Becky Cleaver, our resident book reviewer, is currently on holiday somewhere in the UK. We don't think she is taking a holiday from reading, though. In fact, we would hazard a guess that she is reading more than ever. However, she has seemingly taken a break from reading "classics" and gone for something a bit more contemporary this time.

"The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks

After spending three years not talking to her dad, the last thing Ronnie wants to do is to spend her whole summer with him and her 10-year-old brother, Jonah. When Ronnie arrives, she is angry and isolated and knows she does not belong here. Ronnie’s father is desperate to make amends with her before it is too late and to spend one last memorable summer with his kids.
As Ronnie becomes more settled into her dad’s way of life, their relationship slowly starts to heal. Ronnie learns to forgive her father and she also learns to fall in love. She realises at the end that being apart from the people she loves isn’t always a bad thing, as only when they are apart does she discover how much she loves and needs them.

This book tells the remarkable story of a broken family who only discover when they are brought together, how much they really do need each other. It is a story of first love, second chances and mainly, learning to forgive one another. My favourite character has to be the father Steve, he is so patient with his daughter and desperately wants their relationship to improve before it is too late. The ending was especially emotional and moving to read but was also totally unexpected. Nicholas Sparks highlights in this book, how important and precious life really is but also how important families are. A very much recommended read, it will not disappoint.
   
ISBN: 978-0-7515-4326-1
First published in Great Britain in 2009 by Sphere, republished in 2010.

Our latest book review courtesy Becky Cleaver is a fact-based historical novel. Rather a different path to take in term of her recent reading material but interesting subject matter non-the-less. We do like Becky's range of reading - it always keeps us guessing as to what will appear on our reviews next !!

"The Tudor Wife" by Emily Purdy

King Henry VIII is well known for having six wives. This book tells the story of the first five, from the quiet but loving Catherine of Aragon to the young and carefree Catherine Howard. Lady Jane Parker, a lady in waiting to Catherine, tells the story. Jane’s heart is set on marrying George Boleyn and she is overjoyed when her dream comes true, only to be disappointed in her marriage when she meets Anne Boleyn, her new sister in law. She watches Anne’s rise to power to become the second queen of England and the jealousy felt towards her begins to grow. When Anne fails to deliver a living male heir, Jane Parker helps in removing Anne from power. Afterwards, Jane watches Henry take three more wives and she must now live forever in regret for what she has done.

The emotions of the characters, Jealousy, Love, Trust and Betrayal felt so real throughout this book, it made the characters come alive in your imagination. Including not only the lives of the most important of Henry’s wives but also the historical detail made the book even more enjoyable to read. It gives you a good insight into the lives people led from the king down to the ladies in waiting. It also explains how people expected so much from each other and if they failed to complete a task they had been set, they would be rejected from their own family.


ISBN: 978-1-84756-194-7
Published by Avon, London, this paperback edition published in 2010.

Well, our reviewer, Becky Cleaver, appears to be "hooked on classics" !!! Her latest read has been a consistent favourite since it was first published, has been the subject of numerous adatations, been turned into plays, musicals and films. So, what did Becky make of this true classic?

"Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.

Oliver Twist is an Orphan who, escaping the workhouse in which he grew up, finds himself in London with no money and nowhere to live. He finds a friend in the Artful Dodger and in Fagin, an old criminal who leads a group of young pickpockets. Now with a job and a place to stay, Oliver’s life seems to be improving with his new friends although the threat of Bill Sikes is enough to make Oliver despair. Out on a pickpocket job, his life is changed for the better when he encounters an upper class gentleman who looks after him when Oliver falls ill. But just when things in Oliver’s life seem changed forever, his past of living with criminals comes back to haunt him and spoils any chance of a happy future.

Dickens uses many ways to keep the reader constantly interested in the book. Firstly, the vast use of description, not only relating to the places that Oliver visits but also when describing the characters themselves, makes the story almost come alive. As you read, you can easily picture yourself amongst the characters and their lives in London. Secondly, the chapters are not always telling Oliver’s. They vary - and also include a look into the lives of Bill Sikes, Nancy, and Fagin and in contrast to them, some upper class people of society, Rose and Mr Brownlow. When reading Dickens, you get to see in depth, the difference in living standards and livelihoods between the two opposing ends of society.

I enjoyed reading this classic because although the story of Oliver Twist is a long one, there were many unexpected complications that kept me interested. It is also a very moving read. Oliver never seems to have much luck in his life. However, I also felt that some of the chapters were, at times, slightly drawn-out and also some were very similar. For example when Oliver gets taken in by Mr Brownlow and then later by Rose, I felt that some of these chapters contained very much the same content which wasn’t as interesting to read. 

ISBN: 978-0-00-735088-9.
Collins Classics, this edition published in 2010.

With each new generation, the "classics" of fiction are re-discovered and either enjoyed or not, as the case may be !! Our young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has just been reading one of the "classics". A new area of literary delight for her, we thought she should give it a go.......and we really hope she wasn't disappointed. Having suggested a couple of authors for her to "have a go at", Becky decided she would give "Little Women" a try. So, what did she think of it?

“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott.

Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are the four March sisters whose life stories are told within this book. The sisters are Meg, the eldest, dreams of finding a loving husband and of having a family of her own. Jo, the wild child, whose greatest dream is to become a writer (and only achieves this by setting off into the world and experiencing things she hadn’t anticipated, enjoying the change from home). Beth, the quiet child who enjoys the peaceful life found at home with their loving mother and who also enjoys her music. And Amy, the youngest, a talented artist who discovers herself when she is taken abroad by their Great Aunt. Holding the family together is their loving mother, who helps her children through the many problems of life uncovered as the sisters grow from children into young women.

I discovered when reading “Little Women” that it can only be described as a timeless classic. It is a book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, though I think it probably appeals more to women as it is based on their way of looking at life. One of the things I liked most is the sense of determination that is evident in the four girls. They are all willing to grow up and succeed in life but when faced with problems, they don’t turn from them but are willing to learn from their mistakes and their problems and try and make themselves better people. The other thing I liked when reading it, was the sense of appreciation the women felt towards their family members, each of them are grateful for the little they have because they know they are loved by their family and that is enough for them. I would recommend you read this book in one go because as the sister’s stories develop, you become committed to the story. You truly want to know whether or not the sisters achieve their dreams. A top read.

ISBN: 0-19-283434-7
First issued as World’s Classics paperback 1994

ULoveBooks.com reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been busy reading new material during her holiday break. Hopefully, she liked it rather better than the last book she read !!!

"The Memory Keeper’s Daughter" by Kim Edwards.

Everyone has secrets. David’s secret will lead to devastating consequences if ever it is revealed. When Dr David Henry delivers his wife’s twins, his life afterwards is forever changed. His daughter is born with Down’s syndrome. Believing he is doing the best thing, his wife is told that their daughter died and a good friend raises their daughter.
Norah, his wife, is distraught about her lost child. Although she has her son to comfort her, she is unable to let go of “what could have been” if their daughter had lived. The loss slowly causes a rift in David’s family as neither can be truly comforted and over time they grow apart. Their marriage becomes broken beyond repair.
Alongside David’s story is that of his daughter. How she grows up and how she is accepted into the world.
Everyone has secrets. But they can’t be kept forever. David’s secret is about to be told and affect everyone involved……

The main message that becomes clear throughout this book is the potential consequences of secrets and how by keeping them from certain people, even if you think it is best, this does not always produce the best option. David is my favourite character - he is willing to sacrifice his daughter to minimise the amount of grief felt by the family and is forever trying to protect them. He protects Norah from the grief and loss she feels over losing a child and his remaining son Paul from the problems of growing up. Although he always believes he is doing what is best, he is slowly losing control and only magnifies the misery. Something I liked about this book is that because it is set in the 1960’s, you get a sense of how people with Down’s syndrome were treated then, compared with today. Overall, the book can only be described as a captivating read. It not only keeps you guessing but, draws you into the story. It draws you into the complicated lives of two families and truly describes the suffering that occurs when secrets are kept from loved ones. 

ISBN: 978-0-141-03014-2
First published in Great Britain by Penguin books in 2007

Well, it is a welcome return to reading books and writing reviews for our resident reviewer, Becky Cleaver. Enjoying her holidays at the moment, she has been investigating some new fiction. What did she think of her latest literary adventure? Read on.....

"The Dream House" by Rachel Hore.

Kate is happily married with two children. Living in London, with a job she enjoys, she still feels like something is missing for her. Kate decides she wants the family to move to the country to raise the two children. When they all move down to Suffolk to stay temporarily with Simon’s mother, she believes her idea of a dream house in the country is finally coming true.

Months pass and, although no dream house has been found, Kate is finally settling into a more laid back and peaceful life. But what starts out as perfect is soon put under pressure. Simon is still working in London and seems unable to give up his work there and fully commit to the countryside and when she finds out he is having an affair, their marriage hits rock bottom. Agnes, an elderly neighbour, is there to comfort Kate and she soon comes to realise that the troubles of Agnes’s past echo the troubles in her own life. There is also a realisation that following your dreams can lead to unwanted consequences.

For me, there were good and bad points about this book. The good points were that it was a very emotional read. You see the struggle of one woman trying to find a better life for herself and her family. The many problems that Kate endures from marriage to divorce and from happiness to bitterness are all very recognisable in our everyday lives. Lastly, the fact that you get an insight into Agnes’s past which you soon come to realise is similar to Kate’s in many ways. However, for me there were a few problems with the book as well. Firstly this book is 466 pages long and yet when I finished it, I felt like there was not enough of a story to it. Although you had flashbacks of Agnes’s life and you have Kate and her family’s story, not enough happened to leave me fully satisfied. Finally, although there were a few twists that were totally unexpected, about halfway through the book, the ending was getting easier and easier to predict.

ISBN: 1-4165-1099-0
First published in Great Britain by Pocket Books UK, 2006

Well, since the Vampires "flew the nest", we've been waiting to see what sort of book might appeal to our reviewer, Becky Cleaver next. Romance was the subject of the last outing but now, it seems, Becky is back to Crime Fiction and the first in the of the "Rebus" series by Ian Rankin. Do we "detect" a new trend in Becky's reading choice? Here's what she thought:

"Knots and Crosses" by Ian Rankin.

Knots and Crosses introduces Detective Sergeant John Rebus. Before joining the police in Edinburgh, John’s past is very much a mystery. Although him being in the Army is common knowledge, the reason he left remains a well-kept secret.
Edinburgh is believed by its residents to be a safe city with little violence. So when three girls are abducted and later found dead, people look to the police to solve the crime. Rebus is one of the police officers involved in hunting the killer but, with no clues and no suspects, the outcome is looking hopeless. When the case becomes personal and Rebus’s daughter is abducted, John realises he is going to have to step back into his past to solve the future. To help him are four anonymous letters, each containing a critical statement and either a knotted thread or a matchstick cross as clues.

One thing Ian Rankin makes clear in this book is something that I liked because, simply, it’s true. That is that your past actions create the person you are and that these previous actions or events affect you future life. The mystery of Rebus’s past is one of the main themes in this book and this was partly what kept me interested because I wanted to know what had been so terrible for him. The constant feeling of dread and frustration, not only as more girls disappear but as the case goes on unsolved keeps you glued to the page. As the case becomes more complex you do get drawn into it and feel like you need to know the final outcome and the identity of the murderer. The only downside is that, although the book contains three different stories (all interlinked), when you consider the size of the book, I didn’t think there was enough to keep you fully interested. So if you are into crime and punishment books, give this book a go, if not, maybe this isn’t the best book to read.

ISBN: 0-75287-718-6
Published in paperback in 1998 by Orion Books Ltd.

Apparently, Becky Cleaver's latest read is definately "one for the ladies". Becky assures us that she is reading books at a rate of knots at the moment so, we are anticipating that the reviews will be coming through with even more frequency for the next couple of months. Great news if you need some inspiration for a holiday read!!

"The Watchman’s Daughter" by Alexandra Connor

Kate Shaw’s life has never been easy. Although she lives in one of Preston’s poorest streets, she feels lucky to have such a loving family, from her disabled brother to her loving parents. It is only as Kate starts to grow up that she sees the cracks in her perfect life.
Her father, the nightwatchman for the Albert Edward docks, is a struggling alcoholic and on more than one occasion, Kate must do his shift for him without being discovered to save her father from being sacked. Her uncle is embroiled in a long-lasting feud with Robin Wells, a cruel cheating businessman who will stop at nothing to ruin the Shaw’s as a family. When Kate falls in love with Andrew, an upper class man who many believe is too good for Kate, she believes her unsettled life will be replaced for a happy one. With plans to marry, it is only too soon before tragedy strikes and Kate becomes separated from the man she loves and must now find a way to get back to him.

I loved this book. I have read a few of Alexandra Connor’s books, but this one has to be one of the best. It shows the determination of one person, who is so set on saving her family, the patience with her brother, the love for her family and Andrew and pity for her father. And that is why Kate is my favourite character. She is willing to sacrifice everything, her future and her reputation to save her much-loved family. Another key aspect in this book are the different levels in society and how the upper and lower classes rarely seem to mix as one seems to believe they are better than the others. That is until Kate and Andrew fall in love. The plot has many unexpected twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy complicated love stories. It will probably appeal mainly to women as the main character is female and it relates more to the problems women face in life. I think it may put off some male readers. Passion, secrets, heartbreak and sacrifice, 4 words that summarise this book, which I found was a fantastic read.

ISBN: 978-0-7553-2376-0
First published in paperback in 2008 by HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP.

Well, the vampires have flown away for the moment and book worm, Becky Cleaver, is on to "pastures new". This time, its a welcome return to Romance......we're sure she is a complete romantic! Her passion for books is equally strong, though, and she is reading at a rate that we can barely keep up with!! Here's what she thought of the latest book:

"Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks

In the two weeks that John and Savannah share, they fall in love. Savannah is a Christian from a horse ranch from Lenoir. John is from Wilmington, a schoolboy rebel who tries to better himself by entering the army. When Savannah comes to Wilmington on a volunteer project, John learns the true meaning of love.

When John has to return to Army duty, he believes his relationship with Savannah will hold strong and in 2 years, they will be able to get married and spend the rest of their lived together. What neither of them expected was the 9/11 attacks, which causes John to stay in the army for at least another 4 years. The separation puts a strain on their relationship and over time, it starts to fall about. Only when Savannah writes to him saying she has met someone else does John realise how much she means to him. But, he has left it too late.

This has got to be one of the best books I have read in a long time. When I started reading this book, I found it very hard to put down. It truly moves you as you read more and more. There are so many different emotions portrayed by the characters and they really draw you in and keep you gripped until the last page. You realise how hopeless the relationship between the characters is, you see the struggles that John has not just with the army but also with his dad and how Savannah changes him, as a character. “Torn apart by fate, bound together by love.” – That is one of the first statements that you read on the cover of the book and it is the perfect summary. To really appreciate this book, I would recommend reading it in one go.

