The Colour Of Death by Michael Cordy

No. of pages: 381
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: In a residential neighbourhood of Portland, Oregon, an unknown young woman uncovers a shocking crime scene by inexplicably sensing the evil within its walls. To the police, she is a mystery. She can’t even tell them her own name. They christen her Jane Doe. Suffering terrifying hallucinations, Jane is assigned to Nathan Fox, a forensic psychiatrist struggling with his own demons. Together they must piece together the jigsaw that is Jane’s identity. Then a sequence of brutal killings terrorizes the city and Fox learns Jane is the only cryptic link between the unrelated victims. To solve the murders, Fox must discard his black and white preconceptions, look beyond the spectrum of normal human experience and confront the dark truth of her past…and his own.

Review: When a young woman breaks into a house and releases several trapped girls being held as slaves, she is hailed a hero. Only one problem though, not only does she not remember how she knew the girls were there, but she doesn't even remember her own name. Christened Jane Doe, she is taken to hospital where she is terrified by vivid hallucinations. Moved swifly to a mental facility, she comes under the care of Nathan Fox, a man troubled himself by the murder of his family when he was a child. Together, Jane and Nathan start to unravel not only the mystery of her identity, but also the sudden spate of murders that seem to somehow link back to Jane.

Having heard of Michael Cordy before, but never having read any of his work, I was very interested to read The Colour Of Death. Not only because I love new authors, but because the synopsis sounded so intriguing! I can honestly say, I have never read anything like this story before, the content was completely new, to me anyway. I loved how you slowly found out about all of the fascinating details about Jane and Nathan, and the secrets they both held, and then how it all tied back to the murders that seem so random. I did figure out some of the ending pretty early on, but that didn't ruin any of the enjoyment or suspence for me. A throughly enjoyable read, and a must for fans of thrillers with a science-y twist! I'm not only looking forward to reading the sequel, but also more books by Michael Cordy in the future.

The Eighth Scroll by Dr. Laurence B. Brown

No. of pages: 332
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Stirring the flames of age-old controversies, The Eighth Scroll by Laurence B. Brown draws on the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to create an unbelievably dynamic and powerful story. Set in a world that teeters between orthodoxy and heresy, this thriller is packed with intrigue and adventure. When a Roman Catholic scholar involved in the Dead Sea Scrolls Project hides one of the scrolls because of the heretical message it contains, no one is the wiser until decades later, when a prominent archeologist discovers reference to the scroll in an archeological dig. This discovery spurs the world religions into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, in which all who seek the hidden scroll are mysteriously silenced, leaving the salvation of humankind to a father and son, who must either find the hidden scroll . . . or die trying.

Review: When archaeologist Gerald Hansen receives a cryptic phone call from one of his friends, he rushes half way around the world to the dig where his friend is working, dragging along his son Michael. What they find there completely changes their lives forever. It would seem there is another Dead Sea scroll which has never been found, and it will completely change the face of religion as we know it. The trouble is, they aren't the only ones looking for it, and it will be a life or death race to find it first...

When I was asked to review this book, it was compared to The Da Vinci Code, which is a book I really enjoyed. I am always wary though, when a book is said to be 'like' another, because usually they fall a little short. In this case I can definitely see why the comparison is made, but personally I think Brown can stand with his own merit though, this is a fantastic book. I'm not a follower of any religion, but it has always fascinated me, and so mixed with the gripping thriller aspect as well, made for a really great read. It is immediately clear that this was a subject the author knew a lot about or researched very throughly, and it is all written in a very understandable way for people who do not necessarily know a lot about the three religions spoken about. I liked the characters involved, and thought it was a great move to switch narrators part way through the book. For me, I enjoyed savouring this book over the course of a few days, it gave me time to digest each section of information and think about the story, but I can definitely see it being a book that is impossible to put down as well. I would definitely recommend this to fans of religious thrillers, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, I can assure you this is just as good!

