The Passengers by John Marrs

The days of getting into your car and not knowing if you will make it to your destination in one piece are nearly a thing of the past.  With developments in technology we have moved rapidly from artificial intelligence assisting us with driving, to fully automated cars that do everything for you.  You don't have to worry about avoiding other cars, and your car will react to potential hazards so all you need to do is sit back and relax.  The new cars are safe, easy to use, and impossible to hack - or at least that is what everyone has been told.  People are no longer drivers, they are Passengers.  There is a dark little secret hidden within the industry though, one that has to involve a member of the public, but is so secret that they are essentially gagged to prevent them talking about - a jury that investigates crashes involving driverless cars and assigns blame.  

Libby Dixon is the latest civilian drafted into the five person Vehicle Inquest Jury, and things have not been going well.  Every time she voices an opinion she is ignored, talked over, or treated like an idiot.  Any hopes she had of making a difference are quickly evaporating - and then the unthinkable happens.  Eight driverless cars have been hacked and are under the control of a hacker who has exposed Libby and the rest of the jury to the world - and who has set them the task of choosing which of the Passengers should live, with the rest set to die in a fatal collision in a few hours time.  It's not just up to the jury though, public opinion matters too and various hashtags are trending on social media almost too quickly to follow.  At a glance the Passengers represent all aspects of society, and people are quick to make snap decisions about their value - but noone is truly what they appear on the surface.  When the first Passenger dies it becomes clear that the Hacker means business, and that they know more about the jury than they are supposed to.  Who will the jury and public choose to save - and what connection does Libby have to the Passengers and the work of the jury?

John Marrs was a surprise find for me with The one and I was a little tentative to pick up The passengers as I was worried it wouldn't be as good - I shouldn't have worried at all because it was just as good if not better.  The speculative fiction end of science fiction is challenging to write because it is so close to our current world/time that you really need to get people to shake off now quickly and commit to the story and John Marrs is very good at doing that.  Like many other authors Marrs also uses the switching character viewpoint, and he does it very very well indeed.  It is easy to connect to his characters because you spend time in their shoes, and it is a very effective way to drag you through the story in the passenger seat (so to speak) because you feel more involved with the action.  The way Marrs reveals his characters and their secrets is a masterclass in making you feel connected to the characters while also testing how observant you are (and often how empathetic and observant you are).  These are characters you care about, and care about quickly.

After thoroughly enjoying reading The one, I picked up The Passengers in the hopes of finding another great read and was not disappointed.  Writing speculative fiction is challenging and it can be just as challenging to read - but I had no problems getting into the storyline.  John Marrs has a knack for writing his story in short sharp bursts that somehow manages to hook you into the story, connects you with the characters, and rapidly builds the tension.  One of the taglines I have seen quite often is that he is writing five minutes in the future, and you get that sense - we are currently hearing all about self driving vehicles and how they are trialing them.  It's not hard to think about the next step, with AI driving the vehicles and drivers becoming a thing of the past - we already hear stories of Tesla 'drivers' asleep at the wheel (complete with video).  

As someone who drives a lot I already see people distracted by their phones and devices and can easily see how people would embrace the idea of a completely self driving car - even with the ethical dilemmas that might arise.  As you read The Passengers it quickly becomes clear that there is more to the story than just a self driving car - in much the same way as there is more to The one than just a love match app.  I have The minders on my to be read pile so I look forward to seeing if it manages to live up to its predecessors.  Very well written and thoroughly engaging books that suck you in completely.

If you like this book then try:

• The one by John Marrs
• Next by Michael Crichton
• The dolls by James Patterson and Kecia Bal
• The runner by Stephen Leather
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The Store by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick

Reviewed by Brilla

Song of the crimson flower by Julie C. Dao

Note: Song of the crimson flower follows on from the events in Forest of a thousand lanterns and Kingdom of the blazing phoenix but it can be read as a stand alone novel.

Lan is a young woman waiting for the day that she marries Tam, the young man she has been promised to.  Tam is her perfect match, he may not be a nobleman and the son of a minister like she is, but his father is a physician and equally wealthy.  She has known Tam her whole life, and has come to enjoy the secret visits he makes at night to play her a special song on his flute.  Tam is so much more than Bao, the orphan taken in by Tam's family - a man child who is all awkward manners and gangly limbed.  Lan tries to be patient as she waits for Tam, but when Bao professes his love for her and tells her a startling truth Lan lashes out at Bao and sends him running straight into a terrible fate.