Give this book a try as once you have read it, I don’t think you will forget it.

ISBN: 978-0-7515-4188-5
First published in Great Britain in 2006 by Sphere, reprinted again in 2010.

Well, it looks as though the vampire books are coming to an end (for the moment!). Our reviewer, Becky Cleaver, seems to have had mixed feelings about the series and we hope she hasn't developed a taste for blood as a result of reading these books!! So, what did she think of this episode?

"Burned" by P.C and Kristen Cast

After being defeated by Kalona in "Tempted", Zoey’s soul was shattered into the "otherworld", a place between the living and the dead. The longer Zoey remains separated from her soul, the less of a chance there is in restoring her back into her body.
Her newly pledged warrior, Stark, must now cross into the Otherworld and restore Zoey’s soul. But to achieve this, Zoey must let go of her memories of Heath, her now dead human boyfriend, which is something she is unwilling to do.
Stevie Rae has now taken Zoey’s place as high priestess back in the living world and never realised how many problems come attached to the job. She has decided to keep her enemies even closer to her than her friends, by bonding with the Raven Mocker who she saved in the last book. When there is a chance that her fledglings will find out, serious complications arise.

Throughout the rest of the series, it has been quite clear that Zoey is the main character as it is telling the story of how her life has changed. However, in this book, each of the other main characters (Stark, Stevie Rae, Zoey, Aphrodite) are of equal importantance. Each one has their own individual story that gets woven into the main storyline. This book highlights that it is the decisions and the choices made by the group as a whole, that allows them to succeed. Again, like the others, it contains a large amount of action and emotions felt by the characters. One of the good things about this book was the fact that it now gave you a chance to read from the point of the ‘bad guy’, Kalona, as well as all the ‘good guys’. I still have to slightly agree with previous comments I have made about these books - that the idea of good always triumphing over evil, is kind of getting a little bit repetitive and boring. As there are going to be at least 4 other books to this series, I don’t know how much further this story can be developed.

ISBN: 978-0-905654-81-9
First published in Great Britain in 2010 by ATOM.



We may be wrong but, we think its probably time for Becky to move on from "blood-sucking" fiction!!!!

The insatiable appetite of our reviewer, Becky Cleaver, for the vampire series "House of Night" continues!! Here's what she had to say about the latest instalment:

"Tempted" by P.C and Kristen Cast

The last thing Zoey needs is her best friend, Stevie Rae keeping secrets from her. Stevie Rae believes she is doing the best thing when it comes to the red fledglings like her but when some decide that they don’t want turn away from Darkness; it has serious repurcussions for Stevie Rae and those connected to her. Stevie Rae has also saved a raven mocker, the son of Kalona and someone who is a direct enemy to all vampires and who is now in her debt for saving his life.
Zoey has her own problems, too. Although she banished Kalona and Neferet from Tulsa, they have gone to Italy to seek council with the Vampire High Council, while Aphrodite has a vision of a fiery hell if Kalona succeeds in winning the council onto his side. Zoey must now face her biggest challenge so far; fly to Italy and use her past connections with Kalona to try and stop him forever.

The ending of this book really moved me, as it wasn’t the normal happy ending that is present in the other books. The one thing about these books that I enjoy is that the ending normally leaves you with so many unsolved problems and questions that you feel like you have to read the next one to find out the answers. Tempted includes many unanswered questions and one major problem which I am sure is going to be the main theme for the next book. Tempted is different from the other book so far, as it not on gives you a perspective on Zoey but also offers you Stevie Rae’s, Stark's and bad guy Rephaim's. I enjoyed this as it gave you many people’s views on the same issues.

ISBN: 978-1-905654-58-1
First published in Great Britain in 2009 by ATOM

Well, the Vampire "fest" continues. Our reviewer, Becky Cleaver has been busy catching up with the rest of the "House of Night" series and her reviews will be published here over the next few days. Apparently, the appeal of the vampire genre is lessening so, after this series of reviews, we anticipate some very different reading material.

"Hunted" by P.C and Kristen Cast

Zoey’s week couldn’t get any worse. The evil fallen angel Kalona and high priestess Neferet are out to fight a war against humanity. First they take over the House of Night and then Kalona turns his attention to going after Zoey, which only angers Neferet further as she believes Kalona is hers. Kalona believes Zoey is a reincarnation of a maiden he once loved but in the end trapped him for over a thousand years,
Naturally, Zoey is once again suffering from guy trouble. A chance for her to make up with old boyfriend Erik seems like a good idea at the time, until Stark, a fledgling vampire who died in her arms is reincarnated for Neferet’s uses. Only Zoey can make him see the truth behind Neferet and save him from the Darkness, while also trying to save the world.

In this book Zoey not only just escapes death but also has to face her greatest fears with only her faith in her friends and her Goddess to guide her. You truly get an insight into the meaning of friendship and how Zoey and her friend’s relationships are ultimately put to the test. As with most books, truth and goodness triumph over deceit and darkness. I think the only thing that I would have to say is starting to annoy me with this series, is the amount of guys that are interested in Zoey. It just seems that in every book, she needs to have at least three guys chasing her! For the first few books, it was ok but now it is kind of predictable and repetitive. However, they did manage to end this book better than some of the others, although Zoey’s enemies are still around, for now they are temporarily defeated and the world is safe.

First published in Great Britain in 2009 by ATOM
ISBN: 978-1-907410-15-4

Well, it certainly hasn't been a case of "once bitten, twice shy" for our reviewer, Becky Cleaver. Vampire books are definately her cup of tea!! Here, Becky reviews the fourth book in the "House of Night" series. So, was it better than the last book?

"Untamed" by P.C and Kristen Cast

A week ago, Zoey had a group of loyal friends and 3 boyfriends. Now, she has lost everyone. Once her enemy, Aphrodite is showing signs of becoming Zoey’s only friend through this troublesome time. It seems that only Aphrodite and best friend Stevie Rae, who died and was then reborn, are the only 2 people that still believe in Zoey and therefore remain loyal to her.
But now is not the time for Zoey to make herself isolated. 2 visions of her death come to light and if one of them comes true, there could be serious consequences. Zoey is the only one able to lead her friends in fighting the ultimate evil that is about to the released. This evil comes in the form of a fallen angel out for revenge, named Kalona and who has become the latest ally to Neferet (Zoey’s mentor and high priestess at the House of Night and so therefore thought by many as a good person). Friendships are about to be put the test, as the battle of good verses evil is about to begin.

The story and plot reall start to darken in this book and things become more mysterious. Zoey as a character develops a lot through the book. At the beginning she is alone and you realise how vulnerable she is to the evil all around her and then you feel sorry for her as she tries to mend her broken friendships and still face everyday problems. The fact that the evil is only released at the very end of the book keeps you interested. I found I really wanted to know how Zoey was going to deal with yet another problem. Another good aspect of this book is that it ends with so many unanswered questions; you feel that you have to go on and read the following book to find out the answers. I believe that this book is a real improvement on the previous one and that once you have read it, you will definately want to read more.

First published in Great Britain in 2009 by Atom.
ISBN: 978-1-907410-14-7

Our latest review covers the third in the "House of Night" series. So far our reviewer, Becky Cleaver, seems to be enjoying her foray into the "dark side". You could say she has been bitten by the vampire bug! Ha. ha. So, what did Becky think of the latest instalment?

"Chosen" By P.C. and Kristen Cast

Things are not going well for Zoey. Not only must she lie about her best friend being dead but also her first birthday celebrated at the House of Night is one that she would prefer not to remember. She also still has the problem with her three boyfriends, as she is still unable to decide which one is best for her.
As it happens her best friend Stevie Rae isn’t dead. After her body rejected the change to becoming a vampire, her soul died with her. Yet her body was saved and now Stevie Rae has been brought back as an undead and disturbed vampire/creature who is struggling to hold on to whatever little humanity she has left. Only Zoey can save her, but to do this she must regain the trust of her friends, which is easier said than done.

After reading the first two books, I was expecting something more than what "Chosen" has to offer. Again, like the other books, it is an original take on how vampires could live. This book contains a much darker story than the other two, with more than one death taking place and more mystery as it seems that only Zoey can truly see the problems linked with the House of Night. Although it answered some of the questions from the end of the last book, for me it didn’t contain enough of a story to keep me interested, compared to the other books. One of the good things about this book though, would have to be the ending, it shows you how isolated Zoey has become and what she must now do to try and win her friends back.

First published by Atom in Great Britain in 2009.
ISBN: 978-0-907410-13-0

Becky Cleaver has been visiting the "House of Night" series for the second time. We're not sure why books about vampires are so popular at the moment (although they have never entirely dropped out of fashion) but we are interested to see what Becky thought of the second book in the series. A review of the third volume in the series will be posted in the next couple of days too.

"Betrayed" by P.C. and Kristen Cast

Zoey has now been at the House of Night for a month, she has a loyal group of friends and she is finally coming to terms with the powers that her Goddess has granted her. Her biggest problem now would be her 3 boyfriends, all offering her different attributes.
When human teenagers start to go missing, not only are they people that Zoey knew from her previous life but also when the bodies are discovered all evidence of murder point to a vampire attack. Zoey experiences ’Feelings’ regarding each disappearance. She knows that the bodies are going to be discovered but her feelings tell her that the person will be dead. When her feelings become true, Zoey know that she has to put a stop to whatever is killing these people. With her powers to help her, she believes she can finally end this. Only when she discovers the identity of the murderer, does she believe that she may have been wrong and that she has placed herself in serious danger.

Again, like "Marked", this book is captivating and really draws you in to the story. The emotions felt within "Marked" are deepened, as friendships and loyalties are put to the test and a complex love triangle begins. "Betrayed" contains a complicated story with many twists that will keep you entertained until the last pages. Although, "Betrayed" doesn’t end on a cliffhanger like the first book, it leaves you with many unanswered questions about the future of Zoey and her group of friends that will leave you wanting to read more. Another excellent read.

ISBN: 978-1-907410-12-3
First published in Great Britain in 2009 by Atom

It's back to the blood-sucking vampires for our reviewer, Becky Cleaver. We have no doubt that reading the "House of Night" series is far more entertaining than swotting for exams!! What did Becky think of the first book in the series?

"Marked" by P.C and Kristen Cast

The House of Night is known for one thing, taking in marked children and teaching them to become full-grown adults. When 16-year-old Zoey gets marked she has a choice, she can accept that her old life must now be replaced with a life at the House of Night, or she can reject the change and her body will slowly die. She accepts her best option; she must now leave her friends and her family and start her new life.
Zoey finds settling into a new school easy, with a new group of friends to help her; she starts to enjoy her new life. But things aren’t what they seem within the school and it seems that the Goddess that Zoey now has to worship has special plans for her. But there is a problem, if she fails, she may die.

The House of Night wasn’t what I was expecting. When I started the book, I wasn’t sure whether or not I would enjoy it. But in my opinion, you have to give this book a chance. After the first couple of chapters, the story starts to really develop and becomes captivating. The descriptions not only of the vampires, but also the school and the rituals that take place are such that they kept me wanting to read me. The emotions felt by Zoey, from feeling betrayed by her mum to finally feeling acceptance for what she is makes you feel sorry for this character and makes you feel like you want her to succeed. For me, I think this book would make a excellent read for younger adults and teenagers, the characters involved are teenagers themselves so teenage readers may be able to relate better to some of the problems that Zoey has to face to finally become excepted.

First published in Great Britain in 2009 by Atom
ISBN: 978-0-7088-6625-2

Our intrepid bookworm, Becky Cleaver has found some time in between revising for exams to produce another review. This time, she has returned to the historical romance genre to gain inspiration. So, how was her latest read?

"A Time Like No Other" by Audrey Howard

Lally Fraser is only 20 years old when she becomes a widow. With two sons to support and large debts from her husband, she finds herself struggling. When an old friend of her husband, Roly Sinclair, a Yorkshire mill owner offers her the attention she has been deprived of, she gratefully turns to him for comfort. But when Roly leaves for America on business, she discovers she is pregnant and with no one else to turn to, she goes to Roly’s older brother Harry, who has always been secretly in love with her. Harry marries she to save her reputation and hopes that in the future she will come to love him as he loves her. When Harry becomes injured, Lally must do everything she can to protect her husband’s mills. But when Roly returns from America and discovers the truth about his child, the life that Lally has come to love is threatened once more by the scandal that Roly is willing to share with the world.

This story had so many unexpected twists to the plot that this alone kept me gripped to the very end. It is a story of so many contrasting feelings of hope and betrayal, love and hate. The best character for me had to be Lally. She has lost so much at the start of the book, but further in you realise how loyal she is to her husband and that she is full of determination not to be beaten by her brother in law. A book I would recommend you make time to read in one go as you may feel, like me, that once you start you are unable to stop!

ISBN: 978-1-444-70075-6
First published in Great Britain in 2007

Top Bestsellers of 2010

With summer just around the corner, many peoples thoughts are turning towards their holiday reading material. If you have a passion for reading, are facing a long flight or (especially in light of the sporadic volcanic ash interruptions) possible long delays, or if you just want something to chill out and read on the beach, then you will want to know the Top Bestsellers of 2010.

Crime Fiction

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets` Nest", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "The Girl Who Played with Fire"

Perhaps this would not normally be any particular readers first choice of category, but it is hard to ignore Stieg Larsson`s trilogy of crime novels that have taken the literary world by storm. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets` Nest", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "The Girl Who Played with Fire" are fast paced books which focus on the character of Lisbeth Salander, a sociopathic computer hacker and investigator. The series has been hailed as the `most original` ever and the heroine is "likable and realistic". The only regret people seem to have had when reading these books, is finishing them, as sadly the author has passed away.

Diet and Food Books

"The Dukan Diet"

French women are effortlessly elegant and enviously skinny and this books tells you how you can be too. Regarded as the hub that started the `protein Thursdays` Thursday craze in France, (whereby on Thursdays you eat virtually nothing bar meat) this diet book will talk you through a 4-step programme to fight fat. The book is easy to read and written in an informal tone. The book has become an international best seller and has even been hailed by some as the possible solution to the world obesity crisis.

Jamie Does...

Jamie Oliver is back with a book that accompanies his current TV series. Journey with Jamie through six different countries, celebrating their local cuisine Oliver style! Branch out in the kitchen and try dishes with a Moroccan, Greek or Swedish twist, all illustrated with beautiful photographs.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

"Breaking Dawn" (Twilight Saga)

Largely regarded as teen fiction, this sexy vampire book has hooked a whole load of adult fans along the way. Following a highly success movie adaptation the Twilight Saga franchise is growing from strength to strength. Written by Stephenie Meyer, delve into the world of tortured lovers Bella and Edward, daubed the `Romeo & Juliet` of `Vampires and Werewolves`.

