Brian. Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 I hope you have a great reading year, Brian. Is The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying a difficult read? I've had it on my TBR pile for quite a while and I'm quite daunted by the thought of reading it. To be honest, it's languishing somewhere near the bottom of my pile. I don't think that its a difficult read but it is a long and thought provoking book so I've drifted away from it a few times. I think this time I'll read it alongside other books and hopefully that will stop me getting bogged down with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Ah, makes sense. I imagine that I will also want to read something alongside it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I just drew a book from the pot of randomness and my next read is No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. Ooh, that's a good one! It's a great pot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 A good looking TBR list there Brian, and the mathematics you have applied to book selection is flawless. Have a wonderful year of reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 (edited) Ooooooh once I drop my TBR pile to 100, i might have to use your TBR pot. Happy random reading in 2015! Edited January 7, 2015 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 No Time for Goodbye by Linwood BarclaySynopsisThe house was silent. No sound of her parents getting ready for work, or her brother late for school. Were they punishing her for last night? She'd been out on a date when she should have been studying, and had a huge fight with her father. So where was everyone now? Why had her family disappeared?Twenty-five years later the mystery is no nearer to being solved and Cynthia is still haunted by unanswered questions. Were her family murdered? Abducted? If so, why was she spared? And if they're alive, why did they abandon her?Then a letter arrives, a letter which makes no sense. Soon Cynthia begins to realise that stirring up the past could be the worst mistake she has ever made...(taken from Goodreads)My Thoughts I have had this book on my TBR for a little while now after getting it as part of a book swap (from Dex I think). I don't think I would have decided to read this just yet but it was drawn randomly from my TBR pot. Usually, after reading a crime fiction book I would have gone for something completely different. I knew nothing about the book or about the author aside form the fact the he seems popular on here. The story starts off with a flashback into the past during the disappearance of Cynthia's family. The next chapter then jumps to the present day and stays that way apart from the odd very short chapter which is a mysterious discussion between two unknown people. The first part of the story is fine if a little plodding in places. Once the intrigue gets going there is loads happening with plenty of twists and turns. Throughout, the book is very easy to read and once it got going I found it very hard to put down. This almost got problematic as kick-off for the Dallas Vs Green Bay game was approaching. The reason I gave this four and not five stars is the fact that I sussed out what was going on way before the end of the book. Despite this, I still found it to be a very enjoyable read which had me guessing for a while. I have another book by Barclay which I am looking forward to when I get to it. 4/5 (I really liked it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I also love your 'to read pot' - what a fab idea! Happy reading in 2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I've decided to construct a complex mathematical algorithm to pick what fiction book to read next in 2015. I present, the TBR pot. Since I only have less than 100 books on my fiction TBR I thought I'd give this a go. I have considered it in the past but always had far too many books on my list for it to be practical. Brilliant idea .. I might nick it (with your permission) but I'm a bit scared of what it might throw up Happy Reading Brian! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Brilliant idea .. I might nick it (with your permission) but I'm a bit scared of what it might throw up Happy Reading Brian! Steal away, I nicked it from somewhere on the internet anyway. Last night it threw up another book which I wouldn't have chosen as my next read, Smack by Melvin Burgess. I wasn't sure about it last night after about 20 pages but today it has grabbed me a little more and I'm just under halfway through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Steal away, I nicked it from somewhere on the internet anyway. Last night it threw up another book which I wouldn't have chosen as my next read, Smack by Melvin Burgess. I wasn't sure about it last night after about 20 pages but today it has grabbed me a little more and I'm just under halfway through it. Hmmm .. perhaps the pot knows best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Glad you enjoyed No Time For Goodbye! I read the other one, Too Close To Home, a couple of years back and loved it. I have the former, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I'm glad you're enjoying your reading, Brian ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Going to add No Time for Goodbye to my wish-list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I've decided to construct a complex mathematical algorithm to pick what fiction book to read next in 2015. I present, the TBR pot. Since I only have less than 100 books on my fiction TBR I thought I'd give this a go. I have considered it in the past but always had far too many books on my list for it to be practical. Great "complex mathematical algorithm" TBR pot! