Lilywhite

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister Gregory Maguire We have all heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave amongst the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's looks? Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who is swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household - and the treacherous truth of her former life. Started: 12/10/10 Finished: 22/10/10 Rated: 4/5 Comments: This is a great take on the well read story of Cinderella and I have grown to love Maguires skewed take on stories we have taken for granted over the years. Not quite as in depth as his 'Wicked' series of books, this one was a little more readable and a bit easier to follow, in my opinion.

All I can say is, you will not be disappointed. Bartimaeus is as witty and wonderful as ever and even though it's been a while since I read the trilogy, it still flows so well.

The Ring of Solomon Jonathan Stroud Fans of Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus books will devour this book - a cracking adventure brimming with magic, intrigue and a treasure trove of characters that the reader can't help but fall for. We find everyone's favourite irascibly insolent djinni serving at the court of King Solomon in 950 BC Jerusalem, where he is causing his customary chaos and must help a girl assassin sent by the Queen of Sheba steal the all-powerful ring of Solomon. The comic relief is perfectly timed, the dialogue sharp and snappy and the fiendishly clever plot perfectly handled with Jonathan's trademark flair and command of language. Thrills, chills and a danger-spiked finale - this is one of the publishing events of the year. Started: 29/09/10 Finished: 12/10/10 Rated: 5/5 Comments: Loved, loved, loved this one. I was so sad to say goodbye to Bartimaeus in the last books and I'm so glad that Stroud decided to write more about this loveable rogue. You can't help but laugh out loud at his antics and I loved the story too. Well worth the read.

I watched Devil at the cinema. A very well thought out film if you ask me. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite being in the cinema with 100 eejits.

Australian Masterchef

Triangle ~ very odd film.

The Pact Roberta Kray For 34-year-old Eve Weston, life couldn't get much bleaker. Her con artist father recently committed suicide and her younger brother Terry was sent to jail. Then she lost her job too, because a close friendship with married solicitor Henry Baxter was misconstrued as an affair. Having temporarily moved away from London, she's now living in her father's old flat in one of the shabbier parts of Norwich.On a visit to see Terry, Eve is shocked to find him battered and bruised. He refuses to tell her who has done it or why. Eve begins to have serious fears that her brother won't survive his sentence, and in desperation she turns to another prisoner, a dangerous-seeming individual called Martin Cavelli. They make a secret pact: if Cavelli protects Terry then she will pay whatever it costs. Started: 12/09/10 Finished: 29/09/10 Rated: 3/5 Comments: Ok, this one wasn't as bad as the first one. Quite an entertaining read. A bit like Martina Cole but without the grit and violence. I enjoyed this story. It had the right amount of twists and turns to keep me interested without going too OTT.

I am so excited about this one and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. I love Bartemaus and I'm so glad that another book has been written. Great review as well Michelle!

Hard Girls Martina Cole HARD LIVES. HARD LESSONS. IT’S MURDER ON THE STREETS. Danielle Crosby had a body to die for. A body she sold to the highest bidder. But she ended up paying for it with her life. When a prostitute’s body is found lifeless, mutilated and brutally raped, DCI Annie Carr has never seen anything like it and never wants to again. Kate Burrows, retired DCI now consultant, has plenty of experience when it comes to murder – after all she caught the Grantley Ripper and broke the biggest paedophile ring in the South East. She is determined to help put the killer behind bars. But whoever it is won’t be easily caught. And when another girl’s body is found, even more horrifically disfigured than the last, it’s clear the killer is just warming up... In a ruthless world where everyone’s out for themselves, Annie and Kate must dig deep if they hope to catch a callous serial killer who knows no limits and makes no mistakes. For some, prostitution is seriously big business. But how many people will pay the ultimate price? Utterly compelling, HARD GIRLS is a gripping and disturbing thriller that will have you hooked until the very last page. Started: 31/08/10 Finished: 09/09/10 Rated: 4/5 Comments: Another excellent book from Martina. She never disappoints. Although this book seemed quite lacking in the criminal underworld side of the story, the plot was just as riveting as ever with a nasty bad guy to be hunted down. Excellent crime novel

I found it quite difficult to get into at first but I've nearly finished it now and I'm managing to follow it a bit better. It's not the most engaging book I've ever read but it does pick up. Glad I can be of service Mac I must admit I picked this one up purely on the synopsis so I do hope it's not a disappointment. I'll let you know how I get along. Thanks for the recommendations Laura. I hope you pick up some good books

