Janet Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Books read in 2006 - 20Books read in 2007 - 30Books read in 2008 - 40(Going up in 10s completely coincidental!)Target for 2009 is to read 'more than' 40 books!FICTIONThe Notebook by Nicholas Sparks - 7/10If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor - 6�/10Over You by Lucy Diamond - 7/10Love on the Dole by Walter Greenwood - 7�/10Wycliffe and the Redhead by W J Burley - 7/10The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller - 7/10Out of My Depth by Emily Barr - 8/10Coastliners by Joanne Harris - 7/10The Sea by John Banville - 3/10The Flower Boy by Karen Roberts - 8/10The Memory Game by Nicci French - 6�/10The Dare [Quick Reads] by John Boyne - 6/10All These Lonely People [Quick Reads] by Gervase Phinn - 9�/10The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham - 10/10What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn - 9/10Black Rock - Amanda Smyth - 7�/10The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mahsin Hamid - 8/10English Passengers - Matthew Kneale - 9/10The Gold Bug - Edgar Allen Poe - 8/10The Two Pound Tram by William Newton - 7/10Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - 9/10The Reader by Bernhard Schlink - 9/10Sweet Thames by Matthew Kneale - 7/10This is not a Novel by Jennifer Johnston - 5/10Firmin: The Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife by Sam Savage - 8/10Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh - 7�/10A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson - 9�/10 Any Human Heart by William Boyd - 8�/10The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - 8�/10City of Thieves by David Benioff - 9/10The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - 8/10The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams - 7�/10The Lost Book of Salem by Katherine Howe - 9�/10 Before We Say Goodbye by Louise Candlish - 5/10The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - 9�/10 An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge - 6�/10The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent - 9�/10 Coming Up For Air by George Orwell - 7/10The Sisterhood by Emily Barr - 7� /10The Woman in Black by Susan Hill - 9�/10Carry On, Jeeves by P G Wodehouse - 8�/10The Mesmerist by Barbara Ewing - 7�/10The Other Hand by Chris Cleave - 10/10The Xmas Factor by Annie Sanders - 6�/10The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - 7/10CHILDREN'S/YOUNG ADULT FICTIONThe Midnight Folk by John Masefield - 6�/10The Box of Delights by John Masefield - 9�/10The Land of Far Beyond by Enid Blyton - 7/10Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean - 5/10The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson - 7/10Watership Down by Richard Adams - 9/10When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr - 9/10The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips by Michael Morpurgo - 8/10Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo - 10/10Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll - 9/10Remembrance by Theresa Breslin - 7�/10Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce 10/10The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - 8/10NON-FICTIONDown and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell - 8/10African Diary - Bill Bryson - 7/10Friends Like These by Danny Wallace - 8/10Family Life by Elisabeth Luard - 7�/10Danny Wallace and the Centre of the Universe [Quick Reads] by Danny Wallace - 8/10The Day Job by Mark Wallington - 8/10Modern Delight by Various Contributors - 9/10Total read = 65 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 (edited) First book of 2009 is to be The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. He's a new author for me and one I picked up on a whim. After the Zavvi debacle, we decided to use up any store vouchers just in case the companies go bust and this sounded good... Edited January 4, 2009 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hmmm - good, but not as good as I'd hoped - 7/10 Next - The Midnight Folk by John Masefield, illustrated by the wonderful Quentin Blake. I can't wait to get stuck into this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) 6 Edited January 9, 2009 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Good luck Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 Well, The Box of Delights was charming and would have got 10/10 had it not been for its ending, which was a bit of a cop-out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Over You by Lucy Diamond The Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Finished Book 6 of 2009 - Love on the Dole by Walter Greenwood - 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Finished Wycliffe and the Redhead by W J Burley. These are not taxing in any way but I do enjoy them - 7/10. I'm now reading The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Finished The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller - not sure what to read next! