Janet

I wish! I will attempt it because I really enjoy my night out at bookworms! The lady that picked it did so because we haven't read that type of book before (as a group). It does, doesn't it! I won't drink gin whilst I read it or I'll end up doubly maudlin!

I read the Dave Pelzer ones years ago - when every other person didn't have a story to tell. I read one of the Torey Hayden ones when I did Psych AS Level but thought it was dire. I have to read Escape some time this year for my 'bookworms' group.

Ah - I didn't search in the 'Reviews' forum. D'oh! I tried getting Casino Royal from The Bookbarn but the owner said the Bond books go out as quickly as they arrive there!

I read Kane and Abel when I was still at school and enjoyed it very much (that was about '81 from memory). I've also read The Prodigal Daughter (Kane and Abel's sequel), Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less (which I really enjoyed), Shall We Tell The President? (Ditto), First Amongst Equals (I can't remember much about this) and As The Crow Flies (at which time I stopped because I didn't enjoy that as much!). Again, apart from the last of those I read the rest in the early 1980s when I was about 17 or so. I read A Quiver Full of Arrows too - that's short stories, as is the Red Herrings one (which I haven't read). Obviously my reading was done when Jeffery was less notorious! Actually, I might dig out my copy of Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less and re-read it one of these days!

Does anyone read the Bond books? I finished Casino Royale a few days ago. I thought I'd post my review here rather than in a specific review thread as their are so many Bond books! The ‘Blurb’ Introducing James Bond: charming, sophisticated, handsome, chillingly ruthless and very deadly. This, the first of Fleming’s tales of agent 007, finds Bond on a mission to neutralize a lethal, high-rolling Russian operative called simply ‘Le Chiffre’ - by ruining him at the baccarat table and forcing his Soviet spymasters to ‘retire’ him. It seems that lady luck is taken with James - Le Chiffre has hit a losing streak. But some people just refuse to play by the rules, and Bond’s attraction to a beautiful female agent leads him to disaster and an unexpected saviour. I’m not a Bond fan although I’ve seen quite a few of the films (not Casino Royale though!). This is our next Bookworms book otherwise I certainly wouldn’t have picked it up. I finished it a few days ago, but I’m not sure what to say about it, to be honest. First published in 1953, it was bound to be a bit dated, but I found Bond to be even more of a chauvinist than I thought… ”These blithering women who thought they could do a man’s work. Why the hell couldn’t they stay at home and mind their pots and pans and stick to their frocks and gossip and leave men’s work to the men.” …leaving him looking a bit stupid when Then I thought - chill out - Bond’s not even a real person! I didn’t hate it but I won’t be reading any more Bond books! 4½/10

The Secret Life of Bees(2009) The First Shopaholic book(2009) - although it's being Americanized.

No, I haven't. I thought they looked a bit like 'Miss Read' books - from the cover that is, I haven't looked any further into them than that! Are they good?

I read all of those Pargeter books when I was pregnant and then when my son was born. It was about all my poor addled brain could cope with at that time!

Thanks! Well, I've never come across that surname before! Mind you, our neighbours' surname is Windmill, which is kind of unusual I guess!

Janette Turner Hospital?! Is that a made up name?

I got some squid half price in Tesco last night, so I cut it into rings (apart from the tentacles which I left whole), put some breadcrumbs on it and baked it in the oven with some sugar snap peas, spring onions and yellow pepper. It was yumptious - if I say so myself!

I'd miss having conventional books. I don't think it'll ever replace real books - I hope not, anyway.

I've heard of him - he appears on Grumpy Old Men, doesn't he?!

I have that problem with my Blog too, Michelle!

Do you have broadband? If so, you can watch it on IPlayer for the next 5 days (or download it and keep it for 28 days).

I'm not really familiar with Tony Hancock's stuff. Apart from the bit about a pint of blood being "life and death to some poor so and so" (or something along those lines!).

Hmm - I read a Freya North book a few years ago and hated it. I can't remember which on it was though so I'll have a search on Amazon and see if it was the same one. What I found really annoying was that she kept drifting from first person to third person! ETA: Well, none of them ring a bell, although I think it was one of the 'girl names' ones!

I thought about suggesting this for our bookworms group but decided against it in the end. I'm still intrigued by it so I might see if I can get it from the library.

That's the one! Thanks! I read them because the BBC did adaptations of them and (if possible) I like to read books before watching film/TV adaptations.

I've read The Shadow in the North and one of the sequels (the name escapes me). I think they're probably aimed at 11 year-olds but I quite enjoyed them!

For One More Day by Mitch Albom 8/10. A great, and quick, read. This was my freebie book from NewBooksMag.

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Hehe! He is rather lovely! I like Phil Glenister as well as Gene Hunt! I totally forgot about QI so good call (love Stephen Fry too!). I also forgot the wonderful Top Gear. James May is (to me) absolutely 'mwah'. I know I'm probably unusual in having him as a crush (everyone always prefers Hammond) but I think he's lovely.

I always knew you had excellent taste!

I think it would help if there weren't so many pastel covers with big writing on them - they always say 'chick-lit' to me!