Sarahrob

Sticky Toffee Pudding. Proper cream soda. Clotted cream on a scone. Potted shrimp. Scouse. Curly Wurlies. Oatcakes with crumbly white cheshire and bacon.

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory: 8/10 Tickled Pink by Christina Jones: 6/10

I read quite quickly, and normally take in a fair bit of what I've read. The only problem I do have is that if I read too many books by one author or similar books then they do tend to blur. I had a box of ten Miss Marple books, and I have read all but two of them over the last few weeks. I'm no longer sure what happened in which book - they are just a blur of murder-mystery!

They do little balls of mint aero now as well. Gorgeous!

Hmmm... can't remember what I've read. Anyone Out There by Marian Keyes. Nice, surprising in places. 8/10.

mmmmm... love chocolate so much. My absolute faves are Mozartkugeln, but I will settle for Lindors. Actually I will settle for Scotbloc if I can't get anything else, so long as it tastes vaguely chocolatey. I've found a chocolatier close to where I live who is making all kinds of wonderful creations. Last Saturday I bought a bag of mixed truffles and they were delish - Mango and Chilli, autumn fruits, fig and pear... I'm drooling just thinking about them!

My manager is having a clear-out before she goes back to Spain, and she brought in a huge big pile of books, one of which was AOT. I've grabbed that one, and will start it tonight - I'll let you know how I get on...

Started it about 7ish, was done by about 2. In fairness, it was quite an easy book to read!

Last night I read The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. It was sweet and funny, if slightly obvious. 7/10

Hmm... what have I read? The Queen of the Tambourine by Jane Gardam: 6/10 The Virgin's Lover by Phillipa Gregory: 8/10 A Fine Place for Death by Anne Granger: 6/10 plus a couple more Agatha Christies... can't think of anything else.

My mum comes from a massive family (seven sisters) who have each had three or four kids who have then got married and had a couple of kids... In the whole family we've only got one only child. I have a huge heap of rellies in Ireland that I just don't see, and I don't see any of my dad's rellies either (except for my dad's uncle who is just such a sweetie - I love him to bits). Having so much family is a blessing and a curse. I never bothered making close friends at school, partially because I didn't like any of them (it was such a snobby school), but also because I didn't need to - I had so many cousins I could play with I didn't really need friends. Even now, I'm very very close to a couple of my cousins (certainly closer than I am to my brother for example).

I read this book on Friday, but I think I need to read it again. I got to the end and just thought "huh?"... I did enjoy it, but the ending was the maddest thing I've ever read in my life. Madder than Mad Mick McMad. :?

1. I have thirty seven cousins and second cousins on my mum's side alone. 2. When I was at uni I used to sing to earn extra money. 3. Cliff Richard freaks me out and I can't watch him. 4. I love Hershey Kisses, but only the proper American ones that smell of baby-sick. 5. I've never had a party thrown for me.

Ooh, some of my favourites in there - I absolutely love the Oresteia (particularly the Libation Bearers), Medea and Iphigeneia in Tauris, and as for Antigone... I love it so much I know chunks of it by heart. Sad, but true...

Well... where do I start? It was basically a series of disjointed encounters, there wasn't really a story to it. Something along the lines of "met a man; didn't like him. Met another man; he was OK. Met another man; my friend pulled him". Except it was all written in the present tense, so it was more "meet a man; don't like him" etc. I kept reading, thinking the story would somehow magically appear. It didn't. I wasn't over keen on any of the characters, mostly because there was no depth to them and they were really poorly written. Overall it gave me the impression of a fourteen year old girl's diary - not something I'm over keen on reading!!

On the Road to Mr Right by Belinda Jones. 1/10

Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde: 7/10

The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie. 7/10 Hubble Bubble by Christina Jones (? can't be bothered looking up the author!). Very, VERY predictable, but sweet. 7/10

I wasn't over keen on the Jane Austen Book Club. I didn't really like any of the characters, so I wasn't remotely concerned what happened to them.

Hope you get it Kell. I didn't think it was as good as the Thursday Next books but it is still worth a read.

It was good to read a book I really enjoyed!

Still Here by Linda Grant. Loved the main character - want to BE the main character! 9/10.

I liked Beatrice at the start of the book, but I felt deeply sorry for her and everything she went through. Every time she hatched a new plan I found myself thinking "Nooo, don't do that! Turn back!". Although the villagers got a tough deal, I remember studying this period as part of an Economic History course, and there is nothing she did that three quarters of other landlords didn't do. Well, nothing she did to the village, at any rate! Enclosure was probably the worst thing for the tenants, but at that time it was seen as essential for the survival of most estates. Hope you enjoy it Michelle. As you can probably tell, I loved it!

At five years old, Beatrice is taught that she can never inherit the land she loves as it will pass to her brother, even though he appears to care little for the estate. Her response is "If it was the way of the world that girls left home and sons inherited, then the world would have to change. I would never change." This sets the tone for the entire novel, as Beatrice plots and schemes to be squire of the land she loves, no matter what the cost is. Those schemes become increasingly outrageous (and considering they start with a murder conspiracy that is no mean feat!). Beatrice is a fascinating character. There are shades of Catherine Earnshaw and Scarlett O

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