lauraloves Posted May 18, 2011 Author Share Posted May 18, 2011 Great haul, Laura. I look forward to reading your thoughts on them all. Thanks Kylie its just finding the time to read them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 (really should start being a grown up and stop acting childish ) . . . . . . .or not Well okay okay, let me get serious and go over your book haul The Group - Mary McCarthy - This I ordered for the Rory Challenge. Its also on the 501 Must Read Challenge list. Will be starting this one next Wohoo for The Group finally arriving! I can't remember if I knew it was on the 501 list, I must take a look at my reading log and see if I've crossed it off there, thanks. It's always a pleasure, reading a book that's not only on one of your reading challenges, but two, or even three! The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman - This I ordered for the June Reading Circle. Its something that I've wanted to read for a while and this seemed like the perfect oppertunity. it is also on the 1001 Childrens book list. This one's great, I do hope you enjoy it and have fun discussing it next month The Other Boleyn Girl - Something I've always wanted to read. Its on the Ultimate teen challenge too, which I didnt know! Imagine the coincidence, I just saw this at a flea market too last week! Didn't buy it though because I wasn't sure if this series needs to be read in order, and had no idea what's the actual order of the books. I hope it's good, I definitely want to know how you liked it Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen - I'm very ashamed to admit that I've never read a Jane Austin Book, so I'm making a start now! its also on the Rory List. Don't be ashamed, there's no time better than the present. I quite like Northanger Abbey, and I think it's a good way to start your Austen adventures, it's quite short and witty and lovely. Hope you enjoy! (Oh and it's also on the 1001 Books list ) Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris - I've wanted to read the Sookie Books for ages, having seen them on hear loads, so I'm happy to have got my hands on this one! Excellent find!!! Guilvers Travels - Jonathan Swift - This is a classic Book that I've never read. I haven't read it myself but I think it should be great, and it's on the 1001 Books list. Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson - another clasic book that I havent read. This is a good one, I hope you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 The Group - Mary McCarthy - This I ordered for the Rory Challenge. Its also on the 501 Must Read Challenge list. Will be starting this one next Wohoo for The Group finally arriving! I can't remember if I knew it was on the 501 list, I must take a look at my reading log and see if I've crossed it off there, thanks. It's always a pleasure, reading a book that's not only on one of your reading challenges, but two, or even three! I love it when that happens, especially when you check after youve read the book! Still plowing through this one though! The Other Boleyn Girl - Something I've always wanted to read. Its on the Ultimate teen challenge too, which I didnt know! Imagine the coincidence, I just saw this at a flea market too last week! Didn't buy it though because I wasn't sure if this series needs to be read in order, and had no idea what's the actual order of the books. I hope it's good, I definitely want to know how you liked it I didnt know it was part of a series, must check that now and see if I can read this one first! Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen - I'm very ashamed to admit that I've never read a Jane Austin Book, so I'm making a start now! its also on the Rory List. Don't be ashamed, there's no time better than the present. I quite like Northanger Abbey, and I think it's a good way to start your Austen adventures, it's quite short and witty and lovely. Hope you enjoy! (Oh and it's also on the 1001 Books list ) oohhh yey another one to cross off!! :D I'm hoping to read quite a few jane austin this year Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris - I've wanted to read the Sookie Books for ages, having seen them on hear loads, so I'm happy to have got my hands on this one! Excellent find!!! Guilvers Travels - Jonathan Swift - This is a classic Book that I've never read. I haven't read it myself but I think it should be great, and it's on the 1001 Books list. Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson - another clasic book that I havent read. This is a good one, I hope you like it. both of these I've wanted to read, even if its just to say I've read them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 21, 2011 Author Share Posted May 21, 2011 The Group - Mary McCarthy Challenges - Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge 501 Must Read Books Synopsis - Eight young women from the class of 1933 have graduated from Vassar and are beginning to learn about life. They choose or are offered marriage, a career or an emancipated life, one of sexual or social freedom. In their discoveries and development they mirror the growing up of provincial America. My Thoughts - I'm going to write this in a spoiler tag, as I'm not sure that everyone has finished reading it yet! This book seemed to be a book of two halves for me! I really enjoyed half and really disliked the other half! I loved the parts when 'the group' interacted with each other and found some parts funny and entertaining. however, I couldnt really relate to any of the characters and I didnt really understand why all the politics was relivant to the actual story. I am glad that I have read this book, and think its a great discussion book! Rating - 3/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 The Famous Five Books When I was younger I had most of these books, most of the belonging to my mum from when she was younger. But unfortunatley the majority of them got lost over the years I'm trying to collect them all again, but with some of the older covers, as to be honest the more modern covers really put me off! The just seem to be far to cartoony! 