Sugar's Reads

[Sugar]

As I have this list in another forum, I thought I would copy it straight over here.

I will try this "blog" thing, I've never had one before and this seems like a nice way to start!

SUGAR'S READS 2006

December

117. Motor Mouth - Janet Evanovich ***
116. Hogfather - Terry Pratchett ***
115. Eldest - Christopher Paolini ****
114. Visions of Sugar Plums - Janet Evanovich ***
113. Double Fault - Lionel Shriver ****
112. Darkside - Tom Becker ***
111. Twelve Sharp - Janet Evanovich ****
INSERT FINISHED BELL JAR HERE! (see July!)
110. Eleven On Top - Janet Evanovich ****
109. The Great American Mousical - Julie Andrews Edwards & Emma Walton Hamilton ***
108. Dirty Bertie: Worms - Alan MacDonald (ill. David Roberts) **
107. Eragon - Christopher Paolini *****

November

106. Young Bond 3 - Charlie Higson ***
105. Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult ****
104. The Devil in Amber - Mark Gatiss ***
103. Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich ****
102. To The Nines - Janet Evanovich ****
101. Small Island - Andrea Levy ****
100. Hard Eight - Janet Evanovich ****
099. Seven Up - Janet Evanovich ****
098. Star-Crossed - Rachel Wing ****
097. The Black Book of Secrets - F E Higgins *****
096. Hot Six - Janet Evanovich ****
095. Rainbow Bridge - Aubrey Flegg ***
094. Angel Isle - Peter Dickinson ***
093. High Five - Janet Evanovich ****


October

92. Forged in the Fire - Ann Turnbull *****
91. Cat Among the Pigeons - Julia Golding ***
90. Killing Orders - Sara Paretsky ***
89. Four to Score - Janet Evanovich ****
88. The Road of Bones - Anne Fine ***
87. Welcome to the Real World - Carole Matthews ****
86. Small Steps - Louis Sachar *****
85. Kiss Me Quick - Julie Highmore ****
84. Damian Drooth Supersleuth: Spycatcher - Barbara Mitchelhill **
83. Out of My Depth - Emily Barr **
82. Oranges in No Man's Land - Elizabeth Laird ****
81. The Navigator - Eoin McNamee ***
80. Notes on a Scandal - Zoe Heller ***


September

79. The Penalty - Mal Peet ****
78. I'm the King of the Castle - Susan Hill ****
77. Three to Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich ****
76. The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss ****
75. Roar, Bull, Roar - Andrew Fusek Peters and Polly Peters ****
74. Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs **
73. Stuart: A life Backwards - Alexander Masters ****
72. Mr Dixon Disappears - Ian Sansom ****

August

71. The Ecstasy Club - Douglas Rushkoff ***
70. Vampire Kisses - Ellen Schreiber **
69. Just In Case - Meg Rosoff ****
68. Tilly and the Badgers - Joan Lingard ***
67. Tamar - Mal Peet ****
66. Empress Orchid - Anchee Min ***
65. Harvest - Tess Gerritsen ***
64. Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes ****
63. Children of the Lamp: The Cobra of Kathmandu - P B Kerr ***
62. We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver *****
61. Stray - David Belbin *

July

60. Keeping Secrets - Andrew Rosenheim *****
59. Cents and Sensibility - Maggie Alderson ****
58. Little Lady, Big Apple - Hester Browne ***
57. Kissing Toads - Jemma Harvey ****
56. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath (R) ***** (See Dec for true finish point!)
55. Damage - Sue Mayfield ****
54. Endymion Springs - Matthew Skelton ***
53. Snowbone - Cat Weatherill ***** (and more!)
52. The Mephisto Club - Tess Gerritsen ****
51. The Fourth Bear - Jasper Fforde ****
50. Two for the Dough - Janet Evanovich ****
49. Deadlock - Sara Paretsky ****
48. Frogs and French-kisses - Sarah Mlynowski ****
47. Dying Light - Stuart MacBride ****

June
46. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini ***
45. Buddies - Michaela Morgan **
44. Cold Granite - Stuart MacBride ****
43. The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilmore ***** (R)
42. Danny Boy - Jo-Ann Goodwin ***
41. The Red Tent - Anita Diamant ****
40. Sugar Rush - Julie Burchill ***
39. Angels and Men - Catherine Fox ****
38. Holes - Louis Sachar *****
37. Call After Midnight - Tess Gerritsen ***
36. Necessary Evil - Alex Kava ****

May
35. Split Second - Alex Kava ****
34. The Accidental - Ali Smith ***
33. Fast Women: The Drivers Who Changed the Face of Motor Racing - John Bullock ****
32. A Perfect Evil - Alex Kava ****
31. Three Bags Full - Leonie Swann ***
30. Life Support - Tess Gerritsen ****
29. Mercy - Jodi Picoult ****
28. Girls - Nic Kelman ***

April
27. The Diamond of Drury Lane - Julia Golding ****
26. The Siege - Helen Dunmore ***
25. Sweet Gum - Jo-Ann Goodwin *****
24. The Bugatti Queen - Miranda Seymour *****
23. Indemnity Only - Sara Paretsky ****
22. The Great Stink - Clare Clark ****
21. Smoke and Mirrors - Neil Gaiman ***
20. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - John Boyne *****

March
19. In the Country of Men - Hisham Matar ****
18. Ringroad - Ian Sansom ***
17. Parrot in the Pepper Tree - Chris Stewart ****
16. Killing Floor - Lee Child ***
15. Hotel Babylon - Imogen Edwards-Jones & Anon. *****

February
14. Beatniks - Toby Litt *****
13. Oscar and the Lady in Pink - Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt *****
12. I, Coriander - Sally Gardner ****
11. Scuba Dancing - Nicola Slade ***
10. Siberia - Anne Halam ***** (R)
09. White Darkness - Grealdine McCaughrean **
08. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood *** (R)
07. Two-Way Split - Allan Guthrie ***
06. Secrets of the Fearless - Elizabeth Laird ****

January
05. My Friend Leonard - James Frey ***
04. Timebomb - Nigel Hinton ****
03. The Mobile Library: Case of the Missing Books - Ian Sansome ****
02. Possession - AS Byatt ****
01. Inkspell - Cornelia Funke ****

Five Star Books!
(R) = Re-read

Shorter Books that didn't warrant counting!

