So I just finish this amazing book a few days ago called Angel Baby by Richard Lange, and thought to myself I need to shout out loud just how good this book is and do a review of it. Then the idea came to me, in 2014 I’m going to do a review/blog after every bookI read. First though I thought  as 2013 draws to a close, why not do a blog concerning many of the books I came across in this year.  I’ve read a few belters and want to share these with other fellow book lovers. Therefore, the title ‘THE GOOD,THE BAD AND THE OK’ came to mind and I hope you enjoy reading this review of my 2013 year in books. I’ve read a lot so this won’t be a substantial review of each book. Think of these brief reviews more of a fast food equivalent, where I’ll do the more considered, lengthy A LA CARTE stuff next time.

1) MAYA – ALASTAIR CAMPBELL

A very readable sort of thriller, which is centred around a critique of the current ‘Celebrity Obsessed Culture’ that pervades society today. Campbell does this by detailing a friendship between glamorous actress Maya and her trusted confidant, Logistics firm worker Steve Watkins.  The reader goes on a journey with them ,discovering or not if their friendship will survive the testing waters of Maya’s fame….and all that goes with it. Two characters of note is Maya’s husband Dan, who is Jeremy Kyle reincarnated(he hosts a banal talk show), and her greedy money obsessed agent, Nick Sheldon. Up to the last few chapters of reading this book I was really enjoying it, however in my opinion the ending greatly lets the book down. I’m an old softie, a romantic, I crave for happy endings, so when I did not get one, I felt really let down by Campbell and felt somewhat cheated. That being said, I know the depressing ending is served up by Campbell, because he wants to further extenuate this negative,trivial view he holds of this ‘Celebrity Obsessed Culture’ of our current times. Not a brilliant book but not awful either, I rest somewhere in the middle. 3/5

2) A CASUAL VACANCY – JK ROWLING

Within the first chapter we’re startled to read about the death of a character called Barry Fairbrother, and it is this death that motivates the proceeding story. He was a member on the Parish Council Committee of a quaint rural place called Pagford, and so his untimely death creates an unexpected vacancy which thus give rise to all manor of happenings. People we learn liked him, disliked him…..and even secretly loved him. The book from a broader perspective is much more than this though, in my opinion it’s JK Rowling’s commentary and critque about the state of modern society today. People with petty feuds, the drudgery of modern day life, the social deprivation of Working Class life. It takes a darker turn as the story proceeds, we come across drug taking, children in care, bullying and finally rape. On the whole I quite enjoyed it, I loved imagining the very rural ‘VICAR OF DIBLEY’ style setting. As the book wore on though, I became somewhat worn down by the bleakness of life that JK Rowling depicts. This reaches a climax towards the end when a very dark event happens. Therefore, with this depressing ending I felt flat as I finished reading it, her message about society in this book is a touch too bleak for me. I also did not feel any narrative suspense as I like to in books, as they reach their conclusion. Rather than it peaking it more or less just flat lines in my view. A worthwhile read and I love JK’s writing style and wonderfully rich prose, however it is not one to cheer you up on a cold grey depressing night. 3/5

3) THE ART OF FIELDING – CHAD HARBACH

Let me start of by saying, NO THIS BOOK ISN’T ABOUT CRICKET AND HOW TO THROW OR CATCH A BALL, it’s a critically acclaimed novel, a coming of age story about a guy called Henry Skrimshander who is brilliant at BASEBALL. Henry is talent spotted as this incredible ‘shortstop’ by this older guy called Mike Schwartz, the complete opposite to Henry. For example, Mike is big, strong, outgoing and a leader of men. The story follows their friendship, their passage through College and of course they’re subsequent efforts playing baseball. The story takes a dramatic twist when Henry starts being unable to throw the ball properly, like he has expertly done a million times before.  The question is, will this unfathomable throwing problem leave Henry’s big dreams of being a ALL-TIME GREAT SHORTSTOP, in tatters? I absolutely loved this book and agree with many that it too, is the best sports novel I have read thus far. You do not need to be a big fan of baseball to enjoy this book, because it is so much more than just a novel about baseball. It is a very sweet book, a very endearing book, and once you have finished reading you will feel all the better for having done so.  4/5

