I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

Olav lives the lonely life of a fixer.

When you “fix” people for a living - terminally - it’s hard to get close to anyone.

Now he’s finally met the woman of his dreams.

But there are two problems.

She’s his boss’s wife.

And Olav’s just been hired to kill her.

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The Verdict:

Jo Nesbo’s standalone crime noir novella (translated from Norwegian by Neil Smith) is a tightly written story with some inky black humour and although it is a little predictable, it’s fast-paced and at times oddly moving. For some reason, I have not gotten around to reading much of his work, but this novella has shown me I need to correct that.

The Blurb On The Back:

Tonight is a special terrible night.

A woman sits at her father’s bedside, watching the clock tick away the last hours of his life. Her brothers and sisters - all broken, their bonds fragile - have been there for the past week, but now she is alone.

And that’s when it always comes

The clock ticks, the darkness beckons.

If it comes at all.

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The Verdict:

Sarah Pinborough’s horror novella is an unflinching look at the emotional and physical mechanics of dying, tied in with the drama of a broken family and adding a dark fantasy element. It’s a moving read that’s tightly written, filled with sadness while the main character is neither saint nor sinner, aware of her own faults as much as those of her siblings and father and although I predicted the ending that didn’t lessen its impact.

The Blurb On The Back:

Follow the rules.
Babagoo’s always right.
Believe only Babagoo.
Respect your fear.
Never go looking outside.
Never rise above the wall.

Landfill has lived his whole life as a scavenger, running with wooflings, swimming with turtles and feasting on whatever he can catch.

Old Babagoo has always looked after him - on one condition. Follow Babagoo’s rules. And the most important rule of all is NEVER go beyond the wall.

But Landfill longs to venture Outside. And some rules are made to be broken.

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The Verdict:

Darren Simpson’s debut dystopian novel for children aged 11+ is a clever, sophisticated character piece with many layers to it that advanced readers and adults will equally get a great deal from, not least because it constantly makes you question your assumptions. This is one of those books that deserves to be on book award shortlists and I look forward to reading Simpson’s next novel.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
NOW WE RISE.

Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled - Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Only a few people remain with the power to use magic, and they must stay hidden.

Zélie is one such person. Now she has a chance to bring back magic to her people and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic - and her growing feelings for an enemy.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tomi Adeyemi’s visceral debut YA fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) has a vivid Nigerian-inspired fantasy world, a fascinating magical system and strong themes of discrimination and abuse of power but the pacing is uneven, the plotting predictable and I didn’t buy the relationship between the main characters (especially Amari and Tzain who are underdeveloped), in part due to the obligatory YA insta-romance although I would read the sequel.

The Blurb On The Back:

Where do we come from?

Well, millions and millions of years ago, we were all fish!

Travel back in time for a whistle-stop tour through the long journey from fish, to monkey, to caveman, to … YOU!

Perfect for curious young minds, this is a wonderfully witty, accessible introduction to human evolution.

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The Verdict:

Tom Sullivan’s self-illustrated picture book is a charming fictionalised take on the subject of human evolution that is perfect for parents seeking to introduce their little ones to the topic. The illustrations have a delightful sense of mischief and whimsy and there’s factual information at the back for adults reading this to children so they can answer any questions and give context to evolution in the context of the history of the planet.

I USED TO BE A FISH was released in the United Kingdom on 3rd September 2020. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are back at Deepdean School for Girls, where plans are underway for a most exciting event: the Anniversary Weekend.

But as parents arrive at Deepdean, LONG-BURIED RIVALRIES AND SECRETS begin to surface. Then a shocking incident takes place in the woods. The girls are convinced THIS IS MURDER - and everything points to one of the parents.

And unless the killer is caught, DEEPDEAN WILL CLOSE FOREVER.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 8th book in Robin Stevens’s crime mystery series for readers aged 9+ is another cunning mystery filled with red herrings and clever twists. Daisy and Hazel’s characters and relationship are developed further and depth is given to Lavinia and Beanie but with all the students and parents at Deepdean I sometimes struggled to keep track of who was who although that is a minor quibble given how tightly this is plotted and how fast it moves.

