~Andrea~

I enjoyed this book. I didn't feel the need to know too much about the background of the house. I think it was best left to the imagination. I think Hood could have been scarier though. I found the other four Jive etc much creepier than Hood. I had never read any Clive Barker and I will definitely be trying something else by him (well, providing I can find something not TOO scary).

The Other side of nowhere - Daniella Westbrook I'm about half way through this and loving every minute of it. I admire anyone who can conquer an addiction especially one as severe as hers. I remember watching a documentary about her several years ago and was very impressed with the way she was so down to earth, didn't take herself seriously and how she coped everything including all the negative press attention. She just seemed like a really nice girl. Its fascinating to read about the other actors in Eastenders. I'm finding it quite moving and don't want to put it down. It made me cry last night.

This Book Will Save Your Life - A M Homes I enjoyed this. It was quirky and humorous. The plot meandered about with no real pace but the characters and situations kept me interested. Did it have a deep underlying message or was it just an excuse to poke fun at LA life? I wasn't sure about the ending though. The Thief of Always - Clive Barker I enjoyed this children's story. It was intriguing and quite gripping and creepy (it probably would have been quite scary if I was ten years old). There are some great descriptions and ideas in this book but it took me a while to get used to the writing style and I didn't enjoy the first chapters much, unsure if I would like the book at all. I kept reading though. I doubt I would read it again, unlike other children's stories I keep going back to like say the chronicles of Narnia. However I may try some of the authors other work.

Oh no - hope you feel better soon. I totally agree with you about Yes it is quite dark actually, like brothers grimm stories.

Oh good luck. I did MOTF for A Level and found it hard going! Silas Marner is quite good, and a lot shorter. I should probably try some more George Eliot.

Hi and welcome. I'm currently reading the forum reading circle book for June, Clive Barker's The thief of always. After that its going to be a fight between Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, Steinbecks' Of Mice and Men or Daniella Westbrook's autobiography which has been sitting on my shelf since Christmas. Andrea

Well my previous misgivings seem to have been unfounded. I'm half way through and really enjoying it. The style has either changed slightly further in or I've got used to it. Its a very intriguing story so far.

I've struggled with Jane Austin. Among my favourite classics are probably Wuthering Heights (hard work but worth it) and Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I also enjoyed Jane Eyre. Some of those books do require a bit more effort but if i'm in the mood then I do find the language very rewarding. That said, Wuthering Heights IMO is unnecessarily verbose in places.

Hi and welcome to the forum. Good luck with your novel. Very impressive that you have actually completed (nearly) something so long. That's no mean feat. Hope you enjoy it here.

I haven't seen that many, especially in the theatre. My favourite is Bugsy Malone.

I went for sci-fi, thriller and adventure. I also put other as I like literary fiction, classics and general novels (I guess they may be genre-less though)

I'm not going away until September. Its a beach holiday so perfect for reading. I think i'll take a couple of shortish books and maybe a thicker one. It'll have to be fairly light easy reading. And I have to have several options so if one book doesn't work out I have a fall back. (And less chance of running out of reading.) Otherwise I might have to buy holiday resort pulp fiction, eek.

I read a few chapters last night. I'm not sure about the writing style, the prose seems a little over elaborate for my taste. And the quality of writing seems good in parts but a little amateurish in others. I keep wanting to cross bits out with a pencil and declutter it. The story however is quite engaging so far. (I was grumbling to myself as I was reading, but I kept turning the pages) I'll see how I get on with it.

Derren Brown's live show is fab. I saw him last year in April. It was actually my mine and my bf's first date. Lucky you got to meet him!! I agree with you Kell. He's rather nice. I went to see the Levellers play a couple of weeks ago but had a rotten cold on the day and so didn't enjoy it much. A few weeks before that I went to see the woman in black at the theatre. Great fun. Lots of jumpy bits.

Hi and welcome . I'm Andrea. Hope you have fun here.

Thanks PP I remember when this came out I thought I'd like to read it but forgot. I'll definitely add it to my TBR. The film didn't get very good reviews from what I can remember but the book sounds good.

Hi and welcome!

Excuse my ignorance but what's DWJ?

Welcome Frida, hope you enjoy it here. No this is not a good place for keeping your TBR down! B) I received about 10 shakespeare plays including Othello for

I started reading Atonement and started to enjoy it but was making slow progress with it. It was a library book and I ended up giving it back before I finished it. I might try it again. I would like to read Amsterdam. I'd definitely like to read something of his one day. I picked up chisel beach in tesco but I don't think I really fancy it.

Eek no! I would never write in a book. In school if I wrote in a book for studying I would write in pencil. I don't write or turn the pages down. It would totally go against the grain for me. I think I have, rarely, written my name in books, but only in non fiction ones and only in pencil.

Haha yoda sounds very welsh!. We talk like that we do. Hi Fiona and welcome.

A lot more now than before I joined this forum B) I think I had about 8 when I joined, now its zillions!! Its all your fault people

hehe well it would be interesting to watch if they do get round to making it then. If you do read it let me know what you think.

Hmm, I voted one but have been known to read two at a time. I find if one book drags I'll start another which can be fatal as I may not finish the first. I may read two contrasting books together. Last year I read a very light fluffy novel alongside a much more literary one. That worked quite well as they offset each other quite nicely. Either may have been a bit much on there own.