chesilbeach

I don't take notes, but I have a pad of small post-it notes with me, so that if there's something I want to look up, or come back to, or reference in a review, then I can mark the page with a post-it (with a comment on if necessary) and come back to it later.

How strange! I read these books quite close together and had no idea that the authors were married, and also noticed a similarity in the style and themes. For me, I felt this one was a better book than The History Of Love, which I did start and then take a break and come back to, while I couldn't put down Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

This was one of my library reading group books last summer, and I could only get about half way through. I couldn't engage with the characters, and , I lost interest and gave up.

I came across the Penguin Modern Classics version of Mapp and Lucia last year, and was completely drawn in by the cover, and thought I'd give it a go. It was fantastic! It was funny and warm, and I was totally engrossed. There's something about books set in the 1920's and 1930's that I love, particularly humourous ones, and this was an absolute gem, so I've been looking for the others to continue my journey through the world of Mapp and Lucia. I've just found out they've issued all six books in two collections, Lucia Rising has Queen Lucia, Miss Mapp and Lucia in London, and Lucia Victrix incudes Mapp and Lucia, Lucia's Progress and Trouble for Lucia. I've bought Lucia Rising, and it's the top of my TBR list waiting to be read, so I've just got to get on with my current book so I can delve into my newest treasure!

I loved this book when I read it a couple of years ago. I read it in about 10 days, and it had me completely hooked throughout, despite the weight of it! I can understand why it puts off a lot of people, not just the length, but the footnotes are sometimes a bit daunting, but it is worth it! I know a lot of my reading group often complain that the books we are given are too long, and for the most part I agree, and actually think those books actually need editing to make them better, but in the case of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell I didn't feel there was anything unnecessary and I loved the detail of the footnotes in expanding the myths and legends of the story. I'm not a massive fan of fantasy, but the historical setting and the humour of the writing, along with an interesting cover to make me pick it up in the first place, meant I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I came to this book after reading the first five of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, and I thought it was a refreshing change to most of the books I read. The plots are very gentle but the book is thought provoking and engrossing. I've now read all the Isabel Dalhousie series, and eagerly wait for each new book to come out, while I've actually not bothered with any more of the Mma Ramotswe series. I don't think you necessarily need to have an interest in philosophy, but to get the most out of these books, you have to be take time to think about the moral and ethical dilemmas that face Isabel.

I do like some Jane Green books, but Life Swap was not one of my favourites, I have to admit. I loved her early books up to Bookends, but after that, they are a bit hit and miss for me (I couldn't even finish Babyville). However, Life Swap felt like she was coming back on form, so not one of her worst, but not her best, but it did entertain me enough to read The Beach House which I thought was great.

Chasing Harry Winston is going to be moving it's way down my TBR list at this rate, with no-one seeming to like it! I've also thought of a couple of other authors I like: Mary Wesley's books are not strictly chick-lit, but there are nearly all funny, and a cracking read. My favourite is probably Harnessing Peacocks. I've recently read The School For Husbands by Wendy Holden, and really enjoyed it, so I'm going to try some more of hers.

I don't often read books in one sitting, but I can easily finish a book in a day. Particularly if I've got a day off and go to one of my favourite places on the train - 2-3 hours on the train, plus coffee shop and lunchtime cafe reading sessions can easily give me enough time to finish a medium length book if it's captivating enough (around 250-350 pages). Some memorable ones recently were Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones and Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson. Plus, if I read any children's or YA books, they tend to be quick reads - I got through the entire Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz in a long weekend.

I haven't read a lot of classics, but of the ones I have read, my top three so far are: 1. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen 2. Howards End - E. M. Forster 3. Diary Of A Provincial Lady - E. M. Delafield But, I'm part way through Middlemarch at the moment and I'm loving it so far, so that could make it to the top three when I've finished

I'm pretty much the same - I used to be able to read three or four at once, but I find I that if I do that now, I usually only finish one and give up on the rest. I've decided that life's too short to read a book you're not enjoying, so I give it a third of the book, and if it hasn't grabbed me by then, I move on to the next one.