Another Night Before Christmas - Carol Ann Duffy

Picture Books
Pablo the Artist - Satoshi Kitamura (Reviewed for WriteAway (http://www.writeaway.org.uk))
Look at You: A Baby Body Book - Kathy Henderson (Reviewed for WriteAway (http://www.writeaway.org.uk))
Captain Abdul's Little Treasure - Colin McNaughton (Reviewed for WriteAway (http://www.writeaway.org.uk))
The Most Precious Thing - Gill Lewis (Reviewed for CBUK (http://www.cbuk.info))
The Library - Sarah Stewart ((Reviewed for CBUK (http://www.cbuk.info))
Wolves - Emily Gravett (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Night Pirates - Peter Harris (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Death in a Nut - Eric Maddern (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Russell the Sheep - Rob Scotton (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Slam - Adam Stower (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Lost and Found - Oliver Jeffers (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Princess and the Pea - Lauren Child (CKG 2005 award meeting)
Tiger - Nick Butterworth (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear - Emily Gravett (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Meerkat Mail - Emily Gravett (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Fly, Pigeon, Fly - John Henderson (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Augustus and His Smile - Catherine Rayner (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Good Boy, Fergus - David Shannon (CKG 2006 Meeting)
Mr and Mrs God in the Creation Kitchen - Nancy Wood (CKG 2006 Meeting)

Pocket Penguins
Cogs in the Great Machine - Eric Schlosser
Otherwise Pandemonium - Nick Hornby

[Michelle]

I will try this "blog" thing, I've never had one before and this seems like a nice way to start!


I'm really glad I started mine. You won't find any in-depth comments over there, but it's good to look back over the year to see what I read and enjoyed. :)

[muggle not]

Wow sugar, you make feel quilty with my small list of books read in 2006.

Over a lifetime though there are probably few here that have read more than me, because I am older than y'all. :)

[Sugar]

Thanks for your comments!

Muggle Not - I read 96 books last yar - missing out on my challenge to read 100. I was hoping to manage that this year, but I have read more adult books this time, and am about 20 behind target! I could read a load of childrens books, but I think that would be cheating just to reach a meaningless figure!

[Sugar]

I have put down the Kite Runner for a bit as not much seemed to be happening very quickly. I decided to go back to the trusty crime genre, and a few people had recommended Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride to me, so I'm now half way through that.

[Kell]

ooh, yes, i've heard Cold Granite is good.

[Sugar]

You might get more out of the setting than me as well - as it's set in Aberdeen!

Although I wonder how much it is just reinforcing stereotypes - does it really NEVER stop raining?!

[jake]

You might get more out of the setting than me as well - as it's set in Aberdeen!

Although I wonder how much it is just reinforcing stereotypes - does it really NEVER stop raining?!

Hardly ever it seems. Glad you liked Cold Granite, it thought it was a great book, I also have Dying Light, but not read it.

[Sugar]

I've finished Cold Granite - actually enjoyed it. I mostly like my crime drama's with a strong female lead, and although this didn't have that it was well written, fast paced and very enjoyable.

[Sugar]

Also read today a book for work called Buddies by Michaela Morgan. It is published by a company called Barrington Stoke who specialise in books for less confident readers and people with dyslexia. Although I know a lot about BS, I've never read one of their books. It was ok, and does what it needs to, but I found the plot quite contrived and there was no real character development, it was all rather 2D.

[Sugar]

I finished Kite Runner last night. Felt quite relieved. The ending was better than I thought it was going to be, but I'm still not sure I can see why it got all the hype. I actually feel that In the Country of Men was better, even though the plot was almost identical and ITCOM was written after Kite Runner!

[Sugar]

Since I last posted here I have read the sequel to Cold Granite, called Dying Light. I thought it was much more developed and MacBride's confidence has got better. The torture scenes did have me cringing a bit, but MacBride balances these well with the laugh-out-loud moments.

[Sugar]

While reading Dying Light, I also read a book for work, Frogs and French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski. I interrupted the MacBride as I needed a paperback to take out with me over the weekend.

It is a teenage novel, and a sequel to Bra's and Broomsticks, although I haven't read that. Set in New York it did seem rather Americanised for my taste - there were many words that I have only encountered in movies before. Some of the characters get Glandular Fever, but it took me a long time to work out that was what they were talking about as they kept calling it "mono".

Frogs and French-kisses was a bit princess diary-ish with a bit of harry potter thrown in for good measure! It was good fun though, and I'm sure it will be loved by lots of teen girls!

[Sugar]

Now reading Dead Lock by Sara Paretsky. I read the first V I Warshawski novel - Indemnity Only - earlier this year, and wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but I fancied a read with a strong female lead and a bit of crime and thriller thrown in so this made a logical choice. Read over half since yesterday evening, and so far so good. I'm also learning a lot about grain shipping!

[Sugar]

Well, finished Dead Lock. I thought it was moew satisfying than Indemnity Only. The climax could have been slightly more exciting, but I did say outloud "oh noooo!" at one point.

Started the 2nd Stephanie Plum book by Janet Evanovich - Two for the Dough - now. I read One for the Money last year and thought it reasonable, but I have been assured that they get better as the series goes on.

I think maybe the heat is putting me off a couple of my high up the TBR pile books (Mark of the Angel and At-Swim-Two-Birds), as I suspect they will be heavy going.

Crime thrillers seem the way forward at the mo.

