Kate

Nothing wrong with listening to them - these are the only books I listen too and I love them!

119. It's The Little Things by Erica James 9/10 120. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 9/10

Waterstones Synopsis: Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry Rasheed. Nearly two decades later, a friendship grows between Mariam and a local teenager, Laila, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter. When the Taliban take over, life becomes a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear. Yet love can move a person to act in unexpected ways, and lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism. I did not enjoy The Kite Runner so was apprehensive when I started this book. I didn't need to be - I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is harrowing and disturbing and completely readable. Hosseini writes a good, moving story. With terrorism such a real issue in the 21st century I felt he is brave writing this book as it features not only the Soviets, but the Taliban and 9/11. This could be seen as acontroversial thing to do, but I felt Hosseini dealt with these horrors in a commendable way. Hosseini writes some great characters. I felt something towards all of them. I felt for Mariam and what she faced in Herat before moving to Kabul, and my heart broke with Laila's many times. And I did not like Rasheed - what a horrid man. I wanted him to be punished; he really sparked some anger in me - which I think is a sign of a good character and a well written book. This book does contain a whole host of horrors, but not really ones I was expecting. War is prominent throughout the majority of the book, but it is not all Taliban based. The first half of the book sees the Soviets in Afghanistan. The horrors faced by the women mainly occurred at home at the hands of Rasheed as well. I felt that the blurb was a bit misleading in this respect. It is a bit of a disturbing read, but I found myself wanting to know what happened, and actually it didn't take me long to read. I don't think this book is for the weak hearted, but it is definitely up there with my other high-rated books. I think this story will stay with me for a long time. 9/10

Waterstones Synopsis: Dan and Sally Oliver and their friend Chloe Hennessey are lucky to be alive. Three years on, after surviving one of the world's biggest natural disasters - the Boxing Day tsunami - their lives have changed dramatically. Dan and Sally are now parents. Dan is enjoying being a stay-at-home father taking care of their young son, and Sally is the bread winner and loves her job as a partner in a Manchester law firm. The arrangement has so far worked well, but when Dan starts to question whether Sally has got her priorities right, the cracks in their marriage begin to appear. Dan and Sally have everything Chloe wishes for in life - a happy marriage and a beautiful child. Dumped by her long term boyfriend just weeks after the tsunami, she's been on a mission ever since to find the perfect father for the child she craves. When she meets Seth Hawthorne, she thinks she may have hit the jackpot. But is Seth the man she thinks he is? IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS is a moving, compelling story of how a life can change in a heartbeat. I am a big fan of Erica James, and this book was not a let down. We follow the lives of Chloe - a woman torturing herself over a decision she made years ago and Dan and Sally as their marriage starts on the slope to destruction. James writes some wonderful characters, and this book is no exception. It was easy to feel emotions towards to the characters - I really felt for Dan as he tried to work out Sally; I had empathy for Chloe as she struggled to fight her feelings for Seth; I gradually began to dislike Sally more and more and I fell in love with Seth! The storyline is not particularly original, but it made for good reading. I found it interesting that a female writer wrote such a nasty female character - Sally was the bad person in this book nit Dan, and I found that a refreshing read. My only complaint with the story is that it implies in the blurb that the Tsunami would feature a lot in the book, and it doesn't. There is the occasional mention of the nightmares they were having and the horrors of the event, but by and large it did not feature as much as I thought it would. Like all other James novels I found this readable and enjoyable. It is a book of 430 pages, and I enjoyed each one. I liked how I had reactions to all the characters and I wanted to find out was happening. This book has left me satisfied. This is decent chick-lit, with twists I wasn't expected. This is well worth reading. 9/10

This morning I finsihed A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini in bed Not sure what to read today, maybe The Girl Next Door by Elizabeth Noble

Last night I finished It's The Little Things by Erica James; which I've now lent to Mum along with Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. Think I'm going to read A Thousand Splendid Suns next

I really want to read that - might see if I can reserve it from the library! My aim today is to finish Erica James' It's The Little Things which I have been enjoying

Yeah I think he is the best character - very funny! I'm listening to Jingo now - prefer it to Feet of Clay

I hope you enjoy My Sister's Keeper, I did. That and 19 Minutes are really good Picoult books Just a note, I found it hard to read your list because of the colours:lurker:

116. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom 8/10 117. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice 8/10 118. 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber 9/10

Glad you enjoyed Heavenly Paula, I remember enjoying it too

I get them out the library. My hope is to read all her books, although there are a few!

Waterstones Synopsis: Family court judge Olivia Lockhart has a failed marriage, a difficult relationship with her daughter, Justine, and a mother who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them. When Olivia denies a divorce in court, there is a frenzied reaction and, thanks to an article by Jack Griffin in the local paper,everyone's talking about it. Cedar Cove - people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it! This is the first book in the Cedar Cove series, and like the rest of Macomber's work, I really enjoyed it. This is different to her other series: Blossom Street because Cedar Cove is a navy town and the story revolves around the whole community not just a street. I found this book a fun, quick read and I have already reserved the next two books in this series. There are a whole host of new characters that I liked. Charlotte was probably my favourite - it made me laugh that she went to wakes with the hope of coming away with a new recipe! She seemed like a wise older woman and I liked how she managed to have a whole conversion with a stroke patient who had lost the ability to speech. The rest of the characters were likable too -Macomber writes strong female characters who are a pleasure to read about. The characters seem real - I can easily believe that these people could exist in real life. Macomber writes a good story. She is amusing, gripping and exciting. I found myself reading huge chunks of the books in one go - I wanted to know what was going to happen. I liked howMacomber didn't tie up all the story lines in this book, allowing for continuation in the series. The issues in the book that Macomber focuses on are hard: being a navy wife, divorce and cot death. I think that Macomber was sensitive to these issues and dealt with them well. Maybe not everything was realistic in this book but I liked how she worked things out. Overall, this was another great read by Macomber and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment. 9/10

Waterstones Synopsis Set in the 1950s, in an England still recovering from the Second World War, THE LOST ART OF KEEPING SECRETS is the enchanting story of Penelope Wallace and her eccentric family at the start of therock'n'roll era. Penelope longs to be grown-up and to fall in love; but various rather inconvenient things keep getting in her way. Like her mother, a stunning but petulant beauty widowed at a tragically early age, her younger brother Inigo, currently incapable of concentrating on anything that isn't Elvis Presley, a vast butcrumbling ancestral home, a severe shortage of cash, and her best friend Charlotte's sardonic cousin Harry... This is chick-literature set in the 1950s; and for me that worked. We get a look at life in England in the 1950s, just as rationing is coming to an end through the eyes of an eighteen-year old girl. I found this fascinating - looking at how people lived after the war, and how rationing and America influenced lives. I loved the history in this book - how Rice explores the generation born into the War; how they were worried about what life would be like without War, and how they reacted once rationing was ended. It made me chuckle that the thing Penelope missed most wasCadbury's chocolate! The other issue I found interesting was how the adults didn't seem taken with America. The parents in the book all seemed suspicious of the country, whereas the children didn't have any problems with the nation. I also liked how this book taught me things - such as who Johnnie Ray was - the guy who was popular before Elvis took his crown. This was not a quick read but enjoyable. This is chick-lit, but more complex as it has the historical element. It was a bit predictable, but Penelope's mother took me by surprise. I liked the characters and how we see Penelope slowly grow up. I wasn't a fan of Harry, but Rice wrote so well I enjoyed not liking him! Charlotte and Penelope's friendship was a joy to read about as well - I love the idea of going round to your friend's aunt's home for scones and tea! I wanted to live in Penelope's house as well, and it broke my heart to read of its decay; although I liked how Rice was realistic about how women were struggling to keep houses and to liveabove the borderline after they lost their husbands in the War. This was an easy read and I enjoyed it. It was touching as well, looking at how different people, different generations and different nationalities coped after World War Two. 8/10

