Kate

Addition: Audiobook Rating: 3/5 Synopsis: "Arch-swindler Moist Van Lipwig never believed his confidence crimes were hanging offenses - until he found himself with a noose tightly around his neck, dropping through a trapdoor, and falling into...a government job?" "By all rights, Moist should have met his maker. Instead, it's Lord Vetinari, supreme ruler of Ankh-Morpork, who promptly offers him a job as Postmaster. Since his only other option is a nonliving one, Moist accepts the position - and the hulking golem watchdog who comes along with it, just in case Moist was considering abandoning his responsibilities prematurely." "Getting the moribund Postal Service up and running again, however, may be a near-impossible task, what with literally mountains of decades-old undelivered mail clogging every nook and cranny of the broken-down post office building; and with only a few creaky old postmen and one rather unstable, pin-obsessed youth available to deliver it. Worse still, Moist could swear the mail is talking to him. Worst of all, it means taking on the gargantuan, money-hungry Grand Trunk clacks communication monopoly and its bloodthirsty piratical head, Mr. Reacher Gilt." But it says on the building Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Glo m of Ni t...Inspiring words (admittedly, some of the bronze letters have been stolen), and for once in his wretched life Moist is going to fight. And if the bold and impossible are what's called for, he'll do it - in order to move the mail, continue breathing, get the girl, and specially deliver that invaluable commodity that every human being (not to mention troll, dwarf, and, yes, even golem) requires: hope This is number 33 in the Discworld series. As ever, it is full of action, comedy and adventure. The star of this story is Moist van Lipwig. He is a conman, and is shocked to discover he didn't die when they hanged him for his crimes. Lord Vetinari, the city's leader has other plans for him. Instead of killing him, Moist is ordered to revive the Post Office. This seems a ridiculous task as the city has clacks. Yet a meeting with the questionable man who runs the clacks and the fact they keep breaking down leads him to take up the challenge. It is not easy - he has to contend with people trying to kill him, falling in love and fire. This is another enjoyable Discworld instalment. There is great characters, competition, fire and angry women, and of course, the post! I liked Moist. He was a funny man, but also determined and clever. His previous crimes gave him a shady, yet ingenious mind that was very helpful for him, and very entertaining to read. Lord Vetinari was my favourite character in the book. His dry wit just made me laugh. In the synopsis there is talk of hope. I didn't find this a big theme throughout the book. I thought the main idea was to remember there are old fashioned ways to communicate! It seemed to me that Pratchett was having a sight a dig at modern technology, and I thought that was funny. This is not my favourite Pratchett book but there was nothing wrong with it. It was funny and action-packed, and full of the genius that is Terry Pratchett.

Yay! I started reading The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa this morning, and already am 80 pages in. It is so good!

Addition: Review e-book Rating: 3/5 Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labelled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key... This is a young adult, historical novel, and the first Jane Eagland novel I have read. I was fortunate to receive it to review from netGallery and I enjoyed it. The protagonist is Louise Cosgrove, an intelligent girl who is more interested in science and medicine than she is to conforming to society and being seen as a "lady". Her dream is to become to attend the London School of Medicine for Women and to become a doctor. She has the support of her father, but when he dies life changes for her. Her mother loses herself in grief and has to be tended too and her brother Tom is angry at Louisa and has given in the freedom London provides. Louisa is also struggling with her feelings for her cousin. She has discovered she doesn't love men, she likes women, something that is not allowed in Victorian society so she has to keep these feelings hidden. Soon Louisa finds herself being shipped off to a family far away, but she never makes it there. Instead she is dropped of at Wildthorn, a lunatic asylum. There she loses her identity and is subject to horrid treatment. The more she tries to explain who she really is, the more they think she is mad. Everyone, that is, except Eliza, the helper who doesn't like how people are treated. Soon they form a friendship and with Eliza's help Louisa is able to piece together what happened, who betrayed her and why she is trapped at Wildthorn. I found this a fairly quick read and certainly enjoyable. I sometimes think Eagland forgot she was writing about Victorian times, but other than that I thought the book was alright. The ending didn't come as a huge shock. I was surprised by who orchestrated the betrayal but the reasons why and how the book then ended did not come as a surprise. This was a good read, I enjoyed it. I think Eagland described the asylum well, and it was certainly horrid! She writes the thoughts and preconceptions that the Victorian's had well - that ladies should stay at home and only men could work. I liked Louisa. I felt myself feeling sorry for her as the effects of Wildthorn started to take their toll and I liked that she was clever and ambitious. I found Eliza a nice read too - although their friendship did not come as a surprise. I liked Eliza's family too. They were welcoming and caring and a lovely bunch of people to read about. I think Eagland wrote realistic characters for the majority. I'm not convinced Louisa's Papa would have encouraged her pursuit of medicine quite so much, but the rest of the cast were believable. The women saw their role as at home being the wife and men saw themselves as better than women and the breadwinner. This is not the best book I have read recently but I did enjoy it. This is a good young adult book, and it is nice to see that genre leaving vampires and werewolves alone and heading into history.

