Underworld by Meg Cabot

Oh my oh my! Pierce Oliviera is in the underworld once more, but this time the gorgeous lord of the dead (John - you remember him right?!) won't let her go! Not now he's finally found her!

Meg Cabot has a gift, a gift for writing incredible romances for teens, if I may say so, she is the Queen of Teen! Underworld is just another example of her ability, she is a maverick - twisting the Persephone story into a teen romance really tops it all. I hardly remembered the myth when I opened the book (Hardback from America - yep it's not even out in the UK yet), but Cabot easily weaves interesting insight into the myth (like the whole wasn't Persephone a demi-goddess or something and wouldn't she totally know all about the eating in the underworld thing?!) with true teen moments including, worrying about your hair, or what that guy is thinking! How does she do it?

Pierce is also definitely growing on me as a heroine, I almost wished I could step right through the book and become her best friend. But I still think Suze from the Mediator series is my favourite.

I also love John, he is the strong silent type but with all the power and sex appeal (ok in my head people) of Angel from Buffy (when he's not a vampire - obviously!). Sensitive and hiding some pain away beneath his rough exterior he is every teenage girls dream, oh and he is hunky too (did I say that already?)!

Oh to list all the wonderful things about this book would be far too difficult, but lets get down to it - you get to go to the Underworld and meet all kinds of wonderful people (Henry is adorable and I think I'm a little in love with Frank), but it is also an Abandon novel so there has to be a chase, some Furies and to top it all off a cliffhanger ending! If you have read any Cabot before you will know that she is a fantastic writer who pulls you straight into the story and this like her other novels takes place over a short period of time. I only wonder how I will manage to survive until the final book in the trilogy comes out?

The Man Who Rained by Ali Shaw

I recently read Ali Shaw's fantastic Costa Prize shortlisted novel The Girl with Glass Feet and I absolutely loved it, it was atmospheric and incredibly original. So, when I saw that Ali Shaw had a new book out, I couldn't resist and Kindle had it on offer, so even though the hardback cover was heavenly, I couldn't resist. To be honest, the first few pages were a little hard going, probably because I was tired and the train was bustling, but it does begin with a journey. Elsa Beletti leaves New York in search of something different, a change of pace after the death of her beloved father and takes a plane ride out to a place she only saw once in her life from out of a plane window, Thunderstown. It is a place that is riddled with superstition, a backward little place that Elsa finds it hard to understand, especially the taciturn Daniel Fossiter, the towns official animal-culler. But when Elsa is exploring the four mountains that surround this mystical place she discovers Finn, a man who is not a man, he is a giant-hairless-recluse who she watches turn into a cloud. It is only her own mournful plea for him to stay that brings Finn back to earth and gives Elsa and Finn the chance to grow and learn from one another.

As with The Girl with Glass Feet this novel is shrouded in mystery, but Shaw's message is clear: it is more about accepting yourself than how other people view you. The host of characters Shaw has collected are all brilliantly drawn and feel quite real, which makes the whole set up almost creepily possible. I think, living in the UK does give you a certain affection for the weather, sometimes I quite enjoy it's unpredictable howling or rain, or incredible heat that arrives in March after a frost. But I could see how you could view the weather as an enemy, how you could want to control it and how this could take over a towns mentality. Chocolat never seemed that far-fetched, religion was always something that could turn fanatical and now the next step could be the weather - who wouldn't give anything to control the weather?

I have to say, overall while I enjoyed this novel and loved some of Shaw's excellent phrases and beautiful - almost loving - descriptions of tornadoes, storms and clouds, I found it lacking. The Man who Rained was somehow missing the energy and off-beat realism that came out of The Girl with Glass Feet. By the end, I was already pretty sure I knew what was coming and I felt that Shaw had to pull a bit of a miracle off to create the ending, which made it all the more unbelievable and shattered the spell I had been under. For anyone who enjoys reading magical realism do give this a go, but to be completely honest I still prefer The Girl with Glass Feet - so go borrow it from the library or buy it from a bookshop you will not be sorry!

Comfort reads

I know, this is not a review, but it is a list, a list of books that no matter how terrible I feel always manage to cheer me up. Suffering from a cold I have been wallowing and reading an awful lot, so here are my favourite comfort reads. Ones that no matter how awful I feel, always perk me up and keep me going.

