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Chesilbeach 2010


chesilbeach

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It's the first day of the year and I have 78 books on my shelves waiting for me to read them. Some of these have been there for a very long time, so my intention this year is to read as many of these as I can, resisting the temptation of too many new books!

 

2009 reading blog - 143 books (on the Book Club Forum)

2008 reading list - 63 books (this link will open a new browser window to my personal blog)

2007 reading list - 97 books (this link will open a new browser window to my personal blog)

2006 reading list - 82 books (this link will open a new browser window to my personal blog)

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Key:

Books from 2008 TBR

Books from 2009 TBR

New books in 2010

Local reading group books

Re-reads

 

Currently reading:

Notes From An Exhibition by Patrick Gale

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber

 

Books read:

1. Missing: Safe House by Meg Cabot

2. Missing: Sanctuary by Meg Cabot

3. Missing: Missing You by Meg Cabot

4. Murder Most Fab by Julian Clary

5. Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

6. The Shoe Queen by Anna Davis

7. Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood

8. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

9. The Immortals: Evermore by Alyson Noël

10. Fallen by Lauren Kate

11. Agaton Sax and the Diamond Thieves by Nils-Olof Franzén

12. Howards End Is On The Landing by Susan Hill

13. Ox-tales: Earth by Various

14. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

15. A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

16. The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd

17. It's Only A Movie by Mark Kermode

18. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

19. A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

20. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

21. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

22. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

23. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

24. Our Farm by Rosie Boycott

25. No Way To Say Goodbye by Anna McPartlin

26. Ghost Hunter by Michelle Paver

27. The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

28. The Immortals: Blue Moon by Alyson Noël

29. Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot

30. I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley

31. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

32. The Carbon Diaries 2017 by Saci Lloyd

33. Three Men In A Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

34. Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant

35. Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

36. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

37. Jinx by Meg Cabot

38. Gulity Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

39. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

40. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

41. The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble

42. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton

43. Burned by P.C and Kristin Cast

44. The Gathering by Anne Enright

45. Eleven Minutes Late by Matthew Engel

46. Flush by Carl Hiaasen

47. Frostbite by Richelle Mead

48. Airhead by Meg Cabot

49. Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

50. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

51. Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton

52. The Lunatic Café by Laurell K. Hamilton

53. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

54. Bloody Bones by Laurell K. Hamilton

55. The Killing Dance by Laurell K. Hamilton

56. Runaway by Meg Cabot

57. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

58. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

59. The Outcast by Sadie Jones

60. Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

61. Dead In The Family by Charlaine Harris

62. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

63. Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome

64. Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton

65. Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton

66. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

67. Need by Carrie Jones

68. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

69. Devil In Disguise by Julian Clary

70. Martin Lukes: Who Moved My Blackberry? by Lucy Kellaway

71. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

72. Obisidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton

73. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

74. Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro

75. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

76. Shadowland by Alyson Noël

77. The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine

78. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

79. Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine

80. Narcissus In Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton

81. Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

82. Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine

83. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

84. Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine

85. Waking The Witch by Kelley Armstrong

86. Stolen by Lucy Christopher

87. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

88. The Dog Who Came In From The Cold by Alexander McCall Smith

89. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

90. Flyaway by Lucy Christopher

91. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

92. The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy

93. Something Beginning With by Sarah Salway

94. Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton

95. Hotel World by Ali Smith

96. The Whole Day Through by Patrick Gale

97. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

98. The Chosen One by Sam Bourne

99. Fade Out by Rachel Caine

100. Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

101. Adventures on the High Teas by Stuart Maconie

102. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

103. Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

104. The Recruit by Robert Muchamore

105. Class A by Robert Muchamore

106. Agatha Raisin: There Goes The Bride by M. C. Beaton

107. Three Ways To Capsize A Boat by Chris Stewart

108. Maximum Security by Robert Muchamore

109. The Ghost by Richard Harris

110. The Killing by Robert Muchamore

111. Divine Madness by Robert Muchamore

112. Man Vs Beast by Robert Muchamore

113. Immortals: Dark Flame by Alyson Noël

114. Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body by M. C. Beaton

115. Storm Born by Richelle Mead

116. The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith

117. Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead

118. The Importance of Being Seven by Alexander McCall Smith

119. I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith

120. Succubus On Top by Richelle Mead

121. The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger

122. Succubus Nights by Richelle Mead

123. The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

124. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

125. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

126. Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers

127. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

128. Olivia Helps With Christmas by Ian Falconer

129. Fup by Jim Dodge

130. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Edited by chesilbeach
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Key:

