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Claire's book list 2013


chesilbeach

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I searched Longbourn but couldn't find anything, but have you seen this, Claire?  :)

I saw that earlier Janet - it sounds interesting. Amazing to have the manuscript bought so quickly. Not sure whether that's publishers just wanting to jump on the Austen/Downton bandwagon, or if it's genuinely a good book. Looking forward to finding out, if I'm honest!
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I searched Longbourn but couldn't find anything, but have you seen this, Claire?  :)

 

 Hey this is great news I am really excited about this. I am very into servants at the moment by coincidence, I have been reading lots of memoirs.

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The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

 

I did like it at the start, but actually stopped reading it for a couple of days at one point, and when I restarted, I realised I hadn't missed it at all. I almost stopped reading it, but decided to keep going, and I'm glad I finished it, but have to say that was a week ago, and since then I've thought less and less fondly of it, which has resulted in this very negative review. I think if I'd reviewed it immediately, I might have been a bit more generous, but as I'm writing this and remembering it, I'm liking it less and less. Still, at 20p for the Kindle version, I'm not going to worry too much about it, and you have to find books you don't enjoy in order to appreciate the ones you do better!

 

I will have to read this one next now Claire to see if I agree with you!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mapp and Lucia by E. F. Benson

 

Synopsis:

Miss Elizabeth Mapp reigns supreme over the village of Tilling...until the advent of Mrs Emmeline Lucas, or 'Lucia' to her friends. No one could compete, surely, with Lucia's formidable armoury: her duchesses, her Italian, her financial speculations, her celebrated recipe for Lobster à la Riseholme. But Mapp will not relinquish her supremacy in local society so easily, and battle is joined between these two indomitable queens and their rather fickle allies.  This hilarious study of 1930s manners and pecking order begins when Lucia Lucas rents a summer place - the home of Miss Elizabeth Mapp - in the English village of Tilling.  

 

Review:

I think this is the fourth time I've read this book in the last few years, and it was a re-read for my local reading group.  I love the period of the between the wars years, and the village setting, when the distinction between the classes was still evident and people could live comfortably without having to work.  It makes for a very funny read, as those with nothing to do have to find things to fill their time and an unhealthy obsession with their neighbours and the one-upmanship!

 

There are some very far-fetched elements to the story, but it's still an absolute joy to read, with so much humour in the language and the attitudes of the characters, and still an amount of affection with an almost caricaturish feel to the people.  Nearly everyone in the group meeting loved the book too, although some did feel that they had been in the right mood for it, and it could easily have become tedious or just not hit the right note, if they'd read it at a different time, but as it was my choice for the group to read, I'm delighted with the almost complete success rate. :smile2:

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Ok, you've dragged it out of me. Yes, it was The Book Thief It's not that *hated* it, but I definitely didn't love it. :hide:

 

This was my review from a few years ago ...

 

 

There, are you all satisfied now? I will now be the forum pariah :drama:

 

Don't worry I wasn't a huge fan of it either :o

 

I didn't understand all the hype. I couldn't quite connect with it :friends3:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been rubbish at reviews the last few weeks!

 

 

Here's a recap of what I've read with some notes on what I thought:

 

A House In Mayfair and Susie by M. C. Beaton

These two books are both part of ongoing series that have been republished under the M. C. Beaton name instead of one of the authors other pen names.  Beaton has written under various names and was a prolific writers of these humorous period romances, but wanted to make a break from them so she could turn to the contemporary crime novels she now writes in the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series.  I suspect her publishers have decided that since she has become so popular (especially as a lot of them have been on offer in the Kindle store during various sales) that it would be worth reissuing them under her new moniker.  Both these two books are essentially historical romances, the first set in the Regency period, the second in the Edwardian, but as with her Agatha Raisin books, they are quirky, funny and entertaining romps.  They are one of my goto series when I need a quick, light-hearted read that will while away an evening in front of the fire, or an afternoon listening to the sea when I'm on holiday.  These two happened to be on offer, otherwise I probably wouldn't have read them just at the moment - I'm waiting for the rest of both series to come up in a Kindle sale, as I'm sure they will eventually!  All the other series have, so I fully anticipate seeing the rest there too.

