Nollaig Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Aren't they sort of chicklit? I find it hard to get into contemporary chicklit nevermind classic stuff Any good classic horror read suggestions apart from Dracula? (I've read it but am gonna read again ) Frankenstein is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 Frankenstein is great. Good idea! I'd forgotten all about him! I'll add that to my wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 It's totally underrated. It's actually all about Dr. Frankenstein, the monster is, typically gothically, like a doppleganger, a shadow hanging over his life. And then when you get to see things from the monster's perspective it's nuts. Really really dark but brilliant novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Grave Surprise is the second in the Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris and is even better than the first! Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones A bolt of lightning struck Harper Connelly when she was 15, leaving her with a strange spider web of red on her torso and right leg, episodes of weakness, shakes and headaches - and an ability to find dead people. Harper is summoned to Memphis to demonstrate her unique talent, but there are still plenty of sceptics, even as Harper stands atop a grave and announces there are two bodies buried there. The police are convinced there's something fishy going on when the grave is opened to reveal the centuries-dead remains of a man, which they'd expected (that being his grave, after all) and a dead girl, which no one expected - except Harper, of course. And suspicions are raised even further because Harper had failed to find eleven-year-old Tabitha Morgenstern when she was abducted two years before. Harper and Tolliver need to find the real killer to prove Harper's innocence, especially after their nocturnal visit to the cemetery in hopes that Harper can sense something more is followed by the discovery, the following morning, of a third dead body in the grave ... I found this installment in the series great. Harper takes on what she thinks is a pretty routine job where she ends up finding the body of a little girl who she failed to find 2 yrs ago. It begs the question, is it just a coincidence or something more sinister that it was Harper who finally found her? It seems her question is answered when another body turns up in the freshly opened grave... it was no coincidence. The story follows Harper and her stepbrother as they try to unravel the mystery, while making sure they don't incriminate themselves. The relationship between Harper and her stepbrother is put to the test as well when it is revealed that she does in fact have strong feelings for him, not the brotherly kind either. I suppose the fact that they aren't actually blood relatives does make it technically ok, but I'm not sure .... I thought the storyline was very clever with lots of twists and turns in the plot, keeping you guessing right up until the end about who the bad guy was, I had no idea I loved this one. I found it better than the first and really enjoyed it! 9.5/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 I whizzed through An Ice Cold Grave ~by~ Charlaine Harris and read it in no time! Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones Harper Connelly was struck by lightning as a teenager, and now she can find the dead. In her third case, Harper and Tolliver, her stepbrother, are hired to find a missing grandson. But the truth is far worse than a single dead child, for numerous teenage boys, all unlikely runaways, have disappeared from Doraville, North Carolina. Harper soon finds the eight bodies, buried in the half-frozen ground, but then, still reeling from coming into contact with her first serial killer, she is attacked and injured. Now she and Tolliver have no choice but to stay in Doraville while she recovers, and as she reluctantly becomes part of the investigation, she learns more than she cares to about the dark mysteries and long-hidden secrets of the town: knowledge that makes her the most likely person to be next to end up in an ice-cold grave. This is the last in the series I have read so far, although I believe there is another one on the way Harper's next job is for the sheriff's department, they're pretty desparate and will do anything to find several teenage boys that have been missing for some time. Whenever she finds them she puts an end to the serial killer's fun and he takes it out on her, putting her in hospital for a while. She's soon back on her feet and seeking answers. I did have a fair idea pretty early on who the murderer was, but that's not saying the book was predictable, far from it. Her relationship with her stepbrother is also put very much in the spotlight in this book and I think the author handles it quite well. This has been my favourite in the series so far and I'm giving it full marks, not very often I do that! 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwemad Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I think I may look up some Charlaine Harris when I am next in the library. Which one should I get first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 They go in this order Grave Sight Grave Surprise An Ice Cold Grave Thes a new one out later in the year but I've fogotten the name of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'm really looking forward to reading these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Library Nook Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Grave Surprise is the second in the Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris and is even better than the first! I have never heard of this before but I will certainly look out for it, sounds good! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I think I may look up some Charlaine Harris when I am next in the library. Which one should I get first? Like burghead lass said, start with Grave Sight, then Grave Surprise and then An Ice Cold Grave (this one was my favourite so far ). I'm really looking forward to reading these I think you'll like them, can't wait to see what you think. I have never heard of this before but I will certainly look out for it, sounds good! Thanks! They are great! Why don't you join the bookring? Gyre has generously offered all three in the series for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Library Nook Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 They are great! Why don't you join the bookring? Gyre has generously offered all three in the series for it. Oooh thanks, off to have a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 The Tales of Beedle the Bard ~by~ J K Rowling is a great little read. It is essentially a short book of fairytales for witches and wizards, as Cinderella or Snow White are to non-magical beings (I'm even starting to talk like it now! ) Written by the famous J K Rowling, it taps into the Harry Potter saga by using Professor Dumbledore's notes to explain/analyse the tales and with explanetary notes penned by J K Rowling herself. I'm not sure what I thought of it to be honest, its not exactly a marathon read and would probably just keep some speed readers on here occupied for an hour or so! But some of the tales are in fact quite engrossing, and I found myself wishing the author had written more of the story. 