The One you don’t need to drop anything for – except the building you’ve been contracted to demolish, of course.

Publisher: Carina Press (Harlequin)
Pages: 177
Type: Fiction
Age: Adult
ISBN: 978-1-426-89433-6
First Published: 10th September 2012
Date Reviewed: 20th June 2013
Rating: 5/5

With his brother running the family’s lodge and his home town, Whitford, being rife with gossip, Mitch prefers to stay away, making full use of the travel his demolition business requires. His meetings with women are strictly no-strings and he’s spent time with many of the women in Whitford, leaving before any attachment can form. Now back to help broken-legged Josh, the arrangement with new-girl Paige is the same as any other. Paige has a business too, and no intention of leaving her adoptive town, but that won’t necessarily make it easier to leave once the couple realise they’ve more than just sexual chemistry.

All He Ever Needed is the first book to deal with the boys in Maine, and the fourth book in the Kowalski series overall. The family aspect is different to the other three, given the lack of children and the fact the siblings don’t live near each other, but this is made up for somewhat by the sheer number of secondary characters that form the backdrop of Whitford. The character development is fantastic, each person in the lives of Mitch and Paige is detailed well enough that the reader can feel as though they live in the town themselves.

This is not a story of giving up what you like in order to be with another, indeed the no-strings arrangement itself is to save Mitch and Paige from the hassle of working out which elements of their lives to leave by the wayside. Both characters are ambitious in their own right – both have built their own businesses almost from scratch, and whilst there are no plans for any leaps financially, both like what they’ve made. Stacey never suggests that either should give up their dreams, beyond the odd understandable moment of wistfulness, and the reader is likely to be satisfied with the resolution at the end.

The chemistry is fine. The characters may not commend themselves to memory quite as much as, say, Sean and Emma (Sean and Emma having a particularly comic arrangement) but it works, and Stacey makes a strong enough case for their being together. The sex may be the initial reason for the match but there aren’t too many scenes with it included; the overall set-up of the family dominates the book, as is expected by now.

The book lacks the secondary romance that a few of the others have, concentrating on Mitch and Paige and taking the odd glance at other people just to keep the town dynamic. A few premises are created, which the reader will later find were the planning stages for future books.

The only blemish is, perhaps, the way the characters remain steadfast. This may sound the reverse of the above paragraph that lauds ambition, but it is the repetition rather than the fact that is more the issue. For example much of Paige’s decision to swear off men has been influenced by her flighty mother’s numerous going-after-him relationships, but once love enters the equation Paige’s continuing self-imposed rule seems a little redundant as you know what the ultimate conclusion will be. Nevertheless it is a far cry from ruining the book and is but, as said, a blemish.

All He Ever Needed may feel very different to the previous books, but with good reason. The change of setting was necessary for Stacey to introduce these cousins that were often mentioned in the previous trilogy, and the sentiment is still the same. These Kowalskis are certainly a different part of the family, but there is enough similarity to appeal to fans of Joe, Kevin, and Sean.

All He Ever Needed is all you ever wanted in the continuing saga of the Kowalski family.

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Struggling for independence in a man’s world.

Publisher: Sphere (Little Brown)
Pages: 467
Type: Fiction
Age: Adult
ISBN: 978-1-84744-545-2
First Published: 20th June 2013
Date Reviewed: 16th December 2013
Rating: 5/5

When Eleanor’s (of Aquitaine, and referred to as Alienor in the book and for the remainder of this review) father dies, the thirteen-year-old marries Louis of France to become queen so that lands can be bound together. It begins as a happy marriage but Alienor’s independence is curbed by the relationship and Louis is not the husband she hoped for. Strong-willed and now Queen of France, Alienor will not become the docile wife she is expected to be, nor will she allow Louis to rule her family’s land. But it will be a long fight to gain what she sees as her right.

The first book in a fictional trilogy about Eleanor, The Summer Queen is of almost epic proportions and spans from Alienor’s childhood to the beginning of her time as Queen of England. Blending fact with fiction (the latter to both fill in gaps and study possibilities) the book is a wonderful journey for the reader even when it is a trying journey for the queen.

There is a lot of content in this book, indeed Chadwick has packed this first section with the same quantity of information you might expect to be in a whole trilogy or at least the first two books. It is therefore safe to say that if you are thinking of reading this book you must be prepared for the long ride. Whilst Chadwick does skip over months, sometimes years, of Alienor’s life, as is her style, it is fair to suggest that this was actually necessary given both the length and nature of Alienor’s life.

Is it worth it? Most definitely. Chadwick is on top form; her characters are written brilliantly, there is a lot of attention to detail and (presuming you enjoy reading about the period) the only dull moments are aptly those moments that Eleanor herself is not enjoying. By including Alienor’s teenage years the author shows how the woman became powerful (in mind and thought), which means that there is all the more time spent on gender expectations too. And it means that Alienor is written as far from infallible meaning that she feels as realistic as she would have been.

