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The Septic Circle
As the only sceptic in Cravenly’s new and not-very-psychic circle, how many haunted toasters, possessed worry dolls, and sabotaged book signings can one man cope with? Jay Taylor’s patience may already be stretched to breaking point, but the odious presence of ego-ridden psychic star, Fenwick Arcana could just push him over the edge.
Having taken the nervous wreck who started this whole mess, Freddy, under his wing, and with gossip-monger Lysander and irrepressible believer Marnie to cope with, the circle’s most reluctant member is about to have his sanity severely tested.
Gathered together, their diaries chronicle the circle’s first year, as they fight through a minefield of paranormal detritus, smug wizardry, toxic baking, revenge plots, and the filming of disastrously amateur paranormal TV show, Spirit Squad. But through all that, perhaps the biggest battle any of them will face is one another. And the loneliness.
For anyone who ever wondered if it is possible to catch a ghost using marmalade*.
*it isn’t.
Having taken the nervous wreck who started this whole mess, Freddy, under his wing, and with gossip-monger Lysander and irrepressible believer Marnie to cope with, the circle’s most reluctant member is about to have his sanity severely tested.
Gathered together, their diaries chronicle the circle’s first year, as they fight through a minefield of paranormal detritus, smug wizardry, toxic baking, revenge plots, and the filming of disastrously amateur paranormal TV show, Spirit Squad. But through all that, perhaps the biggest battle any of them will face is one another. And the loneliness.
For anyone who ever wondered if it is possible to catch a ghost using marmalade*.
*it isn’t.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2013
1 person is currently reading
851 people want to read
About the author
Lorna Reid
9 books48 followersLorna Reid is a writer and aspiring actor, who currently lives in the gloomy climes of Scotland, surrounded by books, an excess of stationery, and far too many mugs of half-finished tea. She studied performing arts at Canterbury College, and currently enjoys the lively environment of CityLit's online courses, as well as rediscovering her love of Shakespeare.
Words, movies, and an incurable Columbo and Poirot habit (not to mention true crime) tend to dominate much of her time, and she has been taking advantage of lockdown to build up her acting toolbox and confidence in order to try and catch hold of the dreams that she let slip, too long ago. She writes a bit, too.
Made of shadows and tea.
You can find her lurking in the hostile wilderness of the internet on Twitter @SketchStone, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lornareidauthor, or lornareid.net.
Words, movies, and an incurable Columbo and Poirot habit (not to mention true crime) tend to dominate much of her time, and she has been taking advantage of lockdown to build up her acting toolbox and confidence in order to try and catch hold of the dreams that she let slip, too long ago. She writes a bit, too.
Made of shadows and tea.
You can find her lurking in the hostile wilderness of the internet on Twitter @SketchStone, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lornareidauthor, or lornareid.net.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 8, 2014
I received this book via Firstreads in exchange for an honest review and I certainly wasn't disappointed...
Firstly, I must state that this book had a lot of different parts that attributed to the overall concept and storyline - the combination of which could have ended in disaster (or should that be in ectoplasm?!) but actually resulted in a hilarious tale of friendship, betrayal and psychic hijinks. I snickered my way through the journey of each character, learning to love their quirks and accept their awkwardness.
It was a lovely book in the respect of the physical journey each character took and what they achieved in the end, but I also felt that, in a way, it personified some of the issues with today's society. Each character, to some extent, had a flaw, but they developed and I grew to appreciate them.
The comical aspect of the book was exceptional. As well as the irony, sarcasm and general trickery. Very entertaining and unusual! A definite recommendation to all! I may have only just stopped smirking at the sheer genius of some of the lines from this book!
Also, I could really do with a Freddy in my life. I need a personal cleaner that I can pay in fine china and soap magazines. :)
*I must also state that when I refer to "each character", I am clearly excluding Fenwick! :)
Firstly, I must state that this book had a lot of different parts that attributed to the overall concept and storyline - the combination of which could have ended in disaster (or should that be in ectoplasm?!) but actually resulted in a hilarious tale of friendship, betrayal and psychic hijinks. I snickered my way through the journey of each character, learning to love their quirks and accept their awkwardness.
It was a lovely book in the respect of the physical journey each character took and what they achieved in the end, but I also felt that, in a way, it personified some of the issues with today's society. Each character, to some extent, had a flaw, but they developed and I grew to appreciate them.
The comical aspect of the book was exceptional. As well as the irony, sarcasm and general trickery. Very entertaining and unusual! A definite recommendation to all! I may have only just stopped smirking at the sheer genius of some of the lines from this book!
Also, I could really do with a Freddy in my life. I need a personal cleaner that I can pay in fine china and soap magazines. :)
*I must also state that when I refer to "each character", I am clearly excluding Fenwick! :)
April 29, 2014
The misadventures of Cravenly's Psychic Circle are the icing on the cake. The cake itself is the relationships between the five point of view characters, each dysfunctional in their own way and each relying on the other members of the circle to quell a little of their own loneliness.
