rwemad

Oh my goodness I NEVER bite. Most of the grouching is in my head. I am the only person I seem to make miserable. All very pointless.

Ahhhh ya know....... for a bit I really thought Scotland were going to do it. They looked so good in the first half!!!! Wales were fortunate I think... wasn't the sexiest game I've seen. I hope they do well against England.... in fact I hope they trounce England:) I'll tell ya one thing for nothing though.... the Scots are winning in the singing of the anthems competition. My goodness, wonderful stuff... puts us Welsh to shame.

Actually.... I was thinking if I bet on it happening......... it most certainly wouldn't iykwim My cunning plan ..........ho ho ho Should the truth be known, I wouldn't know how to place a bet.

I read 1984 when I was very young.... before 1984....... I remember it being a bit of a struggle. I have ordered it from the library though as I am hoping to understand a little more now I am more... um mature... perhaps I may even enjoy it, who knows. I wasn't overly impressed with Atonement which I read recently. I do remember quite enjoying the Da Vinci Code though. I got bored with the Harry Potter series. I enjoyed the first couple and then gave up on the third I think (although I have been told that the third is the 'best'). No way could I ever read Lord of the Rings. (yawn)

I woke at the crack of dawn this morning after I dreamed a try was awarded to Italy against Wales........ in the first 10 seconds of the match!!!! I really need to get a life I think it was because I had a long conversation on the phone to my cousin yesterday before she head off to Rome for a week. Lucky thing. I have never been for the match but I did like Rome when we visited just because we could. Even so, it's no excuse for dreaming of it. It was right under the posts too. I think I'll pay a visit to the bookies and see what the odds are. Judas that I am.

Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris *** I had to prepare myself for this one. I had to sit myself down and give myself a good old fashioned talking to. I fear I am turning into a proper old grouch. I am recognising a tendency in myself to nitpick and point out inconsistencies in both character and plot. This, I know, is not the most endearing quality of my personality. I chose this book as I wanted it to stretch my imagination and hopefully train me to stop being so ....well.... irritable and ....errrrr........grouchy. I knew when I picked it up that the lead had a fantastic power. That's OK... it's not totally impossible and I know real people in real life claim to have such and other equally amazing abilities. I just had to streeeeetch the imagination and accept it. I did, honest, before I even read the first line. I quite enjoyed it. However, there were irritations that I cannot leave umentioned they included the names......... Harper and Tolliver???? I do wish they were 'easier' on the tongue. Such mouthfuls, particularly Tolliver. I ask you. Why on earth did that girl have a teenage crush???? what brought THAT on? I was uncomfortable with the relationship between Harper and Tolliver too... either they are brother and sister or they're not. The stroking of the hands, 'wake up baby..' ing by Tolliver.......... creepy for a brother. The neediness of Harper when she is otherwise portrayed as one tough cookie. I am guessing this relationship will evolve in the future books in the series. There were a lot of characters intoduced early on and sometimes it got quite confusing as to who was who and what they had to do with anything and who they were related to etc but in some ways that was a plus as it at least kept me focused. I am not the quickest at solving mysteries and so hadn't got the specifics sorted but I had picked up on the not-so-subtle hints thrown in. However, with it being so 'crowded' it could have been anybody. But that's a good thing in a who-dunnit isn't it? All in all, this book was good for me. I enjoyed it.

Ahhh see!!! There are books that we both like. Have you read - Have the Men Had Enough? It is a fab book.

I know I know, it's just a book but I need my fiction to make sense - even if it IS fantasy. I couldn't agree more. I always say I don't like fantasy. However, there are some I do like. I figure the ones I like have some sort of logical and sensible order about them, even when the story itself is totally incredible/fantastic. I need to understand what is going on.

State of the Union by Douglas Kennedy * Hugely disappointed with this one. It was lengthy and dull for a large amount of the time. The 'exciting bits' were often just plain daft. I mean I know it's a story and I know it is supposed to stretch my imagination but please.... the reader needs to be credited with a little bit of noggins surely. The idea isn't a bad or uncommon one. For me though, there were too many conincidences and they were all a little too convenient. The attempt to be topical regarding the whole Christian evangelical thing and the fox news stuff was just way too OTT. I speak as an atheist who recognises fox news as more entertainment than factual, but, even for me, this was over cooked. The biggest imagination couldn't visualise the media circus that was depicted let alone the jumping to conclusions of an almost entire population. I didn't like the lead, Hannah, I thought she was self absorbed and a misery. The most believable part of the book was where she admitted she just didn't 'do' happy. So, it was very difficult to warm to her, even if she was having a run of (totally unbelievable) bad luck. I just struggled through it to the bitter end despite being frustrated and annoyed at it's plain silliness and lack of respect for it's reader. Sorry, I know the above may be harsh... but having enjoyed the Big Picture I can't believe this one is such a let down. Oh well.

