Sugar

It is indeed what the film was based on! I realised how ignorant I was, when I saw the film Capote, and realised that Truman Capote had written loads of other things to Breakfast!

The neighbours have just called around with a paddy-bag full of books that arrived in the post this weekend for me while we were out. They are books that I have to read to review and they are: Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes (which I already own anyway, but hadn't read!) Kissing Toads by Jemma Harvey Keeping Secrets by Andrew Rosenheim Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne Cents and Sensibility by Maggie Anderson

I've only read one of the books you have read this year, but have read 6 of last years - all of which I enjoyed. I'm also looking forward to your opinions on others so that I can be persuaded to enjoy them too!!!

I finished Damage earlier in the weekend than I expected, on the way home we called into my family home and I raided my bookshelf. Decided to reread The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, a book I first read for A Level and loved. May take a while to read though, as I am finding myself reading all those notes that are scribbled all over it as well as just the text!

Finished Endymion Spring in the car on Friday (sore ankle means that my other half drove more of the journey than me - we normally split more equally) so I had loads of time to read. Felt it quite neatly done, and I did enjoy it, although I'm not sure it is the best book ever written and I suspect it won't be winning any childrens lit prizes. Also read Damage by Sue Mayfeld this weekend. Surprisingly easy to read given the subject matter. Interesting take on car accidents and the effects they have on communities.

I've only read The Shellseekers. I tried to read a load of books off the BBC big read list and this was one. I was really surprised by it as I had always assumed she was a bit family saga style, but she's not at all.

I read Breakfast at Tiffany's on holiday a few years back. I certainly don't remember it being heavy going. Certainly had some great descriptions though.

If his work reminds you of anyone else, I'll be amazed Vanessa! Jasper is most definitely one of a kind! I hope you enjoy The Eyre Affair!

This is a completely charming book. An adventure story, telling the tale of Barkbelly (a wooden boy) trying to find his real family. There are unexpected twists, and moments where you really feel for Barkbelly, especially when you discover aspects of the plot along with him. It has a really satisfying ending too. This is definitely one of the best all round children's books that I have read for a long time - well written, exciting, heart-warming and more! This is Cat Weatherill's first novel for children. She is, however, an actor and professional storyteller. Her storytelling background is evident in Barkbelly with the lyricism and power within the language she uses. I would particularly recommend this to 8-11 year olds, although the length may seem daunting to less confident readers. It would also be great to read aloud. (Oh, and adults will love it too!). More information can be found on Cat's website: http://www.catweatherill.co.uk/barkbelly.html. ISBN: pbk: 0141318740 hbk: 0141381167

In that case, it was very possibly that review that led me to read the book and find book club forum!

Already over halfway into Endymion Spring (one to cross off the TBR shelf soon! - WOOHOO!!!). Not sure what to make of it yet, but it looks beautiful!

The BBQ went really well. I did Jacket potatoes which I heated on the bbq, a stuffed pepper (with rice, other peppers and tomato), a huge salad with pasta and bought corn on the cob which we were all too full to eat so I've frozen those for next time! Thank you all for your suggestions - I have printed the discussion and put it in our cookery book for future ref! PS - thanks to Kell for reminding me of the banana and chocolate pudding. We did manage to find room for those. Never thought they would work with white chocolate but it really did! Next time I am going to try a marble effect and put in milk and white!

Worthy of a post in it's own right, I have today devoured Snowbone by Cat Weatherill. The sequel to Barkbelly, Snowbone is set on Ashenpeake Island, the home of the wooden beings. It features a group of Ashenpeakers who manage to escape the slavery into which they should have been born. Barkbelly also makes a brief cameo appearance near the start. Snowbone does not disappoint in any way, and Weatherill's style is even more lyrical and readable in this than Barkbelly - something I would not have thought possible. A wonderful, wonderful children's novel, with everything that a children's novel should have - innocence, adventure, humour and more!

Kell, I'd love to know which 4 we overlap with... I finally finished The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde the day before yesterday. Certainaly his weakest novel, IMO, and I am a self-confessed Fforde ffreak! I was lent a proof of the new Tess Gerritsen at the weekend (due out September in the States and next year in the UK). Called The Mephisto Club it was the perfect antidote to my readers block that the Fforde had induced. Gerritsen seems to get stronger with each book, and Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles are becoming like personal friends!

