chesilbeach Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 Your reading log is dangerous to my wishlist I've been reading through the pages and the following titles will end up on my wishlist: All Our Worldly Goods, Misty Falls (or rather the first novel in the series), and All Fall Down. I never think anyone will be interested in the books I read, particularly after reading my reviews … they seem to bland to me, I can't think I make anything sound worth reading! I think I'm too careful in my criticism, and hate giving away spoilers, which means I often find I don't discuss some of the more interesting points I'd like to, so I'm glad you've found something of interest, frankie! Oooh, what a great haul! Same as Kylie, I have the Incorrigible book on my wishlist already. The cover is gorgeous I started it today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Only Ever Yours sounds interesting (if not depressing!). I've added it to my wishlist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 That sounds really fascinating, I feel like it could prompt quite the rant from me! Definitely checking it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Only Ever Yours sounds interesting (if not depressing!). I've added it to my wishlist. That sounds really fascinating, I feel like it could prompt quite the rant from me! Definitely checking it out. I think it probably would, Noll! I hope one of you do read it, as I really want to discuss it with someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I just bought it! And I got The Sky Is Everywhere, We Were Liars and I tried to get Half-Bad but it's like €10 for a Kindle copy and nope. Not paying that, sorry, my limit for 1s and 0s is about €5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Ooh, interesting times ahead then! I look forward to discussing it with you … I've just looked up The Sky Is Everywhere as I'd not heard of it and it looks promising. I'll look forward to seeing what you think of it. Fingers crossed Half Bad will come down in price at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Soon as I'm finished World After I'll get onto it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSchultz19 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Wow Only Ever Yours sounds really interesting. And dark. And depressing. Definitely adding it to my wishlist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I never think anyone will be interested in the books I read, particularly after reading my reviews … they seem to bland to me, I can't think I make anything sound worth reading! I think I'm too careful in my criticism, and hate giving away spoilers, which means I often find I don't discuss some of the more interesting points I'd like to, so I'm glad you've found something of interest, frankie! You're too critical of yourself and too modest! Luckily we know better and make our own minds up about your reviews (and add loads and loads of books to our wishlist after popping into your thread)! Don't be too scared of doing ranty reviews every now and then if that's what you feel like, those are always cathartic And you can always use spoiler tags if you want to discuss some of the particulars. But you already know that I started it today I hope you're enjoying it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thanks frankie, you're good for my self confidence! I am enjoying the Incorrigibles book, although you can tell it's an American edition, as it's supposed to be set in England, yet the children wear pants not trousers, and she mentions (randomly) aluminum not aluminium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thanks frankie, you're good for my self confidence! Good! And that one was for free I am enjoying the Incorrigibles book, although you can tell it's an American edition, as it's supposed to be set in England, yet the children wear pants not trousers, and she mentions (randomly) aluminum not aluminium. Are the children out of diapers nappies yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thanks frankie, you're good for my self confidence! I am enjoying the Incorrigibles book, although you can tell it's an American edition, as it's supposed to be set in England, yet the children wear pants not trousers, and she mentions (randomly) aluminum not aluminium. I didn't notice that in the first book Probably because I heard it read and the narrator has such a marvellous English accent that it must have passed me by (I wonder if she stuck with aluminum?) After reading that though .. when I listened some more this morning (to the second book) .. she did say math .. which made me flinch a bit Having looked her up she is American though (the narrator .. Katherine Kellgren) but did study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Her accent got past me anyway .. I never doubted she was English Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I wonder if it was amended for the audio book? The narrator might have queried it when it was being recorded, or it might have been changed in preparation for a British edition of the book? It's not a major problem, but just something I've spotted on a few little things throughout, and occasionally, it doesn't quite scan in the same way the British English would, and sounds more American English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Absolutely delighted to see that Robin Stevens has been signed up for two more Wells & Wong Mystery books! http://www.thebookseller.com/news/prh-acquires-two-books-robin-stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Great news .. and there might be even more. Bound to be actually if the books are popular and they obviously are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood Synopsis (from waterstones.com): Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies. But mysteries abound at Ashton Place: Who are these three wild creatures, and how did they come to live in the vast forests of the estate? Why does Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk around every corner? