Ben

Well that's that then, Mona has spoken - I have no choice but to buy more books.

Yay, good to have you on board. Ah there's always room for another challenge. Good to have you with us VF. Looking forward to hearing what you think of them. Not a problem, I thought it'd be a good one to have a shot at. Yep, there does seem to be quite a lot to get through but in all fairness aside most of the short stories are reasonably short and easy to tick off. Perfect for just dipping into now and again. Thanks Kylie. I've done the same thing as you by reading The Hound of the Baskervilles out of order too (in fact it was my first Holmes story). I'll almost certainly read them in the list order now though, I should think. That's understandable that it'll be a long-term job (I figured most people would do it like that seen as though we've all got a lot of other challenges to be doing). But yeah, hopefully we can at least manage one or two discussions this year.

No problem, and definitely! Wasn't expecting anyone to attempt it in a month (although perfectly possible by some BCFers reading speeds), but it's a nice one just to have as an easy-going dip-in now and again challenge. I might end up just taking all of 2012 to do it.

Always.

Haha that sounds a familiar story. I just set up a Sherlock Holmes challenge here if anyone is interested - thought it might be an interesting one to do.

Okay I'm not sure if anyone else would be interested in this, but I thought I'd make (or at least borrow from the web), a list of all the Sherlock Holmes adventures by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of which there were 60 in total (56 short stories, and four novels). I figure this can be either done as a 'read in a year' challenge, or just a on-going one (which will be how most want to do it, I imagine). I'll be in here talking about the challenge, so If anyone wants to join in, feel free to post and discuss. Without further ado.. The Sherlock Holmes Challenge A Study in Scarlet (1887) (Novel) The Sign of the Four (1890) (Novel) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) 'A Scandal in Bohemia' 'The Red-headed League' 'A Case of Identity' 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' 'The Five Orange Pips' 'The Man with the Twisted Lip' 'The Blue Carbuncle' 'The Speckled Band' 'The Engineer’s Thumb' 'The Noble Bachelor' 'The Beryl Coronet' 'The Copper Beeches' The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894) 'Silver Blaze' 'The Yellow Face' 'The Stock-broker’s Clerk' 'The ‘Gloria Scott' 'The Musgrave Ritual' 'The Reigate Squires' 'The Crooked Man' 'The Resident Patient' 'The Greek Interpreter' 'The Naval Treaty' 'The Final Problem' The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) (Novel) The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905) 'The Empty House' 'The Norwood Builder' 'The Dancing Men' 'The Solitary Cyclist' 'The Priory School' 'Black Peter' 'Charles Augustus Milverton' 'The Six Napoleons' 'The Three Students' 'The Golden Pince-Nez' 'The Missing Three-Quarter' 'The Abbey Grange' 'The Second Stain' The Valley of Fear (1915) (Novel) His Last Bow (1917) 'Wisteria Lodge' 'The Cardboard Box' 'The Red Circle' 'The Bruce-Partington Plans' 'The Dying Detective' 'Lady Frances Carfax' 'The Devil’s Foot' 'His Last Bow' The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927)* 'The Illustrious Client' 'The Blanched Soldier' 'The Mazarin Stone' 'The Three Gables' 'The Sussex Vampire' 'The Three Garridebs' 'Thor Bridge' 'The Creeping Man' 'The Lion’s Mane' 'The Veiled Lodger' 'Shoscombe Old Place' 'The Retired Colourman' *I posted these in the order which is in the majority of the newer copies of this anthology, not the chronological order. Total: 15/60. I'm marking what I've read in medium blue as I go. Hope to see you all with me on this one.

Working my way through more Holmes in the form of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I really just love how they're written. Maybe I should start some sort of 'Sherlock Challenge' where we list all the Holmes texts and set about getting them all finished (could be an idea, if it's not already about somewhere). I also went shopping and bought: Dracula. - Bram Stoker The Green Mile. - Stephen King One False Move. - Harlan Coben The Bone Collecter. - Jeffery Deaver A good haul for £10. I've also made a definite promise to read some King this year, I own quite a lot of his books now.

That's what I was thinking - because they're such a good length they're great if you want to just read one or two, then do other things. Problem is they're so good I'm probably going to end up reading them all at once at this rate.

Welcome back.

Certainly will. I'm going to read more King this year for definite. They're there waiting for me so I have no excuses.

Hey, just wanted to pop in and wish you the best of luck for your 2012 reading, subscribed and look forward to reading your thoughts.

