Inkpot's book pledge 61-65

Inkpot is surging ahead with her books and now has surpassed the 65 mark. Here is what she had to say about recent reads:


61. WATCHING THE MAGPIES by Les Charles
This is a one act play written by a Welsh playwright. It is about two women in their sixties, one who suffers from Alzheimer’s and her friend who is her carer, who are being thrown out of their house by the council. It is well written, understated and natural.
– 5/10 Readable

62. THE SOFTWIRE VIRUS ON ORBIS 1 by P J HAARSMA
This science fiction novel for children is the first book published by Mr Haarsma – and you can tell. He has a lot of first novel fluffs in this book – telling, not showing, clunky sentences, etc – but for all that his writing shows promise and his world is imaginative if not exactly original.
– 6/10 The Curate’s Egg.

63. THE FATHER CHRISTMAS LETTERS by JRR Tolkien
This book is the collected letters and illustrations that Tolkien wrote to his children every year under the guise of Father Christmas and his helper, The North Pole Bear. These letters are filled with love and it gives an added dimension to man who was the father of modern fantasy.
- 9/10 (incredibly sweet)

64. THE VANISHED MAN by Jeffery Deaver
A return to form for daring Deaver after the disappointing The Stone Monkey. The Vanished Man revolves around magic, illusion and circus, topics which are always bound to entertain. While I think some of Deaver’s plot devices are so contrived as to be hilarious, I enjoyed guessing every new curve ball he threw at the reader.
– 7/10 Not Bad

65. THE TWELTH CARD by Jeffery Deaver
More of the same from Dare to be Deaver, this time centring on a black school girl from Harlem. By this stage I find the Lincoln Rhyme books very formulaic, though still enjoyable. This is the most recent in the series and, while I didn’t find it the most exciting instalment, it is an entertaining read. Hard working school girl Geneva Settle has been targeted for murder – but why, and by whom? That’s for Lincoln and Amelia to find out, which they do with their indomitable skill.
– 7/10 Not Bad