[Sugar]

Finished Two for the Dough. About to start the new Jasper Fforde - the Fourth Bear. I've heard him mention it in his talks, so am really looking forward to getting my teeth into it later!

[Sugar]

I have tidied up my opening post - I liked what Kell and Michelle had done, but as I only joined in June, it didn't seem worth opening a whole new thread for the 2nd half of the year!

OP now indicates which books read in which month.

[Sugar]

Thought I would post a list of the books currently sat on the TBR Mountain. They are roughly in order of most recently added to the ones there longest...

1) Velocity - Dean Koontz (my other half has read it now, does that count?!)
2) Endymion Spring - Matthew Skelton
3) The Ecstasy Club - Douglas Rushkoff
4) The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss
5) Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs
6) I'm the King of the Castle - Susan Hill
7) At Swim-Two-Birds - Flann O'Brien
8) The Mark of the Angel - Nancy Huston
9) Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck - returned to Lib without reading
10) Damage - Sue Mayfield
11) Keeping Faith - Jodi Picoult
12) Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult
13) Human Traces - Sebastien Faulkes
14) We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
15) Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
16) A Little Piece of Ground - Elizabeth Laird
17) Popular Music - Mikael Niemi
18) The Princess and other stories - Anthon Chekhov
19) Long Way Round - Ewan MacGregor and Charlie Boorman
20) Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Suzanna Clarke
21) Geisha of Gion - Mineko Iwasaki
22) McCarthys Bar - Pete McCarthy (R)
23) The Rotters Club - Jonathan Coe
24) Camelia - Lesley Pearse
25) Daughter of Fortune - Isabel Allende
26) The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (also read by OH!)
27) Two Women - Martina Cole

I don't think I'm going to root out the ones hidden in the bottom of my bedside table. They were supposed to be the priority ones about 2 years ago, but now have about 2 inches of dust on them instead!


* Green means read since list posted. Aim to self - read all of these by Christmas!!!

[Janet]

You obviously have a very different taste from me - I've only read two books on your to read pile.

I've really broadened my reading style in the last few months - I only ever read chick lit, but recently I've read some really good stuff from recommendations on the internet, that I'd have never looked at twice before!

[Michelle]

I think that's what I love about here.. alot of people are starting to explore, and find new things to read. :D

[Kell]

Ooh, I count four that I have on my own TBR list, one I’ve read already and another one I’ve requested from RISI. There are also one or two others that I think look interesting, so I’ll be anxiously awaiting your comments to see if they look like something I’d fancy picking up myself…

[Sugar]

Kell, I'd love to know which 4 we overlap with...

I finally finished The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde the day before yesterday. Certainaly his weakest novel, IMO, and I am a self-confessed Fforde ffreak!

I was lent a proof of the new Tess Gerritsen at the weekend (due out September in the States and next year in the UK). Called
The Mephisto Club it was the perfect antidote to my readers block that the Fforde had induced. Gerritsen seems to get stronger with each book, and Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles are becoming like personal friends!

[Sugar]

Worthy of a post in it's own right, I have today devoured Snowbone by Cat Weatherill.

The sequel to Barkbelly, Snowbone is set on Ashenpeake Island, the home of the wooden beings. It features a group of Ashenpeakers who manage to escape the slavery into which they should have been born. Barkbelly also makes a brief cameo appearance near the start.

Snowbone does not disappoint in any way, and Weatherill's style is even more lyrical and readable in this than Barkbelly - something I would not have thought possible.

A wonderful, wonderful children's novel, with everything that a children's novel should have - innocence, adventure, humour and more!

[Sugar]

Already over halfway into Endymion Spring (one to cross off the TBR shelf soon! - WOOHOO!!!).

Not sure what to make of it yet, but it looks beautiful!

[Kell]

I know what you mean, Sugar - it's certainly a book-lovers' book to look at & to hold. I rather enjoyed this one (I got sent it by CBUK for review a few months back). Hope you enjoy it too. :)

[Sugar]

In that case, it was very possibly that review that led me to read the book and find book club forum!

[Sugar]

Finished Endymion Spring in the car on Friday (sore ankle means that my other half drove more of the journey than me - we normally split more equally) so I had loads of time to read. Felt it quite neatly done, and I did enjoy it, although I'm not sure it is the best book ever written and I suspect it won't be winning any childrens lit prizes.

Also read Damage by Sue Mayfeld this weekend. Surprisingly easy to read given the subject matter. Interesting take on car accidents and the effects they have on communities.

[Sugar]

I finished Damage earlier in the weekend than I expected, on the way home we called into my family home and I raided my bookshelf.

Decided to reread The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, a book I first read for A Level and loved. May take a while to read though, as I am finding myself reading all those notes that are scribbled all over it as well as just the text!

[Sugar]

The neighbours have just called around with a paddy-bag full of books that arrived in the post this weekend for me while we were out. They are books that I have to read to review and they are:

Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes (which I already own anyway, but hadn't read!)
Kissing Toads by Jemma Harvey
Keeping Secrets by Andrew Rosenheim
Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne
Cents and Sensibility by Maggie Anderson

[Sugar]

Started and finished Kissing Toads by Jemma Harvey. It was ok, good fun, with lots of literary references, some of which I felt quite clever to have got!!!

Going to read another of these review books next - Little Lady, Big Apple.

I've got 6 weeks to read them, but I have a real life book club meeting to discuss We Need to Talk About Kevin in a couple of weeks time, so I need to read that too.

I also received another book in the post today as a sneak preview, so when I need some light relief I will read that - it is Mr Dixon Dissappears by Ian Sansom. Sent to me because I spent a day with him on a mobile library!

[Sugar]

Read Little Lady, Big Apple. It was alright, vaguely amusing in places and mildly more original than some things I've read but it didn't quite do it for me!

I am starting to note how Jane Austen obsessed all these chick lit books are, with their constant references to Mr Darcy / Mr Knightly and plays on words and phrases taken from Austen.