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Great review of No Time for Goodbye, Brian, I'm so happy you liked the book! I checked your TBR and saw that the other book you have by Barclay is Too Close to Home, and I have to say that that one is my favorite of Barclay's books. The intro to the book was so creepy, in my opinion! Last night it threw up another book which I wouldn't have chosen as my next read, Smack by Melvin Burgess. I wasn't sure about it last night after about 20 pages but today it has grabbed me a little more and I'm just under halfway through it. Haha, like poppyshake, maybe the pot does know best and you are just to do what it wants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Great review of No Time for Goodbye, Brian, I'm so happy you liked the book! I checked your TBR and saw that the other book you have by Barclay is Too Close to Home, and I have to say that that one is my favorite of Barclay's books. The intro to the book was so creepy, in my opinion! Haha, like poppyshake, maybe the pot does know best and you are just to do what it wants Yeah I have the other book also, I may get to it this year if the pot decides it's time to read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Smack by Melvin BurgessSynopsisI can give it up any time I want . . .Sometimes maybe you need an experience. The experience can be a person or it can be a drug. The experience opens a door that was there all the time but you never saw it. Or maybe it blasts you into outer space. This time it was Lily and Rob and Gemma spending all that time to make me feel one of them, but it was the drug too. All that crap—about Gemma leaving me, about Mum and Dad, about leaving home. All that negative stuff. All the pain . . . It just floated away from me, I just floated away from it . . . up and away . . . I leaned back and I looked at the book and I looked at them and Gemma smiled at me, a big soft smile, and her eyes were like marbles. “Better?” she said. Smack is the winner of the 1996 Carnegie Medal in Literature.(taken from Goodreads)My Thoughts The pot of wonderment picked out another book for me, Smack by Melvin Burgess. Again, I don't think it's a book that I would have grabbed off of the TBR pile. I seem to be drawn to books which are dark and written about the fringes of society, particularly when it drugs are involved. I'm sure that says something about me as a person but exactly what this is, I don't know. In the past I have really enjoyed Junky by William S. Burroughs and I suspected that this would be along a similar vein. (No pun intended, honestly). The story is centered around two main characters, a boy called Tar and a girl called Gemma. Both are 14 and for different reasons decide to run away from home. Tar has alcoholic parents, his father beats him, and his mother bombards him with emotional abuse. His reasons for running away make sense, Gemma's on the other hand don't. She decides to join Tar as she doesn't get on well with her parents and is a very flightly individual. Their lives then descend into a whirlwind of squats, drugs and chaos. Along the way we meet various other characters who come in and out of the story. The chapters are short and are narrated by a single character which changes with each chapter. This style really worked as you got to see the story from different points of view along the way. I didn't realise that this was a YA book until I had started to read it but I was fine with that. The subject matter is pretty mature and probably only suited to older young adults, if that makes sense. If I have a minor niggle is was that the story wasn't brutal enough. Heroin babies are grim enough, but I would have had one of the main characters, probably Lily dying. I love the picture on the cover. 3/5 (I liked it). Edited January 13, 2015 by Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Yeah I have the other book also, I may get to it this year if the pot decides it's time to read it. I'm going to put a spell on that pot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Smack sounds intriguing Brian, especially as a YA read. Loving the pot of fortune as well! Edited January 13, 2015 by Alexi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki MurakamiSynopsisWhen a man's favourite elephant vanishes, the balance of his whole life is subtly upset. A couple's midnight hunger pangs drive them to hold up a McDonald's. A woman finds she is irresistible to a small green monster that burrows through her front garden. An insomniac wife wakes up in a twilight world of semi-consciousness in which anything seems possible - even death. In every one of these stories Murakami makes a determined assault on the normal.(taken from Goodreads)My Thoughts As the movement of jar users has swelled this week It was fitting that I finished my 3rd randomly selected book. The book in question was The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami. I was delighted at this selection as I really like what I have read so far by Murakami. I will put my hands up and admit that I tend to prefer his less surreal work even if that is considered blasphemous by some. For example my most loved Murakami book are Norwegian Wood and South of the Border, West of the Sun. On opening this book I was surprised to discover that it is a collection of short stories, a first for me. I'll keep this review relatively short with my general feeling being that I enjoyed some stories and others less so. In the same way as my previous feelings I preferred the less surreal ones but I wouldn't say there were any duds. There is something about some of Murakami's ethereal characters that really grabs me and there were plenty in evidence here. I can't put my finger on what it is and for me that only adds to the magic. I think that essentially, short stories are not really my thing as I much prefer characters to develop over time. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy this book but I felt as though it was a collection of ideas that could become novels in their own right over time. I was always left a little disappointed when one of the stories I particularly liked came to an end so quickly. I enjoyed this book but it isn't one of my favourites from Murakami. 3/5 (I liked it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Holding up a McDonalds, is just sad. Great reviews, Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed the Murakami book, though it's a shame it wasn't as good for you as some full length novels. I also tend to prefer full length novels over short story collections, though in the past year (2014) I've become to appreciate short stories more. Nice review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 The jar has selected Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Oooh, it will be interesting to see what you think of Gone Girl. I loved it - as I did with other Flynn books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I hope you enjoy it! I have it on my TBR. The book has received quite a few good reviews from people here on BCF, so I hope you enjoy it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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