Jump to content

Diane's Reading List 2015


Inver

Recommended Posts

My Reading List 2015 :coffee1:

 

Well, here we are another year and another pile of books to read.  Yet again I didn't reach my meagre 'to read' total of 30 ..how sad is that 19 is not a good total. It was even 1 less than last year so I shall endeavour yet again to reach it this year, famous last words I hear you say. Hopefully I will add a few more new authors along the reading trail too as I did last year. You are all very good at recommendations.  Must try to read more from the books already on my shelf though, than buying....but we all know how hard that is :yes:

 

List from 2014 (19)

List from 2013 (20)

Follow the above link to the other lists from previous years.

 

Reading at the moment :readingtwo:

 

'The Great Christmas Bake Off' by Alexandra Brown

 

 

Read

 

January

'The Lake of Dreams' by Kim Edwards

'Secrets She Left Behind' by Diane Chamberlain (sequel to 'Before the Storm)(started)

February

'Secrets She Left Behind' by Diane Chamberlain (sequel to 'Before the Storm)(finished)

'The Husband's Secret' by Liane Moriarty

March

'The Girl Who Couldn't Smile' by Shane Dunphy

'Love Anthony' by Lisa Genova

'The Memory Book' by Rowan Coleman (started)

April

'The Memory Book' by Rowan Coleman (finished)

'Elizabeth is Missing' by Emma Healey

'Cauldstane' by Linda Gillard (started 2014)

May

'My Best Friend's Girl' by Dorothy Koomson

'Constance' by Rosie Thomas

'The Forgotten Garden' by Kate Morton (started)

June

'Gold' by Chris Cleave

July

'The Forgotten Garden' by Kate Morton (finished)

August

'Instructions for a Heatwave' by Maggie O'Farrell

'The Language of Flowers' by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

September

'The Lost Daughter' by Diane Chamberlain

'The Time Keeper' by Mitch Albom

'Over You' by Lucy Diamond

October

'One Moment' One Morning' by Sarah Rayner

'The Seafront Tea Rooms' by Vanessa Greene

'Testimony' by Anita Shreve

November

'The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle' by Kirsty Wark

'Hannah's List' by Debbie Macomber

December

'The Snow Child' by Eowyn Ivey

'Broken Skin' by Stuart MacBride

'The Great Christmas Knit Off' by Alexandra Brown

Edited by Inver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 83
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Bookring/rays/RABCK from Bookcrossing or BCF Members :readingtwo:

 

'Constance' by Rosie Thomas (just one I had registered and on my shelf)

'The Forgotten Garden' by Kate Morton (one I had sent on from a fellow Bookcrosser)

Edited by Inver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wishlist/To Buy :readingtwo:

 

'The Language of Flowers' by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (a swap on RISI)

'The Wedding' by Nicholas Sparks

'The Memory Book' by Rowan Coleman (Mother's day gift from Kenny :smile:)

'Night Road' by Kristin Hannah

'The Cornish House' by Liz Fenwick

'The Seafront Tea Rooms' by Vanessa Greene (Hayley sent me this one.... :D)

'The Button Collector' by Elizabeth Jennings

'Leaving Time' by Jodi Picoult

'Keeper of the Light' Diane Chamberlain (trilogy)(have Kiss River & Her Mother's Shadow)(found in book swap shop)

'Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe' by Milly Johnson

'The Two Week Wait' by Sarah Rayner

'Another Night, Another Day' by Sarah Rayner

Edited by Inver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

TBR List :readingtwo:

 

I will be adding to this when I choose the books from my shelves that I really want to try and read this year.

 

 'Peaches for Monsieur le Cure' by Joanne Harris

'Sing You Home' by Jodi Picoult

'The Silent Sister' by Diane Chamberlain

'The Shadow Wife' by Diane Chamberlain

'Secret Lives' by Diane Chamberlain

'Life after Life' by Kate Atkinson
'A Week in Paris' by Rachel Hore
'The Secret Keeper' by Kate Morton

'Secrets of the Lighthouse' by Santa Montefiore (Bookcrossing)

'The Sweetness of Forgiving' by Kristin Harmel

'Keeper of the Light' Diane Chamberlain (trilogy)( Kiss River & Her Mother's Shadow)

Edited by Inver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

New Authors/Books Bought or Borrowed :readingtwo:

 

New Author = *

Books bought/borrowed/swapped = #

Read = @

 

'The Husband's Secret' by Liane Moriarty * # @

'The Great Christmas Knit Off' by Alexandra Brown # (March)

'The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle' by Kirsty Wark *@# (March)

'The Memory Book' by Rowan Coleman * @ # (present)

'Elizabeth is Missing' by Emma Healey * @ # (borrowed from my sister)

'Life after Life by Kate Atkinson # (Christian Aid book sale)
'A Week in Paris' by Rachel Hore # (Christian Aid book sale)
'The Secret Keeper' by Kate Morton # (Christian Aid book sale)

