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Many thanks for all the messages of congratulations. Am very excited about the coming months. I have managed to do a little reading over the past few weeks and finished book 2 of The Hunger Games trilogy - Catching FIre.

Well I have been officially rubbish at reading so far this year! I do have excuses, found out we have a baby on the way and promotion at work, but still rubbish. Since my last update I have finished only 1 book, Capital by John Lanchester. I will post a review of this and the huger games ASAP. I now think it unlikely I will get anywhere near my reading targets but will plough on anyway and hopefully can read a bit more over the next few months.

So the holidays have arrived for me and hopefully a chance to get some mo reading done. Although I had already started 'The Report' I decided after many recommendations to read 'The Hunger Games' alongside it. Well I ploughed through that book in about 4 sittings over 2 days and went to see the film about 4 hours after finishing the book. Will post my thoughts on it soon. I have now started the new Simon Kernick novel 'Siege' and as its a fast back at the library I have till Sunday to read it. I will finish 'The Report' at some point but just now it is not gripping me.

I have made a start on 'The Report' by Jessica Francis Kane. It is a novel basd upon real wartime events and specifically the evening 173 people lost their lives at Bethnal Green tube station air raid shelter yet no bombs were actully dropped. Only a couple of chapters in it already has me hooked. This is yet another library loan as after moving house two months ago I have had to tighten the purse strings for a while. So far this year I have read more physical books than ebooks, which is a bit of a surprise.

Star Island - Carl Hiaasen Synopsis Amazon Twenty-two-year-old pop star Cherry Pye is attempting a comeback from her latest drug and alcohol disaster. Ann DeLusia is Cherry's 'undercover stunt double', standing in for Cherry whenever the singer is too wasted to go out in public. But, one night, Ann-as-Cherry is mistakenly kidnapped from a Miami hotel by an obsessed paparazzo named Bang Abbott. Now the challenge for Cherry's handlers (comprising the world's pushiest stage mother; perverted record producer; nipped-and-tucked twin publicists; weed-strimmer-wielding bodyguard) is to rescue Ann while keeping her existence secret from the public. Will Bang achieve his fantasy of a private photo session with Cherry? Will Cherry sober up in time to lip-synch her concert tour and promote her new album, Skantily Klad? And will Ann escape from Cherry's shadow? Review I recently read a review of this in the newspapers which alerted me to its existence. I have long been a fan of Hiaasen and when I spotted this book in the library I snapped it up. The story follows Cheery Pye, who is the epitomy of modern day processed pop stars. Cherry has absolutely no talent but is good looking and so hashad a reasonably successfull career as a pop star. So much so in fact that she is no a bona-fide drug addict and requires her own double to take over her duties when she is incapacitated. As the book develops we learn more and more about these two characters and also about Bang Abbott a papparazzo who is a bit too fond of Cherry. As with all Hiaasen's books his real strength are the characters that he develops which are so ridiculous but at the same time entirely plausible. Some of the comic situations are hilarious and I was actually laughng out loud at points. Even the smallest of characters are completely developed and Hiaasen offers a summary of what happened to each of them at the end of the book. I highly recommend this book, especially to those that have not experienced Hiaasen's comic talents before. 8/10

Yes, I have read most of his books and am always astonished by the fantastic characters he creates, even the minor characters are so well developed. I finished reading Star Island this morning and it is defiantly another cracker. Will post review over the next couple of days.

Made a start at the weekend of Star Island by Carl Hiaasen. I am a real fan of his writing and am really enjoying this one so far. Have about 1/3 left to read so will hopefully get it finished over the weekend. I also bought only my 2nd book of the year this week, The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue. I know it has not had the greatest of reviews but I enjoyed her first book so much and at only £3 I couldn't resist.

