Matt McAvoy Book Review

A quite lovely book, by an author who clearly has an immense love for and knowledge of horses.  In a similar vein to Watership Down, this tale is told from the point of view of our equine friends, who can understand their humans and each other for the purposes of its simple story.  Funnily enough, there isn’t an extensive developmental arc to follow, which is just fine; it isn’t really that type of book; rather, it is simply a tale of endearment, about the coexistence between us animals, ...

Absolutely heartfelt, this is not so much a narrative as an outpouring of emotion, a love letter to the best creatures on the planet.  As you may have guessed, I am a shameless dog-lover – though I have to admit, even I raised my eyebrows at the size of the heart on Jennifer’s sleeve at moments in this book.  It is utterly engrossing, and of course – at the risk of big spoilers – anticipatedly, utterly heartbreaking.  Of course, we know from early on where the book is going, and for p...

James is a decent writer, and this investigative suspense thriller is pretty readable, if formulaic stuff – as long as you’re not triggered by its subject matter of child sexual abuse. As is a common trope in fiction, the perpetrator is a Catholic priest (they do get a bad rap, it has to be said) and the killer a former victim of his. It’s an entertaining book, though it is fair to say it doesn’t really progress beyond this premise – and that is quite a long word count for what is e...

Joy is a genuine breath of fresh air, who presents her musings on life in Southern California and shares her experiences on every subject, in the most candid and honest fashion.  So Drunk… appears to be a collation of what is surely her best work as a blogger and journalist. 

I have to admit, though, that its appeal may not be universal.  I'm not sure of Joy's age, but the content of many of these articles will very likely be somewhat alien to the majority of readers over the age of 40.  I...

This is pure, unapologetic comedy-of-errors stuff, a kind of worst-case -scenario, fish-out-of-water tale that the literary world loves, colourful cartoon cover and all – though don’t expect the standard love interest in this one, thankfully, I might add.  Instead, as MIT genius Charlie returns to his family home after being made redundant, the question is: will he or won't he learn to love and appreciate all that he has – namely, his imposing and utterly deranged family – rather than...

I have to be open and share that Bruce initially sent me a copy of this book for a critique and appraisal; my concluding suggestion was that I would change absolutely nothing about the story – quite honestly, it is a wonderful one, almost flawless in its creativity, poignancy and, dare I say it, the sheer beauty of its subject matter.  I don’t want to spoil anything about this book, for it is a genuine treat that readers deserve to enjoy to its fullest, but I will say that what could plum...

From the outset, I should state that this is an exceptionally niche book.  It is geared toward and will be of appeal to those readers with a very specific and vested interest in federal contract procurement.  It focuses heavily on success versus failure in the first instance; if your foundations and roots are not firmly secured, well thought through and well executed, you will waste time and money.  That said, I don’t feel the narrative gets off on a specific foot, and that it doesn’t par...

If you’d come from any other time in modern history, you would think Susan’s memoir was a far-fetched sitcom.  But, and I don’t mean to speak ill of the characters in this wonderful book, sadly it’s all too authentic – much to the author’s despair.  She asks the question frequently throughout the book: how can such an educated professional fall so far down the rabbit hole that their sense of logic or reason is an irredeemable casualty – a lawyer, no less?  While starting off alr...

There is definitely an interesting story in this genre-hopping fantasy thriller, though in some ways quite a lot going on which makes it feel somewhat convoluted.  It is enjoyable, for sure, and the author Willow Healy undoubtedly has a clear passion for and knowledge of Japanese history and traditional culture – I suspect the main inspiration for the book.  However, because the story is simultaneously mythical fantasy and modern-day noir, it does take some serious imagination on the part o...

The third book I have read in Linda’s vast and visionary series of vocation-educational books for young teens, and this one is a real swashbuckler.  Although she presents archaeology as realistically as possible (a lot of digging), and avoids the Indiana Jones-style action-fantasy, she still manages to portray it as a fun, exciting and rewarding career, for the sake of its historical benefit and merit.  The book is a passionate glimpse into the world of research and information gathering, r...

I was sent this book in a PDF format for reviewing, but I would have loved to hold the physical book in my hand, to experience through feel and vision, rather than the filter of an electronic screen, its joyous vividness.  The illustrations are just wonderful, and gloriously capture the wonders and pleasures of the undersea world.  But this isn’t only a book for children – at least, not for very young children; I would consider its target audience to be young teens and upward, and it will...

For a futuristic, otherworld fantasy sci-fi, Faraway Star is actually very timely and contemporary in some of its themes; undeniably something of a mirror into our society and the lessons we have (and, more accurately, haven’t) learnt.  Raljebi is a draft-dodging refugee fleeing war on his own planet, migrating for the promise of a better life elsewhere.  However, what he finds is far from this: a squalid melting pot of a refugee camp, in which the fractured races are forced to fend for the...

You’ll love this sublime and beautiful anthology of parables, in which the wise and aged Tortoise is portrayed as a learned prophet among the animal kingdom of the Sonoran Desert, as he makes his final journey across the arid home he loves, imparting his lessons of life and spirituality to those he encounters: the Coyote, the Rattlesnake and more.  The entirety of nature’s gifts become Tortoise’s analogical narrative devices, the geographical landscape descriptively crafted with a bold ...

A crime tale so simple, so satisfyingly straightforward yet profoundly character and dialogue-based that it could be described as literary fiction – and it is very enjoyable indeed.  Told from the point of view of two characters obviously bound on a collision course, yet both unpicking the layers of their very different lives until the inevitable moment their paths cross.  When it comes – without wishing to spoil in any way – it is so bittersweet and abrupt that you can only really find...

