The Unseen by Katherine Webb

Three words to describe this book: Promising but average and forgettable

I don’t usually buy books that are set in the past, but there was something about this book that grabbed me. It could be that it was in the mystery section of Oxfam or that the cover said that it was a ‘haunting tale of love, deception – and murder’. Either way, I thought it would be a nice mix of my favourite genres but that doesn't mean that I enjoyed reading it.

Although the book started well, with a letter written by main character Hester Canning to her sister Amelia with the announcement of new, troubled maid Cat Morley arriving, the rest of the book just didn't leave much of an impression. It had the potential of being great book with time switching from 1911 to 2011 where freelance journalist Leah is trying to solve the mystery of who the dead soldier is that has been found with two letters from Hester that hint at a big secret.

But as the book progressed (very slowly) everything that was going to happen became quite obvious and nothing that occurred shocked me or made me want to continue reading. The only reason that I persevered was that I was living in the hope that the story was going to take a dramatic turn that I would never have expected.  But sadly this didn't happen, and whilst it was interesting to see the different perspectives of the characters, the book just didn't do anything for me. 

Kindle vs. An actual book

Ever since the introduction of e-readers, the sales of physical copies of books has gone down considerably and when I look around now, the majority of people I see are using e-readers to get their fix of the latest read. But does technology prevail over the traditional book?

I first bought my Kindle about three years ago because I saw it as an investment. The books were cheaper, it was less bulky in my bag and I didn't have to wait for a book to arrive in the post or go all the way into town. In other words, I liked the convenience of it. As an avid reader, the thought of being able to read any book anywhere was great. But roll on three years later and I've converted back to the physical copy of books and I don’t see that changing again.

Whilst practically the Kindle triumphs, I feel like it did have an impact on my enjoyment of reading. I appreciate being able to see by the thickness of a book and how much I have read so far. But with the Kindle, watching the percentages go up at the bottom of the screen just isn't the same as physically looking at how much there is left to read.

From a price point of view, the majority of e-books are cheaper but I have a new found love for buying books in charity shops such as Oxfam and The British Heart Foundation for just a couple of pounds. The feeling of walking into one of these shops not knowing what I'm going to come out with is far better than just typing in a book on the Amazon search box. Especially when I leave with a book by one of my favourite authors for the price of a big bar of chocolate!

The only aspect of using a Kindle that I miss is that my bag is now a lot heavier with a book in it. I use public transport a lot and having a Kindle was perfect for this but I suppose you can’t have it all. What I do have though, is a bookshelf which I would choose any day.

Here is my summary table of advantages and disadvantages of both: 

	Kindle	Book
Advantages	Lightweight Easy access to books Readable screen Cheap books	Having a bookshelf Visiting book shops Being able to flick back to  certain pages Being able to appreciate the cover
Disadvantages	Temperamental Percentages at the bottom of the page Not all books available Expensive	Heavy Sometimes annoying to hold open

My verdict: An actual book. Some things are better without the influence of technology!

Twilight by Peter James

Three words to describe this book: Gripping, chilling and memorable

International best-selling crime thriller novelist Peter James has the ability to transport you into an almost unrealistic, fantasy world with his writing, which is exactly what he does in his 1991 novel Twilight.  A book not for the faint hearted, Peter’s way with words has the potential of making you scared to read on whilst making it impossible for you to put it down.

The three books that I have read by Peter James all have an interesting take on somewhat controversial issues in science such as plastic surgery, designer babies, and this one is the question over whether or not there is life after death.

The eerie description of a graveyard in the first chapter perfectly sets the chilling tone that remains throughout the entire book. It opens with the sound of three thuds coming from the grave of newly-wed girl, Sally McKenzie that is heard by the verger. Has this girl been buried alive?

During the story, time shifts from 1967 with the tale of sinister teenager Harvey Swire and to 1990 with young reporter Kate Hemingway who is determined to unearth the truth about the grave.

Despite being very different from each other, both main characters have experienced a somewhat traumatic history that influences their decisions and actions throughout the book. Kate is a likeable character who I wanted to discover the truth, but at the same was slightly worried about what the consequence would be. Harvey on the other hand, I had little compassion for which made him a great villain and I wanted to see how far he would go next.

Whilst the plot started to unravel, there were no major surprises but I always wanted to read on. What did continue to shock me was Peter’s ability to push boundaries with some of the events that happen in the book which are only made more unnerving by his detailed descriptions. 

I won’t give any more of the actual plot away because you have to read it to truly appreciate how captivating and almost unsettling it is. From the unnerving beginning, right up until the powerful ending, I would recommend this book to any fans of mystery thrillers who want to read a book that they just won’t be able to stop talking about.