Brianna Reviews - Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

First Published - July 17th 2001

Publisher - Arrow Books

Format - Paperback

Synopsis - When a plane crashes high in the mountains of North Carolina, Dr. Temperence Brennan is first on the scene. As a forensic anthropologist for the state, she serves on the disaster response team. The task that cofronts her is a sad and sickening one. A chance discovery concerns Tempe: a severed foor, away from the main crash site. A deserted house is buried so deep in the woods that locals know nothing of its existence. And her investigation throws up more questions than answers. Before she can make any progress Tempe's profesiional standing is threatened. But she fears that, air tragedy aside, another corpse lies in the woods. Pitting herself against a conspiracy of silence, Tempe vows to bring justice for her mystery victim

As you might remember from my last Tempe Brennan review I was really mad at the way it ended, so it should come as a surprise that I went out and bought the next book as soon as possible.

Tempe is driving back to Quebec when a plane crashes in North Carolina as a member of DMORT (Disaster Mortuary Response Ream) and she is redirected to the site of the crash to help with the identification process. This book however is not really about the identification of the victims of the crash. While at the crash site, she uncovers a much more disturbing mystery than how the plane came down (and that really says something for how disturbing it is!).

In short I enjoyed reading Fatal Voyage, as again with the previous books, it gives the scientific explanations for some of the techniques and evidence. They are still a little long winded for me in places but I like them. I like knowing these things and why this tiny patch in that soil sample is important. I have a small problem with Kathy Reich’s writing style though. I know this has taken until the fourth book to mention but it is only now that I’m sure it’s the books and not me, and that is sometimes in dialogue it’s a little difficult to work out who is talking and who said what. Eventually I work it out but sometimes it takes rereading the conversation a few times which really slows down the reading process. The questions of Tempe's integrity make her consider why she is in such a morbid career which she has already answered in previous books but without specifically saying "this is why I do it", so it's nice to be definitely told.

Apologies for the constant referral to past reviews but this is a kind of series so suck it up. For the past 3 books I’ve been saying that I think Tempe is too short/mean/ horrible to Ryan. Well this book tipped that on its head a little. Ryan reappears in this book (and I may have squealed slightly – thankfully I was at home and not in public) after his partial disappearance from the last book and you will also remember that I wanted more answers to what was going on. Well he comes back and doesn’t say a word about it. Not only that but he acts like a complete ass with Tempe and this time he deserves the way she has previously treated him, although this time she is actually nicer to him. It is somewhat understandable given the whole Bertrand situation but I don’t think it is excusable.  

The Bertrand situation is something about this book that I really like (not the situation itself - I’m not that evil). But the fact that it has carried part of a past case into the current book I like that touch of continuity. I guess it's what makes a series a series because I always have difficulty with how to classify these kinds of books with a recurring main character but entirely separate cases because they are the kind of book that you could read entirely independent of the rest of the series and you wouldn't really miss out on too much - except character development and history. But once you start dragging old cases into it no matter how minor a part or detail it makes it a more coherent series.

Kathy Reichs teases us at the start with the suggestion that yet another member of Tempe’s family is involved or in danger in this book, thankfully they are not, but someone Tempe knows is… seriously people,  avoid her like the plague! Tempe could also use some lessons in common sense as yet again she rushes herself off into danger, and as per every other book she has friends who are police, this time she even tries to phone some of them, gets halfway through dialling Ryan’s number  before deciding not to, maybe she actually has a death wish.

In summary I did really enjoy this book, it felt comfortable to read, and there were the times when I really didn’t want to put it down. I’m resigned to Tempe having no sense of self preservation and to always being frustrated about everything to do with Ryan… I still need that explanation for the drugs thing and is it all over now? So although I still rant about them I don’t think they take anything away from the books (although an explanation about Ryan might add a couple of pages… just saying.) I of course plan on reading the next one, but I don’t yet own it and I’m not in any rush right now.

Caragh Reviews - Shadow Web by N.M.Browne

Published - 4th February 2008
Publisher - Bloomsbury
Format - Paperback
Synopsis - Jessica Allendon is bored and Googles her name. Weirdly, she finds another girl, same age, same name, also living in London. They arrange to meet. At the designated time and place, Jess sees the girl, shock registering on both their faces as they realise they look identical. They shake hands and in that instant are catapulted into each other's worlds. Jessica finds herself somewhere which looks like the London of 50 years ago, but the year is still 2008. In this parallel London, the history is different, key war memorials are missing, and the Jessica whose life she now inhabits was involved in a dark and sinister conspiracy. Jess must convince everyone she is the same girl, at all costs, if she wants to get back to her London - alive.