The Guy Next Door is one of my ultimate favourite reads. Every time I feel under the weather this book is pulled off my bookshelf and I curl up in bed knowing that I will have a satisfying read. Melissa Fuller is a gossip columnist for the New York Journal and her life is going along pretty well - well except for a boyfriend (her last boyfriend was a terrible example of what a boyfriend should be). All of a sudden her life is turned upside down when her next door neighbour is rushed to the hospital (after being attacked!!!!) and is now in a coma. Who will look after her pets, especially who will walk her Great Dane Paco while she is hospitalised? So Mel has to track down her next of kin - luckily he just happens to be a world-famous photographer, but when he shows up he's pretty darn gorgeous and Mel is almost swept away - but isn't he supposed to be some massive tool?
Anyway...this book is awesome and told completely in e-mails! I know, it is so 21st century! Also, Meg Cabot is amazing and just about the best author for when you are feeling under the weather. The whole "boy" series is great! So grab a copy and pour yourself a cup of tea, keep the tissues close and get ready for a hilarious romance.

Anne of Green Gables is a book I have written about before here - so not to bore you or anything - but if you still haven't got a copy Why NOT? If you ever felt down, read some Anne, not only will she have your frown turning upside down, but Montgomery's gorgeous descriptions of Prince Edward Island will make you feel like you are on holiday. With fantastic adventures and true friendships this book is perfect for when you need to curl up and forget all the pressures of life. It is also great to read a loud to a child who is sick, but I personally like to be alone with Anne and disappear into Avonlea. The story is lyrical and a magical read, but keep the tissues nearby and ready for use before you get to the end of the book. If you are far too ill for reading I must recommend the 1985 TV movies of Anne of Green Gables - they capture the whole thing perfectly and will keep you entertained for hours!

 Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - it is short, it is fun, it is brilliant, witty and all things Austen books should be! It might be one you haven't read before, but once you have you can recite the beginning by heart and falling in love with Mr Tilney never felt so good. He is one of Austen's most amiable gentleman heroes  who is not only a great guy, but forgives our near Catherine for all her foolish Gothic imaginings and truly loves her.
There is also a brilliant villain, horrible woman and rake! Can Catherine Morland survive her first time away from her family unscathed? A truly enchanted read and one for Austen fans to try out - it is her first book, so remember that we all have to learn!

A comfort read list would not be complete without Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. For anyone who hasn't read it, I beg of you to try - it is a children's classic for a reason and anyone who meets the March family will find it difficult to ever forget them. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are the heroines of this work, each of them very different and vivid in detail and descriptions. Beth is my favourite, a young girl who is so kind, so loving that no one in her family could ever be without her. She would always do the right thing and when reading it, I felt more like Amy or Jo (neither of whom are perfect) messing up a perfectly good day with selfishness. But all the sisters are wonderful and if you know anything about the story or have ever seen that episode of Friends you will know that tissues are a must, as is comfort chocolate and a warm cup of tea. For when you are feeling down, the March sisters can definitely bring you comfort!

Other such comforting reads include: Daphne Du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek, which is a gorgeous romance, swash-buckling adventure story! Meg Cabot's Heather Wells Mystery series: Size 12 is Not Fat is the first and is completely amazing, a perfect mystery series to curl up with in any situation! And now a fantasy series that I loved when I was young and will happily re-read when ill or not feeling my best: Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series starting with First Test - completely captured my imagination and adventurous soul! Sorry, no space to add any more covers, but get thee to a library or bookshop and find your favourite comfort reads now! If you have any further suggestions comment, tweet and basically let me know! Everyone needs a list of perfect comfort reads!

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

If you are looking for a stunning comfort read look no further than P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberley! A completely brilliant story that picks up just a few years after Pride and Prejudice ends, Elizabeth and Darcy are very happy (who thought they wouldn't be?!), living at Pemberley with their two sons (yes, I know, I love how she had two boys - no idea why, except that Elizabeth is no longer at risk of turning into her mother with sons there is no fear of an entail or anything that had so plagued the Bennet household). The Bingleys reside very close and not a month goes by when there isn't a carriage making frequent journeys between the two families. All is set to be a wonderful book of rural happiness, the only slight worry is who shall marry Georgiana? A very bright, handsome young lawyer (don't worry he also has some land!) and Colonel Fitzwilliam (I know I thought it a bit creepy too, he was her guardian, is her cousin and older than Darcy!!!) appear to be vying for her attentions, but who shall she choose? Obviously Elizabeth believes that Georgiana should only marry for love, not for money, or title (which is why we all dearly love her).
But this rural simplicity is broken by the arrival of Lydia Wickham hysterical and panicked - Wickam and Denny went into the Pemberley woods and shots were heard, Lydia is sure that Wickham has been killed! Now, I must say, I wasn't so concerned about Wickham, but ... now I won't spoil it for the rest of you (as you shall have to buy the book to find out what happens next) I will say that I was unable to put the book down after Lydia's untimely arrival!

