Athena Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I quite liked that book so I hope you do too ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) I have had a busy weekend with friends up from London, so not as mush reading as I would like. I did however get to talk about books a fair bit as one of them has very similar tastes. I have managed to read a little and am up to 40%/ around 200 pages into The Blasphemer. I am enjoying it and it has just taken a rather unusual twist that I wasn't expecting. Edited February 2, 2014 by tunn300 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Accidently purchased my second book of the year today!! I saw the new Matthew Quick novel - Forgive me, Leonard Peackock for sale in Tesco for just under £4 and couldn't resist as I enjoyed his debut novel so much. Oops!! Don't think I am going to be able to stick to just 10 books this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I hope you enjoy your new book . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Tunn will be interested in hearing how you like the Peacock book. I've heard lots of good things about it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 I managed some reading during the week and I am now into the final hundred pages of The Blasphemer. I hope to get it finished over the weekend and start one of my new books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 To try and reduce my list of hardbacks I have decided to always be reading through a biography along with my current book. I have been reading Alex Ferguson's autobiography since Christmas and finished it last night. I will post a review soon but it is safe to say I wasn't a huge fan. I am hoping to finish the last part of The Blasphemer today too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Well I have managed a decent reading session this morning and have finished The Blasphemer, thoughts to follow soon. Can't decide between 3 books to start next; Love From Both Sides, The Rosie Project or Forgive me, Leonard Peacock. Will look at them later and see which one jumps out at me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Well I was all set to choose a new read this afternoon from my giant TBR when I just popped into the library whilst my wife was shopping and happened upon Dan Rhodes most recent novel - This Is Life. Consequently I picked it up and this is now my next read. It's so so easy to grow a TBR, much harder to reduce it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Well I was all set to choose a new read this afternoon from my giant TBR when I just popped into the library whilst my wife was shopping and happened upon Dan Rhodes most recent novel - This Is Life. Consequently I picked it up and this is now my next read. It's so so easy to grow a TBR, much harder to reduce it. Ain't that the truth! I've not read any Dan Rhodes but This Is Life does appeal to me, so I'll be interested to see how you get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Ain't that the truth! I've not read any Dan Rhodes but This Is Life does appeal to me, so I'll be interested to see how you get on with it. My absolute favourite Rhodes book is Gold and have found his other works haven't quite lived up to this. I am hoping this will be another great one so fingers crossed and I will post my thoughts when finished. Edited February 9, 2014 by tunn300 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 It's so so easy to grow a TBR, much harder to reduce it. Yes, that is so true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 It's so so easy to grow a TBR, much harder to reduce it.x I agree! I hope you enjoy the book though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 My Autobiography - Alex Ferguson Synopsis - Amazon Sir Alex announced his retirement as manager of Manchester United after 27 years in the role. He has gone out in a blaze of glory, with United winning the Premier League for the 13th time, and he is widely considered to be the greatest manager in the history of British football. Over the last quarter of a century there have been seismic changes at Manchester United. The only constant element has been the quality of the manager's league-winning squad and United's run of success, which included winning the Champions League for a second time in 2008. Sir Alex created a purposeful, but welcoming, and much envied culture at the club which has lasted the test of time. Sir Alex saw Manchester United change from a conventional football club to what is now a major business enterprise, and he never failed to move with the times. It was directly due to his vision, energy and ability that he was able to build teams both on and off the pitch. He was a man-manager of phenomenal skill, and increasingly he had to deal with global stars. His relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance, was excellent and David Beckham has described Sir Alex as a father figure. Over the past four years, Sir Alex has been reflecting on and jotting down the highlights of his extraordinary career and in his new book he will reveal his amazing story as it unfolded, from his very early days in the tough shipyard areas of Govan. Review I picked this book up from a workplace visit by the Bookpeople. I thought it was a good price and fancied reading about one of the greatest managers of all time in his own words. Unfortunately it turns out he really shouldn't be allowed to right a book in his own words and the ghost writer for this book should also receive a ticking off. The book jumps around all over the place. The chapters appear to work in logical order and then within chapters paragraphs can alternate from one story to the next on q whim as an anecdote pops into Ferguson's head. Surely it should have been the ghost writers job to take these stories and asides and form some sort of cohesive work? in my opinion he has not. Putting that problem aside I found the book fairly dull with Ferguson leaving out anything that might slightly make him look bad and then laying into anyone who has crossed him in the past. I think these stories have been included to try and raise the profile of the book and in my opinion only serve to make Ferguson look petty. Overall I would not recommend this book and I am glad to have finished it and I will now de disposing of it asap. 4/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) The Blasphemer - Nigel Farndale Synopsis - Amazon He had always been scared of flying. Now, the fear is real. A plane crash. The water is rising over his mouth. In his nostrils. Lungs. As Daniel gasps, he swallows; and punches at his seat-belt. Nancy, the woman he loves, is trapped in her seat. He clambers over her, pushing her face into the headrest. It is a reflex, visceral action made without rational thought... But Daniel Kennedy did it. And already we have judged him from the comfort of our own lives. Almost a hundred years earlier, Daniel's great-grandfather goes over the top at