I've just finished Wildthorn by Jane Eagland. It was a good read. Up next is The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa I think

I'm reading Wildthorn by Jane Eagland at the moment

Book Sort: Library Book Rating: 4/5 Synopsis: Dear Reader, Considering that I'm married to Cedar Cove's private investigator, you might think I enjoy mysteries. But I don't -- especially when they involve us! Roy and I have been receiving anonymous postcards and messages asking if we "regret the past." We don't know what they mean . . . On a more positive note, we're both delighted that our daughter, Linette, has moved to Cedar Cove to work at the new medical clinic. A while ago I attended the humane society's "Dog and Bachelor Auction," where I bought her a date with Cal Washburn, who works at Cliff Harding's horse farm. Unfortunately Linette is less enthusiastic about this date than I am. Speaking of Cliff, the romance between him and Grace Sherman is back on. But that's only one of the many interesting stories here in Cedar Cove. So why don't you drop by for a coffee at my husband's office on Main Street or our House on Harbor and I'll tell you everything that's new! Corrie This is typical Debbie Macomber. This is number five in the Cedar Cover series and is in every way as good as the others. You could read this as a stand alone book as it does recap the general story lines from other books, but it does carry on nicely as part of this series. The main focus of this book is the private investigator, and his wife - Roy and Corrie. They have been receiving mysterious gifts and postcards. They have concerned Corrie and Roy is struggling to find out who they are from. In other stories, Charlotte marries Ben, but is upset by her children wanting to check him out first, Olivia is concerned for Jack's health - and when he ends up in hospital she sees she is right about his lifestyle and everything is a bit on-and-off with Cliff and Grace. This book includes all the usual favourite characters and we continue to follow them through their lives in Cedar Cove. I don't think I have a favourite, no one sticks out in my mind, but they are all nice and it is quite a gentle, friendly community they live in. It is idealistic but so what? It is nice reading. Once Roy and Corrie's daughter moved to the area and started making friends I quickly worked out who it was sending the anonymous notes and how the love story would pan out. I didn't mind the predictability however. This is simple chick-lit that would make a good beach read. It is a lovely series to escape to and I always enjoy Macomber. This is a good book for those who like a light, quick, chick-lit read.

I like Weave's

I really enjoyed it too. I will write my review soon - and sorry it has taken so long to reply! In fact, I haven't updated this for ages, I keep forgetting! So here is where I am now up to with this year's reading: 82. Lyn Andrews: A Daughter’s Journey 83. Jim Beavis: The Brighton Races 84. Jane Green: Second Chance 85. Jandy Nelson: The Sky is Everywhere 86. Iain McGowen: The Spirit of Brighton and Hove 87. John Huddlestone: The Brighton Story 88. Sarah Dessen: That Summer 89. James S. Gray: Brighton: Between The Wars 90. Julie Kagawa: The Iron King 91. Mary Julia Young: A Summer at Brighton 92. Julie Kagawa: The Winter Passage 93. H. M. Moriarty: Brighton in an Uproar 94. Sebastian Fitzek: Therapy 95. Dorothy Koomson: Goodnight, Beautiful

Haha I've done that too! I had a book in my bag and my bottle of water leaked. The book is now misshaped! And I split tea over a few pages of a library book, but it was in the middle of the book and there are self-service machines so I got away with it

Thank you!

Yesterday I started and finished The Winter Passage by Julie Kagawa and today I finished Therapy by Sebastian Fitzek - both were really good

I'm reading Brighton in an Uproar at the moment. It was written in 1811 and is boring!

I'm reading The Winter Passage by Julie Kagawa, the novella that is part of The Iron Fey series - really enjoying it so far

