poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Wow I seem to have overlooked this thread for the last couple of days - belated happy birthday! What an awesome haul, and that wrapping paper is amazing, I need some! Thanks Noll I think all of us need that wrapping paper in our lives I think we could all do with some of it ! I wonder if there's a way to order it online or anything. I must go off to the Googles.. (just to check.. I can't actually afford to ship anything from overseas at the moment ). You should have given Michael a list of UK shopping Actually, he would probably be out all day and never find it. Claire sniffed it out .. she has sixth sense where booky themed gifts are concerned I have put my salvaged wrapping paper in a safe place .. might have to get a guard dog to keep it safe from you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 A great book haul for your birthday, Kay. I read The Mesmerist by Barbara Ewing back in 2009 I enjoyed it very much, although I can't actually remember much about it now! It was ever thus... Thanks Janet Gosh .. yes .. I am the same. Even with a book I love as much as Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (a book I could have written .. had life been kinder ) .. a book I have read more than once and listened to ... I can't remember a lot of it (other than the fact that I loved it ) When I come to describe the story to people .. I can't give them a coherent idea of it I am encouraged though that both you and Will liked The Mesmerist .. as I said it was only on my wishlist because of the sequel .. seems I may have made a good choice by accident Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Next jar pick ... Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Very happy with this. Crime month continues I feel I should know the story, I must have seen more than one adaptation (or the same one .. more than once ) but I have no idea about the plot or very little idea .. just a vague notion of having seen Albert Finney as Poirot .. maybe my head has made that up Anyway, I definitely don't know whodunnit so that's good. I'm also reading Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens which Claire lent to me. I've started already and it's excellent so don't know how soon Poirot & Co will get a look in (will I get me murders mixed up? ) but I can tell I'm going to woof it up quickly so shouldn't be a problem. I didn't think I'd have a good reading February but I have so that's encouraging. My TV is not working at the moment .. so that's helped. There are other TV's in the house but I have a preferred set and anyway, it suits my purpose not to be distracted .. especially by cake programmes I will catch up with them when willpower is stronger. My birthday books were bought for me by lovely people who both chose from my wishlists and also made some .. probably more discerning .. choices of their own. I've got some more books winging their way to me though as I had a voucher and some money which obviously just burnt a hole in my pocket until it was spent This means I've acquired 47 new books this year (51 when the new books get here) but some of these I have borrowed from Claire so it's not quite as bad as that figure suggests It's pretty steep though and already 14 more than the total for the whole of last year (pretend embarrassment .. I'm really very happy about it ) but it's a big sign of how much I'm enjoying my reading. Last year I probably bought cushions or something. I've read 11 of the books from the jar .. books that have been on the shelf and this compares with 18 from the whole of last year so if I can keep it up then I should make progress although obviously not if I keep acquiring books at this rate. I won't though, it's mostly due to Christmas and my birthday. I shall probably have a lean time of it for the rest of the year (run out of emoticons but wry smile inserted here!) Happy Reading in March everyone xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 You appear to be having a fabulous reading year, dear Poppyshake! That's an impressive-looking list of 'read' books on page 1 of your thread! And I'm pleased to see lots of purple and green but thankfully no blue. Long may it continue! Given the popularity of Murder on the Orient Express, it probably goes without saying that I rank it 'up there' with my favourites of hers. I can't remember if you've read any Dorothy L Sayers, but I was looking up her books at the Book Depository recently (Chrissy's fault) and I was disappointed to see that none of her books have been given lovely modern makeovers like the beautiful Agatha Christie series that you and I both own. In fact, they're all rather ugly covers. (Sorry to go off on a bit of a tangent, but the pic you posted got me thinking about the covers. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Another good month in February reading, and loads of new books … a fantastic start to the year, Kay! I think I knew you'd love Murder Most Unladylike, it's right up your street. Hope it ends as well for you as it started. Fingers crossed that your reading continues in the same vein in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 You appear to be having a fabulous reading year, dear Poppyshake! That's an impressive-looking list of 'read' books on page 1 of your thread! And I'm pleased to see lots of purple and green but thankfully no blue. Long may it continue! Thanks Kylie I'm doing fairly well but not much can be deduced from the purple and green .. I'm pretty easily pleased I expect some of them were turkeys Given the popularity of Murder on the Orient Express, it probably goes without saying that I rank it 'up there' with my favourites of hers. I can't remember if you've read any Dorothy L Sayers, but I was looking up her books at the Book Depository recently (Chrissy's fault) and I was disappointed to see that none of her books have been given lovely modern makeovers like the beautiful Agatha Christie series that you and I both own. In fact, they're all rather ugly covers. (Sorry to go off on a bit of a tangent, but the pic you posted got me thinking about the covers. ) I haven't read any Dorothy L Sayers but I want to. It's a real pity they haven't updated them with new covers. I've seen some that I like but it's all a bit hit and miss. You've not gone off on a tangent .. book covers are always very on topic here .. especially as I've just had a severe disappointment in that department I'm glad to hear that Murder on the Orient Express is one of your favourite Agatha's That bodes well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Another good month in February reading, and loads of new books … a