Last year Brianna was working at a bookstore and so I sent her off one day with the request that she returns with 3 completely random books for me to read. This was one of them that she picked up and though it's taken me forever to actually read it, it was a good choice. The cover is so beautiful and the text and picture are slightly raised and argh just so so gorgeous. It feels a little steampunky too which is always good.

Shadow Web is set in 2008 and when Jessica Allendon googles her own name, everything changes except the year. It's a great concept, especially as so many people DO google their names and I guess in that respect it's relateable. I've always wondered if there's someone out there who shares my name (which isn't realistic I guess, my name is pretty odd!) Browne is also a new-to-me author and that's always great too. 

Strangely, I didn't find the MC very likeable and though she changes through the course of the book, I still didn't feel any kind of connection to her. However, there are other characters in the book that I really loved and their whole personas were brilliantly written. The London that Jess finds herself in is vastly different to the one that she (and we) know. Landmarks are missing, restrictions for women are in place and an abnormal amount of people are German speakers. It doesn't take much to figure out why the world is so different but the intrigue for me was how it happened in the first place. How the two Jessicas managed to swap places. Unfortunately that was the only downfall of the book, too. Though it is commented on, it's never really explained in depth and I would have loved to have known more about it. A few times in the book Jessica just glazes over things rather than explain them. 

The actual plot was great though and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I went into the book blind and came out having a great reading experience. The romance in the book isn't in your face and it develops at a good enough pace and it most definitely isn't the focus of the book, or even relevant to the plot at all. Just a nice little extra. Shadow Web adds a lot of mystery, intrigue and questions throughout the plot which kept me interested. There are a couple of good lines that comment on society but nothing so big that it feels like you're reading a great masterpiece. It's a great book and is super quick to read and doesn't really require any effort on behalf of the reader. A straightforward and enjoyable read!

WBN 2014 - Apply to be a Giver!

WBN stands for World Book Night and it's an organisation that is dedicated to sharing the power of books!
All over the country, people are signing up to be given the chance to give BACK. Taken from the WBN website:

Being a World Book Night edition book giver is how people have traditionally taken part in World Book Night. It involves applying (via an online form) to be able to receive a set of 18 copies of a book of your choice (from our list of 20 titles) to give to people who don't regularly read on April 23.

• We’re looking for volunteers who can demonstrably give to the 35% of the population who don’t regularly read
• You can apply as an individual or on behalf of an organisation or institution
• Anyone can apply but you must be able to clearly demonstrate how you’ll be able to reach those who don’t regularly read
• You must choose books from our World Book Night list and state on the application form how you intend to give your books away including where and to whom
• Any applications to give books to regular readers will be rejected.
• As a volunteer giver you commit to collecting your books from a local bookshop or library (exceptions are made for large institutions such as prisons where we will make direct deliveries) in the week before World Book Night and to giving them to people who don’t read to encourage them to do so on or around April 23
• Application is now open and closes on January 23.
• You can also register as a Community book giver

If this sounds like you then why not sign up? Last year I gave away a ton of copies of Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman and it actually turned out to be pretty fun.
You can follow the link to the website for more information about how you can help with WBN or even become a Giver. Applications close TOMORROW at MIDNIGHT so get there fast!

World Book Night Website

Caragh Reviews - Percy Jackson & The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Published - 1st August 2010
Publisher - Puffin
Format - Paperback
Synopsis - Freshman orientation is about mastering new things, but this is ridiculous. Percy didn't expect that in his first week at school, he would have to face a squad of demon cheerleaders. And the dangers are far more than scholastic: Kronos's armies are threatening even the relative safety of Camp Half-Blood. The fourth installment of Percy Jackson and the Olympians deals out action, surprises, suspense, and gripping characters.

I've been reading the Percy Jackson series on and off for a while now and i'm finally nearing the end! I absolutely ADORE these books and Battle of the Labyrinth was no exception. From the opening line until the book ended I was completely hooked, on the edge of my seat and in love with the characters and the world that Riordan has created.

The one constant in Percy's life since finding out his true parentage has been Camp Half-Blood. It's a home, he has friends, loved ones and a purpose but this time, it is far from safe. Percy & co must save Camp Half-Blood and stop Kronos from rising, no matter what it takes. I found this book was a lot faster paced because of the threat to the Camp and to those Percy loves. It also introduced more Gods and their children which is just one of the things that I love about this series - I'm actually learning something. I know next to nothing about mythology but I can definitely hold my own now! I'm actually looking at getting some non-fiction books about mythology soon thanks to Percy. 