E-Books

If you love books but want to read them on the go, then get yourself one of these handy laptops and get reading! Popular e-books come in all shapes, sizes and categories (but thankfully will all adjust to your screen size!). Choose form popular titles such as Burn The Fat - A Complete Fat Burning System Based on The Secret Techniques of The World`s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models, or learn Fat Loss Secrets with Dr Suzanne Gudakunst. Explore your Personal Path to Pregnancy, learn Make Women Laugh or read The Earthbound Series – there really is something for everyone.

Well, it looks as though our ace young book reviewer, Becky Cleaver is having to temporarily suspend reading books purely for pleasure. Coursework and revision are taking an increasing toll and something has to give!! We wish Becky all the very best with her forthcoming exams. We are quite sure she will get out of them what she wants to.
Becky has sent us a final review. This time it is a book that we have reviewed before on ULoveBooks.com. So, what did she think of it? Find out now:

"No Time For Goodbye" by Linwood Barclay.

After having an argument with your parents the night before, to discover the next morning that your whole family has disappeared without a trace, is enough to confuse anyone yet this is exactly what happens to Cynthia. So what happened to them, are they still alive? If so, why haven’t they got in touch?

Cynthia has had to live with these unanswered questions since that unforgettable night and she now wants some answers. After some prank calls, she begins to give up hope until an anonymous letter shows up at her house, telling her that her family forgives her. Cynthia is desperate to know the truth about why her family choose to abandon her, yet as her marriage is put under strain and people connected with her past are conveniently murdered, before any well kept secrets can be revealed, Cynthia starts to wonder whether stirring up the past was really the best decision.

One of things I liked most about this book was the fact that apart from the first chapter, which is told from Cynthia’s point of view, the rest of the book is told by Terry, her husband, which was good because it gives you someone else’s emotions and a different perspective on things. Linwood Barclay achieves the genuine conveyance of real feelings of desperation and in, Cynthia’s case, moments of insanity. He makes you feel sorry for her because of her past and in my case it made me want to complete the book. A complex story, complete with an unexpected ending that will keep you gripped to the last page.

ISBN: 978-0-7528-9368-6
Published in 2008 by Orion Books Ltd.

It seems the inhabitants of Devon are a literary lot! We have been in touch with Peter Chapman, another Devon based author about his book "The 65th".
If you like your books to be a bit "different", this unusual volume appears to be hard to categorise. Set in the "near future", the action takes place in "The Badlands", a lawless rural backwater on the coast of North Devon. We haven't had a chance to read the book yet but, we like the sound of it!!

If you would like to find out more ahead of our review (it will hopefully follow in the near future), you can read the first few pages and buy a copy online on the author's website. Should you read it before us, please let us know what you think of it (or submit a review).

Just a couple of "blog posts" ago, we mentioned the debut novel by Devon author, Lee Austin, called "Fortune's Child". Lee was good enough to provide ULoveBooks.com with a review copy and our super-keen reviewer, Becky Cleaver has already read it. Whilst Becky initially didn't seem overly keen on the fact that it was a science fiction novel, ultimately, she seemed to really enjoy it.
You can order "Fortune's Child" from ULoveBooks.com now - see our "Paperback Fiction" page.
Anyway, here are Becky's thoughts:

"Fortune’s Child" by Lee Austin

“Fortune’s Child” tells the story of a group of friends, and as the story develops it shows the true meaning of friendship and how people rely on each other through the good and the bad. One of the things I liked most about this book was the fact that it is based in Devon. When reading it, I was easily able to relate to the places mentioned.

Lucas Fortune is abandoned as a child to Peregrine house, a children’s home run by Mrs Fisher. He doesn’t know anything about his past, his parents or why he was left here. When Lucas and his friends all start to experience the same bizarre dream, they realise that their lives are going to be affected in some way. When each of them starts demonstrating strange powers, Lucas and his friends know that they are no longer be safe at Peregrine House and that they have been given these powers for a reason. To find the solution, they have to listen to the strange voice that calls to Lucas, for it may be that this strange voice can be the only one that can give them the safety they are desperately seeking.

Fortune’s Child was a strange yet very gripping book. It captures the attention of the reader and makes you want to find out the ending. Whether or not Lucas and his friends find what they are looking for. It’s strange in a good way and it’s different from other books, which is why I think I found it so good. I would definitely recommend that you give this book a chance. Once you start reading it, you may find you aren’t able to stop.

Published in 2010 in Great Britain by Lulu.com
ISBN: 978-1-4452-6168-3

If you are keen on the age of steam and also a reader of books, we have news of a brand new title that may be of interest. "The Tiverton Museum Railway Collection" by Amyas Crump is an extremely interesting volume. Published to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the "Tivvy Bumper" locomotive - a full size former GWR locomotive that once operated on the now defunct branch lines to the Mid-Devon town of Tiverton.
Mr Crump's book contains plans, photographs and documents from the Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life and private collections along with excellent commentary by Crump. Of particular interest are the excerpts from the notebook used by the engineer responsible for the building of the Exe Valley Railway. The notebook is, along with the "Tivvy Bumper" itself, an exhibit in the museum but examination of it in this detail has never before been an option for railway enthusiasts. We would highly recommend the books to anyone interested in railway or local history. Priced at £10.00, the book is published by Kevin Robertson under the Noodle Books imprint and is available from Tiverton Museum and selected booksellers.
We understand that all proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated by Mr Crump to the Tiverton Museum - a worthy cause and well worth a visit if you are ever in Mid Devon. ULoveBooks.com will be offering a signed copy of the book soon - so look out for the listing!!

Well, our intrepid book reviewer, Becky Cleaver, ran out of books to read this week !! Tempted to return to her father's stash of Clive Cussler thrillers, she decided that she had read enough of them and went in search of new material. What did she find? Here is her latest review:

"Freedom’s Land" by Anna Jacobs.

Norah’s life hasn’t been easy. After her husband dies in WW1, she loses her job and struggles to support herself and her daughter. Andrew’s wife has died and he wants to start a new life with his two sons.

The Australian government are offering a free piece of land to farm to all ex-servicemen. However, this scheme is only being offered to families, so for Andrew to move to Australia, he must first find himself a wife. Brought together by a friend, Andrew and Norah decide to marry even though they barely know each other and the children are wary of each other. For Janie has never had to share Norah before, so she sees Andrew and his boys as a threat.
Australia offers them little of what they were promised, they are given land which first they must clear and prepare themselves. Norah and Andrew have to learn to rely on each other facing these new challenges and when nature threatens to take everything away from them, it is only then that they realise how lucky they are to have found each other.

Freedom’s Land is an remarkable tale of disappointment, struggles and determination. The strong use of emotions felt from many of the characters quickly draws you into the story and captivates you, making you want to read more. My favourite character has to be Norah because as her character develops, she shows how determined a woman can be. To try and make a better life for her and her daughter by giving up everything she knows, to move across the world with a man she hardly knows, starting her new life with a marriage of convenience, she continually amazes me. This book is an amazing and somewhat addictive read and one that I would recommend.


ISBN: 978-1-444-70575-1
First published in paperback in 2009.

Young fans of Science Fiction will, no doubt, be pleased to hear that local Devon author, Lee Austin, has just published a novel called "Fortune's Child". Inspired by his own love of the genre and the fact that he remembers a distinct lack of Sci-Fi aimed at young readers during his youth, Lee decided to write his own novel.
We understand that the book is set locally in Exeter and on Dartmoor so, Lee hopes that it will particularly appeal to readers in the South West of England. The plot centres around Lucas Fortune, a 12-year-old orphan who tries to unravel the mystery surrounding his parents. Lucas himself possesses unique powers and is spoken to by a strange voice via his dreams. We have been in touch with Lee and are hoping to bring further news of the book and, maybe, a review at some stage in the near future. If you would like to know more in the meantime, you will find Lee's website of interest.
Happy reading!

So, when you read a book that has also hit the "silver screen" as a film, do you normally prefer the book or the film version? Most of us appear to have an opinion on this subject. Indeed, we have seen some pretty fierce arguments over which is prefered. Our intrepid book reviewer, Becky Cleaver has just finished a book that has also been made into a film - what were her thoughts on this popular work? Find out now:

"Chocolat" by Joanne Harris.

Lansquenet, a small village in France. A village, that takes religion and the idea of Lent very seriously. When strangers, Vianne Rocher and her daughter Anouk come to Lansquenet, Father Reynaud sees them as an immediate threat.
Tension between Vianne and Reynaud escalates into a war as lent begins and Vianne opens a chocolate shop. Reynaud does everything in his power to ‘protect his congregation’ from the danger of giving in to chocolate and breaking Lent traditions.
Vianne offers the people of Lansquenet a place to come to share problems, make friends and achieve your most secret dreams. Reynaud sees her as someone who will corrupt the people of Lansquenet with her weird ways and believes he is the only one who can stop her.

Joanne Harris gives the reader an insight to the life of a small French town, the humour and the challenges met by individual people going about their everyday lives. One good thing about this book is the way that alternative chapters are told by both Vianne and Reynaud which gives the different prospective of the two different sides. However, in my opinion, Chocolat wasn’t what I would call a gripping book. Although it contained large amounts of humour, for me it didn’t contain enough of a storyline to keep the reader interested. Also, the book didn’t end in the way I imagined.  The book contained many small different storylines within the book and when it ended, I felt like some of these weren’t completed.

ISBN: 0-552-99893-1
This edition published by Black Swan in 2000. Originally published by Doubleday in 1999.

Guess she didn't like it as much as the film, then?

We at ULoveBooks.com really appreciate feedback. It isn't that we only want positive comments, rather that we welcome any feedback from the purchases of our books. Feedback helps us to provide the titles and service that our will keep our customers coming back. Unfortunately, you book lovers seem to be a reserved bunch (no offence intended) and we very rarely receive comments on transactions. It is, therefore, rather nice to have received an e-mail in the last couple of days from one of our recent book buyers. We publish it here in it's entirety:


"The book I ordered (Crafts of the Countryside) arrived today. It is fantastic. I'm currently curator of the museum in Market Lavington where the author E. J. Stowe lived and worked (he was headmaster of the village school). It seemed to me that this was a book we should have in the collection and I already spot various mentions of local craftsmen. Thanks very much for the efficient, prompt and courteous way in which you have operated.

Best wishes

R. F."

After a brief exchange of e-mails. R. F. was kind enough to add the following comments as well:

"I really was pleased with the service and book. I might add that your copy worked out much cheaper than either of two others I found on line and it seemed to me your description of condition sounded honest - you didn't puff it up as being pristine."

We would like to thank R. F. very much for allowing us to use the comments on our website. If any readers are interested in museums, the Market Lavington Museum website is well worth a look (as we are sure the museum itself is too!!).

Apologies for "blowing our own trumpet" - but, if we don't, we doubt anyone else will! Please keep sending us feedback - positive or negative. Your opinions are always welcome.

Romance......it seems to be quite relevant for the new "spring" season (though we wish the weather was rather more spring-like!!). Our keen young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has obviously been inspired to read another romance. Was this book to her liking? Find out here:

"Tomorrow’s Memories" by Audrey Howard.

Sally Grimshaw has only ever known how to be the landlady of the Grimshaw Arms, a respectable Inn that she has lived in her entire life. When her brother gambles away the inn to Richard Keene, she now can either serve Keene or turn away from her pub and start a new life.
Sally starts to rely upon a friend, Adam Cooper. On arriving at his home with the idea of becoming his housekeeper, she is shocked when she discovers that what he really wants is for her to be his wife.

Through his proposal, Sally learns to be loved by someone who comes to realise too late how much he really needs her. For when a person from Adam’s past threatens the happiness of his new life with Sally, only then does Sally learn the true meaning of lost love and betrayal.
Sally’s happy life is shattered and is replaced with misery and despair. But she soon realises what she has lost and that she must fight for the life that she lost and the people that she loves.

This book is a typical romantic novel, including a complicated love story with many unexpected twists. I loved this book. I found that once I had started I wasn’t able to stop myself as the vast amount of description and emotions kept my attention until the last page.
The one thing I would have to say was bad about it was the beginning. For me, it included too much description about the inn itself and how it was run. It was only when more of the main characters were introduced that the story started to improve.

Our prolific reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been raiding her father's bookshelves for thrillers again! What did she think of this one? Read on........

"Vixen 03" by Clive Cussler.

In January 1954 Major Vylander and his team are assigned a top-secret mission over the South Pacific. When none of the crew or transport plane Vixen 3 can be found, it is believed that they were lost at sea. However, Vixen 3 mission was classified as top secret because the plane was carrying a lethal substance, a quick death virus, capable of wiping out millions of lives.
In 1988, this lost substance comes back to haunt the world and there is only one man who can stop it. Dirk Pitt.  Someone who has to overcome the many problems involved with stopping this deadly substance. Because he knows the consequences, was he to fail.
The book flips between two very different stories, Dirk’s being the dominant one but the second is on a civil war that is brewing in South Africa

For me, Vixen 3 was an ok book compared to other books written by Clive Cussler.  Throughout the book, I didn’t feel that there was enough of a storyline to keep the reader fully entertained and also that there were too many characters, it made me confused sometimes. The best part for me had to be the ending as it was probably the only part of the book that includes a lot action and suspense, which would keep the reader interested.

ISBN: 978-0-7515-0589-4
First published in Great Britain in 1978. Republished three times in 2009.

Our intrepid book reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been sampling thrillers again. So what did she think of this slightly "different" thriller?

"The Cleaner" by Brett Battles.

Jonathan Quinn is ‘The Cleaner’.  Someone who disposes of bodies or unwanted evidence. But his latest job will change everything for him as secrets from his past will come back to haunt him.

One simple job. To investigate a mysterious death. But when some of his colleagues from ‘The Office’ get assassinated, Quinn knows he has got himself into something a lot more complicated. Quinn now has only two people he can rely on, his assistant Nate and Orlando, someone from his past who isn’t as willing to assist Quinn to crack the case. Somehow, Quinn has to find out why someone wants him killed and whether it is linked to something bigger, a case that is about to take place in Berlin and threatens a large group of people.

Brett Battles’s book contains everything a good thriller should include. Secrecy, betrayal, revenge, car chases and a story that will keep you entertained throughout the whole book.
The one bad thing I would have to say about this book is that although the story is good, I was expecting it to have a brilliant ending. For me, the cleaner doesn’t have this. Throughout the book, the storyline becomes more dramatic and you expect an ending that is of the same quality. In my opinion, the last few chapters should complete a story but for me, the cleaner doesn’t do this.

ISBN: 978-1-84809-007-1
First published in the UK by Preface Publishing in 2008.