Books from 2008 TBR

Books from 2009 TBR

New books in 2010

Local reading group books

Re-reads

 

Books waiting to be read:

 

1. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh

2. The 8:55 to Baghdad by Andrew Eames

3. A Handful of Honey by Annie Hawes

4. The Olive Season by Carol Drinkwater

5. The Olive Harvest by Carol Drinkwater

6. The Olive Route by Carol Drinkwater

7. A Place Called Here by Celia Ahern

8. Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble

9. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

10. My Life So Far by Jane Fonda

11. Mirrors of the Unseen by Jason Elliot

12. The Infinite Book by John D. Barrow

13. Fragrant Harbour by John Lanchester

14. What I Do: More True Tales of Everyday Craziness by John Ronson

15. The Year Of The Death of Ricardo Reis by Jose Saramago

16. The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame

17. The Music Of The Primes by Marcus du Sautoy

18. Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood

19. Forever Autumn by Mark Morris

20. Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons: Travels in Sicily on a Vespa by Matthew Fort

21. The Factory Of Light by Michael Jacobs

22. The Nightmare of Black Island by Mike Tucker

23. Wild Mary by Patrick Marnham

24. The Science of Doctor Who by Paul Parsons

25. A House Unlocked by Penelope Lively

26. The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies

27. Thistle Soup by Peter Kerr

28. The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

29. A Backward Place by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

30. Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

31. Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks

32. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

33. The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery

34. White Mughals by William Dalrymple

35. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh

36. Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

37. William - An Englishman by Cicely Hamilton

38. Friends Like These by Danny Wallace

39. Guernica by Dave Boling

40. Corvus by Esther Woolfson

41. The Bolter by Frances Osborne

42. An Equal Stillness by Francesca Kay

43. My Invented Country by Isabel Allende

44. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea by Michael Morpurgo

45. The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard

46. Can't Be Arsed by Richard Wilson

47. The Colour by Rose Tremain

48. The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett

49. Shopaholic & Sister by Sophie Kinsella

50. Coral - A Pessimist in Paradise by Steve Jones

51. Breath by Tim Winton

52. Free Love and other stories by Ali Smith

53. The Jewel Box by Anna Davis

54. Dracula by Bram Stoker

55. Nature's Numbers by Ian Stewart

56. The Silver Linings Play Book by Matthew Quick

57. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

58. Captivate by Carrie Jones

59. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

60. Wicked by Gregory Maguire

61. Mr Rosenblum's List by Natasha Solomons

62. Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd

63. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

64. Devoted Ladies by Molly Keane

65. Monsieur Pamplemousse Hits The Headlines by Michael Bond

66. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

67. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

68. I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

69. Over Sea Under Stone by Susan Cooper

70. Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje

71. Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

72. The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan

73. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

74. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

75. Nicholas In Trouble by Rene Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé

76. Raoul Taburin Keeps A Secret by Jean-Jacques Sempé

77. Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne

78. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

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Books started:

These are books I've started but put aside for now but fully intend to finish at some point.

 

None

 

Unfinished books:

These are books I've started, but wasn't enjoying and decided to stop reading.

 

Dark Lover by J. R. Ward

The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble (200 pages read then abandoned)

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Title: Missing: Safe House

Author: Meg Cabot (writing as Jenny Carroll)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Rating: 3/5

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

When cheerleader Amber Mackey goes missing and is later found dead many blame Lightning Girl, Jess Mastriani, for not stopping the brutal killing. But when Amber went missing Jess was on holiday. It wasn't her fault! How could Jess have found her when she didn't know that she was missing in the first place? But when another cheerleader goes missing, Jess has a chance to redeem herself. But just how is she supposed to keep her psychic powers secret from the feds, while at the same time tracking down a murderer?

 

Review:

This is the third book in the Missing series, and is another thrilling tale for Jess, who is having to deal with situations a bit too close to home for comfort this time. Meg Cabot has such an easy style of writing, using casual dialogue that always sounds authentic without being dated, and always grounding her characters in the real world, so no matter how incredible their exploits are, they still have to deal with the mundane and everyday matters of growing up in an ordinary family. In this book, we learn more about the psychic powers Jess has gained which results in her finding herself in a very perilous situation. Great entertainment for a lazy weekend.

