Janet

I am nothing if not predictable!

Hell yeah, I love him! I mean yes, I'm definitely interested! Thanks for the heads-up.

it didn't disappoint - it was just as good as ever! Spoilers for last night's show... Shirley MacLaine was great - some good scenes to come with her and Maggie Smith, methinks!

I finished Memoirs of a Fruitcake by Chris Evans this morning. I loved it every bit as much as the first part of his autobiography. He's certainly had a colourful career and this is written honestly and with nearly all of the blame for everything firmly pointed at himself. I know a lot of people find him arrogant, but the book certainly doesn't come across that way. It's a shame that there won't be any more. I love him as a DJ!

Yesterday I read The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, Christian Speaker Aged 45¾ by Adrian Plass (a friend loaned it to me after I enjoyed a previous diary by this writer - that she also loaned me! It was samey and I'm hoping she doesn't try to lend me more!!) and also James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

I don't want to read my copy as I don't want to spoil it! I might see if I can get it out of the library! I only managed to read two books in August. Adventures on the High Teas by Stuart Maconie, and today I have finished Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls - which is for my Book Club tomorrow night.

I can't agree with this statement at all. If something doesn't belong to you and you take it and don't return it, then that is stealing... The thought that this practise is acceptable just because it's a school you attend, or your place of work, leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I love Mr B's! I try not to go in there often as, like you, I feel like I should buy something from them. It's a fantastic shop with a fantastic name!!

It didn't take me long to fail, did it?! I bought A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness on Saturday! I got the beautiful illustrated copy (I don't know if there is an unbeautiful, unillustrated version!!). So many people on here, including Michelle and Kay, have recommended it to me. I met with Michelle and her youngest daughter in Bluewater on Saturday for a coffee and of course it involved a trip to Waterstone's...! I had a lovely time with them and I don't regret buying this as I love the sound of it (and I was sort of on holiday so it was a sort of holiday present to myself) but I must try harder! Ah well, back on the bandwagon!

What country is this for, June? The title alone makes it intriguing! I have this on my list for Mexico so I'm glad to hear you loved it.

That is one of my favouritest children's books ever! I also love the 1970s film version, and the more recent remake (which was truer to the book!).

I keep my own spreadsheets with all sorts of book data and I also use Shelfari. This seems a bit pricey for what it offers but I'm glad you're getting a lot from it.

This question keeps cropping up so I thought it would be useful to make a separate thread for it. You may have noticed under your avatar the words 'Warning Points'. This is nothing to worry about! Nobody else - with the exception of the Moderators and Admins on the board - can see yours - only you can. This facility is very rarely used by Mods and Admins if we have problem members - and I can't remember the last time it was used by any of us. Basically if you haven't done anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about and nobody else can see yours. I hope that reassures members a little.

The House at Riverton!! Thanks - I still couldn't remember what it was called! I did enjoy it. I haven't seen that version, Kay. There was a newer one made/shown in 2008 which starred someone called Gemma Arterton (no idea what else she's been in either before or since!) which was great. If I'm remembering correctly Ruth Jones (of Gavin and Stacey fame) played Tess's mother in it and was really good.

I'm really sorry - I missed your post. I'm looking forward to both - I enjoyed one of Kate Morton's previous books (but I can't remember the title so I have high hopes for The Forgotten Garden.

It's on my Wish List too - it sounds great.

Not a favourite then, Kay?!! I saw the most recent adaptation of Tess a few years ago and loved it. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more! Ah, that's a really good idea - I will look into that, thanks. Try not to panic - I expect I'll take any I get rid of to a charity shop - I'm not totally heartless!

I finished book #39 today - The Door by Magda Szabó today - thanks to June for the recommendation. 39 Countries - 16.74

I have not read your review, but I have just, today, downloaded it from Amazon! My hubby is currently reading it!

Okay, here it is, in all its scary glory! 2012 Adrian Plass The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, Christian Speaker, Aged 45¾ Adrian Plass An Alien at St Wilfred's Bill Bryson A Walk in the Wood Chris Evans Memoirs of a Fruitcake Dawn French A Tiny Bit Marvellous Garth Stein The Art of Racing in the Rain George Orwell Burmese Days Hilary Spurling The Girl from the Fiction Department: A Portrait of Sonia Orwell J B Priestley English Journey Jeanette Walls Half Broke Horses Jenifer Wayne The Day the Ceiling Fell Down John Ajvide Lindqvist Let The Right One In Laurie Lee A Moment of War Mary Hooper Fallen Grace Patrick Ness A Monster Calls Rachel Simon The Story of Beautiful Girl Roald Dahl Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator Stuart Maconie Adventures on the High Teas: In Search of Middle England Thomas Hardy Tess of the D'Urbervilles Wendy Jones The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price Purveyor of Superior Funerals William Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) Pre-2012 A A Milne The Red House Mystery A J Cronin A Song of Sixpence A J Cronin The Green Years A J Cronin The Minstrel Boy A J Cronin The Northern Lights Agatha Christie Peril at End House Agatha Christie Sparkling Cyanide Bill Bryson A Short History of Nearly Everything Celia Rees Witch Child David Park The Rye Man Diane Chamberlain The Lost Daughter Emily Barr The First Wife Emily Barr The Life You Want Eva Ibbotson The Star of Kazan Fanny Flagg Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café Frances Osbourne The Bolter Fynn Mister God, This is Anna G K Chesterton The Man Who Was Thursday Gabriel García Márquez Love in the Time of Cholera George Orwell Decline of the English Murder George Orwell Inside the Whale and Other Essays Germain Greer Shakespeare's Wife Gervase Phinn Head Over Heels in the Dales Graham Greene The Third Man/The Fallen Idol H Rider Haggard King Soloman's Mines Isabel Allende The House of the Spirits J K Rowling The Tales of Beedle the Bard Jane Austen Mansfield Park Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility Jerome K Jerome Three Men on the Bummel John Skinner Journals of a Somerset Rector (1803 to 1834) John Wyndham The Chrisalids John Wyndham The Kraken Wakes Kate Morton The Forgotten Garden Lionel Blue Hitchhiking to Heaven Mark Wallington Boogie up the River Molly Bihet A Child's War Noel Streatfeild Ballet Shoes Pat Barker The Eye in the Door Pat Barker The Ghost Road Roald Dahl James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl The BFG Robert Louis Stevenson Treasure Island Sally Gardner I, Coriander Sally Magnusson Family Life Sebastian Faulks On Green Dolphin Street Simon Brett Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honour Stan Barstow A Kind of Loving Steig Larsson The Girl Who Kicked a Hornet's Nest Stephen Fry The Fry Chronicles Sue Gee The Mysteries of Glass Thomas Hardy Far From the Madding Crowd Virginia Woolf The Common Reader W Somerset Maugham The Travel Books of W Somerset Maugham William Golding The Lord of the Flies PLAYS William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) William Shakespeare Hamlet (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) William Shakespeare The Comedy of Errors (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) William Shakespeare The Life and Death of King John William Shakespeare The Merry Wives of Windsor (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) William Shakespeare Twelfth Night (Cambridge School's Shakespeare) Sadly the numbers didn't copy across (they've turned into bullet points!) but there are 84 in total!

Thanks. I don't think Amazon do that!

Thanks, Claire.

It is!

I thought the film was great - it was quite a good adaptation I thought. Plus it had Benedict Cumberbatch in it!

I think I'm going to have to. I'll probably take my Kindle when we go away though!!