I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Young-Ha Kim *** Another short one. I very nearly gave this a 4* as I know many people will love this book, but I think it may require a somewhat acquired taste. It is........ busy.... yes, busy is the best way I can describe it. There is a lot going on. It is written anonymously, which is apt as the narrator answers a helpline to those seeking help. The lead is an art critic and novelist and counsellor. He offers well selected clients advice and assistance to end their life. He covers the story's of two of his clients. Both female and both are involved with a character only known as C and his brother K. I was left feeling it was about the relationship between two brothers and loneliness. It all sounds very depressing but, whilst it can't be called chirpy, Ifound I didn't dwell on the death bit. Strange.

I have never heard of a sequel. I am looking for a 'shocked' emoticon!!! Three Men in a Boat is one of my all time favourites. I have a very old copy signed by my dearly departed Grandad. It is one of the few books I have read time and time again. I actually do laugh out loud. I will look up Three Men on the Bummel. I feel slightly embarrassed. Is there more I should know about?

Silly or not.......... I'm gonna do it!

Hi Charm The library have rung and Pig Island has arrrived:mrgreen: I shall collect it tomorrow and have a look for Grave sight while I'm there. So little time......... so many books........

According to Ruth by Jane Feaver ***** I have been so lucky lately. I have read some truly fantastic books this year. According to Ruth is outstanding. Honestly. I have carried out a search here and can't see it anywhere. Please read it.... you are missing soooo much if you don't. It is a story about a family falling apart at the seams. It is mainly told 'according to Ruth'. Ruth is full of girly teenage worries and has younger siblings to contend with whilst recognising the breakdown of her parents marriage. She also has her own budding sexuality to contend with. I would just hate to be a teen again. Maybe it is my age (45) which caused me to chuckle nostalgically - rewinding cassette tapes with a biro anybody? But everybody will recognise themselves in Ruth, her siblings or the adults (or all of them) in some way. Hands up those who never packed their school satchel with weetabix and marmalade (or similar) to run away from home? As it moves from childhood recollections it becomes not only chuckly (is that a word? I've had some wine:smile2:) but poignant and sad. Each sentence is packed. It is only a short(ish) book but it feels like a very lengthy short story. Every sentence appears well thought out and concisely written. Every sentence matters. Wonderful, wonderful book. I hope somebody here reads it and gives it the glowing pride of place review it so richly deserves. I wish so much that I had written it.

We watched her from the bedroom window, striding along the edge of the road, tripping in the ditch, catching her balance, thump, thump, thump, her fist beating against her side. According to Ruth by Jane Feaver

Over by Margaret Forster **** As I expected, I really enjoyed this book. It was small but beautiful. Somehow it managed to delve deeply into the emotions surrounding grief, the roles of the various family members and how the grieving process can affect each individual. Somehow it made me feel remarkably intuitive. How clever. Because in real life I don't think I am. It was poignant and touching without being a weepy. Beautiful is a very apt description of this book I think.

I think I may look up some Charlaine Harris when I am next in the library. Which one should I get first?

I have to start somewhere, trying to understand. Over by Margaret Forster

Ritual by Mo Hayder**** Great book. Should you feel like reading something gritty with a truly realistic slap of quite disturbing horror, then this is a book for you. I don't really want to say too much for fear of spoiling it for anybody. Lots of interesting characters with enough depth for us to know what made them tick without going too OTT. It was fast paced with twists, turns and a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. Great, edge-of-the-seat stuff. I liked this so much I have asked the library to hold Pig Island for me. I would never have found this author if it had not been for the good people of this forum. Thank you.

Oh dear.... never mind. It was really exciting to watch......... shame the Welsh left it late (again) to start to really fight back. Good day though, I really enjoyed it. The French/Welsh matches are always nailbitingly fun to watch and there was some fantastic running rugby. It would have been better had we won but....Well done both sides. And of course let's not forget, there is nothing like an evening watching lots of fit guys running around in shorts to brighten a girl's day. Come on Scotland and Ireland......... I'll be cheering you on today.

I have no clue whatsoever. but go Wales indeed:mrgreen:

I have just started Ritual. I am only a few pages in and I know already that I will finish it. I am hoping that this is another author that I will grow to like, one that I would never have considered/found, if it hadn't been for this forum. I'm so pleased I found you all. Thank you

come on Wales!!!!!! Ceinwenn...... are you in a Parisian pub????

Things I want my Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble *** This was OK. It was nice, pleasant and easy to read. Good one for the beach. I think those who have lost a Mum to a terminal illness may well feel a little more 'touched' by this book than I was. I never felt moved to tears as some readers have said they were. This was surprising as I cry quite easilly. I just didn't find it particularly sad. I'm not entirely sure it wasn't intended to be uplifting rather than sad. I think, should the intention be to make the reader weep, it would have gone deeper into issues directly surrounding the death rather than centre on other events in the daughters' lives. A little more depth would have been nice I think. Worth reading though.

I have just been recommended and loaned (yay) this book by a friend and shall be starting it tonight.