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance's holiday ball? And what on earth is a schottische? Review: There's plenty to like about this children's book - a young, possibly orphaned, woman having been raised in a boarding school takes her first job as a governess to three young children who have been found wild on the estate. The founder of the school is the veritable Agatha Swanburne, who has a fantastic line in wise words, including, "Every book is judged by its cover until it is read", and her wise words guide Penelope in life. On the down side, only minor quibbles, but there were a few instances of American English in a British country house setting that irked me, although the edition I have is a US/Canadian edition, so if a UK publishers buy it, these may be amended for the UK version. I also felt that the story was all a set up for a series of stories, rather than a complete story in itself, and it didn't really go anywhere. That said, I still enjoyed it a lot, and it has very nicely set me up to read the next book, so I guess it's done its job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Great review, it sounds like an interesting book. I really like the cover for this book, at least the one Google shows me. It might be stupid but I want to read it just based on that cover . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 I can't deny, if I'd seen it in the shop myself I'd probably have bought it based on the cover alone too, but credit to Kay who gave it to me for my birthday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde Synopsis (from waterstones.com): In the good old days, magic was powerful, unregulated by government, and even the largest spell could be woven without filling in magic release form B1-7g. Then the magic started fading away. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for soothsayers and sorcerers. But work is drying up. Drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and even magic carpets are reduced to pizza delivery. So it's a surprise when the visions start. Not only do they predict the death of the Last Dragon at the hands of a dragonslayer, they also point to Jennifer, and say something is coming. Big Magic ... Review: There's something very comforting about picking up a Jasper Fforde book … you just know you're in safe hands. I was a little trepidatious, as this was his first YA, but I needn't have worried, it was great. Another great heroine from Fforde, with Jennifer Strange our tough, level headed lead surrounded my a mad, fantastical, magical world, but set in the domestic, mundane world we know… this time it's Hereford. I loved the story, a classic quest, and I loved the world that Fforde has created. It's a great adventure with a good lead who is sensible and moral, up against power hungry leaders, sorcerers who despise her, not to mention the last dragon left in the world. What was also lovely, was that even though it's a fifteen year old heroine in a YA book, there's not a hint of romance … it's all about the adventure. Loved it, and can't wait to read the rest of the series now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 The Dark Tourist by Dom Joly Synopsis (from waterstones.com): Ever since he can remember, Dom Joly has been fascinated by travel to odd places. In part this stems from a childhood spent in war-torn Lebanon, where instead of swapping marbles in the schoolyard, he had a shrapnel collection -- the schoolboy currency of Beirut. Dom's upbringing was interspersed with terrifying days and nights spent hunkered in the family basement under Syrian rocket attack or coming across a pile of severed heads from a sectarian execution in the pine forests near his home. These early experiences left Dom with a profound loathing for the sanitized experiences of the modern day travel industry and a taste for the darkest of places. And in this brilliantly odd and hilariously told travel memoir, Dom Joly sets out on a quest to visit those destinations from which the average tourist would, and should, run a mile. The more insalubrious the place, the more interesting is the journey and so we follow Dom as he skis in Iran on segregated slopes, spends a weekend in Chernobyl, tours the assassination sites of America and becomes one of the few Westerners to be granted entry into North Korea. Eventually Dom journeys back to his roots in Beirut only to discover he was at school with Osama Bin Laden. Funny and frightening in equal measure, this is a uniquely bizarre and compelling travelogue from one of the most fearless and innovative comedians around. Review: My book group has been asking for a bit more variety in our choices, with some male authors and travel being mentioned, and this was the first book to break our cycle of female