Stuart: A Life Backwards

Title: Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters

Genre: Non-fiction, Biography

Rating: 4/5

Alexander Masters, author, first met Stuart Shorter, homeless ex-con, as Stuart was begging by a rough sleepers' day centre in Cambridge, England. What followed was an extraordinary friendship and the winding and chaotic revelation of the events that transformed Stuart from a happy child to the suicidal, homeless drug addict that he became.

I picked up a copy of Stuart: A Life Backwards after realizing that the film starring Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch was actually based on a memoir. It's one of the most interesting biographies, frankly one of the more interesting books, I've ever read. Stuart's story is at times absolutely hilarious and at others so heartbreaking that it moved me to tears. Masters' incredible writing talent paints a vivid and empathetic portrait of Stuart. Though there is the odd dull moment (not uncommon in even the best of books), in the end, I think Masters accomplished what Stuart asked and created "something what people will read." As well, I loved the cartoons and maps; they're unpolished, just like Stuart was. I definitely recommend Stuart, even if biographies and memoirs aren't your thing. Fair warning, though, there are some dark topics involved.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle

Title: Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Rating: 4/5

Mrs. Miracle is back and this Christmas she's working her magic in the toy department of Finley's department store in New York. Unfortunately, Christmas has been ruined for her boss, Jake Finley, since the death of his mother and sister decades ago and this year the store's in need of a miracle to stay open. Meanwhile, Holly Larson, who's been looking after her nephew while her brother is stationed overseas, is in need of her own miracle in order to purchase the perfect gift despite her financial troubles. Can Mrs. Miracle help make this the perfect Christmas for them both?

Call Me Mrs. Miracle is a wonderful read, guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit. The sequel to Macomber's successful Mrs. Miracle, I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint.

Mrs. Miracle is just as brilliant and wonderful this time around, refusing to take any gruff from anyone, even J.R. Finley, the store owner and Jake's grumpy father. Each chapter begins with words of wisdom from her or one of her friends. And Gabe, Holly's nephew, is adorable. He's a strong boy, who obviously misses his father and is dealing with this major life change as best he can.

Macomber's writing is as delightful as ever, but I was a little disappointed by the story itself. While a heartwarming read, it's not as complex and intricate a tale as Macomber normally weaves. The secondary storylines aren't as drawn out as they could be and seem to be too easily resolved. And admittedly the conclusion is a bit predictable to anyone familiar with her writing or romances in general. However, she does a beautiful job of setting the scene and it's easy to feel like you're in New York at Christmas with the characters. Plus, there's a couple of delicious-sounding recipes throughout, which seems to be Macomber's signature.

Regardless, I'd definitely recommend Call Me Mrs. Miracle to anyone looking for an uplifting, holiday story or a little bit of romance. It may not be Macomber's strongest book, but it's still a fantastic read. And keep an eye out for the movie this Christmas from Hallmark.

Thanks to MIRA Books for the Advance Reading Copy of Call Me Mrs. Miracle. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Call Me Mrs. Miracle, check out the Harlequin website.

Warlord

Title: Warlord by Ted Bell
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery
Rating: 4/5

For months, Alex Hawke has given up on life, drinking away his grief over the death of the woman he loved and ignoring the concerns of his closest friends. But when a madman threatens the British royal family, Alex answers the call of duty (and HRH himself) and becomes entangled in a conspiracy that stretches far beyond what he imagines.

Warlord by Ted Bell is an action-packed and engaging read, in the style of Clive Cussler and Robert Ludlum.

I really enjoyed the fictional portrayal of Prince Charles, Lord Mountbatten, and the rest of the royals. Most of the novels I read depicting royalty focus on historical figures like Henry VIII, so these contemporary portraits were a nice change. And I'm curious about how Bell developed these portraits, whether research and interviews were involved or if they're completely fictional. I also found Bell's use of actual events (Mountbatten's assassination and Diana's death) as major plot points fascinating. It brings a realistic element to Warlord that a lot of thrillers are missing.

As for Bell's writing style, although I found the changes in point of view a little distracting at points, his use of flashbacks to relate events that occurred before the novel's start worked far better to maintain the pace of the story and keep the readers intrigued than a long recitation from a character would have. As well, some of the chapters from other points of view were like snapshots of the horror the terrorists were inflicting. Unfortunately, because we only meet the characters for them to die, the scenes don't quite hit the emotional note. However, in the end, the stories weave together for a powerful climax.

My main complaint about the book is that it's a little too long. As I sadly haven't read the rest of the series yet, I'm not sure how Warlord compares in terms of length, but I think that it could have been trimmed down just a bit. For example, the little injections of trivia/research were interesting but interrupted the flow of the action.

Overall, Warlord is a great book for anyone looking for an entertaining read. Personally, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thanks to William Morrow for the Advance Reader's Edition of Warlord. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Warlord, check out the HarperCollins' website.

Stephen Fry talks Language

I just had to share this fantastic kinetic typography animation which RogersCreations has created from one of Stephen Fry's "podgrams."

