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I just finished The Penal Colony. By Richard Herley. This was a stonking good read. I think it goes in the genre of speculative fiction. It is set in 1997, (so was possibly written a few years before that?). An innocent man called Routledge has been wrongly convicted of rape and murder , by the normal process of British law. What is diifferent in this version of 1997 is that a right wing government has taken tough measures and made several islands off the UK coastline into penal colonies where certain categories of criminals are sent for life, with no chance of reprieve. Routledge wakes up at Sert, an island off the coast of Cornwall and his ordeal begins. In his first days of confusion and mind numbing fear he has to fight for his survival in this new unforgiving society . He is a quantity surveyor, unfit and soft. Can he possibly survive ? Or will he succumb to madness? There is nothing second rate about the writing, the book is gripping throughout. definitely worth downloading.

I just saw Troll Hunter. So funny.

Good one , Ben! I have Adventures as a free download so I will start with that and see how I like them. My challenge plate is a bit full I will see how I go.

Hi Beth how was Cutting For Stone?

Hi Sally you made a good start with the Stieg Larsson books. Where they part of your Genre Challenge? What did you think of them?

Not at my speed of writing. Sounds like a project though. With that exact title it is just begging to be written.

Lol Andrea most entertaining review I have read yet this year. I don't think I will read this book.

Hi Isandriena, that Facebook Killer; didn't it get made into a film? At any rate I saw a trailer that seemed to be about the same thing. Oh I second the recommendation for the Stieg Larsson books , they would keep you busy for a while, and Salander is a great character.

Yes Romance seems a broader category than I allowed for at first so I will probably read all the half dozen I have been recommended. Linda's books are good too by the way.

Hi Diane, Happy reading for 2012. The Cave sounds interesting. Also The Necklace - I had started reading this true story some years ago but I can't remember why I did not finish it. Might look it up again, it was unusual. Ah- stop the press- my memory cells are working- I know why- It was an excerpt from the book in Readers Digest and I read it while sitting in a hospital waiting room.

Sorry Frankie I didn't realise you had been back and you and Kylie had answered some of my questions about Rory Gilmore. Thanks!

Did your books get there yet Ben? Haha Poppy that's hilarious you get those two books mixed up. Somebody should write a mash-up.Maybe it should be me. I had better read them both first.

If I bit my nails I would say it's nail-biting. But I don't so I will just say it's exciting so far!

I seem to be going strong so far this year and I am inspired by Kell's Kindle Klub which I think is a great idea. So in order to regularly be able to post a review on there I have decided to embark on my own small challenge. This is to read and review just one (or at least one) Amazon Freebie book every month. I will post the review on the kindle club thread and on Amazon .co.uk too. I will try to pick a different book than others have so as to be useful. Anybody please feel free to join me. January's book is : The Penal Colony by Richard Hersely

I finished reading Coraline. It was brilliant I had to devour it in one day. I compare it to Stephen King's IT, it was really the same story but told much better and without 200 extra pages of rubbish to wade through. I found it very atmospheric and menacing. The kindle version was busting with excellent spooky illustrations and extra material from the author too. Neil Gaiman can really get inside kids' heads and explain things the way they would see them. That is a gift. This is the 4th Neil Gaiman book I have read and the best so far. I didn't think anything would top American Gods. Kylie thanks for making me bump it up my TBR pile.

I really liked Janet Evanovitch's sense of humour. Yes I am going to use them exactly as you say in between more meaty reads. Yes my shelves are fab aren't they? The layout and small size of the room dictates where I am going to have to put chairs and things so either side of an armchair is probably not going to happen.

Hi Linda Thanks for that info. I will certainly look all those titles up.

I finished my first Stephanie Plum novel today. I am reading them in order. This was a very fun quick read. I intend to switch between these and the Amelia Peabody Victorian novels as fillers for when I am not doing a Genre Challenge or Reading Circle book, at least one a month. So about two years reading in that series alone. If I get bored with them another series I can bring in is the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Reading Coraline now. I believe 72 books is an achievable target for me this year.

Impressive!! Never heard of anything like that. But you never said what books are stored in the toilet..?

I think it was your review that made me read it Laura.

Once you read Jack there's no going back!

sounds good although not my usual choice of reading matter.

Not with that express purpose. They will fill up gradually. I do sometimes have to buy the second hand paperbacks of books for the Reading Circle because I can't get them on Kindle. I also have half a locker full of paperbacks at work. I will bring those home tonight. The DVDs are another matter. I already have 80, 50 of those I have accrued second hand in the last 6 months. Time to have a sell off again I think.

I'm getting too predictable. I can't help it Jack is my hero.

The Blue World Gold And Iron (Slaves Of The Klau) Both by Jack Vance.