Becky Cleaver, our avid young reviewer, has been busy once again. This time, she has been reading a book that we lent her and have read ourselves; "ODD THOMAS" by Dean Koontz. We thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it absolutely riveting. A great read that was really different and very captivating - what you might call a "page-turner". What did Becky think of it ? Read on to find out:

"Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz.

How do you go about solving a murder in just one day?

When Odd Thomas is given this task, many problems stand in his way. He discovers the main suspect dead in his flat and realises this case is far more complicated than he first thought. Odd is nervous. He wants to protect his town, his girlfriend and everyone he knows from something he doesn’t even know if he can stop from happening.
Odd, though, has a secret. He has a ‘sixth sense’, which lets him see people who have died and he believes that this might just be the help he needs to solve the murder. He knows that time is working against him. The book starts on August 14th. The murder is set for August 15th. Odd has less than 24 hours to solve the case.

For the entire book to be based around just one day makes it an unusual but gripping read. Unexpected events continually appear throughout the whole book, which is what made me feel that once I started reading it, I wasn’t able to put it down. After finishing it, I believe it is one of the best crime/murder books I have ever read. It is different from your normal murder/crime novels, which is why I think that it is one book everyone should read.

Well, our superb young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, is back amongst the romances again. We feel there may be an emerging theme here!! Though we are sure Becky will put us right. The latest offering is:

"Ferney" by James Long.

Ferney contains a love story that evades time itself, a love affair like no other.
This book contains a very complex and to start with, confusing story but after a couple of chapters you find you are not able to put it down as you want to unlock the secrets behind this love story, A very appealing read.

Mike and Gally are a typical happily married couple. Yet Gally is restless. She wishes to move away from the city to somewhere deep within the countryside. When they find the ideal little cottage deep in Somerset, they believe they now have everything they could ever want.

Everything is perfect in their new house, until the meet Ferney, an old man who seems to know the entire history of Gally’s new house. As she gets to know him, Gally soon realises that there is a connection between them, though they have only just met. Haven’t they?

Ferney has a secret, something he has had to live with for over fifty years. Gally is at the heart of this secret which Ferney has to make her understand before he dies. He has to make her understand their relationship, something that has been tested against time and even death itself…

ISBN: 978-0-7515-3885-4
First published in 1998 by HarperCollins Publishers, this edition published in 2008 by Sphere.

Becky Cleaver, our avid young reader and reviewer has been busy once again. This time she has been reading:

"Before I Die" by Jenny Downham.

This book really highlights the good points of being alive and making the most out of your life. It shows you a mixture of emotions, the fear of dying to the happiness of being alive. It’s a truly moving novel, one that I believe you shouldn’t miss reading.

Tessa is only sixteen when she is told that she has only a few more months to live. She’s dying from cancer and so when she is told this news, she wants to make the most of the time she has left.

She makes a list, ten things she wants to do with her best friend. But getting the things you want most in life isn’t always easy and can sometimes end in trouble. Unexpected events can sometimes become the most important. Ten things. Tessa wants them all done before she feels ready enough to die. Learn to drive, Get her parents back together, fall in love, But the clock is working against her and Tessa soon has to make the most important decision of all…

ISBN: 978-1-862-30487-1
First published in Great Britain by David Fickling Books in 2007.

We wouldn't wish to make anyone part with their book collection. In fact, we hope most people keep adding to theirs!! However, there comes a time in most people's collection when the volume of books just becomes too difficult to cope with and something has to give. Or maybe a new collecting or reading subject becomes the order of the day. So how do you dispose of those titles that are now surplus to requirements? There are lots of choices. Sell to a book dealer like us, give them to charity shops or friends and relatives, recycle them, swap them, sell them via the internet or the classifieds. Most of us plump for a mixture of solutions. If you want your surplus books to help both charity and the environment and you live in either the Exeter or Brighton areas, you should be getting in touch with Book-Cycle. We love this idea and the philosophy behind it. New, innovative and deserving of your support........well, we believe so anyway! We wish the project the best of luck for the future.

Our keen young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, obviously liked her first taste of Clive Cussler as she has been reading another of his thrillers. You can read her review below. Becky tells us that she has had enough of reading thrillers and crime fiction now so who knows what she will be reviewing next !! Here are her thoughts on "Plague Ship":

"Plague Ship" by Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul.

The Oregon is a ship like no other. The outside appearance is that of a rundown ship while inside it is fitted out with the latest technology that helps it complete the many missions the Oregon and its crew are sent on.

After completing its latest mission the captain, Cabrillo, is set on taking it easy. His plans change when they come across, what looks to be a deserted cruise ship. On further inspection, Cabrillo discovers that the ship isn’t deserted. Dead bodies are found covering the deck and there are many more inside the ship. Only one person has survived and Cabrillo risks his own life to see that this person is saved.

Cabrillo then sets his team the task of finding out the truth behind the mystery. It takes him to many countries to discover what he is up against. A rivalry group with deadly plans that they believe can save the human race. But can Cabrillo stop them? Time is running out…

A gripping book filled with action and suspense. It’s the kind of book that keeps you engrossed until the very last page. I would recommend you to read it, when you do, you may find you won’t be able to stop.

Published in 2008 by BCA, An imprint of penguin books.

Our prolific young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been reading another thriller. All of a sudden, her dad's book shelves seem to be providing plenty of new material !! No doubt it makes a change from having her nose buried in textbooks. What did she think of her latest read ? Find out now:

"Tunnel Rats" by Stephen Leather.

How can you solve a crime when you must first face your biggest fear? Nick Wright is a detective stuck in this impossible situation.

Two deaths. One on Bangkok the other in London. The only thing linking these two murders is a simple playing card, the ace of spades.
Nick Wright is one of the officers trying to crack this unusual double killing. Any suspects linked to this case mysteriously seem to die before they can be of any help. Nick has to travel Vietnam to find the answers he desperately is looking for. He must discover the history of the Tunnel Rats, the people who fought the most dangerous war against the Vietcong down in the Vietnam tunnels. But when the murder count starts to rise, his discoveries put him in grave danger, as the killer is willing to protect the secrets of the past at whatever cost…

I believe "Tunnel Rats" contained everything a thriller book should contain, secrets, deceit and revenge. Stephen Leather’s many descriptions of the conditions in the Vietnam tunnels captures the imagination of the reader and helps you to picture in your mind, what they may have been like for the soldiers who used them.
The only downside to this book for me was that I felt that there were too many characters, mainly policemen involved. It made it hard for me to remember the differences between each of them.

First published in Great Britain in 1997. This edition published in 2005 by Hodder and Stoughton.
ISBN:0-340-68954-4

Becky Cleaver's exams are over and, true to form, she's back reading fiction again !! Here is her latest review (not an author she would normally choose it has to be said):

"The Chase" by Clive Cussler

In April 1950, a rusting steam engine is brought to the surface of the Montana Lake. Inside, there are the remains of four bodies who died 45 years ago. The Chase tells the story of how this event came about.

Its 1906 and the Butcher Bandit is at large, robbing banks and taking the lives of many people who could be used as witnesses against him. He does this, without showing any kind of regret or remorse and after each robbery, he simply vanishes into thin air.
Isaac Bell, a detective that never fails in completing any case is brought in to deal with the Butcher Bandit. But he has never had this much of a challenge before. For not only is there any evidence left to follow, but time is working against Bell because he knows soon the Bandit can and will strike again. Bell’s journey takes him from one side of America to the other, only to find that he has been outwitted yet again. Yet, through each failure, Bell learns a little more about how the bandit thinks and believes he may just be able to catch him. But, soon the tables are turned. Now Bell must use all of his skill to stay alive as the Bandit becomes increasingly dangerous as Bell becomes the Bandit’s next target.

As this is the first book I have ever read by Clive Cussler, I was doubtful whether I would actually enjoy it because I normally don’t really read crime novels. However, I surprised myself by enjoying it. It is the kind of book that will keep you engrossed until the very last pages…

This edition was published in 2007 by BCA by arrangement with Penguin Group.

A very Happy New Year to all our customers and friends!!

Becky Cleaver has sent ULoveBooks.com her first book review of 2010. Another example of Becky's varied taste:

"The Elephant Whisperer" by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence.

Lawrence Anthony is the owner of game reserve called Thula Thula, situated in South Africa. When he was asked to adopt a herd of elephants, in his mind he wanted to refuse. However, Lawrence was the herd’s only chance for survival, if he turned them down, they would be killed. Before they were moved, the elephants escaped from their old home and the matriarch and her baby were shot. When the rest of the herd arrived in Thula Thula, they were in shock and were angry.

This true story tells you about one man trying to make a difference. Lawrence believed that if he could get the herd to bond with just one person, he believed he would be able to save them from being killed by poachers or park rangers. This book shows you the aim of one man who wasn’t going to give up and throughout his struggle to succeed in what he believed in, he learnt valuable lessons about loyalty and freedom from the elephants themselves.

For me, this book was a very moving read and you learn from it the harsh reality of life, that bad things can really happen even when you are trying your hardest to do the right thing. I think this book would appeal to anyone, as it is a truly inspiring and unforgettable read.

ULoveBooks.com would like to wish all their customers a Very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. We hope to continue providing you with the books you want at prices you are pleased to pay.
 

Our young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has just sent us her final review of 2009. We would like to say a very big THANK YOU to Becky for her superb reviews. Taking the time to share her thoughts on whatever she reads is quite a commitment.
Please don't forget that ULoveBooks welcomes reviews from anyone - and regarding books on any subject. Why not share your latest reading experience? Simply submit your review together with a Jpeg photograph of the front cover to mail@ulovebooks.com. We look forward to publishing your review !
Anyway, back to Becky's latest read. This time it is a classic:

"Persuasion" by Jane Austen

Persuasion is the last finished novel by Jane Austen. My favourite quote from the book is ‘There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison’. It truly shows the amount of emotion, especially love that can be felt between two people.

I can’t really tell you a lot about this book without giving away the whole story. It’s about two people Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth and how, at a young age, they fall in love and get engaged. When a friend persuades Anne that this is a bad match, she breaks off the engagement and breaks the young man’s heart. Eight years later, they meet again but Frederick still feels resentment towards Anne. Both have received attention from other people and it is only after so many years, they realise how much love they felt for each other. But has too much time passed? Have their characters changed too greatly? And is happiness about to escape them again…

The book shows how people can regret the actions that they may take. It also shows how people truly view each other and how opinions can change depending on the decisions they take.

I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. And I would recommend it anyone. If you give this book a chance, it can really capture your imagination and make you want to find out how the love story ends.

Our thanks to Becky Cleaver for yet another book review. She really is a star !! Her latest review is here:

"The Adoption" by Dave Hill

The Adoption tells the story of one family and the changes that have to be made when a new family member joins them. This is a moving story that gives you a good idea of how much of a struggle parenthood can really be at times. A novel that makes one message very clear, the type of childhood and family people have, make them the kind of person they are in later life.

Jane is a happily married woman with three children. After longing for a child that nature fails to give her, Jane and her husband decide to adopt. But Jody isn’t what they were expecting. When Jody first arrives into their household, quiet and withdrawn into her own world, not only do Jane and Darren have to balance looking after their own three children but now have to make Jody will feel excepted as one of the family. But looking after Jody isn’t as simple as it should be, Jane soon realises that Jody’s past is something of a mystery. How can she care for someone that has been abandoned and now doesn’t want to enjoy life?

I wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy this book when I first started reading it. After a few chapters, however, it captured my attention. It really did demonstrate the range of emotions that can be felt by one person very well. And it was this which made me want to finish the book to find out how it ended.

First published in 2006 by HEADLINE BOOK PUBLISHING.
ISBN: 0-7553-2632-6

Becky Cleaver's latest review:

"Rose Alley" by Audrey Howard.

‘Rich or Poor, you can’t escape your destiny’

Rose Alley is one of Liverpool’s worst slums and living within it, a dodgy neighbourhood. This is where Queenie is trying to raise her child Gillyflower. Queenie only wants the best for Gilly but without a good education, society can be cruel. Queenie dreams that one day Gilly will make her proud, go to a good school, run her own shop and marry her sweetheart Jem.

But dreams don’t always become reality. Fate interferes with Gilly’s life and changes her destiny. When the charm’s of one of the richest young men catches Gilly’s eye, Jem now must fight for the woman he loves. An enemy from Gilly’s past is determined to ruin her future and everything she is trying to achieve. Gilly must now decide what path in life she is going to take and accept the consequences that comes with it…

Rose Alley tells the story of a complicated love triangle but also a story of loss, hatred and acceptance. As I had never read Audrey Howard before this, I found I really enjoyed the way she wrote and found this book really gripping to read, as each chapter is different in revealing the unexpected.

First published in Great Britain in 2006 by Hodder and Stoughton.
ISBN: 978-0-340-92137-1

"The Butterfly Box" by Santa Montefiore.

This moving book tells the story of one girl whose life is turned upside down when her father leaves. The story captures your imagination from the contrast of the hot country of Chile to the cold edges of England.

Federica Campione loves her father more than anyone else. Although Ramon is a traveller, each time he returns, her attention turns to only him. One day, he presents her with the butterfly box, something that will stay with her throughout the entire story.
When Ramon and Helen’s marriage breaks down, Frederica and her brother Hal are forced to move away from their home in Chile and move back to Helen’s home in Cornwall. The only link Frederica has with her father is the butterfly box and the memories it contains. In Cornwall, she meets the Appleby family and soon becomes friends with Molly and Hester. But she also begins to fall in love with Sam, the Appleby’s oldest son.
As the years go by, Federica feels alone and insecure. She marries the controlling Torquil Jenson and takes her years of being unhappily married to escape the prison that is now her life. Sam realises the one person he actually has ever loved may be lost to him forever and Federica finally learns the true lesson held within the butterfly box…

A story of an old fashioned romance that you can really enjoy within the depths of this book’s pages. A very enjoyable read.

Young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been busy again. Two reviews from Becky this time. First is a recommendation from us and second is a contrasting choice by Becky herself:

"Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman

Richard Mayhew has everything he needs, a job, a home and a fiancé. After one simple act of kindness, he gets the opportunity to experience what lies beneath the streets of London Above, a parallel city like no other. For here is a place for the people who have fallen through the cracks. A city dominated by monsters, murderers, angels and saints.

Richard Mayhew must help his companion, Door, to unlock the mystery that led to her family being murdered. But there are many obstacles standing in their way. A mysterious employer sends Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar, both murderers and evil beings, on the trail of Door and Richard. The Marquis of Carabas and the Angel Islington, are they beings that Richard and Door can truly trust? Only after all the secrets have been discovered, is there any chance that Richard can return to London Above and the life that he once took for granted…

Neverwhere transports the reader to another world. By naming two of the characters, Angel Islington and Old Bailey after places located within London, is something that I liked about the book, as it made sure that the book always had some link to London itself. Neil Gaiman uses a wide range of description, which captures the reader’s imagination and keeps you entertained until the very last page. A top read.

