Glittering Fortunes by Victoria Fox

Glittering Fortunes

Victoria Fox

Front cover

Date read: 20 - 29 September 2020

Length: 376 pages

Published: 2013

Charlie lives on the Usherwood estate, heir to the late Richmond Lomax. His brother Cato, the Hollywood A-Lister, decides to come back and take what is 'rightfully' his. Only a distant relative gets in touch, needing to get something off his chest before his final days. What will it be?

TWO BROTHERS

TWO RIVALS

One devastating family secret

I don't really read that much 'chick-lit' these days, but this book was given to me by a friend. I've got to say I found the story quite absorbing and very easy to read.

I like Olivia, and I think she is good for Charlie. He doesn't see it at first, and thinks her a bit of a nuisance, but she refuses to back down.

The plot twist was a bit obvious. I kind of knew what it was going to be as soon as it was introduced, but it was still interesting to read and see if I was right or not!

Cato is despicable. A thoroughly hated character, he only cares about himself and it doesn't matter who he hurts along the way, even his family and those who care deeply for him. His partner Susanna starts off with her head up her bum, but she gets better. She begins to realise that there's more to life than status and material possessions. 

I would say this would make a good summer holiday read.

Victoria Fox

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Divorcing Jack (Dan Starkey #1) by Colin Bateman

Divorcing Jack

Dan Starkey #1

Colin Bateman

Front cover

Date read: 13 - 19 September 2020

Length: 282 pages

Published: 1995

Dan Starkey is a journalist in Belfast. He meets Margaret and things get out of hand. Then suddenly, Margaret is murdered and his wife, Patricia, is kidnapped. Next, he becomes a target. Can he keep out of trouble to save his wife, and his marriage?

So I've actually read a few books from this series, but not in order and not all of them. So I'm going back to the beginning and reading them all in order. I had read this one before, and it's still as good as I remember it!

I liked Margaret, but what Dan did was wrong. He should not have had an affair with her, but things happen and he admitted it got out of control. 

Dan doesn't take any stick. He was a sharp mind, but doesn't always know when to use it and when to stay silent. It gets him into trouble a lot, but that's part of the charm of his character.

I hope he can patch things up with his wife, Patricia. He seems to really love her. He made a silly mistake and hopefully she can forgive him.

I'm looking forward to reading more. I think Dan's journalism could take him anywhere!

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Return of Little Big Man (Little Big Man #2) by Thomas Berger

The Return of Little Big Man

Little Big Man #2

Thomas Berger

Front cover

Date read: 2 - 12 September 2020

Length: 432 pages

Published: 1999

Following on from Little Big Man, we join Jack Crabb on his adventures after Custer's Last Stand. With Buffalo Bill, he tours a lot of Europe doing Buffalo Bill's Wild West, amongst other things!

How the West was won, from the man who lived

to tell the tale.

What an interesting life Jack Crabb has lived. I know he lived to a very ripe old age, but he's done so much in his life that many people don't have the opportunity to do. He also seems very blase about it all, which I guess is because that's just what he's used to.

I thought him travelling most of America was good for the time, but now Europe too! I imagine it would have taken a very long time to get from place to place, especially from America to Europe, there being no aeroplanes in those days.

I liked the bit in Britain. I thought it was funny the way he interacted with the royalty, and the prince especially seemed to take a liking to him.

These books are not something I would normally read, but I'm glad I did. It was a good change of subject for me, and I do like to read most genres.

Thomas Berger

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Thief! by Malorie Blackman

Thief!

Malorie Blackman

Front cover

Date read: 27 August - 1 September 2020

Length: 229 pages

Published: 1995

After being accused of being a thief, Lydia runs away to the moors to escape. A storm suddenly appears, hurling her into the future where the town is ruled by a cruel tyrant. Can Lydia get back to her own time to stop the future from becoming that reality?

Lydia's last thought before darkness closed over

her mind was that the strange, swirling storm had

trapped her. Would it ever let her go?

I'm not sure that the future would change quite so much in 37 years, the whole structure of society seems to have changed, and not just in Lydia's town. Although with the way things are going in the would today, I'm kind of thinking it might not be so surprising after all.

It was good Lydia got some closure in the future and could take that to the past. There was some surprising events in the future, and Lydia could learn from that. She grew up a lot though this experience and it made her think about things more.

