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Bobblybear's Book List - 2019


bobblybear

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Wow that's a lot of reviews :lol:

 

I might have to add some of these to my wish list, The Thing of Darkness sounds particularly good! 

 

I'm glad you liked His Bloody Project, I really enjoyed that one too. A bit worried about The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle now though, I've got it on my kindle to read!

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I still have to do the audiobook reviews! :lol:

 

The Thing of Darkness was such a good read, much better than I was expecting.

 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle seems to be a real marmite book. A lot of reviews comment on the vast number of characters and how it's best to make notes of who is who. I gave up before the influx of all these characters, so I didn't have to worry about that. :lol:

 

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On 25/08/2019 at 10:22 PM, bobblybear said:

I still have to do the audiobook reviews! :lol:

 

The Thing of Darkness was such a good read, much better than I was expecting.

 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle seems to be a real marmite book. A lot of reviews comment on the vast number of characters and how it's best to make notes of who is who. I gave up before the influx of all these characters, so I didn't have to worry about that. :lol:

 

Fingers crossed I'm on the 'love it' side then! Although, to be honest, I don't feel like you should need to make notes as you read to keep track of all the characters in a book!  

Looking forward to the audiobook reviews :lol:

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On 25/08/2019 at 1:05 PM, bobblybear said:

The Reality Dysfunction - Peter F Hamilton

Very long, and I struggled with it. Too many characters and I think there were more characters than there was plot and it felt like the book could have been halved in size (but then it wouldn't be a Peter F Hamilton book). I have the next two on my Kindle, but I think I will also download the audiobooks so I can swap between the two. 

 

I'm sorry you struggled with this :(. I struggled with it a bit more upon re-read vs the first time I read it. I think it's because my reading tastes have changed since I first read the trilogy. I'm currently re-reading Pandora's Star.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 1:05 PM, bobblybear said:

Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman

Couldn't really get on with it, but not a massive fan of YA. Noughts and Crosses are the names given to the two groups of people - dark-skinned and light-skinned, who are separated by privilege and power and position in society. Kind of a commentary on today's (recent history) society and if it were flipped on it's head.

 

Sorry you didn't really get on with this one. I have had it on my TBR for some time, but I kind of went off the dystopian YA genre so I haven't read much in that genre in the past few years.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 1:05 PM, bobblybear said:

Hard Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World - Haruki Murakami

Ahh, Murakami.....what can I say? You have to be open minded and willing to be taken on his journey, wherever he takes you. Hugely enjoyable read....typically bizarre. Can't even think how to summarise it...it's like two alternating stories, which are linked, but in parallel worlds. Not to be missed if you are a fan.

 

I've got this one on my wishlist. I've yet to try a Murakami novel though I do own a few of his books. I did read a short story by him that I liked.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 1:05 PM, bobblybear said:

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton (abandoned)

Gave up on this. Didn't know what on earth was going on, got annoyed with it and abandoned. :lol:

 

I'm sorry you didn't like this one! I have it on my TBR.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 2:39 PM, bobblybear said:

The Trouble With Goats and Sheep - Joanna Cannon

Ultimately forgettable....I know this, because I have forgotten what it's about. :lol: I do recall reading it when I had a lot of other things on my mind, which is never a good idea. A woman has vanished, and two children from the neighbourhood set out to solve the mystery of what has happened. It is coming back to me now....there are a few twists and turns, but it's not what would be classed as a thriller or anything like that. It's very similar in 'feel' to her other book: Three Things About Elsie.

 

:lol:

I too tend to forget details about quite a few books, a little while after I've read them.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 2:39 PM, bobblybear said:

The Light Between Oceans - M L Stedman

Heard about this one for long time, but was unsure about it. As it turns out, I enjoyed it a lot.  Tom is a lighthouse keeper on a remote island off the coast of Australia. He lives in isolation with his wife Izzy. One day, a small boat washes up which contains a crying baby and a deceased man. Tom and Izzy have to decide what they should do with this baby - keep it or try to find out the story behind her washing up on the island. Very good read...I want to watch the movie too.