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

No. of pages: 392
Rating: 6/10
Series: Generation Dead (Book 1)

Synopsis: All over the tri-state area, something strange is happening. Teenagers who die aren't staying dead. They are coming back to life, but they come back different - they stutter and their reactions to everything are slower. Termed 'living impaired' or 'differently biotic', there are lots of conspiracy theories to explain this new phenomenon. But as their numbers keep on growing, so does the discomfort of the living people in the community. When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, her best friend and star of the football team, Adam, has conflicting emotions. And when Tommy decides to try out for the football team, it sets off a chain of events that escalates into deadly violence.

Review: Phoebe is a goth, so she's a bit of an outcast, but nothing like the 'living impaired' kids that have started to attend their school. But as Phoebe becomes friends with, and starts to fall for Tommy, one of the 'living impaired', she realises that there are people that will do anything to stop their relationship...

This is a hard book for me to review. I liked it and yet I didn't like it, but I'm finding it hard to say exactly why. I loved the 'zombies' aspect, but found the story and writing to be quite slow going. When I was reading it, I'd find my mind drifting off and thinking about other things, and then I'd abruptly remember that I should be concentrating on this. I did enjoy the storyline, and most of the characters, I just wish the writing had a bit more 'umph' to it. I wasn't that keen on the ending, but I will carry on with the series to see how the plot progresses and hope the next book will be more enjoyable.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

No. of pages: 357
Rating: 7/10
Series: Perfect Chemistry (Book 1)

Synopsis: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

Review: Brittany has worked hard to make sure everyone thinks she's perfect and has a perfect life. Alex on the other hand is a gang member from the bad side of town, and everyone knows it. So when Alex's friends bet him to hook up with Brittany, he decides to put 'perfect' Brittany in her place. But as Alex slowly gets to know Brittany, and the cracks start to appear in her perfect life, and they find a connection neither thought would ever happen...

Perfect Chemistry turned out to be so much more complex than I thought it would be. At first glance Alex is exactly what you'd imagine a gang thug to be, and Brittany is the typical 'rich bitch' who everyone admires but secretly hates too. I wasn't sure where a story like this could go, but the characters became so real as the story went on, when you slowly started to see the cracks in their lives and the reasoning behind their actions. I thought Simone Elkeles did an amazing job with the characters, and it's almost like the story was irrelevant, the only important thing was Alex and Brittany and how their lives were changing because of each other. The story is a common one, the forbidden love, and how they overcome it, but the characters truly make this anything other than common. Definitely recommended for people who like character driven books, or want to read something a little out of the norm.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

No. of pages: 327
Rating: 5/5
Series: The Body Finder (Book 1)

Synopsis: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies – or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world...and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift, but now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer – and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling in love, Violet is getting closer to discovering a killer...and becoming his prey herself.

Review: Violet has always been able to sense dead things, they send out a echo to her, which doesn't stop until they're laid to rest. So Violet does her best to help them pass on peacefully. But what has always been dead animal echoes, becomes a lot more when she finds the body of a young girl....and then another young girl. As Violet is the only one who can see the echoes which attach to both the victim and the murderer, she is determined to find out who is killing the young girls in her town, even when the killer sets his sights on Violet too...

I really enjoy the sensing dead bodies kind of storyline, and this one reminds me a lot of the Charlaine Harris Harper Connelly series which I'd definitely recommend to people who enjoy these kinds of books. The Body Finder is actually a pretty creepy book, which I've not really come across before in the YA genre. I was on tenterhooks throughout most of the second half of the book after Derting really ramped up the suspense, I just couldn't put it down until I found out what happened at the end. I loved Violet as a character, she seemed very down to earth, and just an all round lovely kind of girl just trying to deal with a pretty morbid talent. The growing romantic feelings between Violet and Jay were sweet to read, and added some normality to a pretty creepy story. I really enjoyed The Body Finder and I'm excited to see where the story goes in the next book!