The Barbeque is on Sunday, and I need to do the shopping tomorrow night. I will be looking over this list again tomrrow and working out which of these great ideas to use! I must say that I feel quite tempted to make it into an all vegetarian bbq, just so that I can use all of these! Thanks again for all your help and I'll let you know how it goes!

Am going to start this soon, as my real life bookclub has just announced that it is to be out August read. I bought it months ago and have really been lookng forward to it. Very pleased to finally be able to justify it!

Thought I would post a list of the books currently sat on the TBR Mountain. They are roughly in order of most recently added to the ones there longest... 1) Velocity - Dean Koontz (my other half has read it now, does that count?!) 2) Endymion Spring - Matthew Skelton 3) The Ecstasy Club - Douglas Rushkoff 4) The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss 5) Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs 6) I'm the King of the Castle - Susan Hill 7) At Swim-Two-Birds - Flann O'Brien 8) The Mark of the Angel - Nancy Huston 9) Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck - returned to Lib without reading 10) Damage - Sue Mayfield 11) Keeping Faith - Jodi Picoult 12) Perfect Match - Jodi Picoult 13) Human Traces - Sebastien Faulkes 14) We Need to Talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver 15) Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 16) A Little Piece of Ground - Elizabeth Laird 17) Popular Music - Mikael Niemi 18) The Princess and other stories - Anthon Chekhov 19) Long Way Round - Ewan MacGregor and Charlie Boorman 20) Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Suzanna Clarke 21) Geisha of Gion - Mineko Iwasaki 22) McCarthys Bar - Pete McCarthy ® 23) The Rotters Club - Jonathan Coe 24) Camelia - Lesley Pearse 25) Daughter of Fortune - Isabel Allende 26) The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (also read by OH!) 27) Two Women - Martina Cole I don't think I'm going to root out the ones hidden in the bottom of my bedside table. They were supposed to be the priority ones about 2 years ago, but now have about 2 inches of dust on them instead! * Green means read since list posted. Aim to self - read all of these by Christmas!!!

A lot of the ranking is based on the number of sites linking to you. So we all need to join other forums and put links on websites to increase the search engine finding power.

searching google for book club forum puts us 2nd on the results. "book club forum" with the quotes puts us at the top. Most searches without the word forum give hits referring to retail book clubs, eg like The Book People or publishers.

I have tidied up my opening post - I liked what Kell and Michelle had done, but as I only joined in June, it didn't seem worth opening a whole new thread for the 2nd half of the year! OP now indicates which books read in which month.

The winners of the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals were announced yesterday. The winners were: Tamar by Mal Peet for the Carnegie Award for outstanding childrens literature. Wolves by Emily Gravett for the Kate Greenaway Award for outstanding art work in a childrens book. I was very surprised about the carnegie winner. I will have to read it now! I have previously read Keeper from the same author, so hopefully I will enjoy it! In my opinion, Wolves was the obvious choice for the Greenaway and is one of my favourite picture books to enjoy for me. Gravett's new book Orange Pear Apple Bear is equally appealing! More information can be found about the books, the authors, the shortlist and the awards on the website - http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk

I've read quite a few books by Michael Morpurgo - Little Foxes was the first one I read, years and years ago! As a child / teenager, I read: Why the Whales Came Tom's Sausage Lion The Butterfly Lion War Horse Farm Boy Billy the Kid More recently I have read: Toro! Toro! Private Peaceful Adolphus Tips I believe in Unicorns The Best Christmas Present in the World I love the ease with which Michael writes, and the way that he can write about so many different subjects and in so many different styles.

I read Clan of the Cave Bear as it was on the BBC Big Read list. I really enjoyed it, but they are all such hefty tomes! I always assumed Auel was pronounced like ALL, thats how most people seem to say it in the library as well.

I like the Rincewind books (I have a soft-spot for him!) and the Witches books, and have read more of those than any of the others. I think I would like them all though! Most recently I have read the childrens ones - Tiffany is definitely one of the strongest characters from these. Wee Free Men is really amusing.

I've only read Perfectly Correct, and that is much more Chick-Lit than Gregory's other, historical fiction. It was a good fun read though, with lots of amusing observations in it (if I am remembering right). I keep thinking about getting hold of The Constant Princess, but somehow have never got around to it.