cover

Date read: 19 - 22 January 2021

Length: 152 pages

Published: 1865

After Alice follows the white rabbit down the hole, she finds herself in a world where nothing makes sense. She can talk to animals, change her size, and plays the weirdest game of croquet of her life. A pack of cards are alive and the Queen of Hearts really likes beheading people. Can Alice keep her head?

This is a good children's story full of nonsense. There's so much imagination here, nothing is impossible!

I liked the songs and poems, especially the mouse tale. The formatting made it even better because it looked like a tail! The songs and poems were a nice way to break up the narrative too.

Alice is stubborn which is good in Wonderland. Many of the creatures are very bizarre and ask Alice to do some strange things, but because she has a pretty steady head she knows which thins are just ridiculous. She's not afraid to tell them no!

So many more creatures than I remember. It's been a while since I've read any version of Alice, or seen a cartoon or film. I just don't remember there being so many different creatures, so either they weren't included or I only remember the 'main' ones such as the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire cat.

I'm looking forward to the next one, which I'm pretty sure I've neither read nor seen any version of!

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The Wee Librocubicularist