While running from Lan's anger and her hateful words Bao runs into the mythical river witch and when he asks her to help him forget she curses him instead.  Bao is tied to his bamboo flute in the most brutal way possible and he is doomed to fade into the instrument forever - unless someone who truly loves him can save him in time.  Wracked with guilt about her hateful words towards Bao, Lan is desperate to set things right and when Bao reappears and tells her about the curse she is determined to help free him from his fate - even if it means defying her father and travelling to a far off city.  As they journey towards their destination they find new friends, uncover secrets, and discover more about themselves than they would have ever thought possible.

Finding authors with a fresh voice can be challenging, especially when you read a lot - so it was a real treat to discover Julie C. Dao and her Forest of a thousand lanterns duology.  It was a world that was well developed and had a sense of 'realness' that partly came from Dao drawing on her Asian heritage.  When I discovered Song of the crimson flower I was a little reluctant to pick it up as I was worried that a single, stand alone novel would not be able to deliver the power and strength of the original duology - but was I ever wrong.  Although the cast of characters may be smaller for Song of the crimson flower, that smallness improves the story rather than taking away from it.  All the rich background mythology is there, the relatable characters are there, and the sweeping story is there - it is just a more intimate experience rather than a sweeping epic story.  

There is a certain amount of predictability to the storyline because that is the nature and style of the story, but there are surprises along the way and it is so well written that you don't really notice.  Updated fairytales and traditional stories has been a popular genre over the past few years and it is a real treat to find a story that is both familiar and richly reimagined with a mythological/cultural background that makes everything fresh and new again.  Hopefully this is not the last we have seen of Dao and her world building.

If you like this book then try:

• Kingdom of the blazing phoenix by Julie C. Dao
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Girls of paper and fire by Natasha Ngan
• Spin the dawn by Elizabeth Lim
• Sea witch by Sarah Henning
• The glass spare by Lauren DeStefano
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Not even bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
• Court of fives by Kate Elliott
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Warrior of the wild by Tricia Levenseller

Reviewed by Brilla

The one by John Marrs

Welcome to the new world, where a simple test will connect you with your perfect match through the MatchYourDNA website.  It seems too good to be true, finding the perfect match, but that is exactly what a scientific break through has allowed us to do.  Ten years ago scientists discovered that everyone has a gene they share with just one other person - their perfect genetic match.  A simple DNA test lets you find the one person in the world for you, and reports show that people who meet their Match for the first time feel an undeniable spark and connection.  Millions of people have taken the test and paid the modest fee to find the details about their perfect match - including Mandy, Christopher, Nick, Ellie and Jade.

Taking the test is supposed to make things easier - but only if your perfect match is in the database.  Being a perfect match doesn't make the other person perfect though.  Mandy already has one failed marriage under her belt so the promise of her perfect match is too good to resist - but then she discovers she is too late, which could lead to heartache but instead leads to something else, something more.  Christopher is working on a project with single minded focus until he is matched with Amy - a match that is highly ironic considering what his special project is.  Will Amy be his perfect match or will it lead to disaster?  Nick is content with his fiancée Sally, but she wants to do the test to make sure.  Sally and Nick should have left well enough alone because you can't keep secrets forever.  Jade has always played it safe and resented it so racing off to meet her Match goes against everything she has held onto - and what she discovers will change everything.  Ellie is always guarded and controlled, so when she finally receives her Match she is surprised and treads carefully, but then her romance blossoms and she starts bringing down her walls.  What would you risk to find your one true love?

Speculative fiction is challenging to write - you have to create a world that feels like ours, but just a little bit more than ours.  John Marrs has tackled the challenge and pulled it off very well indeed.  Some people may find the constantly changing point-of-view frustrating but it is this technique that builds rapport with the characters quickly and allows you to see the world and understand it without being buried in too much information right from the start.  Reading this addictive (best read in one sitting) book it is very quickly apparent why it was adapted into a television series on Netflix.  Marrs not only creates a world where science has discovered something amazing and believable, he also creates characters that are perfectly flawed like all of us are - they seem real because everything about them could be about you, or a family member, or a friend.  

I've been saying this a lot lately, but this is a highly recommended read and I look forward to reading more books by Marrs in the future.  Even if The one doesn't sound like something you would normally read - give it a go, because it combines elements of other genre together into a very nice package indeed.

