chesilbeach Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 How did you do that? Those are quite big books, I'm excited if I can finish one of them in 48 hours... Ummm .... it was raining and I had a couple of days off work I'm a fast reader anyway, and these are so easy to read, especially if you've read them before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Chesilbeach, have you found something to move on to? I am about half way through Case Histories by Kate Atkinson, but it's really not my sort of book, and I've waivered and read Twilight and New Moon again! I'm still reading Case Histories making sure I read about 75-100 pages a day, as I want to know how the story pans out, even if I'm not particularly enjoying it, so I don't feel too guilty going back to Ms Meyer. I like your line "maybe just watch the film again to prevent withdrawal symptoms" and if you don't mind I may steal it since it's a good excuse to use when talking to the haters . Feel free - we Twilighters must stick together! I've had the DVD for just over a week, and I've watched the film six times, plus twice with the commentary, and all the extras as well, so I haven't really had any opportunity to get withdrawal symptoms so far! You're not sad at all! The first time I read NM and Eclipse I did them in one sitting. The others I forced myself to take my time but I still did it pretty quickly. Yes, but I'm way past teenage years, and really ought to know better, so I still think I am pretty sad - you can't convince me otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 I know what you mean, if you haven't read them already, you might enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, they're a more adult version of Twilight, and they're very good I've reserved the first one from the library, so will be giving it a go as soon as it arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Ooo! I hope you enjoy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 Thanks, Lexie - I hope it arrives soon, as I'm looking forward to it a lot! Finished Case Histories by Kate Atkinson this evening. I really like her writing (I read Behind The Scenes At The Museum a few years ago), and think her plotting is excellent. Having said that, I'm still not a fan of crime, and although I wanted to finish it to find out what happened, I don't think I'll be reading any more of her crime novels. I do appreciate her skill as an author, and I think for those that like crime fiction, then this would be a very satisfying read, neatly weaving together the various threads and still coming up with some surprises at the end. Also read about 100 pages of Eclipse during my lunch break at work as a reward for a tough morning. Looking forward to my next book, which is Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. I loved Postcards from the Edge (the most often quoted book between me and my friend - so many memorable quotes that apply to our lives!), and as that was semi-autobiographical, and this is a memoir based on her one woman show and set around the same period in her life, I have high hopes for it! I just hope I'm not setting myself up for a fall ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 Polished off the whole of Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher this morning. I love her writing, in fact my favourite book ever is probably Postcards from the Edge, and this one is right up there with it. There is only one problem with it - it's too short! At only 159 pages, with photos and wide line spacing, I finished it in about an hour and a half, and I just wanted it to carry on for much longer. She talks about growing up with celebrity parents, her relationship with her mother, her relationship with drugs, and her bipolar illness among other things, and it comes across as brutally honest at times, but always very funny. I absolutely loved it. I'll be starting my reading group book next, The Conjurer's Bird by Martin Davies. No idea what it's about, but at least that means no preconceptions about whether I'll like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 I've just finished The Conjurer's Bird. It was actually a pretty interesting take on a quest of a modern day search for a presumed extinct missing bird alternating with the 18th century story of the origins of the discovery of the bird. The clues and snippets of information from the modern day research gradually come together with the historic love affair to the conclusion, where the reader knows the whole story behind the bird and its disappearance. It reminded me a lot of Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, with the two parallel stories running together throughout the book, and that it was a quest to find something, and someone from the past. No great work of literature, but very readable and certainly made for an entertaining Sunday. However, I did have one major gripe, and that was with the typesetting. The two stories are set in two different typefaces to distinguish between them. I have no problem with this, other than that the typeface used for the historic story was such a bad choice that it was difficult to read. The copyright page says the book is set in Sabon and Bauer Bodoni, and I think the historic typeface was the Bauer Bodoni, but it was a thin and scratchy style of typeface, and it looked like the page hadn't quite hit the ink correctly, as it was faint and incredibly difficult to concentrate on. It made it very hard to read these passages, and the book took me longer than it would normally have done, while my eyes struggled with the writing on the page. My next book will be Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. This is definitely one I would not have read, but after seeing all the praise