Reading one more review book, Cents and Sensibility (see what I mean about Austen!) and then am going to have a break to get on with our Kevin.

[Kell]

Kell, I'd love to know which 4 we overlap with...
I've just realised I never replied to this - duh! You also have a few on your list that i've read:

Endymion Springs - finished
We Need to Talk About Kevin - finished
Geisha of Gion - finished
The Da Vinci Code - finished

The Vesuvius Club - to read
Deja Dead - to read
Daughter of Fortune - to read

WN2TAK was only just recently read, so that was the 4th one I was talking about at the time. :)

[Sugar]

I've updated the list to reflect which I have read since posting. Didn't want to delete them, as it will make it clear how well I am doing with the pile / not doing, so have coloured them green.

I think I will add new books at the end of August and see how it has changed.

[Sugar]

Am whizzing through the review books - actually finished Cents and Sensibility late last night, so decided that I could fit one more in before I read Kevin.

Have started Keeping Secrets by Andrew Rosenheim. It is the one of the 5 I was sent that looks least like a romance / chick-lit novel, so should make a bit of a change.

[Sugar]

Done with the Andrew Rosenheim - very refreshing and scored surprisingly highly on my review.

Received 2 review books from work yesterday as well - Stray by David Belbin (another Barrington Stoke publication) and The Cobra King of Kathmandu by PB Kerr (part of his Children of the Lamp series).

Read Stray in about 20 minutes today, so going to get on with Kevin. Hopefully finish it by the end of Sunday, then read the Kerr (we are supposed to return them in 2 weeks of receiving them) and then finally read the Marian Keyes from the other review shelf.

Then I can read something I want to for a bit!!!! :D

[Sugar]

Well Kevin took longer than hoped, partly due to the migraine that I started on Monday, and became full blown on Tuesday. I finished it 2 minutes before I was picked up to go to book club last night to discuss it!

But what a book - fantastic. I think I was expecting something Jodi Picoult-ish. Looking at something controversial and making a novel out of it, but it so isn't!

Well worth every minute I invested in it. Certainly worth re-reading as well (and I don't say that often!). And a huge hit at book club.

Still assembling my thoughts, but I will post about it (or add to existing posts) soon.

[Sugar]

Read "The Cobra King of Kathmandu" by PB Kerr for a work evaluation on my day off today. It was a reasonable read - a little predicatable, but adventure and magic abound!

Started the Marian Keyes "Anybody Out There?" as well. Shouldn't take too long, amd then I can start on "Empress Orchid" to join the reading circle.

[Sugar]

I have been sobbing and sobbing!

Not cried over any book this year any where near as much as I did over parts of "Anybody Out There?". How daft am I?! A reasonably easy and quick read, but with quite a raw subject matter. Very emotional!

It's the latest book in the Walsh Family series that Keyes has written - which includes Rachel's Holiday, Watermelon and Angels. A friend has said that it spoils some of the earlier ones, but not having read them didn't put me at a disadvantage with this. Recommend if you want a light read, but not if you are feeling low (unless you need an escuse to cry!).

[Maureen]

Oh I do cry over books and films. Not often - but it happens.

[Lilywhite]

Guilty over here too.... it's an art form not letting your tears get on the page whilst reading :)

[madcow]

Another guilty one here...

[Sugar]

Thanks for making me feel better, guys!

[Sugar]

Since last visiting I have read Harvest by Tess Gerritsen and Anchee Min's Empress Orchid. Will post in the Reading Circle soon.

Now reading - Tamar by Mal Peet

[Sugar]

Finished Tamar, that I thought I ought to read as it won the Carnegie, and then today I got an invite from his publishers to go to the launch of Peet's new book Penalty that will be published in October. That seemed so timely and very exciting!

Thoroughly enjoyed Tamar, but hasn't had quite the impact that I thought it might. Found the twist at the end was a little predicatable.

Not sure what to read next - I have 2 books to review for work, and 3 books that are due back at the library (yesterday!), but I picked up the new Meg Rosoff today, and I really want to read that too......

HELP!!!

[Kell]

Ooh, that'll be fun - going to the launch! Hope you have fun with that! :)

[Sugar]

I'm sure I will - I've never been to that sort of event before, I'm worrying about what I should wear already!

Chose one of the review books, and it was really easy to read so I've finished it. It was Tilly and the Badgers by Joan Lingard.

Going to read Just In Case by Meg Rosoff now.

We will be travelling lots over the bank holiday so not going to be online, but plenty of time for reading. Will fill you in next week!

[Sugar]

Got through the Meg Rosoff - mostly in the car. My other half decided that he wanted to drive with the radio on (for the first time ever) though, so I couldn't concentrate quite as well as I usually can.

Then read Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber for work. It's a teen vampire novel, but more of a teen romance with an obsession with Vampires in it! It was ok, not really my cup of tea (or blood!), but nothing special. Annoyingly though, they printed the first chapter of it's sequel Kissing Coffins at the end - I hate it when they do that. even though it wasn't great I want to read on and find out what happend to the characters, particularly Raven the main character.

[Sugar]

Now reading The Ecstacy Club by Douglas Rushkoff. It was recommended to someone on another forum by a random bloke in the library, so I thought that seemed as good a reason to read it as any! I borrowed it from the lib, and have now renewed it 5 times (the limit) so want to read it and return it. It's a bit strange, all about the rave culture in the 90's, something that I was never involved in and would never want to be involved in. Some of the characters are well drawn though, so I'm going to stick it out and see what happens.

[Sugar]

Oh, and I have updated my first post again to show what I have read up to the end of August.

[Sugar]

Well, I managed to reach the end of The Ecstasy Club - very strange book with a very bizarre conspiracy theory theme. Odd, very odd!

For a bit of light-relief, but still a bit odd, I am reading the second book in Ian Sansom's Mobile Library series, Mr Dixon Disappears. So far I have had more laugh out loud moments that with the first one. Israel Armstrong (the Mobile Librarian) really seems to have developed in character since the first book.