The Sisters Brothers - Patrick DeWitt Synopsis Amazon Oregon, 1851. Eli and Charlie Sisters, notorious professional killers, are on their way to California to kill a man named Hermann Kermit Warm. On the way, the brothers have a series of unsettling and violent experiences in the Darwinian landscape of Gold Rush America. Charlie makes money and kills anyone who stands in his way; Eli doubts his vocation and falls in love. And they bicker a lot. Then they get to California, and discover that Warm is an inventor who has come up with a magical formula, which could make all of them very rich. What happens next is utterly gripping, strange and sad. Told in deWitt's darkly comic and arresting style, THE SISTERS BROTHERS is the kind of Western the Coen Brothers might write - stark, unsettling and with a keen eye for the perversity of human motivation. Like his debut novel ABLUTIONS, THE SISTERS BROTHERS is a novel about the things you tell yourself in order to be able to continue to live the life you find yourself in, and what happens when those stories no longer work. It is an inventive and strange and beautifully controlled piece of fiction, which shows an exciting expansion of Dewitt's range Review It has taken a while for me to finish this book but that is through no fault of the book which I have found excellent. It first caught my attention on the long list for the Man Booker prize last year and though it did get onto the shortlist it failed to win. The story follows two brothers, Eli and Charlie, who are essentially guns for hire in the wild west. It follows the brothers on a task to hunt down and kill someone wh ohas upset the commodore in their local town in some way. As we follow the brothers long journey across America to California we learn more and more about their characters and what drives them. Both brothers are markedly different and I found myself warming more and more to Eli as the story progressed. I really enjoyed all the small set pieces that occur as their journey continues and foud the other characters we meet very entertining. It is fast paced with short, sharp chapters that kept me reading and wanting to find out exaclty what would happen next. The book was amusing in places but also incredibly sad in others. I would highly recommend this book to others, even those who like me have never read a western before. 9/10

I wouldn't rush to read 'The Sense of an Ending' Poppy as it is really rather average and the rest of the list contains such excellent books. You will be glad to hear that I have borrowed 'The Sisters Brothers' from Swindon library and so am helping once again to raise visitor numbers.

Well have made a start on The Sisters Brothers and wow what an excellent book so far. Am about 1/3 of the way into it and am enjoying every minute. It is another book that was nominated for the Man Booker prize last year and again another book that does not disappoint. Of all the books I have read from last years list so far the only real disappointment has been the actual winner. Off now to enjoy some more of The Sisters Brother.

Shatter - Michael Robotham Synopsis Amazon A naked woman in red high-heeled shoes is perched on the edge of Clifton Suspension Bridge with her back pressed to the safety fence, weeping into a mobile phone. Clinical psychologist Joseph O'Loughlin is only feet away, desperately trying to talk her down. She whispers, 'you don't understand,' and jumps. Later, Joe has a visitor - the woman's teenage daughter, a runaway from boarding school. She refuses to believe that her mother would have jumped off the bridge - not only would she not commit suicide, she is terrified of heights. Joe wants to believe her, but what would drive a woman to such a desperate act? Whose voice? What evil? Review I have had this on my TBR pile for a while now after having this author recommended to me on this forum and spotting it in a bargain bin in Tesco. The story centres around Joe O'Loughlin who is a clinical psychologist that now lectures at Bristol university. Early in the book he is asked to attend the scene of a woman standing on the edge of Clifton Suspension Bridge. Joe is unable to talk her down and she jumps to her death. Darcy her daughter then seeks out Joe to explain that her mother would never have jumped off a bridge and to look at the case from another angle. I found this book very interesting as it differs from many crime novles in the way it is told from a psychologists point of view rather than the police. The way Joe learns more about the killer is fascinating and as the bodies begin to mount up it builds to a tense and dramatic conclusion. The book had me hooked for the finl 200 or so pages as I had to know what would happen. The action is fairly fast paced and the narrative usually follows Joe although is interspersed with chapters from the killers perspective. I knew nothing of this author when I began this book but get the impression Joe appears in other books he has written. This did not effect my enjoyment of the book adn there were only a few references back to past cases. Overall I really enjoyed this book and as usual the forum has turned up another gem of an author. I will certainly be reading more of his work. 9/10

Sorry I have not been on here in a couple of weeks as I have been caught up with work. An interesting debate about Gaiman's writing appears to have developed whilst I have been away. I can't put my finger on exactly why but I certainly enjoyed his writing style and will read more of his work at some point in the future but I can defintely understand why some would not like his work. Today I have managed to finish 'Shatter' and am hoping to make a start on 'The Sisters Brother' later. Hopefully I will get this finshed, or at least pretty close to it, before starting back to work Monday. I have also purchased my first book of the year today. It was Simon Beckett's new book 'The Calling of the Grave' which I have wanted since it was released last year and have waited for the price to come down on kindle when the paperback was released this month. It has finally done so and I picked it up. I think I have done well to get to Feb 15th before purchasing a book.