the series has had on here, I thought I'd give it a go, and picked it up from the library yesterday. I probably won't have a chance to start it until tomorrow now, but I'm actually looking forward to starting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I have almost bought The Conjurer's Bird in the past but wasn't sure enough to actually buy it. Is it worth buying or should I just add to bookmooch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 For me, it was just what I wanted for a Sunday/Holiday read - entertaining, but not particularly taxing or anything outstanding. I think the modern day characters lacked a little bit of development, but the historical characters were very well rounded and I connected with them more. While I was happy to read a library copy, I certainly won't be going out to buy my own copy, and as I mentioned about the typeface, that did make it difficult to read the historic sections, so I'd probably borrow or find a second hand copy if I were you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I may well do that then. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 I read Dead Until Dark today. In about 3 hours. Up early and had a spare half an hour before work, then the full hour lunch break, and polished it off when I got home. Apart from the Twilight Saga (as it now seems to be known according to the films), I've never read any vampire books, but after the good people on this forum recommending these Sookie Stackhouse books, I thought I'd give it a go. It was great fun, a real page turner, and thoroughly entertaining. I know other people have commented on the sexual content, but that didn't particularly bother me, and I'm not good with blood and violence, but this was not graphic at all either. I'll definitely be looking out for the rest of the series! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Yay, I'm glad you enjoyed it, I can only say the rest of the series just gets better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I'll definitely be looking out for the rest of the series! I've read this recently too and I'm so looking forward to the rest of the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I read Dead Until Dark today. In about 3 hours. Up early and had a spare half an hour before work, then the full hour lunch break, and polished it off when I got home. Apart from the Twilight Saga (as it now seems to be known according to the films), I've never read any vampire books, but after the good people on this forum recommending these Sookie Stackhouse books, I thought I'd give it a go. It was great fun, a real page turner, and thoroughly entertaining. I know other people have commented on the sexual content, but that didn't particularly bother me, and I'm not good with blood and violence, but this was not graphic at all either. I'll definitely be looking out for the rest of the series! You and I are in the same boat, Chesilbeach! I recently finished the first Sookie Stackhouse book as well, and hadn't read anything really about vamps aside from Twilight before that. I think the Sookie books perfectly fill in all the right gaps that the Twi books are missing . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Yay, I'm glad you enjoyed it, I can only say the rest of the series just gets better! Excellent - unfortunately, my library is closing for three weeks from Saturday, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to get the next book You and I are in the same boat, Chesilbeach! I recently finished the first Sookie Stackhouse book as well, and hadn't read anything really about vamps aside from Twilight before that. I think the Sookie books perfectly fill in all the right gaps that the Twi books are missing . Yes, all the right gaps! Although I have to say, there was something extra about the Twilight books - I know that after reading the first book, I had to go out and buy the other books the very next day; there was just something so intoxicating about Twilight that brought out the romantic in me! I didn't feel the same way about Dead Until Dark, but I did enjoy it a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 *SPOILER ALERT* Yesterday, I finished Star Gazing. I did enjoy the story, but struggled with the typeface changes depending on which voice was talking. I know it's difficult for designers to find the right style for showing more than two (when you can just have normal and italic), but Louisa's typeface I found a bit jarring. Some parts of the book were wonderful to read, especially the chapters on Skye; in fact the sense of place throughout was conveyed beautifully. Unfortunately, personally, I found the resolution of the kidnapping difficult to believe, and despite the difficulties in communications between them, I felt that the proposal at the memorial on the anniversary of Harvey's death felt at odds with the characters and too convenient for a conclusion to an otherwise unique and intriguing story. However, these were minor quibbles, and I will definitely be going back to the library to reserve Linda's other books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Gillard Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I do sympathise, Chesilbeach. I hated the fonts too and said so to my editor! but authors have no say whatsoever in these matters. I'm also inclined to agree with you about your first plot misgiving and have to resort to the old (and inadequate) defence of fiction writers: it was based on a true story! But I have to admit I wasn't entirely convinced myself. ;-) There's a difference between something being true and something being convincing, as I tell students in my writing workshops. Good to hear you'll be reserving the other books. If you want something less