[Sugar]

Well it's been a manically busy couple of weeks, and my reading has suffered some for it!

However, I have read Stuart: A Life Backwards for my book club - if you don't know it, it is the biography of a homeless man, told by looking back over his life. The author tries to track down what factors triggered Stuart to end up on the streets of Campbridge. Interesting, and worth a look if you like biographies or people!

After that, I thought I would read the first Temperance Brennan book by Kathy Riechs, that has been on my TBR a while. A colleague recommended it. I like reading Crime as I can usually rip through it in a couple of days, but as this has taken me a week to complete I was clearly not so impressed! By page 350, I felt like the plot had only progressed far enough for 200 pages. Some serious editing might have helped! I finished it earlier today, and indeed have started to forget things already! Who dunnit?

[Louiseog]

that's funny, I loved the first few Temperance Brennan books but have found that she is starting to drag in her more recent books.

[Lilywhite]

I really enjoyed Stuart: A life backwards. A very touching story in the oddest of ways.

[Sugar]

Since last visiting here, I have been added to the reviewing panel for Children's Books UK (http://www.cbuk.info) alongside Kell.

I have today submitted my first 2 reviews for the site. It's all very exciting.

As they were both picture books, I haven't listed them on my Reading List (if I included Picture Books it would go on forever!), but I will flag up my reviews once they have been added to the site.

I am now reading a novel for CBUK - Andrew Fusek Peters and Polly Peters new one - Roar, Bull, Roar! I'm just over halfway through so far.

I lvoe the Czech references (and use of Czech words) in it, not least as I have a Czech colleague who tomorrow I will great with Ahoj (pronounced Ahoy!) which is Czech for hello!

Despite these good things, I am not enjoying it quite as much as I did Crash, their earlier novel told in Poetry format or their collection of Poetry - Poems with Attitude. Maybe it is better than Andrew's graphic novel though.....

[Sugar]

that's funny, I loved the first few Temperance Brennan books but have found that she is starting to drag in her more recent books.

I certainly won't be reading any more then! If I struggled with Deja Dead, there is no hope for me with the later ones!

[Louiseog]

She pales beside Karin Slaughter and Pj Tracey who are much better

[Sugar]

More to add to the TBR list then!

[Sugar]

Finished Roar, Bull, Roar and greeted my colleague with "Dobry den" which measn good morning. She seemed pleased and surprised! I am going to pass the book onto her, as she had heard about it, but not seen it.

Now reading The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss of League of Gentlemen fame. I've been pleasantly surprised as it is quite easy to read, and humerous at the same time. Lucifer Box is a James Bond type character for his time, who lives at Number 9, Downing Street (well somebody has to!). Set in the Victorian/Edwardian era, the high speed chase involving hansom cabs was hilarious!

[Sugar]

I will apologise for my lack of visiting recently. Things are rather busy at work, and at home at the moment!

Since I last visited I thought I hadn't read very much, but when I listed them here on my 1st post, I realised I have. The books were:

Small Steps - Louis Sachar
Kiss Me Quick - Julie Highmore
Damian Drooth Supersleuth: Spycatcher - Barbara Mitchelhill
Out of My Depth - Emily Barr
Oranges in No Man's Land - Elizabeth Laird
The Navigator - Eoin McNamee
Notes on a Scandal - Zoe Heller
The Penalty - Mal Peet
Three to Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich

Admitedly the top 5 I have read in the last 3 days, and some have been very short (younger) children's fiction.

Further to my last post about The Vesuvius Club, I did enjoy it, but not long after posting got a bit of a shock at the sudden adult content! Certainly not recommended to children!!! :mrgreen:

[Kell]

Good list of books read there, Sugar - looks interesting! :) And welcome back, too! :mrgreen:

[Sugar]

Thank you, Kell. I will try better, but until the start of next year I can't make any promises! I'm going to try to visit at least once a week though!

[Sugar]

Once again it has been a busy week, and the time I've not been working or out, I've had a migraine and headachy. The migraine knocked me out, and the headache has been hanging around since, so I have been avoiding the PC screen. I have managed to get some reading done though. Added to Post 1 are:

Cat Among the Pigeons - Julia Golding
Killing Orders - Sara Paretsky
Four to Score - Janet Evanovich
Yhe Road of Bones - Anne Fine
Welcome to the Real World - Carole Matthews


October has been a surprisingly readable month, I'm not sure how though! I guess it is because a number of the books have been "must reads" rather than "would like to reads".

[Sugar]

Thought I would post a list of the books currently sat on the TBR Mountain. They are roughly in order of most recently added to the ones there longest...

1) Velocity - Dean Koontz
2) Endymion Spring - Matthew Skelton
3) The Ecstasy Club - Douglas Rushkoff
4) The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss
5) Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs
6) I'm the King of the Castle - Susan Hill
7) At Swim-Two-Birds - Flann O'Brien
8) The Mark of the Angel - Nancy Huston
9) Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck
10) Damage - Sue Mayfield
11) Keeping Faith - Jodi Picoult
12) Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult
13) Human Traces - Sebastien Faulkes
14) We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
15) Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
16) A Little Piece of Ground - Elizabeth Laird
17) Popular Music - Mikael Niemi
18) The Princess and other stories - Anthon Chekhov
19) Long Way Round - Ewan MacGregor and Charlie Boorman
20) Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Suzanna Clarke
21) Geisha of Gion - Mineko Iwasaki
22) McCarthys Bar - Pete McCarthy
23) The Rotters Club - Jonathan Coe
24) Camelia - Lesley Pearse
25) Daughter of Fortune - Isabel Allende
26) The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
27) Two Women - Martina Cole

I don't think I'm going to root out the ones hidden in the bottom of my bedside table. They were supposed to be the priority ones about 2 years ago, but now have about 2 inches of dust on them instead!


