The Horse with My Name (Dan Starkey #5) by Colin Bateman

The Horse with My Name

Dan Starkey #5

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 20 - 27 December 2020

Length: 333 pages

Published: 2002

Dan's life is going nowhere. He's given up work, and all he does is drink. Things between him and Patricia have fallen apart after the loss of Stevie. Then Dan is approached by ex-journalist Mark Corkery, AKA The Horse Whisperer, to investigate Geordie McClean. What could go wrong?

Dan Starkey - international man of inaction -

rides again. How far can he fall this time?

Dan always seems to meet strong willed females, and usually ends up sleeping with them! It's no different here, surprise surprise. And no less that Geordie McClean's daughter Mandy. Tsk tsk, naughty Dan.

I feel a little bit sorry for Dan because he didn't have all the facts. There were things he should have been told before he went to investigate, but he ended up having to figure things out for himself. Things might have been easier and he might have actually done the job more quickly if people were just honest with him from the start.

It wouldn't be a Dan Starkey novel without at least one death! Hilda, McClean's ex-wife and Mandy's mother, is the unfortunate victim this time.

I don't know anything about horse racing but I still enjoyed the story. It's the people that make a story, and that's certainly the case here. Not my favourite Starkey novel, but still a good addition.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Awaken (Abandon #3) by Meg Cabot

Awaken

Abandon #3

Meg Cabot

Front cover

Date read: 11 - 19 December 2020

Length: 343 pages 

Published: 2013

Just when Pierce thought the Underworld was safe, it gets over-run with the souls of the dead, and John is presumed dead. Can Pierce muster up the courage and strength to save not only her beloved, but the Underworld too?

DEATH HAS HER IN HIS CLUTCHES

It seems Pierce has really matured in this series finale. She takes the time to think about what she needs to do, but also the consequences of what she's doing. Before she would have just rushed in with an idea, and not considered the consequences. She thinks about what is best for everyone, and it's a level of maturity that I think suits her well.

I wish we knew why the diamond turns purple around Kayla. It's not properly explained and I guess it's up to us to make our own conclusions!

Glad Pierce made amends with her parents. It must be hard for them to know that they might not get to see their only child very often. It must he heartbreaking for them, but they're taking it very well, once they understand the full situation.

It was kind of an abrupt ending and I feel there could have been more. Maybe there will be a fourth book one day, or maybe not. 

Overall I really enjoyed the series. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it when I was a teenager, but even so it was still good.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult

Perfect Match

Jodi Picoult

Front cover

Date read: 2 - 10 December 2020

Length: 353 pages (368 with readers guide)

Published: 2002

Nina frost works as a prosecutor, specifically on child molestation cases, putting the abusers behind bars. But when her five year old son Nathaniel is sexually assaulted, she takes justice into her own hands. How will the Frost family cope?

What does it mean to be a good mother?

How far would you go in the name of love - and justice?

I didn't actually particularly like Nina. I found myself being annoyed by both her thoughts and actions most of the time! As much as she does do everything she can to protect her son, she gets a bit obsessive over a single idea at the time, without properly thinking things through.

Caleb, Nathaniel's father, is an odd character too. At times he seems unconcerned about everything and ready to just leave it all behind. I guess sometimes it seems as though he doesn't care.

Patrick, Nina's long time friend, is a bit pathetic. He's totally hung up on Nina, and acts like a love sick puppy dog. I think he makes a good decision at the end to move on with his life without her.

I was surprised by the twist near the beginning! I did not expect it at all and it changed how the whole book panned out. I was also surprised by the ending. I really thought it would go the other way! It worked out well for the family but Nina did a very bad thing, and it kinda feels like she didn't have to deal with the consequences of her actions.

Jodi Picoult

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Shooting Sean (Dan Starkey #4) by Colin Bateman

Shooting Sean

Dan Starkey #4

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 26 November - 1 December 2020

Length: 245 pages

Published: 2001

Dan has been asked to write about movie star Sean O'Toole, so he goes to the set of the controversial film he's making; The Brigadier. Only things get complicated, in true Dan fashion. Dan's wife and step-son get kidnapped by Michael O'Ryan, and now it's up to Dan to stop Sean, or lose his wife and child for good. Can he do it?