4) THE YELLOW BIRDS – KEVIN POWERS

After reading high praise of this debut novel, by amongst others the Man Booker award winning author Hillary Mantel, I had great expectations as I ordered it. It is by an ex-soldier who was in Iraq for two years and he attempts to illustrate experiences he encountered. I was really disappointed in this book. I thought the prose was poorly written and instead of being intensely moved, I struggled to comprehend what he was saying half of the time. I like a challenging read at times but the language was too abstract in parts in my opinion and I found the ending very weak…..when I sensed instead I was supposed to be feeling great emotion. Maybe my high hopes for it were part of the problem/s I thus had with it? I really do not get how esteemed writers love this book so much, but I accept I could be in the minority not liking it. With such a dramatic, intense subject matter I was expecting a cathartic experience reading this, similar to the one I experienced when watching the utterly compelling film Shindler’s List for the first time. Sadly I did not feel greatly moved and no profound experience was had reading THE YELLOW BIRDS. 1/5

5) THE GAFFER: THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A FOOTBALL MANAGER – NEIL WARNOCK

Got this book to read, as had not read anything beforehand for about 2 months and wanted an ‘easy read’. Overall as sporting books go it wasn’t bad. Was not riveting either, but Warnock is opinionated and his accounts on what went on behind the scenes whilst managing QPR and Leeds were quite interesting to read. Towards the end of it I was becoming a tad bored and had had enough, but for football fans it is worth a butchers. 3/5

6)  JIMMY : MY STORY – JAMES ANDERSON(Autobiography)

I should start by saying as a cricket mad Lancastrian, I love Jimmy Anderson. That being said though, I really was not all that keen on this autobiography. I shall never read another sporting autobiography until the sportsman or woman in question has retired from playing, because this duly limits the amount of controversial stuff they say. I found some bits interesting but in the main I found it a really bland book. The only person he seems to criticize is former England Cricket Captain Michael Vaughan, and to me this seems just to stem from the fact he did not pick him some of time, he is too easy a target for me. The blandness is exemplified when he writes a lot of waffle on what it takes to be a fast bowler. He recalls how he might not be 90mph so he makes up for this by being grumpy, and a fine exponent of sledging opposing teams batsmen. Like I said, I’m a massive fan of James Anderson’s but this book was just a bit too light and unremarkable for me. I hope he brings out a later, more substantive one after he has finished playing. 1/5

7) THE CUCKOO’S CALLING – ROBERT GALBRAITH(JK ROWLING)

Although I have a few more books to list yet, I shall be decisive and claim this book as the favourite one I read in 2013. Upon reading this book, I had not read many crime detective novels so did not know what really to expect. What I can tell you is from the very opening chapter I was massively hooked, and began to look forward to when I would be reading it next. Our hero or anti-hero perhaps is the main character, former military Policeman, now Private Investigator , Cormoran Strike. He is dishevelled and lives in his tatty small office after his relationship with his girlfriend doesn’t work out. He’s this tall, big bruiser who has balls of steel and has a loveable rogue element to him. He with his trusted J.K.ROWLIsidekick(receptionist Robin) ,become a brilliant double act as they try to prove that the falling of actress Lula Landry from an upstairs balcony, was not indeed suicide as is being claimed by the Police. I love the style of JK Rowling’s writing, I love her choice of words. They at times stretch the mind without it becoming too hard too read. I love the characters she creates and after enjoying this book so much, understand why indeed she is a masterful storyteller. This is a classic whodunit that keeps you guessing right until the very last chapter. The fact I kept changing my mind throughout the book as to who I thought had done it, just illustrates how good and enjoyable a piece of work this is. My only slight criticism and it is a small one, is that a times you have to really concentrate to follow the plot…..but other than that I cannot find any faults with it. I would highly recommend reading this book and sincerely hope she writes another adventure with Cormoran Strike and Robin trying to crack a case. 5/5

