Book Review: The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

London, 1890. 221B Baker St. A fine art dealer named Edmund Carstairs visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson to beg for their help. He is being menaced by a strange man in a flat cap - a wanted criminal who seems to have followed him all the way from America. In the days that follow, his home is robbed, his family is threatened. And then the first murder takes place.
THE HOUSE OF SILK bring Sherlock Holmes back with all the nuance, pacing, and almost superhuman powers of analysis and deduction that made him the world's greatest detective, in a case depicting events too shocking, too monstrous to ever appear in print....until now.

I haven't read any of the original Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Dolye, but I've watched Guy Richie's adaptations and I enjoyed them very much.

I am a very huge fan of Anthony Horowitz, and that was the main reason I picked this book up. Also, lately I haven't been too found of YA books because I find them to be too repetitive, so this was the perfect time to read The House of Silk.

The House of Silk is a new Sherlock Holmes novel, but that doesn't stop you from going back to the 1800s. The vivid descriptions will make you fall in love with the Victorian London setting. The story is narrated through Dr Watson's, Sherlock Holmes's companion, point of view. Anthony Horowitz perfectly makes you visualize what goes through his head. Watson is a very intriguing character. He is not as observant as Holmes, but still, he is nonetheless interesting.

The mystery in this book is always lurking (and of course it should). Each chapter left me more curious. When the questions were answered in the end, I just couldn't help but admire Holmes's intelligence. Everything wrapped up nicely, with few sad events here and there.

The language in The House of Silk, as you might expect, is a little bit heavy. However, it wasn't much of a problem getting through the story. It was a tiny bit of a challenge and made it more interesting overall. Reading shouldn't always be too easy :). I have to add, I didn't have any problem with the language.

Overall, I was engaged throughout this book. With perfectly crafted 400 pages, I was left satisfied with the story that was delivered. I was able to enjoy something very different from my usual read. It was quite a ride, and I will for sure look out to read more adult books, specifically mysteries in the future.

I am sure Anthony Horowitz went through a lot of researching process and tried his best to recreate the world of Sherlock Holmes. His hardwork is evident through every page of this book. With that, I might not be the best judge since I haven't read the original books, but I have to say, kudos to you, Mr Horowitz. 

Breaking Point Blog Tour: Review

 

The second installment in Kristen Simmons's fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.

After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….

Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember.

Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.

With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back.

About the author:

Kristen Simmons has a master’s degree in social work and is an advocate for mental health. She lives with her husband Jason and their precious greyhound Rudy in Tampa, Florida.

Out of Reach Blog Tour: Guest Post

How do you find someone who doesn’t want to be found? A girl searches for her missing addict brother while confronting her own secrets in this darkly lyrical novel.

Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah. He struggles with addiction, but she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it. Until the night that Micah doesn’t come home.


With nothing more to go on than hope and a slim lead, Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, begin the search. Along the way, Rachel will be forced to confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler…and the possibility that Micah may never come home.

GUEST POST: 

What’s the best advice you can give writers to help them develop their own unique voice and style?

Developing a unique voice is something that I think a writer is always working on. I don’t know. I don’t know if that can really be taught. I love it when I read something and I recognize the author’s voice right away. Oh yes, this is Hemingway. See his short, clipped sentences. But this is something that takes time.

            What I’d suggest may seem counterintuitive, but for an exercise, I would try and copy the voice and/or style of an author you admire. Don’t worry, you’re not stealing or doing anything wrong. The writer’s work will become a great teacher. This will do a couple of things. It’ll really help you focus on exactly how the author has achieved his or her voice from the specific word choice, to sentence structure, to syntax and diction. Once you mimic it, you can vary it and try changing it. This will all help you in finding your own voice and style. I remember doing this once in a writing class for my MA. I took a section from Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, which is a wonderful novel, by the way. It’s one where he’s basically listing off in a very syncopated rhythm the things the men had to carry in the arm, both physically and emotionally. Well, instead of writing about men in an army, I chose an elementary cafeteria and what the kids carried. I shifted the tone to a more humorous one, but I modeled O’Brien’s voice. I loved it and learned how to cut off the excess, to write tighter. I would suggest doing this process with a couple of different writers.

 

       ABOUT THE AUTHOR (Carrie Arcos):

Carrie Arcos lives in Los Angeles with her family. She writes young adult literature and is an adjunct professor. You can find more about her at  carriearcos.com

 

 

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Book Review: The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

Title: The Tragedy Paper
Author: Elizabeth LaBan
Format: Ebook
Source: For review (NetGalley)

Tim Macbeth is a 17-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is, “Enter here to be and find a friend.” Tim does not expect to find a friend; all he really wants to do is escape his senior year unnoticed. Despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “it” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, and she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone finds out. Tim and Vanessa enter into a clandestine relationship, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.
The story unfolds from two alternating viewpoints: Tim, the tragic, love-struck figure, and Duncan, a current senior, who uncovers the truth behind Tim and Vanessa’s story and will consequently produce the greatest Tragedy Paper in Irving’s history.

When I found this book in the NetGalley newsletter, the cover interested me. I immediately checked out the synopsis. Once I read the synopsis, I definitely had to read this book. The best part was, I didn't have to request for the book, I got it immediately.

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan is a story within a story. It is about Duncan, who listens to the story of Tim through a bunch of CDs. I have to mention, I really enjoy stories within stories; they have this appealing charm to me.

The Tragedy Paper was very enjoyable for many reasons. First of all, the story of an albino was very intriguing. With Tim, we got to know about his life. We got to know about how people views him, how he reacts to the society and his being an "outcast". Tim was a very well-developed character, and his voice was genuine and interesting. Secondly, the writing technique LaBan used was refreshing and remarkable. Knowing about Duncan's story and listening to Tim's story simultaneously added up to the overall tone of the story. Readers will want to flip the pages, wanting to know what is yet to come. Because it is written in a very realistic way, readers will want to read more and find out what is going to happen with the characters.

In addition, the idea of the tragedy paper itself kept me wondering and wanting to know what it was. As the title suggests, The Tragedy Paper doesn't end happily. Without giving anything away, LaBan should be praised on how she handled her characters and the relationships. She should be further praised on how she revealed everything and everything wrapped up.

I'm not sure how to classify this book because it was many things. Mystery, contemporary, tragedy, experience, and life, all combined in one. This is a book that makes you think. Tim's voice is still in my head. Even though he is different than most people, he is wise, deep, and is understanding. Tim is one of the best characters written in YA literature. I liked Duncan as well, but I found Tim's story and character to be much more interesting.

Overall, stunning debut from author Elizabeth LaBan. This story will haunt you by its reality and poignancy.