I have read many James Patterson books and have become increasingly frustrated with the quality of the stories. I know that he now works with other authors but the original James Patterson spark seems to be missing in his more recent books. I love the older books like `Roses Are Red' and `Along Came the Spider'. This story is for older children as it follows Wisty and her older brother Whit as they are taken from their beds at night and thrown into a compound for no apparent reason. During their imprisonment together, the siblings being to realise that they have special powers. Strange things start to happen and we see them learning to control their new abilities. There are some amusing moments as they struggle with their new found abilities and some sadder moments when they think of their parents, who they have now been separated from. In typical James Patterson style, the chapters are short and I read the whole book over 2 days. It has clearly been left open for a sequel and I have to say that I won't be bothering with it. I think that I am the wrong age group for this book but can see how it would be enjoyed by teenagers, similar to his series about the flying kids.

This story follows the life of Caroline through her school and adult years. Caroline attends a very strict `cult' school in London, where music, laughter, fun, denim, cutting your hair and flowers are banned (among other things). Caroline is victimised and bullied at school by her Headmistress. This story shows her as an adult trying to deal with her childhood. She changed her name and never spoke about what happened at school, until she bumps into an old friend...
This is a very emotional read and at times it is very hard to read. The cruel treatment of Caroline is very real and heartfelt. It is really interesting to think how Caroline's childhood had depicted the person she has turned out to be. I felt that the middle of the book lost pace a bit but soon picked up again. Overall, a really interesting but horrifying story.

I got this book after seeing it on the Amazon Top Pre-Ordered List. I was immediately intrigued by the subject matter and I wasn't disappointed.
The book follows three main characters, Minny, Aibileen and Miss Skeeter. Each character has a chapter told through their eyes. The story is set in the 1960's, during the time of the civil rights movement. As soon as you open the book, you are immediately transported back into this time. Minny and Aibileen are black maids who work for the `rich white folk' and Miss Skeeter is a white girl growing up in this environment. Miss Skeeter embarks upon a project to produce a book outlining the lives of the black maids in these households. Once she gets a few maids on board, the book is in full flow. The story outlines in harsh detail how the black people had different toilets, had to use different glasses and eating utensils but are trusted to help you through a miscarriage and keep secrets from your husbands.
The writing in the book is so fluent it seems that you are listening and watching rather than reading. I had a hard time putting the book down to go to work and I found myself reading it at every opportunity. Within the pages, we are privy to scenes of amazing warmth, great humour and delightful characters with whom you'd love to spend time. At points, my eyes were brimming with tears, I was laughing out loud or I was shouting at the pages through empathy and anger. I loved that the book was written in their dialect and found myself talking like it in my real life, that was how real the story was to me.
This is also old fashioned story telling at its best, it is well paced and even though it is dealing with a very serious subject, there is a great level humour throughout. Roll on the next Kathryn Stockett novel, I can't wait!

I haven't read Teacher, Teacher and was pleasantly surprised that I could read the sequel without any issues. This book was given to me by a friend and I started it straight away.
This is basically an autobiography of Jack Sheffield and depicts his tales as a Head Teacher at a village school in Yorkshire. The book is set in the late seventies, when the world was a seemingly different place. The story shows how simple everything must have been then, only merely 30 years ago, and also Jack Sheffield has achieved in showing the reader that actually a lot has changed in this time. This is a pleasant, unique tale which is actually quite funny. The story warms your heart and makes you realise how nice and simple things used to be. I enjoyed this book and will read the next instalment shortly.

I, like many others, has seen the film (and didn't think much of it) but had never read the book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book is very well-written and captures the reader's attention from the start. It is basically a travel-fiction set in Thailand, following a backpacker (Richard) as he searches for the perfect 'Eden', a place unsullied by other tourists; 'The Beach'. The knowledge of the main character is that he is going crazy and shows in depth how Richard is influenced by his surroundings and the death of Daffy. There is a lot of black humour on the book and the descriptions of the environments are excellent. Even if you only grasp the idea of the break-down of civilisation, the book is compelling and the description of Asia leave a deep impact on the imagination. A really great, thought-provoking read.

