~Andrea~

Quite pleased with how my reading is going so far this year. If I maintain a rate of 2 books per month that will be quite good for me, although I'd be happy with anything over a dozen books in the year to be honest. I'm behind with reviews but I will put some up!

The Wodehouse was brilliant Poppy, so funny, just the job when you're in the mood for something a bit silly and inconsequential. I love the language in it. I want to start using words like bally, rummy and cove. That bally fellow is a frightful cove you know. Toodle-pip.

Come in, come in, pull up a chair and make yourself at home and chat ☕ Previous logs: 2022 (10) 2021 (9) 2020 (7) 2019 (18) 2018 (14) 2017 (10) 2016 (9) 2015 (10) 2014 (19) 2013 (21) 2012 (19) 2011 (17) 2010 (19) 2009 (23) 2008 (26) 2007 (21) Completed: The Spies - Michael Frayne Delicacy - Katy Wix Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi (GN) Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury The Flat Share - Beth O'Leary A Street Cat Named Bob - James Bowen Take my Hand - Dolen Perkins-Valdez My man Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - JKR Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JKR Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JKR Persepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi (GN) The Girl You Left Behind - Jojo Moyes Currently reading: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - JKR Abandoned: The Silver Bough - Lisa Tuttle

I have two books on the go. I won't finish both by the end of the year so I'm going to focus on the lighter of the two, the PG Wodehouse.

You have a real treat in store!

OK, some rather short reviews: Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gail Honeyman Eleanor Oliphant is a quiet bookkeeper, living an ordered and predictable life who likes to keep herself to herself and everybody else very much at arms length. One day she somehow manages to save someone's life and as a result finds all sorts of people want to get to know her, which is rather uncomfortable and difficult for someone as socially awkward as her. I had read mixed reviews of this one, and so I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the character of Eleanor (I know lots of people didn't, she is not supposed to be conventionally 'likeable') and skipped through it, finding it readable, engaging and well written. I found Eleanor's character and backstory were interesting and the book, while touching on dark subjects, is at its heart, light, entertaining and optimistic. The Hypnotist's Love Story - Liane Moriarty Hypnotherapist Ellen finds love, but discovers her new partner has a stalker, an ex who watches him, follows him, can't quite let him go. What Ellen doesn't know is that her newest hypnotherapy client isn't quite who she claims to be… I loved this from start to finish, it was light, funny and easy to read. Liane writes brilliantly as usual in this suspenseful comedy. Quality entertainment. Tamara Drew - Posy Simmonds (graphic novel) Beth Hardiman runs a retreat for writers in a quiet rural village, the childhood village of Tamara Drewe. All is peaceful until Tamara returns from London where she has transformed herself with plastic surgery into a dazzling head turner and quickly becomes the centre of attention and the cause of a few broken hearts. Another fine work from the brilliant Posy Simmonds. I just love her artwork and the way she draws drama out of ordinary lives, capturing middle class Britain in an especially delightful way.

My poor neglected reading thread!! I have got so behind with reviews that it almost felt like homework to catch up, so I am just going to post the highlights! Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier Max deWinter brings his young new wife home to Manderley and straight away she doesn't fit in. The housekeeper looks down on her and makes her nervous and memories and reminders of Max's beautiful first wife, Rebecca, overshadow everything in her imposing new home. I've been a fan of Daphne du Maurier ever since I started reading her short stories in my teens. While I've read several of her novels, I've only recently got round to reading Rebecca, which is a bit of an admission considering I'm now almost fifty! It's a fantastic piece of work, a little slow to start (which is perhaps why I gave up an earlier attempt many years ago). The characterisation of Mrs Danvers is just wonderful, a real villain, almost supernaturally evil: I had seen the (old black and white) film and so I had thought the book would be a little 'spoilered' for me, however, I'm not sure if the ending is different in the film, or if my memory is just rubbish, elements of the ending were a surprise. The whole book was a treat.

I read The Collector many years ago and remember loving it., one of those books that really draws you in. I seem to remember it had a rather oppressive atmosphere. I don't remember all the details of the story but I'm tempted to find it again and give it a re-read.