Once Wicked, Always Dead

Title: Once Wicked, Always Dead by T. Marie Benchley
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Rating: 2/5

With the tragic death of her parents and the disclosure of her husband's affair with another man, Molly Madison's upscale life is turned upside down. In order to heal and start anew, she returns to the family ranch in Montana. But the local old boys' club isn't happy with a woman taking over and someone's trying to scare Molly into selling. As if that wasn't enough, a sociopath begins killing men in the same area.

I was really intrigued by the synopsis of Once Wicked, Always Dead that AtlasBooks sent around a few months ago and was excited to read the book. Unfortunately, the writing just didn't hold up to the promise of a good mystery. It felt unfinished, like the book could have used another heavy edit. And the characters could have been engaging if they didn't feel so wooden.

However, the story is interesting and moves quickly. And with the revelation of Molly's husband's sexuality and his affair, their subsequent divorce and her blooming romance with the foreman of her father's ranch, the story has a strong soap opera feel to it. I couldn't wait for each new twist.

In the end, I probably won't recommend Once Wicked, Always Dead to anyone. Unfortunately the writing is just too rough and distracts from what could have been a good story.

Thanks to M.M.W.E. Publishing House for the Advanced Reading Copy of Once Wicked, Always Dead. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Once Wicked, Always Dead, check out T. Marie Benchley's website.

Plain Kate

Title: Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4/5

Plain Kate lives in a world of magic, witches and curses. A talented woodcarver, Kate has lived alone in the woodcarver's stall since her father's death. But when a sickness comes to her village, the townspeople begin to turn against the gifted orphan and Kate makes a horrifying deal with a gypsy to escape being burnt as a witch.

I loved Plain Kate. It's beautifully written and I was captivated by Kate's story. My favourite books tend to be ones where I'm truly fascinated by the characters, and this book accomplished that, even moving me to tears at one point.

Plain Kate is darker than most other YAs I've read. The way the villagers look for someone to blame and burn when things look bad reflects the Spanish Inquisition and the witch trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Also, Linay's plan to take revenge on the town that caused the death of his sister illustrates the desperation of grief. Moreover, the self-mutilation, even to control a ghost, is a little disturbing, though very well done.

I thought Bow's depiction of Taggle was absolutely perfect. A cat-owner myself, it seems completely fitting that a talking cat would be stuck up and pompous, consistently talking about his superiority when not talking about food or being hungry. And I thought his slow transformation to something more than cat was fantastic.

As well, I enjoyed the inclusion of lyrics. They were lovely and poetic and it seemed fitting that spells would be cast in song. It also reminded me of the medieval bards and minstrels of times past, which seems appropriate considering the setting.

I'd recommend Plain Kate to all and sundry. It's a beautiful and emotional story and leads me to expect great things from Erin Bow's future novels.

Mr. Toppit

Title: Mr. Toppit by Charles Elton
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5

When an obscure British children's author is killed by a cement truck in a freak accident, he is comforted in his last moments by an unknown American tourist, who then insinuates herself into his family. She becomes obsessed with his books and champions them back in America, bringing them to posthumous fame worldwide and rocketing her own celebrity career. But fame is not always what it's cracked up to be.

I was hooked from the very first line of Mr. Toppit. It's an entertaining and emotional read, chronicling the life of the Hayman family after Arthur's death and the posthumous success of The Hayseed Chronicles.

There's a hint of mystery throughout the book; several secrets that are answered as the story unfolds and which help keep the narrative moving. The most notable mystery is the eponymous Mr.Toppit, a sinister character in The Hayseed Chronicles, who had only just appeared in the last book published, but whose presence is felt throughout all five books and who becomes one of the major points of discussion about the series.

The story of the Haymans is rather reminiscent of the success of AA Milne, author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. Like Christopher Milne, Luke Hayman resents the fame the his father's books brought him. He wants nothing more than to fade back into obscurity and to avoid people who assume they know him just because they've read the books.

There's also a strong thread throughout illustrating the possible consequences of success, particularly the inability to deal with the stress of living in the public eye and to regulate desires when everything is at your fingertips. In the books, Luke is an only child and as a result, Arthur's daughter overcompensates by trying to become involved in every aspect of The Hayseed Chronicles' success. She offers to write the next book in the series and her father's biography, and tries to influence filming decisions for the BBC miniseries based on the books. She drowns her sorrows and insecurities in drink and drugs, spiraling further and further into depression. The star of the BBC miniseries was already a bit of an alcoholic, but later rumours circulated that he'd become an addict and was HIV positive.

I found Elton's writing witty, smooth and moving, though a little dark. At the end of the book, everything seems to be tied up but I still found myself asking "That's it?" I look forward to seeing what else Mr. Elton writes and I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy an engaging, more literary read, particularly one with a hint of mystery.

Thanks to Other Press for the Advanced Reading Copy of Mr. Toppit. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Mr. Toppit, check out the Other Press website.