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Title: Missing: Safe House

Author: Meg Cabot (writing as Jenny Carroll)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

When cheerleader Amber Mackey goes missing and is later found dead many blame Lightning Girl, Jess Mastriani, for not stopping the brutal killing. But when Amber went missing Jess was on holiday. It wasn't her fault! How could Jess have found her when she didn't know that she was missing in the first place? But when another cheerleader goes missing, Jess has a chance to redeem herself. But just how is she supposed to keep her psychic powers secret from the feds, while at the same time tracking down a murderer?

 

Review:

This is the third book in the Missing series, and is another thrilling tale for Jess, who is having to deal with situations a bit too close to home for comfort this time. Meg Cabot has such an easy style of writing, using casual dialogue that always sounds authentic without being dated, and always grounding her characters in the real world, so no matter how incredible their exploits are, they still have to deal with the mundane and everyday matters of growing up in an ordinary family. In this book, we learn more about the psychic powers Jess has gained which results in her finding herself in a very perilous situation. Great entertainment for a lazy weekend.

 

That sounds really interesting, what are the names of the other books in the series I would really like to check them out?

 

CW.

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There are five in the series called:

 

When Lightning Strikes

Code Name Cassandra

Safe House

Sanctuary

Missing You

 

I should warn you that they're YA, so don't expect a gritty crime novel - it's clean cut, fairly wholesome stuff aimed at probably young teenagers, but I just enjoy Meg's writing for light, entertaining reading.

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Title: Missing: Sanctuary

Author: Meg Cabot (writing as Jenny Carroll)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Rating: 3/5

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

Sixteen-year-old Jess Mastriani knew she couldn't hide her psychic powers from the US Government forever. Now they want her to join a unit of "specially gifted" crime solvers headed up by one of their agents.

 

However much Jess want to use her visions to find missing people, she's not prepared to go missing herself while on some 'classified' FBI project. But when a local boy disappears, Jess decides it's better the devil you know - anything to help find him. Can she and her would-be boyfriend Rob help unit a community and save a life - without losing their own?

 

Review:

I'm enjoying this series of books a lot, but even I think the denouement of this story is a bit too far fetched. I've mentioned before how grounded Meg Cabot usually makes her characters, and the only minor complaint I have about this fourth book in the series, is that the home life takes too much of a back seat while the ramped up action is a bit too unbelievable. However, this is really a minor quibble, and it's still a punchy story keeping me entertained nicely.

Edited by chesilbeach
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There are five in the series called:

 

When Lightning Strikes

Code Name Cassandra

Safe House

Sanctuary

Missing You

 

I should warn you that they're YA, so don't expect a gritty crime novel - it's clean cut, fairly wholesome stuff aimed at probably young teenagers, but I just enjoy Meg's writing for light, entertaining reading.

 

 

Thats fine, I don't mind YA books, some of my favourite books are YA. I will be definately looking out for them... thank you.

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Title: Missing: Missing You

Author: Meg Cabot (writing as Jenny Carroll)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

All Jessica Mastriani ever wanted was to be normal. But a walk home on a particularly stormy night changed all that. Struck by lightning, Jess suddenly developed psychic powers - and the ability to find anyone, anywhere, dead or alive.

 

Her newfound talent made her invaluable to the US government, but her work for them took a terrible toll. Now back home, aged nineteen, and with her power gone, Jess is Lightning Girl no more. Starting again in a new town, intent of finding a new life, she's less than happy when her ex, Rob Wilkins, shows up at her door, begging for her help in finding his long-lost sister. But how can Jess find anyone - let alone the sister of the man she once loved - when she can't even find herself?

 

Review:

There was a five year gap between the fourth and fifth books in this series being published, and the dedication indicates that it was encouragement from her readership that made Meg Cabot write the final instalment for Jess. In story terms, it's three years in the last book finished, and Jess has been through a hell it's hard to imagine, and finds herself adrift in her own life, when ex-boyfriend Rob turns up to ask for help.

 

I think this was a great end to the series, allowing our heroine to grow up and find out what she wants from her life, but also allowing us readers to get closure on Jess's story. On top of that, knowing the readership is likely to be mostly young, impressionable teens, Meg Cabot writes about a pretty tough storyline involving a fifteen year old girl, and some of the dangers that can be out there in today modern world, but never is there anything graphic or truly nasty for them to have to deal with, more just a warning tale of what might happen.