8) SWEET TOOTH – IAN MCEWAN

Set mainly in the 1970s and then forwarded to the present day, this is a story about a young woman called Serena Frome(very upstanding and Middle Class) who is recruited to the Secret Services(MI5).  Eventually she is given a role of befriending a right leaning author, in order to encourage him to publish novels which will serve as a counter balance to the perceived leftish journalism and social commentary of the time….named OPERATION SWEET TOOTH. The story takes hold when her feelings and behaviour towards the author in question, Tom Haley, become more than just professional. In general, I really liked this book. I read SOLAR by Ian McEwan a few years and found the ending a real disappointment, so was a bit dubious about reading another book of his, I’m glad I did though. Serena is a strong, really likeable female character, she is ballsey yet also displays great vulnerability at times. Even though her deception and behaviour towards Tom Haley is wrong on numerous levels, I could not help but really root for her to have a happy ending. Talking of which, the ending is really good so I was left feeling really satisfied after finishing it. It is a love story/Spy thriller and I would definitely recommend it for others to read. 4/5

9) THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY – RACHEL JOYCE

Think of what it feels like to snuggle up in your favourite cardigan, or to rest your feet in your favourite pair of slippers, and this is what you will feel like whilst reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Harold Fry one day gets delivered a letter from an old work colleague Quennie Hennessy. She informs him that she is suffering from incurable cancer and has only days to live. Rather than deliver it by post and to the astonishment of his snooty wife, Harold(a pensioner) decides to deliver the letter by hand….an 87day trek right across the country……in nothing more than a pair of tatty sailing shoes. He boldly declares, “AS LONG AS I KEEP WALKING, THEN QUENNIE WILL LIVE”. This book really pulls on the heart strings, but in a happy, life affirming way. In his journey he meets all manner of people and some of the stories he encounters are at times funny, and also at times moving. It is a book about relationships(his walk reawakens the love in his gone stale marriage), and it is a book about the human spirit. Probably more a female book than a man’s, however I enjoyed this book immensely. Definitely one to read if you have not yet 4/5.

10)  UNEXPLODED – ALISON MACLEOD

Any book that has me with tears in my eyes at the end, has to be an absolute belter then in my opinion, and so Unexploded duly did. As the novel progresses it emotionally draws you into a forbidden love story, similar to how I felt a bit towards a favourite film of mine, THE ENGLISH PATIENT. It is set in 1940s UK seaside resort of Brighton, yet there are no holidaymakers pervading this town, instead there are heavy ominous signs of World War Two present. We read about barbed wire stretched across the beach, shops being boarded up, the butcher struggling to find quality cuts of meat, and a local racecourse has been made into a makeshift prisoner of war camp. It focuses on the lives of an ordinary Middle Class family called The Beaumont’s. Geoffry Beaumont, a Bank Manger, his wife Evelyn, and their eight year old son called Phillip. The story takes shape when Geoffrey becomes Superintendent of the local Internment Camp, and due to her love of literature, Evelyn visits to read to the detainees. She begins to fall in love with a German Jew called Otto, who at first she despises. This forbidden love highlights the staleness of her current Middle Class boring marriage. Geoffrey it turns out is not the man she thought he was(infidelity,xenophobia etc).  The storytelling and detailing of Evelyn, Otto relationship is so tenderly and touchingly told.  The story ends with a dramatic resolution which as I have said, made me well up with tears I was that moved(granted I am a softie though haha). It did take a while to get going this book in my opinion and if you feel the same way whilst reading it, then please do stick it with it. I promise your patience will be rewarded in finishing a book that is full beauty, passion, and ABOVE ALL….CLASS. 5/5