Vince Rockston has once again delivered an incredibly human tale set in a meticulously researched period of history.  With his writing, and entry no exception, you live and breathe the characters, the settings and the era.  You feel you are part of the conversations, walking the same streets, listening to the same sounds. 

This time we are in the 17^th century, as the Christian Huguenots of France face brutal persecution from the Catholic king and his tyrannical purging of non-Catholics.  The...

Jan’s writing is, as always, exquisite, and her love of history unparalleled among the books I read.  Here she presents another masterclass in British history, though on this occasion has gone back much further, almost five hundred years, to the rule of the Tudors and subsequently the Stuarts.  As usual, she uses her wonderful craft to place you right there among the people and places of the era, choosing this time to go much grander than before, right into the heart of the royal courts.  S...

Being something of a cynic, I read books like this with a somewhat incredulous frustration.  I mean no disrespect to Ros or her ex – for as it turns out, this book is almost entirely based on the true story of her own experience – but I tend to find myself shouting silently at the women in them not to trust this man, time and time again.  Of course, were that the course, we wouldn’t get to appreciate the warm and enjoyable experience of Ros’s writing.  She is pleasant to read, endeari...

A simple crime thriller without big action sequences or a tangled plot; there is something rather slow-burning about this pulp-like tale.  It does feel like a pretty long read, to be honest, though it is absorbing, with a straightforward narrative of police trying to solve a murder.  It is no secret to us, the reader, and we are just watching events unfold as the story pieces itself together.  The narrative glides along cleanly and calmly, although there is an immense amount of descriptive in...

An excellent and incredibly timely book, more relevant now than ever.  Told in a dialogue-led caseload style, from the point of view of a recognizably conventional therapist working in a very unconventional arena, its prose is so natural that you may have to remind yourself it is a work of fiction.  Indeed, for a while, when starting, I found myself unsure exactly what was going on, and wondering if I was reading a real-life interview transcript – and that isn’t criticism, but rather prai...

The second I’ve read from Heath Hamrick now, and I can see without question that he writes from the heart like few other authors I’ve encountered.  As I may have mentioned in my previous review of his work, he’ll take a simple subject, an anecdotal episode from his life, and turn it into a poignant piece of literature.  This offering is even more so, profound and deeply personal.  Sure, he openly admits at the start of Play Like He Would that it is a composed narrative based on a real e...

Another superb masterclass in storytelling by an author who has really stood out for me, twice now.  Every bit as good as the first book in the series, A Dangerous Time, Book 2 shifts the focus to Lebanon, but the narrative is pretty much the same: that of chemists and pharmacists in the latter-mid twentieth century lured by the irresistible temptation of the vast wealth and power to be made in the illicit drug trade.  Irina expertly weaves the connection to extremist militia warfare, the roo...

You know exactly what you’re going to get when you read Gary: intelligent storytelling, immensely well-researched attention to historical detail, and a top-quality production value.  He is a professional at the top of his game, and The Pompeian Betrayal is another gripping entry in his series of puzzling historical mysteries – though in my view this has a touch more action than some others in the series.

Gary’s mysteries always have the same ingredients: a priceless ancient artefact, a...

Dennis Barger clearly knows his business, and in this book he makes a bold effort to combine it with some very credible suspense – up to a point.  It is certainly procedural and well researched, though delivered in a way which is simple and accessible to the most uninformed reader in the subjects of insurance and fraud investigation.  Adding an element of gritty mob activity and a touch of pretty realistic violence turns what might otherwise be something rather staid and officious into a pr...

Pure tribute and nostalgia from Javier.  A dramatized throwback to his childhood years of Spielberg movies and a life before you really grow up – though this has definitely more in common with Stephen King’s “The Body” (which became the movie Stand by Me) than The Goonies.  I don’t know how much of this tale is real, fictionalized or based on hearsay from Javier’s own childhood, but it is one of those crime stories which pop up often in fiction and rarely in real life; although, o...

A nice easy narrative which doesn’t test, but simply entertains.  A sports story which is light-hearted, character based and gripping; I was engaged right from the outset.  Running in the Dark has all the ingredients which made the light-hearted sports fiction genre staple diet in the ‘80s and ‘90s: an underdog’s challenge; a second chance at a dream; a bold ambition and a little bit of corporate agenda thrown in – and it all makes for a very enjoyable read.  There is no dark drama,...

An interesting collection of what the author unambiguously titles “true stories” and “real-life events”, and I think that whether you are a believer or a sceptic is beside the point; Victor writes with a raw authenticity which suggests he is 100% sincere in his anecdotal musings.  I personally like the format he has chosen and the style in which he writes very much – he clearly has a great deal to say about the events which have either haunted or thrilled him throughout his life.  F...

Don’t believe other reviews on Goodreads; this is a pretty good, fun and very dark read.  Sure, the writing style takes a bit of getting used to; it does tend to focus on the visceral and the simplistic at first, with a little attention on explicitly suggestive kind of stuff – some of the sexual content is not going to be to all tastes – but in my opinion Corbeill is a decent writer who knows how to craft horror in its purest form.  The seven stories are interesting, and it should be po...

Difficult to tell how much of this book is fact and how much is fiction; I believe it is best considered as a fictionalized and humorous, slice-of-life look at the day-to-day of a GP in Britain in the 1980s, as told through the eyes of an educated observer - in this case his son.  The fact that the primary character is named after the author himself suggests that there is a great deal of this account based on actual events - though, as the blurb explains, it shouldn't be considered strictly "...