Janet Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Great review - I love it when a book builds into something good! A friend is going to lend me Pies and Prejudice when she gets it back from someone else who has borrowed it. Would it be better to have read Cider with Roadies first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 No, the two aren't related other than they're written by the same author. You can quite happily read them independently and in any order. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris arrived at the library yesterday, so, of course, I couldn't resist picking it up and starting on it straight away! I couldn't stay awake long enough to finish it last night, but I've just finished it off this morning. Can't wait for the next one to arrive now! Might schmight! Of course it does! Don't worry, we're not the only ones who thinks this is one of their favourites ... although just wait til you meet Quinn How right you were Charm, I've just got to know Quinn *sigh* I just hope he sticks around for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 I've just finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. It had an interesting start, and I was expecting it to go in a certain direction, but it panned out in a different way. The story follows a 54 year old widow who is a concierge of a smart Parisian apartment block, and a 12 year old girl who is the very intelligent daughter of one of the families that inhabit the property. Both have a very different public image which masks the true persona that they conceal, and it takes a death in the building to bring Kakuro Ozu into their lives, allowing them to break down the facade they've carefully built up. At times I felt the characters were breathtakingly real, and almost too close for comfort, but at other times there was a hint of caricature about them, and almost a hint of mawkish sentimentality. I did enjoy it, although I did put it down with about 70 pages to go, and almost didn't pick it up again, but having convinced myself that I had to see it through to the end, I'm glad I did, as there was an unexpected conclusion to one story, but unfortunately, I felt it was a completely predictable end to the other story. So, it's mixed emotions from me on this one, but I think overall, I'm pleased to have read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 Completed book seven of the Sookie Stackhouse series, All Together Dead this morning. One of the better books in the series, plenty going on and the pace of the action kept the pages turning nicely. I like how the supernatural world is gradually expanding with each book, but how she keeps all the threads we already know about moving forward as well. Doesn't beat my favourite, Dead to the World, but still a good, exciting book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 Read From Dead To Worse today, and liked it a lot, although I felt that the first half of the book was very strong, with lots of action building up to the big Were fight then the second half was a lot of exposition without much really happening. It was almost like she was tying up some loose ends for a few different story lines that have been going on throughout the last few books while laying the ground work for some new plots for the next books. I also think that Eric has now become my favourite, taking over from Sam, although it's almost neck and neck between the two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 It looks like I'm being sucked into another series of supernatural books, after Gyre and Charm recommended the Women of the Underworld series by Kelley Armstrong. I've just read the first book in the series, Bitten, and a much more serious, adult book than the Sookie Stackhouse series, but I liked it a lot, and will definitely be looking out for the rest of these books. However, I really can't afford to keep buying the books at the moment, so I'm definitely going to restrict myself by just reserving them at the library. This will also give me the opportunity to read some books on my TBR shelf instead. I'm going to pick up Consequences by E. M. Delafield again now, and try to resume normal service! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I'm so glad you enjoyed Bitten chesilbeach I thought it was great but not the best in the series by far in my opinion(I think I only gave it a 7/10). Once you've read the next one, Stolen, you won't look back! My favourite so far has been Industrial Magic. I'm desparately trying not to buy any more in the series, but I have to say, I'm weakening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Thanks, Charm, and as I mention over in the book activity thread, I ended up buying Stolen today I have promised myself (although I don't know why I bother, as I don't seem to be able to keep these lately), that I'm going to resist starting it until I've finished the two books I've already started. So, this afternoon, I've finished yet another re-read of Breaking Dawn. The Twilight series are now being put out of sight, until November, when I'm going to allow myself to read them before seeing New Moon at the cinema. That now leaves me with just Consequences by E. M. Delafield to finish. I'm about three quarters of the way through, but it's quite a challenging read, and not at all what I was expecting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I'm so glad you enjoyed Bitten chesilbeach I thought it was great but not the best in the series by far in my opinion(I think I only gave it a 7/10). Once you've read the next one, Stolen, you won't look back! My favourite so far has been Industrial Magic. I'm desparately trying not to buy any more in the series, but I have to say, I'm weakening! Ohhhhh, my favourite is Personal Demon. I really need to buy more, but am trying to save some pennies so it will have to wait....(or until I give in ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 I've just finished Consequences by E. M. Delafield. I've previously read the Provincial Lady books by this author, which I found light-hearted, amusing, witty and great fun, but had never seen any of her other books. This novel is one of the Persephone range, and was a completely unexpected read for me. I know that authors can write different styles of books, but this one is so full of melancholy, I was taken aback by how different it was. This is a small scale tragedy of the life of a late 19th century young woman, who with everything going for her, including wealth, looks and breeding, manages to lose her way on the path of her own life. A seemingly innocuous game of Consequences amongst the children of the Clare family starts the book, but sets the scene for Alex, as she herself has to suffer the consequences of the mistakes she makes from childhood throughout her adolescence and into womanhood. A sad tale, but beautifully told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 It was back to the fantasy world for me today, as I read Stolen by Kelley Armstrong. This is obviously going to be another series, recommended by the lovely people on this forum, which will take over my reading time for a while! I've really enjoyed the first two thrilling adventures of Elena and the pack of werewolves, but I notice the next book focuses on Paige the witch, so that will be an interesting change of direction. I've become so involved with Elena and Clay, I'm not sure whether I'll like the switch to the witch. BUT, what I do know, is that I'm not buying these books - I'm definitely going to wait for the library reservation service to do its job for me! This means I can return to my TBR bookshelf and move on with the books I've already spent my hard earned cash on. So next up, I'm going to be reading A Year In Green Tea and Tuk-Tuks by Rory Spowers. I've been looking forward to it for a while, and I'm hoping it will be a good dose of travel/non-fiction to whet my appetite for some of the similar books sitting on the shelf waiting patiently for me