Alexi

Yes, that's realistic !

That's encouraging! Thanks

Thanks Athena I hope you enjoy Dracula - plenty have! Classics are like anything I suppose - we'll enjoy some and not others. I've gone non fiction now and am reading a series of newspaper articles put together in kindle ebook form by the Sunday Times concerning the fall of Lance Armstrong.

Hi Ruth, Not sure why I seemed to have missed a page of your blog! But I was looking at your lists on the front page so I went to seek your review of BlueStockings. It sounds absolutely fascinating and has gone straight onto my wish list

Yes, I enjoyed the last section. I was unsure what mark to give it - it currently sits on a 2.5 but I am tempted to upgrade it to 3 if I am honest. The last section pulled it up a bit. Good progress! I have had the give up argument with myself several times in the last few years - I normally persevere and then wonder why on earth I bothered!

*takes cover* Review copied from my book log: I found this really, really difficult to review, so apologies if I ramble or my thoughts don't make much sense. ​I have had Dracula on my TBR for several years now - ever since I got first got a kindle app! I've always been a bit hesitant to read it - in case it didn't live up to its fearsome reputation, but I bit the bullet in 2014 as it was nominated for North Yorkshire in the English Counties Challenge. First of all, for the challenge: Although it is only set comparatively briefly in Whitby, with large parts in Transylvania and London, it gave a real sense of the place so I am left unsure as to whether it was the right choice! As for the rest, I did feel a bit let down. This took me a full 14 days to read, which is a very long time for me. I found the book very slow to get going and I didn't feel a sense of developing tension particularly. I thought the pacing was off - after being very slow to get going a lot of action took place in the last six pages and it seemed to end very abruptly! First of all we find ourselves following the fortunes of Jonathan, trapped in Castle Dracula. Then we abruptly switch to his fiancee Mina in Whitby, with no knowledge of how Jonathan is faring elsewhere. This was the part of the book I enjoyed the most, with everyone in the dark as to what exactly is happening to Lucy, who is wasting away. Some of the tension was bound to be lost as the tale of Dracula is so familiar, even to me who has never read the book or watched a film about it. I imagine it was quite creepy when first published! I did though find it very frustrating that when I knew what was going on (through the books hints and my own knowledge) it wad then explained to three or four people over and over again!! ​I enjoyed the chase across Europe, but as I mentioned with the pacing not enough time was given over to this IMO whereas too much was given over to the initial recording of diary entries etc while in London. ​The character of Mina was refreshing and excellent. For a woman in the 18th century she was confident, and always involved rather than being pushed back. Although the men all tried to protect her, she was at the forefront of the action throughout and I thought probably quite ahead of her time really. She might have given 18th century men a shock! ​In the end, I am glad I read it but I'm afraid it dragged for me and was certainly not a favourite. 2.5/5

#12 Dracula by Bram Stoker Synopsis: When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries in his client's castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: a ship runs aground on the shores of Whitby, its crew vanished; beautiful Lucy Westenra slowly succumbs to a mysterious, wasting illness, her blood drained away; and the lunatic Renfield raves about the imminent arrival of his 'master'. In the ensuing battle of wills between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries - led by the intrepid vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing - Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre, probing into questions of identity, sanity and the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire. ​Thoughts: I found this really, really difficult to review, so apologies if I ramble or my thoughts don't make much sense. ​I have had Dracula on my TBR for several years now - ever since I got first got a kindle app! I've always been a bit hesitant to read it - in case it didn't live up to its fearsome reputation, but I bit the bullet in 2014 as it was nominated for North Yorkshire in the English Counties Challenge. First of all, for the challenge: Although it is only set comparatively briefly in Whitby, with large parts in Transylvania and London, it gave a real sense of the place so I am left unsure as to whether it was the right choice! As for the rest, I did feel a bit let down. This took me a full 14 days to read, which is a very long time for me. I found the book very slow to get going and I didn't feel a sense of developing tension particularly. I thought the pacing was off - after being very slow to get going a lot of action took place in the last six pages and it seemed to end very abruptly! First of all we find ourselves following the fortunes of Jonathan, trapped in Castle Dracula. Then we abruptly switch to his fiancee Mina in Whitby, with no knowledge of how Jonathan is faring elsewhere. This was the part of the book I enjoyed the most, with everyone in the dark as to what exactly is happening to Lucy, who is wasting away. Some of the tension was bound to be lost as the tale of Dracula is so familiar, even to me who has never read the book or watched a film about it. I imagine it was quite creepy when first published! I did though find it very frustrating that when I knew what was going on (through the books hints and my own knowledge) it wad then explained to three or four people over and over again!! ​I enjoyed the chase across Europe, but as I mentioned with the pacing not enough time was given over to this IMO whereas too much was given over to the initial recording of diary entries etc while in London. ​The character of Mina was refreshing and excellent. For a woman in the 18th century she was confident, and always involved rather than being pushed back. Although the men all tried to protect her, she was at the forefront of the action throughout and I thought probably quite ahead of her time really. She might have given 18th century men a shock! ​In the end, I am glad I read it but I'm afraid it dragged for me and was certainly not a favourite. 2.5/5

