Fifi's Fantastic Fiction & Other Assorted Books (started 2009)

[Fi.]

I thought it was about time I started my own thread on here - I have a reading blog which I shall try and keep up to date alongside this thread

 

I'll probably be posting what I've bought, what I've borrowed and what I've read - I'll warn you now I buy a lot of books so the lists can get long!

 

That's all for now except to say I'm currently reading Howards End Is On The Landing by Susan Hil which is fantastic and The Harrowing by Alexandra Sokoloff which is not so fantastic

[BookJumper]

I'm currently reading Howards End Is On The Landing by Susan Hil which is fantastic

That's in the Metabooks (i.e. Books about Books) subsection of my wishlist so it's good to hear nice things about it! Sorry your other book is not as enjoyable, though .

[Fi.]

So, I really need to remember to update this now I've started it!

 

I finished and loved Howards End Is On The Landing - I'm a huge fan of Susan Hil's fiction and I was so glad I enjoyed this. Quite scary though as she could easily have been referring to me and my mountains of unread books I've bought a couple of copies of this to give away as Christmas presents to fellow bookworms.

 

The Harrowing - disappointing. I always seem to get in the mood for horror around this time of year -and not just because of Halloween - but this year I've failed to find anything decent. The Harrowing was horror light and all the 'action' seemed to happen in the last 10 pages or so, making the whole book seem a real letdown

 

Any decent horror recommendations? I'm looking for something scary and fresh, I've read most of the classic and modern classic horror writers.

[Fi.]

I mark everything out of 5 and if it's a re-read it has an "R" next to it - original eh?

 

The Widows Of Eastwick - John Updike - 2/5 - disappointing sequel to The Witches Of Eastwick.

 

The Evil Seed - Joanne Harris - 3/5 - one of the two Harris books I hadn't read, still not sure about it

 

Pennington's Seventeenth Summer - R

The Beethoven Medal - R

Pennington's Heir - R

 

All by K M Peyton, I first read this trilogy when I was about 12 or 13 and borrowed them from the school library. Horribly dated but it was nice to read them again!

 

Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen - 4/5 - Loved this

Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett - 5/5 automatic for Mr P!

Skin Privilege - Karin Slaughter - R - 4/5 - so i can finally get round to reading Genesis

The Storm watcher - Graham Joyce - 4/5

The Last Witchfinder - James Morrow - R - 5/5

The 13 1/2 Lives Of Captain Bluebear - Walter Moers - R - 5/5

Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures - Walter Moers - R - 5/5

The City Of Dreaming Books - Walter Moers - R - 5/5

All Shall Be Well - Deborah Crombie - 4/5

Heart's Blood - Juliet Marillier - 4/5

Dante's Girl - Natasha Rhodes - 3/5

Through Violet Eyes - Stephen Woodworth - R - 4/5 - Reread because I finally found a copy of From Black Rooms!

Greywalker - Kat Richardson - 4/5

Blood Engines - T A Pratt - 4/5

Banquet For The Damned - Adam Nevil - 4/5

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris - 4/5

Living Dead In Dallas - Charlaine Harris - 4/5

Wildwood Dancing - Juliet Marillier - R - 4/5

Cybele's Secret - Juliet Marillier - 4/5

Bloodring - Faith Hunter - 3/5

Guardians Of The Tall Stones - Moyra Caldecott - R - 4/5

Second Skin - Caitlin Kittredge - 3/5

Lullaby - Claire Seeber - 3/5

[Michelle]

Any decent horror recommendations? I'm looking for something scary and fresh, I've read most of the classic and modern classic horror writers.

 

I'm going to recommend Bill Hussey - there's a thread here.

[Fi.]

Thanks for the rec Michelle. I've actually read both of Bill's books and am now (im)patiently waiting for the first in his Witchfinder series - even if they are YA

[Michelle]

Oops - I didn't realise you'd already discovered him. I may get a review copy of his new book, so hopefully I'll be able to let you all know what it's like.

 

How about Banquet For The Damned?

[Fi.]

Read that one too - I think it's in my list for October See, this is my problem, I have no clue what to try as it's been a while since I've read much horror other than King, Herbert, Barker and Campbell!

[Michelle]

That'll teach me to read your posts correctly!

[Fi.]

Don't worry, I do that too

[Fi.]

I've put aside The Affinity Bridge for now. although it is completely my sort of book I'm finding it hard to concentrate on just now. Instead I've started the latest House Of Night book, Tempted and the new John Connolly, The Gates which I'm really looking forward to reading.

 

I went to the library yesterday looking for some new horror and came home with three books by Tim Lebbon which look interesting along with Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay and, completely out of my normal reading habits, two books by Carole Matthews, both of which the librarian insisted I would enjoy. Not too sure about that though

[Fi.]

Well, I read half of The Difference A Day Makes by Carole Matthews and it's not really my cup of tea - at least I tried it!

 

Book highlights of the day

 

- my copy of The Book On Fire by Keith Miller has been dispatched,hopefully it'll be here by the start of next week

 

- a friend sent me his unwanted copy of Nocturnes by John Connolly which has turned out to be a signed first edition, I'm not giving it back!

 

- a brilliant find in the local charity shop of a first edition hardcover of The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl in almost mint condition!

[catwoman]

Well, I read half of The Difference A Day Makes by Carole Matthews and it's not really my cup of tea - at least I tried it!

 

Book highlights of the day

 

- my copy of The Book On Fire by Keith Miller has been dispatched,hopefully it'll be here by the start of next week

 

- a friend sent me his unwanted copy of Nocturnes by John Connolly which has turned out to be a signed first edition, I'm not giving it back!