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

No. of pages: 414
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Summer, 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels has come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Along with his partner, Chuck Aule, he sets out to find an escaped patient. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. And neither is Teddy Daniels.
Is he there to find a missing patient? Or has he been sent to look into rumors of Ashecliffe's radical approach to psychiatry? An approach that may include drug experimentation, hideous surgical trials, and lethal countermoves in the shadow war against Soviet brainwashing. The closer Teddy and Chuck get to the truth, the more elusive it becomes, and the more they begin to believe that they may never leave Shutter Island.

Review: Teddy and his partner Chuck, are called to Shutter Island to help find an escaped mental patient. But once on the island, Teddy starts to realise things are not what they seem. Over the course of the next 24 hours, while a terrible storm rages, Teddy finds himself questioning everything he ever believed in...

I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this, so I watched the film first which I loved, and then got a hold of the book after that. I was pleased to find that the book and film were very similar, as sometimes they change the film so much from the book it's not even noticable as the same thing! The ending is really good, and it's definitely a bit of a mind bender book, but in a good way. The character of Teddy is lovable, well written and interesting to get to know, I liked the way his past unravels as you read further into the book. Shutter Island is a great setting, and you really get the creepy feel of this desolate island and it's inhabitants. I would most definitely recommend both the book and the film, I think Leo Di Caprio and Mark Ruffalo perfectly capture the characters of Teddy and Chuck.

The Small Hand by Susan Hill

No. of pages: 167
Rating: 4/10

Synopsis: Returning home from a visit to a client late one summer’s evening, antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow takes a wrong turning and stumbles across the derelict old White House. Compelled by curiosity, he approaches the door, and, standing before the entrance feels the unmistakable sensation of a small hand creeping into his own, ‘as if a child had taken hold of it’. Intrigued by the encounter, he determines to learn more, and discovers that the owner’s grandson had drowned tragically many years before. At first unperturbed by the odd experience, Snow begins to be plagued by haunting dreams, panic attacks, and more frequent visits from the small hand which become increasingly threatening and sinister…

Review: Having taken a wrong turn on a country road, Adam Snow accidentally comes across a once beautiful, but now run down abandoned house. As he stands admiring it, he feels a little hand slip in to his, but to his horror, there is no one stood beside him. As he tries to forget the experience, he feels the hand slip in to his again, and realises he needs to find out more about the house that led him to the hand...

A pretty disappointing read overall really. I was expecting a scary ghost story and it was nothing of the sort, and I actually found it to be pretty dull. It had so much potential to be great as well which is a shame. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the plot as so far as I wanted to know the story behind the hand, but didn't really feel that it was explained to much extent. The characters were never explored to any depth, so I never felt like I got to know or like any of them. I think the best bit about this book is the fact it's so short, so it didn't take long to get through. I don't think I'd read anything by this author again.

Blood Vines by Erica Spindler

No. of pages: 483
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Alex Owens knows very little about her childhood or who she really is - her only family an absent, emotionally fragile mother. Alex has always felt something was missing and has spent most of her life searching for what that could be. When an infant's remains are unearthed, Alex realises she has a connection to the case. Suddenly long-lost memories start flooding in, leading her back to a small town in California and to dark and terrifying nightmares that haunt her every waking moment. Greeted with silence and suspicion, Alex is determined to get to the heart of a secret no one wants to see uncovered. As violent deaths and a series of pagan rituals terrify the tightly-knit community, Alex is forced to confront the terrible truth about a single night that changed her family's lives for ever...

Review: Alex has always had strange dreams, and coupled with the secrets her mother quite obviously keeps from her, she feels that something is missing in her life, but she has no idea what. But when she's contacted about the death of a baby she has no clue about, she realises the secrets her mother kept are coming back to haunt them...

