Tunn 300's 2013 Reading Log

[tunn300]

Hello!! It feels like a long absence from posting on here. The main reason for no posting is there has been little reading since the birth of my first child in October. He left little time for anything else. Anyway as he has now started to get into a routine of going to bed I am once again able to read but nothing like the amount I used to. As such this blog may be a little more sparse than in previous years as I certainly don't think I will be reading as many books. I aim to still record and review what I read and still do dip in and read others blogs too. Anyway on with this years blog, even though it is very late. 

 

Previous Blogs

2010 - 30 books read (BCF blog - Here)

2011 - 39 books read (BCF blog - Here)

2012 - 11 books read (BCF blog - Here, although nothing after October)

 

I am not going to put up my mount TBR at this stage, as even though the reading stopped the purchasing on new books and ebooks didn't as I always thought I will get round to reading that sometime.

Edited March 29, 2013 by tunn300

[tunn300]

Books read in 2013 - 19
[Kindle eBooks - 12 Paperbacks - 6 Library Books - 1]

Audiobooks - 1

January

February
It's Not Me, It's You - Jon RIchardson - 7/10

March
Rubbernecker - Belinda Bauer - 8/10
The Calling of the Grave - Simon Beckett - 7/10

April

May
Buried - Mark Billingham - 7/10
The Dark Tourist - Dom Joly 8/10
Skios - Michael Frayn - 8/10
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn - 8/10

June
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce - 8/10
World War Z - Max Brooks - 8/10

July
The Knot - Mark Watson - 8/10
The Crucifix Killer - Chris Carter - 7/10

August
Back Story - David Mitchell - 7/10
The Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker - 7/10

September
Maggot Moon - Sally Gardner - 6/10
I am the Secret Footballer - The Secret Footballer - 5/10

October
Where'd You Go Bernadette - Maria Semple - 9/10

November
Lost at Sea - Jon Ronson - 9/10

Alex - Pierre Lemaitre - 8/10

 

December

The Man Who Lost His Wife - John O'Farrell - 8/10

Them - Jon Ronson 7/10

Edited December 28, 2013 by tunn300

[tunn300]

Review

It's Not Me, It's You - Jon Richardson



Synopsis (Amazon)


A control freak looks for love (women who leave wet teaspoons in sugar bowls need not apply).
‘I haven’t woken up with a cup of tea by the bed for seven years. It seems such a small thing but it’s one of a thousand things I miss about having someone around to take care of me. I have spent my entire adult life getting things the way I want them and all I want now is someone to give it all up for.’
Is your filing faultless? Your CDs, apostrophes, cutlery all in the right places? Can you eat a biscuit in the correct way? Then Jon Richardson (single for seven years and counting) could be your ideal man…
Living alone in a one bedroom flat in Swindon, Jon has had far too much time on his hands to think. In fact to obsess. About almost everything. Jon’s obssessive compulsive personality disorder has seen him arrange the coins in his pockets in ascending size and colour code his bookshelves. It takes him less than 90 seconds to locate a receipt for a pair of shoes he bought in 1997. Over to the filing cabinet and R for receipts, S for shoes.
But Jon doesn’t want to be like this, in fact he would quite like to share his life with someone. But who could that someone be? Someone like himself, a quarrelsome perfectionist only with breasts and less body hair? Absolutely not. But who exactly is Jon looking for and where will he find her? Faced with a loveless future filled with his own peculiar quirks and perfectionism, Jon sets about his search for The One. The question is, will he mind her keeping the knives to the left of the forks in the cutlery drawer or organising the CDs by genre and not alphabetically?

Review

I purchased this book for Kindle just after Christmas when it was in the sale. I am a big fan on Jon's comedy and have also recently watched his channel 4 documentary about OCD which I also enjoyed. During that programme Jon explored many of his own OCD tendencies to decide if he too was suffering from it. In this book we spend a few months with Jon as he looks for love whilst dealing with his everyday issues and routines such as constantly panicing that he has not locked the front door.

I thought the book was an interesting read and found Jon's humour really came through on the page. Although the book only follows his life over a very short time we certainly learn a lot about what makes him tick and how some of his OCD tendencies effect his everyday life.

Overall if you are a fan of Jon Richardson or want to find out a little more about how even mild OCD can effect someones life then I would recommend this book. It's only a short read and there are definitely many laughs to be had along the way.

7/10

Edited May 18, 2013 by tunn300

[tunn300]

Review

 

Rubbernecker - Belinda Bauer

 

 

Synopsis (Amazon)

 

 

'The dead can't speak to us,' Professor Madoc had said.

 

That was a lie.

