Astrid Lindgren – was soll man sagen?! Eine großartige Autorin, die vielen Kindern und Erwachsenen prägende Momente und große Freude mit all ihren beliebten Büchern und Geschichten bereitet hat. Aber dahinter steckte zudem auch eine wirklich toughe, kluge und kämpferische Frau, die nicht nur zu Kriegszeiten Schicksalsschläge und arge Momente zu bewältigen hatte. Ich bin auf diese Biografie „Astrid Lindgren – Ihr Leben“ aus dem Pantheon Verlag, verfasst von Jens Andersen, eher zufällig durch das zuvor von mir gekaufte Hörbuch der Tagebücher von Astrid Lindgren („Die Menschheit hat den Verstand verloren: Tagebücher 1939 -1945“, HörbucHHamburg HHV GmbH, eingelesen von Eva Mattes) gestoßen. Und ich muss sagen, Astrid Lindgren fasziniert. Die vorliegende Biografie offenbart viele unbekannte Szenen aus dem Leben der Autorin und hat mich wieder einmal in einen unerwarteten Lese-Bann gezogen. Der Autor Andersen schafft es, ein breites Bild der Frau und Autorin zu zeichnen und offenbart die unbekanntere Seite von Astrid Lindgren. Auch die Kehrseite des Ruhms, mit dem sich Astrid Lindgren mehr und mehr konfrontiert sah, wird hier auf ganz besondere Weise beleuchtet. Ebenso wie das immerzu beständige Bemühen um einen persönlichen Kontakt zu ihrer Leserschaft. Interessant und manches Mal auch sehr verblüffend. Der Schreibstil des Biografen ist sehr eingängig und die Erzählungen sind leicht und schnell zu lesen. Hier und da gab es kleinere inhaltliche Wiederholungen, weil sich die Passagen nicht chronologisch aufbauen. Ich habe dieses Buch sehr, sehr gerne gelesen und kann es einfach nur weiterempfehlen. Deshalb ganz klar 5 Sterne!

I received an ARC copy from the author but that has in no way influenced my review, which I freely chose to write.

I have been following The Great Devil War, since the first novel, The Devil’s Apprentice, and loved it. I must confess I easily lose patience with series, so that’s saying something. I’m pleased to report that I enjoyed this instalment too, and I can’t wait for the 6^th and last part, although I’m sure I’ll miss the characters once it’s over. One warning to people who hate cliff-hangers, this book ends in one, and it felt a bit shorter than most of the others, as if we were catching up with the characters after a long break and getting ready for the big finale, rather than telling a full story. But it is a good read nonetheless.

It has been a long while since we last heard from Philip, and when we catch up with him, he is not the same boy we met in the first novel. Readers who’ve been following the series don’t need to worry if they’ve read part four a while back, because, at the beginning of the book, Philip keeps pondering about the past and about the decisions that brought him here and that means we can easily get up to speed. Philip is unhappy and thinks he has taken the wrong decision, and of course, we all know that one needs to be careful what one wishes for, and strange things soon start happening. And then, he is back in Hell, but he soon realises that time moves at a different pace there and many things have happened since he was around. I won’t go into a lot of detail about the plot, but I can tell you that we visit Heaven again; Philip gets to spend more time with his father; there is a new character that will take your breath away (and one I’ve come across in other writers’ work as well); and a story development that I think might not come as a total surprise to readers.

There are the usual funny meetings and jokes (yes, you’d be pleased to know that politicians get a very suitable punishment), characters from the Old Testament have plenty of things to say about Jehovah and not all complimentary, and we have an opportunity to catch up our favourite characters.

Although the book starts a bit slow, and we get a look into a Philip more bitter and angry than we are used to, he soon gets thrown into the middle of things and I enjoyed seeing him become more and more determined and independent. There is evidence of a darker side to his character that we had had glimpses of before, but he has grown into a more complex character, and like Satina and even Sam, their experiences and their age have had an impact making them more mature and responsible, although that does not mean they no longer have fun.

I enjoyed catching up with all the characters, meeting the new ones, the interaction between Lucifer and Jehova, and although I’m not a fun of cliff-hangers, I know I won’t have to wait long for the true finale, and there are big and difficult decisions coming Philip’s way.

I recommend it to lovers of fantasy, particularly that to do with angels, demons, mythology, especially those who enjoy series, and of course, to those who have been following the series. This novel is book five in the series, and they should all be read in the right order for readers to enjoy it fully. If you haven’t read the rest, I recommend that you start from the beginning and keep going, and I’m sure I’ll be back soon to tell you about book 6.

Book source ~ Tour

Philip Engel has died twice. The first time was a mistake when the boy Lucifer picked for his heir is supposed to die, but Philip does in his place. After he’s restored to life he dies a second time when Mortimer (or Death) needs his help to find his lost Die. Now, Philip is back on Earth (again) when he has to die (again) in order to save the school bully (now his friend) from a death that he caused. So, Philip dies and when he goes to the Underworld he has to find Sam. Except the Underworld is vast and it’s next to impossible to find Sam on his own so he enlists the help of friends he’s made there. Except, even they can’t find Sam. Lucifer suggests that God should know where Sam is so off they go for a quick visit in Paradise. But their journey doesn’t end there. Grab a copy and join Philip on his 3rd death adventure.

This story just gets better and better. You’d think it would get a bit repetitive, having Philip die so many times, but it doesn’t. Not for me anyway, since I’m a Supernatural fan and we all know how many times people die and come back to life on that show. Anyway, Philip’s journey this time is a good one. He has to fix what he screwed up (Sam’s death) and I got to see way more of the Underworld than in previous editions. There’s trouble brewing in Hell, Paradise isn’t what everyone thinks, and in the end, Philip’s personal journey takes a huge leap. So huge that I’m dying (hehe see what I did there?) for the next book!

Book source ~ Gifted

On the morning of her thirteenth birthday Lily touched her father and saw his death. Thinking it was a bad dream, she realizes it’s a curse when he dies that very day. Her mother whisks her away from the village she grew up in to the outside world that doesn’t have any magic. Joining a traveling tent revival the evangelical preacher uses Lily’s gift for his own gain. In the meantime, Baba Yaga has taken an interest in Lily. Which is surely not a good thing. How will Lily get back to the only place she loved, rescue the girl she’s falling in love with, and complete the quest Baba Yaga has given her?

This is a fascinating tale about Baba Yaga and a girl who can see death. Strange and compelling I couldn’t help but drop into the story and stay there to cheer Lily on to a satisfactory conclusion. It defies pigeon-holing and crosses several genre lines. It’s young adult, fantasy, horror, and LGBT. Plus, it’s illustrated! This is my first read of Michael Thomas Ford and I look forward to delving into more of his works.

Disclaimer: Arc via Netgalley

Janisch and Kastelic’s children’s book about the life Hans Christian Andersen is well done and beautifully illustrated.

Janisch structures the story as one that Andersen himself is telling to a young girl as they ride to Copenhagen together in a carriage. The biography is very like Andersen’s “Fairy Tale of My life”. While the biography might be on the simplistic side, it is good and far from general. Andersen’s father’s PTSD is shown. The story of Andersen’s arrival in Copenhagen is showcased with its brave strangeness. Andersen’s complex relationship with the Collins’ family, in particular Edvard, is not dealt with, but this is a children’s book so not that surprising; how could it be in such a format.

Kastelic’s illustrations are beautiful. Not only do they showcase Odense and Copenhagen, but there are little details drawn from the tales. The style itself also reminds one of Andersen’s own tales.

Highly recommended.