fantastic start to the year, Kay! I think I knew you'd love Murder Most Unladylike, it's right up your street. Hope it ends as well for you as it started. Fingers crossed that your reading continues in the same vein in March. Thanks Claire Hope March is a good reading month for you too. I am loving Murder Most Unladylike .. highly entertaining and what's more (I will probably say this in my review but still ) .. they have bunbreaks Claire!! How awesome is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 New books received about half an hour ago so fresh from the oven as it were The Weather in the Streets - Rosamond Lehmann (sequel to Invitation to the Waltz ) After You With the Pistol (Mortdecai 2) - Kyril Bonfiglioli Clothes Music Boys - Viv Albertine Yummy, yum, yum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 .... but arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! This was also in the parcel .. .. and it's the wrong cover!! You may remember .. this is the one I wanted .. .. to go with the lovely first book that Claire so kindly gave me. This is the one I clicked on and put in my basket but this is not the one that turned up at my house THESE THINGS MATTER!! I know it's the same story inside but that's not the point So it didn't really matter about the lovely, shiny new books .. all I could see was this one .. offending my sensibilities. I have begun a correspondence with Amazon about it (one where I shout at them and they come running around here with the right cover before bedtime ) Interestingly though .. when I go to Waterstone's they too have the (what I call) wrong cover for book two. I think it may be a problem getting hold of all the scrummy covers I hope not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 That's terrible! I hope Amazon come up with the right cover for you, Kay. It looks like the two publisher are W&N (for the nice cover) and Orion (for the other), but bizarrely, W&N are owned by Orion … why bother publishing two different versions??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 That's terrible! I hope Amazon come up with the right cover for you, Kay. It looks like the two publisher are W&N (for the nice cover) and Orion (for the other), but bizarrely, W&N are owned by Orion … why bother publishing two different versions??? I don't know Looks like they were published around the same time which at least means that the cover I've been sent hasn't superceded the other one. I don't know if Amazon will agree to refund my postage though .. they usually only will if it's faulty and of course it is in my view but probably not in theirs. Maybe the picker got it wrong and they can send me a replacement .. fingers crossed. Will take Sherlockian powers to track the correct copy down. I know more about that sort of stuff now .. should be a piece of cake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 I didn't pay postage I've just remembered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 My detective skills have failed already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 I've had an email back from Amazon saying they will replace it with the right one so here's hoping. Should be here by Wednesday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I loved Murder on the Orient Express, I hope you enjoy it too, Kay ! Congratulations on your new books! But the wrong cover.. that is so annoying ! I hope the new one will have the cover you wanted . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Oh dear, that's awful. I feel your pain. I'm glad they're replacing it for you though. I have The Winter Queen winging its way to me at the moment. I do hope I get the right cover! I've had one or two arrive with different covers before, but luckily I haven't minded in those cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Aaaagh, I hate it when they send a different edition/cover to the one you/I/we want. Usually happens to me with Book Depository Hope they've sent you the right one now. Good to hear you're enjoying your reading so much this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Yep, it's happened with me and the BD too, Steve. But it recently worked in my favour! I had Cocaine Blues by JG Ballard on my wishlist for ages, and the cover had a sort of multi-coloured strip, which matched most of the other Ballard books I own. Then one day I checked my wishlist and the cover had changed to a different, uglier cover. Then the book went on sale and I thought I might as well buy it because I thought I had missed my chance to get the edition I really wanted. But when it turned up, it was the edition with the coloured strip! I was thrilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I loved Murder on the Orient Express, I hope you enjoy it too, Kay! Congratulations on your new books! But the wrong cover.. that is so annoying! I hope the new one will have the cover you wanted . Thanks Gaia .. so do I Oh dear, that's awful. I feel your pain. I'm glad they're replacing it for you though. I have The Winter Queen winging its way to me at the moment. I do hope I get the right cover! I've had one or two arrive with different covers before, but luckily I haven't minded in those cases. I've seen The Winter Queen in the shops and it always has the right cover so hopefully Kylie they'll get it right. The others though are going to be a struggle I think. I wish they would have a place for comments when you place an order (perhaps they do .. I'm so scatty) .. somewhere where you could put 'under NO circumstances are you to send me an inferior cover!' Aaaagh, I hate it when they send a different edition/cover to the one you/I/we want. Usually happens to me with Book Depository Hope they've sent you the right one now. Good to hear you're enjoying your reading so much this year Thank you Steve I should get it on Wednesday. They made a great point of telling me that, although I'd placed my order using their Super Saver delivery (for which I think they wanted me to blush) they have upgraded the replacement to First Class. Then they proceeded to tell me that I'd get it on Wednesday .. possibly. What sort of First Class is that? Actually I ordered the books on Thursday and received them on Saturday so their Super Saver was quicker. They act like they're doing me a favour!! They're not .. they're inconveniencing me terribly and possibly contributing to an ulcer or other stress induced ailment Yep, it's happened with me and the BD too, Steve. But it recently worked in my favour! I had Cocaine Blues by JG Ballard on my wishlist for ages, and the cover had a sort of multi-coloured strip, which matched most of the other Ballard books I own. Then one day I checked