First published in Great Britain in 1996 by BBC Books. First published in paperback in Great Britain in 2000.
ISBN: 978-0-7553-2280-0

Young book reviewer Becky Cleaver has been busy once again. This time, she has been engrossed in a volume by the author of "The Horse Whisperer":

"The Divide" by Nicholas Evans.

Nobody can change the past. Nobody can change past decisions. Nobody can change the consequences…

Ben and Sarah were a happily married couple, with two children. When Ben decides to leave his family for another women, all four people realise that nothing will ever be as it once was. Nobody believed that anything else could destroy them as much as Ben’s decision to leave.

So when Abbie’s life is turned upside down again for being wanted for a murder and acts of terrorism that she didn’t commit, not only must she now leave her broken family but also the life she once enjoyed living. Ben and Sarah must now put aside their differences to help their child.
When Abbie’s body is discovered in the ice of a remote mountain creek, their lives once again are changed, as their devastation for their loss is indescribable. All they want to know now is how Abbie died and what events took place before her death to lead her so dreadfully astray…

The divide takes you on a journey of emotions, from betrayal to forgiveness, from love to loss. This book takes you from the busy streets of New York to the green spacious lands of the West.
It tells an unforgettable story of how much pain we can inflict on our loved ones even if we think we are doing the right thing and how after making one wrong decision, how the people left behind can suffer for a very long time afterwards.
I would recommend this book as I found it an amazing read.

First published in Great Britain in 2005 by Bantam Press.
This paperback edition published in 2006 by Time Warner Books.
ISBN: 0-7515-3934-1

Becky has been busy again (between studies, of course!). Here is her latest review:

"City of the Beasts" by Isabel Allande.

Alex Cold doesn’t think his life could get any worse. When his mother has to go into hospital, Alex is sent to stay with grandmother Kate, an old reporter who only enjoys drinking and smoking to pass the time.

When Kate is sent on the trail of a story into the depths of the Amazon rainforest, instead of changing her plans, she decides to take Alex along with her. Joining Kate on her expedition, are two photographers, a scientist, two translators, Nadia a translator’s daughter, six soldiers and a doctor. Once in the Amazon, it’s not long before strange events start to take place. Stories start to reach the small party of local Indians nicknamed The People of the Mist, believed to be very dangerous and able to control beasts that that can kill you before you even see them.

As these beasts kill some of the soldiers, Alex and Nadia try to find out the truth. Not only are they kidnapped by the People of the Mist, they also come face to face with these legendary beasts. Alex and Nadia soon realise that the stories told about these creatures aren’t completely true, only told to help protect the People of the Mist. For they are the ones in real danger and Alex and Nadia must complete two tasks to try and save them before its too late…

City of the Beasts tells a story of an adventure like no other. Although, the story could be interesting at times and also included an ending that I wasn’t expecting, I felt that sometimes, it didn’t feel like much was happening. With the book containing over 400 pages, I felt that the book should have included a more gripping storyline to keep the reader fully interested.

On a rather less light-hearted subject, this review looks at a non-fiction volume recording events just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War:


"Voyage of the Damned" by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts.


Truth is often stranger than fiction and this book really does make you wonder! The book tells the harrowing story of 937 Jews who left Hamburg harbour on 13th May, 1939 aboard the luxury liner St Louis. The ship was one of the last to leave Nazi Germany prior to the outbreak of World War Two. Some of the Jewish passengers had already been in concentration camps and they all believed that they had bought valid visas to enter Cuba. "Voyage of the Damned" charts the journey of the ship as it became a pawn of the Nazi propaganda machine and the victim of cold-blooded corruption.

Not a cheery subject possibly but it certainly is interesting. Much of the material for the book was from first hand accounts of those who were on the ship. It provides a rather unique perspective of the almost unbelievable experiences people went through during the Second World War, experiences that modern generations in Western Europe would be unable to endure I suspect. Read it only when you are feeling good about life - but, do read it!


"Voyage of the Damned" first published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1974.
Our copy published in paperback by Coronet Books in 1976.

Time for one of our own reviews!

"Duma Key" by Stephen King.

A psychological horror by the king of the genre (no pun intended), "Duma Key" was a recent holiday read. Having read quite a few of King's books in the past ("The Stand" still being one of my favourites) but, not quite being a seasoned fan I was recommended "Duma Key" by my brother. The book tells the story of Edgar Freemantle, self-made construction company owner. Freemantle is badly injured in a freak accident and suffers physically and mentally as a result. He decides to rent a beach house on Duma Key, Florida to recuperate. Reviving an old hobby of sketching to aid his recovery, quickly becomes almost an obsession - an obsession with dark overtones in his new location.

What struck me about the book was the major development as King as a writer. The book was less "raw" than older novels, the characters more developed and the shocks less gory (though no less effective for it at all). King has always produced horror that is difficult to put down and this book was no different. I managed to read it in just three days even though it is quite large. Quite how King keeps uncovering subjects that pick at everyone's deepest fears, I don't know but, I guess that is why he is a successful author of horror fiction and I am not!!! I would certainly recommend "Duma Key" to anyone.

Here is Becky Cleaver's second review for today - we hope you find it interesting:


"The Icemark Chronicles" by Stuart Hill

The Cry of the Icemark starts with the story of fourteen-year-old Thirrin Lindenshield. After her father, the king, is killed in battle, the role of defending her country now falls to her. Her small country is about to be invaded by one of the largest armies her country has ever faced, led by a fearsome general from the south. The only way she can survive this war is by making allies with vampires, Wolf-folk and giant snow leopards. However, her most important ally and friend is Oskan, someone who she soon realises she can’t live without. After a ferocious battle, Thirrin leads her army to victory and the Icemark lives in peace.

Blade of Fire is based 20 years after the Icemark defeated the general from the south. He is out for revenge and once again, marches on the Icemark. Thirrin, Oskan and their five determined children now once again, march to war. But not all of the royal children are ready. Medea, has inherited her fathers gift of sight but instead of following in her father’s footsteps and using it to help, she meddles with the darkness of it and starts poisoning the family. Sharley, the youngest and child can’t take part in the war and so is exiled with the civilians to the far south of the country. But it is foretold that he will return to the Icemark with a blade of fire. Can Sharley really live up to this prophecy?

Last Battle of the Icemark tells the story of Medea. After her father banishes her to the spirit world, Medea is out for revenge and wants to punish the people that were once her family. She allies herself with the leader of the spirit world and together they create an army of restless souls and demons, with only one purpose, to destroy. This time the Icemark and its allies must once again march to war to cleanse the land of the creations from the darkness. But it is in this final book that Oskan plays the main part, as it is only him that can destroy Medea once and for all. But does he have it in him to kill the daughter that he once loved?

The first two books tell a remarkable story of how powerful the true meaning of friendship can be. The wide use of description captures the reader’s attention as you can visualize the allies and large battle scenes. Although the last book completes any unfinished storylines, I didn’t really enjoy it as much. It mainly just contained the problem of war that I felt had already been done in enough detail in the first two books so was hoping for a different story in the last one to really bring the chronicles to an end.
 
Cry of the Icemark ISBN: 1-904442-60-9,
First published in Great Britain in 2005
Blade of Fire ISBN: 1-904442-88-9
First published in Great Britain in 2006
Last battle of the Icemark ISBN: 978-0-905294-70-1
First published in Great Britain in 2008

The first of two book reviews being posted today from our young reviewer, Becky Cleaver. It sounds as though Becky has been reading even more quickly than usual in anticipation of an imminent return to college and some slightly less appealing reading material. Hope all goes well, Becky.

Here's Becky's first review:

"Connections" by Sheila O’Flanagan

White Sands is a holiday resort located in the Caribbean. With plenty of sun, sea and sand, many find this a place to go to relax and forget their troubles.
Corinne is a thriller-writer. After coming to White Sands with writers block, so soon realises that the people staying within the hotel have given her plenty of storylines for next book. Jennifer has come to the resort to get married, the weather is gorgeous and she has the man of her dreams. Only when an unexpected guest turns up does she realise that her wedding day could go from perfect to disastrous. Aidan is celebrating his anniversary with his wife but after being married for twenty-five years, he begins to wonder if his marriage is worth really saving. Rudy arrives for a rare holiday with his son, but his ex-wife isn’t very happy with him when she finds out where he has gone. Isobel has never been lucky with love. After walking away from her wedding day and a Spanish relationship, she comes to the Caribbean to forget her troubles. Its only when her past catches up with her, does she realise that the man she once loved, may have moved on with his life.

Connections is a very comical but touching read, as for each chapter you don’t know what to expect next. Through the interweaving stories you get an experience of the different situations within one holiday resort and how people’s lives are changed by the different choices that they may have to make.

First published in 2007 by Headline Review.
ISBN: 978-0-7553-2345-6

Our intrepid young reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has had a slight change of direction with her latest read. Delving into non-fiction for the first time (in terms of reviews at least). This is a book that we have also read and enjoyed:

"The Map that changed the World" by Simon Winchester.

"The Map that changed the World" tells the true story of William Smith, someone who was never rich or well connected but who had a love for fossils, rocks and geology in general.

His love for geology took him all over the country and it is after much studying that he decided to map the geology that makes up Britain as a country. His creation made him one of the most important people during the nineteenth century and his finds in geology were remarkable.

However, the years leading up to this creation being completed are hard and William suffered greatly. People that once supported his findings by donating large amounts of money became jealous and started to steal his earlier work, passing it off as theirs. His wife slowly turned mad and William found himself struggling for money, which later led him to the debtor’s prison.

Simon Winchester tells the story of William Smith through findings in history and through parts of Williams’s diary. It shows the struggles that can be faced by one man for over twenty years, the history of geology itself and the different levels of English society during the nineteenth century.

More importantly it shows how one man achieved his aim that was nearly taken from him due to so many problems and how William Smith produced the map that changed the way people viewed Britain forever.

ISBN: 0-140-28039-1
First published by Viking in 2001, also published by Penguin in 2002.

Our prolific reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been to the library again......and, as usual, has found the time to provide us with a synopsis of her latest read;

"The Story of Stone" by N.M.Browne

A book that tells two stories that interlink through one stone.
Nela’s father is a findsman, someone who dedicates their life to unlocking the secrets of the past. When he finds an unusual black stone, he thinks that the discovery made is very important but it is just a stone. However, when Nela touches it, memories are revealed of another life that occurred many years before.
This life contains Jerret, a chief’s son who strives to make his father proud. His family are the most important people to him, so when one of his brothers becomes ill, he changes the future by kidnapping a dark daughter of the night, someone who contains the power to heal any illness. Jerret kidnaps this person even though he is unaware that she is the owner of the black stone and it is her memories that are what Nela can feel.
Nela soon begins to realise that the feelings of power and love that are contained within the stone, can be linked to her life in many ways and makes her think that is was maybe fate that brought her and the stone together.

The story of stone tells the struggles and problems that all people are faced with throughout life and how lives can be affected from the choices those people make.

It is an unusual and gripping fantasy based story and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

ISBN: 0-7475-7702-1
Published in Great Britain in 2005 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

As many people in the UK will already know (but a lot of people outside the UK won't), the Royal Mail is currently the subject of National strike action. So far, this does not seem to have had too much effect on the service we provide to our customers........but, that may change. With this in mind, we would appreciate it if customers could let us know when ordering (or preferably before) if their order is time sensitive. That will allow us to investigate alternative postal services or make other arrangements.

The latest book review from Becky Cleaver looks at "ALIS" by Naomi Rich. Seems that Becky is finding plenty of time to read on the bus (and we're very grateful).


"ALIS" by Naomi Rich.

‘Is love worth fighting for?’

Alis is just 15 when her parents come to her and tell her she is going to be married. Her new husband is their local minister and is over 40 years old. She is terrified about the marriage and whether it should even be allowed to take place.
She escapes her past by running away, firstly to another village where she meets Luke, a person who helps her to find the freedom that she has always wanted.  But when problems start to occur, once again Alis must flee, going to the city to find refuge with her lost brother. The city is dangerous and full of suffering and only memories of Luke can ease Alis’s pain.
So when news reaches her that Luke has died, Alis must make a decision. But will the decision she chooses be the right one, or does it have fatal consequences for everyone she has ever loved.

ALIS tells the story of trust and betrayal, the distress of a girl who has to choose between obedience and the freedom that she longs for. Naomi Rich emotionally draws the reader into the book and moves you deeply as you realise the amount of suffering that is faced by one girl.

ISBN: 978-1-84270-693-0
First printed in 2007 by Anderson Press Limited.

Apparently our avid young reader, Becky Cleaver, is now ploughing her way through the 'Teenage' and 'Horror' sections of Exeter Public Library!! At the rate she devours books, we can't help feeling that isn't going to take long. Anyway, here is her latest review:
 
"The Fearful" by Keith Gray.

‘For those who want to believe, no proof is needed. But for those who can’t believe, no evidence is enough’.

The legend of Moutonby town is that in 1699, William Milmullen and five of his pupils visited Lake Mou. William claimed that on that day, a creature rose out of the water and devoured the boys. A group of people at the time believed him and called themselves the Fearful.
Ever since the tragedy, the Milmullen family has protected the town. Tim is next in line to become the Mourner, the person who leads the Fearful and who can apparently keep this creature at peace. Tim wishes he knew whether or not the creature really existed or whether the creature is just a myth. However, if the creature is real, then according to legend, Tim is the only one who can stop the creature from killing again. But will Tim accept the job that has been laid out for him? Or does he wish that he could just make his own way in life…

The Fearful tells an unsettling and mysterious fantasy of old legends and terrifying creatures. It can be quite disturbing at times and includes an ending you might be expecting. However, if you enjoy dark and unexplained stories, I would recommend this book.

ISBN: 978-0-099-45656-8
Published in Great Britain by the Bodley Head in 2005, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.

Our ace reviewer, Becky Cleaver, has been busy reading again. Thistime, a chiller that will keep you turning the pages.....

"The Vanished" by Celia Rees

‘Don’t go down into the woods today’. A warning told to every child, as mysterious things happen within the woods that can never be explained.
Fraser, Cassie and Jake run the school newspaper and gather together wierd stories from friends and teachers about unexpected incidents. All mention disturbing stories of children going missing and seven hidden steps that lead to a decaying underworld. Most stories also include information about a child called Billy, yet nobody knows where he lives or what he has to do with the incidents. All these stories are connected by the warnings of the wood. But many believe they are just that, stories, created as something to scare each other. This is until Jake’s sister goes missing…

A gripping storyline with a frightening atmosphere that is present throughout the whole book. A book with many unexpected twists and a very interesting read overall.

ISBN: 978-1-407110-60-8
First published in the UK by Scholastic Ltd in 1997.
Republished by Marion Lloyd Books in 2009.

