Kidsmum Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 I was going through the first page on your reading log and you've had a pretty great reading year so far, I thought, going by the ratings! You've read 16 books, of which four books have received the highest rating (6/6), another four have gotten 5/6, and two books 4/6. That's ten books, which is more than half of the books you've read! Oh, poor cousin Phillis... I'll make sure I will not start my Gaskell phase with this book (luckily I don't have it on my TBR)! Nice haul You totally deserved to go on a book buying binge I'm really excited about seeing Purge by Sofi Oksanen on the list! I hope you enjoy it A lot of other titles, too, that I've been wanting to read, as well. For example, The House Of The Spirits, Lark Rise To Candleford, The Tortoise And The Hare, Bluestockings The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Fight for an Education (this one I just wishlisted some minutes ago, after reading Ruth's reading log ), and A Game Of Thrones. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on these when you get to them =) Frankie & Stankie? Ooh, an Ira Levin novel. I've liked all the books I've read by him. Enjoy! Hi Frankie Yes your right i have a good reading year so far, more goods than duds Cousin Phillis was a big disappointment, it was such a nice book as well, with lovely illustrations but unfortunately not worth keeping so i passed it on to my sister who did enjoy it, so at least someone got some pleasure from it I was really pleased to find Purge & quite a few books for the Counties Challenge as well, Bluestockings i also got from Ruth's reading log, she always seems to read books that i know i wouldn't normally come across or think to buy without reading a review on them. Good to hear you rate Ira Levin as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Getting behind with my reviews again Life after Life Kate Atkinson Amazon Synopsis What if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right? During a snowstorm in England in 1910, a baby is born and dies before she can take her first breath. During a snowstorm in England in 1910, the same baby is born and lives to tell the tale. What if there were second chances? And third chances? In fact an infinite number of chances to live your life? Would you eventually be able to save the world from its own inevitable destiny? And would you even want to? Life After Life follows Ursula Todd as she lives through the turbulent events of the last century again and again. With wit and compassion, Kate Atkinson finds warmth even in life's bleakest moments, and shows an extraordinary ability to evoke the past. Here she is at her most profound and inventive, in a novel that celebrates the best and worst of ourselves. This could have turned out to be a very dull read,after all reading about the same events being repeated again & again doesn't sound as if it would make for gripping reading but Atkinson tells the story very well & Ursula & her family are such great characters that once i started the book i found it hard to put down & ended up finishing it in less than a week. I can't say it made me think about having the chance to relive your life & what that would mean in the same way that Replay Ken Grimwood did but it was still a very good & entertaining read. 5/6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Hmm...I looked at this on in the Kindle store, but was afraid it would be something of a Groundhog Day without the Bill Murray humor. I'll have to give it a second look. Thanks for the review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Hmm...I looked at this on in the Kindle store, but was afraid it would be something of a Groundhog Day without the Bill Murray humor. I'll have to give it a second look. Thanks for the review! It covers a much longer time span than one day Dtr there is an element of repetition of course but not so much that you lose interest in the story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 I can't believe i've done no reading over the past 2 days........ i think the Josephine Tey book has killed my mojo However i went out with friends for lunch yesterday & bought a few books from the charity shop A Feast For Crows George R.R. Martin - i haven't even read the first book yet but that's never stopped me from buying the whole series before Firewall Henning Mankell - I will get round to reading the other ones i have by him on my TBR ......eventually The Railway Man Eric Lomax - hey! they made a film out of it so it must be good Angel Elizabeth Taylor - i loved Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont when i read it so i snatched this from the shelf & clutched it tightly to my chest lest anyone should try & wrestle it from me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Nice review of Life After Life. I think you enjoyed it much more than I did. I found the second half dragged terribly, and I really struggled to maintain interest, which meant that I lost track of what was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 Thanks Bobbly, that's a shame you didn't enjoy it . For me, because i liked Ursula so much i think i would have enjoyed the story even if it had been a straight family saga without the repeat lives angle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Great review! I have Life After Life on my wishlist. Congrats on the new books! I hope you enjoy them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Your review inspired me to choose Life After Life as my next read. It's a bit weird so far! It's keeping me entertained though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I have got to stop coming into your thread KM, every visit makes my bank account shrink. Great reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Great review! I have Life After Life on my wishlist. Congrats on the new books! I hope you enjoy them . Thanks Athena i do love buying books but at the moment my mojo's taken a dive for some reason so i'm not reading much Your review inspired me to choose Life After Life as my next read. It's a bit weird so far! It's keeping me entertained though. I hope you enjoy it Alexi & your finding it weird in a good way I have got to stop coming into your thread KM, every visit makes my bank account shrink. Great reviews. I sometimes think that if i were to sell all my books then i could afford to go on a nice little holiday but then i'd have nothing left to read on the beach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 9, 2014 Author Share Posted May 9, 2014 Nearly at the end of The Slap, it's certainly proved be to be an interesting read & i think it would make a good bookgroup choice as there's plenty to discuss in the story I've been out & about the last few days which inevitably means books added to the TBR pile. They are........ Loving,Living, Party Going Henry Green - Three novels in one, Henry Green is a new author to me but i'm a sucker for those Vintage books so couldn't resist Skippy Dies Paul Murray - i seem to remember Poppyshake recommending this one so added to the pile. The Life Of Charlotte Bronte Elizabeth Gaskell - i've never read a biography about the Brontes so this seemed like a good book to start with The Redeemer Jo Nesbo - might as well add this to my growing collection of Nesbo books of which i've read the sum total of one City of the Beasts Isabel Allende - i didn't realise when i picked this up that it was a children's book so will probably get my teenage daughter to read it first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 Nice lot of books, KM. Glad you're liking The Slap. Agree, lots to discuss there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Congrats on your new books, I hope you enjoy them ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 City of the Beasts Isabel Allende - i didn't realise when i picked this up that it was a children's book so will probably get my teenage daughter to read it first. I quite enjoyed that trilogy, though not as much as her `works for grown-ups`. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Nice lot of books, KM. Glad you're liking The Slap. Agree, lots to discuss there. Thanks Pontalba, i really enjoyed The Slap & it kept me thinking for quite awhile after i'd finished it. i found the casual racism really weird though there was a certain word that i haven't heard people use over here since i was a child i thought it had dropped out of use. Congrats on your new books, I hope you enjoy them ! Thanks Athena, i certainly enjoyed buying them I quite enjoyed that trilogy, though not as much as her `works for grown-ups`. I've bought a few Isabel Allende's books lately but haven't got round to reading any of them yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 I forgot to mention that we were away in York last weekend where there are lots of good charity shops. i bought: In The Company of The Courtesan Sarah Dunant The Untouchable John Banville The Loss of Eldorado V.S. Naipaul Agent 6 Tom Rob Smith The American Boy Andrew Taylor A Gathering Storm Rachel Hore The last two i keep seeing in the charity shops so in the end i gave in & bought them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Have you read any other Sarah Dunant books? I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, but I've heard her books discussed on radio and they sound interesting, and I often pick up her books in shops but never actually buy one, so I'll be interested to hear what you think of her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Congrats on the new books ! I have A Gathering Storm also on my TBR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Have you read any other Sarah Dunant books? I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, but I've heard her books discussed on radio and they sound interesting, and I often pick up her books in shops but never actually buy one, so I'll be interested to hear what you think of her. I do have another of hers on my TBR pile but haven' t read anything she's written before, i know that Willoyd really rates her & i do enjoy historical fiction myself so couldn't resist snapping up the books when i saw them in the charity shop Congrats on the new books ! I have A Gathering Storm also on my TBR. I have another of hers on my TBR pile; A Place Of Secrets, i didn't intend to buy this one till i'd read the one that i already had but for 49p i couldn't leave it on the shelf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I have another of hers on my TBR pile; A Place Of Secrets, i didn't intend to buy this one till i'd read the one that i already had but for 49p i couldn't leave it on the shelf x I get this a lot too, so I understand . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I also keep deliberating over Sarah Dunant. I enjoy historical fiction so will be interested to hear your take! Nice haul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I don't tend to read historical fiction much, but I loved Sacred Hearts which I read a few years ago. I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't chosen for book club but I was very glad I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 I also keep deliberating over Sarah Dunant. I enjoy historical fiction so will be interested to hear your take! Nice haul Hopefully i'll get round to it sooner rather than later Alexi I don't tend to read historical fiction much, but I loved Sacred Hearts which I read a few years ago. I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't chosen for book club but I was very glad I did. Good to hear you enjoyed it Janet, i think that's one of the advantages of book clubs you get to read books you might not normally pick up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 Picked up a few more books over the last few days The Good Soldier Ford Maddox Ford The Secret Speech Tom Rob Smith The Good German Joseph Kanon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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