* Green means read since list posted. Aim to self - read all of these by Christmas!!!


I've just realised I read 2 more books from this list in the last few weeks! Very impressed with myself! Don't think I will have completed by Christmas, though!

[Michelle]

Sorry to hear about the migraine and headaches.. I've been the same recently. :friends0:

[Sugar]

Thanks, Michelle - I thinks it's the weather!:badmood:
I hope you feel better soon as well.

[Sugar]

Finished Cat Among the Pigeons. Very much like The Diamond of Drury Lane which it is the sequel to, and very enjoyable. Proper, traditional children's literature with all the adventure and excitement that it should have. I am sure that Golding has set it up for a 3rd book though....

Next, I have been putting off a book for work evaluation - Angel Isle by Peter Dickinson. It is bound to be fantastically well written and gripping, but I always find Dickinson to be so worthy, and at about 5 inches thick, I can't seem to enthuse myself to pick it up. I must though, so it is next.

[Sugar]

Still ploughing through Angel Isle. I've read about 150 of the 600, and I'm slowly beginning to work out what is going on. It doesn't help that it's a sequel and I haven't read the first book, The Ropemaker.

I picked up another book from work today, Forged in the Fire by Ann Turnbull, and I need to get that read by Wednesday, so Angel Isle may have to go on ice for a couple of days.

[Sugar]

I've finished the Dickinson! At last! It was a real slog. I read about 3 more books in between starting it and finishing it!

Have updated first post with list of what read.

Going to copy in a post I made on http://boards.fool.co.uk (The Motley Fool) about this months reads as I don't want to go through them all again!

Edit - have done so, but needed to cut 600 characters out as it was over 10000 characters long! Wow!

[Sugar]

Notes on a Scandal
Zoe Heller

This Booker Shortlisted novel (2001?) was the choice for my Book Club read this month. It tells the story of a naive NQT who embarks on a relationship with one of her 15 year old students. Told through the eyes of a fellow teacher, Barbara, more is revealed about the narrator than those featured in the storyline itself!

As a self confessed Booker hater, I was very reluctant to read this. However, it was much easier to read than I expected and while not a comfortable read, I could almost say I enjoyed it. The writing style is of high quality and the plot is well constructed. It was impossible to like the characters but this was clearly all part of Heller's plan.

Certainly a good book for discussion, and this was borne out in the fact that there were more members of Book Club turned up for the meeting than ever before, and we had all finished it!

The Navigator
Eoin McNamee

This is a debut novel for Young Adults, from an accomplished Irish adult novellist.

The novel stars Owen (a play on the pronunciation of Eoin, perhaps?), an ordinary boy from an ordinary town. One day, Owen witnesses - although he doesn't realise or understand it - the starting of the Puissance and his life changes. A whole community awakens from within the Old Workhouse, and a centuries old war is restarted between the Resistors and the Harsh.

Soon it becomes apparent that time has been damaged, and this is an alternative reality. Owen has an important role to play to restore life, one that he has inherited from his Father. Through trying to save the Resistors, and ultimately the world, Owen learns more about his own history and his own strengths.

The novel is action-packed, and there is plenty to get your teeth into. However, McNamee works too hard to explain the complications of time-travel and the numerous gadgets invented by the loveable Dr Diamond. Unfortunately, as a result at no point does the scenario seem entirely convincing. The ending is weak, seeming a little too convenient and tidy.

This said, there are lots of great ideas here that could have been developed further and a good backstory. Junior fans of sci-fi will enjoy it.

Oranges in No Man's Land
Elizabeth Laird

At about 100 pages, this new book from Elizabeth Laird is aimed at a younger readership than expected. Set in Lebanon during the troubles of the 70's, Laird brings to life the feelings of confusion and loss that would be felt by an 8 year old child in these situations. As Ayesha struggles to come to terms with her country's fight with itself, she is shown that the world is not all evil in the help and warmth shown by her fellow refugees.

For such a short novel, this is high class literature which will be easily accessible by 8-11 year olds. A strong read that will bring tears to the eyes of even a hardened reader.

Out of My Depth
Emily Barr

When 30-something Susie plans a reunion for her school friends, she knows that there is more to her motives than showing off. The 4 friends have a dark secret that has never been discussed between them and was the cause of the demise of their friendship. Barr interweaves the 2005 France where Susie lives, with the story of their English Private School in the 1980's.

There has clearly been a lot of thought into how the events of the 80's will impact on the characters in later life, but despite this the girls are never truly likeable or manage to escape teenager cliches.

While this novel isn't going to set the literary world alight, it will be good for beach reading!

Damian Dreuth, Supersluth: Spycatcher
Barbara Mitchelhill

An easy to read adventure spy story for 6-8 year olds or those beginning to gain confidence in reading alone. Damian Drooth is once again on the trail of crime, and is using the opportunity to train his friends in detective skills. The vocabulary is simple and the characters believable. The plot is plausible though clearly planned to reach a nice finale.

Small Steps
Louis Sachar

This sequel to the much acclaimed Holes follows on the story of Armpit and X-Ray after they are released from Camp Green Lake. Armpit is trying to go straight, and has found himself a job with a landscape gardener (digging holes!) while he does a day-release college course. X-Ray isn't quite as focussed and wants to focus on making a quick buck. he persuades Armpit to part with his savings to buy tickets to a Britney Spears-esque Pop Concert with the intention of selling them on for profit. Suffice to say, things don't go exactly to plan and Armpit ends up in the middle of a fraud and murder plot.

While as enjoyable to read as Holes, Small Steps add's little to the characters and is no where near as cleverly plotted. It is also very topical, and will appeal more to teenage girls than the wider audience of Holes.

Kiss Me Quick
Julie Highmore

Light and fluffy rom-com. Useless life coach, Tim Downer, unknowingly becomes the feature of a journalist's research into his job. He doesn't suspect a thing, but his ex-wife and daughter know immediately there is more to Debbie than meets the eye.