 

And in addition to that,

I'm a sucker a happy ending

!

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Title: Murder Most Fab

Author: Julian Clary

Publisher: Ebury Press

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

Hello. I'm JOHNNY DEBONAIR and thank you for buying my book. You won't regret it. Everything that has happened so publicly is explained. Of course, I'd prefer it if you remember me as I was at my height, before the past caught up with me so spectacularly - TV's Mr Friday Night with an enviable lifestyle and the nation at my feet. My fame might have looked easy to you at the time, but getting to the top of the celebrity ladder is hard work. It took talent, beauty, commitment and, uniquely in my case, a number of unfortunate deaths.

 

Review:

I loved this book! Although Julian Clary had previously written memoir and humorous non-fiction, this is his first foray into fiction, and what a great start it is. Written in the style of a memoir, it gripped me from the first page, with a central character, Johnny Debonair, who was full of charisma and wit, and despite the dark turns his life takes, Johnny tells his story honestly and with integrity.

 

It should be noted, however, that this darkly funny tale is not for the faint hearted, as the book contains graphic descriptions of sex and prostitution.

 

What the book does have, and has it in spades, is brilliantly funny writing. I must admit, I've not had a lot of exposure to Julian Clary as a comedian, but from what I have seen, I think his style is often based on innuendo and double entendre. This is not the same style of humour on display in the book, which is more subtle at times and at others, a slap across the face, but the comic touches sparkle on every page.

 

I guess if you're going to pick up a bright pink and yellow murder book, written by a notoriously risqué comedian, with quotes from newspaper reviews referring to "filthy", "shocking", and "high camp", then I would hope you know what you're letting yourself in for. However, if you can cope with this type of language and content, then you won't be disappointed with a genuinely unputdownable book.

Edited by chesilbeach
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20. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

 

I also have this one on my TBR, I can't wait to get to it. And to hear what you thought of it! Have you seen the TV-series? I thought it was amazing, and a bit funnier than the usual BBC dramas from 18th/19th century :roll:

 

51. Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

 

This one is one of my favorite books, I do hope you enjoy it :lol: Happy reading chesilbeach! :lol:

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I also have this one on my TBR, I can't wait to get to it. And to hear what you thought of it! Have you seen the TV-series? I thought it was amazing, and a bit funnier than the usual BBC dramas from 18th/19th century :roll:

I bought the book specifically after watching the BBC series! I love it for perfect Sunday evening viewing, and I'm hoping the book will have the same sense of warmth and love for the way of life and its characters that the television adaptation has.

This one is one of my favorite books, I do hope you enjoy it :lol: Happy reading chesilbeach! :lol:

Hmm, I'm still not sure about this one. I'd actually heard him and another author interviewed on a radio programme, and I got confused over which one was which, and bought this book when I'd actually meant to get the book by the other author. The book has gradually been creeping further down my TBR list, and I'm still ambivalent about reading it, but since you and others here have praised it, I'll give it a go and see how I get on!

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I bought the book specifically after watching the BBC series! I love it for perfect Sunday evening viewing, and I'm hoping the book will have the same sense of warmth and love for the way of life and its characters that the television adaptation has.

 

I bought it after watching the series as well :roll: I'm hoping and rather expecting it to be very good.

 

... and bought this book when I'd actually meant to get the book by the other author. The book has gradually been creeping further down my TBR list, and I'm still ambivalent about reading it, but since you and others here have praised it, I'll give it a go and see how I get on!

 

Oh shoot, that's awfully unfortunate :lol: However, since you've actually bought it you might as well give it a go, if it's totally awful you can always pass it on :lol: I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised by the novel!

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Title: Murder Most Fab

Author: Julian Clary

Publisher: Ebury Press

 

Review:

I loved this book! Although Julian Clary had previously written memoir and humorous non-fiction, this is his first foray into fiction, and what a great start it is. Written in the style of a memoir, it gripped me from the first page, with a central character, Johnny Debonair, who was full of charisma and wit, and despite the dark turns his life takes, Johnny tells his story honestly and with integrity.

 

It should be noted, however, that this darkly funny tale is not for the faint hearted, as the book contains graphic descriptions of sex and prostitution.