Hi Athena., I was really worried if I picked up another book I wouldn't be keen to go back to Dracula quickly, so would have forgotten the details and might have to reread! I persevered in the end and used the Readathon to finish it - even if it meant I didn't get much other reading done. I have read a few chapters of my next book though. Reviews...reviews... #11 Step Back in Time by Ali McNamara Synopsis: When single career girl Jo-Jo steps onto a zebra crossing and gets hit by a car, she awakes to find herself in 1963. The fashion, the music, her job, even her romantic life: everything is different. And then it happens three more times, and Jo-Jo finds herself living a completely new life in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The only people she can rely on are Harry and Ellie, two companions from 2013, and George, the owner of a second-hand record store. If she's ever to return from her travels, Jo-Jo must work out why she's jumping through time like this. And if she does make it back, will her old life ever be the same again? (From Amazon) Thoughts: This isn't my normal fare these days - far too chick lit! However, it was bought for me for a Christmas present, so I began it with some trepidation in February (which is good for me, I still have some Xmas presents from 2012!). I was really pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's saccharine sweet, yes the ending is predictable and yes, you do have suspend disbelief on a number of occasions, but it was a really enjoyable read. Jo Jo is a workaholic, and is sent back in time to "learn her lesson". She ends up in the 1960s, which was my favourite part of the book, watching her cope as an office junior not the head of her own company and let loose a bit. But then she arrives in the 70s, 80s and 90s as she tries to get back to 2013. And there is always a Beatles theme, regardless of decade (which gets pretty annoying after a while as it seems every character has a related name!). It was fun seeing all the different decades come to life, and I enjoyed how she wasn't always the same age - she was a teenager in the 1970s for example. However, although I enjoy time travel books the idea of parallel realities as the same people kept turning up was a tad hard to swallow, and I'm not sure the author entirely thought through what would happen if 1960s Jo Jo met 1970s Jo Jo.... but there you are. On the whole, an easy, enjoyable read that pleasantly surprised me. 3/5

I hope this offer is still going post-Easter I'm always up for trying free titles - although I agree there is a bit too much chick lit there for my taste, there are a couple I wouldn't mind on my kindle. I've given up chocolate, crisps and sweets. Roll on Easter, I say!

Wel, I haven't done nearly as much reading as i hoped (I watched far too much sport this afternoon!) but I finally finished Dracula!

I'm sort of joining in! Working yesterday but have put in a good 90 minutes so far today on Dracula - I'd like to finish it today if I can so I can start fresh tomorrow on something else.

I haven't posted in here in well over two weeks, so just popping by to say hi and offer cake... not chocolate though, as it's lent and I've given it up (along with crisps and sweets, hence cake) so a lemon drizzle will have to do you! I did finish one book in that time - Step Back In Time by Ali McNamara, which I enjoyed and review will follow. But my mojo seems to have deserted me somewhat. Feb/March/April is our busiest time of the year at work, so I am losing reading time, but I am really struggling with Dracula. That's really surprised me as I have heard great things and was really looking forward to it, but it just doesn't seem for me. I am persevering (it it's on several of my challenge lists and I also hate to abandon books once I have got halfway through - which I have just stuttered past) but it's slow going. Hmm.

Really keen to see what you make of Paper Towns and When Dogs Cry! For opposite reasons though... I've heard lots of good things about John Green but didn't really enjoy The Fault in Our Stars...but the synopses of all his books really grab me! Wondering if I should give him another chance... I loved loved loved The Book Thief, so hope this next one is just as good and I need to rush out and grab it!

Great reviews! I have both the Shining and A Monster Calls on my TBR, so interested to read what you thought of those. I have never read a Stephen King, and am nervous about it in case I have hyped him up too much! But I really must change that soon. Interesting to read a note of caution for the Patrick Ness, I have heard so many good things about it.

How are you getting on with this, J? I think I rated it a 3/5 in the end. It gets better, but it started very slowly for me. I'm still winding my way through Dracula. I'm not getting much time to read at the moment, but I'm nearly halfway through and it hasn't yet had the "must stay up an extra hour to read more" effect.

