The Girl Who Played With Fire (Millennium Trilogy Book 2) by Stieg Larsson

In the second book of this trilogy we see the return of Blomkvist and Salander in their production and revelation of a document detailing sex trafficking behaviour in Sweden. The story takes a turn for the worst when Salander become suspect for three murders, one of whom was an abuser of Salander. She, while in hiding aids the progress Blomkvist makes in the case.

With twists and turns all along the way we are left agonising at the completion of the book to read on to the final book of the trilogy.

A slightly slower-paced book than its predecessor but never the less successfully setting the scene for a mind blowing finale.

8/10

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy Book 1) by Stieg Larsson

Out of sheer curiosity of it's reputation I bought this book when I saw it on offer in a leading bookstore. I don't regret my purchase.

A crime fiction, yes many of us have read many of those, but never with such fascinating and colourful, encapsulation characters and a storyline to beat all others.

Mikael Blomkvist, a notorious journalist due to a recent conviction of libel, takes on the case of a wealthy businessman, Henrik Vagner. To all others Blomkvist is seen to be chronicling the rich and successful life Vagner has lead, but between only himself and Vagner he is delving into the disappearance of Vagners lost granddaughter. As Blomkvist begins his search for Harriet Vagner he realises that the suspects into the apparent murder could only have been close family or friends. As the investigation continues slowly help is sought from eccentric, reclusive Lisbeth Salander and from then on the story gains in pace, both of the story line and your heartbeat!

I had my theories as I was reading it but the climax of the book was brilliant if not terrifying!!

9/10

The Boy I Love by Marion Husband

I was immediately transported into a totally different account of this period than I have ever considered before. Of all the books and literature I have read about wars and post-war periods, I am ashamed to say this book opened doors I myself had never considered.

Written in the aftermath of World War 1, the story follows the story of Paul Harris, a soldier who fought in the war. Harris is forced out of obligation to the duty of his dead brother to marry his pregnant fiancee. Paul Harris however, is homosexual. In unbiased but passionate accounting, Marion Husband allows us into the mind of the young man who is bravely doing his duty as he sees it, to his lost brother, but fighting his longing for a man he can never openly love.

Torn by obligation and want, the reader follows his story vividly from start to finish.

Marion won the Andrea Badenoch award for fiction and the Blackwell Prize for this book, and I look forward to reading the sequel, Paper Moon, which sits proudly at the top of my Christmas list!!

10/10 for a thought-provoking, tear-jerking read.

Pop Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones and Anonymous

Imogen once again has transported us into a world of fiction where all the stories are true. This time the scene is set in the music industry. Be prepared for all the undercover gossip from the multi-billion pound industry, but who exactly is making all the money? Simon Cowell? Or are others getting a decent slice of the pie? Imogen invents a boy band as this book's way of revealing the industry secrets, as we follow a year in the life of the band we find out more and more about the industry so many want to break into. Shocking, riveting and a true guilty pleasure. My only problem with this book is that it leaves you wanting more, more, more!!!

7/10

Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella

Becky is back for another hilarious ride, this time with her long lost sister. After returning from her perfect honeymoon her reception is less than what she expected from her parents. Why oh why? Well, while she was on holiday not only has a long lost sister come onto the scene her best friend Suze has had twins and has a whole new set of priorities. Poor Becky discovers her sister hates shopping and to top it off wants to help her with her horrific spending habits!

With her marriage already suffering and no one to turn to Becky decides to recruit the reluctant help of her sister.



Another hilarious read, although many of the reviews I have read have said this one is their least favourite of the Shopaholic series so far, I have to say I thought it was up to scratch.



8/10

I Remember You by Harriet Evans

Main character Tessa Tennant has left the hectic life of London to return to her home town of Langford, home of her life-long best friend Adam and an abundance of other colourful characters. Langford is facing its own crisis, the must despised Leonora Mortmain is selling some of her land, the beloved Water Meadows, to build a new and huge shopping complex much to the villagers horror. In between all this fuss Tess travels on a teaching holiday with her adult class to Rome where she begins to uncover secrets about Leonora and also embarks on a holiday romance.

Back in Langford after an eventful trip Tessa questions not only those around her but her own decisions in coming back to Langford. Friendship, past mistakes and conservation all rolled into one rather boring book.

Not my favourite read. The characters from main to extras we not believable to me. If grown women in their 30's still call their male friends "Bruv" then I despair!

I bought this book because I liked the front cover....my mistake you know what they say.....

3/10

The Return by Victoria Hislop

When Sonia visits Granada to take dancing lessons with her friend she meets and begins a friendship with an elderly cafe owner who begins telling her or Granada's shocking past. As the story unfolds, he begins to tell her of a family who owned the cafe and how they were devastated by the Spanish Civil war.

The second part of the story goes back in time and delves into each character with such depth that I shed more than a few tears while reading the book. Mother, Father, three brothers and a sister all changed forever by the devastating affects of the war.

Sonia listens enraptured, but there is so much more to the story as she is set to find out.

Brilliant, atmospheric and engrossing, I couldn't stop reading it. It was like looking at a colourful painting while reading. As Hislop describes the dancing, or the smells or the bull fighting you can practically touch the images they are so vivid. She describes things so well without boring the reader. I finished the book with a desperate urge to visit all the places she wrote about.

Another clear 10/10