fiction writing. I loved it! This is my sort of book, a comic travel book, with something a bit out of the ordinary. You can read in the synopsis above all the places Joly visits, and his writing is fun and funny, but also at times, thought provoking and reflective. I know Joly from Trigger Happy TV, and associate him, as many do, with the huge mobile phone making pretend calls in quiet places, but that was quite a while ago now, and now you're more likely to find him with his young family in the Cotswolds. Most of his travels are not for the faint-hearted, but even travelling to the US can be difficult for a British national born in the Lebanon, and some of the countries he's visited, don't make for an easy entrance into the States with those visas stamped in your passport. There are six different journeys taken, and by travelling on his own and going off the beaten track, you see a story not often told in many of the countries. For me, the trip to the Killing Fields of Cambodia was the most compelling story, and also Joly's most reflective, as he considers his role as a tourist in this damaged country. I really enjoyed this book, and can't wait to see what the others in my book group made of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Wow, a quarter of the way through the year … where did that go??!! First impressions on my reading year so far aren't bad. 38 books read, but a large portion are children's or YA, although I'm not actually bothered about numbers, as I've spent a lot of time on other hobbies. Nothing wrong in that, but I would like to get back to my TBR and concentrate on some more grown up books for a while before my holidays start. Going to finish my current book, then hopefully go back to my Jar of Destiny for April. I've bought a lot of books, but a good few of those were the Waterstone's children's book prize finalists. I've only abandoned one book, so that's not too bad but I'm not afraid to do that nowadays … life's too short. Anyway, looking forward to heading into grown up territory again, and with the long weekend coming up, I'm hoping for plenty of reading time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Haha Jar of Destiny. Such power! I like this idea of a quarterly review, I think I might do that myself. Enjoy your return to adulthood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Wow, a quarter of the way through the year … where did that go??!! First impressions on my reading year so far aren't bad. 38 books read, but a large portion are children's or YA, although I'm not actually bothered about numbers, as I've spent a lot of time on other hobbies. Nothing wrong in that, but I would like to get back to my TBR and concentrate on some more grown up books for a while before my holidays start. Going to finish my current book, then hopefully go back to my Jar of Destiny for April. I've bought a lot of books, but a good few of those were the Waterstone's children's book prize finalists. I've only abandoned one book, so that's not too bad but I'm not afraid to do that nowadays … life's too short. Anyway, looking forward to heading into grown up territory again, and with the long weekend coming up, I'm hoping for plenty of reading time. I'm glad you've been enjoying your reading, Claire! I hope you will read some more nice books in the rest of the year, and that your Jar of Destiny will pick some nice books for you . I like this idea of a quarterly review, I think I might do that myself. Enjoy your return to adulthood! Noll, if you do write a quarterly review, I'd like to read it (but no pressure, if you don't want to, then don't do it! I'd hate to make you feel pressured ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 I've decided to give up on Heap House. I couldn't even face reading it during my lunch break, and ended up listening to some more of the audiobook I have on the go at the moment, despite the fact I've read and listened to the book more than once, and I ended up playing a game on my phone instead So now it's back to adulthood and the Jar of Destiny. Celia by E. H. Young … here I come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): Alone in the world, Sophie dreams of being someone special, but she could never have imagined this ... On a school trip to Russia, Sophie and her two friends find themselves on the wrong train. They are rescued by the beautiful Princess Anna Volkonskaya, who takes them to her winter palace and mesmerises them with stories of lost diamonds and a tragic past. But as night falls and wolves prowl, Sophie discovers more than dreams in the crumbling palace of secrets ... Review: I don't know if maybe I've overdosed on YA recently, but I thought The Wolf Princess was perfectly fine, and an interesting idea to set the story in Russia, which was a new one on me, but when I got to the end, I just felt a bit "meh" about it. Maybe if I'd read it at a different time I'd have liked it more, and I know I've just abandoned another YA book that I just couldn't get interested in, so maybe it's me needing something different in my reading at this point. It's not bad, it's not boring, it had good characters, a great setting, some very well written scenes (there's one of the girls arriving at a train station that was really evocative), but it hasn't hit the right spot for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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