"Where are you, Varsha?" "I'm not here!" I call back. "It looks like you are." "No, I'm inside here." (pointing to my book) That's the way it was with The Story of Cirrus Flux. I enjoyed the ride through 18th century England, with Matthew Skelton's small liberties with historical facts. I wondered again at how far science has come, but how cruel the human race is. We're such a bunch of contraries. We are capable of great kindness and great cruelty. We are capable of infinite selflessness and inhuman selfishness. We want revenge, but want to forgive. We go to any lengths for people we love. The Story of Cirrus Flux, while making you gasp and shiver, also has all these contraries melting together. … [Read more...]

When I picked up Olivia's First Term, I was more than a little sceptical. The book was light purple, with splashes of silver on it. It did not promise to be the kind of book I would like. I don't like books that run on crushes and fantasies and lipstick and shoes and make-up. And lavender, purple and mauve books are often filled with just that.   Happily, Olivia's First Term was nothing like that. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I experienced after a very long time the joy bordering on addiction that I felt when I read Malory Towers the first time. When I read Malory Towers now, I cringe with embarrassment at the fact that eighteen-year-old Darrel behaves as if she is eleven. But I cannot deny that when I read the series the first time, I devoured each book and wished Enid Blyton had written more. Olivia's First Term gave me that same simple, childlike happiness. I … [Read more...]