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Laura Loves Reads 2017


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Have a wonderful 2017 Laura, so happy to hear that you have all your books together again! :)

Some notable mentions:

The Language of Flowers and Birdsong are in my top ten books of all time, both beautifully written. If you enjoy A Language of Flowers then look out for her second book, We Never Asked for Wings, also in my top ten!

Our Endless Numbered Days was very different but good and popular with members on here.

The Kite Runner was sublime, have you read any of his other books?

I'll admit I had a real thing for the Twilight books when they were released but they were surpassed by The Host, the film is good too. :)

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Happy Reading in 2017. :)

 

A vote for the Dan Bowon, and those Twilight books - fun reads. :)

Thank you - I need to read more Dan Brown Ive really enjoyed what I have read before!

 

Have a wonderful 2017 Laura, so happy to hear that you have all your books together again! :)

Some notable mentions:

The Language of Flowers and Birdsong are in my top ten books of all time, both beautifully written. If you enjoy A Language of Flowers then look out for her second book, We Never Asked for Wings, also in my top ten!

Our Endless Numbered Days was very different but good and popular with members on here.

The Kite Runner was sublime, have you read any of his other books?

I'll admit I had a real thing for the Twilight books when they were released but they were surpassed by The Host, the film is good too. :)

I'm so happy that they are all back where they 'belong' :) I'm looking forward to all those you mentioned above - I'm just struggling now that Ive got so many books as what to read first, now and next!

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2)A Hundred Pieces of Me - Lucy Dillon

 

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Synopsis - As heart wrenching and life-affirming as One Day or Me Before You, A HUNDRED PIECES OF ME is a story about what it means to finally live life to the full.

Letters from the only man she's ever truly loved.
A keepsake of the father she never really knew.
A blue glass vase that catches the light on a grey day.
Gina Bellamy is starting again, after a few years she'd rather forget. But the belongings she's treasured for so long don't seem to fit who she is now.
So Gina makes a resolution. She'll keep just a hundred special items - the rest can go.
But that means coming to terms with her past and learning to embrace the future, whatever it might bring . . .

 

My Thoughts - I picked this book up in a supermarket - it was on the 2 for £7 offer and I'm really pleased that I did. Its the story of Gina Bellamy and it tells her story from teenager through to her thirties and all her life goings on. She has had cancer and a varied love life and this is told through objects that have meant something to her. Its not told in chronological order and you find out more and why Gina is like she is through the different chapters. The only thing I disliked was the ending - I wanted there to be more and to find out which direction her life was going to go in.

 

I did like the message behind this book - to often we get caught up in material things and 'stuff' and sometimes we need to revaluate the more important things in life. The message is really going to stay with me for a while. This is the first time that I've read a book by this author and I'm going to read more.

 

Rating - 4/5

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This book has an interesting premise, I think I shall stick it on my 'books recommended by BCF members' list :). Great review!

 

Thank you - I'm really enjoying the books I'm reading so far this year I also think its helping having my books staring at me from the shelves as I want to read more of them :)

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  • 1 month later...

Oh my gosh its been well over a month since last posting!

 

Its not that I havent wanted to get on here its been finding the time! Work and the small one has been so busy that ive barely had time to pick up a book and I've been trying to read the same book at home for six weeks! I did go on holiday to Portugal a couple of weeks ago and managed to read a couple of books off my Kindle so I've got those reviews to catch up on! Also I've been book buying like its been going out of fashion so I've got those to post about too :)

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3)A Series of Unfortunate Events #1 - The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket

 

Synopsis - Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

 

My Thoughts - I've never read this series although I've been meaning to for a while and with the new series on Netflix based on this book series I thought I'd better read at least this book before watching it on Netflix! The book is about 3 ophan children who end up living with Count Olaf who is basically after the fortune that their parents have left them. I think I've already read book 6 or 7 in this series many years ago when I was a teen! This book was ok and I think it did a lot of plot setting for more of the books in the series. I think I probably would have enjoyed this a bit more too if I was a teen but overall it was good. - I'm looking forward to watching it on Netflix now though!

 

Rating - 3/5

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4)A Series of Unfortunate Events #2 - The Reptile Room - Lemony Snicket

 

Synopsis - Dear Reader,

If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery.

In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the appearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.

I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

 

My Thoughts - I quite enjoyed this second book in the series. This was a good plot and it was also very interesting reading about the different people in the family. I enjoyed this book more than the first book and it really hooked me in.

 

Rating - 4/5

 

 

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5) A Series of Unfortunate Events #3 - The Wide Window - Lemony Snicket

 

Synopsis - If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted; but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all. If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair. I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

 

My Thoughts - I've now read this book in the series and to be honest I'm not sure if i'll read too much more. I enjoyed the plot howeve it does seem quite simular to the other two books and I'm not sure if i want to read the rest if they are all like it. It was ok and I'm probably a bit old to be reading these books for the first time now.