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'm now reading The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller. Janet- Saw you only gave this one a 7/10... Curious as to what you thought about it that gave it that score. I haven't read it, but from what I gathered from the movie trailers, it seemed to be a pretty predictable love story?? Is this the case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Yes, I think the word predictable sums it up nicely. I did do a review of it as I believe other people on here may have read it - certainly a few have mentioned it. It was okay, but not really 'my thing'. I read it because the film is my bestest-friend-ever's favourite film - although I've not watched it myself. It was a quick read and I don't regret reading it, but it hasn't made me want to read any more of his books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Yes, I think the word predictable sums it up nicely. I did do a review of it as I believe other people on here may have read it - certainly a few have mentioned it. It was okay, but not really 'my thing'. I read it because the film is my bestest-friend-ever's favourite film - although I've not watched it myself. It was a quick read and I don't regret reading it, but it hasn't made me want to read any more of his books. I just ran across your review on.. Feh.. it definitely sounds predictable! I can read some pretty light chick lit and even this sounds blah to me! Glad you made it through it though, and it wasn't a total loss.. 7/10 could be worse I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 I'm trying to read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton but I'm finding it terribly dull at the moment (sorry ii!). I'm going to give it a bit longer but I think I might have to give up on it and try something else... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Reluctantly I have given up on The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. I think the fact I've only managed 42 pages in 6 days speaks volumes. I just kept finding excuses not to read it because the start is so dull. I'm moving on to Out of my Depth by Emily Barr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Happy reading Janet Do you think you will go back to 'The Age of Innocence'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'm not sure, Paula. I like the idea of it (i.e the blurb makes it sounds good) and I'm sure that if I could get into it then it would be okay - I just feel my mindset is not right at the moment. I'll leave it on my bedside table for the time being and see what happens. I don't often go back but sometimes I do. Similarly, I've tried reading The Sea by John Banville several times but have never managed to finish it - I'm determined to try once more this year! I don't often go back to books I've abandoned though, so we'll see...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Janet, the start is slow in The Age of Innocence. But don't write of Wharton just yet... (and the movie is really good!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 ii - I will definitely try Wharton again - if not this then another. I've just finished Out of My Depth by Emily Barr. She's probably my favourite contemporary author and this book marks a very near return to form after the more 'chick-lit' feel of Plan B. 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) INDIAN READS If you want to read other books set in India, I would recommend Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's books, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, Eclipse of the Sun by Phil Whitaker or, finally, my favourite of all, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth Posting this in here so that I don't forget to check these out! CB - if you happen to see this, are there any of the Ruth Prawer Jhabvala books that you'd specifically recommend? I've looked on Amazon and they seem to be largely out of print (but available from Marketplace) and there are quite a few titles by her. Edited February 5, 2009 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I would start with Heat and Dust or A Backward Place, there are the ones that I enjoyed most, although it's been a while since I read them, but they stick out in my memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Lovely, thanks CB - I will add them to my Wishlist. INDIAN READS I loved A Suitable Boy, that's a book that paints such a vivid picture you can practically smell the surroundings. Anita Desai is another writer who writes fine books about India, I'd particularly reccomend Fire On The Mountain and for a wonderfully lush, rollercoaster of a read there's Sister Of My Heart by Chitra Banderavi Something or the other which everyone I've lent it to has adored. And if you want a really good historical novel about India let's not forget The Far Pavillions. Keeping this post for future reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 Coastliners by Joanne Harris The ‘blurb’ On the tiny Breton island of Le Devin, life has remained almost unchanged for over a hundred years. For generations, two rival communities, the wealthy La Houssini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 Finished The Sea by John Banville (3rd attempt) - it was a huge disappointment to me. 3/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 18, 2009 Author Share Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) Started Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell this morning - (I had a half-term lie-in! ). I'm only on page 28/189 but it's great so far. I love Orwell's easy writing/reading style of his non-fiction books. Edited February 18, 2009 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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