Janet

My son recently read Kensuke's Kingdom by that author and really enjoyed it.

The Shell Seekers is the only book of hers that I've read. It was years ago though, and I can't really remember anything about it! I know I enjoyed it though.

I read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote a few years ago, which was very interesting, if a bit... harrowing is too strong a word, but I can't think of anything better at the moment! Controversial and compelling, "In Cold Blood" reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote's comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human. The book that made Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative. I'd like to read Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I enjoyed it too. Rachel's Holiday is my favourite Keyes book.

I've read Eden Close, which I enjoyed, and I have a couple of others on my 'to read' pile.

Sorrry you aren't enjoying it. I felt like that at the start, but felt that once it got going, it really got going!! Hope you get into it too.

I think that is a much better description than thriller. Oh, and I cheered too!

That's the only book of hers that I've read, but I seem to remember it being a good yarn.

The Abortionist

We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. The Blurb Kevin Katchadourian killed seven of his fellow high-school students, a cafeteria worker and a teacher, shortly before his sixteenth birthday. He is visited in prison by his mother, Eva, who narrates in a series of letters to her estranged husband Franklin, the story of Kevin’s upbringing. A successful career woman, Eva is reluctant to forgo her independence and the life she shares with Franklin to become a mother. Once Kevin is born, she experiences extreme alienation and dislike of Kevin as he grows up to become a spiteful and cruel child. When Kevin commits murder, Eva fears that her own shortcomings may have shaped what her son has become. But how much is she to blame? And if it isn’t her fault, why did he do it? BEWARE - SPOILERS (AND A BIT OF PERSONAL STUFF!) AHEAD The 'normal' version of the paperback is 500 pages long (my version only 400 (although Amazon list it as 436!), which tells you how small the print was!) and is published by Serpent's Tail. The ISBN number is 1852424672. 9/10! (Read July 2006)

You obviously have a very different taste from me - I've only read two books on your to read pile. I've really broadened my reading style in the last few months - I only ever read chick lit, but recently I've read some really good stuff from recommendations on the internet, that I'd have never looked at twice before!

All I will say is that it took me until about page 60 or so to really get into it, but once I did, I flew through it.

I guess I need to rethink how this thing works. I don't have any replies so it's nearly on page 2! Perhaps I update here when I've finished a book, as well as in the review thread? Is that what you do to keep it on page 1? Anyway, I've just finished We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I enjoyed it - need to think about what I'm going to say about it now!

I have SOTU on my 'to read' pile, and Moab on my wishlist! Human Traces? It came out in paperback on 6 July. I started reading Birdsong by him, but it was when I was having an 'off' phase with reading, and also doing AS level Psych, so although I was enjoying it, I didn't finish it. I must dig it out again - my Mum thought it was great.

I've just had a browse at her site, thinking I hadn't read any of her books, but I have read The Little House. I think I read it about five or six years ago. I didn't realise it was by the same author! I thought Ms Gregory only wrote historical novels. I don't normally 'do' historical novels, but I shall keep my eye out in the charity shops for her. I know my Mum read, and enjoyed, A Respectable Trade.

That sounds like a good read. *groans* Another one for my Wishlist!

Surely they'd have waivered them by now? :shock: Or perhaps there is a maximum?

I use the computers in the library sometimes - if I'm killing time before picking up the children from school etc. I've taken out textbooks, and did have 'Shopaholic and Sister' from them when it came out in hardback, but I don't really like hardbacks and our library doesn't have a very big paperback section. The children like going to the library - I should probably make more of an effort to take them! It's closed at the moment for an 8 week refit, so perhaps it will have more to offer when it reopens.

The

That reminds me of the Knights from Monty Python and the Holy Grail!

That was one fo the things that totally annoyed me about the series. I wanted to say Mma as Madama - as the french abbrieviate Madame to Mme! You are right! Mma is the term used to address a woman, and may be placed before her name. It is pronounced "ma" (with a long a) Rra is the rough equivalent of "mister". It is pronounced "rar", but with a slight rolling of the second r. Found here: http://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/index.cfm?book_number=1173

I was thinking of 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' by Truman Capote - the lead character in that book is Holly Golightly!

Is that Dickens? I've just read Life Swap (yawn) and Ms Green had a character in it called 'Hugh Janus'!

Well, it certainly reminded me of it, but perhaps that's just me?! It's written from a child's point of view and has the same sort of innocence about it.

Hide & Seek by Clare Sambrook I hope you will forgive me for not writing much of a review, but I don't want to give too much away! This is Clare Sambrook's debut novel. The synopsis of the book is: Essentially it's a book about how a family move on after a tragedy. I think that if you liked 'The Curious Incident...' then you might like this. I only started it yesterday and I never read books that quickly, but I couldn't stop reading it! The paperback is 288 pages long and is published by Canongate Books Ltd. The ISBN number is 1841956953. 9/10