~Andrea~

I'm currently half way through Acid Row by Minnette Walters. This book has been languishing on my shelf for years. I think I was put off reading it because I started reading The Shape of Snakes several years ago and then gave up (why I don't remember, probably it didn't fully grab my interest at the time) so I kind of had it in my head the Walters was a tough read. Boy was I wrong! This is a real easy-reading, gripping, page turner. I'm looking forward to having another go at The Shape of Snakes one day now too, which has also been languishing on my shelf for years.

I really like The Middle. I've also been watching Raising Hope which is good too, but I prefer The Middle.

Finished What the Bible really teaches last night. I found it a very interesting and helpful read. It's subtitle is "A challenge for fundamentalists" and it criticizes lots of fundamentalist teachings, of which I have received my fair share over time! I really enjoyed this and it has helped me to see the bible in a new way. Hopefully I will be able to start reading it again, minus my baggage.

Finished The Face last night. Cracking read!

Oh I did. I am very glad to have read it, but I do feel like giving Hugo a bit of a shake lol! I finished listening to The Mayor of Castorbridge today. It was a cracking listen, full of twists and turns - at one point I audibly gasped. It's typical Hardy though - expect no fairytale endings! Very enjoyable all the same.

Hi and welcome. I also love Daphne Du Maurier and Dean Koontz. I'm yet to read any Linda La Plante but have loved her TV stuff and would like to read her books. As for turning 30 - it's a piece of cake! Thirties are way better than twenties. I need to brace myself for the big 4-0 in a few years lol!

Hmm - I can't say I enjoyed it overall. I had to read it for A Level when I was 18. Maybe I would enjoy it more if I'd read it now. But then I found it long and a bit dull - especially some of the descriptions. However, some bits were well written and enjoyable. The character of Maggie as a child for example. The storyline had flaws too, but I won't say more until you've finished it.

I'm glad you enjoyed Dorian Gray Pipread. I loved it - apart from one rather longwinded boring bit in the middle. I guess it was chapter 11

I think the emotion from the monster was really the best and most interesting part of the story.

I finished Frankenstein (audio) the other day and I think it's fair to say I HATED it. I listened to the whole thing just for a sense of completion but did not enjoy a word of it. I thought the writing was awful and the story stupid. Yes I know she was only 18 when she wrote it, all I can say is: it shows.

Thanks Sara - it's a great read so far

Started "The Face" by Dean Koontz last night. Another tome - over 600 pages Hopefully it won't be another Les Mis (I am sure it won't be, I'll race* through it I know) *relatively - me racing through books is not a usual occurrence )

Well as suspected I am finding Frankenstein unsufferably tedious. I am two thirds through it and will finish it for the sake of completion but cannot wait for it to come to an end. I started reading a theology book a couple of nights ago: What the Bible really teaches by Keith Ward. It's very interesting but I suspect I may need some light fiction to go alongside it. I have Dean Koontz's "The Face" on the bookshelf - I think it's calling to me lol.

Hurrah - I have fnished Les Miserables! It only took me four months lol. It was a cracking read, but I feel it could have easily been 400 pages shorter and been none the worse for it. The story is a real page turner, but there are so many asides, many of them rather dull, that really detract from the story and make the book much more of a chore than it needs to be.

You should come to Wales then. You'd hear it a lot more often

Hi himself. Welcome to the forum. You have some really interesting books in your TBR. I imagine Kierkegaard would be very interesting although perhaps a little heavy going. I'll be interested in your thoughts. Glad you're enjoying Catch-22. It's a great read.

I started listening to Frankenstein on audio today. I tried to read this book many years ago and found it rather dull and didn't get far at all. I am afraid I will have the same problem with the cd, although it is abridged which may help, but so far it is only faintly holding my attention.

Hi Brian. You have some great books on your TBR. I've just finished listening to Crime and Punishment audio (abridged) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a gripping drama. Dracula is also great - a real page-turner (well most of it is anyway )

Finished Crime and Punishment today. I had no idea what to expect when I started listening to this, but wow - it was fantastic, a really gripping story, which has made my journey to and from work thoroughly enjoyable for the last week or so. Yes ok, it was abridged, so perhaps I missed out because of that, but hey, maybe I'll read the full book one day. Still I really enjoyed having Alex Jennings accompanying me in my car rides and relying this suspenseful and rather (in parts) gruesome tale.

Ah Lady macbeth - that's lush. Congratulations!!

Oh you have no idea. I started it in October I've hit the 1000 page mark now so I'm on the home straight

Fiction: The Outsiders by Susan Hinton. YA but very good. Non Fiction: Run Baby Run by Nicky Cruz (testimony of Nicky Cruz (of the Cross and the Switchblade fame), his life in the gangs and subsequent conversion to Christianity