Yet again Dan can't keep it in his pants. This is becoming a recurring theme in the series, and honestly it doesn't even surprise me anymore. What is annoying though, is he always ends up grovelling to Patricia, saying he loves her and wants to make it work, etc. It's repetitive and I'm over it.

Alice is a piece of work! I actually feel a bit sorry for Sean because of what she's been doing to him, and behind his back. She doesn't really love him and it's a whole plot to get at him for doing the film. She really doesn't care one iota about what she's doing.

I didn't like the ending. Poor little Stevie! It actually made me so sad reading it and I just didn't want it to be true. It is one of the most devastating things a parent can go through, and even though Dan wasn't his real father, he still cared for him a great deal.

I'm just wondering what's going to happen next. Dan's life has been turned upside down and I wonder how he's going to handle it.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Underworld (Abandon #2) by Meg Cabot

Underworld

Abandon #2

Meg Cabot

Front cover

Date read: 18 - 25 November 2020

Length: 309 pages

Published: 2012

John takes Pierce to the Underworld to protect her from the Furies. She might be safe for now, but what about the people she's left behind? When she realises her cousin Alex is in danger, she does everything she can to try to save him.

PIERCE ISN'T DEAD. NOT YET.

I'm enjoying getting to know more about John. He is a very mysterious character and it doesn't help that we only learn little snippets about him every so often! Pierce is keen to find out what she can about the life he had when he was alive, and I wan't to know too!

Pierce keeps doing things without realising the full consequences. She is very much led by her emotions and quite often acts on impulse. She cant still be a bit naive but she will do anything to save her family.

I'm enjoying the series so far, and looking forward to reading the last one. I'm hoping to learn more about John and also that diamond Pierce wears!

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #3) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes #3

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Front cover

Date read: 9 - 17 November 2020

Length: 365 pages

Published: 1892

Here we have a collection of shorter Holmes mysteries, all equally bizarre and interesting. With his trusty companion Dr Watson, they put to rest 12 cases, some more completely than others.

'It is an old maxim of mine that when you have

excluded the impossible, whatever remains,

however improbable, must be the truth.'

Sometimes I like reading the shorter cases like this because you're getting more stories at once. It is interesting to read how he solves each case, and a lot of the time I imagine myself as Watson while I'm reading, watching the mystery unfold before my eyes.

I enjoyed each story, but particularly The Red-Headed League, The Blue Carbuncle and The Copper Beaches. They are each different, one about theft, another about missing gems in a very interesting way, and the last about a poor woman needing to be saved!

One thing I miss about the collections, however, is that there isn't as much of the story between Holmes and Watson. I enjoy learning about their lives and seeing the interaction between them when they're not working on a case. 

Luckily this series has a good mixture of both!

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Turbulent Priests (Dan Starkey #3) by Colin Bateman

Turbulent Priests

Dan Starkey #3

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 2 - 8 November 2020

Length: 275 pages

Published: 1999

Dan takes his wife and Little Stevie to a cottage on the tiny island of Wrathlin to investigate reports of a new Messiah. But when they get there, there's a lot more going on that first meets the eye. Can Dan survive the island?

The father, the son and

the wholly unexpected"

I've enjoyed this one the most so far I think. I got into it right away and it was so easy to read. The other books have been great too, but this is the best so far!

The island is a bit strange and very disconnected from modern life. The church is the law, not the police. The island seems to be full of crazy people who want to maintain the idea of the messiah, and will do anything they can to stop any interference.

Moira seems to be one of the only sane people. She doesn't care what the other people think, even though the supposed messiah is her daughter.

I'm glad they managed to help the villagers. Some of them are only guilty by location and it's good that they were able to get off the island and get help.

Dan needs to keep it in his trousers! He's done so much work to repair his relationship with Patricia and then he goes and does something like this. It is annoying and very frustrating to read.

Looking forward to the next one.

Overall rating

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The Wee Librocubicularist