It's well known that Erica is one of my favourite thriller writers, and this book is no exception to the rule. It was gripping and full of twists from page one, and maybe a tad more dark that some of her other books because it's about the murder of a little baby. I really felt quite suffocated at times during the story, which goes to show how great the writing is. It was great as always to see all of the puzzle pieces falling into place, and there were plenty of surprises, including the ending which I didn't see coming. It's well worth a read if you're looking for a gripping thriller that you can't put down!

The Fledgling Handbook by P.C. Cast

No. of pages: 157
Rating: 6/10
Series: House Of Night (Handbook)

Synopsis: Merry meet, fledgling. I trust this guide will serve you well...Every vampyre fledgling who arrives at the House of Night receives a copy of The Fledgling Handbook 101, and now, fans can have one, too, with this gorgeous must-have edition. Inside you'll find original stories, the complete vampyre history, inside info into rituals, vamp biology, and the Change, and much more.

Review: A companion guide to the House Of Night series. The Fledgling Handbook is given to all new vampyre fledglings upon arriving at the House Of Night, and it describes many aspects of life as a vampyre, including history, ritual information, what will happen during your change and almost everything else!

I was kind of looking forward to this, as it's mentioned so much during the series and I was so curious what would be in it. I felt mostly disappointed though, it's super short, and still it dragged when I was reading the pages, and there isn't even that much text in there either! The pages are lovely though, thick shiny paper, and lots of pretty pictures and such on them. Basically it's just filler, most of the stuff in it, you know from the series itself and it was clearly released just to cash in on the success of the series. Not worth buying in my opinion, but if you're interested, borrow from a friend or the library.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

No. of pages: 550
Rating: 9/10
Series: Harry Hole (Book 7)

Synopsis: The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother’s pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry’s suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity.

Review: A little boy awakes to find his mother has disappeared, upon his search for her around the house, he sees a snowman in the garden with his mother's scarf wrapped around it. A few days later, another mother goes missing, and there's another snowman. So begins Harry Hole's chase after the 'Snowman' serial killer, but considering Harry is a disgraced ex-alcoholic, it's not going to be a smooth ride...

My one and only niggle about this book is the cover, I absolutely hate the massive 'the next Stieg Larsson' sign, and it almost put me off of reading this book completely. It's like comparing an apple to a banana, sure they're both fruits, but that's where the similarities end, and it's the same with these authors. Personally, I prefered this book over the one I've read by Stieg Larsson, so I find the sign a bit frustrating, plus it's rude to try and launch an author in a new country by saying he's 'like' an already established author, especially when they have so much talent and merit of their own. Apart from that I loved this book! It very dark, and truly what a thriller should be in every sense. Harry Hole is one of those characters that's hard to love, but he's great at his job, and I found him to be very funny throughout the book. I loved the mystery of the murders, and it unravelled nicely, with lots of twists and turns. I thought I knew who the killer was a few times, but of course I was completely and utterly wrong! The ending was amazing, one of the best endings I've ever read in a thriller book, and I cannot stress enough how great a thriller this book is! If you're a fan of them, then this is definitely a MUST read. I can't wait to get my hands on more books from this series!

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

No. of pages: 368
Rating: 8/10
Series: Lorien Legacies (Book 1)

Synopsis: John Smith is not your average teenager. He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him. But you can’t run forever. So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about – and who care about him. Never in John’s short life has there been space for friendship, or even love. But it’s just a matter of time before John’s secret is revealed. He was once one of nine. Three of them have been killed. John is Number Four. He knows that he is next...

Review: John is number 4 of the last of 9 of his race. They can only be killed in order, so when 3 is killed, John knows it's just a matter of time before he's hunted down. But John is sick of running, and is determined to stay in one place and put down some roots, but will staying in just one place make it easier for the hunters to find and kill him?

