Iagegu

Not read any but I have been looking at The Secret Scripture for a while. Don't know if this will make me read it though.

The Pilot's Wife is superb and I would recommend this to anybody. Sea Glass was not one I really liked but I have heard people rave about it. It is a long time since I read the article about Anita Shreve so I cannot remember if there was any significance to her using that setting.

I thought it was absolutely great. I got really involved with the characters of the story and although I was able to guess some of the storyline of the book I did not feel that this spoiled it in any way. I would not say that this was my favourite book of hers, that is reserved for The Pilots Wife which I have read many times. I certainly feel that some of her older books are far better than her more recent ones. What I did find interesting when I was reading an article about her writing was that she used the same setting for The Pilots Wife, Fortune's Rocks and Sea Glass.

Thea Osborne and her faithful spaniel, Hepzie, have taken on another house-sitting assignment, this time in the very quiet village of Temple Guiting. Detective Superintendent Phil Hollis is looking forward to visiting for a night or two and celebrating the couple's one year anniversary, but a slipped disk in Phil's back soon puts an end to their romantic weekend. As it turns out, having a policeman on the scene is not entirely unnecessary in the little village.A few days into their stay, a pile of human bones are discovered in the base of an uprooted tree. There is no concrete evidence as to who the bones belonged to though the locals all have their theories and rumours abound. Thea and Phil find there is a strong connection to the Knights Templar in the village with most locals claiming to be descendants of some or other lineage. Temple Guiting turns out to have more than its fair share of secrets and Thea and Phil find their relationship tested to the limits as they try to prevent another murder investigation from threatening the quiet solitude they hold so dear. Completely unputdownable, "Blood in the Cotswolds" is the fifth in Rebecca Tope's immensely popular series. This is the first book I have read by this author and whilst it is not a literary masterpiece it was quite an enjoyable read. I will be looking for others as I have only realised since completion that this is the fifth book in a series.

Something by Diana Gabaldon.

Another of my favourite readers is Lorelei King reading Patricia Cornwell Scarpetta books. Lorelei King is very good. I think I have enjoyed all the books that I have listened to which she has read,

I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of Northern Lights. I thought it was far better than the two sequels.

Mine are as follows, in no particular order: 1) Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte 2) Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier 3) Keeping Faith, Jodi Picoult 4) The Day of the Jackal, Frederick Forsyth 5) Outlander/Crosstitch, Diana Gabladon

No I haven't. I was looking at them on Amazon earlier and wondering if I should get them. I have seen the more recent ones but not the earlier ones.

Have you tried Winter Solstice? That too is brilliant.

Taken from Amazon: 'A huge warm saga ... A deeply satisfying story written with love and confidence' -- Maeve Binchy in The New York Times Book Review 'A beautiful, haunting story ... that will tug at your heart strings' -- Prima 'Her genius is to create characters you really care about' -- Daily Express 'A long, beguiling saga, typically English ... Splendid' -- The Mail on Sunday This is a traditional family story, filled with the problems and arguments most families endure (and sometimes enjoy), and set in beautiful places: the Cotswolds, Cornwall and the Mediterranean island of Ibiza. Penelope Keeling, daughter of a Pre-Raphaelite painter, has survived a Bohemian childhood, an unhappy wartime marriage, and the heartache of a love-affair that had to end. In her early sixties a mild heart-attack reminds her that she is not immortal. It is time to build bridges to her three children, who have all grown apart from her: conventional Nancy, whose conviction that she's unloved has made her bitter; devious Noel, who believes he deserves more from life than he's getting; and (Penelope's favourite) Olivia, who must choose between love and ambition. Is she, Penelope wonders, responsible for their unsatisfactory lives? Suddenly the picture by her father which hangs over her fireplace provides a catalyst. After years of bing dismissed as 'old-fashioned' a surge of interest in Victorian paintings sends 'The Shell Seekers' value rocketing. The jubilant children see the solution to all their material problems. But Penelope must decide. Her children's love - and security? Her nostalgic attachment to the picture? Or what she feels is 'right'? Twelve years after its first publication this is still a very good holiday read. (Kirkus UK) Following upon Pilcher's several comfy women's novels and collection of short stories (The Blue Bedroom and Other Stories, 1985) comes this chronicle of an indomitable Englishwoman. Living in her Cotswold cottage as the novel unfolds, Penelope Keeling is in her 60s, recovering from a heart attack and dodging the clumsy attempts of her progeny - a self-satisfied matron named Nancy; hopelessly venal and immature son, Noel; and Olivia, a workaholic magazine editor - to take over her affairs. Penelope is the daughter of Victorian artist Lawrence Stern, and though Noel and Nancy encourage her to sell her small legacy of canvases, Penelope staunchly keeps them, for they remind her of her idyllic childhood on the Cornish coast and of her lover, Richard Lomax, who died scaling the Normandy cliffs in WW II. Then Penelope befriends a young couple, Antonia and Danus, whom she comes to think of as her spiritual heirs. One morning she expires neatly on a garden bench; when her will is read, her greedy children get the shock of their lives - and Danus and Antonia, a windfall. Lots of weepy sentimentalism here, Cornish coast atmosphere, and Cotswold quaintness - in fact, probably enough to compensate for the slim plot and peculiar illogic of Penelope's character: she dies a fully satisfied woman despite the fact that her life has been a long chain of dashed hopes and misfortunes. (Kirkus Reviews) This is such a great book. I was totally hooked from the first page until the very last. Was just very disappointed that it was not longer. This is the second book I have read by this author and I shall definitely be looking for more.

