~V~

Very much so. The reviews say it's darkly humourous. Take it from me, it's nothing of the sort. All it is is a mad ramble around five barking mad people with a brief appearance from a very sweet together lesbian. That's it.

9. Julie Walters - Maggie's Tree I've never been so relieved to finish a book. If it hadn't been written by Julie Walters (who I generally love) and relatively short (which it didn't seem whilst wading through it) I would have given up after about thirty pages. Looking at the Amazon link to post in here, it seems I'm the only person in the world to finish it - the reviewers obviously didn't! The story is set in New York around a group of three english women, all feted in their field but you wouldn't know this. Apparently they are all good friends. You wouldn't know that either. Most of the action is spent on one floor or another. From hotel rooms to studios to hospital wards, there really is a lot of floor, and footwear action. Apparently, the eponymous Maggie is mad. To be honest, she appeared no more mad than any of the other characters! But to be honest, the writing and structure is so disjointed and choppy, it's hard to tell what is going on. i was prepared to give this a couple of marks because it was Julie Walters' work, but then I got to the pretentious drivel at the end titled 'For Discussion' (I'd ignored the equally pretentious 'A Novel' on the front cover) which just made me angry. 1/10 - Do. Not. Read. This. Book.

Is anybody else watching this? If so, are you as surprised as me that Minette Walters is actually Carol Thatcher?

Or you could look them up on my link above and see the plot synopses

I've done that a number of times with hers for exactly the same reason I had to look that up in an English-American dictionary It's 'The Hollow' over here

Good. You like the Hunt fella so you obviously have great tastes

I seem to remember there being some sort of opportunity to open their own restaurant somehow in previous series. i could be just imagining that though Edited to add: This is quite interesting showing what all the previous finalists have been up to

He really deserved it in the end. Mainly because he was the one who gave the most up and was also the most technically proficient. Loved Emily though, at times she was a typical 18 year old, at other times she was some kind of genius. Amazing - I can see her being a very very famous food artist in the not so distant future

8. R S Downie - Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls Here's a new author I'd love to recommend. I'm pretty sure this is her first book and she now has a follow-up in hardback. The book is set in 'Deva' (Chester) in Britannia at the time of the Roman Empire. Ruso is a Doctor for the Roman army and the book starts pretty much with Ruso arriving in Britannia. The story centres around some murders (the Dancing girls), Ruso's slave and his opinions of Britainnia and Britons, and Romans too. It's fun to read about the native savages and will appeal to lovers of a Whodunnit but the thing I liked most was the gentle humour throughout. 10/10 - highly recommended

7. Nick Hornby - 31 Songs This has been my 'handbag book' for quite a while. It's quite interesting as I either haven't heard of, or am not very familar with, many of the songs listed. The book is interesting if you are a fan of Hornby's as he really opens up and talks about his own life quite a lot so there's an 'intimate' feel to it. However, on the down side, it really is just a list of stuff you will probably not listen to, or if you do, you won't get the same experiences as Hornby. But then, that's the point of the book, he's telling us why he has listed these particular songs and what they mean to him on a personal level. In a way this is a biography with a twist. 5/10 because it didn't draw me in

6. Mark Haddon - A Spot of Bother I'm sure I don't need to say much about this as those of you who are interested will have read it already, or intend to. It is more 'grown-up' than 'Curious Incident ...' but with all the same matter of fact style and inherent humour. I'm not sure what it is about the way Haddon writes but he does appear to get to the humour in the truth of thiings. There is one particularly grisly moment that he even manages to instill some humour into. I can't tell you which of the main characters would be my favourite but I loved pretty well all of them apart from the Mother, Jean, and Jacob the son/grandson, neither of which I was bothered about. 10/10 because I truly laughed out loud several times

I tried to log in ages ago and it just wouldn't work. I can see the book from here but just can't be bothered with it. I did expect something a little lighter and it's one of the lighter ones listed here. Had a reminder too - the rebel in me is thinking 'So sue me Penguin'.

I agree regarding the seasons. Season Two was all a bit too much with the tail-enders and so forth. Season Three was phenomenal and it looks like Season Four is going the same way Oh a Sayid-centric episode. What bliss

5. Simon Kernick - Severed Another book chosen as an 'easy-read' as I'm still not up to much. What can I say about it? It's a fast-paced thriller along the lines of Lee Child but set in England rather than the USA. Pretty much the whole tale is set in a single day and the bad day that our hero Tyler is having. He wakes up in a bed with a corpse and the day just gets worse. It's a quick read and exerts very little by way of brain power so would be ideal beach/journey reading. 7/10

4. Robert Barnard - Posthumous Papers I'm amazed that I've never seen Robert Barnard mentioned on here. I love his books, the old-fashioned detective tale a lá Christie in style (a proper old-fashioned whodunnit) with his lovely wry wit. Although the book is pretty old, the story stands up well about two widows of an author, one of whom ends up dead, living in a small industrial town 'up north'. This wasn't my favourite book by this author but I would recommend any of his works to fans of whodunnits, british authors or gentle humour. 7/10

3. Looking Good Dead - Peter James Partway through 'Not Dead Enough' I realised that I hadn't read the previous book. As I wasn't up to much, I broke one of my own cardinal rules (in a way) by reading two books by the same author back-to-back. It was ok though. The book is every bit as all of his others and although I knew a little bit of the constant narrative of the series, it didn't spoil the tale for me. So, as I was unable to concentrate for long, this was ideal. Fast-paced, gory but not too gory and totally understandable as it's set in England 8/10

2. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak I was part way through this when I twisted my pelvis. I just couldn't concentrate on it and so will return and review it when it's finished. Shame as it seems to be a great book and I didn't want to do it a dis-service and so opted for easier reads

It so isn't However, it looks like the strikeers are coming to some sort of agreement (maybe) and so it may not be too long before the rest of the series is completed. But I'm an eternal optimist The link you posted, does it have any spoilers? If so, I shall avoid it thanks

Hurley running in slow-motion was a sight to behold

I avoid those apart from the *No Spoilers* one on DigitalSpy as I can't bear the thought of having it spoiled. Oceanic Six? Others left behind? Everyone looks different apart from Hugo. Christian Shepherd? ... and lots more questions from me over the next eight weeks

I don't do mine until late March. Shouldn't do them now as they'll get frost in them as far as I know. As to how far; as far as you like but get rid of any crossing stems or ones that come from the graft. I'm guessing you know how to prune? Here's a nice guide if you aren't too sure

It is fantastic. It's a Delia recipe and pretty easy to make - better if made the day before and then regrigerated until putting in the oven. Then served with fresh cream. Not too sweet either as made with really good dark chocolate (I don't usually like this, I think of it as 'boy's chocolate)

I appear to be the family's chief pudding maker. I do a great chocolate bread and butter pudding and a lovely lemon tart that I often do together as a nice contrast. My mother makes a fantastic tiramisu, the proper way, but it takes so long she hardly ever bothers. She is much the same with boozy trifles too and when I was growing up she made lovely treacle (syrup) tarts and suet puddings. I may have a go at a suet pudding having never done one. Gran was never a pudding maker really but was always baking, even up until she was 96. It was only the last couple of years that she didn't bake bless her.

It's one of those books that stays with you isn't it?

No problems. Just proving I'm awake