ladymacbeth Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) I have finally decided to jump on board and create a book log. I may try and write a few reviews but I'm not sure my talents really lie in writing. I have never kept a book log for a whole year so I'm not sure how many books I expect to read. I mostly read supernatural / fantasy or young adult titles. My aim this year is to try and branch out a bit into other genres. BOOKS READ THIS YEAR: January Divine by Michelle Holman Brisingr by Christopher Paolini Halo by Alexandra Adornetto Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes February The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and 6 more by Roald Dahl Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy ABANDONED at page 515. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Thorn Queen By Richelle Mead March Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry Faefever by Karen Marie Moning Waylander by David Gemmell The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis Druid's Sword by Sara Douglass A Touch Of Dead by Charlaine Harris Love Hunt by Fiona Walker Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind April Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M Auel The Genesis Plague by Michael Byrnes Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami May Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - ABANDONED midway The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (reread) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling (reread) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (reread) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling (reread) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling (reread) Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling (reread) June Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (reread) Dolce di Love by Sarah-Kate Lynch Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella Be My Baby by Zoe Barnes The City and the City by China Mieville July Little, Big by John Crowley A Cavern of Black Ice by JV Jones (reread) Generation Dead by Daniel Waters The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning August Mindhunter by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K Hamilton Sophie's Legacy by Lesley Elliott Fallen by Lauren Kate (reread) A Fortress of Grey Ice by JV Jones The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell Torment by Lauren Kate (reread) Passion by Lauren Kate Circus of the Damned by Laurell K Hamilton September A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness 50 Ways to Find a Lover by Lucy-Anne Holmes The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield Daylight by Elizabeth Knox Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer October The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson with Neil Strauss The Butterfly Tattoo by Philip Pullman November Messenger by Lois Lowry Bloodlines by Richelle Mead December Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris Edited December 5, 2011 by ladymacbeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) TBR PILE As you can see some of these books I have had goes at reading previously and given up. I have indicated whether my next attempt will be a 2nd or 3rd go. I may have to cull some from my bookshelf as they just aren't my cup of tea. Book Cull has occurred. Bold books are read Strikethrough books have been rehomed. Adams, Richard - Watership Down (2nd attempt at a re-read) Adams, Richard - Shardik (3rd attempt) Adams, Richard - The Plague Dogs Alliott, Catherine - The Old-girl Network Archer, Jeffrey - The Fourth Estate (2nd attempt) Atwood, Margaret - The Blind Assassin (2nd attempt) Barnes, Zoe - Be My Baby Bohjalian, Chris - Midwives (2nd attempt) Brooks, Terry - The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara. Vol 1. The Ilse Witch (2nd attempt) Brown, Dan - The Lost Symbol Byrnes, Michael - The Genesis Plague Clancy, Tom - Without Remorse(2nd attempt) Clement, Aeron - The Cold Moons Courtney, Bryce - The Persimmon Tree (2nd attempt) Crowley, John - Little Big Dahl, Roald - My Uncle Oswald (2nd attempt) Donaldson, Stephen - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (will be 3rd attempt) Faulks, Sebastian - Charlotte Gray Feist, Raymond - Magician (will be third attempt) Follett, Ken - A Dangerous Fortune Goodkind, Terry - Phantom Haddon, Mark - A Spot of Bother Hugo, Victor - Les Miserables (3rd attempt) Jones, JV - A fortress of grey ice Jones, Lloyd - Mister Pip Kazantzakis, Nikos - Zorba the Greek Kinsella, Sophie - Twenties Girl Lamb, Wally - I Know This Much is True Lewis, Georgina - The Winter Tree McCall Smith, Alexander - The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency (2nd attempt)- might try the audiobook Marsden, John - Burning for Revenge Mead, Richelle - Last Sacrifice Mosse, Kate - Labyrinth (2nd attempt) Moyes, Jojo - The Ship of Brides (2nd attempt) Murakami, Haruki - The Wind-up Bird Chronicle Picoult, Jodi - Vanishing Acts Picoult, Jodi - The Pact Rutherfurd, Edward - London Setterfield, Diane - The Thirteenth Tale Simons, Paullina - The Summer Garden Smith, Wilbur - The Triumph of the Sun Suskind, Patrick - Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Tolkien, JRR - The Children of Hurin Twain, Mark - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Twain, Mark - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Total at Start of 2011 - 45 Total at End of 2011 - 20 plus an extra 5 new purchases Edited January 4, 2012 by ladymacbeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) NEW BOOK PURCHASES IN 2011 Great Expectations by Charles DickensABANDONED What Good is God by Phillip Yancey Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead Confident Baby Care by Jo Frost (gift) Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic The Land of Painted Caves by Jean Auel The City and the City by China Mieville The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer Across the Universe by Beth Revis Dolce Di Love by Sarah-Kate Lynch (gift) Wild at Heart by John Eldredge Passion by Lauren Kate A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness Bloodlines by Richelle Mead Edited November 21, 2011 by ladymacbeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 DIVINE by Michelle Holman What do you do when your husband leaves you for another woman — and ‘she’ turns out to be him? Tara Whitehead finds out the hard way when her husband decides he’d rather be a woman. With no money, she’s about to lose her gorgeous home, and her ‘friends’ no longer return her calls. Fate, in the unlikely form of her husband’s reprobate uncle, intervenes. Determined to pursue gentle Miss Lillian, he leaves everything to Tara’s daughter, and moves into the local retirement village. With nowhere else to go, Tara heads for a quiet life in Divine, as fast as her designer stilettos will take her. Instead there’s the handsome dairy farmer she keeps clashing with, a scurrilous property developer, and a disgraceful incident at a PTA meeting. And mud. Lots of mud. With manure. When the mysterious Sian makes Tara an unexpected offer, her life moves from slightly unhinged to hilariously bizarre — and the sleepy little town of Divine will never be the same … Michelle Holman is a local author. My sister-in-law used to be her babysitter and lent me this book. It is the third book I've read by this author and they have all been fun, easy reads of the chick-lit genre. I have really enjoyed reading some local places and phrases in the novels and I hope Michelle writes more. A husband deciding to become transgender is quite a sensitive topic but Michele deals with it in a very realistic manner. The main love story in this book is fairly predictable but there are quite a few laughs as well and one truly distasteful baddie to add a bit of interest. If you want feel-good escapism, I would recommend this book. A solid 3 out of 5 stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 BRISINGR By Christopher Paolini The third in the Eragon series. The main impression I have of this book is sloooooooow. Apparently the draft was much longer but I feel I could have edited at least another 300 pages out of the over 700 in this book. In particular, I could have done without the oft-repeated phrase of Eragon and Saphira "stopping only for Eragon to eat and relieve himself" whilst travelling. Ick - I really didn't need to think about Eragon peeing. There were a few exciting moments in this story but largely this felt like a holding pattern to establish the next book. Such a shame as I felt Paolini's writing improved in Eldest and became much more fast paced. Will I read the next book when it comes out? Only if I don't have to buy it - luckily I borrowed Brisingr from family. I will give this book 2 out of 5 stars. I would have given one except I did manage to finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 HALO by Alexandra Adornetto Three angels- Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human- are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They must work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments. Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong. The angel’s mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her? This book was a huge disappointment and a poor start to my reading year. I struggled to find a single original idea in the novel. Plus the characters were unrealistic. Bethany the angel was so immature it was hard to believe she was a 17 year old human let alone an angel. The old love-at-first-sight cliche came into effect to explain her attraction to the human Xavier. Really I would have thought an angel would have better judgment. I prefer a little more depth to the characters' decisions when I read any book. Upon finishing the book I discovered the author is an 18 year old girl. It really shows in some of the lack of understanding of relationships evident in her writing. Had I realised this beforehand I wouldn't have picked up the book. Again, I did manage to finish the book but it was a near call to abandon it completely. I would recommend this book to starry-eyed teenager girls- anyone over the age of 14 beware. 1.5 stars out of 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 LAST SACRIFICE - Richelle Mead I'm a huge Richelle Mead fan so am completely biased however I really enjoyed this book. It is the last in the Vampire Academy series. I didn't feel it was as strong as some of the other books in the series - mainly because there wasn't room for any new surprising plot elements, all the ends were being tied up. But still a good conclusion to the series. I have decided if I had to choose any literary character who I would like to be - I would choose Rose Hathaway. Bad-ass. 4 out of 5 stars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Yay, another new book logger, happy to have you onboard! You have some excellent reads on your TBR, for example Twenties Girl, The Thirteenth Tale and Mister Pip, I do hope you enjoy them. I'm also looking forward to your thoughts on the Bryce Courtnay, Haruki Murakami and John Marsden books, I've been wanting to read these as well. Happy reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I have decided if I had to choose any literary character who I would like to be - I would choose Rose Hathaway. Bad-ass. Me too! I love her as a character, strong and determined, both physically and mentally. I loved the whole VA series, mainly because of Rose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 BLOODFEVER by Karen Marie Moning This is the second in a series about MacKayla Lane who travels to Ireland to investigate her sister's murder - only to find that she is a sidhe - seer, a human who can see the fae. And the fae are involved in her sisters death. I thought this book was not quite as good as the first one. It may be because I read it at night when I had terrible insomnia and would have rather just