Much like Jay, I wasn't sure why I kept coming back at first, but by the time I got to the glorious conclusion, I was genuinely upset that the book was over and I would no longer be privy to the thoughts and experiences of 4 wonderfully fleshed out and genuinely likable characters (and Fenwick).
Don't be put off by the diary format, this is a tale that will put you through a whole spectrum of emotions and let you fall in love with a group of people who may or may not believe they have psychic powers. It's well worth a read.
Much like Jay, I wasn't sure why I kept coming back at first, but by the time I got to the glorious conclusion, I was genuinely upset that the book was over and I would no longer be privy to the thoughts and experiences of 4 wonderfully fleshed out and genuinely likable characters (and Fenwick).
Don't be put off by the diary format, this is a tale that will put you through a whole spectrum of emotions and let you fall in love with a group of people who may or may not believe they have psychic powers. It's well worth a read.
April 2, 2014
**I received this book as a Goodreads First Read
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading this book. Even after reading the back all I could figure was that it was going to be funny. Once I kinda figured out where the book was going, I started to enjoy it.
There were a few moments that had me smiling and laughing as I got to know the characters, and after that I flew through the book.
Keep in mind that the author is British and uses some words and slang that is not common in the US. If you're a spelling geek like me, it can be a little distracting, as my first instinct was that they were misspellings.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started reading this book. Even after reading the back all I could figure was that it was going to be funny. Once I kinda figured out where the book was going, I started to enjoy it.
There were a few moments that had me smiling and laughing as I got to know the characters, and after that I flew through the book.
Keep in mind that the author is British and uses some words and slang that is not common in the US. If you're a spelling geek like me, it can be a little distracting, as my first instinct was that they were misspellings.
October 28, 2014
I receive this book in the first reads giveaway.
It's not the sort of book I would normally read, I like psychological thrillers and this book was your happy-go-lucky sort of plot. I didn't expect to like it too much, but I was pleasantly suprisedd! The book is fun. It made me laugh a lot and my general thinkings of 'this isn't really going anywhere' were soon dashed as the comedy value was maintained throughout and there is a running plot. You instantly pick up on a favourite character (jay) and also the 'baddies' were very easy to hate.
Although not my usual book, I'm glad I read this!
It's not the sort of book I would normally read, I like psychological thrillers and this book was your happy-go-lucky sort of plot. I didn't expect to like it too much, but I was pleasantly suprisedd! The book is fun. It made me laugh a lot and my general thinkings of 'this isn't really going anywhere' were soon dashed as the comedy value was maintained throughout and there is a running plot. You instantly pick up on a favourite character (jay) and also the 'baddies' were very easy to hate.
Although not my usual book, I'm glad I read this!
January 24, 2014
A compelling read delivered in an inspired way. The book uses diary entries of its characters to create alternate views of events. It all seems a bit weird at first, but before long you realise you know everybod really well, not just because of how they feel about situations, but because you know how they're received by the other diarists. Wouldn't normally read a book with a supernatural theme, but this is a comedy book, not a creepy one.
January 30, 2014
I really loved this book. The format (five diary writers talking about the same events) completely works and you really get to know each of them. The story is a lot of fun and feels like a good sitcom, especially as the author peppers each page with great humour.
It's been a while since I've read any non-fiction and even longer since I read a comedy novel but this was fantastic and very satisfying. Great stuff. Highly recommended.
It's been a while since I've read any non-fiction and even longer since I read a comedy novel but this was fantastic and very satisfying. Great stuff. Highly recommended.
March 6, 2014
I received this as a win from the author. First, I would like to thank the author for the lovely personal note tucked inside the cover. Thank you very much!! I did enjoy this story. I usually don't get into books with several characters independently narrating the story. the chapters in this book however, are short, sweet (or sour!), and fun. I finished quickly and hope to see some of these folks again in another story by this author.
July 28, 2015
I received this book as part of the Goodreads giveaway program. The Septic Circle by Lorna Reid is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud read full of psychic high jinks and sarcasm. I wasn't sure about the format of the book in the form of diary entries but it worked really, really well.I hope to see the characters again in another book soon. I am ready for more!
May 23, 2014
Crazy cast of characters! Well written. Different. Funny. Just not my cup of tea. I won this book on Goodreads.
October 2, 2014
LOVED this book!!!
really enjoyed reading about the characters and felt that they were well rounded
i also enjoyed the way it had been written
i also really enjoyed the plot
really enjoyed reading about the characters and felt that they were well rounded
i also enjoyed the way it had been written
i also really enjoyed the plot
May 6, 2016
Cotton-candy slight - there was no substance to this book whatsoever. Marnie, Freddy, Lysander and Jay are a circle of paranormal enthusiasts who hatch an epic revenge plot against former member Fenwick who is a D-list celebrity, dog-killer, fraud and just all-around bad guy. Didn't find this one particularly well-written, gripping or funny, but the characters were likable enough I guess.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews