chaliepud

What an amazing heirloom Julie, it looks very intricate.. I'm sure the making of quilts etc was a lot more popular when there was no TV to distract people.

Cripes, I just looked up Constance Fisher.. Horrible stuff! I bet there were plenty of cases not dissimilar to this In those days sadly. I did find out there is a website called Murderpedia though! Not sure that is somewhere I should spend too much time..

Yes it is, well done.. Have you read it?

Yes.

Yep.

It is.

I'm actually enjoying Paper Towns by John Green, I wasn't expecting too after disliking Looking For Alaska so much.. But there is a revenge seeking ex girlfriend in there which appeals to my sense of justice..

Ok, here's another one.. Short and sweet! "And then there was another sound. Something she couldn't quite identify. Yet."

I was actually too lazy to type it all out on my phone! Thanks Claire, I'll be back in a bit with a new one..

I thoroughly enjoyed The Blasphemer, was a little quirky if I remember correctly. I hope you enjoy it too.

Just a guess as I've not read it, but is it The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window?

I would agree with frankie, and any Vet will tell you that any dog can nip/bite when in pain, hence why a Vet will always ask the owner to hold the head when examining a dog. Obi is generally unpredictable so I always muzzle him when he is being examined as will probably do the same with Jojo when she gets older and stronger. It might be worth, for your own peace of mind as it may never happen again, purchasing a soft cloth muzzle and getting him used to it for occasions like this, put it on for a few seconds and treat with food, and keep doing this without trying to examine him, so that he associates it with good experiences, and gradually build up the time that he has it on. Many dogs are particularly sensitive about having their feet touched (Dylan is very ticklish!) so you can also so the same with them, gently touch them when he is happy and calm, teach him to give paw, high five, again with lots of rewards so that he gets used to it, and it isn't such a shock when you do have to touch them. I hope your Mum and Neo are feeling much better soon.

I would say that Nora Roberts books are best got out of the library rather than bought.

I just now added The Bay at Midnight, thanks again Diane! Nora Roberts books are very easy reading, I'm not sure if call them chick lit, or at least not light and fluffy, but they do usually follow a type of woman perhaps in trouble or against men, then meeting a man who she initially doesn't like but ends up with. There is normally a hint or more of threat and/or violence. You'd have to pick and choose them. I like them as they are pretty formulaic, and very easy to read. I would perhaps liken them to Nicholas Sparks type reads..

I received another book in the post today.. The Bay at Midnight by Diane Chamberlain, from the very lovely Diane, thank you! It is a bookcrossing book, I'm not familiar with the system so I will have a look later to see if I can keep the book going. Since I finished The Secret History I have started two books, Search Dogs & Me and Paper Towns by John Green. Hopefully I'll find a little time to read this weekend but the kids have a full schedule and need a taxi driver/supporter!

Young Adult?

I received a few books in the post today.. Hollow City - Ransom Riggs Unwind - Neal Shusterman A cook book.. The Medicinal Chef, Healthy Every Day - Dale Pinnock And some books that were recommended to me and a bargain at The Book People.. All written by Dr Jessamy Hibberd and Jo Usmar. This Book Will Make You Happy This Book Will Make You Calm This Book Will Make You Confident Also, a set of three David Walliams books for my sons 9th birthday in 2 weeks.

Neo is gorgeous, I'm glad you enjoy him so much. Try not to think too much about his age, the time flies by far too fast, I can't believe my old boy is 15, but I treasure every day and that is what is most important.

I'll answer these questions before I read others responses or I may be swayed.. 1- Who was your favourite character? Were there any characters whom you disliked? I liked Henry the best, he was so quirky yet had an almost English civilness about him, I could tell from quite early on that he and Camilla had a thing going on but obviously didn't know why they were so secretive about it.. I wasn't sure about him and Julian either, I suspected they were close at times too. He also gave me the impression that maybe he was on the asperger scale too as he was so intelligent and single minded. 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest? Hmm, I'm not sure, the first third I struggled with a little but once I got into into it more and spent more time reading it I thoroughly enjoyed it all. The chapter leading up to Bunny's death was probably one of the best pieces of writing I have read in a while. I thought the Epilogue was pretty stunning and unusually relevant too. 3- Did you like the writing? Yes, I was surprised to find it as free flowing as it was. At times I felt she digressed too much and went into too much academic detail that I didn't find particularly relevant (or interesting) to the story but I suppose a background of academia was required. 4- Was this the first book you've read by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? Yes and yes, I have download The Goldfinch to read at a later date. 5- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? The academic writing, it was all greek to me! 6- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? Yes, I'm pleased to say it was. 7. What did you think of Julian? So far the first readers have described him as manipulative and a fraud. What is it about him that might rub you the wrong way? And if you did like Julian, we would love to hear your thoughts on him in that respect, too! I liked Julian! (Though I normally find out the characters I like are the baddies! ) I found Julian to be a gentle soul, completely absorbed by his love of his work and his students. I was only a little disappointed towards the end of the story when he found out the truth. I would have predicted he would do something, i'm not sure what, but it was a weak ending to that part of the story I felt.. 8. As the theme was boarding schools, I'm interested in knowing if we have anyone on here who has been to a boarding school or who has lived on campus while studying at a university? The book is from the very early 90s, so it's a bit dated, but does the descriptions of the campus life ring true? Is it credible? Sadly, despite being an avid reader of Malory Towers etc I have no experience of boarding school. And you others, you non-boarding school people: do you find the idea of boarding schools interesting/fascinating? Would you like to have been able to live on a campus? What is it about campus life that is so fascinating to you? I think in a fictional world the idea of dorms, sports teams and midnight feasts is wonderful but I know from friends that in reality it wasn't always so good, cold dorms, dictatorial teachers, no peace and quiet etc etc..

Hmm, indoor floor picnics are not a great idea in doggy households unfortunately, we have a rule that if you drop it on the floor it belongs to the dogs! They all had a quarter of an egg.. happy dogs!

White bread and butter, hard boiled eggs and cheese - I feel like one of the Famous Five, just substitute lashings of ginger beer for a nice glass of white wine..

Well, finished The Secret History finally!

If you liked TSLoB I would highly recommend her latest book, The Invention of Wings.. A similar theme of oppression, it covers slavery in the early 1800's. I've not seen the film of TSLoB but keep meaning to look out for it.

Cassandra Clare?

Have you not seen Winter's Bone VF? One of the only films my Dad and I have agreed on..