 

Challenging Zed by Joss Stirling

A freebie short story giving another perspective on the meeting of Zed and Sky from the book Finding Sky.  Very quick, very easy read, didn't add much to the story than we already knew, and unless you're a die-hard fan of the series, I wouldn't worry too much about missing out on this one!

 

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

I bought this one when it was on the Kindle Daily Deal based on Michelle's recommendation, and read it over a weekend. It was a great YA book, and has a fabulously weird feeling of both a historical and futuristic world, a dystopian society with elements of the fantastical too. Very exciting, and a really interesting story, well worth a read if you're a fan of the genre.

 

 

Bleeding Hearts, Blood Moon and Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey

These are the final three books in the Drake Chronicles YA vampire series.  I don't want to say too much about them so I can't reveal any spoilers, but I really enjoyed the entire series - strong female characters, focus on story and thrilling adventure, but with some romance thrown in, and I like the fact that the girls rescue the boys as well as the other way round!  Will be reading other books by this author as I was impressed by these.

 

The Golden Lily and The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

The second and third book in the Bloodlines series which itself is a spin off from the Vampire Academy series.  This series focuses on Alchemist Sydney Sage and as with Mead's other YA series, exciting, thrilling storyline, great one-liners and attitude from some characters, and the supernatural world is gradually expanding.  The strong central female character goes through essentially the same moral dilemmas that teenagers growing up go through, but set in the context of a hidden paranormal society, giving the whole story an exciting, dangerous feel.  Can't wait for the next book later this year!

 

Pulse by Tricia Rayburn

Again, another series book, this time the second in the Siren trilogy, and I can't say anything about the story without giving away plot spoilers for the first installment.  I did enjoy it, maybe not as much as the first one, but a good read and I'll read the final book in the trilogy at some point, although I think I'll probably wait for a while before picking it up.

 

I've got a couple of other books to review, but they deserve their own proper review, so I'll come back to those in the future!

Edited by chesilbeach
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Ok, you've dragged it out of me. Yes, it was The Book Thief It's not that *hated* it, but I definitely didn't love it. :hide:

 

 

 

Thank goodness!  I thought I was the only one!  :D

 

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

 

 

I was disappointed in this as well.  Then I was disappointed that I was disappointed.......lol

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Just wanted to post a link to this Guardian article to remind myself of this top ten from Saci Lloyd:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/mar/15/teen-book-club-saci-lloyds-top-10-political-books

 

I've read some of the books on the list already, and I've read most of Saci's books too, and enjoyed them all, so this top ten could be the catalyst to add the rest of the books she's mentioned onto my wishlist. :D

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Interesting books she has in that article.

 

I never would have thought of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as particularly political, but then again I read it when I was a lot younger and perhaps didn't see the other layers.

 

Of the others, I've read To Kill A Mockingbird (loved it), Whoops! (struggled and gave up) and Huckleberry Finn (read it for school, but can't recall much detail).

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How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won The F. A. Cup by J. L. Carr

 

Synopsis: (from amazon.co.uk)

This classic humour novel chronicles the momentous journey of Steeple Sinderby (an unremarkable Fenland village) from the mire of obscurity to national heroics. This unbelievable feat is contrived by the serendipitous meeting of three great men: Mr Fangfoss (who cares nothing for football), Dr Kossuth - a Hungarian academic and headmaster of the village school, and the Wanderers captain Alex Slingsby, a mighty warrior biding his time in quiet Sinderby for the chance to rise once more. The story takes an affectionate look at small-minded Middle England, and the glories of God's own game while taking in love and death, bigotry, bigamy and good old-fashioned English snobbery.