Waterstones Synopsis: Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, and gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it. For MitchAlbom , that person was Morrie Schwartz, his college professor from nearly 20 years ago. Maybe, like Mitch, you lost track of this mentor as you made your way, and the insights faded. Wouldn't you like to see that person again, ask the bigger questions that still haunt you? MitchAlbom had that second chance. He rediscovered Morrie in the last months of the older man's life. Knowing he was dying of ALS - or motor neurone disease - Morrie visited Mitch in his study every Tuesday, just as they used to back in college. Their rekindled relationship turned into one final "class": lessons in how to live. This is a chronicle of their time together, through which Mitch shares Morrie's lasting gift with the world. This is an extraordinary book. Albom actually refers to it as a thesis. In this book he records conversations he has with an old university tutor who is dying. These conversations consist of Morrie sharing his wisdom about life with Mitch. He has a wonderful insight into life, especially in regards to happiness and death. It is an enlightening book and an enjoyable book. Albom is a wonderful writer. Even though this is a recollection of conversations Morrie and Mitch had, this is written as a story, and you forget that it isAlbom's memories, and a piece of work that Morrie wanted written - he even gave Albom the title. I really enjoyed this book. It was very descriptive, and I found it heartbreaking to read about how Morrie was deteriorating and his death. This was such a good read. It was easy to read insightful. I felt I got a lot out of this book. 8/10

I finished 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber and I've been writing my book reviews - have several to catch up on

Waterstone's Synopsis: This is Lydia's newest knitting class is called "Knit to Quit". It has four members: Abbie, a woman who's dealing with a broken engagement; Alix who wants to quit smoking before she gets pregnant; Margaret and - for the first time - a man, Brain Hutchinson, who joins the class to help deal with stress. There's also the chance to find out what's been happening with other Blossom Street regulars including Lydia and her husband, Brad, who want to adopt; Anne Marie from Twenty Wishes; and Ellen, whose biological father has tracked her down. With romance and friendship on the horizon, Lydia's "Knit to Quit" class is going to have a busy summer! This is the next book in the Blossom Street series, and as good as the others. Macomber has become my favourite author and I love reading her work. This novel involves the majority of the old favourites: Lydia, who is hosting a new knitting class; Alix, who is attempting to give up smoking; Margaret, who is working in the shop, as cynical as ever and Anne-Marie, who has just met the man who might be Ellen's biological father... Having read many Macomber books I find that she often tackles serious issues, and Summer on Blossom Street is no exception. This novel sees the arrival of Casey, a girl who has been in many foster homes. I loved how Macomber explored how she would react being moved into a new home, and looked for ways for her to experience real joy and open up. I am not acquainted with social services and foster care myself but I felt that Macomber was very honest with Casey's character and showed how she would seem difficult and non-responsive at first because she has been moved around so many times that she no longer wants to grow attached to where she is placed. I loved that even though Anne-Marie didn't participate in the knitting group Macomber included her in the story. Having met her in the last book - Twenty Wishes - it was lovely that we saw how her life was going - I liked that she wasn't forgotten. This is classic Macomber - there are serious issues explored, friendships formed and developed and love winning out. This is excellent chick-lit and I loved it. Macomber did not let me down, well worth reading. 8/10

Well not impressed with last nights result - Zoe should not have gone, Craig should have. I don't care that he wants to go to Blackpool, he is rubbish and we've lost a good dancer just because he keeps whinging about his "dream". Man I find him wet...grrr! Mind you, I can only complain so much, I didn't vote - although I would have voted for Chris not Zoe

I really enjoyed Brighton Rock - hope you do too! As its a library book I think I'll read Elizabeth Noble's The Girl Next Door next

Amazon Description: When newly single Tilly Cole impulsively quits her London job for a fresh start in the small town of Roxborough she finds she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue and rampant rivalry for the most desirable men. Tilly has no intention of joining in

I have just finished Eva Rice's The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, which I enjoyed

I have just finished Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom - good book

113. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett 6/10 114. Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell 8/10 115. Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber 8/10