One problem I have with the series, which isn't a problem at all really, is that I love Luke. He is so well written (though cryptically). I harboured grand ideas that somehow, Luke would redeem himself and return to Camp Half-Blood as family and not as an enemy. For anyone who has read the book, you'll understand why my certainty about Luke is waivering. I am SO anxious to find out what the hell is going on that it takes up a lot of my time! I've invested way too much into the Percy Jackson series lol! Though i've been spreading out the books hugely, I plan on reading the final book this week and so with that in mind, this isn't an overly insightful review as I feel i'd just repeat myself with the next review! 

As a little side note - if anyone has read the second Olympian series by Rick Riordan - do you recommend it?

Caragh Reviews - A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Published - 30th January 2007
Publisher - Penguin
Format - Kindle
Synopsis - John Carter, a Civil War veteran, inexplicably finds himself held prisoner on the planet Mars by the Green Men of Thark. With Dejah Thoris, the princess of another clan on Mars, John Carter must fight for their freedom and save the entire planet from destruction, as the life-sustaining Atmosphere Factory slowly grinds to a halt. The first of eleven in the series.

I'm not entirely sure how i've spent my whole life being unaware of Edgar Rice Burroughs, but when a friend suggest that I read this I figured it could be fun to try out a new author.

When I started reading, I was quite skeptical. Though there were no faults with Burrough's writing style, the content was definitely questionable to me. The first problem I had was that John Carter just wasn't likeable! It's not a necessity to like the main character but it sure helps. Carter seemed arrogant and full of himself. Sentences like "My mind is evidently so constituted that I am subconsciously forced into the path of duty without recourse to tiresome mental processes. However that may be, I have never regretted that cowardice is not optional for me" - are obviously beautifully written but are so damn frustrating! I am happy to say though that once you get half way through, Carter's self indulgences are barely even noticeable and I found myself actually liking him. 

It was really interesting seeing how Carter, a man of Earth, interacted and integrated himself into the community of Barsoom. Though they are two very different cultures there were many similiarities. Carter learned a lot from the people of Barsoom and vice versa. The subject of laughter and humour was one point of interest; how the same action can mean a variety of things. As I was reading there was a feeling of vague familiarity and eventually it dawned on me that it felt a lot like Gulliver's Travels and honestly - once I realised that I enjoyed the book a lot more. It was easier to really understand what I was reading. 

Burrough's uses long and intensive descriptions and you have to read a significant portion of the book before there is even any dialogue. Part of this is obviously due to the language barriers between the characters but I think it's really the staple of the book. No speech allows for these lengthy descriptions which fully develop the world that Burroughs is creating and also allows a deeper look at Carter himself and the culture that he belongs to. I also feel that Burroughs uses sections of A Princess to Mars to discuss political beliefs (such as Communism). I'm not aware of his personal beliefs but it was interesting to read nonetheless. 

A Princess of Mars has a LOT of action and drama. Carter is never safe or content and one adventure immediately leads to the next. The book ended on a major cliffhanger too which makes you want to read more no matter how you found the story! Though for the majority of the book I wasn't really feeling it, by the end I enjoyed the whole thing and i'm looking forward to seeing what is next for John Carter.

INTRODUCING: Book To Film

I'm here introducing another new segment for Loaded Shelves today! A lot of bloggers and booktuber's are doing these and we had a discussion about the book/film adaptations that we've seen and have things to comment on. If you'll remember, Brianna did one of these a while ago for Casino Royale.

We have a few ideas floating around for the book/film's that we want to do but as always, if there are any recommendations you have then please send them our way! The first one will be up before the end of the month so keep an eye out for that.

Let us know: What are your best and worse adaptations?

Also - We're on Bloglovin now!
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INTRODUCING: Shakespeare Made Simple

The two of us here at Loaded Shelves often have really nerdy and lengthy talks about Shakespeare, his plays and his relevance in today's society. Caragh is a self-professed Shakespeare fanatic and wrote her Undergraduate dissertation on the Big Man and Brianna has never read a word. I know, I know - how can we have a conversation about Shakespeare if Brianna has never read his work? Well, there are other ways and over the year we are going to explore different mediums to access the plays without reading them but still gain the understanding of each one.

We hope that by sharing the things we find, it will encourage you (and Brianna) to pick up the play afterwards, once you have grasped a basic understanding of what's going on!