 

Because the body Patrick Fort is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things.

 

Life is already strange enough for the obsessive Patrick without having to solve a possible murder. Especially when no one believes a crime has even taken place. Now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery - while he dissects his own evidence.

 

But as Patrick learns one truth from a dead man, he discovers there have been many other lies rather closer to home...

 

Review

 

This is the fourth book by Belinda Bauer and the first that is not set on Exmoor involving the original characters from her first book Blacklands. I have read all of her previous wok and reviews for all can be found on previous blogs. Her first book was chosen as a tv book club novel and that was how I was first introduced to the author. I said in that first review that although the book had some flaws I would defiantly be following this author as I felt she had great potential. In my opinion this is her best book so far and I am also glad she has left Exmoor and the character of Steven behind.

 

Patrick the main character in this story has Aspergers and the way Bauer writes about this character is excellent and for me deals with an issue like this as well as one of my favourite books, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime. As the story unravels we learn more and more about Patrick and how his condition effects his everyday life and his interactions with others. Patrick spends the book searching for the answer to what happens when we die and accidentally stumbles upon something much bigger. All of this is handled well as I have sometimes been a bit critical of Bauer's previous work for being a bit far fetched. For the majority of this book that is certainly not the case. The book also deals with the issue of people locked into comas and if and when they emerge what life is like and again I think this has been dealt with well.

 

My only problem with the book is that the ending does revert back to being incredibly far-fetched so that the author can tie in every single strand of the story to a conclusion that I didn't think was necessary. However it certainly didn't spoil the book for me and for the first time in a long time I read a book in 3 days!! I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who has not read Bauer's work before and I am looking forward to reading her next book as she is certainly, for me anyway, improving with each book. 

 

8/10   

[tunn300]

Review

 

The Calling of the Grave - Simon Beckett

 

 

Synopsis (Amazon)

 

 

When DI Terry Connor turns up on David Hunter's doorstep, it's an unwelcome reminder of the past in more ways than one. The two used to be friends before Connor's behaviour caused a bitter rift. And the news the policeman brings is even less welcome: the psychotic rapist and murderer Jerome Monk has escaped from high security prison.

Monk's is a name all too familiar to Hunter. Eight years before he'd part of an ill-fated Body Recovery team assembled to try and find the graves of Monk's teenage victims on the bleak expanse of Dartmoor. Only one of the missing girls' bodies was ever found, and Monk's own controversial involvement in the search led to more failure and a violent denouement. And now Monk is on the loose - and seems to be targeting anyone involved with the original search.

Then Hunter receives a mysterious appeal for help from Sophie Keller, a young woman who also worked on the operation, he suddenly finds that the past is far from dead and buried. Neither the events unfolding now, nor those from all those years ago, are quite as they seem. And as the maniac's bloody trail edges ever closer, Hunter is forced to question who he can really trust. Especially when his own life depends on it...

 

Review

 

Having read all of Simon Beckett's previous books I waited a long time for this to come out in paperback and purchased it immediately but then for one  reason or another it slipped down my reading pile till I began it earlier this year. 

 

The story again follows Dr. David Hunter as he is dragged into a case he had worked on at the very beginning of his career. After a brief opening we are flung into the action as Hunter fights to uncover the truth about a murder that happened many years ago. For me this book has a lot more action and less detective work than the other books in the series and this for me is disappointing. I enjoyed the earlier books for the scientific detail they contained and the way in which Hunter uncovered the truth. This book however flies along at a break-neck pace, moving from one action set piece to another. 

 

I did still enjoy the book and read it at a fair pace although I did take a gap of about 3 weeks in the middle of reading it. Hopefully this books is just a minor blip and Beckett returns Dr. Hunter to his roots in the next book in the series. Still a good read but the previous 3 books in the series are far superior and if you haven't read them you should start there. 

 

7/10

[Kylie]

Welcome back, Tunn. Glad to see you are getting some to read again.

[tunn300]

Buried - Mark Billingham



Synopsis ( Amazon)

Luke Mullen, sixteen-year-old son of a former high-ranking police officer, has disappeared, presumed kidnapped. While no-one quite dares to voice the fear that he could also be presumed dead, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is brought in to beef up the squad dedicated to locating the missing boy. The first thing the team looks for is anyone with a grudge against Luke's father, a man who has put a lot of tough villains away in his time. A list quickly emerges, but Thorne discovers that ex-DCI Tony Mullen has omitted the name of the most obvious suspect: a man who'd once threatened him and his family and who, after serving time for his original crime, is now the main suspect in a murder which has been unsolved for four years. Is this a simple oversight, understandable considering the trauma of his son's disappearance? Or is it something more telling? Aware that he hasn't the luxury of time, Thorne searches desperately for connections and leads, but learns that secrets are as easily buried as bodies, and that assumptions are the enemies of truth.


