Janet

A friend offered me a Jojo Moyes book recently (I don't know if it was the same one) but I said no because of the cover. Oh dear - we are a judgemental lot at times it seems!

This is a very, very vague one! My Mum is after the title of a book that I (apparently!) had when I was a little girl containing a character called Witch Wobblyknees! That's all she can remember about it! I've Googled, but the only reference I can find is on this site, where it says the following: My little sister, at 2, parsing the world by peering over our shoulders, let us know that W stood for red -- the color of the letter on the chimney of the witch Wobblyknees in a children's book. "Dubli" was a private family word for red until we realized that Dubya also stood for a very global War in which red bled everywhere. I asked 26 writers and artists to contribute to an "abecedarium for our times"- a chapbook for re-visioning our words and our world. – Radhika Subramaniam I realise this is probably 'Mission Impossible'!

I have managed to read the first chapter of The Art of Racing in the Rain. I certainly won't have finished it for the start of November's RC, but hopefully I will have by the end! Peter and I are away this weekend. We're staying in Uxbridge as his choir are singing as part of a massed choir charity concert in the Albert Hall on Saturday night. I can't wait as I've never been there before. He's rehearsing all day on Saturday so I'm taking myself off into London for the day and meeting up with some friends - I can't wait, and I should have some reading opportunities on the coach up and the back and the train into London!

I read My Family and Other Animals a few years ago (it was potentially going to be one of our texts for coursework when I did GCSE English as a mature student, but sadly it was overruled by the majority (far younger than me!) who chose Of Mice and Men instead because it was 'thin'! ). Not that I minded - I enjoyed that one too! I actually enjoyed the flowery prose, but I can also see why it would grate after a while. I haven't read anything else by him though. The BBC did an adaptation of it one Christmas not long after I read it, which I seem to recall was pretty good. I read a few James Herberts when I was a teenager. I won't be touching Ash with a barge-poll now though!

Thanks. I'm actually up to date with my reviews for once! I must get round to writing my thoughts about Burmese Days soon! We've been so busy recently that I've hardly had any time to read, let alone write! Dumbleton was just great! We stayed there in March for one night (I probably said that already) and got such a good deal through Late Rooms. I'd go back again, definitely. I expect we might re-visit Hay-on-Wye sometime. My mood probably wasn't helped by the fact I'm really trying not to purchase any new books, apart from for Book Club or the odd RC on here - I'm doing quite well at it. I imagine it would be better on a hot sunny day (it was very cold, but at least it wasn't raining!). I don't know... I just had such high hopes but the place just didn't feel right. Does that make sense? It's like a place called Glastonbury near us - lots of people love it, especially people into 'new age' stuff, but it gives me the creeps!

Well done on the reading! I read a children's book by Jill Paton Walsh last year - A Parcel of Patterns - which was based on the plague village of Eyam in Derbyshire. I hope you continue to enjoy your read! I need to start The Art of Racing in the Rain for the RC. I've been so busy and taken so long with my last book that I've only got 3 days until the thread opens - whoops!

Today I finished Burmese Days by George Orwell - my last 'full length' book of his - just the essays to go! Review to follow To read reduction 12/85 - 27.10.12 - 73 remaining

And the grounds are gorgeous too.

I know loads of people who love it so I guess it's just me! It was a shame though. Whilst away we stayed at a hotel called the Dumbleton (note to self - if you keep referring to it as Dumbledore you're going to say it someone one day!) Hall Hotel just outside Evesham, and I thought of you, Kay - it said on the history of the place that the Mitford sisters had been regular visitors there when it was a private house and I know you like them. It's an absolutely gorgeous place.

I went to Hay-on-Wye today. I was terribly disappointed with it. Over-priced books and surly shop-keepers. We stopped for the most disgusting coffee ever. I wish I'd never gone and kept it as a fantasy. The only thing I liked was this... (Even though I have a Kindle!)

When my children were at primary school we used to do a shoebox every year. The first year we had a thank you letter (and photo) from a little girl in a Romanian orphanage who had received our box. I haven't done one for a while as financial constraints wouldn't allow it. I had intended to collect stuff all year round but never actually did so. Apart from the box contents it costs (a minimum donation of) £2.50. If you pay online you can even track your box. You don't need to do it through an organisation - there are pick up points all across the country. This year I have been able to do one - I've done up my box for a boy aged between 5 and 9. Is anyone here doing one?