I'm very much like that too Athena. In the first 100 pages we are getting the flavour of the characters and story, and therefore I feel I read more slowly and also read for less time. In the last 100 I am racing towards the end (if it's a good book!) so read quicker and more. I find with series I will read the second and third books quicker than the first for the same reason. I am struggling to get into Dracula at the moment, but I have been away with work for the last week snatching a few pages here and there so I think that's the main reason.

I'm just starting Dracula by Bram Stoker.

It depends very much on the character - and how the situation is set up. I actually find it more annoying in horror movies than books, because I often find in books the reason the character would do that is more obvious/more in keeping with the character. The author has set the scene well. Whereas in movies, it's often just done for dramatic effect complete with terrible suspense music.

Oh no! Sorry J! We do often agree, but maybe this is one of those times we won't - like your Mum and Austen? I am hoping Hundred Year Old Man is one of those two, because that's on my TBR!

I'll be very interested to see how you get on! Hound of the Baskervilles was one of my favourite books as a kid but just getting round to reading the rest! Julie - I know I could remove some of the older ones but I want to read them all at some stage so it would be silly really. I think I'd like to get down to around 100, so still plenty of choice for my next read but not overwhelming. At the moment, assuming I read 60 books a year it would take me 4 years to read them all!

J - answer to your question in the spoiler below in further spoiler tags! I also like the twist about her Mother - that was my favourite bit of the story and that bit I definitely did not see coming ETA: I find that 6/10 sounds worse than 3/5! I don't know if its because 6/10 at school as bang average, whereas 3/5 I rate as a book I enjoyed?

Rebecca was already on my wishlist but I'm going to make sure it gets onto the TBR ASAP!

The Lost Daughter sounds really interesting - so I have added it to my wish list after reading your review!

Not sure if I need to put spoilers in tags - are we assuming anyone reading this thread has read the book? Have put them in tags for now anyway. As an English Counties Challenge book, I did also feel this book could have been set in any working class area post-war, not necessarily Merseyside. Review: Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I would have long since abandoned this book were it not for the Counties Challenge. It took me 5 long days to get through, despite being a mere 198 pages long, and I can find little to redeem it. Until O'Hara arrives (well over halfway in!), there is little to tempt the reader in terms of plot. The writing style rather overeggs the pudding at times with the descriptions, and it's difficult to see where exactly the story is going. We are introduced to Stella, a 16-year-old girl living with her aunt and uncle in working class post-war Liverpool. Concerned her only career choice is Woolworths, her Uncle Vernon gets her a place at the local theatre. She becomes infatuated with the director, Meredith, which is evidently a doomed love from the beginning. Then come endless descriptions of rehearsals and performances with little indication of any significance to a paper thin plot. Stella is a difficult character, which makes her difficult to root for at certain points in the story, and the supporting cast are rather vacuous individuals. The story does improve marginally towards the end, but it's too little, too late for me I'm afraid. MAJOR SPOILER BENEATH THE TAGS. Still, two positives. a) One more book completed for English Counties Challenge b) I took it out of the library, so at least didn't waste any money on it! I think this may be the first time ever I have stuck with a book that merits just a single mark, but records are there to be broken as they do say. 1/5

Review copied from my book log. I think it's obvious I enjoyed this one! Wow. I've been missing out by not reading Du Maurier before now. What a scene she sets! We meet te heroine, Mary Yellan, as she is travelling across Cornwall, from her farm in Helford up to Jamaica Inn in North Cornwall, after the death of her Mum. I was drawn in straight away, by the descriptions of the wind, rain and desolate moors that set a tone for the rest of the book. Du Maurier can certainly write! The house she arrives at is grey and forbidding, with such a horrible reputation that the coach will not usually stop there and races away as soon as he dropped Mary at the side of the road. Her uncle is a large and scary man, and Mary soon discovers he is engaged in rather dodgy business. But is that enough to explain her aunt's terrified looks and constant fright, or is there more going on? The author has a great skill in giving the tale a growing sense of foreboding and building up towards a crescendo. Reading this for Cornwall in the English Counties Challenge, I thought it was a perfect choice, with the book really giving me a sense of the desolation of the moors, including the fog and mist and marshes that can kill a man, but also giving you a sense of the changing nature of the county. Where Mary comes from in the south, the geography is quite different, and I thought that was conveyed very well. I really liked the character of Mary and how independent she was, and how it was easy to see she might struggle being born as a woman in the 1800s - she would have fitted in perfectly in the modern times I suspect. She was brave and courageous, even if you could see a chink of her armour exposed when she was quick to trust a couple of stranger she had barely met! The above is why I deducted half a mark for: I would thoroughly recommend this. 4.5/5