Every month we will share with you what we are looking at pertaining to one Shakespeare play and at the end of the third month, we'll combine everything together into one big post where Brianna will reveal whether she was interested enough to read the real play, whether she will pick it up in the future, or whether regardless of the easy accessible versions she just isn't interested.
So in a nutshell: 3 months, 3 new ways of discovering a specific Shakespeare play!

First up is Macbeth so look out for our first new material later on this month.

INTRODUCING: Classics Decoded

How many times have you sat there thinking, "I'm going to read that classic!" If you're anything like me, that is only ever when i'm forced to (pushy parents/teachers). So what is it that puts you off?
Length? Outdated? Stuffy? Irrelevant? Complicated language?

That's what I think too, but you know what? It's actually not true! Many of the books  we consider as "classic lit" are still very much relevant and worth a read - or so Caragh tells me. Over the course of the year we are going to try to decode 6 classics - 2 of which YOU can choose! We will read the books for you and break it down, try to make it more accessible and tell you why it actually is relevant. Whatever your reasons are for avoiding the classics, we hope we can inspire you (and ourselves!) to finally pick up that classic that you've always wondered about without getting your brain in a muddle.

The first book we're going to look at is Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. Our post about Dracula will be up in February so feel free to read along with us before we reveal what we've found next month!

Leave comments with suggestions for the 2 classic lit books YOU want US to read and decode!

Caragh's 2013 Reads

2013 has been the best reading year for me in such a long time! I'm really pleased with the books that I got through and some of these became favourites. 2013 is when I also started making use of the local library so the different types of books are more varied!


1. Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
2. Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Cohn & Levithan
3. In A New York Minute by Eleanor Moran
4. The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin
5. Geek Girl by Holly Smale
6. The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen
7. A Witch Alone by Ruth Warburton
8. A Dark Kiss of Rapture by Sylvia Day
9. Cwmardy by Lewis Jones
10. Speechless by Hannah Harrington
11. Hard Times by Charles Dickens
12. The Underworld by Jessica Sorensen
13. Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas
14. Unremembered by Jessica Brody
15. The Scarlet Plague by Jack London
16. Time Riders by Alex Scarrow
17. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
18. Pretty Girl Thirteen by Liz Coley
19. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
20. The Vision by Jessica Sorensen
21. The Promise by Jessica Sorensen
22. Paris, I've Grown Accustomed To Your Ways by Ruth Yunker
23. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
24. Forgiven by Jana Oliver
25. Summer Falls (DW) by Amelia Williams
26. The Hero of 1000 Years by Christine E Schulze
27. Blood, Sweat and Tea by Tom Reynolds
28. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
29. Fall of Night by Rachel Caine
30. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson
31. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
32. Twerp by Mark Goldblatt
33. Twitterature by Alexander Aciman
34. Code of the Krillitanes by Justin Richards
35. Matilda by Roald Dahl
36. The Disillusioned by D.J Williams
37. Fractured by Teri Terry
38. Beautiful Creatures by Garcia & Stohl
39. Jane Eyre Graphic Novel by Amy Corzine
40. Beautiful Darkness by Garcia & Stohl
41. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
42. Cursed by David Wellington
43. Foretold by Jana Oliver
44. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
45. Death Note Vol. 8 by Ohba & Obata
46. The Clique by Lisi Harrison
47. Beautiful Chaos by Garcia & Stohl
48. The Picture of Dorian Gray Graphic Novel by Ian Edginton
49. Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
50. Carniepunk Anthology
51. An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
52. Inside Out by Maria V Snyder
53. Emma Graphic Novel by Nancy Butler
54. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
55. More Blood, More Sweat & Even More Tea by Tom Reynolds
56. Working Stiff by Rachel Caine
57. DEADish by Naomi Kramer
58. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
59. The Transfer by Veronica Roth
60. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
61. Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider
62. Everyone Says Hello by Dan Abnett
63. The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
64. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
65. Death Note Vol 2 by Ohba & Obata
66. Death Note Vol 3 by Ohba & Obata
67. Death Note Vol 4 by Ohba & Obata
68. Briar Rose by Jana Oliver
69. The War for Banks Island by John Green
70. Model Misfit by Holly Smale
71. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
72. Free Four by Veronica Roth
73. Beautiful Redemption by Garcia & Stohl
74. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
75. The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding
76. He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt
77. Anyone But You by Askew & Helmes
78. Freak of Nature by Julia Crane
79. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
80. Death Note Vol. 5 by Ohba & Obata
81. Allegiant by Veronica Roth
82. The Hanging Tree by Michael Phillip Cash
83. Doll Bones by Holly Black
84. Daylighters by Rachel Caine
85. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
86. Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton
87. Death Note Vol 6 by Ohba & Obata
88. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
89. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
90. Diary of A Mall Santa by Stewart Scott
91. Junk by Melvin Burgess
92. Death Note Vol 7 by Ohba & Obata
93. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
94. The Hit by Melvin Burgess
95. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
96. The Story of My Life by Anne Cassidy
97. Have Yourself A Curvy Little Christmas by Sugar Jamison
98. Death Note Vol 8 by Ohba & Obata
99. My Funny Major Medical by Linton Robinson
100. William Shakespeare's Star Wars; Verily, A New Hope by Ian Doescher