Told in first person diary-style chunks, the lead is switched between about 6 of the main characters which makes it hard to follow who or what is going on. That said, Highmore seems to know her characters well, and does give them each their own voices which become more distinctive as the novel develops.

Welcome to the Real World
Carole Matthews

More light and fluffy rom-com. This time set in the music industry. Struggling bar girl / bar singer, Fern, gets a temping job as the PA to mega-star, opera singer Evan David. At the same time she gets through the first stages of X-Factor style TV Show, The Fame Game. When her 2 worlds start to collide and collapse around her ears, desperate measures are called for.

Matthew's is a confident writer, who writes with a natural sparkle. Her characters seem real and their plight's understandable. Another one that would be good for the beach, or a long train journey!

Road of Bones
Anne Fine

Anne Fine's latest novel is a complete departure from her normal style. Road of Bones is set in a Soviet like state where every one is afraid of the "Leaders" and their spies. When 12 year old Yuri makes a throwaway comment, he endangers the life of not just himself but also his family. On the run, this is the tale of his survival.

Bleak and cold, this is obviously a story that Fine needed to tell. Perfectly plotted and developed, although a fable the environment seems like it could become real alarmingly easily.

Definitely one of the best children's novels of the year, and a strong contender for many Children's Book Prizes.

Killing Orders
Sara Paretsky

A VI Warshawski novel. VI is asked by her estranged aunt to clear her name when the monastery she works at is found to have a number of forged stock certificates.

Typical Paretsky, gripping to the end. While at times the novel hasn't aged well, this is still worth reading for the crime fans.

Four to Score & High Five
Janet Evanovich

I'm whipping through the Stephanie Plum books. The more I read, the more I need!

Both these novels have the characteristic traits of a good Evanovich - Stephanie in top form as the worlds most unwilling and inept Bounty Hunter, Rex the Hamster surviving all kinds of injustice, Joe Morelli trying his best to bed Stpeh, and Grandma Mazur not wanting to miss out on anything. Great for light relief, and laughing out loud. I'm lovin' it!

Cat Among the Pigeons
Julia Golding

Another sequel, this time to last year's Ottakar's Children's Book Award winner, The Diamond of Drury Lane. Cat Royal, orphan and ward of the Royal Theatre, is in trouble again. She needs to go hide, and in the process ends up acting as a school boy and a serving girl.

Another lively offering, with all the elements a great children's adventure books should have. There are baddies galore, fights, intrigue and a satisfying ending. Clearly set up to support another sequel, but one I am looking forward to reading.

Forged in the Fire
Ann Turnbull

Yet another sequel, this time to No Shame, No Fear which will be seen on stage in the Jermyn Theatre next year.

It is 1664 and Will and Susanna have not seen each other for 3 years. Will has now achieved success in London and has written to Susanna to ask her to marry him and come to live with him. As the weeks go by, Will does not arrive, and as tales of the Plague reach Shropshire she begins to fear for his life. She sets off to London to find him.

Turnbull has clearly done a lot of research into Quakerism and their way of life in both rural and urban England of the 1600's. It seems unbelievable that even in the grip of Plague, Quakers were being persecuted and imprisoned for their beliefs.

Not having read the first book, I was concerned that this would affect my reading of this one, but that was not a problem at all. Enough background is given for the story to make sense, without making it patronising for those who have read No Shame.

Will and Su stay with you long after finishing the book, and their story is so vividly told that images of the book come to you when you least expect it.

Another wonderful novel that I am sure will do well in Children's Literature circles.

[Sugar]

Since the end of October, I have also:

Finished Angel Isle by Peter Dickinson

Read:
The Rainbow Bridge by Aubrey Flegg (thanks Kell!)
Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

I don't know what I am going to pick off the shelf next. It is my RL Book Club a week on Thursday so I need to read Small Island by Andrea Levy for then, but I want to read something else light first. Off to raid the TBR shelf and then to bed.

Night all!

[Sugar]

Flipping Janet Evanovich. I can't put her down!

I've devoured 2 more in 4 days! I need to stop!

Finally started Small Island last night. Going to read it quick so I can get onto To The Nines the next Evanovich!

Oh, I've updated post one so that you can see the list of everything I have read so far this year. I have excelled myself as Small Island will be the 100th book I finish this year. That's 6 more than last years total, and I have another 7 weeks to go!

[Sarahrob]

Flipping Janet Evanovich. I can't put her down!

I've devoured 2 more in 4 days! I need to stop!


I love those books and end up rereading them regularly. It's rare for a book to make me really laugh out loud, and almost unheard-of for it to do the same on a reread, but hers always get me.:D

[Sugar]

I love those books and end up rereading them regularly. It's rare for a book to make me really laugh out loud, and almost unheard-of for it to do the same on a reread, but hers always get me.:D

I'm up to Book 11 now. Don't know what I am going to do when I run out!

Had a fairly awful reading week - didn't pick a book up from Thursday last week until last night - seem to have had a dip in motivation. Things seem to have picked up a bit, and I hope to read quite a bit of Eragon tomorrow.

Have updated post 1, and also my TBR post.

[Maureen]

A while ago I went to a local bookshop, and asked the nice lady at the counter to recommend a nice author who would make me laugh. (this is before this book club and you guys, from who I now get too many recommendations :lol:) She recommended Janet Evanovich, and I enjoyed the 2 books I got tremendously.

[Sugar]

She is incredibly addictive - I would have read more except the library was slow on getting them to me, so I'm currently "on a break".

Incredibly, I have finished Eragon, and while in the bath this evening have read a book called Dirty Bertie: Worm by Alan MacDonald (though it seems to be selling itself on the illustrator - David Roberts - who also illustrated Rapunzel - a Groovy Fairy Tale; Cinderella (subtitle forgotten) and Little red), and read half of the Julie Andrews Great American Mousical.