If you like this book then try:

• The dolls by James Patterson and Kecia Bal
• The runner by Stephen Leather
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The Store by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick

Reviewed by Brilla

Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell

Ten years ago Ellie Mack walked out the door on her way to the library to study and never came home - leaving her family behind, frozen in time and grief.  There was a flurry of activity when she disappeared, but over time the Police concluded that she ran away, and the case was forgotten by everyone except her family.  Her mother Laurel has never been able to move on, she has never believed that Ellie ran away, and when a special programme airs around the tenth anniversary of Ellie's disappearance she has a faint hope that she might find out what happened - but she never expected them to find Ellie's remains a few months later.  After ten years of existing rather than living, Laurel now has the concrete proof that her golden girl will never be coming home.  

With her two other adult children keeping her at a distance, it is no surprise that Laurel is swept up rather quickly by the attention from a charming and charismatic man who crosses her path at a local café.  Floyd is intelligent, interesting, and has a daughter named Poppy who has an uncanny resemblance to Ellie.  Swept off her feet in a whirlwind romance, Laurel takes chances and starts to blossom again, and the more time she spends with Floyd and Poppy the more she sees a resemblance with her missing daughter.  As she starts poking around in their lives, Laurel uncovers some startling connections to her own life and that of Ellie - and soon she will make the most startling discovery of all.

Picking up books to read based on their blurbs can be a risky gamble - most of the time the blurbs are pretty accurate but sometimes the book and the blurb seem to have nothing in common - that was definitely not the case with Then she was gone.  I was absorbed in the story quickly and read the book in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.  The characters are the biggest part of what makes this story so good - you connect with them, empathise with them, care about them, and experience the story through their eyes.  There are parts of the story that are somewhat predictable (especially for readers who read a lot of crime/thrillers like I do), but Lisa Jewell handles those (almost) clichés well.  

Reviewing books like Then she was gone is always tricky because you want to share how great it was - while also not spoiling any of the things that make it such a good read.  I have to confess to having a tendency to like books that would make great movies or television series and this is one of those books that reads like it could be made into either easily - there's nothing challenging about the text to slow you down with complications and overly flowery descriptions, but the characters are well developed and easy to connect with.  Highly recommended read, and I can't wait to read more from the author.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• The half sister by Sandie Jones
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid

Reviewed by Brilla

Broken wish (The Mirror) by Julie C. Dao

It all stated with a simple kind gesture, a gift left for a neighbour - but it leads to a friendship and so much more.  When Agnes and her husband Oskar move to a small cottage near Hanau it is a chance to start a new life together, and Agnes gives small gifts to their neighbours which leads to a friendship between Agnes and Mathilda.  Mathilda is not popular among the people of Hanau, they call her a witch and say she has cursed people who have crossed her - but Agnes has trouble seeing evil in the woman who gives her thoughtful gifts and heartful letters.  Oskar, who is desperate to have a good standing in the community feels that keeping the friendship is dangerous, but Agnes tries to keep hold of it as long as she can.  

When Mathilda offers to help her have the child she desperately wants Agnes and Oskar agree to try - but Oskar insists that she drop the friendship as soon as she is pregnant.  Agnes wants to be a good friend, but she wants the child more, even though it will mean breaking a promise that is part of the spell.  When Agnes follows though with her promise to Oskar and breaks off the friendship with Mathilda she has no idea of the true cost.  Years later Oskar and Agnes are well respected in their community, but their daughter Elva seeks out Mathilda because she has a magical gift that she can not control and has almost exposed her to the people of Hanau.  This is a chance for Elva to change her fate and the fate of her family but is it too late?  Mathilda has a lot she can teach Elva, but she has to let down her walls first and that could lead to more pain than she is willing to face again.

Broken wish is the first book in a series written by four different authors and will be followed by - Shattered midnight by Dhonielle Clayton - Fractured path by J. C. Cervantes - and Splintered magic by L.L. McKinney.  If the rest of the series is as good as the first this is going to be a real treat.  Broken wish is one of those rare books that will appeal to a wide age range because it is not particularly challenging to read (making it easier to enjoy for younger or less confident readers), it doesn't have particularly adult themes (making suitable for younger teen readers), and it has great character development and world building that will appeal to teens and adult readers.  There are echoes of the great traditional stories here, a nod to the brothers Grimm, and hopefully the other three authors will be able to keep that spark through their part in the story.  This is an intriguing way to write a series and I look forward to reading more.  Highly recommended.