1. Five on a Treasure Island (1942) (Read) 2. Five Go Adventuring Again (1943) (Read) 3. Five Run Away Together (1944) 4. Five Go to Smuggler's Top (1945) 5. Five Go Off in a Caravan (1946) (Read) 6. Five on Kirrin Island Again (1947) (TBR) 7. Five Go Off to Camp (1948) 8. Five Get Into Trouble (1949) (Read) 9. Five Fall Into Adventure (1950) 10. Five on a Hike Together (1951) 11. Five Have a Wonderful Time (1952) 12. Five Go Down to the Sea (1953) 13. Five Go to Mystery Moor (1954) 14. Five Have Plenty of Fun (1955) (TBR) 15. Five on a Secret Trail (1956) (Read) 16. Five Go to Billycock Hill (1957) 17. Five Get Into a Fix (1958) 18. Five on Finniston Farm (1959) (Read) 19. Five Go to Demon's Rocks (1960) 20. Five Have a Mystery to Solve (1962) 21. Five Are Together Again (1962) (Read) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I still have my full collection of Famous Five books that I remember I bought with my pocket money, or received as a gift or reward for being good! They're very battered now - dog-eared, cracked spines, pages falling out, but I will never part with them. Good luck with finding some older second hand copies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 (edited) The Famous Five: Five on Finniston Farm - Enid Blyton Synopsis - There's a ruined castle on Finniston Farm, but only the dungeons remain - and nobody knows where they are! The Famous Five are determined to find them - and whatever is hidden in them - but they are not alone. Someone else wants to know, too. The question is: can the Five get there first? My Thoughts - I have to say I love Enid Blyton Books, they just remind me of being younger and reading all my mums old books. I think if I could own every book that she has written I would! The famous five series is probably my favourite, but I love some of the other series too, secret seven, mallory towers, st claires etc! This book is one that I hadnt read before and I enjoyed it, even though its a 'childrens' book! Even though the books can seem a bit dated now to a modern audience, with things like Anne and George doing the girly stuff like the cooking and the boys doing the manual labour! I enjoy these books so much and will definitaly be reading more of them! Rating - 4.5/5 Edited May 22, 2011 by lauraloves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 I still have my full collection of Famous Five books that I remember I bought with my pocket money, or received as a gift or reward for being good! They're very battered now - dog-eared, cracked spines, pages falling out, but I will never part with them. Good luck with finding some older second hand copies! Thats how the ones that I've managed to save are like! but they are my most favourite books in my collection, it just shows how much they have been loved so much! I wouldnt mind the modern covers if they had stuck to the same theme as the older ones, but they have really tried to modernise them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy Reader Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 The Other Boleyn Girl - Something I've always wanted to read. Its on the Ultimate teen challenge too, which I didnt know! Imagine the coincidence, I just saw this at a flea market too last week! Didn't buy it though because I wasn't sure if this series needs to be read in order, and had no idea what's the actual order of the books. I hope it's good, I definitely want to know how you liked it I didnt know it was part of a series, must check that now and see if I can read this one first! Its from the Tudor series which you will be pleased to know that you don't have to read them in order (I didn't) but if you wanted to then I guess "The Constant Princess" should come before this one as it is about his first wife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I'm sure I must have read some Enid Blyton in my younger years, but I don't think I read any of the series you mentioned. They all sound like fun and I'm sure I'd enjoy them, but I really, really shouldn't start collecting more series! Enjoy revisiting your books, Laura! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Happy reading Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 (edited) oohhh yey another one to cross off!! :D I'm hoping to read quite a few jane austin this year Maybe the whole lot? Can't wait to see which ones you'll get to and how you rate them! Ah, good ole Enid Blyton... To be honest, Famous Five was not my favorite series, I much preferred The Five Find-Outers (or the Mystery series), with Fatty and Mr Goon. Boy, it was difficult to find the correct titles and names, for example Fatty has a Finnish name in the Finnish translation, and the Finnish translation is the Secret series. I also borrowed a few of the Secret Seven novels from my brother back in the day and liked them a lot. I could still easily read them, I think Enid Blyton can never go out of style or seem too young no matter how old one grows Edited May 24, 2011 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Its from the Tudor series which you will be pleased to know that you don't have to read them in order (I didn't) but if you wanted to then I guess "The Constant Princess" should come before