Kidsmum Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I'm tempted by the Bella Pollen as well but i already have Hunting Unicorns on my shelves so should probably get round to reading that one first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 It's just awful how easily one forgets... It's particularly embarrassing when you're recommending a favorite read to someone and then they asked what happens in the book and you can't remember everything... Ah yes, I’ve done that too! I will whack every Scotty in the head who tries to beam up our Jänet! frankie – the bodyguard! Great review! Although a very difficult subject matter... It immediately makes me think of the baby that was apparently snatched by a dingo, in Australia... Although of course this has nothing to do with dingos. Oh how very uncomfortable, very creepy. Yes, I thought of that case too when I saw the book on Amazon. Hm, I was wondering: when you are wanting to purchase a particular book for Kindle, will they show that you have already purchased a copy of that book? Yes, it gives a message saying “you downloaded this book on xxxx” I like the sound of this, it's going on my wishlist! I’m always nervous when people read books on my recommendation, but I do hope you enjoy it if you do read it. I'm tempted by the Bella Pollen as well but i already have Hunting Unicorns on my shelves so should probably get round to reading that one first I might look out for Hunting Unicorns. I don’t actually know what it’s about though – guess I’d better go and check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 I bought another two books today. That takes my total for physical books purchased this year up to a massive 54 - more than last year in total. One of them I've already read loads of times (Rebecca), but I found a brand new copy for £1.50 so I thought I'd replace my old copy (although I do have a soft spot for its vintage style cover from the 70s - this one)...! ...So I'll probably hang on to it! The other was My Cousin Rachel, also by Daphne Du Maurier. PAPER BOOKS ACQUIRED IN 2013 (TITLES READ IN RED!)01. Petals in the Ashes by Mary Hooper - £0 - finished 09.01.13 (03.01.13 - Stockwood Library)02. I Do Not Come To You By Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani - £0 - Abandoned 17.01.13 (12.01.13 - Yate Library)03. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings - £1.69 - finished 14.02.13 (18.01.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 04 to 19. The Complete Books of Charles Dickens - £19.99 (24.01.13 - The Book People) - 2 read 20. The Elephant's Journey by José Saramago - £6.39 - finished 10.04.13 (04.03.13 - Waterstone's) 21. Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper - £1.75 - finished 04.05.13 (04.03.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 22. The Ruins of Time by Ben Woolfenden - £1.97 - finished 14.03.13 (06.03.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 23. Going Solo by Roald Dahl - £1.25 - finished 20.05.13 (08.03.13 - BHF shop, Warminster) 24. Estates by Lynsey Hanley £0 - finished 15.04.13 (27.03.13 - Bath library) 25. I Can't Stay Long by Laurie Lee - £0.50 - finished 27.07.13 (05.04.13 - Lion's Charity Shop, Warminster) 26. The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - £0.50 (13.04.13 - Charity coffee morning)27. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - £3.86 - finished 25.05.13 (15.04.13 - Amazon) 28. The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year by Sue Townsend - £0 (16.04.13 - gift from a friend) 29. Replay by Ken Grimwood - £0 - finished 29.04.13 (19.04.13 - Shepton Mallet library) 30. Web by John Wyndham - £1.50 - (24.04.13 - Mottisfont National Trust shop) 31. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - £0 - finished 11.09.13 (02.05.13 - Given to me by my Mum) 32. The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E M Delafield - £0 - finished 14.05.13 (02.03.13 - Frome Library) 33. The Diary of a Provincial Lady (all 4 parts) by E M Delafield - £1.50 (13.05.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 34. The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl - £0 - finished 20.05.13 (20.05.13 - Paulton Library) 35. A Yorkshire Boyhood by Roy Hattersley - £0 - finished 31.05.13 (20.05.13 - Paulton Library) 36. Scenes from Village Life by Amos Oz - £0 - finished 16.06.13 (07.06.13 - Library) 37. Road to Rouen by Ben Hatch - £7.80 - finished 14.09.13 (13.07.13 - Amazon marketplace) 38. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf - £0.50 (13.07.13 - church fete) 39. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - £0 (21.07.13 - given to me by a friend) 40. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - £0 (21.07.13 - given to me by a friend) 41. The Widow's Cruise by Nicholas Blake - £0 - finished 31.07.13 (26.07.13 - library) 42. Moondial by Helen Cresswell - £2.81 - finished 15.09.13 (14.09.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 43. Midnight Cactus by Bella Pollen - finished 07.11.13 (18.09.13 - given to me by a friend) 44. A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers (20.09.13 - Ebay) 45. The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier - finished 30.10.13 (23.09.13 - Amazon) 46. The Making of Tesco: A Story of British Shopping by Sarah Ryle (04.10.13 - Ebay) 47. A Month in the Country by J L Carr - read before (17.10.13 - St Julian's Hospice shop, Bath) 48. The Battle for Pollock's Crossing by J L Carr (21.10.13 - Bookbarn) 49. Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake abandoned (02.11.13 - Library) 50. Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier - read 21.11.13 (16.11.13 - St Peter's Hospice Shop, Chipping Sodbury) 51. My Uncle Silas by H E Bates (19.11.