 

Review:

Considering the title, this book actually has very little football in it, but is essentially an affectionate look at ordinary people, and the remarkable things that can be achieved with focus, determination and a bit of luck, and a story of the under estimated underdog.  Set in the 1970s, there is a genuine believability about this fantastical tale of a village football team winning the F. A. Cup, with a spirit of sportsmanship and honesty, a larger than life chairman and an ex-pro captain, and the analytical vision of the local headmaster.  There is reference to some of the issues surrounding football in the period, with the health and safety of grounds, hooliganism, and even the role of the media, which is still prescient today.

 

The second of Carr's book I've read in my challenge to read his entire work, and another joy to read.  Even if you're not a football fan, there is plenty to entertain and delight, and even moments of poignancy, with one event even bringing a tear to my eye at one point.  Wonderful.

Edited by chesilbeach
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Back Story by David Mitchell

 

Synopsis: (excerpt from amazon.co.uk)

David Mitchell, who you may know for his inappropriate anger on every TV panel show except Never Mind the Buzzcocks, his look of permanent discomfort on C4 sex comedy Peep Show, his online commenter-baiting in The Observer or just for wearing a stick-on moustache in That Mitchell and Webb Look, has written a book about his life.

 

Review:

David suffers from back problems and was advised to take up walking to help alleviate the pain.  While taking the reader along with him on his normal route through London, he tells the story of his life and career.  I've never seen Peep Show or That Mitchell and Webb Look, but I have seen David on panel shows such as QI and Would I Lie To You? so I was familiar with his voice and sense of humour, and they shone through the pages of the book.  Humorous memoir, albeit with some very strong language at times, and even the story of how he met his wife, Victoria Coren (who I'm a huge admirer of, and loved her own memoir, For Richer, For Poorer).  A very entertaining read.

Edited by chesilbeach
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To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

 

Synopsis: (from amazon.co.uk)

The serene and maternal Mrs Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr Ramsay, together with their children and assorted guests, are holidaying on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse Virginia Woolf constructs a remarkable and moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life. One of the great literary achievements of the twentieth century, To the Lighthouse is often cited as Virginia Woolf's most popular novel.

 

Review:

This was the choice of my reading group this month.  Knowing how much other members of the forum love Woolf, I desperately wanted to like this book.  As it started off, it looked very promising.  I liked her style of writing - the long sentences punctuated by commas and the page spanning paragraphs, it reminded me of a later writer, but one I love reading, Jose Saramago.  For the first third of the book, I was surprised that although not much was happening in the story, I was enjoying the writing, and that it was much more accessible than I'd anticipated.  Unfortunately, by half way through, I was struggling.  We were still on the evening of the first day of the story (which had started during the afternoon!) and I didn't feel there was any story to move forward.  After a particularly bad day personally, I knew that I couldn't face going any further with the book and abandoned it at 68%.

 

Interestingly, only a few people at my book group managed to finish the book, and there was only one positive review from those, with most people wondering why Woolf is so revered.  It hasn't put me off attempting another of her books, especially as I do actually like her style, it was just the lack of story that frustrated me so much, so I will definitely give her another chance at some point.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Very far behind with reviews although, to be honest, most of the books I've read recently don't warrant any in depth thoughts! I've been on a spending freeze recently, so I've been downloading a lot of Kindle freebies. I've read quite a few, as most of my choices have been easy, fun stories.

