A herd, a colony, a swarm, a flock....

Just like Lady Gaga (okay, maybe not just like) I have spent some time recently getting in touch with my masculine side. My next two books to review? Clearly boy books. Written by men, for boys with lots of boy/man characters. First up? Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray. Here's a synopsis of the book.

'It's not really kidnapping, is it? He'd have to be alive for it to be proper kidnapping.' Kenny, Sim and Blake are about to embark on a remarkable journey of friendship. Stealing the urn containing the ashes of their best friend Ross, they set out from Cleethorpes on the east coast to travel the 261 miles to the tiny hamlet of Ross in Dumfries and Galloway. After a depressing and dispiriting funeral they feel taking Ross to Ross will be a fitting memorial for a 15 year-old boy who changed all their lives through his friendship. Little do they realise just how much Ross can still affect life for them even though he's now dead.'


This book has been on my "to-read" list for ages. And now? I didn't love it. It was OK, and it had an interesting twist at the ending. But overall, it kind of let me down. And, it had a ton of British slang that distracted me as I was reading. That being said, it was nice to read a book that focused on guys and their friendships. Oh, and the title of the blog entry? A reference Sim's quirky skill of knowing almost every specialized name for groups of animals. It adds a fun element to the book, and gets you thinking!