Ah thanks Raven. I've just started The two towers chapter 2 (The riders of Rohan). I've been so busy with work including overtime and then also having work done in my house that I'm just constantly slipping behind. Thank you so much but I'm going to take a break now that I'm at the end of the first book. I'll finish Rebecca which I'd put on hold (naively thinking I'd be able to get through both). Please all carry on without me and I'll catch up and post more when I can.

Welcome Suzanne 🙂 don't worry this is a very friendly forum. It's like a nice uncontroversial safe space on the internet, and unlike many forums which can often be argumentative and unpleasant. I hope you enjoy it here 😊

I would like to retract this statement There are too many poems and songs and I'm finding myself skipping them. Is that because she possesses one of the rings? Since the ring is changeable, and changes in this story (i.e. it now wants to be found by Sauron) perhaps then it is also more visible to others like Gollum.

I'm still a week behind! So far I've enjoyed the journey up to Rivendell more than the journey afterwards, perhaps because it felt a bit fresher and less familiar than the journey afterwards (because of the film) although it was interesting to see the journey through the mountain didn't quite match the narrative in the film, even though the gist was the same. Going back to the council of Elrond, it was disappointing that there was no female representation there, so I was glad to see the figure of Galadriel playing a prominent and powerful part in Lothlorian.

Welcome Excellent! Looking forward to chatting with you.

That's fantastic Chrissy! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!!

Mine too. It's what I've started calling my cat ever since I read it

Just lovely. The snowdrops are always a welcome sight after winter.

OK - so I'm currently on chapter 10 (Strider) so it's about time I posted some comments. This is my first reading of LOTR although I've seen the films many times and read the Hobbit many years ago. My first thoughts are that Frodo in the book is (certainly in the earlier chapters anyway) much jollier and therefore more hobbit-like than the Frodo in the films where he seems very serious and barely cracks a smile. Secondly, this is my first encounter with Tom Bombadil as he appears nowhere in the films. He is certainly a strange character, and Goldberry too. They seem to me to have something divine or semi-divine about them, or to represent nature or the providence of nature in some way. They are fearless and joyful, have power over dark forces and, well Tom at least, is very old, older than the races of the elves and the dwarves, so there is certainly something very mystical about them. I understand that Tom doesn't have much to do with any of the rest of the plot, but I'm still curious to see whether there will be any further references or allusions to him. Thirdly I had assumed I would have no interest in the poems and songs and would skip or skim them, however I've actually been enjoying them which has come as a pleasant surprise. Finally I had always built up in my mind that LOTR was a very heavy going book that I'd struggle with (probably because my dad attempted to read it to me when I was young, and I told him to stop because it was boring - I guess I was a bit too young) whereas it's actually a very easy and pacy read. Mind you the opening chapters and preamble don't help I suppose as the action doesn't get going straight away. Anyway I'm thoroughly enjoying it. EDIT: PS Once I've caught up I'll engage more with other comments but for now I'm reluctant to read comments on parts I haven't yet read.

It's such a fantastic book! So witty, well written and pacy, and as you say has a lot of layers and depth. I didn't know that about the title. How interesting.

Thank you Hayley and Raven I will hopefully have some thoughts posted on Tuesday. Meanwhile

I've been reading this thread a little enviously so I've decided to join in, a little late I'm afraid! I borrowed this last Friday and I've read the first 6 chapters plus preamble - so I'm about to start In the House of Tom Bombadil. I'll keep any comments short and sweet until I've caught up with the rest of you.

Haha no we never had them in the house. Only dark!

Oh fantastic. I loved Cassandra Darke too. I hope you enjoy them Chrissy and they bring a little smile to your face 🙂

I definitely recommend it Hayley. It's a bit graphic and cringy in places (intentionally) but in a good way, like a beautifully described car crash. It's pretty short too which makes it worth a punt.

😆 I know, us kobo readers are a bit of a rarity I think. Kindle is much more popular in the UK but Kobo I think might be bigger internationally.

I don't like having a lot of unread books in the house. It stresses me out. But then I'm quite a slow reader. I probably have 10 or so unread books in the house at the moment, mainly from charity shops, and one on my Kobo. Currently that's about a year's worth of reading as my reading levels have been shocking in recent years. I'd rather put stacks on my wishlist in my kobo account and then buy them when I'm ready.