So, how did I do in my challenges?

Goodreads: 100/62
Ebook Challenge: 37/25

Pretty good!! Fingers crossed 2014 will be equally as good, if not better :)

Brianna's 2013 Reads!

This year was a little hit and miss with reading I seemed to flick between reading loads of books in the space of a week to going a month without reading a single thing. I seem to have read a lot of books from series this year, most notably being The Morganville Vampires, Inspector Rebus and the Temperance Brennan series.

1. Bite Club by Rachel Caine

2. Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin

3. Hide & Seek by Ian Rankin

4. Last Breath by Rachel Caine

5. Tooth & Nail by Ian Rankin

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

7. Forbidden by Jana Oliver

8. Forgiven by Jana Oliver

9. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

10. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

11. Black Dawn by Rachel Caine

12. Blood Sweat + Tea by Tom Reynolds

13. Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

14. Death Note Vol. 1 by Ohba and Obata

15. Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

16. Strip Jack by Ian Rankin

17. Ravaged by David Wellington

18. Wolverine: Logan by Brian K. Vaughan

19. Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs

20. Divergent by Veronica Roth

21. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

22. Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

23. Dead(ish) by Naomi Kramer

24. Foretold by Jana Oliver

25. The Tranfer by Veronica Roth

26. First Grave on the Right by Darynda

27. Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

28. Torchwood: Everyone Says Hello by Dan Abnett

29. Free Four by Veronica Roth

30. Fall of Night by Rachel Caine

31. Death Note Vol. 2 by Ohba and Obata

32. Death Note Vol. 3 by Ohba and Obata

33. Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs

34. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

35. Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy

36. Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

Caragh Reviews - Witch Finder by Ruth Warburton

Published - 2nd January 2014
Publisher - Hodder
Format - Kindle
Synopsis - London. 1880. In the slums of Spitalfields apprentice blacksmith Luke is facing initiation into the Malleus Maleficorum, the fearsome brotherhood dedicated to hunting and killing witches. Luke’s final test is to pick a name at random from the Book of Witches, a name he must track down and kill within a month, or face death himself. Luke knows that tonight will change his life forever. But when he picks out sixteen-year-old Rosa Greenwood, Luke has no idea that his task will be harder than he could ever imagine.

I was a big fan of Ruth Warburton's Winter Trilogy and was getting increasingly excited for her new release, Witch Finder. I received this book to review in early November.

Witch Finder started off well and was really intrguing. Luke's life seems simple enough until we see him taking part in a ritual for the Malleus Malefictorum - a secret brotherhood of witch hunters. Luke has his personal reasons for joining and is completely dedicated to following in the footsteps of those around him - that is until he meets his initiation target, Rosa Greenwood. 

Throughout the book Luke has many trials to face and he even learns about himself - as every good protagonist does. I love that Warburton carried over some of the same ideas she put forth in the Winter Trilogy and still used words such as 'outwith'. It made it seem more realistic after having read about them previously. Witch Finder wasn't what I expected at all - I thought it would be a similar style to her previous books but surprisingly it was very different. It clearly isn't set in a modern time period (which I LOVE!) and the whole thing felt both new and fresh but homely and comforting. It's quite a dark book actually. Of course it features romance, coming of age, family matters as almost all YA books do but it takes it to a darker place.

Admittedly, I thought the pacing was a bit slow. I'm not sure whether it's just the format of the e-copy I received or whether the printed book is the same but there were really long chapters! It was a while ago that I read it now but I think there may not have been real specific chapters at all, though the ending of the book totally made up for the occasional lack of action/intrigue. I believe i'm right in saying this is going to be a series and if so it has great potential. I'll be looking forward to seeing what the consequences are.