Realistic also are the other characters. Even of the ‘negative’ influences in Alienor’s life Chadwick is fair. Louis, who causes a lot of pain, is still portrayed in a good light, which means that the reader can see exactly how monarchs could be manipulated and their good name destroyed by the ambitions of others. Chadwick never strays from this, and so even when Louis is at his worse you can still see where his actions stem from. Even if you can’t quite forgive Louis, because he could have been stronger and resisted some ‘advice’, the book may make you question just how reliable our sources really are.

As acknowledged in the afterword, Chadwick has made use of ‘what ifs’. One such question that has never been answered, the speculation over whether Alienor had an affair or, at the very least, feelings, for one of her countryman, is employed here. The resolution that Chadwick writes may seem convenient but at the same time it is understandable. When you consider the fact that this is an author who likes facts beyond all else, the brief foray into fiction that is neatly tied up so that it is almost detached from the factual content is something to be read without contention.

However it is this relationship that causes the one ‘major’ (in quotes because it is the biggest but far from being off-putting overall) issue of the text – the author’s repeated references to the subtext of Alienor and her lover’s letters and gestures. They touch, it is intimate to them but no one else would notice, they speak, there is a hidden meaning in their words that no one else would notice.

Beyond this there is little to find fault with. One can only wonder how much research must have gone into this book and there is so much information included – shown, not told – that you may finish the book feeling as though you’ve had the most interesting history lesson. The Queen does not stay in France, her progress and journeys are documented at length so that you are provided a brief introduction to various eastern European monarchs and customs.

The Summer Queen is a story of an independently-minded woman learning how to exert that independence when society is against her. It is a story of a woman who defied convention, and a story of partnerships and how equality could lead to good things even when the world did not believe in the notion.

The Summer Queen is as magnificent as any of Alienor’s sumptuous gowns and will delight those who enjoy reading about the medieval period.

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The quest to be her knight in shining (iron) armour.

Publisher: Mira Ink (Harlequin)
Pages: 352
Type: Fiction
Age: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-848-45060-8
First Published: 25th October 2011
Date Reviewed: 6th December 2013
Rating: 3.5/5

To be with Meghan, the new queen of the Iron Kingdom, Ash needs to become human. His traditional faery self will never stand being in the kingdom for long and now he has made an oath to Meghan he cannot break it. There must be a way to gain a soul, and together with Grimalkin, Puck, and the Big Bad Wolf, he is determined to discover the way. He might discover someone, too.

The Iron Knight is the fourth book in The Iron Fey series that is technically a spin-off as the series was satisfactorily completed by The Iron Queen. As a spin-off from a different viewpoint it will likely interest some fans and irritate others.

And it must be said that although the reader already knew that Ash wanted to find a way to be with Meghan, there is a lot in this book that could be considered clutching at straws. There is very much the sense that this book was written to keep the series going when it didn’t need to be, and there are some elements that bare questioning besides the basic reason d’etre.

This may be considered a spoiler but at the same time it must be discussed because of the way it changes everything you have read and believed previously: Kagawa has chosen to bring back a character who had died before the series begun. The reason is obvious – it creates angst, conflict – but it is undeniably unnecessary. And due to the events that occur, the emotions renewed, it ultimately means that the reader may feel short-changed by Ash and Meghan’s relationship; Kagawa, whether deliberately or not, makes a great case for Ash not being with Meghan. Furthering this the end of the book ensures that he pretty much has his cake and eats it – but not in a way that shows immortality, rather it confirms the supposed suggestion that Ash should not be with Meghan. It sets up a situation that no partner wishes their beloved was in, and means that the reader will likely close the book wondering how long Meghan would put up with it if she were a real person.

It must be said that if you’ve found Puck’s constant chatter and stupidity to be annoying previously, this book is not for you. In times of great anguish there is Puck being sarcastic, in times of death there is Puck being disrespectful, and so on. Puck is a constant source of ‘pulling you out’ of the story.

A great deal of the book is reigned by the above three points. But although they continue from beginning to end there comes a point where they are of no consequence.

Kagawa’s skill undeniably lies in the themes she creates, the studies and messages she proposes, no matter whether she follows through on them or not. (A previous example may be found in my discussion post about the use of technology in the series.) In The Iron Knight, this skill is shown in the author’s study of what it means to be human. This section of the book is fantastic – it is thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, and grounding, at the highest level. In order to gain the right to become human it is inevitable that Ash must contempt the meaning of mortality and humanity, indeed if he hadn’t the book wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on for the concepts the reader would want to bestow on Ash. This part of the book is lengthy, Kagawa details so much but not necessarily in the way you would expect. She ‘shows’ in every way, and explores the little things so easy to forget. It of course has the additional effect of making you feel sorry for what Ash will lose before you remember that you yourself will be going through the same, being what Ash wants to be; thus the book has an extra sobering effect. True to form, despite the extremely real impact this part of the book has on the reader, it is still fantastical. In fact this section is more magical and fairy-like than the rest of the book.