A compelling drama and mystery all rolled into one, P.D. James' love letter to Austen is beautiful. The whole book reads like fan-fiction (if only all fan-fiction was written so well and by such an accomplished author), with little asides and mentions of other Austen characters, giving you a glimpse into their new lives. While it does read a little modern, James knows these characters and is obviously very familiar with Austen's works, she has the language and character's voices almost perfect (we could not expect anyone other than Jane herself to get it completely right!). And any fan worth her/his salt will notice a few re-used phrases, but never do these feel out of place, rather they sit so pleasantly within the text that you could forget you had heard them before. James knows what she is doing and it truly felt in some moments as if Austen had come back to life!
A must read for any Austen fan and anyone who loves a good cosy crime story. It is the perfect antidote to the modern world and (as I have a very bad cold) the perfect medicine for any occasion. Just be warned - once you start you will not be able to stop!

The Travelling Matchmaker series part 1 by M.C. Beaton

I had never read an M.C. Beaton until this year. With such an enormous back list, vibrant covers and titles that show ingenuity and humour I am baffled why it took me so long. Now, the first one I picked up was because of a Kindle sale and it was 99p at Christmas: Emily Goes to Exeter. This is the first in the Travelling Matchmaker series and once I had read it, I could hardly resist buying or procuring the others, by any means necessary! So, I went to my trusty local library and low and behold they placed it on hold for me for a mere 80p - once someone returned the book, it was going to be all mine and they would e-mail me to let me know when to come in. A rather handy system and even cheaper than a Kindle daily deal! So once armed with my new book and seeing as the sun was shining that weekend (do you remember when the sun used to shine?). I braved the outdoors and devoured it in one delightful sitting. Anyway, here are my reviews of the first 3 Travelling Matchmaker books:

Emily Goes to Exeter is a brilliant start to the series. Hannah Pym is a housekeeper for a recluse who unexpectedly leave her a legacy of £5,000 on his death. Suddenly Miss Pym is no longer a servant, but a lady of independent means. The glory of that revelation means that Miss Pym can now do as she pleases and what she pleases to do is to travel! Having worked as a servant for most of her life, she has had very few experiences out of the house, her one joy is watching the stage coach (or Flying Machine as they were called) come speeding past the house. So, once the money is in her account, she has acquired a lovely little flat in Kensington (a place once cannot walk to at night, as it is a very dangerous area!) she goes off to fetch her first ticket on the stage coach to Exeter.
All at once the adventures begin, as a quite beautiful young boy is seated opposite Hannah on the coach and a mysterious handsome outside passenger proves to be very useful when snow drifts mean the passengers must shelter for a few days. Suddenly Hannah finds she is quite a wily matchmaker and is able to turn the rather spoilt Emily into the perfect match for the proud Lord Ranger Harley. But not only is there romance, but mysteries abound as it appears someone on the stage coach is trying to get away with murder - can clever Miss Pym, Harley and Emily find the would-be-killer?
A brilliant, face-paced novel for lovers of regency period and a glory good little read. I have to say Beaton had me in stitches of laughter at the oddest moments, with incredible wit and vivacity you will be captured by Hannah's adventures!

Belinda Goes to Bath
Belinda has been sent away in disgrace. Even though her aunt and uncle deliver her to the Flying Machine in a horse and carriage, she is forced to take the stage with the others. Miss Hannah Pym is at once interested in this girl and her odd arrival. Especially with her companion who seems fit to moral bursting! Hannah cannot resist finding out all and when she begins to uncover the story, Hannah is more determined to help. A 'lucky accident' of their drunk driver upsetting the coach into a river pushes the passengers into the house of a local mar guess who welcomes them into his home. What luck to stumble upon an attractive aristocratic bachelor, when Hannah has already set her sights on finding Belinda the perfect match!
Belinda is a wonderful character, with more vivacity than Emily and a lot easier to like on first meeting. The rest of the cast of characters are brilliantly drawn, especially the morally superior companion who ends up with a shaved head! Great historical detail fleshes out the story and makes this story a gorgeous read!

Penelope Goes to Portsmouth
Our indomitable Hannah Pym is ready for her next journey, armed with her successful matchmaking track-record she can hardly wait to see who should appear on her travel this time around. When a stunning young girl climbs into the coach Hannah is excited to notice a gorgeous lord is also in attendance, but can true love overcome class? While Hannah and her friends are attempting to save a deaf and dumb footman from the clutches of Lady Carey (rather a racy character here in her see-through gowns!) Hannah keeps on her meddling ways, even if she must do some rather out of character things.
Fantastic third instalment, but I must say the rather beautiful Penelope was a bit hard to like as quickly as Belinda, but you do quickly start rooting for her 'happy ending'!

So in conclusion, I have now downloaded the rest of the books from the Kindle website (how awful is that store on the Kindle - useless!) and will be devouring them on my journeys to work! Not the cheapest of Kindle books, but a rather lovely series I can see myself re-reading whenever I need a quick regency fix! Go on guys get out there and use your library, download a book or go see a real-life bookseller, because these books do have the most wonderful covers!