In spite of having plenty of college work to be getting on with, our young reviewer, Becky Cleaver has managed to provide some words on her latest read:

"Eve and her Sisters" by Rita Bradshaw

Three sisters, Eve, Nell and Mary live in comfort knowing that they are part of a loving family. When a mining accident kills the only family they have left, the three sisters realise that now all they have are each other. A kind neighbour takes them in. However, they soon have to leave after his affections for Mary become clear. After trying to find work and failing, it looks like Nell and Mary are destined for the workhouse. This is before a young innkeeper called Caleb Travis takes pity on them.
Eve is forever grateful towards Caleb for employing them and soon starts to fall in love with him. However, Caleb only has eyes for Mary and soon Eve feels she has to leave before it gets too painful for her. Only once she has gone does Caleb realise that the person he has always loved has left him, maybe for good. But will he able to win Eve back before its too late?

Eve and her Sisters tells the story of love and betrayal, hope and regret. It shows how one life can be changed by so many emotions and how hard you have to try to achieve what you want. A love story with many twists throughout.

First published in 2008 by BCA by arrangement with HEADLINE PUBLISHING.
ISBN: NOT LISTED.

Becky Cleaver has been busy reading once again. Here, she shares her opinion on "The Other Hand" by Chris Cleave.

"The Other Hand" by Chris Cleave

Two women. One happily married with a little boy, the other a refugee from Nigeria. On a sunny day on a beach in Nigeria, both are brought together and they lives will never be the same again. This day haunts them both for two years, filling them both with regret and remorse. The story starts two years after this day where both women meet again. The story provides flash backs to tell you how they first meet and how one of them had to make a terrible choice. It tells you the story of how these two women have to get to know each other and how they both realise that they have become dependant on the support from the other person.

The Other Hand tells the story of trust and betrayal, life and death and shows how people can struggle to survive after terrible choices that they have had to make. Although the story was exciting and unpredictable, the story has two narrators, which sometimes made it confusing about who was speaking. Though once you have read this book, you won’t forget the powerful story that this book contains.

First published in Great Britain in 2008 by spectre. Published in paperback in 2009.
ISBN: 978-0-340-96342-5

Yes, young reader Becky Cleaver has completed another volume:

"Marley and Me" by John Grogan

"Marley and Me" tells the story of a young married couple, John and Jenny Grogan. They decide to buy an adorable puppy to complete their happy lifestyle but what they got was Marley, an excitable and hyperactive puppy. They soon realise that the energetic Marley has invaded the peaceful lifestyle they once shared. Banished from obedience school, he soon deserves the title of world’s worst dog.

Yet, when the Grogan family continues to grow, Marley quickly adapts to many of the changes made. His family quickly come to realise that devotion comes in many different forms and that their bond with Marley will never be broken, even when they are at their wits end with his behaviour.

First published in Great Britain in 2006 by Hodder and Stoughton in paperback.

Young reader, Becky Cleaver has been busy again. This time she has had her nose buried in a classic that we think every young person should read:

"The Diary Of A Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Anne Frank and her family went into hiding in July 1942 when the Jews started to become targeted by the Nazi’s. Whilst in hiding, Anne kept a diary and wrote many letters to Kitty, an imaginary friend who she could always confess her greatest fears and hopes to. "The Diary of a Young Girl" contains the letters that Anne Frank wrote for the two years that she was confined in the Secret Annexe. They describe the food shortages, the frustrations of living in a confined space and the fear of being discovered.

Anne’s diary became the most important thing in her life, as when she was older, she wanted to become a writer. The last letter is dated Tuesday 1^st August 1994. Three days later, her family were discovered and she was separated from her parents and taken to Bergen–Belson concentration camp, where she died in March 1945.

This book tells the moving story of eight people and how their lives were forever changed by the Holocaust. Although Anne was just a teenager when she died, she achieved her dream of becoming a famous writer though the contents of her diary. I would recommend this book because it tells the true-life story of the emotions felt by an extraordinary teenage girl.

First published in Great Britain in 1997 by Viking but republished in 2002 by Puffin Books.

ISBN:-0-14-131518-0

Prolific young reader, Becky Cleaver, has come up trumps again with another book review to keep you reading. Becky says that her reading for pleasure will soon be slowing down a bit as she will be studying at College. Still, in the meantime, you can enjoy her latest offering (and a big thank you to Becky for continuing to submit reviews).

"The Riddles of Epsilon" by Christine Morton – Shaw.

The story starts with Jess, moving with her parents to the remote island of Lume. It is here that she finds an abandoned cottage in which she feels another presence. While exploring the cottage, she finds three locked boxes containing a mystery. The presence she feels is Epsilon, her guide who will help her understand the secrets contained within the boxes. But what she can’t work out is whether Epsilon is a guide who is actually helping her or whether he is using her to get what he needs. After finding a message that she has to translate, she realises that the past is repeating itself and that someone before her has already tried to resolve the mystery and failed. And as Jess is put under pressure, can she work it out in time?

Although the Riddles of Epsilon captures the reader’s attention with its dark and mysterious story, I felt that the book could get quite confusing at times and that you had to really concentrate to appreciate it completely.

Published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2005.

ISBN: 0-00-719982-1

Becky Cleaver has been busy reading again. Here's her latest review:

"Getting Personal" by Chris Manby

"Getting Personal" tells the story of three friends Ruby, Lou and Martin. They each have something in common, they are all lacking relationships for the upcoming summer. After a friend of theirs gets married after finding her husband in a personal ad, they decide that they will place ads for each other to find their friend’s perfect match. However, things don’t go to plan and after many disastrous dates, they all soon start to worry that they are getting old and that they will never find the person that is just right for them. When they all are about to give up and admit defeat on finding their ideal person, someone special comes along for each of them and Ruby, Lou and Martin begin to realise that being single isn’t always the best thing.

Getting personal is a light hearted and comical read and is perfect for anyone either worrying about being single or not finding the perfect person. Easily filling hours with disasters and achievements, I found it a comical and enjoyable read. J

ISBN: 0-340-81897-2

First published in Great Britain in 2002 by Hodder and Stoughton, Hodder Headlines.

Well, we're always trying to scale new heights in looking for quality books for our customers ! Actually, this climbing wall was one of the attractions to be found at the Debra Raymond Military Figures Open Day that we had a stand at on August 15th. It was an extremely interesting and enjoyable day where we met a number of new book lovers. The theme was quite obviously mainly military so, our stand was made up almost exclusively of books dealing with military themes. Also present were the Army Cadet Recruiting Team (who provided the climbing wall) and a number of people who were exhibiting military and war era vehicles and other world war two ephemera. An extremely interesting day all round. Debra Raymond Military Figures offer a comprehensive range of regimental ornaments and souvenirs as well as some of the best military model painting we have seen. Their website is well worth a visit if you are looking for regimental items and they are also easy to visit in person if you happen to be in the South West of England (their premise are literally 2 minutes from junction 28 of the M5 motorway).
Below are a few more pictures from the day.

The "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer has been incredibly popular in recent times, capturing the imagination of readers the world over. One of her local fans, Sarah Clayton, has written a review for ULoveBooks.com that shares her passion for the series:

The "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyer.

Stephenie Meyer is the well known author of the best selling novel "Twilight" with three other accompanying books "New Moon", "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn" with a possible sequel coming soon! The genres of her books is fantasy meets reality in her compelling love story between two teenagers.

Twilight starts with an ordinary girl called Bella Swan who is leaving sunny Phoenix and her mother behind to go and live with her dad in a rainy little town called Forks. Bella believes that this town has nothing to offer until one day at school she is struck by the pure beauty of her fellow class mates, the Cullens. They are the adopted children of the local doctor Carlisle Cullen and his wife Esme. They keep to themselves in the school, never daring to talk to anyone else as they are all paired off into couples except for one. That one is Edward Cullen. Something the town of Forks does not know is that these people are Vampires.

Edward has a special gift, which allows him to read other people’s minds and is taken aback when he cannot hear the thoughts of Bella Swan. The book is a love story between the lion and the lamb and follows them as they battle for their love against the not so good vampires who disrupt the gentle calm that Forks has to offer by feeding off the local resistance.

In the continuing stories, we see more of the people of La Push who are known from the old legends as Quileutes. As Bella’s world collapses when the love of her life Edward Cullen leaves her, she later leans on Jacob Black for support finding a strong relationship in the dark mist. However, in the unusual circumstances, Edward re-enters her life again thus making her feel like she must choose between him and Jacob Black while they both risk their lives to save her.

The story continues in Breaking Dawn as the consequences of her choice unravel, putting Bella’s life and the others in danger once more.

Stephenie Meyer really engages the reader by captivating you in this compelling love story making it compulsive late night reading as you fall madly in love with the characters.

Published in Great Britain in 2007 by Atom.

ISBN Twilight – 978-1-905654-37-6

ISBN New Moon – 978-1-904233-88-6

ISBN Eclipse – 978-1-904233-91-6

ISBN Breaking Dawn – 978-1-905654-28-4

Thank you to Sarah for taking the time to write this review. We hope it inspires you to give the "Twilight" series a go.

Our young book fanatic, Becky Cleaver has been busy reading yet another volume - and here is her verdict:

"The House at Midnight" by Lucie Whitehouse.

"The House at Midnight" tells the story of Jo and her group of friends. When her best friend Lucas inherits Stoneborough Manor after his uncle’s sudden death, he and his friends spend many weekends there, escaping from their busy lives in London.

However, Jo is the only one who is uncomfortable about staying there. She feels like she is constantly being watched and that an atmosphere is building within the house. Lucas can’t seem to accept his uncle’s death and friendships are put to the test when secrets are revealed from their past. They all soon begin to realise that their lives have been changed forever by staying within the manor.

The House at Midnight is a gripping story about well kept secrets and changing friendships. The emotional and dramatic story draws the reader in and keeps you entertained until the last page. J

ISBN Number: 978-0-7475-9625-7.

Publisher: Paperback copy printed in 2009 by Bloomsbury publishing plc.

The first review comes from our young book reviewer, Becky Cleaver:

"The Smoke Jumper" by Nicholas Evans.

Based in America, it tells the story of two smoke jumpers, Connor Ford a photographer and Ed Tully a musician, who are best friends and believe that nothing will ever come between them. This is before Ed meets Julia. She changes the way that both men view the world and wins the love of not only Ed but also Connor. After a terrible fire involving all three characters, their lives are changed forever, as Julia must choose between Ed and Connor, though she loves them both. It causes a rift between the once best friends and leaves Connor wanting to go off around the world and photograph the worst wars and suffering, no longer caring about what happens to him. That is until one day, where he must once again try and save the woman who he has always loved…

The Smoke Jumper is an emotional novel containing not only love and loyalty, but also guilt and unhappiness. It tells the story of how people can suffer when the wrong choices have been made.

 I would highly recommend this book to anyone because I believe it is a moving story. An excellent read to enjoy while on holiday or for a quiet afternoon. J

Thank you, Becky. Our own reading has been rather less light-hearted but no less interesting for that:

"FIVE CHIMNEYS" by Olga Lengyel.

This incredible autobiography tells the story of Lengyel's horrific time spent in the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau. The book is a detailed account of Lengyel's experiences in the camp which, if it weren't factual, would be too horrendous to contemplate. The book covers the period from Lengyel's journey to the camp right through to its liberation. The mere fact that she survived at all is incredible and the book is a lasting testament to those who were not so "fortunate". Not the lightest of reading but still a book that should be read by every generation. The most surprising element of this book was the fact that Lengyel was able to write in such a dispassionate way. All aspects of life in the camp are covered in some detail and we would challenge anyone to read this book and not be moved by it. Highly recommended reading but, pick your moment! 

Originally published in 1947, our copy was a paperback edition published by Academy Chicago Publishers in 1995.

ULovebooks.com are publish two book reviews sent to us by Becky Cleaver. Becky is an avid young reader who lives close to our base in the market town of Cullompton. She has been kind enough to write the following reviews and we hope they will inspire you.

"The Nanny"

The Nanny is written by Melissa Nathan and tells the story of Joe Green. Joe is a nanny and is someone who wants more out of her life.  She decides to take a major step in her life and moves to London to accept a job with the Fitzgerald family, where se will look after three children, Cassandra, Zak and Tallulah. Here she unexpectedly meets Josh, the older brother and someone who is attracted too. However there is a problem, Joe already has a boyfriend and hasn’t told Josh this yet. So when her boyfriend Shaun comes to stay, her life starts to get a little more complicated….

The Nanny tells the story of a typical romance with comedy included. It is a good book to enjoy many times and something in which you could lose many hours in reading again and again.  The Nanny is a very enjoyable and hilarious read and I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a love story with complications thrown in.

Overall, a hugely entertaining read.

We would like to extend an invitation to come and meet us. We will be participating in an open day at Debra Raymond Military Figures and Gifts in Cullompton on Saturday, August 15th, 2009 from 10.00 am. A selection of books on military subjects will be available to buy and we will be available all day to give advice or just chat ! The location is just off junction 28 of the M5 so, if you are en-route to the South West of England that day, why not stop off for a cup of tea and a "chin wag" ? You will be most welcome. Local book lovers are also more than welcome - maybe you have books you would like to sell ? If so, don't be afraid to come and talk to us about it.

For directions to Debra Raymond, have a look at their website . We look forward to seeing you.

We have discussed "e-books" before here at ULoveBooks.com. We don't think much of them. It isn't that we don't embrace modern technology - we wouldn't exist without it !! It all just seems so pointless. Spend money on an e-book reader and then spend more money buying the "books". To us, it just sounds like yet another great way to take money people. It all feels much more like an industry attempting to get you all to buy your books again when there is really no need for you to do any such thing (hints of the music industry's never ending search for new "formats" for you to buy the same music on, maybe?). If I want to buy a book, I'll buy one of those things with paper pages, a decent binding and a nice picture on the cover, thank you. Apparently, e-books are fantastic - more environmentally friendly (are you sure?), totally transportable (the same as books, then), you can have lots of books on the one "gadget" (you can have lots of "real" books too - you just need some shelves), etc, etc, etc. Thanks, but no thanks. Particularly when you read stuff like http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090717/think-you-own-the-book-you-bought-for-your-kindle-you-dont-says-amazon/. We can't help thinking that George Orwell's only comment would have been "told you so"! Amazon did, apparently, clarify the situation; http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090717/amazon-rethinks-its-george-orwell-removal-policy/. Strange indeed. At least, if you buy an "old tech" book, the seller isn't going to get into your home, take the book back and then refund your money! Ah well, we'll probably be attacked for being stuck in the past. Never mind.

