Maureen Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Just finished Jefferey Deaver's The Stone Monkey. As usual, a great thriller, with favorites Amelia Sachs and Lincoln Rhyme, Sellito and Thom. Nice twists, surprises and mysteries - some of which I never saw coming! Such as the Ghost's identity, or the fact that Mei Mei was petitioning for the little girl's adoption, not Amelia & Lincoln. I hated it when Li was killed, he was really adding a touch of spice to the story - although I knew that it was going to happen - he was the nice yet expandable guy who could add that bit of sadness and give a bit more weight tot he story by dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipread Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Glad you enjoyed The Stone Monkey. What`s next? I really like the Lincoln Rhymes books, I need a new one to be written though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwemad Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I like his 'Blast from the Past', from the ones I read so far. Actually it is quite different from the other ones I've read, so perhaps that's why I liked it better. Did you read that one? I don't think so........ I know there was one where it was some sort of big brother spoof and I gave up on that...... just too, too weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 9, 2009 Author Share Posted May 9, 2009 Have just finished Philippa Gregory's The other Boleyn Girl. I picked it up because I knew that some members on here enjoyed it a great deal, but I did not imagine I would enjoy it as much as I did! It is not a genre I usually go for, I have only read a few historical books and they can sometimes be a tad tedious. However this book was anything but. I loved it, and I ended looking up facts and figures and reading history on the internet. The book is about Henry V111 - he was married to his brother's wife Katherine of Aragon, but Anne Boleyn caught his fancy, so he divorced Katherine to marry Anne. His great desire, to father a son as his legitimate heir to the throne, was proving to be a very difficult thing to achieve - both his first two wives had a numer of pregnancies, but just one girl child of each survived - the future Queen Mary from Katherine (aka Bloody Mary) and Queen Elizabeth 1 from Anne. The book focuses on Anne Boleyn, how she managed to ensnare a king, overthrow a much beloved Queen, and her rise and fall. Very skillfully written, I felt a range of emotions whilst reading this book - ranging from anger, curiosity, amazement to pity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo-Bridge Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 The Next book is really good as well "The Boleyn Inheritance"- its told from the viewpoint of George Boleyns wife Jane and takes place during Henrys courtship of katherine howard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 Hey, thanks for pointing that out. I thought it wass 'The Queen's Fool', and in fact, I have reserved that one from the library. It should be interesting, reading from the point of view of Jane, although she was not portrayed as being a nice person in The Other Boleyn Girl. Did you enjoy it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo-Bridge Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Hey, thanks for pointing that out. I thought it wass 'The Queen's Fool', and in fact, I have reserved that one from the library. It should be interesting, reading from the point of view of Jane, although she was not portrayed as being a nice person in The Other Boleyn Girl. Did you enjoy it? I actually enjoyed it more! I read these two the wrong way around so I didnt actually realise untill the end of the book how crafty/creepy she had been! Its told from her point of view so you can see how much in love wiith George Boleyn she aws and how left out she felt of the glamorous Boleyn trio! The portrayl of Katherine Howard is very good as well I have this book if you would like to borrow it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 Jo, Thanks so very much for offering. However I don't think the postage fees would make it worth it - I can get a second hand copy for around €4. It's very nice of you to offer, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Finished Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. What I really enjoyed about this book is the way the author structures the sentences. Sometimes I read a sentence more than once, just because it sounded musical. (Difficult to explain, really!) The story is strange, and the ending even stranger. It is the first time I read a book by Murakami, so I have no idea whether this is his trademark. I have picked up another of his books 'Dance Dance Dance', which I will be reading shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I've only read one of his (so far) - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - it was decidedly strange! I think most of them are 'different'... shall we say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 Just finished Saving Faith by David Baldacci. Enjoyable book -Story about corruption and abuse of power inside the CIA. Can see this being made into one of those films, with lots of guns, people in business suits, and nice machinery screaming along the roads, taking handsome heros to safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 I enjoyed Saving Faith by David Baldacci to. I am now reading Aboslute Power by him Just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 Have started on The Constant Princess, by Philippa Gregory. Actually I should have read this before The Other Boleyn Girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 I enjoyed 'The Constant Princess', although not as much as The Other Boleyn Girl. CP is the story of Catalina - Katherine of Aragon - Katherine Queen of England. She is portrayed as a strong girl, who grew up to be an even stronger woman, who would do her utmost to fulfill what she was brought up to believe was her destiny - and God's will. I am looking forwards to reading The Queen's fool, sometime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Have since read 'Book of the Dead' by Patricia Cornwell. Nothing much to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 If you have read the earlier Scarpetta books, how did you think that this one compared? I'd be interested to know what you think. I found it to be bitty and somewhat 'vague' - sorry, can't think of a better word to describe that sensation when I'm not sure the author was fully engaged when they were writing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Yes I agree. The earlier Scarpetta novels were terrific, but ever since Trace, quite lukewarm, if I can describe them that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 Finished Dance, Dance, Dance, by Murakami. I enjoyed it. As the previous Murakami I read, the story is quite strange - It starts off like a normal everyday story, but at some point it converges to fantasy, and back again. If I had to describe it, I would say like a dream (or else like my dreams, cause I really cannot speak for everyone else's!). What is different from the other book is that the sentence structure in Sputnik Sweetheart was kind of musical, whereas I did not feel this while reading Dance Dance Dance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 Have just finished Wideacre, by Philippa Gregory. This is a historical 1st book of a Trilogy, featuring Beatrice and her brother Harry Lacey, who inherited the Wideacre Estate, even though he has no feel, knowledge and passion for the land like Beatrice has. But Beatrice, being a female, cannot own land, and she has to plot and plan to make sure she is never separated from the land she loves more than anything and anyone else in her life. However, everything comes at a price. Beatrice knows this, and is prepared to pay it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Finished The Boleyn Inheritance - another Philippa Gregory about the Tudors. This one continues where The Other Boleyn Girl finishes. Anne has been killed, and Jane (the 3rd wife) died, so King Henry marries again. His new bride is Anne (of Cleves), who was initially happy to escape her brother's tyranny, but may have gotten herself in an even worse position. An enjoyable book - was looking forward to reading this - my third book about the Tudors so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Now, a break from the Historical - and on to Fantasy. The big over easy - by Jasper Fforde, as I want to finish this before August, in time for the Reading Circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I really enjoyed 'Big Over Easy', I like the quirkiness of it, and I think it's easy to digest. I hope you like it! I'll have to do a re read for August - I forgot about the RC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 I'm sure I will. I loved his Thursday Next Series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I'm reading 'Something Rotten' at the moment - having worked my way through. They are good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 He's got a really fab imagination. Did you go on his site? Amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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