Thanks Poppy!! Unfortunately we had no hot water for about a week which was no fun. I have made a start on 'Shatter' by Michael Robotham this week and am enjoying it thus far.

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman Synopsis Amazon When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard? Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him - after all, he is the last remaining member of the family. A stunningly original novel deftly constructed over eight chapters, featuring every second year of Bod's life, from babyhood to adolescence. Will Bod survive to be a man? Review I picked this book up a couple of months ago when it was in the Kindle daily deals for 99p. I had heard a lot about the author and thought it was worth a try even though it is not a genre I usually read. The book is also in the World Book Night challenge I am trying to read some of this year. The book follows the story of Bod who at the start of the book becomes an orphan as all of his family are killed. Bod, who is only a toddler, manages to escape and finds his way to a graveyard. When there he is adopted by the residents (deceased) that inhabit that graveyard. The story then follows Bod as he grows up in the graveyard and we learn more and more about this other world that exists parallel to our own. The story builds to detail why Bod's family were killed and why he will also still remain a target. I found the book captivating and thought that the situations Gaiman managed to create were excellent. The many types of creature we are introduced to throughout the book are all well thought out and intriguing. As the story built towards its conclusion and the narration was split between Bod and his guardian Silas the suspense has me hooked. Overall I really enjoyed Gaiman's style of writing and will read more of his work. I recommend this book as a great example of this genre and it has certainly made me more open to reading other books within it. 9/10

Thanks for all the many messages about my new home! After a couple of weeks of decorating and having to have a new boiler fitted (damn) it is starting to feel like home. Now I just need to get those shelves put up and my books onto them. Have managed to finish 'The Graveyard Book' yesterday although it has taken much longer than I would have expected thanks to the move.

Well I am continuing to work through 'The Graveyard Book' but my reading has been limited this week due to the fact that I have moved house!! My wife and I, after lots and lots and lots of saving, have finally managed to get our first step onto the property ladder. So most of this week has been spent packing boxes and insisting that even though I have a kindle I do still want to take all my books with me. We picked up the keys yesterday and we are now about half way through the moving in process, so it could be a little while before I get to finishing this book.

Many thanks Lopeanha!! I hope you have a great year of reading too!! Poppy you are already tempting me to break one of my reading goals of 2012 and go out and buy a book. I think I probably will have to though as I really am enjoying Gaiman's writing. Luckily I still have some of my Amazon voucher left which I can use to get it. Technically I think that shouldn't count as me buying a book.

I hope you enjoy them Chrissy. Whilst for me the first one had flaws it was certainly an enjoyable read and many others rated very highly. Darkside was a very enjoyable book and would like to hear your thoughts about it once you have read it. I am a real fan of Gaiman's writing thus far and really like how each chapter of 'The Graveyard Book' is like it's own short story in Bod's life. Will certainly be reading more of his work so thanks for your recommendations. 'Neverwhere' is also on the World Book Night 2012 list.

So my first book of the year is done and it was a good way to ease myself into my reading this year. I have already started book 2 and am 30% through it. I have selected 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman as it was something I had purchased on the run up to Christmas and is also on the 2012 World Book Night list. I am really enjoying it so far, much more than I had anticipated when I read the blurb. In all honesty I only bought it as it was a Kindle Daily deal for 99p and I had heard many people on here comment so positively about it. Yet again this forum has led me to a new author and genre I would not have approached before.

Darkside - Belinda Bauer Synopsis Amazon Shipcott in bleak mid-winter: a close knit community where no stranger goes unnoticed. So when an elderly woman is murdered in her bed, village policeman Jonas Holly is doubly shocked. How could someone have killed and left no trace?Jonas finds himself sidelined as the investigation is snatched away from him by an abrasive senior detective. Is his first murder investigation over before it’s begun? But this isn’t the end of it for Jonas, because someone in the village is taunting him, blaming him for the tragedy, and watching every move he makes... Review As stated in the previous post this is the authors second book and follow up to her critically acclaimed novel Blacklands for which she won crime novel of the year. The story is again set around Exmoor and Steven, one of the central characters from the first book, makes several appearances in this book too. The plot centers around the fact that people who are burden on others, like the old, are being murdered. Jonas Holly is the local policeman but soon realises that he is out of his depth and calls in reinforcements from a neighboring town. We then follow the investigation through the eyes of Holly, Marvel (the lead inspector) and Reynolds (his deputy) with the narrator being constantly switched between them. This allows us to get a deeper understanding of their feelings and what motivates them. One of my criticisms of the first book was that I felt the characters were one dimensional and I think that is something that has certainly been improved upon in this book. Marvel is your typical lead inspector and rules in a dictator like fashion that makes him unpopular with all the other officers. As the killings begin to mount up the police become increasingly confused about the possible identity of the killer. The plot is well drawn out and there are clues to their eventual identity well before the end. I had a fair idea but could not be certain until the final two chapters. The book is set into each chapter being a day and we count down from 23 days to go till the actual day which I think helps build suspense. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. It is not crucial to have read her first novel before reading this as the story of Steven is touched upon in this book too. I preferred it greatly to her first work and am glad I gave this author another chance. She has just released her third book, again set around the moors, and I look forward to reading it when the price drops with the release of the paperback later this year. 8/10

