It’s No Picnic by Kenneth E. Myers

This novella is about an American detective called Alexander Lax in the village of Longport. It is an odd tale where you wonder if Alexander is actually dead and this is his after death experience. Then you wonder if Alexander is off his trolley and this is a tale of his madness. I could not make any sense of this book and I was no better off at the end as I was at the start. This whole book was a disappointment to me and I felt my reading time was totally wasted. I took nothing away from this book, only a sense of loss, my loss of the time wasted. This book gets the minimum score of 1 star from me and I suggest you AVOID it at all costs. It is nothing more than the of a nutter. Thank goodness I managed to get a copy as a free download! Mind you, Kenneth chose his title with some thought as this sorry book is clearly no picnic.

It’s No Picnic is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2014.

The Gilgamesh Conspiracy by Jeffrey Fleming.

Gerry Tate is a British MI6 intelligence agent and she is an expert in the Middle East. Follow her in the quest to get to the bottom of a secret operation codenamed Gilgamesh.

This novel is a regular conspiracy tale about Iraq, the alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction and the illegal invasion in 2003. Although this is a conspiracy story, because of the real historical facts and the people involved, it is quite cross-genre with historical fiction. Clearly a lot of background and culture have been researched to form the backbone of this novel. But like the famous dossier presented to the British parliament in 2002, this novel is also sexed up. Gerry Tate is not a deskbound agent but comes out all guns blazing.

Conspiracies are one of my favourite book genres. The Gilgamesh Conspiracy is a realistic scenario and it is quite believable. The workings of security and government agencies are spot on in this novel. I found this book to be a good read although the details of a hidden secret document are withheld from the reader almost to the end. It was frustrating that this document was constantly hinted at but the contents had to remain secret and the reader is kept in the dark, just like Gerry Tate. Also I did not like how the time frame flicked back and forth from the First Gulf War in the 80’s - through many conflicts between and 2009 when this story ends. I feel this story could have been told from the 80’s to 2009 without going back and forth. Maybe Jeffrey has his reasons for writing his novel in this flashback fashion but it is beyond me and non-linear timeframe novels are one of my pet hates.

I liked the historical context and accuracy of this novel. Featuring real people in this story added to the realism. However, rather a lot of violent action padded out this story. As an action thriller this novel fails but as a conspiracy it is okay. What is silly though is the amount of theft and violence Gerry Tate is involved in. Most intelligence work involves a huge amount of time monitoring internet activity and individuals. Most intelligence agents do not go around stealing lots of gear and killing people. Gerry Tate does have some cover identities using different names which is a shade confusing, so much so that the author uses her wrong name when she is sailing on a yacht!

I enjoyed reading the Gilgamesh Conspiracy, it is a good read that I will vote 4 stars. It is not the best of conspiracy novels but is still a good read. I have not voted it the top score of 5 stars because of the lack of a rigid straight ahead timeframe, unrealistic amounts of theft and violence plus the unnecessary sexing up of the story, even though the actions of Fiona brought a smile to my face!

The Gilgamesh Conspiracy is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2014.

The Farm by Catherine Ione Gray.

Janyl lives on The Farm, she is happy but things are about to change. And when they do, she considers leaving. This is her tale of life on The Farm, what is wrong and her escape.

I found this to be an odd novel, no dates are mentioned but it is set in the future. No locations are given but by the language and spelling, I assume it to take place somewhere in America. Janyl is the central character but you only get a vague impression of her personality, her back story is a mystery. Character development of Janyl is poor and the other characters are shallow and play minor roles.

You are left to plunder the mystery of The Farm and the society it is a part of. You will wonder as you read through this book whether Janyl is actually a woman or if she is a farm animal, the story being a parody like Animal Farm, written by George Orwell in 1945.

I found The Farm to be a big disappointment, it was confusing and unrealistic. The plot was very far fetched and very slow to move. The whole point of the novel was lost on me. Maybe it is a long rant by a vegetarian as it raised issues of food production. I got very little reading pleasure from this book and when I got to the end, things just did not add up.

The Farm is a long winded rural ramble like a lazy summer’s afternoon falling asleep on a blanket after a picnic. It is a poor use of your time and after your nap you have the guilt of feeling your time could have been better used. This is a book to AVOID and I will be voting it the minimum score of 1 star. The only people who may like this book are Vegans but even then I doubt they will actually enjoy it and it would be a 2 star read for them.

The Farm is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2013.

Every Scar Has a Story by Sarah Mazucci.

Marla Banks is an attractive girl living in New York yet there is lots of sadness in her life and she self-harms as a way to cope. This novella is about abusive relationships, depression, self-harm and suicide. Sarah starts her book with a plea to readers suffering from abuse, depression or self-harm to seek help.

Sarah ticks all the boxes in a tale highlighting the issues and pressures that lead to Marla being a cutter. Sarah’s writing style is very incident report and comes across like a teenage blogger with boyfriend problems. She is unable to describe the cutting experience with the precision and style I enjoyed in The Cutting Club by April Thomson. However the tale moves on from troubles at home, to troubles at work, to boyfriend trouble before Marla seeks help from a therapist. I will not spoil it by saying what happens next! There are lots of high’s and low’s as Marla gets on with her life.