If you like this book then try:

• The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland
• Pangur ban the white cat by Fay Sampson
• Princess of the midnight ball by Jessica Day George
• Finding the fox by Ali Sparkes
• Hollow Earth by John Barrownman and Carole Barrowman
• Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Walk on Earth a stranger by Rae Carson
• Ella enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
• Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Reviewed by Brilla

Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson

Sam Midford is the presenter of the popular Midnight Tonight current affairs show, a charming smile and witty lines wrapped up in an attractive package with wide audience appeal.  He is cool calm and collected under pressure, except for tonight - the crew saw a ring in his dressing room and think he is going to propose to his long time girlfriend in the most public way possible, but Sam does something else instead.  When his nerves seem to have reached an absolute peak he pulls out a gun, points the gun at his head and pulls the trigger.  Thanks to the wonders of modern TV the delay of several seconds is enough for the nation to avoid seeing the violent result, though people searching online manage to uncover unedited footage.  Such a dramatic and public death makes headlines around the country, so when Sam Midford appears to talk to disgraced and incarcerated television producer Jack Quick there is a certain amount of confusion - which only slightly lessens when Jack discovers that the man he is talking to is in fact Sam's twin brother Harry.

Harry is a man on a mission, convinced that his brother was murdered - that he was forced to pull the trigger.  Jack isn't convinced, but when Harry offers him a lot of money to look into the case it is an offer he can't refuse.  Everyone has secrets and demons in their lives, and apart from his battles with food and bulimia, Jack is haunted by his older brother who lives in a permanent vegetative state that requires expensive care … and the money is running out.  It seems like an easy case to explore, Harry has promised to accept the results of Jack's investigation, but Jack is not convinced he is ready to hear the truth.  But as Jack digs into the case and the twins background, he discovers that they have both been keeping secrets and that something that happened in the past has a resounding echo in the present.  Will Jack be able to solve the case - or will he become another victim of the twisted web that surrounds Sam Midford?  It seems that everyone in Sam's life had secrets to keep, some of them just kept them better than others.

I picked up Either side of midnight after seeing it on a new books list and it was only after reading the whole book that I discovered that it is the sequel to Greenlight (also published as She lies in the vines) which was disappointing as I like to read books in series order if possible.  I was not disappointed with the book itself however - Either side of midnight was a rare find for me, a book that was original and kept me guessing what was happening.  The characters were interesting and easy to connect with, and as a New Zealander it was nice to read a book set over the 'ditch' in Australia.  This was a great find and highly recommended reading.  See if you can figure out what is happening before the explosive ending.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Breaking Creed by Alex Kava
• Safe by S.K. Barnett
• Good me bad me by Ali Land
• Rattle by Fiona Cummins
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• Killing trail by Margaret Mizushima
• Nine Elms by Robert Bryndza
• Vodka doesn't freeze by Leah Giarratano

Reviewed by Brilla

The half sister by Sandie Jones

Sunday lunch is a family tradition for Kate and her family - a tradition that feels more like a chore since her father died ten months ago.  Spending time with her mother is uncomfortable, their relationship strained since Kate was young - and spending time with her sister Lauren and her three children is a strain, and a reminder of the child she so desperately wants.  Going through yet another round of IVF is exhausting and stressful, so the sudden arrival at Sunday lunch of a young woman claiming to be their half sister is a shock that Kate doesn't need. 

 
Lauren takes Jess at her word, that she is their half sister, but Kate refuses to believe that their father cheated on their mother all those years ago.  As Lauren tries to form a relationship with Jess it drives a wedge deeper into her relationship with Kate.  The sisters have never really seen eye-to-eye, with Lauren and their mother forming a tight relationship on one side, and Kate and her father forming a tight relationship on the other.  As Kate digs into who Jess really is and what she is trying to achieve, she starts uncovering long buried family secrets that shake her certainty about her life.  As Jess worms her way further and further into their lives she has no idea that their lives are about the change forever.