'The Rose Petal Beach by Dorothy Koomson # (Christian Aid book sale)

'Strange Fits of Passion' by Anita Shreve # (Christian Aid book sale)

'Sophie's Bakery for the Broken Hearted by Lolly Winston # (Christian Aid book sale)

'Love Letters' by Debbie Macomber # (Christian Aid book sale)

'The Language of Flowers' by Vanessa Diffenbaugh *@ # (a swap on RISI)

'Secrets of the Lighthouse' by Santa Montefiore # (from a fellow Bookcrosser)

'Her Mother's Shadow' by Diane Chamberlain # (a swap on RISI)

'Big Little Lies' by Liane Moriarty # (present)

'The House We Grew Up In' by Lisa Jewell # (present)

'We Are All Made of Stars' by Rowan Coleman # (present)

'The Snow Child' by Eowyn Ivey * (won a signed copy)

 

My Christmas pressie book

'Murder at the Old Vicarage' A Christmas Mystery by Jill McGowan

Edited by Inver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Books Read/Authors :readingtwo:

 

British

Shane Dunphy (Irish & new author)

Rowan Coleman (new author for me)

Emma Healey (new author for me)

Linda Gillard

Dorothy Koomson

Rosie Thomas

Chris Cleave

Maggie O'Farrell

Lucy Diamond

Sarah Rayner (new author for me)

Vanessa Greene

Kirsty Wark (Scottish & new author for me)

Stuart MacBride (Scottish)

Alexandra Brown (new author for me)

 

International

 

Kim Edwards - USA

Diane Chamberlain - USA (2)

Liane Moriarty - Australia (new author for me)

Lisa Genova  - USA

Kate Morton - Australia

Vanessa Diffenbaugh - USA (new author for me)

Mitch Albom - USA

Anita Shreve - USA

Debbie Macomber - USA

Eowyn Ivey - USA (new author for me)

Edited by Inver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A successful reading year is what is successful in your eyes. While it's great to be able to break your own record, it isn't the only thing.  Life interferes, knocks us down, drags us around by the heels, kicking and screaming. 

All that takes away from valuable reading time! :P

 

Priorities.  Sometimes reading just has to take a back seat.  Although at times, it's our savior. 

 

I hope your new year is happy and productive. :readingtwo:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope you have a better reading year, Diane. As long as you enjoy what you read, it doesn't matter about the total!

 

How are you getting along with the Kim Edwards book? I'm afraid The Memory Keeper's Daughter rather put me off reading anything else by her. The writing was OK, but the characters all annoyed me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kylie ~ I have to say 'the Lake of Dreams' has been a bit of  slow read for me....started it ages ago. Seems a lot of writing but not a lot happening, it is slowly picking up, but wish it would come to something more positive. Not one I'm going to rate overly highly I don't think. Like you say her writing is OK....very descriptive in parts though, but a bit unnecessary at times I feel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eeesh, not good things being said about Kim Edwards in here. I haven't read The Memory Keeper's Daughter, but it has been on my wishlist for some time. If Kylie didn't like that one, and if you're struggling with another one by her Diane... I might boot it off the list. Or at least to the bottom, anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Diane, your reading totals seem to be on a par with mine. I rarely make it above 25 in a year. Last year I managed 19 and a few of those were audio books I listened to in the car, so went in parallel with my 'real' reads.

 

Life interferes, knocks us down, drags us around by the heels, kicking and screaming. 

All that takes away from valuable reading time! :P

 

Haha I love this image Pontalba. Yep - so true :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

'The Lake of Dreams' by Kim Edwards

 

Finally....can't believe how long it took me to read this, partly me rather than the book itself Started in Nov '14.

 

However it was a bit of a tedious read. I wanted it to be so much better, the finding out of past relatives linked by stain glass windows sounded intriguing when I started to read it...then the finding of letters lost from years ago...how were they all linked together? I found that it dragged in and became a bit repetitive and overly descriptive in parts and wanted it to come to a conclusion. I finished the book and found the last third of it kept my interest enough to find out the conclusion.

It wasn't badly written, but I did find it a bit slow going.

 

3/5

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

'Secrets She Left Behind' by Diane Chamberlain

 

I always enjoy Diane Chamberlain and this didn't disappoint. This is the follow on from 'Before the Storm' which I loved. I always seem to read her books reasonably quickly. She writes such gripping storylines and great characters. It could probably be read on its own, but I think reading the first would help, understanding the plot and how the characters link.

There are lots of truths and family relationships brought unexpectedly to the fore....I like when these kind of things pop up, and you go 'omg...wasn't expecting that'.

This was a worthy follow on read and recommend it. Each chapter is narrated by one of the characters. Sometimes this can be annoying but never so with Diane Chamberlain's writing I find. There have been lots of mixed reviews for this book, but I think you just have to go ahead and read it and make up your own mind...especially if you have read the 'Before the Storm.

And thank you Hayley again for sending this on to me... :)

 

4/5

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...