Jessi

Welcome

Welcome to the BCF!!!

I have begun Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman

My dad isn't a reader, but my mum, sister and nan are - not as avid as me, but they do read. To my great delight, one of my best friends has been bitten by the bug and we chat about books often now - Shes half way through the House of Night Series at the moment! A couple of my uni mates are readers too.

I read more of Clementine Churchill today

The rights of Man – Thomas Paine I read this for a university essay and found it quite intriguing to read what was a very popular work in the eighteenth century. Paine was a very certainly a very original thinker for his era. Bright Young Things – Anna Godbersen (4.5/5) It is official; Anna Godbersen is now one of my favorite authors. When her Luxe series came out I relished every one of them and now that she has moved on to her next series I have found it to be just as intriguing, luxurious and mystery filled as the last. We have moved thirty years into the future, changed the principal characters, but Godbersens new story is once more set in New York, in the summer of 1929. We met out leading ladies, Cordelia, Letty and Astrid early on in the plot. Personally, Letty to begin with I didn’t take to, yet Godbersen’s development that by the end of the book that had changed and I genuinely cared about all of them. The prohibition has allowed bootleggers to make a lot of money in the city, and one of these bootleggers is ‘orphaned’ Cordelias father. as she is embraced back in to the bosom of her family, the plot takes twists which I did not think it would... Yet one of the best things about this book is the prologue. If you go into a book shop and read it, I think it would be a challenge for you to walk out of it without having added to you ‘to be read’ pile!!!

Edward VII’s Children – John Van Der Kiste (3.5/5) This infirmity read was very interesting. I love Edwardian history and last year read biographys of Edward as well as his queen. So this lead me to want to know about their kids in a bit more depth. Together, they had six children, though they lost one tragically early on. Of the remaining five who made it to adulthood, they lost Prince Albert Edward who would have been king in his twenties. There last surviving son was George V. Of the three girls, one became a queen, one a duchess and the other became a spinster, her mother having never allowed her to fly the next. It was intriguing to see how different as well as similar the children of the Edwardian monarch were.

Welcome

Brilliant review - I agree with all of it, especially the end. After living with Winston for over half a century, the house much have been at times intolerable quiet for Clemmie.

That book haul just turned you into my hero - I have a lot to learn from you lol!!! I serously need to up my game in the buying books stakes

The Tudors

No Place like Home - Pen Farthing. I did read this twice practically back to back last summer and I am contemplating another reread now. A wonderful, very warm hearted book. Farthing is a genuine hero.

Pizza tonight

Push the Buttom

Welcome

Isn't it just? I think that's what I love about it too! Makes me feel like a fly on the wall...

I'm glad you enjoyed Marked The House of Night is a great series!

Its definately worth it chesilbeach - it is a really good read!

I think its her debut novel, and after it I am going to be on the look out for her next It certainly drew my eye to it when I read the title!

My Last Duchess by Daisy Goodwin (4/5) This was a very captivating piece of historical fiction. I got it primarily in order to get a hit of something like Downton Abbey, the brilliant TV series that was on in the autumn. It sounded similar and it did give me the fix I craved. The characters were all fairly well drawn. My favourite was Bertha, the maid and her romance with Jim. Cora was layered nicely I thought and the choices she makes throughout the novel tell a lot about her and the era. The only character I wish had been expanded was the duke who remained a bit too much of an enigma for my liking. As for the ‘Double Duchess’ she was fabulous. The description was exquisite. Goodwin definitely knows how to paint a picture. If you enjoyed Downton or the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, I suspect you would enjoy this as well.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir (4.25/5) I really, thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even though I knew the ‘story’, Alison Weir still managed to make it fresh and exciting. Her opinions were well backed up and she just made it a bit rip roaring to be honest. Her writing style is so easy to follow that this book is just a joy to read. If you enjoy history, but don’t like it too scholarly (like me!) this is definitely one to go for.

I loved you review of Beloved - I have been thinking about it for a while so I might have to hunt for a copy. I'm looking forward to reading what you thought of Speaking for themselves

I just finished Divine by Choice by PC Cast - which to be honest, turned out a little disappointing. I have also read more of Dear Fatty, which is definately not!

Welcome back

Glee - volume 4