predictable, A LIFETIME BURNING might be more to your taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Thanks for your response, Linda. It's a real shame about the typefaces, as I think it could have been achieved without the disparity between them, and still been clearly identifiable as the respective voices. As for the other comments, as I said, they were just minor quibbles, and certainly not enough to put me off reading more! I've ordered both A Lifetime Burning and Emotional Geology from the library already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 A little light relief in the reading stakes today, when I finished Wedding Season by Katie Fforde. Light and fluffy chick-lit, sufficiently entertaining, but I'd sort of hoped she might have moved on from the cute, pretty, beautiful twenty-somethings, all finding the man of their dreams, but I guess she knows her strengths, and her audience, and is writing for them. Nothing wrong with it, it just felt a bit dated to me, more like early chick-lit, and did feel like someone older still writing about what is the singles scene was like when they were young, rather than what it's actually like now. I did enjoy it, just a bit too old-fashioned for what was supposed to be a current book. Personally, I've enjoyed Isabel Wolff and Wendy Holden books more, as they seem to have allowed their heroines to get older, and their work seems more real and more engaging, or something from another author who has a more realistic view of young women today. Next on my list is The Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane. I'm not sure this is really going to be my cup of tea, but I'm going to a reading/book signing he's giving soon, and felt it was only fair to have at least read his first book before I go. I'll keep an open mind, though, and you never know, it might open my eyes to a whole new genre! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Next on my list is The Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane. I'm not sure this is really going to be my cup of tea, but I'm going to a reading/book signing he's giving soon, and felt it was only fair to have at least read his first book before I go. I'll keep an open mind, though, and you never know, it might open my eyes to a whole new genre! I'm not that keen on historical fiction, and I also wasn't sure about this one.. but it proved to be a good read.. http://bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=8549. I've just been sent the second book, and I'm enjoying that so far too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 I'm not that keen on historical fiction, and I also wasn't sure about this one.. but it proved to be a good read.. http://bookclubforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=8549. I've just been sent the second book, and I'm enjoying that so far too. I have to be honest, I did sneak a peek your review before I bought the book, and as you'd said you'd enjoyed it, I thought it was at least worth a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Well, I've actually finished all 600 pages of The Forgotten Legion. It definitely isn't the sort of book I would normally pick up, and on the whole, it wasn't really my cup of tea. I'm not a historical fiction fan, especially books set in Roman times, but, that said, I did get involved with the four main characters stories. The book has the ominous words on the front, "Volume 1 of the Forgotten Legion Chronicles", which made me concerned that I might have to continue reading further books to get a resolution to the main characters stories, but apart from one of the characters, I could happily finish with the series here, and not bother to read further chronicles. However, the one character who I did want to have their story resolved, was left at a point in their life where I still wanted to find out more, so I'm may have to the read the next one now as well! On the whole, it was a good page-turner, but I found some of the fighting and battle scenes too graphic, and sometimes boring, but the segments on everyday life in Ancient Rome were quite interesting. I can't say I'd recommend it to anyone, it's not the sort of book I read and wasn't particularly blown away by it, but neither did I have to put it down or force myself to read it. It will a lighter read next, as I've got the children's book Tunnels next on my TBR list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 I've read 150 pages of Tunnels today, but I don't care about the characters, I think the authors have given away too much in the build up to the adventure, and I'm now just bored by it. So, I've made the decision to give up. I don't do it often, but I've picked it up four times today to read the first third, and I just have no interest in the story or the characters at all. The main character is supposed to be a 14 year old boy, but I feel as though he's been written as much younger, and I don't find him convincing at all, and I really am just finding it incredibly tedious, so it's being put aside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Wow, I remember this book was being pushed as the new Harry Potter when it first came out. Is that a 'no', then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Wow, I remember this book was being pushed as the new Harry Potter when it first came out. I'd read that as well, and it was one of the reasons I'd decided to buy the book in the first place, plus it got some really good reviews, including on the Simon Mayo book review panel. It sounded interesting, and it was on a 3 for 2 offer, so it seemed a good opportunity to get it. Is that a 'no', then? Yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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