So my first read of the year (although I actually started it on 30 December) is Darkside by Belinda Bauer. This author first came to my attention 2 years ago as she was one of the authors chosen for the first series of the TV Book Club. I read the book in February 2010 and gave it a 6. I found some of the plot points a bit far fetched and the characters a bit one dimensional but did think there was enough there to make me read her future work. Well this is the authors second book and I am currently about 40% in and really enjoying it so far. I think the main two characters in this novel have a lot more depth than the two of the first book. It is again set in the same are of the country as the first book and Steven, the main character from book 1, has made a couple of brief appearances. I hope to finish this over the bank holiday weekend and will post my thoughts on it when I do.

Well I think that will be my final review of 2011. I am planning on purchasing and starting Belinda Bauer's 2nd novel 'Darkside' this evening but can't really see my finishing it this side of New Year. So it looks like 2011 will end with me falling 1 short of my reading target having managed 39 books this year. By far and away most of these have been on the Kindle (30 in fact) and this is definitely my preferred reading method now. My 2012 blog is now up and running and I will hopefully see some of you there in the new year. Happy New Year to everyone and see you in January.

Confessions of a GP - Dr. Benjamin Daniels Synopsis Amazon Benjamin Daniels is angry. He is frustrated, confused, baffled and, quite frequently, very funny. He is also a GP. These are his confessions.A woman troubled by pornographic dreams about Tom Jones. An 80-year-old man who can't remember why he's come to see the doctor. A woman with a common cold demanding (but not receiving) antibiotics. A man with a sore knee. A young woman who has been trying to conceive for a while but now finds herself pregnant and isn't sure she wants to go through with it. A 7-year-old boy with 'tummy aches' that don't really exist.These are his patients.Confessions of a GP is a witty insight into the life of a family doctor. Funny and moving in equal measure it will change the way you look at your GP next time you pop in with the sniffles. Review I picked this book up as I really enjoyed reading 'Trust me I'm a Junior Doctor' a few years ago and also the fact it was only 99p on Kindle. The reason I like 'Trust me.. ' so much was the way we got to see the doctor as a real person with real emotions and fears and how hard it must be to make a start as a doctor. Whilst this book did contain moments like that, for me they did not have the same emotional impact. The book is many very short (Some are literally a page) anecdotes about Daniels life as a GP detailing what life is really like as well as some the humorous patients he has to deal with. I have to say the funny patients were few and far between but I still found it interesting to see what makes up the day of a typical GP. The book is very easy to read and as long as you don't mind the odd bit of self-congratulation by Daniels it is fairly enjoyable. I certainly don't rate this book anywhere nearly as highly as 'Trust me I'm a Junior Doctor' but at a quarter of the price is not a bad way to spend some time. 7/10

Thanks Poppy, I will also regularly be popping into your thread too. Good luck with your reading next year!! Thanks Ben and good luck for you too. Reading your thread it sounds like you have plenty of reading ahead of you in 2012.

I am now done setting up my lists for this year and declare my thread officially open. Reading goals this year: To read at least 45 books - 8 so far To read at least one book a month and not have any blank months on my Reading blog. (I got down to 2 blank months last year) - On track To read at least 1 classic novel To try and read at least 10 books for the World Book Night Challenge - 1 so far To reduce my TBR pile of paperbacks - 1 read To try and not buy as many books - 8 read 5 purchased I am looking forward to a good year of reading and hope to discover some excellent books this year!