My slightly late review for Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier is up now, at last. It's here if anyone's interested.

Currently got The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, on the go. It's a collection of 12 of the Holmes stories and I want to read more of them this year, so I thought it would be a good place to start. I'm also reading it on my Kindle, which I've not actually used yet this year. Synopsis: Sherlock: The Adventures contains twelve short stories first published in "The Strand" magazine between 1891 and 1892 and then published as a collection in October 1892. It includes some of Conan Doyle's best tales of murder and mystery, such as "The Adventures of the Speckled Band", in which the strange last words of a dying woman 'It was the band, the speckled band!' and a inexplicable whistling in the night are the only clues Sherlock Holmes has to prevent another murder; and, "The Five Orange Pips", in which an untimely death and the discovery of the letter containing five orange pips lead to a cross-Atlantic conspiracy. Read a couple so far, and they're great - can tell it's going for quick bursts of reading when I don't have a lot of time.

It took me thirteen days into the new year before I caved, and bought some books. In all fairness, all were just £2.50 each in perfect condition. In total it cost me £10, and after I'd added up the prices on the back I realised it would have normally cost me about £30. That's a win in my eyes, just means more books for the TBR pile already, but I think I'm fighting a losing battle there so it doesn't matter. Dracula. - Bram Stoker (I already have a copy of this somewhere but it's a really lovely 'Oneworld Classics' copy, and I couldn't resist for the price). The Green Mile. - Stephen King (The synopsis intrigued me and I thought I'd add it to my ever-growing King collection). One False Move. - Harlan Coben (I've enjoyed all the Coben I've read before - Caught, Deal Breaker - so it was a safe purchase). The Bone Collecter. - Jeffery Deaver (Never read any Deaver before and this was the first in the series so thought I'd give it a shot). So that's another three books added to my TBR meaning it's now over when it started, plus there's another two books I have to pick up from the depot this weekend. Just when I wasn't doing too badly with the start of the reading year, as well.

But.. but I bought four books today. Does that mean I can't buy anymore till May if I'm to be good too?

I laughed out loud reading that review - think I too won't be trying this one.

Waiting on your Animal Farm review - it's a book I've always meant to read, after enjoying 1984 but for some reason I never have.

Will be interested to see how you get on with this Janet - it's always one I nearly pick up but always seem to go past when chosing my next read.

When I've read them both I might have to try something - even if it's just a short story fanfic or something.

I'm not at home at the minute but they should be arriving there in the next couple of days, Amazon says they've dispatched now. Haha VF I look forward to seeing The Hound of the D'Urbervilles in stores soon.

I thought it was fantastic, really enjoy her writing style. Ooh, I hadn't looked up any of her other work, but I'll add Fallen Angels to the wish-list. I'll get my review up tomorrow; been unfortunately very busy with studying the last few days, but I've got my thoughts ordered so shouldn't take me long to write up a bit of a review.

Finished Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chavelier on the train earlier. Thoughts: Tracy Chevalier's story of a young girl who becomes a maid in the house of Johannes Vermeer and his family, is one which was thoroughly engaging. Her style of writing is just fantastic, a joy to read, as the pages flick by almost without you realising. I was captured and dragged into Griet's world almost without realising it was happening. At first there is no sign of the painter, and Griet goes about her business amid the chaos of his wife and children - who are ultimately fascinating in themselves. Chevalier's characters are just wonderful - each one interesting to themselves, but the relationships she weaves between the characters are even more marvellous. Griet, in such a short space of time, goes through such a journey; a journey of life and of growing into a woman. Griet develops as a character so much that by the end she is far from the person we first meet chopping vegetables in the kitchen of her now old home. If you enjoy a novel full of love, secrets, admiration, schemes and mystery, this one is for you. 5/5.

I've seen Grease - love it! Sound of Music I've tried to watch but couldn't really get into. Thanks for some more recommendations you guys, I'm going to be busy. Haha, not quite but you've all certainly given me quite a list.

Four from the second lot of 30 films Kell posted there. Drat, guys. (Note: I never specifically directed my post in response to Kell's at all there - so I'm playing by the rules). This is such a good list to be working with. I'll get cracking with it on the 17/18th of this month when exams are done, and I think I'll probably use this thread as a place to put some thoughts when I watch each one. Will probably take me a fair while to get though though, like Kell said.

Absolutely fantastic, as usual.