I was looking forward to this for ages before it was even released, and so I was really pleased that I enjoyed it. It was a little different to what I was expecting, but not by much, and not in a way that diminished my thoughts of it at all. I loved the main characters, and thought they all had great personality and relationships with each other. Bernie Kosar was my absolute favourite character, I'd love to have a dog like that! I think my favourite bit of the story was finding out about John's home planet of Lorien, it was beautifully described. The plot was well paced and realistically filled with tension throughout, and I finished it in just one sitting. I'm really looking forward to the released of the next in the series and cannot wait to see where the story goes from here. Would definitely recommend to sci-fi fans, or to be people who enjoy a good fast paced thriller.

High Stakes by Meg Cabot

No. of pages: 200
Rating: 8/10
Series: Mediator (Book 2)

Synopsis: Meet Susannah Simon: she's a typical teenage girl, who just happens to be a ghost-hunter ...oh, and she's also dead-over-heels for Jesse - the sexiest spook ever! But can this girl get her ghost? In "High Stakes", Suze's new life is looking up - cool friends, pool parties and getting to know Jesse (swoon), but then a desperate spirit asks for her help. Suddenly she's on the trail of a creepy local businessman, who just might be a vampire. Life just got dead complicated. Again.

Review: When a crying ghost appears in her bedroom, Suze is asked to track down and pass on a message to someone. But as Suze gets close to who she thinks is the recipient, she starts to worry that he's not entirely human...

High Stakes is just as good as the first book in the series, and builds upon the story started there. I really enjoyed the evolving relationships in this book, mainly between Suze and Jesse and Suze and her new little brother Doc, who is so adorable! The story is engaging and kept me gripped right until the end, although I did find the ending was kind of repetitive as a similar thing happened at the end of the first book, and that was a little disappointing. Over all, these books are enjoyable for a light, easy read.

Love You To Death by Meg Cabot

No. of pages: 199
Rating: 8/10
Series: Mediator (Book 1)

Synopsis: Meet Susannah Simon: she's a typical teenage girl, who just happens to be a ghost-hunter ...oh, and she's also dead-over-heels for Jesse - the sexiest spook ever! But can this girl get her ghost? In "Love You to Death", Suze arrives in California and has barely unpacked when her mediator skills are put to the test. A vicious spirit in her new school is hell-bent on making her life a complete nightmare, but Suze is more than ready to kick some serious ghost butt if she has to.

Review: Suze has just moved to California, and transferred into a new school there. Her first day is a little different than she imagined though when a nasty spirit decides to try and scare Suze away from the school, but Suze has dealt with ghosts like this before, and isn't afraid to show it who's boss...

This book was mainly about introducing us to the cast of characters, many of which are pretty loveable. I really liked the ghost mediating aspect of it and thought that it was something interesting to read about. I thought Suze's spunky attitude was funny and I liked reading her interaction with Jesse, can't see where that goes in the future! A predictable story, but quite sweet, and an enjoyable quick read.

The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt

No. of pages: 356
Rating: 4/10

Synopsis: What good is a toy that will wind down? What if you could put a heart in one? A real heart. One that beat and beat and didn't stop. What couldn't you do if you could make a toy like that? From the moment Mathias becomes the owner of a mysterious piece of paper, he is in terrible danger. Entangled in devious plots and pursued by the sinister Doctor Leiter and his devilish toys, Mathias finds himself on a quest to uncover a deadly secret.

Review: When Mathias receives a piece of paper that is quite clearly a clue to something, he finds himself on a dangerous mission to uncover a sinister secret.

I think my main problem with this book was that I was expecting something completely different. From the synopsis on the back of the book, I had imagined something very different to how the story actually was, and that for me was very disappointing. The plot in itself is not bad, but this was just not the book for me. I really struggled to get through it and seriously considered giving up on it numerous times. It was only the fact I hate to give up on books that made me carry on, just in case it turned out to be great. Sadly, in this case, it didn't. I didn't like any of the characters, the ending was pretty rubbish and didn't even fully wrap up the story and I'm surprised that a childrens book has so much violence in it. This should teach me a lesson that cool covers do not equal cool books!

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

No. of pages: 358
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Nothing can break the bond between sisters...

