Wolfsong by Enid Richemont

Wolfsong by Enid Richemont

ASIN: B00846FYX0 (ebook)
ISBN: 978-0744530988 (paperback)
Age group: 14+


This story revolves around Ellie, Ellie's best friend Amy, Ellie's mother and friends. The main part of the story takes place whilst they're enjoying a holiday in a dusty old mansion in Brittany, France.

Ellie doesn't want to go on holiday with her mother. She and her best friend Amy had other plans for their summer. However, Ellie is surprised to discover Amy wants to, "Why not," she said. "It's abroad and cheap." 

When the group arrive at the mansion everyone picks a room. The room Ellie picks has an old image of a young man above the bed. 

'Over the bed there is a portrait - a romanic, black and white photograph of some young man, slightly misted at the edges and mount inside a big oval frame.'   

Soon, all Ellie can think about is the stranger in the photograph. Who is he? What was his name? What life did he live? She then starts to hear the howl of wolves in the mansion grounds. 

I don't want to spoil the rest so to find out what happens you'll have to read to book.

There's some lovely use of language to describe scene, feelings, smell etc. which draws the reader in. 

The story is told in the first person, typically a POV I don't enjoy. However, when written well it works and this is the case for this book. 

Reviewer - Lynne Garner

Writer of the following short story collections: Ten Tales of Brer Rabbit - Ten Tales of Coyote - Anansi the Trickster Spider - Hedgehog of Moon Meadow Farm. 

Lena's Nest - by Rosalie Warren

It's not easy to write an original science fiction story about artificial beings given the rich history of this subgenre. Robots have been our constant literary companions since Karel Čapek's 1926 play, (R.U.R), Isaac Asimov's noble machines and beyond. Rosalie Warren, however, pulls it off with aplomb in her close-up and personal psychological scifi thriller, Lena's Nest.

And it feels on the leading edge of today's fast-changing AI research. Lots of robot sci-fi novels - even the classics - give but a wave of the hand to the scientific and technological derivations of their sentient mechanical creations, be they benign or monstrous. Lena's Nest, however, explores the fundamentals of artificial life - including the ethical and psychological considerations - without compromising the novel's compelling narrative. This no doubt results from the author herself being computer science professional with expertise in linguistics, psychology and artificial intelligence.

Ms.Warren, uses her expertise to draw characters and tell a good story, while never burdening it with gratuitous didactic details. We're on Dr. Lena Curtis' side from when she awakens from a prolonged coma - or at least believes so - on page one following a serious auto accident.

Lena, like the author, is a computer scientist specializing in robotics. Up until her car crash, she had been developing ethical protocols for artificial intelligence and robotics programs, never realizing that her work may have dramatic impact on future society. We relate to Lena as a woman and mother, not simply a scientist -- from the start. Coming out of her "coma," Lena reunites with her children and family and tries to sort herself out, only to notice strange, dreamlike anomalies.

The narrative is intimate and juicy - an eerily somatic trip through the protagonist's inner space that doesn't slow down. You feel Lena's fears in nightmarish fashion: for example at the opening of Chapter 19: "The terror was like nothing she had ever known. Lena had previously thought that the worst hell she could suffer was that of seeing her children hurt ... but this was unbelievably worse. It threw her into pure, self-focused, primal horror. She had believed she no long had a body, but her heart was pounding now, thumping harder with every beat. Her abdomen was full of ice-cold fear and her brain teamed with... What?"

I'll sidestep spoilers and keep mum on further plot details. Suffice to note that  Lena's Nest becomes a suspenseful journey through our myriad states of consciousness - natural and artificial. Lena faces existential choices at every turn - between romantic and familial love, being in- or out-of-body, life or death. How would you like to suddenly be confronted first-hand by future generations really think - or forget - about you? Would you rather live as a synthetic being in a brave new world divorced from past life, or dwell among those you love in an idyllic-but-illusory bygone reality? Could you get used to existing in a totally alien, artificial body? Are you the total of your memories, or more? Would non-existence be terrifying or serenely appealing, given these choices?

Like all compelling science fiction, Lena's Next takes us on a wild adventure beyond the boundaries of everyday existence while raising consciousness about the underlying psychological, social and philosophical issues of our own, present and uncertain realities.

- Umberto Tosi, author of Our Own Kind, Ophelia Rising. High Treason, and Milagro on 34th Street.
 He has been a member of Authors Electric since May 2015.

Horse of Mist by Katherine Roberts

Horse of Mist by Katherine Roberts

Genre: Fantasy and Magic
Age range: 9 - 12

ebook FREE to download (at time of writing review).