to read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) A Year of Green Tea and Tuk-Tuks by Rory Spowers was an interesting read. The book is split into three sections, the first being the background story of the path the author had taken before he and his wife decided to move their young family to settle in Sri Lanka. He talks about his childhood, his travels and journeys, meeting his wife and their early married life. Spowers then moves onto book two which is the story of how and where they settled down in Sri Lanka, six months before the devastating tsunami on Boxing Day, 2004. He then explains the impact on the community and how he carried on to build his family life, and develop the 60 acre tea plantation into an educational resource for The Web of Hope, a charity he co-founded who have developed an website which provides information and resources to help people live a more sustainable lifestyle. Finally, the third book is a collection of essays on subjects important to the philosophy of the charity, highlighting some of the current issues surrounding the various topics and looking at initiatives and technologies that he believes can give us hope for the future. The book itself is a bit of a muddle. The first two books are neither a journalistic tale of the tsunami nor the memoir of someone relocating to a new country, but an amalgam of both styles interweaving through the narrative, with a sprinkling of personal philosophising on the authors view on the environment and sustainability. Despite the fact that the tsunami had a direct impact on him during the first years of his time in Sri Lanka, I'm not convinced the mingling of this with the development of the tea plantation worked for the flow of the writing and the narrative. I mentioned at the beginning this is an interesting read, and the italics are definitely intentional. In my own small way, I've done a lot of reading around ecology and the environment, and have an interest in many the subjects that Spowers covers. So, when I came to read the third book of essays, I wasn't convinced by some of the arguments put forward, and there was a feeling of being preached to at times, although, there is still always a hint (and sometimes a good dollop) of optimism from the author which helps to sweeten the bitter pill of his occasionally despairing view of the state of the planet. Edited August 1, 2009 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I've just finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. . I contemplated buying this today when I was browsing for a book for my sis birthday, but ended up putting it back on the shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 I've just finished The Other Hand by Chris Cleave. I would normally say a little bit about the book in the review, but other than say it follows the story of two women, I can't say much more without giving something away. What I will say, is that this book was sorrowful, funny, affecting, horrific, truthful, shocking and heartfelt. The author takes an important issue in society today, and by writing from the perspective of the two women affected, opens the readers eyes to the reality behind some of the stories and headlines we see in the media. There are some heart-stopping shocks in the story but mingled with the triviality of everyday life, it gives the novel a very authentic feel. Despite the gravity of the subject matter, the book is never hard work, and keeps drawing you in to the lives of the two protagonists. This will definitely be among my best books of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 This will definitely be among my best books of the year. Nice one chesilbeach Its always nice to hear someone really enjoying a book and giving it such high praise. Glad you enjoyed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 Nice one chesilbeach Its always nice to hear someone really enjoying a book and giving it such high praise. Glad you enjoyed it Thanks, Charm, it was a very memorable book and will stick with me for a while. I've just finished The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, which is a YA book about a girl who discovers she's a necromancer, and finds herself in a home for teenagers with mental health problems. It's not long before she finds out the world is not what she thought, and there is more out there than she ever knew. The story was a bit slow at the beginning, and I think the first half of the book could have been edited to make it tighter and give it a faster pace, but I did enjoy the book. I only realised when I was about 10 pages from the end that it's the first in a trilogy, and this one ends with a big cliffhanger, so I'm going to have to reserve the next one from the library to find out what happens next. I don't have enough time for reading at the moment, and I'm having to grab 10 minutes here and there, so I don't want anything to serious or literary for now, and I'm going to go for Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong next. I know I haven't read Dime Store Magic yet, but I know it's a pure entertainment book, and I won't be worried about having to put it down in the middle of a chapter if I need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I like your avatar chesilbeach I voted several times for Mark to win and was so pleased when he did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 I like your avatar chesilbeach I voted several times for Mark to win and was so pleased when he did Thanks Stephanie! This was the first year I voted many times each week in fact by the final week, I think it was 4 or 5 times a day! I was desperate for them to win over Matt & Lilia, even though I love Lilia and Matt improved dramatically over the series. Thank goodness they changed the voting so you can only vote on Saturday nights - saved me a fortune last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 That's the first year I watched properly. I wasn't really interested before hand so I think that's why I got so attached to Mark and Karen. I think it's a shame that she's leaving. I can't wait for it to start again though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Finished Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong today, which is the fourth book in the Women of the Otherworld series. I am enjoying these books, although I think that may be because I don't have enough time to dedicate to my reading at the moment, and these don't require brain power, they're purely for entertainment. I've liked that the series has developed the supernatural world with each new book, introducing new characters and supernatural beings, but I have to admit, as I'm still waiting for the third book from the library, I was mildly disappointed by the lack of Elena in this book, as it focuses on Paige and Lucas. It was still enjoyable, and I'll be making a start on the next book, Haunted, this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I need to read these Kelly Armstrong books soon, Chesilbeach! How many are in the series, anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 There's the Women of the Otherworld series: 1. Bitten (2001) 2. Stolen (2002) 3. Dime Store Magic (2003) 4. Industrial Magic (2004) 5. Haunted (2005) 6. Broken (2006) 7. No Humans Involved (2007) 8. Personal Demon (2008) 9. Living with the Dead (2008) 10. Frost Bitten (2009) And, I've started the Darkest Powers trilogy, which is a YA supernatural series: 1. The Summoning (2008) 2. The Awakening (2009) 3. The Reckoning (2010) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Great, Chesilbeach, thanks for listing them! I've added them to my list of things to watch out for on my trips to the used book shop . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I need to read these Kelly Armstrong books soon Oh you really do! I've read the first six and can't wait to get my hands on the rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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