I am a huge fan of Torey Hayden. I have read most of her other books and was happy to hear that she was branching out and trying something new with her writing. Although this book is something very new for Hayden she still writes with the captivating loveliness which fills her books.
This story is set in Kansas in 1978 and follows Lesley O'Malley, a teenager, as she tries to struggle through her complicated life. Lesley lives with her Mother, Mara, a Hungarian WWII Holocaust survivor who slips into a hazy state between delusions and reality; her 9-year-old sister Megan and her Father, O'Malley, who is a gentle man who tries to keep the peace at all costs.
Mara was captured by Nazis during the war and imprisoned in a breeding camp, she loses the two sons she bears while being held captive. Her first son Klaus is taken from her immediately after his birth, never to be seen again. Her second son dies shortly after birth. Mara spends the remainder of her life searching for Klaus, her first-born. Things start to go really wrong when Mara sees a neighbour's child and insists that he is Klaus. He humours her because she brings him candy and gifts. Mara was never able to accept the reality of her losses and is ultimately consumed by her fantasies. The story takes place in America but we are also taken on a journey through Wales where Lesley is to discover some more of the truths about her mothers past.
I would recommend this book to Torey Hayden fans and to people that have not read her work before. This shows her in a new light and shows that she does have the skill for writing and not just based on her true experience.

I have read the Twilight series (and loved them) and although I knew this was something completely different, I thought I'd enjoy this also. I was wrong. I hate not finishing a book but I couldn't struggle on. The plot is a fantastic and original idea but I very quickly lost interest due to the slow moving pace.
The story follows an experienced Soul (Wanderer) as it is implanted into a new body (Melanie). Melanie starts to interact with Wanderer, which is almost unheard of by the other Souls. The Souls are not presented as monsters and, in many ways, are presented as Human. I can't really tell you much more of what happened because I didn't read a lot further. Melanie is pining for a lost love and they make the long journey to find him. My friend did finish this book but also didn't enjoy it much. From what she told me about the ending, I'm glad I didn't bother. It's a shame as I really enjoyed Meyer's previous books.

I should start by saying that these type of stories are not usually `my thing' but this book was recommended to me so I gave it a go.....and was quite pleased that I did.
The story follows the typical line of girl pining for boy and thinking boy doesn't like her but he actually does. But there is a whole other complication thrown into the mix, Will is famous and rich and Melissa is not. Oh and someone is trying to kill Melissa and Will used to be a spy so he jumps to her rescue.
I would say that this book is a great holiday read. It's easy to follow, not over complicated, has short chapters and is quite enjoyable. It is not a challenging read but is easy to `pick up and put down'. Not bad but not my usual read.

This book follows on from One Child and you really need to have read One Child before embarking on this story. I have recently read One Child and was completely absorbed with Torey and Sheila's story but this book left me feeling disappointed. I don't know if it was because it wasn't classroom based, like Torey's other books, or whether I didn't like the fact that Shelia had grown up. It picks up with Torey finding Shelia, a child she had previously had in her classroom and helped overcome a lot of difficulties. Shelia is now a teenager and has a whole different set of difficulties. I am really in two minds about this book, I liked that we got to find out what happened to a child that Torey had helped but I was disappointed with what Torey found. I think that if you have read One Child, you should read Tiger's Child but don't be expecting a similar story because you won't find one. Still a good and interesting read though.

I have read a few of Torey Hayden's books and I had been meaning to read this one for a long time. A usually with Hayden's books, it follows her experiences working with children with special needs and running a special needs class. The main character in the book is Shelia, a very troubled young girl. Shelia comes to Hayden's class at the age of 7, whilst waiting for a placement in a secure unit, after committing a horrible crime on another child. Shelia is a disruptive mute, whose worse attribute is her anger. Given all that, Shelia is a girl everyone wants to know and help. Although Shelia has experienced things we could not imagine in her short life, she is still strong and carries such charm and innocence. You get to know and feel for her and her father, who has issues of his own. Simple things like cleaning and feeding Shelia never really happen and Hayden show Shelia how to look after herself. Just as things are getting better for Shelia, something happens and she is transported back to square one. You really feel for this small, little girl and your heart breaks at her story. This book is packed with emotion and you will not be able to put it down. I'm off to read the sequel Tiger's Child.