been asleep. But I will keep reading the series as there are just so many unanswered questions and I want to know what happens next. 2.5 out of 5 stars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON - Daniel Keyes I really did enjoy this book. 4.5 out of 5 stars - however I will save discussion for the upcoming Reading Circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON - Daniel Keyes I really did enjoy this book. 4.5 out of 5 stars - however I will save discussion for the upcoming Reading Circle. Just finished this on Friday, looking forward to hearing your views in the reading circle forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I will be starting Flowers for Algernon in the next week, and am really looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 I'm pretty sure I have read Flowers for Algernon before as the format of "progress reports" was very familiar but I think I must have been a very young teenager and didn't remember much else about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR and 6 more by Roald Dahl The seven stories in this collection are brilliant examples of the bizarre and wholly unexpected world that Roald Dahl, ‘that great magician’ (Spectator), made his own. It includes not only the trademark dark humour and other-worldly goings-on of ‘The Swan’ and ‘The Boy Who Talked With Animals’, but also a fascinating short essay on how he started writing, his first-ever story, ‘A Piece of Cake’, and the delightfully surprising title tale of a rich young idler who develops a most remarkable ability. Reading them, you’ll find that people are far stranger than you could possibly have suspected … I read this collection of short stories for two reasons. Firstly, I had flirted with the idea of setting myself a book challenge to read the complete works of Dahl in 2011. I eventually decided against it but am trying to read all his books which I haven't read before. Secondly, I have been slogging through Anna Karenina (up to page 400 ) and really needed some light relief. Plus since I have been reading Anna Karenina while feeling sick - I now find that the thought of reading it actually brings on more nausea. I have a book aversion! Anyway, these short stories were the perfect antidote to my current situation. I particularly enjoyed the Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar about a rich layabout young man who teaches himself to "see without his eyes" and becomes rather good at card games. And the Mildenhall Treasure being a true story of a treasure find was lovely as well. The stories are not quite as good as Dahl's adult short stories - I guess they aren't quite as macabre. But Dahl's style takes me right back to childhood - I believe his book The Twits which I read when I was 5 was one of my first books to read independently. Maybe I will have to rethink that Roald Dahl reading challenge after all. 3.5 out of 5 stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy Book abandoned at page 515, part 5. About halfway through. I couldn't find a good blurb for Anna Karenina which does not give away the entire storyline. Simply put, it is a novel about the adulterous relationship between Anna Karenina and Vronsky. And of course the failing relationship between Anna and her husband. There are a number of minor characters as well whose stories are thrown up in counterpoint to Anna's. I can't really review this book as I haven't finished it. And I might add that it is not the fault of the book. I was finding it a slow but enjoyable read which is generally how I find the Classics. However I developed horrendous morning sickness partway through the reading process. Eventually, every time I thought of the book I felt nauseated and have had to abandon it. Reading other books in between has not helped. My impression of the book so far is that the "heroine" Anna is not a particularly likeable character. But neither is her husband or her lover, Vronsky. I found it hard to identify with Anna's reasonings for conducting an affair as Vronsky seemed such a young idiot. Nevertheless, he was handsome so I guess that is the answer. Much more likeable was the minor character of Levin, who pursues Kitty, a friend of Annas. I do eventually hope to finish the book when feeling better. However, I'm not sure it has really done enough to wildly drag me back in. Otherwise I would have read it all regardless of nausea. I will wait and see whether I feel like picking it up again in future. 2.5 out of 5 stars so far.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 INKHEART by Cornelia Funke Mo, a gentle bookbinder with an extraordinary secret, and his daughter Meggie love books, yet he has not read aloud to her since her mother disappeared years ago. After a mysterious stranger visits them, Mo tells Meggie they must go into hiding. But why? - and from whom? I had high hopes for Inkheart after seeing it is a favourite on the forum. But I was disappointed. The story just never grabbed me so the book took me about 3 weeks to read in very small chunks and I frequently fell asleep rather than reading. I can't really put my finger on what it was about the book I didn't like. I think it may just be appalling reading mojo at the moment. I'm pregnant so I'm exhausted and nauseated so this may have tainted my reading experience. But I won't be picking up the sequels. Sorry this is not really a proper review - have given up on trying to do those. Too tired. So just putting my thoughts down on books I have read. 1.5 out of 5 stars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Too bad you didn't enjoy Inkheart! And I'm also sorry that you started associating your morning sickness to Anna Karenina It's not the easiest books and I definitely agree with you on your views of Anna, her husband and Vronsky, and like you, I adored Levin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 THORN QUEEN by Richelle Mead Oh how I love Richelle Mead. She has single-handedly restored my reading mojo. This