The half sister is a deftly written novel that weaves together strands of family drama and psychological suspense into a deeply addictive read that deserves to be read in one sitting.  I recently read The other woman by Sandie Jones and was deeply impressed with the writing style and the way Jones developed the story and let in unravel.  Jones brings that same skill and style to The half sister, creating characters and a situation that is instantly relateable, while also bringing a strong psychological thriller element that makes you question what you know or what you think you know.  Kate and Lauren as both real people on the page, everyone would either relate to them directly or know someone just like them - and the roadblocks and challenges they have experienced.  A fantastic find, and hopefully there are many more to come.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid

Reviewed by Brilla

My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips

Bec and Izzy have been best friends since school - a friendship that has seen them through good times and bad.  When Bec's mother died Izzy stuck by her, when all the other kids at school avoided and shunned her because they didn't know how to deal with the death of a parent.  Through thick and thin they have been together, and it seems like nothing is going to change that.  Bec has seen Izzy marry Rich and have their beautiful daughter Tilly, and now she is engaged to Ed and looking forward to starting a family of their own.  It's only natural that Izzy and Rich through an engagement party for Bec and Ed, but it seems as though the good deed is not going to go unpunished.

Bec's brother Rob isn't shy about challenging her relationship with Izzy, he's never been shy about saying the relationship is toxic - but Bec has never seen it before, until now.  Suddenly little things pop up that make Bec question their relationship, is Izzy really her friend or their relationship something else?  When Izzy is discovered at the bottom of the stairs, inches from death, Bec can barely believe it when the Police swoop in to search for a killer.  What really happened to cause Izzy to fall, and what part did Bec play in what happened?

My best friend's murder is a psychological thriller that is challenging to review because I don't want to risk revealing clues or spoilers about what happens.  The relationship between Bec and Izzy is a interesting one, and I would bet that most people have had a similar relationship at some point in their lives - a relationship where one of the friends plays second fiddle and seems to be a way to make the other person feel better about their life.  Izzy is, on the surface, the dominant friend - she is successful and seems to have the perfect life, and she's not afraid to show Bec how much Bec depends on her.  In contrast Bec is the grateful friend, who owes her sanity and success to her friend - or does she?  

My best friend's murder is well written and I was compelled to read it in one sitting to keep pace with the story.  As you read their story you uncover layers of their friendship and history that make you question what you know about Bec and Izzy - their friendship, their present lives, and their motivations and secrets.  There are some interesting twists and turns through this character driven story, and I am not going to spoil them for you.  A fantastic find, and hopefully Phillips will be continue to write similar books as well written psychological thrillers are hard to come by.

If you like this book then try:

• The vanishing season by Joanna Schaffhausen
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• Good me bad me by Ali Land
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• Vodka doesn't freeze by Leah Giarratano
• The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• The tattoo thief by Alison Belsham
• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• Safe by S.K. Barnett

Reviewed by Brilla

Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid

Life is comfortable for Chloe and her husband Rav - they live in a tiny flat saving madly for their first home, but they both have jobs they enjoy and great friends living nearby who they socialise with all the time.  There is some pressure from Rav's family for them to start a family of their own, but Chloe is not so sure she wants a baby of her own just yet.  The gentle monotony of their lives is interrupted when Max reenters their lives.  Going to dinner with Max and meeting his fiancée is the last thing Chloe wants to do, but she goes anyway and the past suddenly rushes into the present.  Unsettled and angry after the dinner Chloe makes a startling discovery that brings up memories and feelings from fifteen years earlier when Chloe was in college and met the force of nature that is Zadie Lister.

Zadie is everything that Chloe isn't - she's self-assured, wealthy, and gorgeous.  She's not perfect, but it takes time for Chloe to see the cracks and flaws in her friend.  At first all Chloe can see is the sophistication and polish, the confident girl who can walk into any party and make friends and be the centre of attention.  For a relatively sheltered girl who has had to earn her own way, Chloe finds Zadie dazzling and is determined to keep up with her - even though she is risking her own education in the process.  Zadie's family and her boyfriend Max keep saying that Zadie has dark times and that she needs to be careful, but Chloe is loyal to her friend and doesn't quite belief it.  As Chloe gets sucked further and further into the whirlwind of her friend's life she has no idea that they are all heading for a disaster that will have an echo fifteen years later - an echo that could bring her life and everything she knows crashing down around her ears.  How far would you go to find out the truth about your friends?