this one as it is about his first wife Ah thanks for that! will keep my eyes open for The Constant Princess now, but I may read the other one first! I'm far too impatient!!!! I'm sure I must have read some Enid Blyton in my younger years, but I don't think I read any of the series you mentioned. They all sound like fun and I'm sure I'd enjoy them, but I really, really shouldn't start collecting more series! Enjoy revisiting your books, Laura! I know that feeling! I'm getting a new bookcase for all my series books because I have so many unfinished series! I keep buying books too just because they are part of a series, so my logic always makes me think that if they are part of a series they are going to be good! Happy reading Laura Thanks Maybe the whole lot? Can't wait to see which ones you'll get to and how you rate them! Ah, good ole Enid Blyton... To be honest, Famous Five was not my favorite series, I much preferred The Five Find-Outers (or the Mystery series), with Fatty and Mr Goon. Boy, it was difficult to find the correct titles and names, for example Fatty has a Finnish name in the Finnish translation, and the Finnish translation is the Secret series. I also borrowed a few of the Secret Seven novels from my brother back in the day and liked them a lot. I could still easily read them, I think Enid Blyton can never go out of style or seem too young no matter how old one grows hehe! I saw a Jane Austin collection in town the other day and I was very tempted! might have to go and buy that soon! Ohh I've not heard of the mystery series, will have to look that one up! I'm going to try and get the Secret Seven series after I've finished the Famous Five ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraPepparkaka Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I wonder how I would feel reading Enid Blyton in English. My husband has some of her books (I borrowed the ones I read from the library), and I think maybe Big Brother could be the right age for them now, I will have to search for them now that you mentioned them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 I wonder how I would feel reading Enid Blyton in English. My husband has some of her books (I borrowed the ones I read from the library), and I think maybe Big Brother could be the right age for them now, I will have to search for them now that you mentioned them.. glad to get someone else hooked on them, quite simply they are my favourite childhood books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult Synopsis - Assistant DA Nina Frost prosecutes child molesters, and in the course of her everyday work she endures the frustration of seeing too many criminals slip through the system and walk free. So when she realises that her son Nathaniel has been sexually abused - and is so traumatised that he has stopped speaking - she takes justice into her own hands. Nina Frost may have killed the man who hurt her son, but has she destroyed her family in the process? And whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? My Thoughts - I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and again she didnt disapoint. This book is about Nina and her son, who gets sexually abused at only aged five. Although I enjoyed the book, the parts where the abuse was documented did make it very difficult to read. I think because this sort of thing has been in the news the last few years too, it made it even more relivant. I enjoyed this more than some other Picoult books as this one didnt jump about the story too much, sometimes this can be quite off putting for me. I was hooked at every turn of the page and some of the twists in the plot had me gasping out loud. A brilliant read by a brilliant author. Rating - 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 hehe! I saw a Jane Austin collection in town the other day and I was very tempted! might have to go and buy that soon! You saw an Austen collection and left it there at the store?! Goodness me, go back immediately and get it Thanks for the Picoult novel review, sounds like I'd enjoy reading it, and I've never read a Picoult novel before so maybe should start with this one. It's going on my wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 You saw an Austen collection and left it there at the store?! Goodness me, go back immediately and get it Thanks for the Picoult novel review, sounds like I'd enjoy reading it, and I've never read a Picoult novel before so maybe should start with this one. It's going on my wishlist Lol! I'm going to go and get it as soon as I get paid, going to be my little payday treat Yay for adding it to your wishlist hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Also My Sisters Keeper is brilliant if you ever fancy another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Maybe the whole lot? Can't wait to see which ones you'll get to and how you rate them! Ah, good ole Enid Blyton... To be honest, Famous Five was not my favorite series, I much preferred The Five Find-Outers (or the Mystery series), with Fatty and Mr Goon. Boy, it was difficult to find the correct titles and names, for example Fatty has a Finnish name in the Finnish translation, and the Finnish translation is the Secret series. I also borrowed a few of the Secret Seven novels from my brother back in the day and liked them a lot. I could still easily read them, I think Enid Blyton can never go out of style or seem too young no matter how old one grows I loved Enid's mystery books and always looked forward to seeing Fatty, in some disguise or other, get one over on Mr Goon .. of course they're hilariously non PC. When I read bits back now I'm a bit horrified at what was