Here is my review of the first in the trilogy, The Iron King: Copy: Review e-book Rating: 5/5 Synopsis: Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series. I loved this book for everything from the beautiful cover to the great story line. This is the first book in Julie Kagawa's young adult series The Iron Fey Series. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to get onto the next: The Iron Princess (out this month). The final book in the trilogy is released in Feb. 2011. This is fantasy and adventure, with a touch of romance - everything you need for a great read. The star of the story is Meghan Chase, a girl who didn't fit in well at school. She did however have a good friend: Robbie. Her life changes when she discovers her little brother Ethan has been kidnapped and replaced by a monster. Suddenly she finds herself on a mission: rescue Ethan. This opens up a whole new world for her, the Nevernever world. Unbeknownst to her, this is the world she belongs in, as does Robbie. He turns out to be Puck, and he had been guarding her for the Summer King. Whilst in the King's court she meets Ash, the Winter prince sent to kill her, but sparks start to fly. And then when they discover it is a new enemy trying to take over Nevernever and is holding Ethan hostage Ash and Puck have to put their differences aside, Ash has to stop trying to kill Meghan and together, with the help of Grim the cat, they have to defeat the new Iron King. This book is full of imagination, adventure and I cannot think of one bad thing to report. Right from the start I was interested. The faery land mischief starts in the human land when Meghan turns 16. From there she meets all kinds of interesting characters. Kagawa has an amazing imagination and what she creates is great to read. She has taken normal fantasy creatures and evolved them, she has given power to normal animals, such as cats and she has created new monsters. All this wrapped together makes for excellent reading. I finished the book as definitely Team Ash! Of course that might change with the reading of the new book, but he was strong and handsome, and prepared to put his needs aside. Of course to start with Meghan had to bargain with him but as the story progressed you could see him softening. Puck, or Robbie was a great character too, but I the girl in me preferred the hero Ash! Puck made me laugh with his humour and tricks, but I think I liked Grim the most. I'm not a cat person but this was a wonderfully written character - smooth and cool, and just down-right entertaining. Meghan was a strong-willed girl and the love for her brother drove her on, which was lovely to see. Overall, I can easily give this top marks, and I am itching to get onto the next in the series, and to read the novella, Winter's Passage. I'm glad I discovered this series, and if you like young adult books or fantasy, this is well worth reading.

I've been reading The Iron King, it is really good. Need to get on with some dissertation reading however

I think I forgot to mention that I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - would give it 4/5, I though it was a really good book

I'm currently reading The Iron King by Julie Kagawa - really like it

Book Type: Large Print Hardback from Library Rating: 4/5 Synopsis: What makes a house a home? For Eve Gallagher, home is miles away in England since she and her husband relocated to an apartment building on New York's Upper East Side. And life isn't remotely coming up roses. What makes a neighbour a friend? Violet has lived in the building for decades but she's always kept herself apart. I was worried about how good this book was going to be when I opened up the first page and saw a list of characters. There were a few pages and my initial thought was simply "oh no". To be honest, the first time I tried this book I only managed around 50 pages. The second time was much better however. This is mature chick-lit that looks at the idea of relocating, making friends and starting a family. The central character is Eve, who moves to New York with her husband as he has earned a promotion. She finds herself living in a gorgeous flat, but even though there are people all around, she is isolated and alone. That is until a fellow neighbour hosts a meeting about the roof terrace - they have permission to make it a nice garden area. Eve goes along and meets some fellow neighbours, most notably Violet. She is an old lady who also emigrated from England, but until meeting Eve has kept herself apart from others. The book mainly follows these two characters with interludes from others in the apartment to break up the story. To be honest, although I can remember the other story lines - the over-bearing mother of a spoilt toddler, a love affair between two unlikely people and a new friendship - the characters themselves haven't stayed with them, I couldn't name them for instance. In reflection though, that doesn't bother me as I remember Eve and Violet, and how Eve struggles with life in America, and then gets pregnant and has to deal with a premature birth. Violet is there all the way through and we learn her story and about her heartbreak, and that to me is the main story and worth remembering. Noble takes on tough issues in this novel. She looks at relocating, premature birth and death. There are moments when this is a sad tale, and other times when it is uplifting. This shift in mood keeps the book entertaining. This is not the best Noble novel I have read - that would be Things I Want My Daughters to Know, but I enjoyed this. I liked Eve and felt sorry for her. I could relate her as she struggled in New York - I wouldn't have been brave enough to go out and make friends either. Ed, her husband, was nice enough but he didn't understand her that well, and I was a bit gutted that he wasn't too keen on her the pregnancy at first. I had to grow to like him, whereas I liked Eve instantly. I liked Violet as well. She was kind and caring, but she was stern and motherly, just what Eve wanted. The other characters were pleasant but don't stick out in my mind that much. It was nice that Noble included the other storylines but I think the people she wrote needed to be more inspiring. This is mature chick-lit and I really enjoyed it. I would happily recommend this novel to others who like Elizabeth Noble and like a good, emotional, realistic, interesting read.

