Chrissy Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I've popped on - It needs more time to look into then I could give it so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I'm definitely adding anything by Jasper Fforde to my TBR, loads of people been saying he is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted July 3, 2009 Author Share Posted July 3, 2009 You should join August's reading Circle then The more, the merrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 Finished The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde. I enjoyed this book. Comments in the Reading Circle Thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Continued with the Tudors - with The Queen's Fool. The story is set during the reign of Mary, daughter of Katalina of Spain and Henry V111. When I started reading this book, I was feeling sorry for Mary, and wishing that her bad luck would ease a bit (even though I know how the actual story goes). However the book is written in such a way, that it made me feel as if I am actually seeing the people and the lives they were living. Mary's scope was a good one, however she went about it in a cruel and heartless way - so I was almost waiting for her to die, and her reign to be over. She is succecded by her sister Elizabeth, as she never had any children, although she went through two 'phantom' pregnancies. The story is narrated by Hannah the fool - The Queen's fool, who had a gift of forseeing the future. The characters are beautifully developed, and actual facts of history are mixed with figments of the author's imagination in a totally seamless way. I am obviously going to follow this with its sequel - I am enjoying the Tudors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 After The Queen's Fool - The Virgin's Lover, also by Philippa Gregory. This is set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1 - daughter of Henry V111 and Anne Boleyn. After her sister Mary died without an heir, Elizabeth inherits the throne. She has many suitors but is hesitant with her choice. Her favorite by far is a commoner, and also a married man - Sir Robert Dudley, who was jailed and held in the Tower as a traitor too, during her sister's rein. (as was she) He is a charming courtier, and one who is ready to do almost anything to further his family along. His long suffering wife Amy, does not share his ambitions, and as she keeps hearing gossip about her husband and the Queen at court, goes deeper into depression - after all she cannot really battle with the Queen. This time, the narration is not in the first person, like the previous Tudor novels I read. however this does not take away anything from the story. William Cecil is the best policitian ever - he will do anything for England - and tries to protect the Queen during her foolish years, when she is in love with her Master of Horse and during the times when she cannot seem to find the strength to take unpleasant decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 15, 2009 Author Share Posted August 15, 2009 A break from the Tudors, with my fave genre - thrillers Broken Angels - by Richard Montanari The story is set in Philadelphia. Homicide detectives Kevin Byrne and Jessica Balzano are once again given a gruesome case to crack. Someone is killing innocent victims, posing them in what seems to be period costumes or vintage clothing, in a macabre parodies of children's fairy tales. Byrne is also battling with a crazed man who blames him for his wife's murder, while Balzano must look for a cop killer - who took the life of one of their own. Enjoyable, although I could not understand why Karen (the first victim to be found) was left by the murderer out where she was found so easily, when he had already killed a number of victims 'safely' in his 'lair'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 The Other Queen - Phillippa Gregory From all the Tudor books I have read, this is the least one I liked. Although obviously the ending cannot be changed, I hated the fact that it was all set during Queen Mary's imprisonment in England. In fact the story is about various plots that Queen Mary's supporters hatched during her time in England, to try and restore her to her throne in Scotland. I felt that this book lacked the adventurous spirit that the other books seemed to have, and I kept waiting for a climax of some sort - obviously the ending was very anti-climactic, although that is something that cannot be changed. I also felt sorry for Queen Mary - she never got a break, and she found a very hard opponent in Cecil. The book is narrated from different points of views - of Bess - the Countess of Hardwick, George her husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and of course Queen Mary of Scots herself, who is the grandchild of Henry V111 's sister. I am going for a weeks' holiday to Edinburgh next week, and I was looking up info about Edinburgh. I enjoyed finding streets named after people I was reading about in this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 While on holiday I read AT Risk, by Patricia Cornwell. Left me totally lukewarm - not a book I would recommend. Pity really, PC's earlier books were great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid. A lovely book, which I did not read in one sitting as I had to go to work, and do stuff around the house. I will certainly recommend this book. Below is a short review: The story is set in Bradfield, where the first victim, a star football player Robbie Bishop is in hospital, having an attack of what appears to be a serious chest infection. His doctors are puzzled when he does not respond to treatment - until they found out his has been poisoned. To complicate matters, a bomb goes off in the football stadium, and the body count is rising. What is the connection between the two? Is there one? DCI Jordan and Dr Tony Hill have had better times together.