my wishlist and the cover had changed to a different, uglier cover. Then the book went on sale and I thought I might as well buy it because I thought I had missed my chance to get the edition I really wanted. But when it turned up, it was the edition with the coloured strip! I was thrilled. This is a happy accident .. a red letter day. The book Gods were smiling on you that day Kylie and saved you from the horror of mis-matched books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thank you Steve I should get it on Wednesday. They made a great point of telling me that, although I'd placed my order using their Super Saver delivery (for which I think they wanted me to blush) they have upgraded the replacement to First Class. Then they proceeded to tell me that I'd get it on Wednesday .. possibly. What sort of First Class is that? Actually I ordered the books on Thursday and received them on Saturday so their Super Saver was quicker. They act like they're doing me a favour!! They're not .. they're inconveniencing me terribly and possibly contributing to an ulcer or other stress induced ailment I've noticed that recently, too - the Super Saver deliveries have been arriving just as quickly as First Class. They've been sending them via their own courier service, too, so it's easy to find out from the website when it's out for delivery. Maybe they'll realise one day and start delaying things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I've noticed that recently, too - the Super Saver deliveries have been arriving just as quickly as First Class. They've been sending them via their own courier service, too, so it's easy to find out from the website when it's out for delivery. Maybe they'll realise one day and start delaying things I'm pretty sure .. unless you have Prime .. that they all go out at the same time. They pretend otherwise so that you'll cough up the extra if you're in a hurry. I seldom am in an absolute hurry so don't mind waiting but have found the delivery time to be the same anyway. Yes .. they're pretty good now at telling you when it's coming. I had an email on Saturday proclaiming that 'we're going to deliver your package today' .. so I stayed in and then inexplicably (because I didn't even have the TV on .. I was reading) the parcel went to a neighbour's house and I had to get my coat on and go fetch it. I wouldn't do this for anything other than books .. I'd wait and send Alan To come back after such an ordeal ( ) and find .. after tearing it open .. the wrong cover .. well .. it was more than flesh and blood could stand. I ate a fried egg sandwich out of sheer disappointment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Malory Towers Series by Enid Blyton Synopsis: Darrell Rivers is off to a new boarding school, Malory Towers in Cornwall. But will she fit in there? And what adventures will she have? These books chronicle Darrell and her friends' six years of mischief, mayhem and midnight feasts. Review: So enjoyable going back to re-visit these stories. I read them time and time again as a child and thought Malory Towers was the best school in the world (in theory .. in reality I would have hated it .. all large classrooms and very hearty, sporty girls .. pushing you in the pool if you were at all a nervous Nelly. Also .. you couldn't go home at 3.30pm and it was totally bad form to be homesick Absolute hell for a school phobic like me.) These were the Harry Potter books of my generation and I gobbled them up greedily. It's perhaps unwise to re-visit. The girls, seem a bit snobby now. You don't notice that as a child though. Just like I could have been Elizabeth Bennett and not the in-between maid .. so I could have been on my way to Malory Towers with my boater and lacrosse stick. Possibly I could have had a pony .. though that probably is a step too far even for my imagination This was part of a group read and some of us read updated copies with all the slaps and smacks taken out. I read the old copies that still contained liberal doses of violence Darrell has a temper that she has to learn to get the better of .. not so sure that works as well if she doesn't deal out a few slaps but still .. the powers that be have decided it's not suitable for the delicate young minds of today. The stories haven't dated well but for all that it's impossible not to enjoy them when you loved them so much as a girl and read them until the books fell to pieces. These girls were my friends (why I would want to be friends with such horrible little beasts I can't imagine but there you are .. Enid persuaded me they were great girls .. and I still have very soft spots for Sally and Mary-Lou.) The one thing everyone can remember is the midnight feasts but strangely they don't have one until fourth year .. I was sure there was one in every book. Perhaps that was St Clares? This is one of the main reasons for me loving the books as a child .. they ate food at midnight!! On one occasion they fried sausages!! .. though that wasn't here so that must have also been at St Clares. Once you've read both it's difficult to differentiate They played tricks on their teachers too .. a thing never dreamt of in a Bracknell Comprehensive .. unless you had a death wish What they seemed to have was fun .. a whole lot more than I did! These girls are like night and day to girls growing up now and I don't think the stories would hold much interest for them but they'll always be beloved by me as they helped to spark my interest .. not to say obsession .. with reading. It would've been nice to hear what happened to them later down the line but this is Enid .. once they stopped being children they disappeared in a puff of smoke. I might read St Clares if I can get hold of a set .. can't resist reading about those sausages again Loved them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I never read the St Clare books … I might have to see if I can find them too, if only to see if the midnight feasts are more regular in that school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Group read of St Clare's here we come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I never read the St Clare books … I might have to see if I can find them too, if only to see if the midnight feasts are more regular in that school! You will see so many similarities Claire. I'll be interested to see if these girls are just as fond of sitting on people and giving out slaps as the MT girls .. I expect they are If you can hang on though you can borrow mine, I've put a bid in on a set already Group read of St Clare's here we come Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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