 

I have this one on my TBR.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 2:39 PM, bobblybear said:

Lone Wolf - Jodi Picoult

Luke has always felt a bond with wolves, and has all but abandoned his family and civilisation in order to live a life with wolves. However, he is involved in a car accident and lies in a coma. His estranged family all join at his bedside and a debate ensues about whether life support should be switched off. Not bad....I wouldn't say it was my favourite Picoult, but it was easily readable.

 

This is pretty much how I felt about Lone Wolf too!

 

On 25/08/2019 at 2:39 PM, bobblybear said:

Elevation - Stephen King

Very short story, about a man who keeps losing weight even though his body still remains the same size. It wasn't bad....it was very short; I think I read it in an hour or so. A strange book.

 

This is on my wishlist. It's strange it's so short, I mean it is extremely pricey for its length, on the usual website I buy things. It's probably one I'll pick it when it becomes a lot cheaper.

 

On 25/08/2019 at 2:39 PM, bobblybear said:

Milkman - Anna Burns (abandoned)

Winner of the Man Booker Prize in 2018. Set in Ireland during the times of The Troubles. The story is told through the eyes of 18 year old Middle Sister (none of the characters have proper names), and her trying to deal with Milkman's fascination with her. Obviously there's more to it than that, but I wouldn't know as I gave up pretty early on. I couldn't get on with the style of the narrative. It was long uninterrupted blocks of text that sometimes went on for over a page without a break (margin-to-margin text). I found this very difficult to read (was reading paperback rather than Kindle) and absorb, and found myself frustrated with the style rather than being able to enjoy the story. Obviously it impressed someone, but not me!

 

I know this is a Man Booker Prize winner, but so far I've only heard of people abandoning it! I don't think I'd enjoy the stream-of-conciousness writing at all and the long uninterrupted blocks of text sound tedious!

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1 hour ago, Athena said:

 

I'm sorry you struggled with this :(. I struggled with it a bit more upon re-read vs the first time I read it. I think it's because my reading tastes have changed since I first read the trilogy. I'm currently re-reading Pandora's Star.

 

I know this is a Man Booker Prize winner, but so far I've only heard of people abandoning it! I don't think I'd enjoy the stream-of-conciousness writing at all and the long uninterrupted blocks of text sound tedious!

 

I loved Pandora's Star. I plan to re-read it at some point soon, and then also read Judas Unchained. Have you read his newer book, Salvation? Someone at work has read it and says it's very good.

 

Yeah, most people seem to abandon Milkman; there aren't many who enjoy it. I'm glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it!

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4 hours ago, Athena said:

I know this is a Man Booker Prize winner, but so far I've only heard of people abandoning it! I don't think I'd enjoy the stream-of-conciousness writing at all and the long uninterrupted blocks of text sound tedious!

 

Stream of consciousness can be fascinating - Virginia Woolf is a favourite of mine.  However, it's not unusual for the reading public's version of what a good book is to be very different from what the Booker judges reckon. There are several which I've given up on!

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On 28/08/2019 at 3:21 PM, bobblybear said:

I loved Pandora's Star. I plan to re-read it at some point soon, and then also read Judas Unchained. Have you read his newer book, Salvation? Someone at work has read it and says it's very good.

 

No, I haven't read Salvation yet. I do own it (it's a really weird format of book for some reason), but I believe it's the start of a new trilogy, so I'd rather get through my re-read of the Flying Pickets + re-read the Void trilogy and then read (for the first time) The Chronicle of the Fallers, first.

 

On 28/08/2019 at 6:48 PM, willoyd said:

However, it's not unusual for the reading public's version of what a good book is to be very different from what the Booker judges reckon. There are several which I've given up on!

 

That's good to hear :).

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