'The Warlock's Hairy Heart' was my favourite by far, maybe because it was the most gruesome of the five Although the cynic in me felt at times that Ms Rowling might have slightly cheated her younger fans with the expensive price tag. 5/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Yeah it was a little expensive for such a short book. The Warlock's Hairy Heart was one of my favourites too but I prefered Fountain of Fair Fortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Oh yes! The Fountain of Fair Fortune was a clever, moral little tale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 The Fountain was my favourite too, although they were all pretty good, it's a shame she didn't write a couple more tales, because like you said it was a tiny book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Wasn't the price-tag because the proceeds go to charity, or is that just me.. Anyway, I think you're probably right in your little review Charm. The comment's frmo Dumbledore have to be still the best bits of the book for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 yeah the proceeds did go to charity, but then so did the proceeds from Quidditch through the ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them and they were cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 yeah the proceeds did go to charity, but then so did the proceeds from Quidditch through the ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them and they were cheap I did appreciate the price tag when I read this at the back of the book, but you do make a good point there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwemad Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hi Charm The library have rung and Pig Island has arrrived:mrgreen: I shall collect it tomorrow and have a look for Grave sight while I'm there. So little time......... so many books........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Oh yes! The Fountain of Fair Fortune was a clever, moral little tale That was one of my favourite stories Charm x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 I finished Dearly Devoted Dexter ~by~ Jeff Lindsay today. It was FANTASTIC! Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones Miami's best-dressed serial killer is back and on the prowl, at least he would be if he could shake off his permanent shadow. Ever since their paths first crossed, Sergeant Doakes hasn't let Dexter Morgan out of his sight. Dexter may well be the Miami PD's blood-spatter analyst, but Sgt. Doakes has a pretty good idea of how Dex likes to spend his free time and he's determined to catch him in the act. Dex hasn't killed in months and is getting twitchy. To throw Doakes off his scent, he's spending more time with Rita, his girlfriend. But no matter how many cosy nights they spend in front of the TV, Doakes is still watching. Then a body turns up, horribly mutilated and barely alive. To trap the torturer, Doakes and Dexter will have to work together, if they can trust each other. It's a devil's pact and one of them will have to be the bait... I started reading this and found myself so into it pretty quickly, in fact I got a bit frustrated that I couldnt get reading it enough because 'life' got in the way! It follows straight on from Darkly Dreaming Dexter, with Dexter trying to carry on his perfectly normal life while in the meantime indulging in his rather strange pastime. He is a really likeable character with a great sense of humour, coming out with fantastic one liners the whole way through the book, even in times when a 'normal' person would know to keep their mouth ever so tightly shut! I was rooting for him the whole way through the book. The story is about a serial killer with revenge on his mind, although when I say killer I use the term very loosely, he tends to leave some of his victims still alive, but probably wishing they were dead. Its pretty gory I have to say, just the sort of thing I like but the descriptions of the victims by Dexter I have to admit had me laughing out loud. Another twist in the tale is that Dexter may have found a very willing young pupil to carry on his hobby with. This book is not rocket science, its not hard work to read and it has a simple easy to follow storyline. But I loved it. I would describe it as a black comedy. It totally entertained me which is what I think a book should do and even at the end of the book I found myself wanting to read more of Dexter. I dare say it won't be long before I get my hands on the follow up Dexter in the Dark and then Dexter by Design! Another great 10/10! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookBee8 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I've ordered Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Your reviews of the ones you've read are making me so excited to try them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 I've ordered Darkly Dreaming Dexter. Your reviews of the ones you've read are making me so excited to try them! Oh I hope you like them as much as I do! I'm sure you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 The Blue Nowhere ~by~ Jeffrey Deaver was highly recommended to me and then sent to me from Ceinwenn for the World Book Day swap on the forum. I finished it a few days ago. Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones Someone is killing people in Sacramento Valley. Seemingly unrelated, the deaths are perpetrated by a murderer who knows everything there is to know about the victims - who can kill them because of the intimacy he seems to have with them. An intimacy which is created by his ability to track their every move through the virtual world, as soon as they switch on their computer. Streetwise cop Frank Bishop is detailed to the case, allied unwillingly to a young hacker, Wyatt Gillette, who is sprung from prison to pit his brilliance against the criminal's. But no one knows who to trust in an environment where everything is suspect, and pressing the wrong letter on your keyboard may mean death. This is the novel that will make you hesitate every time you click on the box that says 'Are you sure you want to send this over the Internet?'. This book is about a computer hacker who's machine world totally merges with the real world in his head. He is a strategy game fantatic, where killing orcs and others is a standard, in fact the more the better, but when he becomes addicted to a game called Access where the game characters are people and not fantasy characters like orcs, the line between computer life becomes deleted and he starts to kill real people. The police need help so they enlist a convicted computer genious to help. This book really surprised me. I have read The Broken Window by Jeffrey Deaver which is also about computer crime but this was different somehow. It was very fast paced and kept me really interested to see what was going to happen next. One minute I had an idea who the bad guy's partner was and the next I was totally flummuxed! In the end it was a complete surprise. A computer crime serial killer read may sound a bit uninteresting but this was far from dull. It was written with enough suprises, twists and turns to keep me turning the pages as fast as I could and it was educational to boot! If it wasn't for normal daily interruptions, I'd have finished it a lot quicker. I'm so glad this was the book I recieved and am really looking forward to reading the other books on my TBR shelves by the same author, he gives Tess Gerritsen and Richard Montanari a run for their money IMO. A well deserved 10/10 Thanks again Ceinwenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Wow! I don't quite know what to say!! I read The Blue Nowhere way back in 2002 & as I said to you, it was the 1st Jeffery Deaver book I ever read. It had been recommended to me by a guest who was staying at the hotel I was working at in Jersey. I read it in 2 days & then rushed out to see what other Deaver books I could get my hands on! I thought it was a fantastic book & without a doubt his best non-Lyncoln Rhyme book. I'm so glad you enjoyed it Charm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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