When Beatrice gets a frantic call in the middle of Sunday lunch to say that her younger sister, Tess, is missing, she boards the first flight home to London. But as she learns about the circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance, she is stunned to discover how little she actually knows of her sister's life - and unprepared for the terrifying truths she must now face.

The police, Beatrice's fiance and even their mother accept they have lost Tess but Beatrice refuses to give up on her. So she embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

Review: Imagine getting a phone call telling you that your sister has gone missing, then imagine that you're half a world away from where your sister lives. This is the nightmare that begins for Beatrice one lunchtime as she receives a phone call from her mother back in London. But after rushing from New York back to London to find Tess, Beatrice realises that she may not have known her sister as well as she thought she did after all...

I was really looking forward to starting this book because I thought it sounded fantastic, and it even exceeded my incredibly high expectations. I don't know what it was, but this for me was that rare 'perfect' book. I loved the way it was written, I loved the storyline, I loved and cared about the characters, I just pure and simple loved it. I sat and read it through in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down and then was incredibly sad that it was over. I think the ending is one that will divide readers, I can definitely see how people would dislike it, but I thought it did fit in well with the story that was being told, so it didn't bother me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of mystery books and I for one cannot wait for another book by this author!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

No. of pages: 371
Rating: 8/10
Series: The Maze Runner Trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there - or what's happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back, they will risk everything - even the Grievers, half-machine, half-animal horror that patrols its corridors, to find out.

Review: When Thomas wakes up in the lift, all he knows is that his name is Thomas. He knows nothing else about anything, least of all where he is or how on earth he got there. Then the lift opens, and he finds himself in the Glade, surrounded by other boys who had awakened in the lift. But what they don't know is that time is running short, and Thomas is the key to solving the mystery of the Glade and freeing them all...

Similar in style to that of The Hunger Games, in that it's about children put in peril to fight for their freedom. This one I'd say is more aimed towards the male market, but still very enjoyable for females too. I enjoyed the mystery of the Glade and the maze that surrounds it, and I also thought the language the boys had made up was funny and a nice touch. I also thought the monsters, called Grievers, were actually quite creepy sounding, I certainly wouldn't want to bump in to one, that's for sure! I did find that the plot dragged a little in places, but overall I thought the story was an interesting concept, and I enjoyed reading it. Personally, I did prefer The Hunger Games, but this is definitely a read for fans of that series. I've heard the second in the series is even better, and I can't wait to read it and find out for myself how Thomas' story continues.

Terminal Care by Christopher Stookey

No. of pages: 333
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Phil Pescoe, the 37-year-old emergency physician at Deaconess Hospital in San Francisco, becomes alarmed by a dramatic increase in the number of deaths on the East Annex (the Alzheimer's Ward). The deaths coincide with the initiation of a new drug study on the annex where a team of neurologists have been administering "NAF"—an experimental and highly promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease—to half of the patients on the ward. Mysteriously, the hospital pushes forward with the study even though six patients have died since the start of the trial. Pescoe teams up with Clara Wong—a brilliant internist with a troubled past—to investigate the situation. Their inquiries lead them unwittingly into the cutthroat world of big-business pharmaceuticals, where they are threatened to be swept up and lost before they have the opportunity to discover the truth behind the elaborate cover-up.With the death count mounting, Pescoe and Wong race against time to save the patients on the ward and to stop the drug manufacturer from unleashing a dangerous new drug on the general populace.

Review: Phil Pescoe, an emergency doctor at Deconess Hospital is called in for a code blue, a patient is dying and it's up to Phil to try and save them. The odd thing is though, that the code blue is for the Alzheimer's unit, where the patients are never resuscitated. Phil finds out that they're doing a drug study on the Alzheimer patients, but he seems to be the only person alarmed by the dramatic increase in deaths. That is until he meets Clara Wong, who is also incredibly suspicious, so together they are determined to find out what is really happening in the East Annex.