considered normal back then and my friend said when she was reading some Enid to her daughter recently she had to do a bit of judicial editing. I read quite a bit of Famous five too and liked them although I couldn't really bond with either of the girls. I think I liked Dick best I agree I prefer the covers on the old books, the new books just look wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 I loved Enid's mystery books and always looked forward to seeing Fatty, in some disguise or other, get one over on Mr Goon .. of course they're hilariously non PC. When I read bits back now I'm a bit horrified at what was considered normal back then and my friend said when she was reading some Enid to her daughter recently she had to do a bit of judicial editing. I read quite a bit of Famous five too and liked them although I couldn't really bond with either of the girls. I think I liked Dick best I agree I prefer the covers on the old books, the new books just look wrong. Just a quick hijack of your post to Frankie I need to get my hands on the Mystery Books, as I've never read them! I popped into a bookshop yesterday and saw the new covers again, and I just think they are awful! I'm all for getting kids to read, but I think they would actually ruin the story for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 It's like the Malory Towers/St Clares books .. the new covers are too modern and they don't go with the stories because these are not modern girls .. they're nice, jolly, sensible, lacrosse playing girls, that can be jolly beastly to each other if the part requires it and know how to have a good time (ie .. playing practical jokes and planning midnight feasts .. not snogging or smoking behind the bicycle sheds ) Hope you enjoy the Mystery books Laura, you'll have to pop in the charity shops and see if they have any with the old covers. I'll keep a squint out for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 It's like the Malory Towers/St Clares books .. the new covers are too modern and they don't go with the stories because these are not modern girls .. they're nice, jolly, sensible, lacrosse playing girls, that can be jolly beastly to each other if the part requires it and know how to have a good time (ie .. playing practical jokes and planning midnight feasts .. not snogging or smoking behind the bicycle sheds ) Hope you enjoy the Mystery books Laura, you'll have to pop in the charity shops and see if they have any with the old covers. I'll keep a squint out for you Ohh I love the Malory Towers/St Claires books too! I really think that they should have left the covers alone! I seem to be starting a cruisade about the modern covers at the moment but the covers just don't match with the story! ETA: Just seem that a new modern cartoon series has been made. All I can say is . . . noooooooooooo! Thanks am going on the hunt for some next week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 Confessions of An Agony Aunt - Jane Sigaloff Synopsis - What happens when the 'other woman' is you? Lizzie Ford is London's most popular Agony Aunt, so she finds it somewhat ironic that a D-list celebrity like herself - who counsels others on their sex lives - has been sitting on the bench for three years waiting to get back in the game. So Lizzie can't believe her good luck when she meets Matt Baker. They hit it off immediately, only there's one problem - Matt's wife may not be happy with this new arrangement. The strange thing is that even while she's hoping that Matt will get a divorce, she's actively helping a writer to her column save her crumbling marriage - a marriage that bears more than a passing resemblance to Matt's...Plunged into a world of scandal, it's time for Lizzie to learn some truths about life, love and fidelity. my Thoughts - Deep intake of breath here, I don't think I'm going to like saying this, but I really didnt enjoy this book. It was an easy read, very chick-lit, but I just didnt think the story was believable. At the start of the book, Lizzie was very independant and clearly wouldnt have gone anywhere near Matt, but she just turned into a completly different person. It was a very predictable story, and I was actually near giving up serveral times. I'm sure many fans of chick lit would enjoy this, but I just didnt I really hate saying mean things about books, as the author has put so much work into writing it Rating - 1/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman Challenges - June Reading Circle 1001 Childrens Books you must read Synopsis - Winner of the Newbery Medal When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard? Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him - after all, he is the last remaining member of the family. A stunningly original novel deftly constructed over eight chapters, featuring every second year of Bod's life, from babyhood to adolescence. Will Bod survive to be a man? My Thoughts - I picked this one up for the reading circle this month and I really loved it! It has all the good markings of a good childrens/young adult story. A 'hero' who is a young boy, something a bit out of this world, this time ghosts, and also a bad guy. I picked this book up and couldnt put it down. The illustations in my book were beautiful too. I havent read anything else by this author and I definitaly will read more now! can't wait to start discussing this further! Rating - 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 The Graveyard Book made me want to read more Gaiman too Laura, although I'm thinking I may prefer his adult fiction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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