BOOK REVIEW: Out of Breath by Julie Myerson

4/5 stars

Blurb:

It's the summer holidays. And suddenly there's a strange boy at the bottom of Flynn's garden. Soon, she and her wayward brother Sam are walking out of the house in the middle of a hot summer's night and crossing four fields to find him again. But as well as the boy, Flynn and Sam find a whole gang of runaway kids. 

There's Diana, who's just had a baby. There's Mouse, who's only five and likes to set fire to things. And there is the boy himself, who stirs up feelings in Flynn that she's never felt before.But there's also someone else - the unspeakably malign and terrifying presence they're all running from. Escaping him, they stumble on an amazing and extraordinary house by a waterfall, a house which seems to offer safety and meets their every desire and need - or does it? 

The youngest character in the novel is one day old, and the oldest only seventeen. But the themes that lie at the heart of this ferociously original story are as adult, unsettling and universal as those of Julie Myerson's other novels.


Review:
I literally have NO IDEA what just happened or what I just read. I don't really fully understand, though I will say it was an entertaining read. The layout of the book was strange; the way the speech wasn't set apart from the rest of the text, no speech marks at all. Still, it was easy enough to navigate.

I really do feel conflicted by the book as a whole because I feel like maybe I know what was happening but also I haven't a clue. I feel like I'm left wondering what really happened and what didn't, and I don't like being left with questions or uncertainty.

In saying that, I found myself enjoying the story, invested in all of the characters and enthralled by their weird and wonderful ways. I'm glad I read it, though slightly confused and ready for the next book, because it will annoy me to ruminate!

BOOK REVIEW: The Asylum by Johan Theorin

4/5 Stars

Blurb:
'We don't talk about sick or healthy people at St Patricia's. Words such as hysteric, lunatic and psychopath... They are no longer used. Because who amongst us can say that we are always healthy?'

An underground passage leads from the Dell nursery to Saint Patricia's asylum. Only the children enter, leaving their minders behind. On the other side are their parents - some of the most dangerous psychopaths in the country.

Jan has just started working at the nursery. He is a loner with many secrets and one goal. He must get inside the asylum . . .

What is his connection with one of the inmates, a famous singer?

What really happened when a boy in his care went missing nine years ago?

Who can we trust when everyone has something to hide? 


Review:
I didn't know until purchasing the book that it is translated from Swedish. The last translated book I read wasn't the best so I'll admit, I was a little dubious. However, I soon forgot I was reading a translated book, and wouldn't have been any the wiser if it wasn't for certain names and place names. So kudos to Marlaine Delargy, the person who translated the book, you obviously did a great job. 

Now, onto the story. Jan Hauger is a pre-school teacher who lands a job in a very different kind of pre-school. One that is attached to a psychiatric hospital. The patients there are criminals, some dangerous and infamous, and Jan is told never to question what goes on there. He is to simply take the children to see their parents on visit day, and bring them back. The problem is, Jan has had his own experience with hospitals, and he's not as innocent as he seems. 

The book follows Jan in the modern day, taking care of the children at pre-school, and meeting with his co-workers in the pub at night. It also follows Jan in years previous, as a teenager. Over the chapters, the mystery unravels bit by bit, and I found myself wanting to read on further so I could understand what happened all those years ago to Jan - and why is he so interested with a certain someone in the hospital?

The book's ending certainly took a turn I wasn't expecting. I thought I knew it all, but I really didn't. I always like a book that can catch me off guard, but - and this was the only problem - I also like a book that wraps things up. I'm the kind of person that has to know everything in due time. I don't like surprises or mysteries, I like to be reliably informed. I left the book still wondering what happened to Jan, and while some people might like that, it's what stopped this book from getting a 5 star. Overall though, I enjoyed the mystery and the well thought out plot line from Johan Theorin. 

Giveaway: Signed Copies of 'Synergy'

I am giving away 2 signed PROOF copies of 'Synergy' in paperback. Please note this is open to British residents only (sorry, but postage..) Enter the giveaway here.