That's better!

[Sugar]

Finished the Julie Andrews Edward's American Mousical. All right, but there are better, less cliched things around!

Also read Eleven on Top and Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich. Leaves me her seasonal special Visions of Sugar Plums and then I have read all the Stephanie Plum Books.

And finally this week, I finally finished my re-read of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. One of my favourite books!

[Sugar]

I thought I would follow Kell's example and do some number crunching with my book list.

Here is what I have learned! (I have rounded my rating to one decimal place.)

Jan - 5 books read - 3.8/5 average
Feb - 9 books read - 3.8/5 average
March - 5 books read - 3.8/5 average
April - 8 books read - 4/5 average
May - 8 books read - 3.6/5 average
June - 11 books read - 3.6/5 average
July - 14 books read - 4.1/5 average
Aug - 11 books read - 3.2/5 average
Sept - 8 books read - 3.8/5 average
Oct - 13 books read - 3.5/5 average
Nov - 14 books read - 3.8/5 average
Dec - 5 so far - 3.6/5 average so far!

This means that I have read 111 books this year (just over 9 a month) with an average of 3.7/5. July was the best month, both for the number of books read and the enjoyment gained from them. I wonder whether I read more because I was enjoying them more? (Edit to correct - November rivalled July in quantity but not quite in quality - Janet Evanovich fault - I have given them all 4 stars, as they do have flaws - repetition, inconsistencies, not the best quality writing - despite how great fun they are.)

I certainly seem to have been reading more as the year has gone on. I thought it looked like I read more in the summer, but I'm not sure as in Oct and Nov I read quite a lot - although this may be because I have had a horrible cold since the end of September, and have been reading more when I haven't been sleeping and when I have been feeling sorry for myself!

I will update Dec (and the annual averages) at the end of the month.

[Kell]

Looks like you've had a very good run of reading then! It's interesting to work all that out, isn't it?

[Sugar]

Looks like you've had a very good run of reading then! It's interesting to work all that out, isn't it?
It certainly is, and that's saying something as I hate doing maths - especially statistics! I'm also looking forward to seeing how it turns out next week.

Recently, I have mostly been reading:
Hogfather - Terry Pratchett (Current)
Eldest - Christopher Paolini ****
Visions of Sugar Plums - Janet Evanovich ***
Double Fault - Lionel Shriver ****
Darkside - Tom Becker ***

It's been quite nice to read some seasonal books - although the Evanovich was a bit of a disappointment. It is very much a fantasy novel (with magical beings) and a big change of direction from the other Steph Plum books. It only took a couple of hours to read though, so I won't be crying over it!

The Lionel Shriver was also very different to expected, but very good for what it was. Certainly not on the same level as Kevin but an enjoyable piece of contemporary romantic fiction none-the-less.

I think Darkside will appeal to many on here - it's due for publication some time at the start of next year.

[Sugar]

At the bottom of my first post in this thread, I have added a list of the Picture Books that I have looked at in depth this year, and also the titles of the "Pocket Penguins" I have read. As shorter books, I didn't feel they deserved counting as part of this years tally (if I included all the picture books I read, and non-fiction texts I skim read at work, I suspect I might crash the server!) but I thought these particular titles worthy of a mention on the list.

[Sugar]

Finisged Hogfather last night - I will say that I began to lose the plot a bit at the end. I will have a look in the Reading Circle to see if that helps, but fear I might need the help of the TV show to un-muddle me!

Starting At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien next - I borrowed it from the library months ago after I got back from Ireland and heard it mentioned lots in Dublin. Someone else has now very inconsiderately requested it, so I have to return it by the 8th of January!

[Sugar]

Actually read Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich first as I wanted something light and easy to take away with me for a couple of days. It wasn't as good as the Steph Plum books and I won't be rushing out to read Metro Girl. It seems that JE is incapable of writing characters that are different to Steph and Morelli and co.

[Sugar]

Thought I would post a list of the books currently sat on the TBR Mountain. They are roughly in order of most recently added to the ones there longest...

* Green means read since list posted. Aim to self - read all of these by Christmas!!!

Well I managed 8 of the 29 - that's about a quarter, so not too bad! Maybe by NEXT Christmas?!

[Sugar]

Jan - 5 books read - 3.8/5 average
Feb - 9 books read - 3.8/5 average
March - 5 books read - 3.8/5 average
April - 8 books read - 4/5 average
May - 8 books read - 3.6/5 average
June - 11 books read - 3.6/5 average
July - 14 books read - 4.1/5 average
Aug - 11 books read - 3.2/5 average
Sept - 8 books read - 3.8/5 average
Oct - 13 books read - 3.5/5 average
Nov - 14 books read - 3.8/5 average

This means that I have read 111 books this year (just over 9 a month) with an average of 3.7/5. July was the best month, both for the number of books read and the enjoyment gained from them. I wonder whether I read more because I was enjoying them more? (Edit to correct - November rivalled July in quantity but not quite in quality - Janet Evanovich fault - I have given them all 4 stars, as they do have flaws - repetition, inconsistencies, not the best quality writing - despite how great fun they are.)

I will update Dec (and the annual averages) at the end of the month.

So in December, I read 11 books - with an average of 3.1/5.

This makes my annual look:

Jan - 5 books read - 3.8/5 average
Feb - 9 books read - 3.8/5 average
March - 5 books read - 3.8/5 average
April - 8 books read - 4/5 average
May - 8 books read - 3.6/5 average
June - 11 books read - 3.6/5 average
July - 14 books read - 4.1/5 average
Aug - 11 books read - 3.2/5 average
Sept - 8 books read - 3.8/5 average
Oct - 13 books read - 3.5/5 average
Nov - 14 books read - 3.8/5 average
Dec - 11 books read - 3.1/5 average.

So July remains the most profitable month overall.

My overall average was 3.7 stars out of 5 . Fairly satisfactory I think!