I have 90 books on my shelves waiting to be read, plus 15 on my wishlist of books that were out recently or due out shortly, or are follow on reads from books I've just read. I've promised myself I'll get the list down to about 25 before I buy any more books, but I can't resist a bookshop, so I probably won't stick to that!

Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Synopsis from amazon.co.uk: It's 1946 and author Juliet Ashton can't think what to write next. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey - by chance, he's acquired a book that once belonged to her - and, spurred on by their mutual love of reading, they begin a correspondence. When Dawsey reveals that he is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, her curiosity is piqued and it's not long before she begins to hear from other members. As letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German Occupation, Juliet soon realizes that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name. Review: For the most part, this is a light hearted tale, which is warm and humorous throughout, but, due to the nature of the stories told by the society members, there are also some particularly poignant letters, which I have to admit brought a tear to my eye at times. The author has managed to achieve a genuine, unique voice for each of the characters, and as a reader you feel you come to know and love them all. While there are plenty of books set in the Second World War, this is quite unusual in its subject matter, as I don't think I've ever heard of any other novels that use the Guernsey occupation in the plot. This was one of my favourite books of last year, and probably one of the few books I would re-read. I have recommended it to everyone I know!

The cover of this book had been enticing me in the bookshop for months before I had the opportunity to buy and read it, but unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed with it when I did finally get around to reading it. I

I loved The Shadow Of The Wind too. I'd seen it about, and was planning to get it at some point, and then it was one of the assigned books for my reading group. I was gripped from the introduction, and even bought a copy for my other half for Christmas last year, but the reaction from my reading group was mixed. A few of us loved it, a few couldn't get into it and didn't finish it, and others thought it was okay or awful in varying degrees! We rarely all agree on any book, but this one had nearly everyone with a different opinion! Having loved The Shadow Of The Wind, I'm not actually sure if I would want to read a prequel, as for me the book covered the entire story that I wanted to know about. I doubt I will re-read The Shadow Of The Wind, as much as I enjoyed it, purely because I rarely re-read any books, as I have so many on my to be read list, but I would recommend it as an enjoyable read.

I did enjoy this book, although I wasn't as captivated at the beginning as I'd expected to be after enjoying The Kite Runner so much. After reading the first couple of chapters, it was a few weeks before I picked it up again to continue with it, and I actually had to re-read the chapters again as I'd forgotten them already. Once I got into it, though, I whizzed through it, and was totally engrossed. However, I did feel a bit let down by the ending. I get the feeling that the author wants to give readers hope that there is potential in the future for Afghanistan, and for me, it didn't feel like a genuine, truthful conclusion for all the characters. Definitely worth reading, though, and I have recommended it to others, particularly those who loved The Kite Runner.

I read this as a holiday book, so it was a couple of sittings and didn't want anything that was going to tax my brain too much. I actually liked it more than Labyrinth, but as a light read on holiday, I thought they were both enjoyable.

If you're looking for classic chick lit (i.e. romantic comedy for single girls), then I would recommend the first two Alexandra Potter books, What's New, Pussycat? and my favourite, Going La La. I've also enjoyed the first two Lauren Weisberger novels, The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing and the last one Chasing Harry Winston is on my shelf waiting to be read! For (slightly) older readers, entertaining but more realistic comedy books for thirty- and forty-somethings who've moved past the young love storylines, try Annie Sanders, whose books are more about women who've got children and/or married and/or careers, who are trying to balance it all in modern life. It's actually two women who write under a single name, but I've enjoyed all their books.

Hello! Just joined the forum, and thought I'd introduce myself. I came across the forum this morning, as I was looking for a book related one, and this one seems nice and friendly. I try to read at least one book a week, depending on time, and I'm also a member of my local library reading group, so that's an extra couple of books a month as well. I like mostly contemporary fiction, travel literature and chick lit, but I also try to read some classics as well, and I'd even throw in the odd sci-fi or thriller, and even though I'm in my thirties, I still read some of the better children/young adult books as well. The last book I read was "The Road Home" by Rose Tremain and I'm currently reading "River Runs Deep" by Rachel Treasure, both of which are my library reading group books for this month. Well, that about it for my intro, so hope to see you on the boards.