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 52. The Misses Mallet by Emily Hilda Young (19.11.13 - Amazon Marketplace) 53. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier read before (22.11.13 - Dorothy House Hospice Shop) 54. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier (22.11.13 - Dorothy House Hospice Shop)Total new books acquired in 2013: 54Number of these read: 24Books abandoned: 2Total cost* of books acquired: £74.15Library Books: 10Library Books Read: 8 (and 2 abandoned)* Taking into account money off/vouchers/gift cards etc - so price paid, not necessarily cover price I bought The Misses Mallet by E H Young in paperback - forgetting I had a free copy on my Kindle - oh dear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Ah yes, the psychedelic artwork of the 70s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Nice haul! I think that cover looks quite interesting to be honest, but then the nowadays cover looks good as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier The ‘blurb’ Honor Bright is a sheltered Quaker who has rarely ventured out of 1850s Dorset when she impulsively emigrates to America. Opposed to the slavery that defines and divides the country, she finds her principles tested to the limit when a runaway slave appears at the farm of her new family. In this tough, unsentimental place, where whisky bottles sit alongside quilts, Honor befriends two spirited women who will teach her how to turn her ideas into actions. This was chosen for Book Club and is the second Chevalier book I’ve read. Honor Bright, a Quaker from Bridport in Dorset, makes the long journey to America by sea, accompanying her sister Grace, who is to be married to Adam, a Dorsetshire man who emigrated to Ohio some time before. However, tragedy strikes and Honor finds herself alone in a strange country. Initially she boards with a milliner called Belle, a feisty non-Quaker who takes Honor under her wing. After leaving Belle’s she is taken in by her sister’s fiancé. Honor finds life really difficult here until she moves to live with another family. As she struggles to fit in and to feel at home, she becomes involved with runaway slaves. But her actions will drive her new family apart and may have even more serious repercussions for them – what will Honor do? Will she follow her conscience or turn her back on the runaways for the sake of her new family? This was a really quick read and was not as in depth as I’d hoped. It was interesting and I liked reading about how people survived over the long harsh winters where they had to put away enough food or risk starvation (it put me in mind of the children’s book The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder) and about the Quaker lifestyle, but there wasn’t really enough substance to the slavery part – I would have liked to have learned a bit more about what life was like for the runaways. Overall it was enjoyable enough but I much preferred Burning Bright by the same author which I read a few years ago. The paperback edition is 386 pages long and is published by Harper. It was first published in 2013. The ISBN is 9780007350353. 3/5 (I liked it) (Finished 30 October 2013) Just discovered your review Janet, I felt pretty much the same as you, i would have liked to know more about the underground slave railroad & the Quakers. I read a non fiction book called Bury The Chains by Adam Hochschild about the British movement to abolish slavery of which the Quakers were big supporters, some parts of it were pretty harrowing but it was very interesting. I also have Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave which i'm looking forward to reading eventually Love the cover of Rebecca it's so retro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Ah yes, the psychedelic artwork of the 70s... Nice haul! I think that cover looks quite interesting to be honest, but then the nowadays cover looks good as well. I'm definitely going to hang on to it - but I like the latest covers for the Du Mauriers. I only have one set of matching books as I don't tend to collect them, certainly not for authors still writing, as they are always changing the cover style of books! Just discovered your review Janet, I felt pretty much the same as you, i would have liked to know more about the underground slave railroad & the Quakers. I read a non fiction book called Bury The Chains by Adam Hochschild about the British movement to abolish slavery of which the Quakers were big supporters, some parts of it were pretty harrowing but it was very interesting. I also have Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave which i'm looking forward to reading eventually Love the cover of Rebecca it's so retro I'll have a look at those titles on Amazon - thanks. Yes, I think Chevalier could have written a bit more detail about the slave trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz ZafónThe ‘blurb’1916, Calcutta. A man pauses for breath outside the ruins of Jheeter’s Gate station knowing he has only hours to live. Pursued by assassins, he must ensure the safety of two newborn twins, before disappearing into the night to meet his fate.1932, Ben and his friends are due to leave the orphanage which has been their home for sixteen years. Tonight will be the final meeting of their secret club in the old ruin they christened The Midnight Palace. Then Ben discovers he has a sister – and together they learn the tragic story of their past as a shadowy figure lures them into a terrifying showdown in the ruins of Jheeter’s Gate station. Having read and loved one of Zafón’s other young adult books, The Prince of Mist, I was looking forward to this. Like that other title, it has a supernatural element to it as Ben and his friends try to evade