Once you’ve been through this section it is difficult not to feel that the rest has been worth it. It may not be in literal terms, but if this section was the swan song of the series then it would practically be a suite.

The ending does lessen the effect a bit. On one hand you could say that Ash’s eventual fate is a peace-offering, on the other hand it can be considered an opportunity wasted. Undoubtedly the overall atmosphere and tone of the series suits the ending Kagawa has written, but many readers affected by the study may feel as though an ending that suited the study would have had a profoundly moving conclusion.

In brief, The Iron Knight is unnecessary as a sequel, and the ‘revived’ character may dampen readers’ feelings in general. However as a study the book is excellent. This is a story that truly has something for everyone however each person must be willing to journey through that which they consider a trial to reach it, and it may not be considered enough of a reward to do so.

And as much as that may be a little off-putting it is irrefutably apt as it is exactly what the characters must do on their quest.

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Where the super-powerful wishes she were normal.

Publisher: Hot Key Books (Bonnier Publishing)
Pages: 272
Type: Fiction
Age: Young Adult
ISBN: 978-1-471-40076-6
First Published: 21st May 2013
Date Reviewed: 1st December 2013
Rating: 1.5/5

Fiona is invisible. Like many people whose ancestors decided to take a drug to stop the possible affects of attacks during the Cold War, she has a super ability, only she can’t turn it off. Sick of being at the beck and call of her father, a crime lord with the ability to charm women into doing whatever he wants, she runs away with her mother and starts to create a new life. But this has happened before, and the new life followed by a return. Can she stop her mother going back to her father this time?

Transparent is an example of an interesting premise badly executed.

The biggest issue is that the book rests on Fiona’s attempt to run away from her father. The issue should be obvious whether you’ve read the book or not – a girl who is invisible should have no problems running away. She may be visible whilst wearing clothes but she’s worn nothing often enough that the reader can’t so much as consider the idea that Fiona has an objection to being naked.

Hot on the heels of this is the fact that Fiona has never seen her reflection but never talks about makeup. The character talks to her friend about dyes being absorbed into her skin after a while (the reader may wonder how this failed given that the dye presumably showed Fiona’s skin for a time) and about how water shows a brief outline. Whilst make-up wouldn’t be perfect – it wouldn’t show her eyes or hair, for example – there is no reason to presume it wouldn’t work. Women wear foundation all the time, it lasts for a while and you can always reapply it. And aside from this, has Fiona never thought to feel her face, to visualise how it must look based on how it feels?

Following this is repulsiveness. Fiona spits on her friend to show the girl how even that is invisible, and whilst Bea encourages the spitting, this doesn’t deter from the fact that it’s rather disgusting, especially given that Fiona creates a big ‘loogie’ for the spitting. (Incidentally there are a couple of words like this that are likely to require an urban dictionary search for most people.) Fiona places small items in her mouth to hide them – the USB sticks she steals, for example – and it’s difficult not to think of how many germs and bacteria she has exposed herself to, especially given that as an invisible girl no doctor would ever be able to give her an injection or operate. To round it off there is a scene in which Fiona picks up a random bottle in a park and fills it with water for later use. She admits it’s disgusting but that doesn’t really do the situation justice.

Whipple’s knowledge of Catholicism is very shaky. She makes Bea’s family fundamental Catholics and uses this as the reason Bea has four siblings – Bea says that as fundamental Catholics her parents don’t use birth control. The problem with this is that in reality the Catholic church accepts natural family planning¹ and when practised correctly the method has a high success rate². In addition to this Bea’s family’s view of the Sabbath is Jewish, not Catholic³ (Bea is not allowed to go swimming for pleasure on Sunday).

Lastly, the writing and inconsistencies. Fiona is always ‘telling’, never ‘showing’. She looks at hands she can’t see, waves at people, and says her brother enjoys watching her cry. She goes to a school in her new town without considering that as someone everyone would notice for not being able to see them, word about her location would get back to her father. The inconsistencies are numerous, the world-building practically non-existent, and the style leaves a lot to be desired in general.

Transparent has a good premise behind it, but doesn’t use it. Fiona rushes back and forth so much that it’s confusing, she expects love and attention but shows nothing of these qualities herself, she treats her weak mother poorly even though she repeats the details about her father’s charm ability, and when the very foundation of the book isn’t credible it’s hard not to wonder if your time wouldn’t be better spent with another.