For fans of modern Sci-Fi and Fantasy, here are a couple of titles reviewed http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/17/RV5918MRB5.DTL. We are sure that we are not the only ones who are a little disappointed at times with film adaptations of books - normally, books that we have particularly enjoyed. It seems that we are not alone as this piece demonstrates; http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies/story/1331367.html.

With the approaching anniversary of the legendary Woodstock festival, it seems that books on the subject are about to become popular. A book of photographs by Dan Garson (a reporter for his high school newspaper when he covered the festival) entitled "Woodstock Experience" is due to be published by Genesis Publications soon. Another is reviewed here; http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090719/LIFE/907190306/1005/LIFE.

Do you love self-help books? You are far from being alone. A massive market in recent times, self-help books share one thing in common - they tend to make authors and publishers a lot of money!! Here is one woman's reasoning for her addiction to them; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christina-patterson/why-i-love-self-help-book_b_239079.html. Now, there's a potential mega-seller targetted at anxious teens who are "trying to work out how they fit into society" (does any teenager?). A spin-off from "The Secret" (a massive seller in 2006), "The Secret of Teen Power" looks to provide the answers. We're not sure we should comment further for fear of upsetting our younger readers and customers!

ULoveBooks are proud to offer another extremely rare book for sale.

We have unearthed a First Edition copy of “Othello Unveiled” by the Indian Shakespearean scholar, Rentala Venkata Subbarau. Published in 1906 by Rentala House, Mylapore, Madras, the book accompanies “Hamlet Unveiled”, published later. Subbarau also wrote “Kamala’s Letters to Her Husband”.

The copy we are offering also contains another (presumably later) inscription just above that to Bradley that reads “Marjory W. Baker, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford”. It is very likely that this copy of “Othello Unveiled” is a unique offering and one that will be of high interest to fans of Shakespeare, Bradley and the author, Subbarau. The book can be found on the “Rare Books” page of our shop.

I have now had a chance to read Subhro Banerjee's novel "The Lonely Waves". Self published by Authorhouse in November 2008, this is Indian author Mr. Banerjee's first published book in English, though he has apparently published three books in the Bengali language. "The Lonely Waves" follows the story of 3 successful but ultimately lonely men, Narayan Sharma, Arjun Sinha and Rajeev Agarwal as they find their lives connecting. The novel has a sub-plot of a criminal attempting to kill lawyer, Agarwal, as a result of his investigation of various high-tech crimes.
The novel is set mainly in India with some scenes taking place in Germany, the home of Sharma. Towards the end, the scene shifts to Kashmir, the "paradise on earth" where the three friends take a holiday and where the story reaches its climax.
Ultimately, I liked the book. It feels like a very personal creation - a book that really has "come from the heart". Mr. Banerjee explores the themes of spiritual loneliness and isolation from an unusually male perspective.
Whilst I enjoyed the book, there are several problems with it. For the average English or American reader, the language of the book is very Indian in its style. For me, that wasn't a particular problem as I know a number of Indian people extremely well and understand a lot of the cultural mannerisms of Indian people. Those who do not have this advantage may struggle to understand some of the meaning and context of the book. I can't help thinking that an English editor or adviser could help considerably in making the book more "readable" for a Western audience. Having said that, "Westernisation" of the novel may in some way detract from its appeal. It is a difficult balance to achieve, no doubt.
I was also a bit disappointed with the slight lack of descriptive content - particularly description of India as a country but lifestyle that the characters lead. Having never been to India, I would be keen to know more about both. The descriptions of Kashmir were more comprehensive and it sounded like a fascinating place.
Overall, we felt that the book has a lot of potential. The current published version feels very "raw" and would definately benefit from an English editor and some plot re-arrangement. I would still recommend that you give it a try - it is certainly different and who knows, you may become a fan ! I sincerely hope that Mr. Banerjee will find an opportunity to make the "tweaks" we feel are necessary to enable this potentially successful book to become a real prospect for Western readers. You can find out more about the book and it's author by clicking the link on the cover picture.
Review by Andy Bush. ULoveBooks.com

Well the start of 2009 has been a little different ! What with the world economic situation, the apparently growing UK recession and all the doom and gloom, its been a somewhat depressing start to the year. Here at ULoveBooks.com, we've been soldiering on and, thankfully, our sales have been pretty reasonable. So, thank you to our customers for carrying on with your love of books. The main impact on us is that we have been concentrating on keeping our overheads and costs to a minimum. It has also meant that we are listing books that we have had in storage rather than combing the auctions and buying new stock.
The scene to the left shows the sort of weather conditions we have been having to contend with as well ! This may be normal in other parts of the world but, here in "sunny Devon" it hasn't snowed like this in many years. Needless to say, there was some disruption (including to postal services) as a result meaning that a few books shipped in the last week or so were slightly delayed. Apologies if yours was one of them.
The snow seems to have gone for now so life has got back to normal.
Since the end of 2008, we have also stopped selling on E-Bay. We found the costs of selling were rising, the "hassle factor" increasing and the returns diminishing. As an alternative, we are now using AbeBooks alongside the website. Abebooks can be found here: http://www.abebooks.co.uk/?AID=9867503&PID=1457557&SID=1Weuk Abebooks has long been one of the most popular book buying and selling websites on the net and we are pleased to be associated with the site.

ULovebooks are pleased to draw your attention to a new novel from Indian author, Subhro Banerjee. Subhro has been in touch with us recently and will be making a copy of his book, "The Lonely Waves", available to us for review in the near future. Published by Authorhouse, the book is a thriller set in Kashmir. We look forward to being able to give you more information soon. In the meantime, here is a reproduction of the cover:

ULoveBooks.com has been in touch with Marlene Wagman-Geller, author of the recently published book “Once Again To Zelda”.

Marlene grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is a self-confessed lifelong bibliophile. She currently teaches high school English and history in San Diego, California. About her book, she says:

“A book's dedication says much about an author's relationship to the person for whom the book was dedicated.

"Once Again to Zelda" explores the dedications in fifty iconic books that are an intrinsic part of literary and pop culture, shedding light on the author's psyche, as well as the social and historical context in which the book was first published.”

One of the examples from the book quoted on her website relates to “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling:

FOR JESSICA, who loves stories.
FOR ANNE, who loved them too.
AND FOR DI, who read this one first.

            The story of the Dedication for the first Harry Potter book begins in Britain in 1964, when two eighteen- year- old strangers met on a train. The woman, Anne Volant, (in a ruse as old as time) told Peter Rowling that she was cold. He gallantly offered her half his coat. This was followed by a lengthy conversation, which culminated with kisses. By the time they reached Scotland, they had forged a bond that would last for the rest of their lives. Their daughter Joanne was a result of this chance encounter, followed by her sister Dianne (Di) two years later.

The book sounds like an interesting one, particularly for those who are intrigued by the dedications used by authors. Most of us have probably, at one time or another, wondered why authors have mentioned particular people in dedications. It is published by Penguin. We are currently awaiting a review copy of the book and will try and provide more information when it arrives.

In the meantime, you can contact Ms. Wagman-Geller direct: email: onceagaintozelda@hotmail.com

Or, follow the above link to her website where you will find details of how to purchase the book.

Everybody likes a good thriller don't they? Well, if you do, here's one that will keep you hooked for a while. "No Time For Goodbye" by Linwood Barclay was in the bestseller list for some time earlier this year.

Cynthia's parents and brother disappear one night. They simply vanish without a trace. Were they murdered? Abducted? Did they just decide to leave without her? he questions remain unanswered for 25 years. Then a letter arrives that simply makes no sense and Cynthia starts to stir up the past in an attempt to answer the questions. The problem is, this may just be the worst mistake she has ever made.

We enjoyed this thriller. It is tempting and engrossing enough to read it in one go. If you are lucky enough to be reading it on a relaxing holiday, that is probably just what you will do! A good read that will keep you guessing.

Review by Andy Bush.

So, times are a bit tough at the moment in the Western World. Economies are being hit hard, people are losing their jobs, businesses are closing and there isn't much "feel good" factor around just at the moment. It's easy to get trapped into thinking that life is bad. Often, though, it isn't until we hear about other people's experiences that we realise just how lucky we are.

We have just finished reading "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. The book is an intense autobiographical account of one man's experiences during "Operation Barbarossa", the German invasion of Russia during World War Two. Sajer was a teenager when he joined the Grosse Deutschland division to fight on the Russian front in 1942. By this time, the German assault on Russia was already faltering and Stalingrad would soon fall to the Russians. The book recounts Sajer's experiences as he fights (mainly on the retreat) for three long years through Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Prussia, and Germany. Written in a sober, matter-of-fact style, the book manages to almost put you on the front yourself. You can vividly imagine the terror, the cold, the inhuman conditions and the sheer scale of the conflict.

Sajer's story is an intense reminder not only of the horrors of war but is a quite stunning portrayal of the amount of suffering human beings can ultimately endure. Sajer himself suggests the book shold be read when things aren't going well for the reader. Whatever they may be going through will almost certainly pale into insignificance compared to the conditions faced by all involved in the conflict on the Eastern Front. One of the most interesting books we have read in a very long time and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Andy Bush.

Yes, the picture is big enough!!

One of our recurrent themes here on ULoveBooks is the fact that when one reads a lot of older and antiquarian books, it quickly becomes painfully clear that not much in this wonderful world of ours is new. The current doom-laden news about the "credit crunch", profligate borrowing, irresponsible lending and dubious practices by bankers and share traders is hardly new, is it? The world has seen numerous recessions, the Great Depression of the 1930's and all manner of spectacular financial failures. The cartoon reproduced above comes from a volume entitled "Early Pencillings From Punch (Cheifly Political)". The book was probably published around 1880 and featured a compilation of superb satirical cartoons from the master, John Leech.

The cartoon itself  "Mrs Threadneedle's Soothing Syrup", shows old Mrs Threadneedle feeding a bowl of pounds shillings and pence to a brattish looking youngster on the knee of his maid. The explanation? "The Government, of which Lord John Russell was Premier, moved for a Select Committee to enquire into the operation of the Bank Restiction Act; and relief to the money market was subsequently afforded by a large issue of Bank notes. The date? 1847 !!!

So, you see, some things never change! The constant is that we never seem to learn from past mistakes. Why is that?

Newly listed on ULoveBooks.com is this rather nice book by Max Muller

 "MEMORIES - A Story of German Love"

Translated from the German by George P. Upton, this limited edition is illustrated with pictures and decorations by Margaret and Helen Maitland Armstrong. You can find the book in our "Illustrated Books"  category for a very reasonable £15.00 plus p&p.

This particular edition was a new illustrated "Large Paper" limited edition and the copy we are offering is number 39 of 250. The edition features 9 full page illustrations as well as numerous chapter and page decorations. Published in Chicago by A. C. McClurg & Co, the vast majority of copies of this book are available only from the U.S. So, for UK collectors, here is an opportunity to buy a nice copy without having to pay postage from the States.

Every now and then, you come across a book that is simply a pleasure to read from all perspectives. It satisfies the mind, entertains, provokes questions and thought and provides information as well. Sometimes you find these gems by accident and sometimes they are recommended. One of my problems with new books is trying to see through the cover hype to try and ascertain if the book is likely to appeal. Only rarely does a new book surpass all my expectations and "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher" by Kate Summerscale certainly did that.

What a superb read. I can honestly say, it was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I had seen the book around for some time and nearly bought it on several occassions - but, for some reason, didn't. I finally got around to buying it a few weeks ago just before going away to Cornwall for a few days. I am very glad I did!

The cover of this book has part of a review printed on it by Craig Brown (Mail on Sunday). It reads as follows: "Summerscale has constructed nothing less than a masterpiece....A one and the same time a crime thriller, a sociological history, a biography and a fascinating essay on the nature of investigation....My shelves are stacked with books about crime, but none more satisfying than this." For once, I wouldn't disagree with a single word of this review.

"The Suspicions of Mr Whicher" is about a gruesome murder that took place in the village of Road, Wiltshire in 1860. Jack Whicher of (the recently formed) Scotland Yard is sent to investigate. Whicher faces an uneviable task to uncover the murderer as the grieving family are the suspects. The crime itself provoked national hysteria at the time and the press was full of speculation about the events. Kate Summerscale has clearly spent a lot of time meticulously researching the case and has managed to "untangle the facts behind this notorious case, bringing it back to vivid, extraordinary life.

The book really does have something for everyone but if, like me, you are fascinated by history and also like a good story, you are in for a treat. Some of the ground covered includes the facts of the case itself, the sociological background, the pressures of press and society, the influence the case had on crime fiction, the history of policing in Britain and much more. It is one of those books that underlines how much has changed since the nineteenth century but also reminds us of how little has changed as well - particularly in terms of the way that the media treat cases like this and the inevitable public dissection of every part of the events.

My advice is, if you read no other book this year, read "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher". I would be very surprised if you were in any way disappointed.

Andy Bush. ULoveBooks.com

Book collecting (like any form of collecting) can get really quite serious. This lady has amassed a superb collection of pop-up books. These intriguing books make a great subject area for collecting. The themes of pop-up books are quite varied and the format has a long history so there is no shortage of material out there. We admire the dedication of people like Leah - keep up the good work!!

If you spend your life collecting books, when you reach the twilight years, you may be stuck for what to do with your treasures. You could bequeath them to relatives, you may sell them to a book dealer (yes, we would be interested!) but you may consider giving them to more useful cause. Such a charitable donation will obviously benefit a great many people.

Whilst the current economic situation appears to be hitting a lot of book sellers hard, this company  appear to be doing very nicely. Well done to them - expansion is currently a brave step, one feels.

This review made us chuckle. 

If you have ever heard the phrase "there's a book inside everyone" and then (like us) wondered what on earth your book may be, you probably felt a bit like a lot of authors searching for inspiration. The beauty of book blogs and blogs related to writing is that you can often get a real insight into the writing process itself. Not only that but the real problems of doubt and "writers block" that creep into many many author's minds. Next time you pick up a novel to read, spare a thought for the possible agonies the author went through in order to give birth to their latest project!

Well, we suppose it had to happen in the end ! Yes, E-Bay pushing the "self-destruct button". Some years ago, we were great fans of E-Bay and sold a lot of books on the site. Unfortunately, the site has changed hugely for smaller sellers in the last 12 to 18 months. For booksellers it has probably been even worse.

In the beginning - and for many years - we enjoyed selling on E-Bay. Listing was simple, the visibility in international terms was good and the cost of listing was reasonable. Everybody seemed to enjoy using the site (in spite of some dubious trading). One of the really unique things about E-Bay has always been the fact that every transaction conducted by sellers could be rated by buyers. We can't think of any other business where each transaction is, to a large degree, transparent. To maintain a decent feedback rating, you really need to be good. As we wind down our listings on the site, we are proud that we maintain a 100% feedback rating and higher than average "Detailed Seller Ratings" on all individual sectors.