 

- a brilliant find in the local charity shop of a first edition hardcover of The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl in almost mint condition!

 

 

Good finds!!!!

 

As for Karin Slaughter's Genisis, you will not be dissapointed! Can wait to hear your review on that one!

[BookJumper]

my copy of The Book On Fire by Keith Miller has been dispatched,hopefully it'll be here by the start of next week

I've just finished recommending this to Vanwa and peacefield, it's one of my favourite books of all time - I'm sure you'll love it.

 

a friend sent me his unwanted copy of Nocturnes by John Connolly which has turned out to be a signed first edition, I'm not giving it back!

I've got one of those on my shelf, too... pretty, aren't they?

 

a brilliant find in the local charity shop of a first edition hardcover of The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl in almost mint condition!

Nice! I do look forward to hearing your opinion of the book, it's one I've been undecided about for yonks.

 

Good haul !

[Vanwa]

I've just finished recommending this to Vanwa and peacefield, it's one of my favourite books of all time - I'm sure you'll love it.

 

- my copy of The Book On Fire by Keith Miller has been dispatched,hopefully it'll be here by the start of next week

 

Recommendation has been duly noted, and added to the list of "Must Buys As Soon As I Have Monies"

 

Therefore Fi, I look forward to your conclusion when you have received and read it

[Fi.]

The Book On Fire is the follow-up to Book Of Flying - short blurb follows!

 

"Balthazar, book thief and bon vivant, arrives in Alexandria to steal from the famous library. But from the moment he steps off the boat, a veiled figure shadows him. Zeinab, literary prostitute and avenging ghost, will be his chaperone through the city of books. With her help, he succeeds in penetrating the underground library. But once inside, instead of ransacking it, he becomes obsessed with the youngest librarian, Shireen, who was born in the library and is herself more than half book. Their love story forms the heart of the novel. Balthazar schemes to get Shireen out of the library. But Zeinab has plans of her own . . ."

 

I had to order it from the publisher as Amazon don't appear to have had stock of it since it was published in September

 

I read The Dante Club some time ago and adored it! I have The Poe Shadow tucked away somewhere here and have just ordered The Last Dickens from The Book Depository

[BookJumper]

The Book On Fire is the follow-up to Book Of Flying

I knew that I just saw "The Book..." and "Keith Miller" in the same sentence and went of on a little private tangent of my own I do intent to purchase The Book on Fire at some point as I enjoyed The Book of Flying so much, however the fact that I don't like the cover has been putting me off all this time... maybe you can convince or coerce me ?

[Fi.]

Just testing you! I don't particularly like the cover either but as I believe it was designed & drawn by Mr Miller himself I shall be polite! I intend to start it as soon as it arrives and I'm hoping it's going to be just as good, if not better, than Flying

 

Will report back when it's here/done...

[Kylie]

Ooh, these books sound good. More for the wishlist, I think!

[Peacefield]

I read The Dante Club some time ago and adored it! I have The Poe Shadow tucked away somewhere here and have just ordered The Last Dickens from The Book Depository

 

I'm glad to hear you liked The Dante Club, Fi, and that you have The Last Dickens on order! They are both amoung my favorites and I think Matthew Pearl is an amazing author. I did love Poe Shadow too, just not as much . He's been through town here a couple of times and is a very genuine and nice person as well. He signed my Dante Club book "see you in hell!"

[Fi.]

Right, my reading took a nosedive at the end of last year for various reasons so I'm going to use this to give me the proverbial kick

 

These are some of the books I have lined up for January - have read 4 already which I'll stick in a seperate post. Bear in mind my reading is so eccentric in taste it might make your head spin, I make no excuses for the alarming discovery that half my reading seems to be of the "trashy" genre recently

 

To Read In January

 

Winter's Tale - Mark Helprin (re-read)

Immortal - P C Cast

The Swan Maiden - Jules Watson

Sarum - Edward Rutherfurd

The Lost - J D Robb

Salamander - Thomas Wharton

Bitten - Kelley Armstrong (re-read)

Camelot's Sword - Sarah Zettel

A Pound Of Paper - John Baxter

Wideacre - Philippa Gregory (re-read)

The Favoured Child - Philippa Gregory

Nightlife - Rob Thurman

Dead Reign - T A Pratt

Spell Games - T A Pratt

The Boar Stone - Jules Watson

The House On The Strand - Daphne du Maurier

Dark Lady's Chosen - Gail Z Martin

The Master And Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov

Edited January 11, 2010 by Fi

[Fi.]

Read In January

 

Coming Soon!

[Fi.]

Wishlist

 

Envy - Anna Godbersen

Splendor - Anna Godbersen

Broken - Karin Slaughter

Long Time Coming - Robert Goddard

Retromancer - Robert Rankin

U Is For Undertow - Sue Grafton

Burned - P C Cast

I Shall Wear Midnight - Terry Pratchett

Towers Of Midnight - Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

Tales Of The Otherworld - Kelley Armstrong

Waking The Witch - Kelley Armstrong

Edited January 13, 2010 by Fi

[Fi.]

Library Reservations

 

I, Lucifer - Glen Duncan

Magicians - Lev Grossman

Drowning Girl - Margaret Leroy

The Truth About Melody Browne - Lisa Jewell

Queen Of The Western Isle - Rosalind Miles

The Maiden Of White Hands - Rosalind Miles

The Lady Of The Sea - Rosalind Miles