Jessi's Reading List - 2011

[Jessi]

The Kings Speech - Mark Logue and Peter Conradi (4/5)

After seeing the film of this, I really wanted to read the book and was not in the least disappointed. As ever, there was far more detail in the book than the film and it really gave you a warm insight in to the relationship between Logue and the king. very enjoyable!

 

Three Whys of the Russian Revolution - Richard Pipes

I read this for uni and found it very useful for my essays.

[Jessi]

Awakened – PC and Kristin Cast (4/5)

This book was brilliant I found, no other word for it and it has managed to secure a place in my heart for the House of Night series for good. I feared a few books back it had lost its way but this disproved that theory. Though I do not think I am ever going to take to Stark, there was even good development for him and Zoey in this book. Raphiem and Stevie Rae though... Awww, they are just simply too cute. As for the ending it has left me hungry for more!!!

[chesilbeach]

Thanks for your review of Awakened, Jessi. Like you, I felt the books had deteriorated, but I quite liked Tempted and then thought Burned was pretty good as well, so it's nice to hear someone else has felt the same. I'm waiting for the price to come down a bit, but Awakened in on my wishlist for future addition to my Kindle!

[Jessi]

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did - I think it raised a bar on Burned again so I can't want to see how good Destined (I think thats what its called) is going to be

[Jessi]

He’s just not that into you – Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (3/5)

Ok so stupidly I picked this up thinking it was going to be a novel of the film, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Instead when I begun reading I found it was a lot more self help about guys. It was a fairly interesting read, but not what I expected but that’s my fault (I saw it on a stand and uni and just picked it up with Starting over for 50p). It did make me laugh a few times but objectively, I think Behrendt is a little up himself. At times he gets it bang on – other times, I think he could be a bit off the mark...

[Jessi]

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir (4.25/5)

 

I really, thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even though I knew the ‘story’, Alison Weir still managed to make it fresh and exciting. Her opinions were well backed up and she just made it a bit rip roaring to be honest. Her writing style is so easy to follow that this book is just a joy to read. If you enjoy history, but don’t like it too scholarly (like me!) this is definitely one to go for.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Jessi

[Jessi]

My Last Duchess by Daisy Goodwin (4/5)

 

This was a very captivating piece of historical fiction. I got it primarily in order to get a hit of something like Downton Abbey, the brilliant TV series that was on in the autumn. It sounded similar and it did give me the fix I craved.

The characters were all fairly well drawn. My favourite was Bertha, the maid and her romance with Jim. Cora was layered nicely I thought and the choices she makes throughout the novel tell a lot about her and the era. The only character I wish had been expanded was the duke who remained a bit too much of an enigma for my liking. As for the ‘Double Duchess’ she was fabulous.

The description was exquisite. Goodwin definitely knows how to paint a picture.

If you enjoyed Downton or the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, I suspect you would enjoy this as well.

[Ooshie]

I loved Downton Abbey, so I will need to look out for this one. I haven't heard of Daisy Goodwin before. I love the title too; I imagine it was taken from the poem by Robert Browning, and I always thought it was such a good title!

[Jessi]

I think its her debut novel, and after it I am going to be on the look out for her next It certainly drew my eye to it when I read the title!

[chesilbeach]

I'm so glad you liked My Last Duchess Jessi, I'm definitely going to read it at some point. Ooshie, just as a bit of added info, this is her first novel as her main career is as a television producer, but she's also been a big advocate of poetry, and has presented television series including Essential Poems (To Fall In Love With and Reader, I Married Him - an excellent documentary series looking at romantic fiction (you can find out more about it here http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/romantic-fiction.shtml and I would highly recommend it if it gets repeated again).

[Jessi]

Its definately worth it chesilbeach - it is a really good read!

[Jessi]

Edward VII’s Children – John Van Der Kiste (3.5/5)

This infirmity read was very interesting. I love Edwardian history and last year read biographys of Edward as well as his queen. So this lead me to want to know about their kids in a bit more depth. Together, they had six children, though they lost one tragically early on. Of the remaining five who made it to adulthood, they lost Prince Albert Edward who would have been king in his twenties. There last surviving son was George V.

Of the three girls, one became a queen, one a duchess and the other became a spinster, her mother having never allowed her to fly the next. It was intriguing to see how different as well as similar the children of the Edwardian monarch were.

[Jessi]

The rights of Man – Thomas Paine

 

I read this for a university essay and found it quite intriguing to read what was a very popular work in the eighteenth century. Paine was a very certainly a very original thinker for his era.

 

Bright Young Things – Anna Godbersen (4.5/5)

 

It is official; Anna Godbersen is now one of my favorite authors.

When her Luxe series came out I relished every one of them and now that she has moved on to her next series I have found it to be just as intriguing, luxurious and mystery filled as the last.

We have moved thirty years into the future, changed the principal characters, but Godbersens new story is once more set in New York, in the summer of 1929. We met out leading ladies, Cordelia, Letty and Astrid early on in the plot. Personally, Letty to begin with I didn’t take to, yet Godbersen’s development that by the end of the book that had changed and I genuinely cared about all of them.

The prohibition has allowed bootleggers to make a lot of money in the city, and one of these bootleggers is ‘orphaned’ Cordelias father. as she is embraced back in to the bosom of her family, the plot takes twists which I did not think it would...

Yet one of the best things about this book is the prologue. If you go into a book shop and read it, I think it would be a challenge for you to walk out of it without having added to you ‘to be read’ pile!!!

Edited April 1, 2011 by Jessi

[Ooshie]

I'm so glad you liked My Last Duchess Jessi, I'm definitely going to read it at some point. Ooshie, just as a bit of added info, this is her first novel as her main career is as a television producer, but she's also been a big advocate of poetry, and has presented television series including Essential Poems (To Fall In Love With and Reader, I Married Him - an excellent documentary series looking at romantic fiction (you can find out more about it here http://www.bbc.co.uk...c-fiction.shtml and I would highly recommend it if it gets repeated again).