¹ Religion And Birth Control, Wikipedia, accessed 2nd December 2013. See also Birth Control, Concerned Catholics, 2010. Note that some Catholics believe in the idea purely as a method for spacing children, others that Natural Family Planning is a form of acceptable contraception – neither way has been accounted for in the book.
² Fertility Awareness, Wikipedia, accessed 2nd December 2013.
³ Sabbath In Christianity, Wikipedia, accessed 2nd December 2013.

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Ignorance is bliss until it isn’t.

Publisher: Hogarth (Random House)
Pages: 421
Type: Fiction
Age: Adult
ISBN: 978-0-307-98648-1
First Published: 14th August 2012
Date Reviewed: 26th November 2013
Rating: 4/5

It’s the 1960s and Percival Chen, a Chinaman, is living in Vietnam. He’s the founder of a successful language school but dislikes his adoptive country, remaining loyal to his homeland. As Vietnam turns to war and his son, Dai Jai’s, obedience to him leads to trouble, Percival sends his only child back to China where he will surely flourish. He is Chinese, he will be better off there. But Percival is ignorant of Mao’s Communism, of the darker side of debts as he continues to gamble, of how his continual bribes are seen by others, and as war and a changing Vietnam move ever closer his luck will not stay with him forever.

The Headmaster’s Wager is a fine book that shows off the goodness of tradition, the trouble of following tradition when it is no longer of use, and the awful war of Vietnam. Both frustrating and important, it illustrates how such a clash can be devastating.

First and foremost it would be prudent to discuss the frustrating aspect – Percival. Percival isn’t an anti-hero but he is certainly a character who is impossible to like. He is ignorant by choice, does not listen or care for reason, is impossibly dedicated to money beyond all else, and never really learns his lesson. That is something you should know before you begin the book as Percival is the main character and even the most important other characters are secondary. Percival gets away with a lot and ruins many lives, and he doesn’t even gain anything from it. Whilst the ending will not be explained here, it is unlikely to satisfy many people’s hopes for the character, especially given the meeting between Percival and violent rebel leaders.

If you can get past Percival’s lack of practising what he preaches, an epic historical account awaits you. Lam’s knowledge is evident as is his research and his story is both stunning for its detail and awful for its horror – and, of course, more horrific given his choice to spotlight such a careless person. The book spans from just as the Vietnam war was beginning up to its end as the north took over and renamed Saigon to Ho Chi Minh, so whilst a lot of time is understandably spent delving into Percival’s red packets and bedding women, there is still a lot of historical fact to be had. And Lam shows the plight of women – the female characters in this book do their best to teach Percival of the politics but at the end of the day they are dependent on the will of men to take them to safety.

This will is displayed openly for all to see. Escaping was easy for the Americans as they had interested parties back home, but when it came to the men’s Vietnamese lovers and mixed-race children, many promises were made but few kept. The poor are constantly studied – Lam includes an abominable scene in which starving children are put to death – and whilst China is not the focus for anyone but Percival and Dai Jai’s other relatives, Lam comments on the sad and ironic plight of the rich as Mao took over. Of the fate awaiting mixed-race children, the author is blunt.

Naturally the book includes a study, though minor, of the affect on the east of the conquering west. Percival’s English language school presents the biggest opportunity here, and its place in the story also highlights the way the staunchly patriotic Pervcival became a suspect due to his lack of cooperation when it was decided that every school should teach Vietnamese. This book is about Vietnam, but the perspective is that of the foreigner from start to finish. The Vietnamese get a small look in, but Lam’s study is one of the affects of the war on foreigners – Percival, the Americans, the mixed-race. Thus Lam gives a voice to sections of communities that are often forgotten or less noticed by reports, and by studying foreigners in Vietnam he is in many ways studying foreigners in other times and wars too.

The book is literary with few non-English phrases used. Those that are used are added naturally and the reader won’t be left wondering about meanings. The lack of languages other than English is far from convenient – it fits the plot and characters. Percival prefers English over Vietnamese, only knows so much of the second language, and everyone converses with what he would consider the superior English language. Then there is the fact that foreigners of various countries were going to understand each other better in English. In terms of the writing style it is easy to follow, including times where the narrative is heavy, which makes it a good choice for those wanting history without feeling daunted by the style of prose that often accompanies the subject. Lam’s medical background shows through a little too strongly at times – needles are injected into the ‘intravenous’ in every instance meaning that the author suddenly makes too much of an appearance in the book – and there are a few very modern western phrases that don’t suit the setting, but otherwise it is very good.

The Headmaster’s Wager is a fine book, it is simply the person of Percival that makes it seem to be not as good as it is, because whilst not everyone learns from their mistakes, Percival’s result in events that are so horrific it is hard not to feel that he got the equivalent of a mother’s telling off followed by a chocolate bar for pretending to be sorry. However, given that his inaction allows Lam to further explore the atrocities of the war, maybe thinking of the character is irrelevant.

I received this book for review from Random House.

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