Two wrongs was a real treat, an excellent example of a book that shifts between the present and the past - bringing you flashes of the past to help you puzzle out the future, little snippets that add dimension and depth to the characters without overwhelming you with details.  Chloe is a very real person, her emotions and reactions bringing her to life, and each jump to the past adds more understanding to why she is acting and responding the way she is - and makes the ongoing story more addictive.  It is easy to see some of the people I went to University with in both Chloe and Zadie - there were people who blossomed at University when they were essentially free of their parents for the first time, and there were also the more worldly students who seemed to attract friends that became 'more' just by being their friends.  I have also known people like Zadie, people who seem to have it all, but have a fragile shell that wobbles, cracks, and sometimes shatters.

Two wrongs was an excellent read, and a fantastic example of the genre - and while my local public library system put it in the crime section, it could also just be seen as a great example of a 'human' story.  A highly recommended read.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• The perfect mother by Caroline Mitchell
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Behind closed doors by B.A. Paris
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Good me bad me by Ali Land

Reviewed by Brilla

Robin Hood: Hacking, heists and flaming arrows by Robert Muchamore

Robin Hood is your pretty average twelve year old - he's smart, computer savvy, and pretty handy with a bow and arrow.  He lives in Locksley, a town that once had a booming automotive industry, but over the years the manufacturers have closed and people have moved away.  Locksley is just holding on, and it has allowed Guy Gisborne and his men to take over the town and get away with murder.  If you want to o business in Locksley you pay protection money or suffer the consequences.  You can't even turn to the law for help, because Gisborne has corrupted most of the Police force and even if he hadn't the Sheriff of Nottingham is a good friend of his. 

Robin and his big brother John live with their father in an old house that is slowly falling into disrepair.  They live a relatively simple live, getting by on the small amount of money that comes in from his dad teaching community classes and freelance work.  They don't have a lot, but Robin has been able to indulge in his hobby of archery - learning speed shooting and trick shooting.  It may not seem like a particularly useful skill, but when his father is falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit and John and Robin are threatened with going into the care of social services, Robin and John are forced to go on the run to Sherwood Forest.  

Sherwood Forest is home to people who have nowhere else to go - people who have no jobs, no hop, and no future.  They take what they need to survive, some calling them bandits and thieves, but they prefer to just survive.  When Robin is injured he is taken in by them, despite the danger he represents to them.  Separated from John, Robin is determined to help their father while staying out of the vengeful hands of Guy Gisborne and his men.  With his new friends and allies by his side Robin is ready to fight for his family - but the odds are stacked against him.

Tackling a well known story and updating it is always risky as if you don't get the right balance of familiar and new it can go very (very) badly.  Robin Hood: Hacking, heists and flaming arrows has the perfect balance between familiar and new, with familiar names molded into new characters that work in a modern setting.  Some of the traditionally male characters have fresh new female aspects, but the expected favourites are there.  Robin is the key characters in this refresh, but the characters that are built around him in this first book in the series are just as real, and help to bring the whole story to life.  

There are some very "Muchamore" aspects to this retelling - he doesn't talk down to his readers, he keeps the writing fast paced and action packed, and he creates characters you can understand and care about.  It will be interesting to see how many books he plans for the series and if he can keep up the momentum across the entire series.  This was a real treat to read, and another great series for teens of all ages and reading abilities from one of the best teen authors of the past couple of decades.

If you like this book then try:

• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Long may she reign by Rhiannon Thomas
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• The treachery of beautiful things by Ruth Frances Long
• Ella enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
• Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
• Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Crown duel by Sherwood Smith
• Dealing with dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
• Princess of the midnight ball by Jessica Day George

The complete original CHERUB series in order is:

• The recruit by Robert Muchamore
• Class A by Robert Muchamore
• Maximum security by Robert Muchamore
• The killing by Robert Muchamore
• Divine madness by Robert Muchamore
• Man vs. beast by Robert Muchamore
• The fall by Robert Muchamore
• Mad dogs by Robert Muchamore
• The sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore
• The general by Robert Muchamore
• Brigands M.C by Robert Muchamore
• Shadow wave by Robert Muchamore

Reviewed by Brilla

The other woman by Sandie Jones

Emily wasn't looking for love, but that's what she found in a crowded bar after an HR conference.  On the surface Adam was attractive and fit, even if he showed an impressive lack of empathy.  A top consultant at her firm, Emily is doing well and doesn't need a man in her life to make her complete, but that doesn't stop her from falling under the spell of Adam's charm and attention.  During a whirlwind romance Adam becomes part of Emily's life, a part of herself that grows until she can't do without him.  It seems perfect, they're living together and planning a wedding, but that all changes when Emily meets her future mother-in-law Pammie.  