Taken from Amazon: 'A huge warm saga ... A deeply satisfying story written with love and confidence' -- Maeve Binchy in The New York Times Book Review 'A beautiful, haunting story ... that will tug at your heart strings' -- Prima 'Her genius is to create characters you really care about' -- Daily Express 'A long, beguiling saga, typically English ... Splendid' -- The Mail on Sunday This is a traditional family story, filled with the problems and arguments most families endure (and sometimes enjoy), and set in beautiful places: the Cotswolds, Cornwall and the Mediterranean island of Ibiza. Penelope Keeling, daughter of a Pre-Raphaelite painter, has survived a Bohemian childhood, an unhappy wartime marriage, and the heartache of a love-affair that had to end. In her early sixties a mild heart-attack reminds her that she is not immortal. It is time to build bridges to her three children, who have all grown apart from her: conventional Nancy, whose conviction that she's unloved has made her bitter; devious Noel, who believes he deserves more from life than he's getting; and (Penelope's favourite) Olivia, who must choose between love and ambition. Is she, Penelope wonders, responsible for their unsatisfactory lives? Suddenly the picture by her father which hangs over her fireplace provides a catalyst. After years of bing dismissed as 'old-fashioned' a surge of interest in Victorian paintings sends 'The Shell Seekers' value rocketing. The jubilant children see the solution to all their material problems. But Penelope must decide. Her children's love - and security? Her nostalgic attachment to the picture? Or what she feels is 'right'? Twelve years after its first publication this is still a very good holiday read. (Kirkus UK) Following upon Pilcher's several comfy women's novels and collection of short stories (The Blue Bedroom and Other Stories, 1985) comes this chronicle of an indomitable Englishwoman. Living in her Cotswold cottage as the novel unfolds, Penelope Keeling is in her 60s, recovering from a heart attack and dodging the clumsy attempts of her progeny - a self-satisfied matron named Nancy; hopelessly venal and immature son, Noel; and Olivia, a workaholic magazine editor - to take over her affairs. Penelope is the daughter of Victorian artist Lawrence Stern, and though Noel and Nancy encourage her to sell her small legacy of canvases, Penelope staunchly keeps them, for they remind her of her idyllic childhood on the Cornish coast and of her lover, Richard Lomax, who died scaling the Normandy cliffs in WW II. Then Penelope befriends a young couple, Antonia and Danus, whom she comes to think of as her spiritual heirs. One morning she expires neatly on a garden bench; when her will is read, her greedy children get the shock of their lives - and Danus and Antonia, a windfall. Lots of weepy sentimentalism here, Cornish coast atmosphere, and Cotswold quaintness - in fact, probably enough to compensate for the slim plot and peculiar illogic of Penelope's character: she dies a fully satisfied woman despite the fact that her life has been a long chain of dashed hopes and misfortunes. (Kirkus Reviews) This is such a great book. I was totally hooked from the first page until the very last. Was just very disappointed that it was not longer. This is the second book I have read by this author and I shall definitely be looking for more.

A dog of some description.