Review

I have been a fan of Mark Billingham and his series of Torne novels for many years now. I usually find them pretty action packed and full of twists and turns. However for reasons I am not quite sure of I am starting to tire of his books, possibly my reading tastes have changed slightly and I find this type of story to predictable and laboured now.

Thorne is once again back and still recovering from his recent personal tragedy. He has a bad back which plagues him throughout the book and is of no real interest or importance to the story but continues to be bought up at every occasion. Thorne has been transferred to the Kidnap department in this book to assist with the hunt for a missing sixteen year old son of a former high ranking police officer. the story then proceeds at a fair crawl towards a conclusion that tries to be interesting and surprising but just ends up feeling a bit contrived.

Billingham clearly realised that the main plot was fairly week as he also has another major case tracking along in the background in what feels like an attempt to pad the book out. I still finished the last half of the book fairly quickly but this may have been because I was desperate to finish the story and move on. I am going to have a bit of a rest from Billingham now and maybe revisit his work again somewhere down the line. I just feel at 1 book a year he is starting to become a bit James Patterson like and simply knock books out to meet deadlines.

7/10

Edited May 13, 2013 by tunn300

[frankie]

Buried - Mark Billingham

 

 

Synopsis ( Amazon)

 

Luke Mullen, sixteen-year-old son of a former high-ranking police officer, has disappeared, presumed kidnapped. While no-one quite dares to voice the fear that he could also be presumed dead, Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is brought in to beef up the squad dedicated to locating the missing boy. The first thing the team looks for is anyone with a grudge against Luke's father, a man who has put a lot of tough villains away in his time. A list quickly emerges, but Thorne discovers that ex-DCI Tony Mullen has omitted the name of the most obvious suspect: a man who'd once threatened him and his family and who, after serving time for his original crime, is now the main suspect in a murder which has been unsolved for four years. Is this a simple oversight, understandable considering the trauma of his son's disappearance? Or is it something more telling? Aware that he hasn't the luxury of time, Thorne searches desperately for connections and leads, but learns that secrets are as easily buried as bodies, and that assumptions are the enemies of truth.

 

 

Review

 

I have been a fan of Mark Billingham and his series of Torne novels for many years now. I usually find them pretty action packed and full of twists and turns. However for reasons I am not quite sure of I am starting to tire of his books, possibly my reading tastes have changed slightly and I find this type of story to predictable and laboured now.

 

Thorne is once again back and still recovering from his recent personal tragedy. He has a bad back which plagues him throughout the book and is of no real interest or importance to the story but continues to be bought up at every occasion. Thorne has been transferred to the Kidnap department in this book to assist with the hunt for a missing sixteen year old son of a former high ranking police officer. the story then proceeds at a fair crawl towards a conclusion that tries to be interesting and surprising but just ends up feeling a bit contrived.

 

Billingham clearly realised that the main plot was fairly week as he also has another major case tracking along in the background in what feels like an attempt to pad the book out. I still finished the last half of the book fairly quickly but this may have been because I was desperate to finish the story and move on. I am going to have a bit of a rest from Billingham now and maybe revisit his work again somewhere down the line. I just feel at 1 book a year he is starting to become a bit James Patterson like and simply knock books out to meet deadlines.

 

7/10

 

I think I read the first book in the Thorne series a few years back, when I found it cheap on a secondhand bookshop, but I have to say I don't remember anything about it. Seeing as you've been a fan I'm wondering if it would make sense to go back and try his other novel... Shame, though, that you feel like you might be getting tired of his books. Sometimes our tastes change, like you said, and there's really nothing to do about it, but it's always a shame

 

I'm happy to see you back on the forum! I know you've been busy with your new baby, but still it's great that your family's getting into a routine and you have more time to read books again

[tunn300]

I think I read the first book in the Thorne series a few years back, when I found it cheap on a secondhand bookshop, but I have to say I don't remember anything about it. Seeing as you've been a fan I'm wondering if it would make sense to go back and try his other novel... Shame, though, that you feel like you might be getting tired of his books. Sometimes our tastes change, like you said, and there's really nothing to do about it, but it's always a shame

 

I'm happy to see you back on the forum! I know you've been busy with your new baby, but still it's great that your family's getting into a routine and you have more time to read books again

Thanks Frankie, I am enjoying being able to get a bit of reading done too. I would recommend the early Thorne novels as I have definitely enjoyed them down the years.