is the second book in her Eugenie Markham series and I won't really go into detail about the plot as best to look at the first book Storm Born if you are interested. All I will say is that Richelle is an incredibly reliable author. Her books are always funny, I relate to the characters, in this one there is some fairly hot sex and the plot moves forward so that I am often surprised. I can't really ask for much more. If you like supernatural romance then get into Richelle Mead's books. Nuff said. 4 out of 5 stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 GATHERING BLUE by Lois Lowry "Mother? " There was no reply. She hadn't expected one. Her mother had been dead, now, for four days, and Kira could tell that the last of the spirit was drifting away ... Now she was all alone. Left orphaned and physically flawed in a civilization that shuns and discards the weak, Kira faces a frighteningly uncertain future. Her neighbors are hostile and no one but a small boy offers to help. When she is summoned to judgement by The Council of Guardians, Kira prepares to fight for her life. But the Council, to her surprise, has plans for her. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, the young girl faces new responsibilities and a set of mysteries deep within the only world she has ever known. On her quest for truth, Kira discovers things that will change her life and world forever. A compelling examination of a future society, Gathering Blue challenges readers to think about community, creativity, and the values that they have learned to accept. Once again Lois Lowry brings readers on a provocative journey that inspires contemplation long after the last page is turned. This is another well-written, thoughtful young adult novel by Lois Lowry. It is the second in the series following The Giver which won the Newberry Medal and was my favourite read of 2010. The book is set in a future society. The community that Kira lives in is harsh, competitive and violently excludes anyone thought to be a weak member. The disabled are put out into "The Field" to be taken by beasts. Kira has a disabled leg, reading between the lines I wonder if it is a club foot. After her mother dies, other members of her community try to push her out but due to her needlework talent the leaders of the community save her. They ask her to work on restoring an ancient garment important to the community. But Kira starts to realise that although she is fed, watered and housed in comfortable accomodation, with no freedom to do her own work, she is a glorified prisoner. Having already read The Giver which is set within a different community in the same world, Gathering Blue had less impact and power than it could have, as the themes had already been churning in my mind for some time. Nevertheless it is a beautifully written book which will inspire me for some time. 4 out of 5 stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 THORN QUEEN by Richelle Mead Oh how I love Richelle Mead. She has single-handedly restored my reading mojo. This is the second book in her Eugenie Markham series and I won't really go into detail about the plot as best to look at the first book Storm Born if you are interested. All I will say is that Richelle is an incredibly reliable author. Her books are always funny, I relate to the characters, in this one there is some fairly hot sex and the plot moves forward so that I am often surprised. I can't really ask for much more. If you like supernatural romance then get into Richelle Mead's books. Nuff said. 4 out of 5 stars. I agree! She is my goto author for purely entertaining reading at the moment. Can't wait for Iron Crowned (the third in this series) to come out later this month, although I can't see a date for the Kindle version yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 I agree! She is my goto author for purely entertaining reading at the moment. Can't wait for Iron Crowned (the third in this series) to come out later this month, although I can't see a date for the Kindle version yet. I have pre-ordered it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladymacbeth Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 FAEFEVER by Karen Marie Moning This is the third in the Fever series by Moning. MacKayla Lane travels to Dublin to investigate the murder of her sister. Once there she discovers she is a sidhe-seer ie has the ability to see the fae. And a dark plot is afoot to free the Unseelie or dark fae from their eternal prison and release them into the world. MacKayla comes to realise that with her sidhe-seer powers she may be the only person capable of stopping this. This is definitely light entertainment and an enjoyable read. The plot is firmly in the supernatural / paranormal genre and moves along at a reasonable pace. In the past Moning has written romance novels and while this isn't a romance there's definitely a sexual element to the story. MacKayla as a character is reasonably likeable although she is occasionally whiny and obsessed with looking pretty. MacKayla really doesn't know who is an enemy or who is a friend in this book and Moning is pretty slow to release details on other characters. In particular, MacKayla's main ally Barrons. In a way this keeps the suspense running but also feels a little frustrating. Although I guess that gives you the flavour of how MacKayla feels. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. It is perfect light entertainment for me at the moment. I have decided I don't want to read anything heavy for awhile until I feel better. 3 out of 5 stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Sounds a great series ladymacbeth and I hope you feel better soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Just seen you didn't enjoy Inkheart, that really is too bad. I really enjoyed it; like others I found it captivating and enchanting. Each to their own I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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