This short story is a prequel to the Pendragon Legacy quartet series. It's lead character is Rhianna Pendragon (King Arthur's daughter).

Rhinanna is living in the secret world of Avalon and is surrounded by mythical and magic beings. The story follows the ceremonial day when mist horses choose their riders. Rhianna is desperate to join in but has been forbidden because humans can't rider mist horses. 

Although I'm not the demographic for this short story I still found it an enjoyable read. It's well written and the story has a good pace to it.

I can see the audience that it's aimed at connecting with the characters and deciding to want to read the entire series. 

Well worth downloading either for yourself or a younger member of your family who loves horses and a little magic.  

Reviewer - Lynne Garner

Three Billy Goats Gruff by Susan Price

Three Billy Goats Gruff - Picture Book
Three Billy Goats Gruff - Colouring Book

Age range: 5 - 6 years

As a writer of picture books I spend a lot of time reading picture books and analysing why they work and how I can use this in my own work. So when I discovered this retelling of my favourite story, I knew I had to read it.

The illustrations are big and bold with sharp, angular lines
that support this 'edgy' story.  I like the way some of the text are in speech bubbles and some of the actions words have become part of the page design.

Repetition and rhyme is used to good effect, something a lot of picture books include as it allows the child to anticipate the story and join in with certain words and phrases. This allows aids with the reading, making it an easy to read-aloud book.

The plus with this picture book is that there is a colouring book that compliments it. Some of the words are also missing, so the child can fill in for themselves. Something as a teacher I'm all for as it adds another dimension to the reading experience and supports a child's small motor and word recognition skills.

Reviewer - Lynne Garner

From the Heart of a Copy Editor by Sheila Glasbey

From the Heart of a Copy Editor - (the 10 most common mistakes and how to fix them) by Sheila Glasbey

Genre: educating and reference, Writing, editing

Available as an ebook only - UK edition only, at time of writing this review.  

As a writer, I’m always looking for something to help me improve my writing. As a teacher, who has to ensure I can support my students with their SPAG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) I’m always on the lookout for a book I can recommend to my students.

This book’s written in a light-hearted and chatty manner making it a far more enjoyable way of learning than ploughing through some of the more conventional grammar books.

It’s written by professional copy editor and is based on her experiences working for other writers. It covers ten common mistakes made by all levels of writers. It includes simple to follow explanations and includes easy to follow samples that provided me with that ‘lightbulb moment’ - when something clicks and you suddenly understand.

It’s a book I’ll be keeping near to hand as I write, just so I can double check my SPAG and one I can recommend to my students.

Reviewer: Lynne Garner 

Murder in the Manager by Debbie Young

Murder in the Manager by Debbie Young

Genre: Mystery, Crime, Humour, Romance

This is the first in this series of books that I've read (I know you're supposed to read them in order), but it was a gift. However, I didn’t feel this was an issue as I was able to follow the story and grow to know the characters. 

Thankfully it was the type of mystery book I like to read. As in true Midsummer Murder tradition, there’s someone shouting murder in the first chapter.

The book follows the life of Sophie Sayer as she navigates writing a script for the village play, dealing with the arrival of an ex-boyfriend, nurturing a new romance and working out who shouts from the back pew of the church, “My baby! You’ve murder my baby!”

The story includes all the festive feel you'd expect from the title. The author includes humour and shows a keen understanding of human nature, all at a relaxed pace, making it an ideal festive read.

The Silkie by Sandra Horn

The Silkie by Sandra Horn

ISBN 978-1-909568-10-5

Expected readership: children aged seven and upwards

Length: 40 pages

Reviewer: Lynne Garner

I’d heard of the legends that involved something called a Silkie and knew they were mythological creatures that could be found in Irish, Scottish, Faroese, and Icelandic folklore. However, I’d never read a story that featured them. So, when I was introduced to this book I knew it was one I should read.

I loved the rustic, wild setting of the story and this is portrayed well by the author. Her descriptions really bring the landscape alive, for example: "

... and the houses crouch behind the sea wall ..." 

You can just see them, protected from the wild seas that must batter them in winter.

And

"Meanwhile, up on the hill, the sinking moon was casting a shadow so tall it almost touched the evening star."

I’ve never read an original version of this story, if there is such a thing, as I assume this story is part of a long oral tradition. So, I don’t know how close to the original telling it is. However, I don’t think that matters. It’s a lovely modern retelling of a traditional story that still contains the feel of its traditional roots.