Michelle Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Dorothy Koomson - My Best Friend's Girl Very enjoyable page-turner, looking at lots of different emotions and relationships. Bram Stoker - Dracula I'm glad I finally picked this one up, however, it did drag towards the end. Jonathan Stroud - The Golem's Eye A fun read, keen to get the third part now. Philippa Gregory - The Little House Excellent little offering from Philippa, very different to her usual, but gets you involved in her characters. Val McDermid - The Mermaids Singing This one is hyped up on the back, and doesn't quite live up. Some bits I wasn't keen on, but overall a pretty good 'serial killer' crime book. Jonathan Stroud - Ptolemy's Gate An excellent finish to the trilogy.. I will miss Bartimaeus, and will definitely be looking out for more from this author. Anchee Min - Empress Orchid An absorbing book, which has stayed with me since finishing. Mitch Albom - The Five People You Meet in Heaven A very sweet book, which does make you think about the impact that we all have one others. Arthur Golden - Memoirs of a Geisha Another great read.. a good story, well told. Nora Roberts - Blue Dahlia First part of a trilogy, so not everything rounded up at the end. great characters. Raven Hart - The Vampire's Seduction This wasn't what I was expecting! In my opinion, a great vampire book, showing 2 sides to them. Arthur C Clarke / Stephen Baxter - The Light Of Other Days Interesting ideas and issues, easy read, gripping. Julie Myerson - Something Might Happen Unusual format, but still a gripping (if sad) book. Dawn Annadale - Call Me Elizabeth Interesting insight into many issues. Armetis Fowl Enjoyable, but not a series I'll be carrying on with. Julian Clary Autobiography Very honest book, insightful. Sharon Osbourne Extreme Been put aside for a while.. the early days are interesting, but need a rest from it. Rosemary's Baby - Simple story, but great. Not sure about the ending though. Jodi Picoult - Vanishing Acts Fairly good, interesting themes. Stephen King - The Shining I really enjoyed re-reading this one. Nice and creepy, good ending for a 'horror' book. Katherine Warwick - Dancing With His Heart A sizzling romance, gripping and insightful. Katherine Warwick - Noon Another romance, but wrapped around a great story, with interesting characters. JM Warwick - An Open Vein Dark 'Young Adult' book that's just as enjoyable for adults. Good ending. Lynsay Sands - Single White Vampire Funny and sexy book.. I shall be looking out for the rest. Jodi Picoult - Nineteen Minutes Ah.. one of her best! Terry Pratchett - Hogfather Whilst I enjoyed this, I still preferred Mort and Reaper Man. Celia Rees - Witch Child Again, enjoyable, and quite gripping. Jonathan Stroud - Buried Fire Interesting ideas, gripping book towards the end. Lacking the humour I enjoy from Stroud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted July 5, 2006 Author Share Posted July 5, 2006 I'm determined to get Dracula finished, I'm not sure if Emma is grabbing me enough, but I finally decided I had to start The Golem's Eye. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the humour in the first one.. I'm settling into this one already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted July 13, 2006 Author Share Posted July 13, 2006 I did skim the end of Dracula a little.. the best part of the book for me was the first part, in Dracula's castle. It was interesting the way it was written completely in the form of diaries and manuscripts. The Golem's Eye was great fun, and I still love the character of Bartimaeus. I've requested the third part of the trilogy at the library, and I'm keen to read more of his books, even if they are classed as 'childrens'. I'm afraid the beginning of Emma didn't capture me enough to carry on. I'm now moving on to Val McDermid's The Mermaids Singing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 I'm undecided by The Mermaid's Singing at the moment.. it just seems to be an average serial killer / crime story.. not the mastermind it's portrayed as! Maybe things will pick up. I also picked up Philippa Gregory's The Little House, and I'm hooked on that one.. very different to her usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 I also picked up Philippa Gregory's The Little House, and I'm hooked on that one.. very different to her usual. That's the only book of hers that I've read, but I seem to remember it being a good yarn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted July 17, 2006 Author Share Posted July 17, 2006 The Little House was certainly a good read.. it's a page turner, and the characters are so believable. I laughed at the ending though.. not sure what that says about me! (I'll do a proper review later.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilywhite Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I laughed at the ending though.. not sure what that says about me! I was rooting for her too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 I had started Ptolemy's Gate, but then decided I should start Empress Orchid because it's a library book. In fact, they're both library books, but the latter has kinda grabbed me. When I get a moment, I shall go and start sharing my thoughts in the RC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 I can't make my mind up about The Mermaid's Singing.. I think if I'd picked it up at random, I may have really enjoyed it. However, it's hyped on the back of the book, and I'd read someone saying it had really scared them.. and so to a certain extent it did disappoint. If you like crime books about serial killers, and you ignore the hype, you'll probably really like it. In fact, it had excellent reviews at Amazon, so maybe I was just missing something...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 Empress Orchid was a really enjoyable book.. easy to read, and yet quite absorbing. It's also one of those books that has stayed with me since, so the impact it has is probably deeper than I realised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 As for The Bartimaeus Triology, I was sad to see this one end. Jonathan Storud provides an easy to read fantasy format, and personally, I think he's funnier than Pratchett! I'll be looking out for more of his! