Kell Posted May 24, 2006 Author Posted May 24, 2006 Thanks, Mau - I'm feeling much better this evening & am planning on returning to work tomorrow unless something drastic happens overnight (which isn't likely - fingers crossed!).
Kell Posted May 25, 2006 Author Posted May 25, 2006 Just finished readnig Sickened by Julie Gregory, so that's now on my Sale or Swap list, which is ever growing. Moving onto the Darren Shan Vampire Blood Trilogy next - it's been a while since I read any good vampire stories...
Kell Posted May 27, 2006 Author Posted May 27, 2006 I've been at it again - I bought 2 more books today in town, but seeing as they were in Virgin's 2 for
Kell Posted May 28, 2006 Author Posted May 28, 2006 Just finished reading the first trilogy of the Saga of Darren Shan (Vampire Blood Trilogy) & have to say it was excellent! Pure escapism with some great imigary & fantastic ideas throughout. I think I'll be getting hold of some more of these books in the future one I've whittled my reading list down a little more... Have now added the trilogy to my Sale or Swap list. Am going to start on I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan next, as it looks particularly intriguing.
Kell Posted May 30, 2006 Author Posted May 30, 2006 I've started I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan & so far I'm really enjoying it. It's very satirical & filled with description - I'm literally being bombarded by everything Lucifer is experiencing - but it's really great - it's like it's washes INTO me while I'm reading & I'm noticing things more as I'm reading because of it. Hmmmmm - this one could get me thinking!
Kell Posted May 31, 2006 Author Posted May 31, 2006 Just had another delivery of 2 more books from CBUK to read & review: Orphan of the Sun by Gill Harvey Set in Stone by Linda Newbury i'll be getting to them pretty shortly...
Kell Posted June 1, 2006 Author Posted June 1, 2006 Finished I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan (which was excellent & is now on my Sale or Swap list) & have now started Set in Stone by Linda Newbury (which is pretty good so far).
Kell Posted June 3, 2006 Author Posted June 3, 2006 Have just hit a shocking revelation in Set in Stone by Linda Newbury - woah! It's incredibly intense & deals with some very adult themes, therefore it's aimed more at the young adult market rather than younger teens, but from what I've read so far, I'd recommend it to adults too. Very well-written & told from the viewpoint of 2 characters looking in at the family on the brink of madness that employs them. It's incredibly heady stuff! I'm only hoping that Newbury manages to keep the momentum going right to the end! Warning, really, don't read the spoiler unless you're wondering whether this book would be suitable for a young adult in your life. Or unless you're really, really curious, as a MAJOR plot point is about to be revealed... In case you're wondering, the subject that has just been revealed is incest, which is never an easy subject to tackle. With it being set at the end of the 19th century, there's all the guilt about sex before marriage & children being born out of wedlock anyway, but for a 17-y-o girl to have borne a child to her own father (a touchy theme at any time) adds to the guilt & shame felt by all involved. I've not read anything so intense in long time & it's being tackled so well that Newbury deserves all kinds of credit!
Kell Posted June 4, 2006 Author Posted June 4, 2006 Finished Set in Stone & have to say it was excellent. There were quite a few plot points that absolutely did NOT see coming which makes a nice change. Although it deals with some very hard-hitting subjects, it's a refreshing read & completely gripping - very intense. I will DEFINITELY be reading more by Linda Newbury in the future! Now I've just got to choose another book to read & hope it doesn't pale in comparison!
Kell Posted June 5, 2006 Author Posted June 5, 2006 Decided on Orphan of the Sun by Gill Harvey (the other book I'm reviewing for CBUK). It's set in ancient Egypt & although I'm only a few chapters in at the moment, it seems to be pretty good. Fingers crossed it stays that way!
Kell Posted June 6, 2006 Author Posted June 6, 2006 Orphan of the Sun is turning out to be another really good read - I got really lucky with this batch! Honestly, I've been getting some fantastic books out of this reviewing malarky - it's great!
Kell Posted June 6, 2006 Author Posted June 6, 2006 Finished Orphan of the Sun in the bath & have decided to start on Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki next - it looks rather interesting as it's the life story of a real-life Kyoto Geiko who left the profession at the height of her career.
Kell Posted June 9, 2006 Author Posted June 9, 2006 Finished Geisha of Gion & completely loved it - so much better than the likes of Memoirs of a Geisha (which I also really enjoyed) - this is the "real thing". Am now moving onto The Historian for the Reading Circle...
Kell Posted June 10, 2006 Author Posted June 10, 2006 Well, i have another 2 books winging their way to me via RISI: Undead And Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson Empress Orchid by Anchee Min I seem to have both a vampire thing & an oriental thing going on in my choices lately - LOL!
Inanna Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 Undead and Unwed was an ok book IMO, I will read the rest of the series at some point, I just didn't feel it was as god as I expected it would be I have Empress Orchid as well Kell, that one looks great. Have you read any of Amy Tan's books by any chance? Oh if you love the Orient have you tried Shogun by James Clavell? I loved the dramatisation on TV when I was younger and have since picked up the book to read as well
Kell Posted June 11, 2006 Author Posted June 11, 2006 I might have to get hold of Shogun - I remember watching it on telly when I was a kid. And no, I've not read any Amy Tan - can you recommend any in particular?
Kell Posted June 11, 2006 Author Posted June 11, 2006 Have just ordered 2 books from Green Metropolis (my funds from various recent book sales all finally cleared): The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (for the Posh Club) How to Kill Your Husband (and Other Handy Household Hints) by Kathy Lette They should be arriving at some point over the next week, so I'll be adding them to my list too...
Inanna Posted June 11, 2006 Posted June 11, 2006 And no, I've not read any Amy Tan - can you recommend any in particular? I've not read her either, but she writes stories set in the Orient as well.
Kell Posted June 12, 2006 Author Posted June 12, 2006 I've finished part 1 of The Historian & so far I'm really enjoying it, dispite the action being very spread out. I LOVE that this is a Dracula story - he's one of my favourite subjects!
Michelle Posted June 12, 2006 Posted June 12, 2006 I've just finished ch 17, and it is getting better: The fact that Rossi's daughter has turned up, and the part I think she'll play.. plus people getting bitten, is improving the story! hehe
Kell Posted June 12, 2006 Author Posted June 12, 2006 I agree, Michelle - that certainly livened things up a little.
Kell Posted June 17, 2006 Author Posted June 17, 2006 I managed to come home with three books to add to my to read list: Broken by Kelley Armstrong (bought) If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor (kindly lent to me by Purple Poppy) Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Berniere (swapped on RISI - I had to pick it up from the post office depot)
Kell Posted June 21, 2006 Author Posted June 21, 2006 After The Historian, I moved onto The Five People you Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (which I rather enjoyed) & am now reading Broken by Kelley Armstrong & If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor
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