 

Thank you Claire, I didn't know any of that!

[Jessi]

A Home For Rose - Jon Katz (3/5)

 

Quite a nice ‘train’ read. Katz’s books are as much or seem to be, a journey of self discovery as about animals. As he moves with his animal’s upstate from New York to a farm, this is a book that transport you with them. Katz is a controversial author and that controversy comes from the next book in the series, as he decides to put one of his dogs down for behavioral issues. I only found that out after having read this one and have not made my mind up if I want to read on. He seems to me after reading to be a genuine guy who would not put an animal down without good reason but I am a big dog lover so... I am not so sure about the next one. I did enjoy getting out of the city in my mind with this book though. little Rose is adorable...

 

Divine By Choice - PC Cast (2/5)

I could not help but be disappointed by this book to be honest. I am a huge fan of Cast, The House of Night being among my favorite book series. I had hoped I was going to be another series I loved. While Divine by Mistake was amazing, and I feel in love with the romance of the heroine Shannon and ClanFinton, Divine By Choice destroyed that as Shannon as a character. She became an adulteress and lost her morality, and so her likability. The plot of Shannon returning to her native Ohio should ensured a great book but it felt forced whereas Divine by Mistake had been magical and effortless. Clint might have been ClanFinton’s mirror image, but to me he was just a pale imitation.

Edited April 10, 2011 by Jessi

[Jessi]

Dear Fatty - Dawn French (4.5/5)

 

Hilarious, warm hearted and funny, Dear Fatty was a delight to read. I have grown up watching Dawn French and I am even more of a fan after this book. Her honesty and warm wit shine through. While utterly heart breaking at times, French is also as ever laugh out loud funny. This autobiography is written in the form of letters to people of significance in French’s life, thorough from her dad, to her daughter, husband Lenny Henry, the brilliant Jennifer Saunders and the illusive mighty BF. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommended!!!

[frankie]

The Diaries of Sofia Tolstoy – Sofia Tolstoy (4/5)

 

This one's definitely going on my wish list, thanks Jessi for the review

[Weave]

Dear Fatty - Dawn French (4.5/5)

 

Hilarious, warm hearted and funny, Dear Fatty was a delight to read. I have grown up watching Dawn French and I am even more of a fan after this book. Her honesty and warm wit shine through. While utterly heart breaking at times, French is also as ever laugh out loud funny. This autobiography is written in the form of letters to people of significance in French’s life, thorough from her dad, to her daughter, husband Lenny Henry, the brilliant Jennifer Saunders and the illusive mighty BF. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommended!!!

 

Great review Jessi, I have this one waiting to be read.

[Jessi]

Frankie - I hope you enjoy it was a very interesting read, very different to a lot of other books I've read.

 

Weave - Thanks It was really enjoyable, just makes me smile thinking about it

[Jessi]

I'm back after exams!!!

 

I will be putting up some reviews later on with any luck

[Jessi]

No Place Like Home – Pen Farthing (5/5) – see last year’s list for review!

 

 

Wolf By The Ears - Ann Rinaldi (3.5/5)

 

This was my first Rindali and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a thought provoking read as anything which surrounds slavery is always bound to be. The book tells the story of Harriet Hemmings, the daughter of Sally Hemmings and probably Thomas Jefferson and the choice she has to make; to go and ‘pass’ into white society or to stay with her parents and remain a slave. While the book is easy enough to read, the tale and the questions it raises will stick with you for a long time after.

[Jessi]

Boys Don't Cry - Malorie Blackman (4.5/5)

I thoroughly enjoyed this very moving book. Malorie Blackman Noughts and Crosses was wonderful and this followed in the same vein. It touched on very topic issues and was very hard to put down – I LOVED it. Though there were some quite sad moments, I just remember how powerful I found this novel.

[Jessi]

Victoria - Anna Kirwan (3/5)

This was a very quick, young read. I did enjoy it and it would be a good introduction for queen Victoria’s early life.

[Jessi]

Debs at war – Anne De Courcy (4/5)

I really enjoyed this book. Being 20 myself when I read it, I was the same age as the girls who joint up for the war effort. Even though they were 20 70 years before me.

The story this book told is of about 10 uppers class girls who in different ways joint up either as a nurse, a land girl or at Betchley Park amongst others. These upper class girls stepped out of there social circle for the first time in their life – and grew up fast. It was a very interesting look at these young women during the WWII, especially how it changed them.

 

Anastasia by Carolyn Meyer (3/5)

This was a lot like ‘Victoria’. For any youngsters wanting to learn about Imperial Russia, this would be a wonderful place to start.

[Jessi]

I am so behind that I am going to start working backwards here guys so you can get something out of my reviews rather than me scratching my brains about a story I read so long ago I am struggling to remember what I thought about it.

My Early Life by Winston Churchill – 5/5

I read this for university, being that Churchill is my main focus this year and the subject of my dissertation and I loved it. I think Churchill is a very easy man to be fascinated by. Thought of course always assassinated with WWII, quite rightly, he had a long and varied career before, and My Early Life tells the story of his formative years. Spanning from his unhappy childhood, where he longed to be closer to his two distant parents (even by Victorian stands, Lord and Lady Randolph were distant to be the point of neglect) to his adventures in the Boer war, Churchill reveals something of life in the glided era for a boy who had to work hard, despite being born into the privilege world of the aristocracy.

Churchill, as I am learning at the moment, was a flawed man who was nevertheless extremely talented – writing being one of those talents. This was a surprisingly easy and quite a light read and I would recommend it.