 

[tunn300]

The Dark Tourist - Dom Joly (audiobook)

 

 

Synopsis (Amazon)

 

 

Ever since he can remember, Dom Joly has been fascinated by travel to odd places. In part, this stems from a childhood spent in war-torn Lebanon, where instead of swapping marbles in the schoolyard, he had a shrapnel collection - the schoolboy currency of Beirut. These early experiences left Dom with a profound loathing for the sanitized experiences of the modern-day travel industry and a taste for the darkest of places. And in this brilliantly odd and hilariously told travel memoir, Dom Joly sets out on a quest to visit those destinations from which the average tourist would, and should, run a mile.

 

Funny and frightening in equal measure, this is a uniquely bizarre and compelling travelogue from one of the most fearless and innovative comedians around.

 

Review

 

This year with my reading time more limited I decided to try and enjoy some audiobooks when I was walking to work/ driving in the car. The first book I have downloaded and listened to is Dom Joly's The Dark Tourist. It is narrated by Joly himself who is lively and interesting throughout. I should say I have never really been a fan of his comedy series but the idea of the book just appealed to me. In it Joly visits destinations around the world tourists are very unlikely to visit. E.g. North Korea, Chenobyl, Iraq to go skiing etc. 

 

Each chapter of the book is a different destination and I found each to be highly amusing and informative. Joly has a very interesting way of writing that kept me hooked and wanting to just listen for a bit longer. In each country Joly not only discusses the dark destination he is visiting but also other interesting snippets about the country. 

 

I would recommend this book or audiobook as a good read to find out more about some places you may have given very little thought even exist. 

 

8/10

 

[tunn300]

Skios - Michael Frayn

 

 

Synopsis (Amazon)

 

 

On the sunlit Greek island of Skios, the Fred Toppler Foundation's annual lecture is to be given by Dr Norman Wilfred, the world-famous authority on the scientific organisation of science. He turns out to be surprisingly young and charming -- not at all the intimidating figure they had been expecting. The Foundation's guests are soon eating out of his hand. So, even sooner, is Nikki, the attractive and efficient organiser.

 

Meanwhile, in a remote villa at the other end of the island, Nikki's old school-friend Georgie waits for the notorious chancer she has rashly agreed to go on holiday with, and who has only too characteristically failed to turn up. Trapped in the villa with her, by an unfortunate chain of misadventure, is a balding old gent called Dr Norman Wilfred, who has lost his whereabouts, his luggage, his temper and increasingly all normal sense of reality -- everything he possesses apart from the flyblown text of a well-travelled lecture on the scientific organisation of science...

 

Review

 

This book is one of Waterstones Book Club choices for this year and was also long listed for last years Man Booker. It follows the fortunes of Dr. Norman Wilfred as a series of coincidences and chance happenings leads to him and another man, Oliver Fox, effectively trading lives. I can't really say much more about the plot without giving away some of the main story lines of the book. 

 

The book is well written and is made up of fairly short chapters that are further broken down into different characters actions at that point in time. The book is fairly amusing throughout and it is very cleverly worked to lead to a final showdown between all the characters. The ending is certainly not what I expected however. 

 

I did enjoy this book and rattled through it fairly quickly however I wouldn't say it is 'laugh out loud funny' as I have read on many other reviews of it. I would still recommend it as a light hearted holiday read.

 

8/10

 

[chesilbeach]

Interesting review, tunn.  I've had this on my wishlist since it came out, despite the fact I'm always dubious about the "laugh out loud" reviews on book covers.  Now that the price has come down, I think I might pick it up before we go away on holiday.

[Kidsmum]

I've read Spies by Michael Frayn , which i enjoyed & i also have A Landing On The Sun on my TBR pile so i'm quite tempted to add this to my wishlist.Thanks for the review Tunn 

[tunn300]

Interesting review, tunn.  I've had this on my wishlist since it came out, despite the fact I'm always dubious about the "laugh out loud" reviews on book covers.  Now that the price has come down, I think I might pick it up before we go away on holiday.

 

 

I've read Spies by Michael Frayn , which i enjoyed & i also have A Landing On The Sun on my TBR pile so i'm quite tempted to add this to my wishlist.Thanks for the review Tunn 

 

 

Thanks both. Hope you enjoy the book if you do get round to reading it!!

[tunn300]

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

 

 

Synopsis (Amazon)

 

Who are you?

What have we done to each other?

 

 

These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?

 

Review

 

I picked this book up as it is receiving a lot of hype at the moment and I saw a friend of mine tweeting about how addicted to it she was. The book is broken into three clear sections and I can't say what these are without spoiling the plot. In each section the chapters are told from alternative viewpoints, Amy and Nick's.