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 Picked up a few at a bootfair this morning... Mitch Albom - The Five People You Meet in Heaven, which I'm looking forward to. Philippa Gregory - Perfectly Correct.. I wouldn't have picked this up if I didn;t know the authors name. Not sure what to expect, but will give it a try. Dorothy Koomson - The Cupid Effect.. again, not sure if I would have picked this up, but I really enjoyed her writing in 'My Best Friend's Girl', so will give it a try. David Gemmel - Winter Warriors.. this looks like a 'stand-alone', but on further investiagtion, may be in a series? Never mind, it was cheap! lol I also picked up Jayne Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilywhite Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 what a great selection Have to wait until Tue of Thur for bootfair here, gives me something to look forward to though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 The nice thing about bootfair books is that they can be sooo cheap (the 2 classics, for example, are in lovely condition, and cost me 10p each!), so I don't mind taking a chance with books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I can't make my mind up about The Mermaid's Singing.....? I enjoyed that. Read it a while back though, so cannot remember it so thoroughly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 21, 2006 Author Share Posted August 21, 2006 The Five People You Meet In Heaven was indeed a good read, and one that makes you think about everyone's interaction. Memoirs of a Geisha was my holiday read, and a perfect choice. An interesting, involving story, easy enough to read in small chunks, whilst holding my interest. I did attempt Peter Jame's Dreamer, but couldnt really get into it. I can see the potential, but it wasn't holding me. I'm enjoying Maggie O'Farrell's My Lovers Lover. I loved her debut book, After You'd Gone, and so decided to start this, despite some poor reviews in Amazon. Half way through, and it has me intrigued. It's a shame it didn't turn out to be a traditional ghost story.. I think she could do it very well. Then I got a very nice surprise, when I found out there was a copy of Born In Death waiting for me at the library! I didn't even think it was published yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 My Lover's Lover did turn out to be a good book.. I found myself reading it super fast, because I wanted to know what the big 'secret' was! This author has quite a distinctive way of writing.. I think you'd either like it or hate it. Born In Death was a disappointment. In a way I enjoy them, because it's like sitting down with an old friend, but my feeling here is that Nora is churning books out too quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 For some reason I'm fed up looking at my TBR pile, and trying to make a decision, so I picked up a couple at the library instead. I decided to give Nora Robert's 'Blue Dahlia' a try, and also a Graham Masterton one.. 'Touchy and Feely' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 For some reason I'm fed up looking at my TBR pile, and trying to make a decision, My trick for solving this problem is to get the 5 or so that I know I want to read most but can't decide, and then show them to someone else (usually my boyf, but sometimes a friend) and get them to say which one they think I shoulod read first and second. Then I do it! It helps make your mind up, and can sometimes be really interesting if they can offer an opinion on some of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 Thanks for the suggestion! I was pleasantly surprised with Blue Dahlia.. it helps that there's a ghost story in it, but the characters were good. I'll be reading the rest of the trilogy, and then picking up a few more of hers. Mamacita sent me some books from her conference, so I have even more of the TBR pile now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 I've just read The Vampire's Seduction, and it's a fabulous book. I will be awaiting the next one! Just about to start Eragon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 15, 2006 Author Share Posted September 15, 2006 I'm afraid I did badly with this month's RC, and gave up on both books. I seem to have trouble enjoying fantasy books these days. Have just read The Light Of Other Days and Something Might Happen, and have added a small review for each.. both gripping books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted October 7, 2006 Author Share Posted October 7, 2006 Call Me Elizabeth (Dawn Annadale) - I picked this up only because it's set in an area I know.. but it was an interesting book, to say the least! For those who missed it mentioned before, it's about a lady who gets herself in so much debt, that she decides to become an excort. It's a fascinating look at how a certain upbringing can affect your views and values.. how people can fall into a situation such as debt, and how she made her choices over her 'career' choice! On a personal note, I strugged, as I have different values and views to the author. Her goals in life are different to mine, and so the sympathy was lacking a little. However, it still remains a very interesting insight, and read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted October 7, 2006 Author Share Posted October 7, 2006 Artemis Fowl - I chose this one, as I'd heard alot about it on here. Whilst it was enjoyable enough, it didn't really impress me. There were some amusing characters and moments, but I don't think I'll be going on with the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Was it just the 1st one, Michelle? If so, consider peresvering, as the first one really spends most of the time introducing all the characters - the series is pretty good once you get into it. I have all of them, so if you fancy giving them a try, i can always lend you them. And I'd be willing to bet the little'uns would love to have these books read to them at night... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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