The Geographers Library - Jon Fasman

An entirely forgettable read, not terrible, but far from great. The story has two kind of story lines that work in tandem, one following the most ridiculous and unrealistic reporter I have ever read about and the history of some mythical items drawn into the history of the real world. The writing was ok but the story line and characters a bit scattered. Could have used a better editor I think, solid ideas but weak execution. Still I do not regret the time spent reading it but I imagine there are millions of books my time would have been better spent with.

The Rossetti Letter - Christi Phillips

An easy read that is reminiscent of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, an adventure in the modern day solving a historical mystery. The writing is pretty good, and both story lines (Past and Present) work well together, no part to long no part to short. I would recommend this to anyone who liked the Da Vinci Code and is looking for a light read.

Shade's Children - Garth Nix

I enjoyed this very much, read it in two days. The story is fast and makes you think at least a little bit. The characters are very easy to sympathize with and the whole plot of the novel made me really grateful to life where I live with all that I have. Basically a perfect YA book, concepts that make you think, questions left unanswered and a great story. I would recommend this to those hesitant teenage readers who like science fiction and video games.

Lost - Gregory McGuire

I enjoyed this book, it was a good light read that moved along fast enough to keep it interesting with a few twists and turns along the way. It is not like his other works, a lot less traditional fantasy and whimsy but still a good read. The ending isn't a "real" ending and I am ok with that but can see how some readers would feel incredibly let down. All in all a good read but not one I am going to hang onto or remember reading in a year.

Abundance - Sena Jeter Naslund

This novel was interesting but not particularly well written, it was very repetitive and overly descriptive (of the same things over and over). However it was very well researched (I assume), full of historical details and stories. The editor could probably have cut out about a quarter of the text. It was an entertaining read but not one I would recommend to anyone not overly obsessed with  Marie Antoinette.

Corduroy Mansions - Alexander McCall Smith

This was a lovely story but the writing did tend to drag on from time to time.  The characters are all very memorable but the descriptions get long winded and boring. all in all I don't regret the time I spent reading the book but will not be continuing with the series unless someone strongly advises it.

The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches - Alan Bradley

This was a wonderful addition to the story of Flavia de Luce. The child detective and chemist is growing up and this is the perfect book to transition her (and the series) to the next stage of her life. It concluded a lot of open ended questions from the first 5 books in the series and opened up Flavia's world to all sorts of new adventures. As always the writing is fantastic and the story a page turner that I couldn't bear to put down. A fantastic addition to any library.   (See here for my review of the first part of the series)