 

At first I really enjoyed this book as it leaked out more and more information on Amy's disappearance and Nick's suspected involvement. It had me always wanting to read on and find out what happens next and this was the same right up until the end. In fact I read from 8 till 11.30 last night, which i have not done in some time, just to find out what happens in the end. However after the first section the book starts to go downhill for me. In my opinion the first section sets the scene well and has the reader gripped. Then the second section reveals a big bombshell but starts to become a little far fetched and unbelievable but is nothing compared to the short final section and ending which I found irritating and highly unrealistic. Don't get me wrong I was still hooked till the end but could sense I was going to be disappointed and I most certainly was.

 

I also found the writing style of the book not quite to my taste. I think it was the overuse of short snappy sentences and also the escalation of the problem at a level that does not seem proportionate to the real world that is so clearly trying to mimic. I have been thinking long and hard all day about 'would i recommend this read to a freind?' and the truth is I am still not sure. It certainly has its pros and is very easy to get into and get hooked on but the disappointment and the way it goes downhill rapidly, particularly in the final third, makes me alost think no. I am glad I have read it and have seen there are very mixed reviews of it out there. I would probably say pick it up and give it a go as the first part of the book is worth it alone.

 

8/10

Edited June 2, 2013 by tunn300

[tunn300]

I have now begun reading 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' ready for the July discussion of it in the reading circle

Edited June 2, 2013 by tunn300

[tunn300]

So I am about a quarter of the way through The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and have found it very easy and enjoyable to read thus far.

 

I have also acquired some more books on Kindle over the past couple of day.

 

Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

Bring Up the Bodies - Hilary Mantel

I am the Secret Footballer - The Secret Footballer 

The Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker

 

That should certainly keep me going for a while, along with the other 50 or so books on my TBR pile. 

[Athena]

I'll be reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry in a while, glad to hear you like it so far!

[tunn300]

Have finished 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' tonight (review to follow soon) and am now debating what to start next. Can't choose between;

World War Z

The Age of Miracles

Charlotte Street

The Universe versus Alex Woods

[Devi]

i hear world war z is meant to be good! I don't know anything of the other titles though.

Edited June 9, 2013 by Devi

[bobblybear]

I'm reading World War Z and it's pretty good so far.

[tunn300]

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Review

 

 

Synopsis - Amazon

 

When Harold Fry nips out one morning to post a letter, leaving his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking. To save someone else's life.

 

Review

 

I picked this book up as it was cheap on Kindle and I thought the premise of it sounded interesting. It got bumped up my reading list after it was chosen as the July Reading Circle book.

 

The story follows Harold Fry as he sets out one day to post a letter to an old work colleague he hasn't spoken to in years that is dying of cancer. Rather than simply post the letter in the nearest post box he sets out on a journey to had deliver it, this journey however is one that means him travelling the length of the country. 

 

I found the book interesting and some parts were very thought provoking. As Harold reflects back on his life and particularly the mistakes he has made his journey falls into the background and we very much focus on his journey through life. it has not been a particularly easy one and the more we learn the more we sympathise with him. Chapters are split between focusing on his journey to Berwick upon tweed and that of his wife's struggle to come to terms with the reasons for his journey back at home. 

 

I really enjoyed the book but felt it did lose its was a little towards the end but still thoroughly enjoyable. I will be posting more thoughts when the July discussion opens but I would definitely recommend this book.

 

8/10

 

 

[poppyshake]

Hi Tunn  Good to see you

 

I totally agree with you about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I too loved it but felt it lost its way a bit towards the end. Great book though.

 

PS: You must read Wolf Hall soon .. I know it wasn't one of your options but still .. I don't like to think of you missing out

[Athena]

Nice review!

 

Many people seem to have read or want to read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, hopefully there'll be some nice discussions about it . I'll be reading it closer to July, myself.

[tunn300]

Hi Tunn  Good to see you

 

I totally agree with you about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I too loved it but felt it lost its way a bit towards the end. Great book though.

 

PS: You must read Wolf Hall soon .. I know it wasn't one of your options but still .. I don't like to think of you missing out

 

Hi Poppyshake, long time no speak.  Interesting you felt the same about the Fry book.

 

I will get round to Wolf Hall and not miss out I promise. Am just saving it for my summer holidays as feel I can then give it the time adn attention it deserves whilst sat by a pool in sunny (hopefully) France. 

 

Nice review!

 

Many people seem to have read or want to read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, hopefully there'll be some nice discussions about it . I'll be reading it closer to July, myself.

 

Yes i'm looking forward to the discussions too. I hope you enjoy it.