The Blurb On The Back:

The geek shall inherit the earth …

Movie Geek is a nerdy dive into popular movies, brought to you by the award-losing Den of Geek website. Discover hidden stories behind movies you love (and, er, don’t love so much), and find out just why the most dangerous place to be is in a Tom Hanks film.

Fascinating, surprisingly and hugely entertaining, this left field movie guide is gold for film buffs, and might just bring out the geek - hidden or otherwise - within you …

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The Verdict:

Simon Brew is the founder and former editor-in-chief of the Den of Geek website while Ryan Lambie is deputy editor and Louisa Mellor is the television editor. This is an entertaining collection of articles and movie trivia structured around the life span of a film that covers a range of genres. I’d have liked more foreign and old movies to be covered but the writers clearly love the medium and you’re guaranteed to learn something interesting.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

What is life like for workers in the gig economy? Is it a paradise of flexibility and individual freedom? Or is it a world of exploitation and conflict? Callum Cant took a job with one of the most prominent platforms, Deliveroo, to find out.

His vivid account of the reality is grim. Workers toil under conditions set by the company’s algorithms, but they are not resigned to maintaining the status quo. Cant reveals a transactional network of encrypted chats and informal groups which have given birth to a wave of strikes and protests. Far from being atomised individuals helpless in the face of massive tech companies, workers are tearing up the rule book and taking back control. New developments in the workplace are combining to produce an explosive subterranean class struggle - where the stakes are high, and the risks are higher.

Riding For Deliveroo is the first portrait of a new generation of working class militants. Its mixture of compelling first-hand testimony and engaging analysis is essential for anyone wishing to understand class struggle in platform capitalism.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Callum Cant is a former Deliveroo rider currently studying for a PhD at the University of West London focusing on worker self-organisation in UK pubs, call centres and platforms. There are some interesting points in this book, which looks at the organisation by delivery drivers for Deliveroo and UberEats but the Marxist class struggle analysis is at times laughably reductive and some of his suggestions to fix the problems wholly unrealistic.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Are you being digitally manipulated?

Authors Imran Rashid and Soren Kenner have sparked an international debate by revealing the “mind hacks” Facebook, Apple, Google, and Instagram use to get you and your children hooked on their products.

In Offline, they deliver an eye-opening research-based journey into the world of tech giants, smartphones, social engineering, and subconscious manipulation. This provocative work shows you how digital devices change individuals and communities for better and worse.

A must-read if you or your kids use smartphones or tablets and spend time browsing social networks, playing online games or even just browsing sites with news and entertainment.

Learn how to recognise ‘mind hacks’ and avoid the potentially disastrous side-effects of digital pollution. Unplug from the matrix. Learn digital habits that work for you.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Imran Rashid is an IT entrepreneur and family physician who served as Head of Innovation for Aleris-Hamlet Private Hospitals. Soren Kenner is an on-line marketeer and entrepreneur who used to chair McCann MRM EMEA. Although sloppily written at times and somewhat general, this is an informative look at how tech companies work to keep your attention on their product and the adverse affects this might have on your emotional and mental health.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

The far right is back with a vengeance. After several decades at the political margins, far-right politics has again taken center stage. Three of the world’s largest democracies - Brazil, India, and the United States - now have a radical right leader, while far-right parties continue to increase their profile and support within Europe.

In this timely book, leading global expert on political extremism Cas Mudde provides a concise overview of the fourth wave of postwar far-right politics, exploring its history, ideology, organisation, causes, and consequences, as well as the responses available to civil society, party, and state actors to challenge its ideas and influence. What defines this current far-right renaissance, Mudde argues, is its mainstreaming and normalisation within the contemporary political landscape. Challenging orthodox thinking on the relationship between conventional and far-right politics, Mudde offers a complex and insightful picture of one of the key political challenges of our time.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Cas Mudde is Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia and a Professor at the University of Oslo’s Centre for Research on Extremism. This whistle stop tour of far-right politics and populism since 2000 is essential for anyone concerned at the direction the world is going in and does a fantastic job of summarising the various players, the differences and the similarities between organisations, groups, movements and activists.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.