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards. It is a good story, which I'm sure happened in actual life more than once. Actually I'm not sure if I like this story or not - it left me feeling unhappy and in turmoil. Reading the story I did not blame the father for his actions - I rather felt sorry for the decision he made, and the way he had to pay for it all his life. I hated the fact that it seemed as if this family never had a moment's happiness after the birth of the twins. I would have preferred if the blurb on the back did not give away the fact that he gave his daughter away...although the reader gets to know that in the first chapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. This month's reading circle - which took me a while to read, one because the font used in the book is quite small and tiring, and two as the language/style of writing is rather old - and so I was not able to read at my usual pace. The plot is really strange - and very complicated It is quite different to a plot which would be written now, and the actions of the characters involved are all very different to what they would be in this day and age. What I found difficult to accept is the long roundabout way any course of action seems to take. In this day and age, we take a decision, and we carry it out. Here it seems as if any decisions have to be examined, pulled apart and re - built before anything is done at all. While reading this book, I suspected two people, one of which was the culprit. However I could not imagine how the person pulled it off, and when I read the account of how it was done, I would never have thought it in a hundred years Over all, it was a pretty good read, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Interesting review Maureen I have the The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins on my tbr pile and I might add The Moonstone, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 Thanks for that Paula. I don't feel like I can write a good enough review, so your comment made me happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid. A lovely book, which I did not read in one sitting as I had to go to work, and do stuff around the house. I will certainly recommend this book. Below is a short review: The story is set in Bradfield, where the first victim, a star football player Robbie Bishop is in hospital, having an attack of what appears to be a serious chest infection. His doctors are puzzled when he does not respond to treatment - until they found out his has been poisoned. To complicate matters, a bomb goes off in the football stadium, and the body count is rising. What is the connection between the two? Is there one? DCI Jordan and Dr Tony Hill have had better times together.... I agree this was a good book and I enjoyed it very much, it was a nice surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Another Val McDermid - The Distant Echo is another stand alone - which I enjoyed. It starts in the 70s with 4 university students who are out drinking, and stumble upon a girl who was raped and left to die in the snow when they are returning home. The 4 are suspected of the murder, but nothing could be proven. Then back to today's time....how their lives turned out....and the murderer's... A great story, I loved the fact that it is set in Edinburgh, the characters are believable, flaws and all, and the twist in the end made me smile. Would recommend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 The Distant Echo sounds interesting, I think I'll add it on my TBR list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood. I don't think I have ever read a Dystopian novel before - my only experiences were films such as The Fortress , and real live news. The life portrayed is horrifying, the despair of the oppressed, palpable. At first I did not catch on the Of-whatever-his -name-is-master naming thing, and I admit that this bothered me much more than it should have done, considering the other ways of life of the society. One aspect which rang true is the Aunts as opressors, unfortunately, real life is much like that, people who are closest to the bottom, would do anything, especially crush their own kind, to get a foot up the ladder to the top. A strange book, quite unusual, but I'm glad I read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 Anybody out there, by Marian Keyes. A nice, easy-to-read chick-lit, which I could read while totally exhausted, but still follow the plot. Perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 Val McDermids The Grave Tattoo was delightful. Jane, a Wordsworth Scolar, stumbles upon the distinct possibility of a previously undiscoved piece of work of the great poet. The discovery of a mummified body in the Lake District, which was hundereds of years old, made the quest urgent. When Jane travels to the Lake District on study leave, Jane's neighbour and 'ward' ends up charged with murder and arson. Jane knows she is innocent, but she has to prove this without showing her own involvement in the matter. Meanwhile Jane is not the only person interested in Wordsworth piece... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Jeffery Deaver, Praying for Sleep. Must say this felt a bit long winded at times, although it could be because I am reading in fits and spurts at the moment. However the story is fine, and there is a double twist at the end - I had figured out that things are not how they seemed, but it still took me by surprise Enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted November 30, 2009 Author Share Posted November 30, 2009 Jeffery Deaver - The Sleeping Doll. Enjoyed this book - I especially like Deaver's twists at the end - and have come to expect them Well thought out plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwish Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 Glad you enjoyed it, The Sleeping Doll is the only book I have read by Deaver and I thought it was excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted December 1, 2009 Author Share Posted December 1, 2009 Are you going to try any more? I haven't been let down yet - although I try to space them out.... He has 'two sets' of books - stand alones, and a series where the main characters are Amelia Sachs a Detective, and Lincoln Rhymes, a quadriplegic criminalist/consultant. These were briefly mentioned in The Sleeping Doll.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwish Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 I have two more of his books on my TBR pile, I have The Bone Collector and The Stone Monkey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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