Book Type: Paperback - library copy Rating: 5/5 Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding. This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable. I have been eagerly awaiting this book, having only heard good things about it, and I loved it! This is the first novel by Jandy Nelson, and I hope she writes more as this was a success. This is a young adult book, but one that adults will enjoy too. It is mature and very readable. It did not take long for me to read this book. I was hooked from the beginning and could have easily read this in one sitting. The story follows Lennie, a seventeen year old who has just lost her older sister, Bailey. She died of an aneurysm whilst in rehearsals. Until then, Lennie had been floating through life, working hard at school, spending her summers making lasagne at a local Italian restaurant and playing her clarinet. They lived with Gram and their uncle, Big. Their mother Paige had left when Lennie was one. She had what Gram called the "restless gene" and could not stay settled in one place for long. This had never bothered Lennie, but as Bailey had got older and her relationship with Toby grew more serious she started to look for Paige. After Bailey's death Lennie does not know how to cope. She spends time with Toby, but their grief is leading them to be more intimate than they should be. Toby reveals many things that Lennie didn't know about Bailey and her plans too. Then Joe appears - the new boy in town and in band practice. Lennie starts to fall for him, but hates herself for it as she should be grieving all the time. She also hates that Bailey is not around to see Lennie in love. Lennie has to learn to deal with her grief, understand that other's are hurting too, and learn about love all at the same time. This book is moving, often sad, and at times funny. Nelson explores all the feelings involved with grief and I think the portrayal of Lennie is accurate. She struggles after the death. She doesn't want to pack up Bailey's things, she doesn't know how to react around people and she starts to feel things that she had never experienced before. She channels her grief into sexual tension, and acts irresponsibly with Toby because when she is with him she feels Bailey around them. I liked Lennie. This book is a journey for her and I think it was so well written. I felt so sorry for Lennie, and really wanted good to come of the situation. I liked the other characters too. Lennie's friend Sarah was funny, but I loved that she let Lennie have a free pass card, so her aloofness could be forgiven as she grieved. Sarah was always there when needed though. Big also made me laugh, with his efforts to revive dead bugs. Joe was a bit too in touch with his emotions for my liking - a bit jealous and easily angered. However, his pursuit of Lennie was sweet. My favourite character was Gram. She was strong, having lost her daughter and grand-daughter. She was honest and blunt when she needed to be, and I loved reading about her. One feature of this book I really liked was at the beginning of most chapters was a picture with a poem Lennie had written and where it was found. In the book she is often writing on rubbish or tables or trees, as an outlet for her feelings, and I loved that the reader got to experience this. I also loved how Nelson used music as a release too - this reminded me of Sarah Dessen and how she uses creativity as a way of coping. There is nothing bad to say about this book and if you like a realistic, touching and gripping book this is for you. This is for everyone, not just teenagers. I loved this book, and it was well worth the wait.

A lovely cup of tea

Book Type: Paperback - own copy Rating: 4/5 Synopsis: Holly Macintosh is sitting round her kitchen table with her oldest friends – friends she hasn't seen since school - now reunited by an unexpected tragedy and catching up on the past 20 years. On the surface, they are all successful and happy. But scratch a little deeper after that extra glass of wine and it's not quite so straightforward: Paul and Anna are struggling to have a baby, Saffron the actress is still waiting for that really big break that – at 39 – is looking less and less likely, and Olivia, always the wallflower of the group, is newly single and mourning her lost love. And what about Holly Mac? Can she and her husband Marcus get their marriage back on track for the sake of the children? Or has someone just come back into her life who will change everything forever? This is the first Jane Green novel I have read and I really enjoyed it. This is grown up chick-literature, and it was entertaining and a quick read. I was gripped from the beginning. This really is a roller coaster of emotions. It was easy to fall in love with the characters and I found myself cheering them on and sharing their pain. The main character is Holly Mac. She has not seen her oldest friends in nearly twenty years - and it is an awful tragedy that has brought them back together - one of the group has been killed in a terrorist attack on a train in America. Tom was the centre of the group, the one who kept in contact with everyone, and his death has drawn them all together. They sit at Holly's house and catch-up and grieve. From there they go on to Tom's memorial service. There they run into his younger brother Will, who joins their circle of friends. During this time they all experience other pain. Olivia has a fling, that has consequences; Paul and his wife Anna are struggling to have children; Saffron is a recovering alcoholic and Holly's marriage is in trouble. They group together and help each other through every crisis. Tom's death has reformed the group but they still feel the pain of his absence. The way Green deals with the issues of death, old friends and marriage is wonderful. I thought she was sensible with her outcomes - although I personally would of liked Holly's story to end differently. Green is sensitive and delicate. Her writing is humorous and gripping. I found the story easy to follow and engaging. I found the characters realistic and wonderful. The friendship is gorgeous - the way they will drop everything for each other. I was so happy when they all ended up in Gloucestershire for Saffron. Her Hollywood life is not all that glamorous but they are all there for her. I liked Holly but some of her choices I didn't like. My favourite character was probably Anna - Paul's wife. She wasn't part of the original circle of friends but she slipped into the group with ease. She felt pain but still looked out for others. She makes crisis calls, works hard, and is just easy to like. She was a realistic character and someone I would have picked as a friend in real life. I enjoyed this book and it did not take long to read. It is easy to see why Jane Green is such a popular author and I will be reading more of her novels.