The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Cover for Scribner film tie-in edition 

(released 23rd April 2013)

Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons/ Scribner's
Release Date: 10th April 1925 (first published)
Genre: Romance, Crime, Classics

Summary:
Who is Jay Gatsby? Is he royalty, a spy or a successful businessman? No one knows. All they know is that he throws the best parties.

Despite surrounding himself the hundreds of the wealthiest socialites in New York; Gatsby is lonely and longs for something that money cannot buy. However, after befriending the newcomer in West Egg, Nick Carraway, he finally reveals his deepest secrets and breaks the façade he has so carefully constructed.

But can love can withstand the test of time, or be subject to cruel and tragic fate?

Review:
Last year, I decided to read The Great Gatsby after seeing the 2013 adaptation in my local cinema...

What a mistake.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Cover for Penguin Modern Classics edition
(3rd February 2000)

Title: In Cold Blood: A True Account of Multiple Murder and Its Consequences

Author: Truman Capote

Publisher: Signet/ New American Library

Release Date: 1st January 1980 (first published) 

Genre: Non-fiction, Crime

Summary:
Nothing happens in the quite town of Holcomb, Kansas, and why would it? It is the perfect place to live out the American Dream.

However, in 1959, Herbert Clutter, his wife Bonnie, and their children, Nancey and Kenyon, were murdered in their own home.

In Cold Blood documents the killings and the subsequent Police investigation into catching the culprits responsible; Perry Smith and Richard 'Dick' Hickock.

Review:

I read this book during the first year of my English Language and Literature A Level course in sixth form several years ago and, like most set texts, I was dreading it. When I think of set reading for my studies the first thought that comes into my head is; "Oh no. Not another awful, boring text that I have force myself to read and then pretend that I actually like it. Great."

Tell Him About It by Holly Kinsella

Title: Tell Him About It
Author: Holly Kinsella
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Release Date: 30th January 2014
Genre: Romance

Summary:
Sara is a model turned publicist at a major UK publishing house. She has everything she has ever wanted. Well, almost...

Motivated my her love of books and for the industry; she works laboriously for her horrible boss who does not appreciate her. One day, however, she is put in charge of a publicity campaign for the wayward, thriller writer, Adam Cooper. Notorious for being an alcoholic and unkempt; he has just divorced the famous and classy socialite, Victoria Glass. With the media hounding for interviews regarding his recent divorce, will Sara give in to the demands of her boss, or will she ignore the media and find out how he truly is?

Review:
As someone who wants to go in to publishing in the future, I really liked this book as it offered a unique and critical perspective into the publishing industry and current trends. You could really tell that Kinsella knows the industry, and the different roles within it, like the back of her hand. This alone made it a really interesting read.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Title: Warm Bodies
Author: Isaac Marion
Publisher: Vintage Books
Release Date: 31st January 2013
Genre: Horror, Romance, Young Adult

Summary: 
R, or so he calls himself, is a zombie. He has no memories of his former life, just the fact that he thinks his name begins with the letter 'R.' However, unlike his fellow zombie comrades in his colony, R has dreams. He still eats humans though. However, when he saves the life of Julie, one of the few remaining humans, everything changes.

Breaking the rules of logic and zombie-kind, R shows that all is not lost when you start to decay and have no pulse or functioning brain.

Review:
If you think this is going to be some gory story about a zombie apocalypse; you will be bitterly disappointed. I was. I mean, I knew that it was going to involve a dysfunctional and impractical love story, but I was expecting there to be a bit more gore and action! Not the scariest zombies, in my opinion. However, I think the fact that the book goes against and, in places, mocks the genre, is what makes it so special and cute. Yes, it is cheesy. Yes, it is just a modern and gory take on Romeo and Juliet (hence the names of the characters). And yes, the zombies are more like cuddly creatures than killing machines. But it works.

Waiting to Die by Christopher Kenworthy

Title: Waiting to Die

Author: Christopher Kenworthy

Publisher: Endeavour Press

Release Date: 13th November 2013

Genre: Crime

Summary:
There is a murderer disturbing the small town of Cunsey Nab; a village where everybody knows everyone and outsiders are treated with suspicion. The murders seem random and greedy; but what does the murderer want? Things, however, take a dramatic turn for the worst when the murderer starts to target the owners of the locals' favourite bar, Peter and Polly Miller.

With numerous attempts on his life, and the lives of his family, will Peter be able to help the police find the murderer and restore peace to Cunsey Nab, or will the murderer succeed in his greedy conquest?

Review:
I have to admit it took me a while to get into this book, but once I did get into it; it was a nice way to pass a couple of hours, which I would have otherwise spent procrastinating from university work!

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

As mentioned in my review of Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (which can be found here); I am a big lover of the foreign horror genre. One of my favourite authors within this genre is Jo Nesbo and his Harry Hole series. Even though this is the fifth book in the series, it was the first one I read, and has remained my favourite for many years, so I thought I would give it a review and explain why it is so much better than all the others.

Title: The Snowman

Author: Jo Nesbo (translated by Don Bartlett)

Publisher: Vintage Books

Release Date: 19th August 2010

Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller, Nordic Noir

Summary:

As the first snow falls in Oslo, Norway; a serial killer is on the loose leaving a snowman in the snow for all to see. The killings seem random and unprovoked, but are they? Is there some connection to these pointless murders? Harry Hole, a workaholic (and slightly alcoholic) policeman, is however on the case after receiving a threatening letter from the so called, Snowman. Pushing himself to the limit to catch his horrendous and evil murderer, it is obvious that Harry cannot trust anyone.

Review:

Jo Nesbo is a bit like marmite; you either love him or you hate him. I, unlike marmite, love him. If not for his ability to create complex and clever storylines but for his sheer imagination and unbelievabley gory writing style. I love gore and horror filled stories so this aspect was a big hit for me! I may have read the book some years ago but there is one particularly haunting scene in the book which has stuck with me made me partially scared of snowmen and going into woods...disgusting...

Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

Title: Let The Right One In
Author: John Ajvide Lindqvist (translated by Ebba Segerberg)
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: 22nd January 2009
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Crime, Fantasy

Summary:
Oskar is 12. He is a wimp. He has no friends, dad or courage and is constantly lonely.

Eli is 12 and has been for sometime. She has no friends and only ventures out to the playground at night.

Review:
I have to admit, I read this book a while ago so it is not a recent read; but, I have always loved this book and it started my addiction to foreign horror and crime- so I thought I would give it a quick review.

My favourite aspect of book, is the gory horror which is present throughout. Whilst some writers shy away from the details, writers such as Ajvide Lindqvist present things how they are in such a twisted, scary, disgusting but nonetheless fascinating way. These details make this book a staple of the genre and a must for all horror fans (another prime example of this is Jo Nesbo, and his Harry Hole series; he, however, deserves a post all of his own here...).