capture by a ghostly figure which threatens to destroy them all.This book is beautifully written – the writing has a poetic quality about it - but although I enjoyed the story, there seemed to be some holes in the plot and there was a lot that wasn’t explained satisfactorily which meant that overall it left me feeling a bit dissatisfied and now I come to write this review, 3 weeks after I read it, I really cannot recall the story in any detail. Such a shame.The paperback edition is 292 pages long and is published by Phoenix. It was first published in the UK in 2011, although it was published in Spain in 1994. The ISBN is 97807538292403/5 (I liked it)(Finished 13 November 2013) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 It's a shame you didn't like it as much as the other book you read by him. Nice review ! I have one or two of his books on my wishlist, though not the ones you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 It's a shame you didn't like it as much as the other book you read by him. Nice review ! I have one or two of his books on my wishlist, though not the ones you mentioned. Thanks. And sorry I missed your reply - I wasn't ignoring you. I have yet to read one of his novels for adults - maybe I'll read Shadow of the Wind in 2014? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Thanks. And sorry I missed your reply - I wasn't ignoring you. I have yet to read one of his novels for adults - maybe I'll read Shadow of the Wind in 2014? Yes, should most definitely do that Janet. I gave it a 5/5. I enjoyed The Midnight Palace and the Prince of Mist and a currently reading The Watcher in the Shadows.. Plus have three or four more of books on my shelf. I do like his writing whether it be for adults, it is never complicated yet nicely descriptive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 I have yet to read one of his novels for adults - maybe I'll read Shadow of the Wind in 2014? x I've heard good things about it, so if you do I hope you enjoy it . I've been given Het Spel van de Engel in Dutch a few days ago, which in English is The Angel's Game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 Yes, should most definitely do that Janet. I gave it a 5/5. I enjoyed The Midnight Palace and the Prince of Mist and a currently reading The Watcher in the Shadows.. Plus have three or four more of books on my shelf. I do like his writing whether it be for adults, it is never complicated yet nicely descriptive. x I've heard good things about it, so if you do I hope you enjoy it . I've been given Het Spel van de Engel in Dutch a few days ago, which in English is The Angel's Game. Thanks guys. Is The Angel's Game a prequel to Shadow of the Wind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 Yesterday I finished On the Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin, which is part of the counties challenge. I very much enjoyed it and have posted a sort of review here. This morning I got up early and read two books... which is really not as impressive as it may sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Thanks guys. Is The Angel's Game a prequel to Shadow of the Wind? Yes it is, I've had it on my shelf for ages, I really must get around to it soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Yes it is, I've had it on my shelf for ages, I really must get around to it soon! Mine too I really enjoyed Shadow Of The Wind so i don't really know why i haven't got round to reading this yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share Posted December 29, 2013 I haven't been able to post my Christmas presents yet as I've been on my mobile. I'm on my tablet now (which to be honest I'm not much quicker with!). From the lovely Kay I got George Orwell: A Life in Letters, which I am thrilled with! :yay: She also bought me a DVD called Prancer which I haven't seen before and some yummy chocs. Thanks, Kay. A good friend gave me Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. My daughter got me Bethlehem by Carol Ann Duffy. My Mum gave me an Amazon voucher, The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman and made me a gorgeous Matilda cushion for my reading chair. My son gave me a Waterstone's voucher. I'm a very lucky girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Congrats on the new stuff ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Thanks, Athena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Lovely gifts janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Thanks, Devi. I bought a new copy of A Christmas Carol in Lyndhurst on Saturday at a Book Fair but it's still in my suitcase (which I haven't unpacked yet) - it's a gorgeous, gorgeous illustrated copy - I'll post a picture of it tomorrow. I spent my Waterstone's gift voucher that Luke gave me for Christmas today. I saw this is Waterstone's in London (Piccadilly? Their flagship store, any way) before Christmas for £30 - but it was half price, which was the value of the voucher. I'm very chuffed with it. I nearly bought a Christmas treasury in the sale, but they only had one copy left and the cover was ripped. My lovely Mum made me a Matilda cushion for my reading chair for Christmas - isn't she clever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I love the cushion ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I love the new cushion too. Happy new year from Australia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 What an absolutely beautiful cushion and just right for your chair ... well done Mum Happy New Year Janet! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 Lovely cushion ! Good luck with next year`s reads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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