The writing was on the wall when, overnight, and with no warning, E-Bay decided in their wisdom to ditch 50% of our sales by changing the rules on US visibility. Having your sales cut by half for no good reason isn't pleasant, we can assure you ! Subsequent changes and "tinkering" with E-Bay has meant that, for us at least, the site has become non-viable. The reduction in sales volumes coupled with ever-increasing costs means it is a real waste of time and effort listing on the site. In the light of current economic events, you could be forgiven for thinking that this is another case of corporate greed killing the market that pays its wages. Whatever the reason, we know we are not the only ones to be giving up selling on the site and we feel it is a shame. The site is just not what it used to be.

On the "upside", no longer listing on E-Bay will provide us with the time to concentrate more on ULoveBooks. With a bit of luck, we may even be able to "blog" more than once every two months !!

If you're looking for great books at low prices with excellent service, you have definately come to the right place.

OK, we understand that money is tight (particularly if you are the banking sector it would seem) and we're accepting of the fact that our book sales have gone the way of the most shares on the stock market. So the question is, what to do to replace the income ?

All you budding authors out there must dream of becoming the nex J. K. Rowling. With good reason it would appear ! The news has been full of the earnings of Ms Rowling. One year "poverty stricken single mother", the next international superstar with earnings that even make bankers bonuses look stingy. A "Google" search of J K Rowling earnings returned 67,900 results !! Here are a few:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/888279.stm

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4870750.ece

http://www.celebrityspotlight.co.uk/CelebNews.asp?ShowCelebrityStory=WB318607T&rss=true

Comparing the earnings of other authors, Sephen King and Dean Koontz are having nightmares in comparison whilst Tom Clancy and Ken Follett can't be too thrilled either.

So, if like us, you may struggle to pay the heating bills this winter why not try writing your way out of debt ? There are crazier suggestions. Who knows ? Maybe in a few years time, you will also be earning £5 a second. How lovely.

In the last couple of days, we had an enquiry about a book (in fact a "speller") by Noah Webster. We thought others may like to know some more about Webster.

Noah Webster (1758-1843) was a Yale graduate who became a school master for some time and then was admitted to the bar. His chief work was educational writer "producing text-books that were distinctly American". His "Elementary Spelling Book" published in 1783 is said to have sold over 100 million copies. In 1828, Webster published his large, two-volume "American Dictionary of the English Language" which became accepted as a standard authority in the US. Updated editions of his dictionaries are still published today.

For more information on Webster and his work, have a look at these links:

 http://www.merrycoz.org/books/spelling/SPELLING.HTM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Webster

http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/j2/barnard.php

No doubt there would be many interesting discussions about the rights and wrongs of American spelling as opposed to the British versions but, we're not even going to begin those arguements!!

Yes, its official - ULoveBooks now has over 1,000 individual book titles listed on the site.

All of our listings have photographs so that you can see what you are buying (well we find it important so why wouldn't you?). Some listings have more than one photograph but, please don't be shy about asking us for more if you feel you need to see more of the book. We will always oblige.

If you have any comments about how we do things here on ULoveBooks.com, please feel free to let us know. We always try to make things easier for people looking at the site and your ideas are probably better than ours!

Happy Reading.

Listing books for sale is always a slightly difficult prospect. Buying books in a shop is relatively easy - you can look at the book in detail and select those that suit easily. Buying online is somewhat more difficult when you can't actually handle the book. Reference books are particularly difficult to buy online even if you know exactly what you are looking for.

This week, we were looking for two reference books to buy for ourselves. We searched the net without success due to the scant information on content provided by many sellers. Having failed miserably to find what we wanted via internet selling colleagues, we wen to our local book shop. Much easier, we thought. Well, actually not!! Finding exactly what we were looking for was actually nearly as difficult as searching online. This time, it was the sheer number of books on the subject that  proved difficult to cope with! Some were too technical, others too basic, some appeared to be what we wanted but on closer inspection weren't at all - and so it went on. Eventually, having spent a good hour in the shop, we bought 3 books.

The problems with finding a book to suit online surely depend on the amount of description provided. This is why we try and provide as much information as possible on each title (within reason). We would be glad to hear about what other people consider to be the "ideal" information to provide on titles for sale - have we got it right? Please let us know your thoughts...................

So the great independent AbeBooks has gone down the river. It has been bought by Amazon.com. This article on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer  website made quite interesting (if somewhat misleading) reading. We have never used AbeBooks as a sales site as we have never liked the huge variance in prices for the same or similar products or the general lack of product photographs. We have also never sold on Amazon - mainly because we don't like the layout of product descriptions. These sites do, however sell a lot of books for those who list on them.

The Intelligencer article appears to hint that AbeBooks sells a lot of books - of course, the fact is that it is a listing vehicle for booksellers. It seems that Amazon is rapidly becoming the Tesco of the book world and we're not sure that is a good thing.

We're not sure if it is just us but, there are times when we find the Internet an extremely useful tool and other times when it becomes some sort of information snow storm. The flake we are looking for is normally buried somewhere in an impending avalanche!! Losing your life in cyberspace is a lot more likely than losing it in a book.

Sifting through the blizzard recently, we came across various pieces that variously made us laugh, think or just wonder why? First was this publisher's piece. Maybe more interesting to the average reader of books was this interesting item about a teacher rescuing books from other people's rubbish - why does he think the slide rule is obsolete? (presumably it is still quite a useful tool when a computer or calculator aren't available!).

If, like most of us, the economy is on your mind you could find some useful investment tips here. Not everyone's idea of great bedtime reading but, ideal if you fancy yourself as a new investment maestro.

A number of sites featured this story about numerous old Jewish books turning up in Iraq - the spoils of war.

If you are an author of fiction, an active imagination is obviously rather important. This rather amusing story shows the lengths some will go to in order to make things as "realistic" as possible!

At present it seems as though hardly a day passes without us hearing of another book shop closing. The threat of "Acres of Books"  in L.A. closing had author Ray Bradbury rather annoyed. We don't blame him. The number of traditional book shops closing down is extremely sad. Maybe it is just how it has to be but the new generation of readers may have to get by without experiencing the smells and textures of a shop full of used books. Somehow that feels like a loss. They won't have the same experience from their "Kindle" or alternative "electronic book" - and they had better avoid dropping them or they won't have any sort of experience. Ha, ha.

Talking of childrens experiences, its good to see that they are being protected from the more "adult" reading experience. Reminds us of the fun to be had trying to find the "rude bits" in the classics when younger. Great fun!

So our holidays are, unfortunately, over (thank you to the people of Cyprus for   showing us your   traditional warm hospitality). It is back to the "grind-stone". We promised to review our holiday reading for you so, here goes!

"Bones to Ashes" by Kathy Reichs was well up to Reich's normal standard. The book, once again, features Dr Temperance "Tempe" Brennan, forensic anthropologist as she investigates a the parallel cases of three unidentified bodies and the skeleton of a young girl. Whilst   I find these   novels a bit formulaic,   I love them just the same. As with most of Reichs' books, this one is an international bestseller and probably still in the top 20 paperbacks now. Its a great escapist read and   I would recommend it, particularly if you have read other episodes in the "Tempe" series. If, like me, you often only get time to read when you are on holiday, the good thing about these books is that you're pretty much guaranteed a new instalment next year!!   Review by Andy Bush (ULoveBooks.com).

"Skin Privilege" by Karin Slaughter was also what I would describe as an "airport" book (no offence intended) and another rather formulaic read that carries on the series featuring medical examiner Sarah Linton. In this new bestseller, Sarah and her boyfriend, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver have (for the umpteenth time) to go to the rescue of Lena Adams, one of chief Tolliver's detectives. I have to confess that this particular series is beginning to wear a bit thin. Don't get me wrong, its good escapism but, I can't help but feel that even Slaughter may be getting fed up with these characters. The "brilliant but small-town professional woman who finds murder behind every blade of the town's grass" formula is losing it's appeal. As is the on-off romance of Linton and Tolliver. Never mind, if you want a decent "whodunnit" which is fairly grisly in places, it's a decent read.   Review by Andy Bush (ULoveBooks.com).

In terms of fiction books, this is my favourite for some time. "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman is based on a BBC TV series written by him. In his introduction to the book, Gaiman says that whilst the TV series wasn't bad, it "simply wasn't what I had in my head" so, he wrote "Neverwhere" as a novel. And an excellent novel it is. A "simple act of kindness" delivers the central character, Richard Mayhew, into a surreal, parallel London inhabited by monsters, angels, saints, and other strange creatures. I particularly liked some of the characters such as the "Angel Islington" and "Old Bailey" - based on London place names but, bursting with life. Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar, truly evil creations, are enough to frighten the life out of you! It is a clever, original and thoroughly enjoyable book that really has made me wish for a sequel - and I am quite sure that one will be forthcoming. Great escapism. Read and enjoy!   Review by Andy Bush (ULoveBooks.com).

And now for something completely different!!! "A Traveller's War" by Alaric Jacob is the autobiographical story of the author's travels between June 1941 and June 1943. During that time, he travelled a total of 40,000 miles via boat to the Cape and then to Libya, through Persia, India, Burma and then on to the Soviet Union. All this was achieved as a war correspondent for the "Daily Express" newspaper. The book gives fantastic insights into the atmosphere during the Second World War including some stark revelations of life in the desert campaign. Personally, I really enjoy this kind of book. It reveals a lot about the thinking at the time - Jacob's personal stance is one of support for left-wing ideology and admiration for the Soviet Union.   This sort of book   also gives a real glimpse of the sort of hardships that   people went through during the war years and is a sober reminder of the havoc that conflict causes. The book, however, is not without humour and is also fascinating from a topographical point of view, describing India during the Ghandi phenomenon and much more. The book is almost certainly available quite cheaply from antiquarian book sellers (we don't have a copy in stock at the time of writing) and well worth reading.   Review by Andy Bush (ULoveBooks.com).  

What will you be reading on  your holiday?

It's that time of year again. The holiday season is beginning in earnest and the holiday reading and "airport novels" will be in high fashion once again!

We'd love to hear what you read on your holidays - fiction, non-fiction, romance, thriller, we're sure they will all be on someone's reading list. Let us know what you've been reading here or on the forum. Include a picture if you like (maybe we'll start a gallery with them). 

Enjoy and keep in touch!!

Booksellers doing battle? - No, don't worry, its just a scene from a history book!

The world of books is now as cut-throat as any other business with many small independent book shops going to the wall every day. Our nearest town had a "Waterstone's" move in a few years ago that was the final nail in the coffin of a very good independent. Most sizeable towns appear to have had much the same experience. It isn't just a UK phenomenon though. Our friends in the United States bookselling world are having an equally tough time of it.

We were heartened to see this piece from the Wall Street Journal. As yet, we haven't come across anything similar in the UK. If you have please let us know as we would be keen to get in touch and offer publicity if it was of help. Maybe the bibliophiles of the US are a step ahead of their UK cousins. Well done to the philanthropists that have stepped in to help. 

It isn't just the smaller book sellers that are having problems though. The US book chain Borders  appears to be having problems too. Quite how anyone can turn a $56.9m operating profit into a $157m loss isn't really explained - apparently it was down to "exceptional items". Crikey - that really is exceptional!!

Running a website for book lovers is such a diverse and rewarding thing to do!

Almost every person who visits has a different reading interest and a different book buying requirement. Buyers of our books range between the casual reader of novels and other fiction and the serious book collector who is looking for that ultra-scarce first edition to complete a collection. With millions of different titles available in different formats and editions, supplying specific book requests can be challenging! Somebody here at ULoveBooks.com read recently that in an average year there are around 130,000 new titles published worldwide currently – yes, per year!!

........well, more like no such thing as Free Postage!!

This may turn into a rant!

Whilst trawling around the internet researching other book-selling websites, we can't help noticing some of the strange (and probably rather naughty) marketing strategies employed by some of them. One of the "biggest" book sales sites has a prominent banner stating that millions of the books offered come with "Free Postage". Really? Are the UK Post Office no longer charging for their services? Sounded rather peculiar to us (because the Post Office certainly like charging us!) so, we decided to look a bit deeper.

Firstly, the "Free" postage appears only to be free in the same country as the seller is based (though the heading doesn't qualify that) - so, if you live outside that country, your postage will, presumably, be anything BUT free.

We took an example - a volume entitled "Options, Futures, & Other Derivatives" by John Hull (800+ pages of bed-time reading for stock brokers) and looked at what was being charged.

All the items we looked at appeared to be identical so that we could make a true comparison. The lowest UK price being charged for the edition we examined was £46.06 (plus £2.50 postage) and the highest a whopping £117.83 (including "Free" Postage). So what should we read into that? Does the "Free" postage actually mean that the postage costs £69.27? If so, it must be delivered in person, on foot!! The cheapest copy with "Free" postage was priced at £63.20 (still £14.64 more than the one where postage was quoted at £2.50)!!!

We might be able to understand the difference if the book was an antiquarian book where one copy was in poor condition and the other was in superb condition and signed by the author - but such a difference for a new title? What a bizarre situation - and the website has the nerve to state that millions of books have free postage. We say b***s**t!

Here at ULoveBooks.com this has made us even more determined to offer books at reasonable prices and with the postal costs fully disclosed so that you know what you are buying. Certain other websites, shame on you!!

Anyone who still ignores the Internet as a place to sell books does so at their peril!! Proof (if it were needed) comes in the shape of the latest research by the polling company Nielsen Online. Their research shows that Book sales is one of the largest slices of online business.

Evidently, 41% of Internet users surveyed had bought Books online. Possibly surprising is the revelation that the largest percentage of people buying books in any country was South Korea (at 58%). The UK was 10th in the survey - with 45% of those surveyed having bought books online. Nice to know you're in good company, though.

Countries we have sold to so far are (in no particular order):

Sweden, Finland, Norway, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ukraine, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. We will add further countries as we send to them.

The best part of this is that it is really enjoyable to be part of such a global, book-reading community.

We would like to offer a very warm welcome to readers of our "Blog". We've decided to add a blog as there are lots of subjects we felt were worth discussing but that we did not feel were appropriate for adding to other pages.

It was our intention to promise that we would not try not to bore you with too much irrelevant rubbish but, we can't guarantee that.  What we do hope is that our love of books will shine through!! 

Having been "online" sellers of books for some years, we hope that we will be able to provide some really useful information to you and answer any questions that you may have as well as make this a fun place to buy and discuss books.

We would also like YOU to contribute:

Would you like to like to review a book you have read recently for the benefit of others?

Can you provide a bibliography?

How about sharing your knowledge with other book lovers?

Please add your contributions here on the blog - or, if you feel it is more appropriate, submit them via an e-mail for inclusion on other pages of the site. We do reserve the right to edit posts and submissions if we feel that is appropriate and we will delete inappropriate or offensive posts (though we are sure we won't need to).