Thanks, Kay. I really don't know why I put it off for so long!

Hmm - I'm not sure! I will check out the library and see if I can borrow it from there! I do like my cover too - it *is* prettyful! We've just bought some new bookcases (they're not up yet, and won't be for a few weeks) - Peter actually said to me I might need to buy more books so they don't look empty! I told him not to tempt me Awww, it's not that I dislike them - I just don't always find anything I fancy, even with no shortage of unread books! I know this to be the case because when I decide to get mercenary and thin out my books it just doesn't happen - I can never find any to part with!

Oh dear! Yes, just why do you keep on reading them? Maybe the next will be better?!

The girl whose choice it was has already read it (several times!) and loves it. I can't say it's something I would have picked up if it wasn't for Book Club, so we'll see! I am looking forward to it, but at the same time I don't want to read my own copy as I don't want to damage it! I am really looking forward to it. I think I'm going to wait until nearer to Christmas though. It's lovely, isn't it! Not only that, but it's printed on such gorgeous quality thick paper. I love it! I haven't been intentionally secret! I only counted up all my books a few weeks ago (we're decorating - they were scattered all over the house so it's the first time they've been gathered all together) - I had no idea just how many I had! I've mentioned it a few times in here (after one or two reviews) but I keep forgetting to post it! It's odd - so many books on the pile and yet I look at them and don't fancy any of the titles to read!

I bought The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, taking my 'to read' pile back up to 75 (it was 85) - but it's for Book Club so it's allowed!

Ah whoops - I didn't think you were 30 yet! Sorry.

Ah, but I'm still not in love with it. I've only read 14 books on it this year - out of 64 read. That might change when I've got through some of my tree books.

I loved The Help. To my shame, the only Dickens I've read is A Christmas Carol (which is an annual read) - I intend to remedy that when I've got rid of some of my tree books. I haven't heard of the third title - I will go and Google it.

Or 30...?!

Technically it's not a real word, but I'm campaigning to get it in the Oxford English Dictionary! If anything I might get it on the Kindle. I really don't enjoy reading hardbacks - I do a lot of reading lying down in bed at night and I just can't get comfy with a hardback. I'd love to see him - maybe one day. Ah, you're probably right!

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J K Rowling The ‘blurb’ The Tales of Beedle the Bard contains five richly diverse fairy tales, each with its own magical character, that will variously bring delight, laughter and the thrill of mortal peril. Additional notes for each story penned by Professor Albus Dumbledore will be enjoyed by Muggles and wizards alike, as the Professor muses on the morals illuminated by the tales, and reveals snippets of information about life at Hogwarts. I pre-ordered this book back in 2008, but when I got it home I didn’t really fancy it (not sure why!) and kept passing it over in favour of something else to read. However, with all the talk of Rowling’s latest book The Casual Vacancy I finally took if down from the shelf to read it. It contains five ‘fairy tales’ by the fictional fifteenth century titular author. The tales are familiar to Ron, but Hermione and Harry, having been brought up in the Muggle world, are unfamiliar with it. The five stories are all great! The first tells of a cynical son who is taught a lesson by his dead father, the second is a tale of four people in a competition where only one can achieve their ultimate dream. The third is a darker fairy story about a man who vows never to fall in love and the disastrous consequences when he decides to marry (this is the darkest of the five tales) the fourth is about the dangers of claiming powers you don’t have and the final story is about three brothers who challenge death. My favourite of these stories were the fifth and the second, although I enjoyed them all. The tales come with footnotes by Albus Dumbledore. These were interesting enough but not as fun as the tales, although it would have been a short book without them! Those of you familiar with the story of Harry Potter will know the tale of The Three Brothers from the Deathly Hallows. Very enjoyable – I should have picked it up ages ago!

I think they're like an online book club but I'm not entirely sure myself, frankie.

That's how my Mum's book group do it. We take it in turns, but the next book isn't revealed until we've discussed the current one. We had our group last night where we discussed the book we'd just read, then the person who will host next told us what she'd chosen. I hope you get some more satisfactory books in future.