 

What the book does have, and has it in spades, is brilliantly funny writing. I must admit, I've not had a lot of exposure to Julian Clary as a comedian, but from what I have seen, I think his style is often based on innuendo and double entendre. This is not the same style of humour on display in the book, which is more subtle at times and at others, a slap across the face, but the comic touches sparkle on every page.

 

I guess if you're going to pick up a bright pink and yellow murder book, written by a notoriously risqu� comedian, with quotes from newspaper reviews referring to "filthy", "shocking", and "high camp", then I would hope you know what you're letting yourself in for. However, if you can cope with this type of language and content, then you won't be disappointed with a genuinely unputdownable book.

 

What a great review Chesil, I'm definitely putting this one on my TBR pile ... I love Julian and though I don't normally like books with graphic content, some books can get away with it (there's a few of Stephen Fry's for instance that are fairly filthy in places .. but I still loved them).

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Title: Men of the Otherworld

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Publisher: Orbit

Rating: 3/5

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

As a curious and independent six-year-old, Clayton didn't resist the bit - he asked for it. But as a long child werewolf his life is under constant threat. So when enigmatic Pack member Jeremy Danvers saves him, Clayton is determined to protect his adoptive father, no matter what the cost.

 

So begins this gripping collection of four tales chronicling the bloody feuds of the American Pack, and the coming of age of Clay Danvers, a very powerful - and very singular - werewolf.

 

Review:

I was dubious about reading this book, because I always felt the strength of the Women of the Otherworld series from Kelley Armstrong was the female characters, but I was happy to be proven wrong. Ostensibly, this is a collection of two short stories, but actually it's two short stories, and two novellas. The first short story centres around alpha werewolf Jeremy's father, then comes the two novellas, detailing how Clay became a werewolf and the story of his childhood, adolescence and integration in to the pack, before the final short story brings the focus back to Jeremy.

 

The great thing about the whole of this book was that it was like reading the authors notebook to a certain extent, as it's basically the back story of the male characters in the main series. It was fascinating to go back into the history of characters I thought I knew well, and understand more about how they came to be the people they are. As I expect from Armstrong now, it was an easy style of writing, and the strong storytelling which makes you want to keep going with the book and never put it down. Pure entertainment.

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Excellent review chesil! :D

 

It was like a background book wasn't it? Sometimes I think it would have been good to read this before the WOTO series, but then we wouldn't have had the enjoyment of coming to love Clay's character throughout the books. So pleased you liked it after all :blush:

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Title: The Shoe Queen

Author: Anna Davis

Publisher: Black Swan

Rating: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from blurb on book cover):

Society beauty Genevieve Shelby King devotes her life to partying with the artists and writers of Montparnasse. But despite her rich husband, glamorous apartment and enormous shoe collection, there is something hollow at the centre of Genevieve's charmed life.

 

When she spots a pair of exquisite shoes on the feet of an arch rival, her whole collection suddenly seems worthless. The exclusive designer Paolo Zachari, renowned for his fabulous shoes and eccentric behaviour, hand-picks his clients according to whim - and he has determined to say no to Genevieve.

 

As her desire for the pair of unobtainable shoes develops into an obsession with their creator, Genevieve is forced to confront the emptiness at the heart of her own elaborately designed life.

 

Review:

The story is set in 1920s Paris and is such a deceptive book, starting off with a seemingly shallow tale of a beautiful, rich young woman coveting the exclusive, exquisite shoes made by Zachari, but as the story progresses, we learn of where Genevieve's obsession with shoes stems from and the emotionally charged story of her past. The female characters in the story are so well written, and we get exposed of all sorts of women, from the bohemian artiste Lulu of Montparnasse to Olga, the severe assistant of the shoemaker. Even the briefest of glimpses into the life of secretary Marie-Claire are a fascinating insight into women's lives in the period.

 

I love Genevieve's journey in this book, as she grows and faces up to the past she has been trying to forget, and learns about herself and the direction she wants her life to take. The ending was a surprise for a book of this style, and I was very satisfied with how the story ended, and I can't say anymore than that without giving it all away!

 

The only thing I would say is that I'm not a girly girl and I certainly don't covet shoes myself (I live in walking boots!), but I could picture the beautiful shoes that Genevieve desires so badly, and I suspect even I would fall in love with the unique, hand crafted masterpieces made by Zachari as they are so beautifully described in how they look, the process of designing and making them, the way they caress the foot and how they make the wearer feel.

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