This is a good young adult book for a younger teen.

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The Wee Librocubicularist

The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain (The Chronicles of Prydain) by Lloyd Alexander

The Founding and Other Tales of Prydain

The Chronicles of Prydain

Lloyd Alexander

Front cover

Date read: 24 - 26 August 2020

Length: 96 pages

Published: Original edition (6 stories) 1973, this edition (8 stories) 1999

Here are some short stories revisiting the land of Prydain before Taran's time. We meet Eilonwy's mother, a young Coll and Dallben, learn about the sword Drynwyn, and how Fflewddur came upon his magical harp.

These short stories are great, and I'm glad I waited until I finished reading the series before reading them. It was good to meet some of the characters which are referenced in the main series that you don't get to meet, or that are a lot older. There's also a little more detail, for example, with how Fflewddur got his harp.

My favourite stories are probably The True Enchanter and The Truthful Harp. I like the subtle magic in the series and we get to see a bit more of this in The True Enchanter. I have always like Fflewddur Fflam, and find his harp fits his personality well!

It was also nice to revisit Prydain after finishing the series. This really is the end now. I'm sad there is no more, but I really enjoyed the series. So much so I have given all the books to a friend so she can read them, and enjoy the magical world of Prydain, too!

Read the series, you will not be disappointed.

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The Wee Librocubicularist

Little Big Man (Little Big Man #1) by Thomas Berger

Little Big Man

Little Big Man #1

Thomas Berger

Front cover

Date read: 13 - 23 August 2020

Length: 422 pages

Published: 1965 in GB

Jack Crabb is a white man, but he was mostly brought up by Cheyenne Indians from the age of ten. This story follows his early life, both as a "human being" and a white man. He leads two lives, but which is the real Jack Crabb?

Well there's one thing for certain, whoever Jack Crabb may be, he's led an interesting life and travelled far! 

His relationships with women are strange. He never really seems all that interested in them, and then all of a sudden he gets infatuated with a specific woman, even if he knows it's someone he'll never be with. And although he does have children, he doesn't seem all that bothered with them, or the mothers.

Saying that, he does seem to be a man of honour, and will fight for what he believes in.

I kind of feel that Jack doesn't really know what life he wants to lead. At times he is happy being a white man in a white world, but then I think he misses the ways of the Indians and will go back to that for a while. He doesn't really settle down in one way of life though, and has long periods of time living as each.

I'm curious about the next one. I've never really read a book like this before.

Thomas Berger

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The Wee Librocubicularist

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

Crimson Death

Anita Blake #25

Laurell K. Hamilton

Front cover

Date read: 26 July - 12 August 2020

Length: 708 pages

Published: 2016

When vampires in Ireland start going rogue, Edward calls in Anita to help him solve the case. But Ireland is a very different country when it comes to preternatural stuff. Can Anita do what needs to be done without scaring everybody?

SOME SAY LOVE IS A GREAT MOTIVATOR,

BUT HATRED GETS THE JOB DONE, TOO.

Crimson Death is a large book. At just over 700 pages there's a lot that could have been done. Most of the start was faffing and going over things that have already happened. I know Hamilton is trying to make it so you can pick up any book and start reading, but I assume most of her fans have read the books previous. There's so much faffing at the start it could be a novel on it's own, and because of this I feel like the ending was rushed. The actual story was good, and I wish it was more about that.

It's been a while since one of the 'main' characters died. I won't say who here, but it's a shame. Actually, in all honesty there are too many characters anyway, so maybe it's not such a bad thing if a few of them go...

As the story progresses there seems to be more talk around Anita having a baby. At first she's dead set against it, knowing that a baby just would not fit with her lifestyle, but in Crimson Death she seems to be warming to the idea a little more. Will Anita be having a baby soon then?

I feel like this wedding stuff with her and Jean Claude has been going on f. o. r. e. v. e. r. Are they actually going to do it, or is it just gonna be talked about for books on end? I'll be honest, I'm getting a bit fed up with it now.

As you know, I will keep reading these books every so often, until there are no more left. Although she keeps publishing new ones, so who knows when that will be?

Laurell K. Hamilton

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The Wee Librocubicularist