During their first meeting Pammie appears to be welcoming, but Emily feels like there is a strange distance between them - that Pammie is not that keen on Emily joining her family.  Pammie is a widow who mostly raised her two boys on her own and she is very close to both her boys - Adam and his younger brother James.  At times it feels like there is no space for Emily in the relationship, and at times it seems like Pammie is deliberately trying to split them up.  As the wedding approaches Emily becomes convinced that Pammie wants to keep Adam to herself, and she becomes even more determined to marry Adam.  When Pammie crosses a line that horrifies Emily it is full out war as far as Emily is concerned and she is willing to fight for herself, for Adam, and for their unborn child.  Why is Pammie so determined to keep Emily out of Adam's life, and how far will she go to get what she wants?

When you read a lot it can be a challenge to find a book that is a fresh voice, or that surprises you - and The other woman managed to cover both bases.  There are quite a few books out there that cover similar relationships, or that pit mother-in-law against future daughter-in-law, but few unravel the story as well as Sandie Jones has.  I liked Emily from the start (even if I didn't really like the fact that she was so smitten with Adam so quickly and gave up on her life so quickly - but that's not Jones's fault).  Having the story told from Emily's perspective left a lot of room for the story to develop, and avoiding spoilers gets tricky if you want to do a good review.  

The highest compliment I can pay The other woman is that it was a thoroughly satisfying read, with little twists and clues that keep you wondering what is really happening (and what Emily might be imagining).  The characters felt real, and this would easily translate to a television movie or a feature film without needing to be made more realistic.  I have requested more Sandie Jones books to see if I like her other books because I really, really liked The other woman.  Best enjoyed in a single sitting if you can.  Enjoy!

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• The perfect mother by Caroline Mitchell
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Behind closed doors by B.A. Paris
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Good me bad me by Ali Land
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox

Reviewed by Brilla

Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick

Matt Walters and his fiancée Kate are in London after discovering that Kate is pregnant, and they both know that the maternity care is better in England than in their adopted home of Sri Lanka.  They have settled into their rented cottage and life seems to be going well as they connect with old friends, but then Matt comes home one night to find Kate missing.  Her place in their bed is not empty though, a dead woman holding a cellphone has taken her place, and when the phone rings Matt discovers that his nightmare is just getting started.  Matt's fiancée Kate has been kidnapped and if he wants to see her again he must follow the instructions of the man on the other end of the phone - a man who wants him to kill a man and take something from him.  Matt was an actor once and even played a police officer, but he's not prepared to kill anyone - but when your loved ones are in danger you never know what you are truly capable of.

When Kate wakes to find herself in the trunk of a car she is confused and then concerned for the life of her unborn child.  When she is pulled from the car by two men she knows she is in trouble, she has no hope of escaping from two captors - especially when they seem to be professionals.  When her life is threatened it seems like she is in real danger, and when you have lived the life Kate has you learn to stand up for yourself and fight.  Her captors have no idea who they have kidnapped, and Kate is not going to just sit by and wait to be rescued - she is going to make plans and fight for her life.  Who has taken her and what do they want?  

Everyone has secrets - but those secrets don't always get you killed.  As Matt does everything he can to save his fiancées life he has no idea what secrets he will uncover.  He has tried for a year to get Kate to open up and share her life with him, but she has always been so guarded and controlled.  How much does he actually know about her and her past?  Determined to save her, Matt does things he never thought he could, and it might all be in vain.  Who has taken Kate and what do they really want?

Kill a stranger is a tense psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish as you try and untangle what you know from what you think you know.  Told from the point of view of the different characters the story moves at a breath taking pace and feeds you portions of the story as you race to figure out what is happening before the end.  They say everyone has secrets, but those secrets don't usually get you kidnapped or extorted.  This is one of the best thrillers I have read in a long while, and it really challenged me to figure out who was telling the truth (or at least how much of the truth they were telling) before the end.  Highly recommended and hopefully there are more books by Simon Kernick of the same caliber for me to try next!

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The vanishing season by Joanna Schaffhausen
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• Good me bad me by Ali Land
• The runner by Stephen Leather
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• Vodka doesn't freeze by Leah Giarratano
• The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• The tattoo thief by Alison Belsham
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver

Reviewed by Brilla