chesilbeach

Don't worry, I only knew where to look for the thread because I'd read it before - search doesn't always show up these sorts of threads as the words are so common.

I usually read about 140 a year, which is 2-3 per week on average. There's actually a thread about how many books you read here --> http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/8051-how-many-books-a-week-month-year

I'm about halfway through The Snow Child now. I have no idea where the story is going and it's completely got its hooks into me now!

Hi Soros, there's a thread all about it here --> http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/4280-dr-zhivago-by-boris-pasternak

I read the book of The Knife of Never Letting Go but can imagine that an audio version might be difficult to listen to due to the nature of the story. I chose it for my book group a couple of months ago, and everyone who read it, absolutely loved it, including those who read a couple of pages and initially thought they would hate it, but persevered because it was a book group choice and ended up completely loving it, and thanked me for recommending it as it was something they would never have read it otherwise.

I think it was probably Richard's time to go, but I'm sorry to lose him too - he was great fun, fantastic with backstage photos on Twitter, and engaged with people who tweeted him, as well as loving the whole experience, and I'd rather have someone who loves it completely and is not technically great, than someone who is technically good but doesn't seem to enjoy the whole process.

Hello Bookworm2012! I re-read Pride and Prejudice a couple of months ago, and still love it. I started reading Emma today, but I've never managed to make it to the end before now, but determined to finish it this time!

I think you need the record it and then watch it back and fast forward through the Bruce bits then!

Finished Storm Front by Jim Butcher today - really enjoyed it and will definitely read some more of the series.

Thanks Kylie, I'll have a look for those now, and add to wishlist.

It was mean to leave her to last, wasn't it? Completely surprised to see Nicky in the bottom two, as I felt for sure that the Westlife fans would keep him in for weeks to come yet. Delighted to see Michael and Dani get called out early, and heart was pounding for Flavia but safe for another week. Thank goodness we'll be back at Television Centre next week, and so far, I think Michael & Natalie have Argentine tango and Lisa & Robin have rumba, but that was based on a hint Lisa put on twitter, so could be wrong.

I watched Tomorrow, When The War Began this afternoon, and really enjoyed it. Didn't know much about it, but thought it was really well done. Had a look on IMDB and saw they're filming a sequel too, so looking forward to watching that next. Also watched It Could Happen To You which I've seen before, but not for a while, so it was great to see it again. I'm not a huge fan of Nicholas Cage, but put him in a romcom, and I think he's adorable.

Now All Roads Lead To France is one of my top reads of this year, so I hope you enjoy it too.

I found it really difficult to watch last night, as the production from Wembley is just not good enough. I'm sure it's great for everyone in the arena, but for viewers at home, the venue just looks too big, there's no connection between the music and the dancing, and the choice of camera shots from the director to include wide panning shots of a floor with some many lighting effects it's hard to pick out the tiny dancers on it, let alone the close ups where you can't see the footwork (although that last complaint is a general one for the show, not just limited to Wembley). The sound is poor for the viewer at home, I hated all the extra dancers they roped in this year, and yet another theme where the music doesn't match the dances. On the plus side, the two dances where it worked best, were Dani & Vincent and Michael & Natalie, by far my two favourite dances of the week. Everyone else was a least favourite, but I'm almost sure that was down to the reasons above, and not the celebrities themselves. I follow someone on twitter who was at Wembley itself, and she said Louis & Flavia were wonderful (and she's not been his biggest fan so far) and that they were grossly undermarked, so again, perhaps it worked better in the arena than it did on television. I've been having a look at various forums, including ones on the BBC website, and that overwhelming majority of people who comment, say pretty much the same as our complaints about the Wembley show. It's odd, because when they broadcast from Blackpool, it seems to work much better, but I think they just don't seem to be able to scale that up another notch to Wembley. If it was up to me, I'd consider taking a week off for Children In Need week when they don't have the studio, and coming back the next week and start the couples off on two dances a week, even if it was only something like the Swing-a-thon or a proper group dance for the first week, if it meant they would run out of dances, although that would be unlikely, as last year all the celebrities who made it to the final had one dance they didn't do because they didn't schedule the two dances each week into the series earlier enough, so I can't see that would be a problem.