 

First up, a couple of book by H. P. Mallory - To Kill A Warlock and Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble. The two books that are available as free and both firsts in a series, so the author/publisher have obviously decided that this may help encourage new readers to try a new author and hope they will then spend money on the next books in the series. Both books are paranormal romcoms, and if you like that sort of story, I think you're going to enjoy these books. The heroine in To Kill A Warlock is a fairy who works as a sort of detective for a supernatural law enforcement agency, and this is a comic murder mystery, with a dollop of romance on top. I've added the next book to my wish list for when I start to buy books again, so the publishers gamble in this case has paid off. As might be obvious from the title, the heroine in Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble is a witch, and a newbie at that. It was ok, but I did get a bit irritated that from being a dowdy, almost spinsterish, shop owner, she becomes a gorgeous, all men want her, extremely powerful and gifted witch, all within the space of a few weeks! I know it's fantasy and the fluffiest type of chick-lit, but maybe a bit too ridiculous for me. Not sure I'll carry one with this series, but it was an ok read.

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Not all my chick-lit reads are paranormal, I also like a crime or spy thriller mixed in with my romcoms, and Armed and Fabulous by Camilla Chafer fitted perfectly. Another first book in a series free, but it was a good mystery with a bright, intelligent but flawed heroine, and a good side dish of sexy investigators and comic capers, and another series I'll definitely carry on with.

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I didn't have as much success with all my freebies. I found Bound To Remember by Lola James too confused and lacked depth in the characters. The story didn't seem to flow well, and then the ending felt rushed and I think the author wanted to create a cliff hanging finale, but it almost came out of nowhere, and I was a bit bemused by it. Won't be bothering with the rest of the series.

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Last up with the supernatural freebies, and this time it was a werewolf story, but no comic element here. Another freebie first book in a series, Once Bitten by Trina M. Lee is a murder mystery with most of the main characters being werewolves or vampires, and the author is obviously inspired by the writers such as Kelley Armstrong, but for me, this fell short of the standard. I never really warmed to the heroine, even when finding out some of her back story and why she was as hard as nails, and it's hard to stay with the story when you're not engaged with the lead character. Having said that, I might try the second book at some point, but I won't be rushing off buying it any time in the near future.

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Interesting that you couldn't finish the Woolf novel. I'm dipping in and out of Orlando at the minute for class, but I'm really struggling. It's not so much the wordy sentences (I eat all that up usually) but I'm struggling with how slowly the plot is moving. Admittedly I haven't really sat down and read a big chunk out of it yet (I've got a few weeks to read it, that's probably why) but I hope it picks up pace a little as it goes.

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Hi Claire and Ben

I notice that you both bemoan the lack, or slowness, of the plot. TBH, if you're looking for a 'story', then Virginia Woolf is not the writer for you: her books are intensely character and setting driven, and the plot is usually really trivial (as is most of our lives).  TTL in particular drills round down into the characters and the way they interact (Woolf even talks of 'mining behind the characters').  The plot?  In the first third they intend to visit the lighthouse, but never do, in the second third time passes, in the second third they finally get there.  And that's it!

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Ben, I didn't much care for Orlando either. It felt jerky to me, not Woolf's usual smooth segue. 

 

Claire, I liked To the Lighthouse, but I can admit it is rather slow. :)

 

I really loved Mrs. Dalloway though, it's my favorite.

 

willoyd, you've hit the nail on the head! :D

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Ben, I didn't much care for Orlando either. It felt jerky to me, not Woolf's usual smooth segue. 

 

Claire, I liked To the Lighthouse, but I can admit it is rather slow. :)

 

I really loved Mrs. Dalloway though, it's my favorite.

 

willoyd, you've hit the nail on the head! :D

 

I wouldn't massively disagree with your assessments.  Of what I've read of hers, my personal favourite is To The Lighthouse (which ranks amongst my all-time top five), but Mrs Dalloway is very close behind, and is the book that originally turned me on to Virginia Woolf (approached in turn via The Hours, first film - brilliant! - and then book - equally so).  Squeezed in between, I'd insert The Years - often ignored, but not to be underrated, and possibly one of her more accessible stream of consciousness books if you're looking for a plot. I find Orlando fascinating, but it doesn't reach the same heights for me.  Indeed, I think I might even marginally prefer the film with the wonderful Tilda Swanton - heresy!

Edited by willoyd
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