chesilbeach

Hope she likes them too!

I've been thinking about it again today, and I think maybe that was a bit harsh, it's just that the end seems like a bit of an anti-climax, but on the positive side, it doesn't go off into flights of fancy. I would love you to read it bobblybear, as I'd love to see someone else's thought on it

Went to see The Life of Pi (in 2D) tonight - I had low expectations, but actually wasn't too bad, and I was worried that at 2 hours 7 minutes it would drag, but was surprised how quickly it went by. Also, Rafe Spall is in it, albeit in a small role, it's always lovely to see him on screen. Cinema itself - plus point, only two other people in our screening, minus point, they still managed to talk and rustle sweet papers, and the cinema was flipping freezing so we sat there in woolly jumpers, gloves and scarfs!

Gah! I can't believe I got that wrong - I must have been racing ahead to get to Anne Elliot in my head

Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone - and serendipity, coupled with sheer curiosity, has landed him a new job working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead they simply borrow impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he's embarked on a complex analysis of the customers' behaviour and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what's going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore... Review: This was a good Sunday read. It was nice and easy to follow the story, and had a lot of dialogue which I always feel reads more quickly than description or narration. Clay and his friends use modern computer technology to try and figure out what's happening in the bookstore, and there is a lot of explanation of Google, how and what they do, and the extent of the various developments they are undertaking, plus some other areas including computer languages, models and databases, and for the most part it was successful and believable. Another positive has to be that it's a story about a bookshop, books and readers, so with the added technological elements, what's not to enjoy by someone who virtually lives on an internet book forum?! Now, it wasn't perfect by a long shot. The biggest problem for me was that I didn't connect with the characters, and I always felt apart from Clay himself (who narrates the story in the first person) all the characters seemed very distant and I didn't get to know any of them enough to empathise with them. There's also the problem that despite my comment about the technology, it's bound to date the book almost immediately, as computers and the internet move so fast, within a matter of months this will feel out of date or behind the times. There's also the mystery itself that Clay and his friends try to unravel. I liked the development of it, but all the way through I was worried how it would conclude, as it could have become melodramatic or fantastical, but actually, it almost sort of petered out, and by the end it sort of felt like a bit of a damp squib. There was enough to keep me interested, and some very interesting chapters, and the descriptions of the bookshop make me want to visit it. Not wholly satisfying, but not a bad read for a lazy Sunday.

My Love Lies Bleeding (Drake Chronicles Book One) by Alyxandra Harvey Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): The Drakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer . . . Blood Feud (Drake Chronicles Book Two) by Alyxandra Harvey Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): It has been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix survived the French Revolution. Now she's made her way back to the living and must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who turned her into a vampire and left her buried for two hundred years. That's if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks . . . Review: If it hadn't been in the 12 Days of Kindle sale, I don't think I'd have bothered with the first book in the series, but for 99p I thought I'd give it a go. The action starts within the first few pages, and whips along at a decent pace, and I like the dual narrative switching between Lucy and Solange. It was an interesting take on the vampire theme, with vampires who could not only be created but also born human and effecting a change at the age of 16. I liked the Drake family and how their story developed, so much so that I downloaded the second book and started it immediately after finishing the first. The story in this second book switches to one of the Drake brothers and Isabeau, from another vampire faction. We learn more of the history of the vampire society through flashbacks to Isabeau's human life in eighteenth century Paris and London, and another easy but entertaining read. The story is not groundbreaking, but it's an easy and entertaining read, so unless you're already a fan of YA vampire books, you're really not going to be interested in picking these up.

I've just finished Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore. Still making up my mind what I think about it though!

I've read another chapter from Sightlines by Kathleen Jamie which is excellent, and I'm now halfway through Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan but it's one of those books where I'm going to have to see how it concludes before making up my mind whether I like it or not!

Yes, it helps your mojo!!!! Glad you enjoyed this one too.

Thanks. I thought exactly the same about the actors. I didn't mind the first one, as Corin Redgrave was outstanding as Sir Walter, but once you see Keira Knightley as Elizabeth, that acceptance disappeared! The older covers mixed in were lovely to see though, and I would have liked to see more of them. I love Elinor too. I hope you get to read Persuasion soon - it's a wonderful book, and I can't wait to read your review of it

It's the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice this year, so I'm expecting lots of articles to appear in newspapers as well as television programmes dedicated to it. The first one I've come across is this article in the Guardian about the top 10 characters in Austen. I definitely agree with most on their list, but some of my favourites are missing: I'd have to include Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey, for his warm character and gentle teasing of Catherine, and his determination to stand up to his father in his choice of wife. Also, Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice has grown on me over the years, especially after reading Fay Weldon's Letters To Alice which gave me a new perspective on her. And my favourite heroine, Anne Elliot from Persuasion. She's quiet, sensible, unspoilt and has been worn down over the years to be dutiful and accepting, but grows so much during the book to show strength of character. Who are your favourite Austen characters?

I've had my eye on this one for a while, so interesting to read your thoughts on it. A slow moving story can sometimes be a killer for me, but I think I'm going to try this one at some point still, although it might move a few places down the list now!

It does look lovely Kay, and I hate to spoil the illusion but it was filmed in Surrey - although the road scenes were filmed in Worcestershire, it's mostly Surrey! We watched Where Do We Go Now? this evening and I loved it just as much as when I saw it in the cinema.

I really enjoy Sam Bourne's books, Ooshie, I find they're perfect as holiday reads for me. Glad you enjoyed this one too

Oh no! Fingers crossed they arrive then

A bit belated, but hope you have a happy reading year in 2013, bree

Bit late catching up, but happy reading in 2013, Karen!

I haven't read the Famous Five books for years, but they're on the bookshelf at the top of the stairs, so I see them everyday and wonder if I might go through the lot again! I still have my Naughtiest Girl books too, but I must have read them so much when I was little as they're falling apart now I keep hoping to see the original Blyton's released as Kindle, but at the moment, they only seem to have the "revised" or re-written editions.

Here's hoping you have a great year of reading in 2013, Andrea!

I've had it on my wishlist for a while now, since reading Weave's review of it - I'll have to bump it up the list if there's a film coming out!

Like others have said, I read more rather than faster. I agree about the changeable font size helping, and the fact you only need one hand to hold it and turn the page, so I don't have to stop reading when eating/drinking and in fact I can read without holding it at all, so if I'm eating on my own, it's perfect to just put on the table and read, only touching the button to turn the page! I also find with paperbacks, if the book is thick, I have to keep adjusting to be able to read the right hand side of the left page (and vice versa) because the text is too close to the spine. I don't tend to notice the % so much as the chapter marks (if they've been included). When a kindle book has chapter marking, it's an at a glance indication of how much more of the chapter is left, and I always think, "I can just fit in this next chapter too!"

I'm with you on Picoult. I had to read two of her books for my library group, and thought exactly what you've said! If we get a third one selected, I'll try it, but won't guarantee I won't give up on it!

Hope your mojo comes back soon, Michelle, and that you have a good year reading in 2013.

Woohoo! Two books already! Let's hope that mojo can be kicked into shape this year Chrissy - happy reading in 2013

Happy reading in 2013, Ruth!