The Rapture Liz Jensen In a merciless summer of biblical heat and destructive winds, Gabrielle Fox's main concern is a personal one: to rebuild her career as a psychologist after a shattering car accident. But when she is assigned Bethany Krall, one of the most dangerous teenagers in the country, she begins to fear she has made a terrible mistake. Raised on a diet of evangelistic hellfire, Bethany is violent, delusional, cruelly intuitive and insistent that she can foresee natural disasters - a claim which Gabrielle interprets as a symptom of doomsday delusion. But when catastrophes begin to occur on the very dates Bethany has predicted, and a brilliant, gentle physicist enters the equation, the apocalyptic puzzle intensifies and the stakes multiply. Is the self-proclaimed Nostradamus of the psych ward the ultimate manipulator, or could she be the harbinger of imminent global cataclysm on a scale never seen before? And what can love mean in 'interesting times'? A haunting story of human passion and burning faith set against an adventure of tectonic proportions, "The Rapture" is an electrifying psychological thriller that explores the dark extremes of mankind's self-destruction in a world on the brink. Started: 18/08/10 Finished: Unfinished Rated: 0/5 Comments: Unfortunately I don't think I can finish this one. I'm having so much trouble just trying to follow what the author is trying to say. The chapters and paragraphs are far too long meaning I get to the end and forget what the point was. She also has the really annoying habit of using the most complicated words possible, when the simple language would have done fine. Shame, as it sounded so good on the back of the book.

Home made veg soup this evening

Thanks for that Booknutt. We do have one but it's not that great. They only seem to do material here, although that does come in handy. I haven't made any bracelets in ages as I lost my special pliers. I haven't replaced them yet so it's on the back burner for now. I've been concentrating on my cross stitch instead. Beef, you have the strangest set of hobbies ever! I hope you don't do them all at once

Spaghetti Bolognese courtesy of my wonderful OH

For Pipread... Leek, potato & bacon bake Ingredients 600ml chicken or vegetable stock 1kg potatoes, thinly sliced 6 leeks , thinly sliced into rounds 25g butter 3-4 rashers streaky bacon, snipped 3 tbsp double cream (optional) Method Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the stock in a large pan, bring to the boil, then add the potatoes and the leeks. Bring back to the boil for 5 mins, then drain well, reserving the stock in a jug. Meanwhile, butter a large baking dish. Layer up the potatoes and leeks higgledypiggledy, seasoning as you go, then scatter the bacon over the top. Season well, pour over 200ml of the reserved stock, then spoon over the cream (if using) and cover with foil. Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled. Bake for 40 mins, uncovering halfway through so that the bacon crisps. Per serving 153 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 24g, fat 5 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 4g, sugar 3g, salt 0.35 g

No problem Pipread. I'll pop it in the low fat thread.

All The Things We Didn't Say Sara Shepard Emotional, issue-led fiction perfect for all fans of The Memory Keeper's Daughter and Jodi Picoult Tragedy came as if so often does: a teenage party, emotions running high, followed by a horrific car crash. A girl is left dead and a boy is forced to leave his home town, with a secret that he will carry with him forever! Years later, when Summer's mother disappears one summer, she is left with her father. Obsessed with an accident from years ago, he slowly descends into mental illness. And as he becomes more disorientated, he reveals small fragments of a secret that has been hidden since his youth, a secret that changes everything. Summer supports her father as much as she can but eventually realises that she has to escape. She finds refuge with her great-aunt, Stella. Feisty, fun-loving, and dying of cancer, Stella holds parts of the family secret. Slowly, things fall into place for Summer - or at least so she thinks! This is a story of the importance of family, of the damage a lie can do, and of how nothing is ever what it seems. Started: 10/08/10 Finished: 23/08/10 Rated: 2/5 Comments: This hasn't been the best book I've read all Summer but there was enough there to keep me picking it up. It's quite a slow book and overall not a lot is said and done but by the end you get the authors point. I can't say that the characters grew on me but I had an inkling of the underlying story and I wanted to see if I was right. Not too taxing a read, good for Summer.

It's a Tuesday and I'm all alone so it's pizza day

I once added some barley to a soup I'd made and had to throw the whole thing away. I can't eat anything bean or pulse like and it was horrible. I'm still not sure what I expected but it wasn't what I got.

Tonight was leek and potato bake made with a new low fat recipe (as opposed to the highly tasty bacon/cream version I usually make) It was not too much different really, just minus the guilt I think

Kopparberg Pear Cider