Sounds like you're have a good few days then. Always good to treat yourself every now and again, especially if you're busy. I've been Christmas shopping this morning, and I've been pretty successful if I do say so myself. I think I've pretty much nailed the bulk of it now, just the best part left - the book buying! I'm going to indulge in some serious book shop meandering and pondering time next week, and hopefully, I'll have done the shopping and will have time to spend on baking after that.

I started Storm Front by Jim Butcher, and read the first three chapters. Promising so far

For me, yep! They did a pretty sneaky thing to be able to add more action, but I enjoyed it. I went to a 1.30pm showing and can't believe how many teenage girls in school uniform were there - I'd been hoping for a quiet screening, and I could have done without the loud whispers, muffled giggles and loo visits, but I'll probably go again at a quieter time too.

Went the see the last Twilight installment, Breaking Dawn Part 2, this afternoon. Was exactly what I was expecting

No, it's not that, it's me, reading too fast as usual! I'm trying not to give anything away about the book until the Reading Circle!

Downloaded The Vanishing Act this morning for the December Reading Circle, and I'm already half way through

I read that for the Reading Circle and thought it was great. Hope you enjoy it! I started The Pedant In The Kitchen by Julian Barnes (recommended by poppyshake ) at lunchtime, and looks like I'll be finishing it this evening.

Have a look at this thread for some tips on writing a book review, Beth. Everyone has their own style of book review, and I'm sure you'll get into your own rhythm with your reviews after you've written a few.

Ok, this isn't funny - I already have Ella Minnow Pea on my wishlist, so it's now been moved up, and I've also added The Moving Toyshop too. I know you need to catch up on your reviews, but haven't you got any books you didn't enjoy?

Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange is a second book drawing on the characters of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for inspiration. Following George Wickham's story from a child growing up on the Pemberley estate, through his university career and upto the point where his proposed elopement with Georgiana Darcy is curtailed when her brother discovers the plan. I've really enjoyed all the diaries from Amanda Grange this year, and I did like reading it, but perhaps because Wickham is not a hero, I didn't enjoy it as much as the others. This one was also a little disappointing in the fact that it was so short! I would loved it to have continued the parallel story of Wickham throughout the entire story of Pride and Prejudice and felt a little cheated that I didn't get another view of the rest of the book as I've had with other diaries.

My first ever Jane Austen read was Pride and Prejudice and I read it after watching the Laurence Oliver and Greer Garson film adaptation when I was a young teenager. Having never see or heard of Austen and her books before this, I fell in love with the film and the story, and decided to read the original book. It was probably the book written earlier than 1950 that I'd ever read, and I did find it a struggle on that first reading, as I was unused to the style of writing and the language. Despite the difficulties, I persevered and was rewarded with one of the most memorable books I've ever read, and the door was opened to the world of Jane Austen novels, as well as the multitude of screen adaptations I've since watched. I had been thinking of leaving Pride and Prejudice to the end of my year of re-reading her works as a sort of reward for Christmas, but I just couldn't resist it any longer, and what a joy it was to read again. The characters of this novel seem like old friends, I know them so well. Elizabeth's hot-headedness and absolute loyalty to those she believes are good and right, Darcy's shyness displaying as an aloof and proud nature, the forthright, unabashed and highly melodramatic Mrs. Bennet and her determination to marry off her daughters, and the deliciously (to quote Austen and the most appropriate description of a character ever) obsequious Mr. Collins. The characters and the story jump off the page of probably my favourite love story ever, with a sharp and at times acerbic view of the society but with a lightness of touch that gives a wonderful and thought provoking insight into the lives of young women of that class and the necessity to marry in that period.