11) GONE GIRL – GILLIAN FLYNN

I’ll use one word to best describe this book, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, and BRILLIANT. OK, technically that is three, well four words, but I hope you get my point to how I feel about this novel. When I bought this book I truly did not know what to really expect. I just knew Amazon.co.UK constantly featured it very highly on their most popular books list, and discovered internet sites were proclaiming it as the ‘IT’ book of 2013. All the celebrities were reading it apparently, oh and Reece Witherspoon had allegedly bought the film rights I  read. All this in mind as well as  numerous reviews stating it’s brilliance, I therefore knew I had to try reading it. From the moment I started reading I was completely hooked, it invites you into a murky world where you know you can not stop reading until you have found out its resolution. It centres on the marriage of two characters, Amy and Nick Dunne. Amy goes missing on the day of their 5th Wedding Anniversary and all the evidence points to Nick being responsible….potentially for her murder. The first part of the book takes the form of both characters talking to us, John describing the present day events and Amy’s is in the form of diary entries. Both talk about the same events from a different perspective. Amy gushes with her praise for Nick and their live together, whereas Nick paints a more negative picture, a picture which highlights stubborn flaws in Amy’s character. I won’t comment any further on the mesmerising plot that follows to stop me spoiling it for those who have not read it yet. Lets just say the plot has more twists than a family of four playing a game of Twister together….REALLY. Not sure I can think of anything to criticize about it so I will not try too. If you like your thrillers dark, touching on the horror, then you’ll love this novel. That said, you will still love this book if you hate horror and a Mills and Boon is more your cup of tea, GONE GIRL is that good. 5/5

12) AN ENDANGERED SPECIES – DAVID GOWER(Autobiography)

After not minding this book and finding it fairly interesting up to two thirds of the way through, I then suddenly became very bored. It was interesting the stuff about him being Captain of England, lover of wildlife, and how people perceived him wrongly as a nonchalant non-carer. Nevertheless, it seemed to run out of steam and ideas towards the end. I expected more entertaining anecdotes, more controversial things said. The stuff about Kevin Pietersen and his fellow Sky Sports Cricket Commentators towards the end, seemed a bit misplaced in my opinion. In general, for most parts it was a pleasant, informative read, it just didn’t BOWL ME OVER(pardon the cricketing pun) to any large degree. 2/5

 13) DERBY DAY – D J TAYLOR

Set in the 19th Century, this book revolves around the months leading up to the greatest flat horse race of them all, namely the English Derby at Epsom Downs. It focuses on an array of characters who are all linked by the existence of this great horse going to run in the Derby called Tiberius. The plot revolves a chancer called Mr Happerton, who is obsessed with Tiberius.  How he comes to own Tiberius and thus plan to make a fortune from him forms the plot. The fortune he plans from owning this horse means illegal practices are afoot and so it the becomes a great Victorian swindle to enjoy….especially when Happerton finally gets his comeuppance. Overall I quite enjoyed it, rather than greatly loving this book. I studied Cultural History at University and so the depiction of 1860s Britain with its contrasting wealths and downright squalor side-by-side, was really interesting to read about. The description of the glorious scene on Derby Day was also a highlight. I did however find the plot rather slow in parts and wished it would hurry up and get a move on several occasions. As a big horse racing fan, I also expected it to be more about horse racing, a Dick Francis novel this certainly is not. Not a bad book but it never at any time really drew me in, I was left feeling happy I had finished it so I could start reading something else if truth be told. 4/5.