I love medical thrillers, especially ones such as this, where you get a bit of romance mixed with a gripping storyline. I really liked the characters of Phil and Clara, and thought they were well developed and interesting. The medical trials storyline was something new to me, and it seemed really well researched, with a lot of detail, but with it all explained so a non-medical person could understand easily. That's what I love so much about medical books, as well as a great story, I also enjoy learning about the medical side of things which has always interested me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Tess Gerritsen's earlier works, it has a very similar feel to it, and is just as great a read. Very hard to believe this is a debut novel! Will definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.

I was given this book as part of a book tour by Pump Up Your Books in return for my honest opinion.

Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 347
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Miranda's ex-lover is found murdered. She had a motive and the opportunity. After being arrested for the crime, Miranda is shocked to learn she's been released on bail - bail posted by someone determined to remain anonymous. Is someone trying to help Miranda? Or is someone trying to manipulate Miranda and draw her into the dark and secret world of a murdered man, where everybody's presumed guilty?

Review: When Miranda comes home to find her ex-lover dead in her bed, stabbed with her knife, she knows there's no way anyone will believe it wasn't her. But when someone posts her bail and all sorts of things start to happen, she realises she has to find out who the killer really is, no matter what the cost will be...

As I've said many times before, Tess Gerritsen's romantic thrillers aren't as good as her medical thrillers, but they are still very good. This particular story was my favourite of her romantic thrillers that I've read so far, it focused more on the thriller aspect than on the romance, and I enjoyed trying to guess who the killer was. I liked the character of Miranda, although very vulnerable, she still managed to be a strong woman who fought hard to prove her innocence. I definitely could see more of the Tess Gerritsen I know and love coming through in this novel, and I'm really looking forward to something new from her.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

No. of pages: 307
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Review: An apocolyptic event has happened, and the earth has burned. Few humans have managed to survive, but a man and his son have and are walking south in the hopes of out running the bitter cold in which they will not survive another winter. As they scavange their way through towns trying to find food and shelter, they have nothing but a gun with two bullets to protect themselves and their map to lead them south.

I decided to read this after watching and appreciating the film, and I'm so glad I did. The book is just as bleak, if not even more so than the film, and it really makes you think about what would happen if such a thing were to really occur. I found the lack of punctuation slightly strange, and it took a little while to get used to, but that and the lack of chapters lends to the feeling of endlessness, to the lack of hope the man must feel as the story evolves. While normally I wouldn't like such a book, for this particular story, it was absolutely perfect. I found it hard to put down, because it's just so gripping, the story of this man and boy trying to survive against all odds. I found the ending very sad, but in a way, it was hopeful too. I would absolutely recommend this, it's beautifully told, even if it's almost too hard to bear at times.

Coyote Moon by John Vornholt

No. of pages: 165
Rating: 6/10
Series: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Book 1, Story 1)

Synopsis: In every generation, there is a Chosen One. A slayer destined to protect the human race. She alone must fight the demons of hell. She alone must risk her life to stop the spread of evil.

Buffy is the Chosen One.

In Coyote Moon, a typical night at the carnival becomes deadly as shape shifters turn the amusement park into their own house of horrors.

Review: Buffy Summers is the 'chosen one' of her generation, meaning that she has to kill vampires, demons and all sorts of other monsters that she comes up against living over the hellmouth. Buffy, Willow and Xander are enjoying the end of their summer at the carnival when Buffy discovers the carnival owners are more than what they first seem, and they have deadly plans for Sunnydale.

I've just recently finished re-watching the seven seasons of the show, and so really enjoyed reading some of the fiction based on it, which I never did as a teen when I originally watched the show. I thought the characters were very recognisable as the original characters, Xander in particularly was hilariously funny during the story. I enjoyed some of the funny comments made throughout, but I found some of the dialogue to be a bit more cheesy than it is in the show. The plot was interesting and original, and I enjoyed reading Coyote Moon, but feel like it would have been better read when I was in my teens.