Jessi

Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen (4/5) While I did not enjoy Sense and Sensibility quite as much as I did Northanger Abbey it is still surely one of Austen’s best. As one of two sisters, who are like chalk and cheese, there was an awful lot in this novel I could relate too. Elinor was a wonderful heroine – strong and selfless, she was almost too good to be true; and while Marianne could be self centre she felt very real. I know this is going to be a book I read and reread time and time again.

I'm reading more of Tess of the D'urberville again today.

1000 Years of Annoying the French - Stephan Clarke (4/5) I really enjoyed this book. It was very informative, very funny and took me a very long time to get through. Nevertheless, that does not mean I didn’t like it. This quick race through 1000 years of French history gave lots of dates and characters, but it did not feel over powering. I’d recommend it.

I am reading News from the front for my WWI class as well as Farewell to the East End for fun. I have also begun Tess of the D'urbervilles at last.

Poor lady so sad to think 60 years on that sort of thing is still going on when it should not have even happened then. With all the treatments now available, there isn't any excuse. My nan and granddad moved away in the 1970s and my mum and her siblings were raised in the house next door to the one we live in now. Nan and my Granddads (when they were alive - I was lucky enough to have 3 of my great grandparents for over 15 years) often used to talk about the East ends days so vividly that I've got pictures in my head of where they lived and the people they knew - though I'm sure they are probably quite different to the reality!

I am reading Call to Arms now for university

My own, dog eared, crinkled and thoroughly abused copy of The Prisoner of Azkaban. I hate mistreating my books now, but I was not so careful in my younger days. Unfortunately, Prisoner paid the price. I wouldn't trade it for the world though.

My family were from their too, Talisman! My grandfathers and great uncles were all Lightermen and Dockers on the river. Worth wrote it was so hard to get a decent job on the river because of the trade being passed between family members and that was just what my lot did. My uncle has my granddads apprentices certificate signed off as him having learnt the trade from his mum's brother! I finished the second book yesterday on the way to uni and really struggled with trying not to cry Jenny and Mr Collett were so sweet and the end of his life was heart breaking.

A Study in Scarlet – Sir Arthur Canon Doyle (5/5) I do not know why it took me so long to get on to the Sherlock books, they are wonderful. I am not much one for spies and thrillers so this really was new territory. Sherlock Holmes speaks for itself; it has wonderful plots, is fabulously written and two of literatures greatest characters. I also feel as if I am learning when I am reading Doyle and loved getting lost in Victorian London.

Wasn't it? I was on the train when I was reading it and I kept having to swallow the lump in my throat down. I just wanted to give her the biggest hug!

It isn't, is it? A few times I've longed to crawl into the pages of the warm, close knit communitys and learn how to speak Cockney and other times I've wanted to do it so I can go a rescue the people from their situations as its made me so angry. Do buy the others Abcinthia, from what I've read so far, they are just as good as the first.

I was just wondering if anyone else had read the Call the Midwife trilogy. They seem quite popular and I'm reading them after having seen the series on TV. They are among the most moving books I have ever read and I've teared up more than once.

I am reading In The Shadow of the Workhouse at the moment.

Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen (4.5/5) This has been my favourite book of the year so far and I think it is the best Austen I have read to date. I just feel so in love with the characters and Catherine Morland was a wonderful creation. This is a tale I am going to read again and again over the years. It was wonderful!

The life and letters of Charles Darwin – Francis and Charles Darwin (4/5) This sounds a lot heavier than it was, though the scientific terms did become a little hard to take at times. I got interested in the Darwin’s after I watched the film ‘Creation’ over the Christmas break. I was never much one for science when I was at school – I did not even get a C for my GCSE. Yet now I’ve learnt a little bit more about Darwin, I find I can get a better grip on the subject. It was quite an enjoyable read.

Prisoners Wives

1776 by David McCullough (4/5) I had this one on my bookshelf far too long before I got round to reading it. I forgot how well McCullough writes. When reading the history of a war it is always far too easy to get lost in the battles and the mechanics of it – however McCullough keeps the personalities to the front of the story and the narrative fluid. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this history of the war of independence.

Borgias

I read more of a Study in Scarlet today. I'm loving it!

Welcome to the BCF

I've begun A Study In Scarlet today!

I've read four chapters of Northanger Abbey today

Pie and Mash

Tea

Eastenders