 

Rating - 3/5

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New books in the last month

 

  • The Shakespeare Book - DK
  • The History Book - DK
  • The Secret Library - Oliver Tearle
  • Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman
  • Girl Unknown - Karen Perry
  • Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and Battle of Britain - Joshua Levine
  • The Everything Machine - Ally Kennen
  • Dear Amy - Helen Callaghan
  • Everyday - David Levithan
  • A Boy Made of Blocks - Keith Stuart
  • Shtum - Jem Lester

11 new books and I've only managed to read 2 this year off my TBR - oops!

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If I remember correctly, I felt the same way as you about the Series of Unfortunate Events books. I read books 2 and 3 and after book 3 I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue, because it seemed a bit similar to the 2nd book (I couldn't find book 1 at the library). I might go back to it at some point, because I found the writing style quite interesting, but at the time it seemed too samey to continue (even though I had borrowed several more of the series from the library).

 

I hope you enjoy all of your new books :)!

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Over 10 years ago, I bought the collection of A Series of Unfortunate Events books 1-4, as one of my friends had randomly bought me book 5. After reading books 1-5, although amusing, they do all have the same basic plotline so I didn't feel compelled to read any more. :D I think they are definitely more in the "it's a children's book and should be read by children" camp. ;)  However, I thought the film was quite amusing and I might give the TV show a go at some point.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If I remember correctly, I felt the same way as you about the Series of Unfortunate Events books. I read books 2 and 3 and after book 3 I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue, because it seemed a bit similar to the 2nd book (I couldn't find book 1 at the library). I might go back to it at some point, because I found the writing style quite interesting, but at the time it seemed too samey to continue (even though I had borrowed several more of the series from the library).

 

I hope you enjoy all of your new books :)!

 

I might dip back into them if I take the Kindle on holiday again as they are on there and hubby would go mad if i took a suitacase of books instead of clothes :P

 

Theres more new books to be added again!

 

Over 10 years ago, I bought the collection of A Series of Unfortunate Events books 1-4, as one of my friends had randomly bought me book 5. After reading books 1-5, although amusing, they do all have the same basic plotline so I didn't feel compelled to read any more. :D I think they are definitely more in the "it's a children's book and should be read by children" camp. ;)  However, I thought the film was quite amusing and I might give the TV show a go at some point.

 

I so agree with this - I didnt want to watch the TV series until id read all the books but I think now I'll probably just watch the show on Netflix and if i do decide to read the next books then it wont ruin it too much for me as i dont think the plots could get much simular!

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My reading is seriously suffering this year with being so busy! The farm work is getting on the way of everything at the minute as I'm having to take on more of the physical work now I'm not having the time to read in the day nor the energy in the evening to do it!

 

I've got some more new books though as it was my birthday a couple of days ago :)

 

  • Happy Mum Happy Baby - Giovanna Fletcher. I've wanted this for ageesss since she announced she was writing a 'mum' book and hubby must have taken notes of my not-so-subtle-hinting that he brought it for me for my birthday.
  • The Accident Season - Moira Fowley Doyle
  • Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Claire
  • Book of Lies - Teri Terry
  • THe Kicking Bucket List - Cathy Hopkins
  • The Moonlight Dreamers - Siobhan Curham
  • The Unmumsy Mum Diary - Sarah Turner
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6) City of Heavenly Fire - Cassandra Clare (#6 The Mortal Instuments)

 

 

Cassandra_Clare_City_of_Heavenly_Fire_bo

 

Synopsis - Discover more secrets about the Shadowhunters as they fight to protect the world from demons in the final book in the internationally bestselling series. Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced..

 

My Thoughts - I love, love LOVE this book series and the  whole world of the Shadowhunters! Its quite difficult to write a review without spoiling the plot of both this book and the series that comes before that but its safe to say I really enjoyed this book again much like the rest of the series. In this Jace and Clary face the war that has been coming throughout the series and must fight to save everything that they know. It was a brilliant read - it took me ages to read it but thats because I've been so busy and no fault of the book. It was full of twists and turns and you never knew what was going to happen next. A fantastic book and a fantastic ending to the series. I'm also pleased as ive now got Clockwork Angel to read which is also about Shadowhunters although different characters and also Lady Midnight too! So excited for these books!

 

Rating - 5/5

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I'm glad you enjoyed the last book in The Mortal Instruments series :). I plan to read City of Glass (the next one for me to read) when I feel in the mood for it. I had planned to read it sooner than now but I haven't felt in the mood for it yet. I'm glad to hear the last book in the series didn't disappoint.

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