The author of The Andromeda Strain again combined thorough scientific research with the thriller genre to comment on an issue that will soon affect everyone's life. Jurassic Park takes place on a remote jungle island over 24 hours, in which an unprecedented emergency threatens the world. The crisis is the result of genetic engineering and 'the headlong rush to commercialize' this dangerous area of science which sees the potentially devastating recreation of the dinosaur. A highly imaginative thriller. Was the inspiration for the blockbuster film by Steven Spielberg. (Kirkus UK) Genetically engineered dinosaurs run amok in Crichton's new, vastly entertaining science thriller. From the introduction alone - a classically Crichton-clear discussion of the implications of biotechnological research - it's evident that the Harvard M.D. has bounced back from the science-fantasy silliness of Sphere (1987) for another taut reworking of the Frankenstein theme, as in The Andromeda Strain and The Terminal Man. Here, Dr. Frankenstein is aging billionaire John Hammond, whose monster is a manmade ecosystem based on a Costa Rican island. Designed as the world's ultimate theme park, the ecosystem boasts climate and flora of the Jurassic Age and - most spectacularly - 15 varieties of dinosaurs, created by elaborate genetic engineering that Crichton explains in fascinating detail, rich with dino-lore and complete with graphics. Into the park, for a safety check before its opening, comes the novel's band of characters - who, though well drawn, double as symbolic types in this unsubtle morality play. Among them are hero Alan Grant, noble paleontologist; Hammond, venal and obsessed; amoral dino-designer Henry Wu; Hammond's two innocent grandchildren; and mathematician Ian Malcolm, who in long diatribes serves as Crichton's mouthpiece to lament the folly of science. Upon arrival, the visitors tour the park; meanwhile, an industrial spy steals some dino embryos by shutting down the island's power - and its security grid, allowing the beasts to run loose. The bulk of the remaining narrative consists of dinos - ferocious T. Rex's, voracious velociraptors, venom-spitting dilophosaurs - stalking, ripping, and eating the cast in fast, furious, and suspenseful set-pieces as the ecosystem spins apart. And can Grant prevent the dinos from escaping to the mainland to create unchecked havoc? Though intrusive, the moralizing rarely slows this tornado-paced tale, a slick package of info-thrills that's Crichton's most clever since Congo (1980) - and easily the most exciting dinosaur novel ever written. A sure-fire best-seller. (Kirkus Reviews) I was really looking forward to reading this book and I was very disappointed. Not only after reading some 330 pages did I decide to give up but I really cannot imagine what all the hype is about. I haven't seen the Spielberg film but I shall watch it to see if it is any better. Very disillusioned with this book.

Hello and welcome. No need to be shy here:D

Hello and welcome.

Anita Harris is about to experience a mother's worst nightmare. Her 5 year-old daughter Julie goes missing whilst in the playground on the council estate where they live. She and her partner, Peter, begin a frantic search of the local area - but Julie is nowhere to be found. A huge police search operation is put into action. One of the best books I have read so far this year. I will be looking out for more of these.

New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon, beloved for her immensely popular Outlander series, crafted this intriguing tale when asked to contribute to a British mystery anthology honoring the late, great Ellis Peters. Starring Outlander character Lord John Grey, Hellfire wins Gabaldon new fans while further entertaining devotees of her saga. In 19th century London Lord John is investigating the death of a red-haired man when the suspense begins to build. Soon he is mixed up in the affairs of Sir Francis Dashwood and his notorious Hellfire Club. Suddenly, Lord John's own life may be in danger. I have read several of the Outlander series and enjoyed all that I have read. Decided to give this a go but was very disappointed. The first of her books that I have not enjoyed. I think perhaps that being so short the story did just not get going. It won't put me off reading more by her though.

A virtual bookbox works on the same principle as a normal bookbox. The box starts out with a set amount of books. Participants get emailed/messaged the contents of the box. They request the books they want and then say which books they are going to replace the ones they are taking out with. There is one slight advantage in that there is no excessive postage as you only mail out the requested books.

I am collecting some books together that I have finished with and was considering doing a virtual bookbox through bookcrossing. Would anybody be interested in taking part?

I have just looked at Librivox. Never heard of it before but it looks great. Think I will be making much use of them.

Hello and welcome

Taken from Amazon Philip Pullman brings The Amber Spyglass to the spellbinding "His Dark Materials" sequence, which dazzles everyone who reads it, children and adults alike. After the original Northern Lights, he kept up the quality in The Subtle Knife, the second title in the trilogy. Now he brings the series to an extraordinary conclusion. Will and Lyra, the two children at the heart of the books, have become separated amidst great dangers. Can they find each other, and their friends? Then complete their mysterious quest before it's too late? The great rebellion against the dark powers that hold Lyra's world, and many others, in thrall is nearing its climax. She and Will have crucial parts to play, but they don't know what it is that they must do, and terrible powers are hunting them down. The pace of the book is compelling, the writing powerful. Pullman's plotting is intricate and cunning, surprising the reader again and again. Perhaps what is most striking of all, however, is the depth of the characterisation. Lord Asriel, Mrs Coulter, Iorek Byrnison the king of the armoured bears, a host of minor characters, most of all Will and Lyra themselves: the book is a library of beautifully drawn, remarkably convincing characters walking in worlds of marvels. In this volume the cosmic dimensions of the story become more prominent, as a great conflict across many universes comes to a head--how well the narrative sustains such immensely weighty resonances is a question critics may well disagree on. The author's beliefs also come more into the open, and with them a polemic anti-religious theme that will please some readers and alienate others. Philip Pullman's writing commands immense respect; more than that, it is raising the profile of the best children's books among adults, as demanding critics of all ages fall in love with this remarkable trilogy. This book really didn't hit the mark for me. I loved Northern Lights but the final two books in the series were just not as good.

I just found with Read it Swap it that whilst I wanted to swap a book I didn't always want anything the person had on offer. I'm trying BookMooch at the moment to see how that goes.