14)  ALEX FERGUSON MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY – ALEX FERGUSON

As I Manchester United Football Club fan all my life, I duly had to get reading this as soon as it came out. Like many, I’ve grown up with Sir Alex Ferguson regularly entering my life via interviews, matches etc, and this book allowed me a chance to become even closer to him. If I am honest after finishing reading it, I was sure of the view that his first,earlier Autobiography called MANAGING MY LIFE, is a better book. There was more personal stuff about him in this first book. I can remember the tale where he described pulling over in his car on a busy road and breaking down because a close relative had recently died. Yes he touches briefly on his earlier days in this second instalment however because a lot had already been said of this in the first one, it could not be repeated again. It without doubt is really interesting to read his side of the story regarding big events concerning Manchester United post 1999 and winning the treble. He lets us know what happened with the Roy Keane and Ruud Van Nistleroy fall outs for example. Towards the end it was getting a bit too formulaic for my liking though….the Keane Chapter, the Cantona Chapter, the Beckham Chapter, the Van Nistleroy Chapter, the Ronaldo chapter. I hate to partly agree with the critics of this book who were very vocal at the time, but there should have been more about the Glazer takeover and all its fallout from the fans, and also the Rock of Gibraltar affair(even if there was a confidentiality clause by law restricting this). Overall I enjoyed this second helping from ‘The Godfather’ of football and know every other Manchester United fan will too. 3/5

15)  KISS ME FIRST – LOTTIE MOGGACH

Billed as the UK’s GONE GIRL, I thought I must then give this book a go. As a frequent social media user I have been duped by fake users, so the promise of it being about the current social media phenomena and identity theft, thus drew me in even more so. It is also a book about the ‘right to die’ and the central character Leila takes on the task to impersonate a young woman Tess, who plans to take her own life. The purpose of the impersonation is to spare the feelings of Tess’s family and friends of the despair of suddenly losing her. As time wears on and this impersonation goes deeper Leila becomes too involved, falling in love with an old sexual conquest of Tess’s, who thinks he is really talking to the real Tess. This story runs parallel to a visit Leila makes to a Spanish Commune to see if she can actually prove that Tess did die afterall.  We also read Leila mentioning the Police at the beginning, so it is clear from very early on that something sinister has happened here. Overall I thought this book was OK, BUT ONLY OK, nothing more. I thought the ending and it’s loose ends were a tad rushed. In my opinion it all ended a bit flat. It was a worthwhile read but Gone Girl, if that is what it is being compared to, is in an altogether different league to it in my opinion. A decent debut novel by the author though.3/5

16)  ANGEL BABY – RICHARD LANGE

Think Pulp Fiction meets Miami Vice meets Jackie Brown…and then you will have a good idea of what this BRILLIANT thriller of a book is all about. There is murder,sex, violence, drugs, deceit and a glorious car chase. Luz is married to the animal that is ‘El Principe’, a key player in a drug cartel, a gang boss who is viscous with a CAPITAL ‘V’.  Luz longs to regain her happier previous life where she had a daughter who she has not seen for over four years(with a different man), and so on her daughter’s fifth birthday she boldly decides to try to flee from ‘El Principe’s’ clutches and to be reunited with her daughter. This is a book about revenge and ‘El Principe’ sets out to recapture Luz and make her pay for what she has done to him. The array characters are marvellous, from Malone the guy who illegally ferries people across the Mexico US border and comes to Luz’s aid, to Jeronimo who is a man mountain doing ‘El Principe’s’ dirty work, in an attempt to keep ‘El Principe’ from murdering his wife and children as he promises he will do unless Luz is found. As you’ll have gathered I loved this book, although granted it is not perhaps one to lend to the Mother-in-law haha. The emotional tension and drama builds up in this book beautifully. I found myself willing and cheering for Luz so much, knowing a gun shot to her head could just only be a page turned away. She is such a strong, feisty female character and this is refreshing to read. Now I learn Warner Bros have bought the film right, Penelope Cruz would be ideal to play Luz. If you like the above films that I mentioned at the start then you will love this book. It is so cleverly and masterfully written too. This gets a definite recommendation from me and I look forward to now reading Lange’s previous book before this, namely THIS WICKED WORLD. 5/5

So there you are then, these are some of the books that came into my life in 2013. I wrote so much more in this blog than I’d planned to at the beginning, it just shows you how talking about books you like can be such a wonderful,enjoyable thing to do. I look forward to reading more in 2014 and see which further pieces of literature can enrich my life even more.