Passchendaele.A shell explodes, and he wakes up alone and lost in the hell of no-man's-land. Where are the others? Has he been left behind? And if he doesn't find his unit, is he a deserter? Love; cowardice; trust; forgiveness.How will any of us behave when we are pushed to extremes? Review I picked up this book just over 3 years ago as it was one of the Richard and Judy recommended reads for that year. I thought it sounded interesting so I am not sure why it has taken so long for me to read it. The book follows Daniel Kennedy and his great-grandfather who is a soldier fighting in the trenches of World War I. It is hard to say too much about this book without giving key plot points away. It starts out looking as though it will be a comparison of thier lives and people's opinions on whether their actions are cowardly or not. Daniel escapes a plane crash and puts himself first when he frees himself from the wreckage by climbing over his wife. I thought this was the direction the book was going in until. Daniel feels he has been guided by an angel to safety and his great-grandfather had a similar experience during his battalions charge in battle. The book then has several sub plots involving terrorism and then this person being remembered by Daniel as his angel. His daughter also falling in love with this man and his wife's grief counsellor also being a crazed stalker. On top of this his supposed professor friend is actually working against him getting a permanent position at the collage and in trouble with counter terrorist police. Taking all this into account I just felt there was a bit too much going on in the book. I did enjoy the main story and found some of the issues it raised fairly interesting. I do think I would read another book by this author but this time hope the story was a bit more focused on only a couple of issues. 7/10 Edited February 10, 2014 by tunn300 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 I have well and truly got stuck into This is Life and so far it is certainly living upto the very high standards of Gold. The characters are quirky, beautifully written and the story is so bizarre but equally brilliant. I was looking on Rhodes's website for any news of future books and came across this article. http://danrhodes.wordpress.com/books/when-the-professor-got-stuck-in-the-snow/ It appears he has always wanted to publish a book as soon as he has finished it without waiting nearly a year for publishers to sort it out. So he has started his own book label and will be selling physical copies of his new book himself and it will also be available for download. The book is due for release late Feb/ early March and was only finished being written on January 11th. It seems a very exciting project!! Anyway off to read more of the fantastic This is Life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 I have entered the final hundred pages of This is Life and I really don't want it to end. Such fantastic characters and interlinking stories. This really is an example of Rhodes at his quirky, delightful best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Glad to hear you're enjoying This is Life so much. I read Gold just last year and loved it, and I have TiL on my TBR pile. Dare I ask if you think it's better than Gold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Well I finished This is Life this morning and am sorry I have come to the end of such a wonderful, wonderful book. I am already sorry not be spending any more time with these characters. Glad to hear you're enjoying This is Life so much. I read Gold just last year and loved it, and I have TiL on my TBR pile. Dare I ask if you think it's better than Gold? You may ask and I am going to reply in the affirmative. A full review to come soon and I probably do owe Gold a re-read at some point this year but this book is wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunn300 Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 This is Life - Dan Rhodes Synopsis - Amazon In Paris, art student Aurélie Renard throws a stone and sets in motion a chain of events that will turn her life upside down. Suddenly finding herself in sole charge of a stranger's baby, and with no idea how babies work, it's only thanks to the help of her adoring professor and her gun-toting heartbreaker of a best friend that Aurélie Renard is able to navigate her way through the most extraordinary and calamitous seven days of her life. Meanwhile, in a Pigalle cinema, a naked man is doing his best to show the people of Paris, Aurélie among them, what it means to be alive . . . Review I absolutely adore Dan Rhodes novel Gold, it is still one of my favourite books ever and I always pick up his books with a great sense of anticipation. Unfortunately nothing has quite lived up to that height so far, there have been some great books but never the complete package. Until I found This is Life. I am going to come right out and say it.. I think this is better than Gold!! The characters in this book are incredible and the plot is oh so ridiculous but when in the hands of Rhodes seems utterly plausible. I enjoyed every last moment, from beginning to end and to tell you even the slightest bit would spoil your enjoyment. It is full of Rhodes' trademark humour and wit and it flows so well I read it in no time at all. My only criticism is that I wanted the book to go on longer and tell us even more about these wonderful characters. For me this is a must read, especially if you enjoyed Gold. 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 It's definitely going on my wish list after that glowing review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Oh my .. it's better than Gold! Claire .. you bought this for me (the combined genius of your generosity and my impeccable taste ) so I need to read it soon and then put it on a pile for you. Great review tunn .. it was definitely on my 'soon to be read' list but it's just got a great big shove in the right direction I can't wait now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Flicking through this review, I suddenly realised that I'd bought this book a while ago on a whim/recommendation or whatever. I can't think why, but it's just going to have to move right up the list to be read on that review. On your head be it........! Really - great review, love the enthusiasm, definitely one to investigate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Wow! I'm intrigued to read it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Oh my .. it's better than Gold! Claire .. you bought this for me (the combined genius of your generosity and my impeccable taste ) so I need to read it soon and then put it on a pile for you. Great review tunn .. it was definitely on my 'soon to be read' list but it's just got a great big shove in the right direction I can't wait now. I thought it looked familiar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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