Sarah uses her novella as a vehicle for vulnerable readers to get help. I can imagine it is a book that teenage girls will find it very easy to relate to. Mature readers however will find this book an okay read with many typos along the way - fancy getting the names wrong at a wedding! There is no bite to the script and it does come across as rather bland. It is not a dynamic story and it is rather predictable. It does not cover new ground and is about as interesting as reading last week’s news. This is tame reading that does not get exciting and is not a thrilling read.

Sarah’s writing quality is poor, she is not a great story-teller or novelist. You will not be on the edge of your seat and her book is not a page-turner. For an entertaining read relaxing at home, Sarah brings nothing to the game. I hope that Sarah’s aim was to encourage vulnerable readers to seek help rather than to be a successful author. Every Scar Has a Story is an okay read that I will vote the middle score of 3 stars and Oh! Sarah, don’t give up the day job lass.

Every Scar Has a Story is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2014.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Tips, Tricks and Traps by Edward Jones.

Edward shows just how useful a Samsung Galaxy Tablet can be in his guide. He delves deep into the potential of this device and gives loads of additional knowledge in the form of tips, tricks and traps. His writing style is clear and focused, giving you expert knowledge in an easy reading but structured way. He does not just tell you what this tablet can do but also what it's limitations are with the things it can't do.

I enjoyed reading this book, it is bright and tells you all you will need to know. For a technical book it is not dull and I found it a good read that I will vote 4 stars.

This guide is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2013.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 - A Complete Step By Step Guide for Beginners by Michael K Edwards.

Oh dear, this brief guide is NOT complete and is nothing more than a sales brochure. You can gather just as much information on the Samsung Galaxy Tablets from the many advertisements and catalogues floating about. Yet Michael has written this guide clearly from the sales literature and has made many typos. His style appears as broken English and makes you think he is reading off a screen at a call centre in India.

Michael does not discuss the potential and spirit behind the Samsung Galaxy Tablets. He does little more than list the many technical specifications. A new user will gain very little from reading this guide, the content and writing is so POOR. Do not waste your time downloading this eBook as you can get a better take on the Samsung Galaxy Tablets from the Argos catalogue online or in print. Such a poor eBook like this can only deserve the minimum vote of 1 star.

This guide is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2013.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini.

This novel starts off in 1949 depicting life in a fictional rural village called Shadbagh in Afghanistan. Through the pages you move through many people's lives as they are touched by the poverty and troubles within Afghanistan. This book moves through the years to current times and includes other countries where the characters have moved away to.

And the Mountains Echoed is a tale of love, people moving on, pride, sadness and struggle. All the characters are fully developed and tell wonderful stories, some their own and others passed along. There is so much warmth coming from this book that gives you a mature look at life. Khaled grabs those core fundamental values that drive people forward and holds society together. He tells the tale in such a fatherly, loving way, that the best story-tellers do. This makes for a great holiday read and as you glance up from this book, you can imagine tales echoing from the landscape around you, similar to the title of this novel.

This is a powerful story with people making hard decisions...

Parwana shuts her eyes. The wind makes the scarf flap against her face.

No one has to know. No one would. It would be her secret, one she would share with the mountains only. The question is whether it is a secret she can live with, and Parwana thinks she knows the answer. She has lived with secrets all her life.

She hears wailing again in the distance.

...Also how people are resigned to their situation...

But the fact is. I looked at my life and realized I already had what people sought in marriage. I had comfort, and companionship, and a home where I was always welcomed, loved, and needed. The physical urges I had as a man - and I still had them, of course, though less frequent and less pressing now that I was older - could still be managed, as I explained earlier. As for children, though I had always liked them I had never felt a tug of paternal impulse in myself.

...There is some lovely teasing dialogue sprinkled throughout the text...

Why didn't you call for the bedpan, Suleiman?

I did, a hundred times I did!

Which are you calling me, deaf or lazy?

No need to pick, I'm calling you both!

You have some gall calling me lazy for someone who lies in bed all day.

...Plus some lovely social observations of living in Afghanistan...

Eventually, the fighting ended with the arrival of the Taliban, those sharp-faced young men with dark beards, kohl-rimmed eyes, and whips. Their cruelty and excesses have also been well documented, and once again I see little reason to enumerate them for you, Mr. Markos. I should say that their years in Kabul were, ironically enpugh, a time of personal reprieve for me. They saved the bulk of their contempt and zealotry for the young, especially the poor women. Me, I was an old man. My main concession to their regime was to grow a beard, which, frankly, spared me the meticulous task of a daily shave.

...I enjoyed reading And the Mountains Echoed. It was very sad in places and brought a tear to my eyes. Khaled tells a lovely story with such passion and warmth. He sets up a lovely atmosphere of legends rolling off the mountains, tales of hope, poverty and struggle. His characters are easy to relate to as they all share a very human warmth, especially when they feel that they have failed. I have read his other two novels, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. This latest novel follows similar themes and if you enjoyed either of the other two, you will be delighted with this one. I finished this book and certain scenes still haunt me as I daydream whilst walking my dog. And the Mountains Echoed is a powerful, memorable story that makes for a wonderful read that deserves the top score of 5 stars.

And the Mountains Echoed has 463 pages and was written in 2013.