chaliepud Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 I agree partly that they are not very well written, and I used to want to scream every time she used the expression "he/she rolled her eyes", but they do flow really well, and a chapter always ends starting the next - if that makes any sense!! I probably lost weight too, my kids may have done too. I have to admit they were pretty neglected at times during that series! (I like to think it made them more independent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Day 3 -Your favourite series This is harder than I thought, it's between Twilight, Famous Five and Swallows and Amazons. I've read quite a few books but nothing has quite captured me like the Twilight books despite my initial reluctance to read them, as I said above I was pressured into reading them! In doing so it opened me up to a whole new genre, in my reading and TV viewing, without Twilight I'd never have come across True Blood (and with that, Eric!!) However my best memories of reading are from my childhood, I must have read the Famous Five series at least 20 or 30 times, and am so sad that my two eldest children have shown no interest at all in the series, saying it is too old fashioned, I am pinning all my hopes on my 6 year old. The Swallows and Amazons series were beautiful, and set in a beautiful area, we visited the Lakes every year as a child and I often sat next to Bassenthwaite or Derwentwater reading about the exploits of Titty, Roger, john and Susan, along with the Amazons Nancy and Peggy. Pure escapism! Think I wil have to go for the Famous Five, simply for the numbers of times read, but perhaps also because Enid Blyton wrote so many fantastic series and kept me occupied and happy for a long period of my childhood - I'm sure my parents are very grateful too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Day 4 - Favourite book of your favourite series It is hard now to remember the different books in the series, it has been so long, but one that does stick in my mind is Five go to Smugglers Top, I remember being scared by the children following the tunnels through the cliffs and half wishing it could be me, but I was never that brave!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Day 5 - A book that makes you happy Wow, this is far more difficult than it sounds! Lots of books have happy moments, for example Under A Million Shadows, but few are happy clappy all the way through. I am sure I have read some but I can't remember!!!! A lot of books I have read to my children over the years make me feel happy, The Cross With Us Rhinoceros, The Gruffalo and the Percy the Park Keepers books to name a few. The most recent book that has made me feel happy I suppose is the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts, I read them in the middle of winter at a time when I was feeling a bit low (I hate winter) and needed a little light reading. It was about 4 beautiful women, with pretty much perfect lives, gorgeous house, careers, friendships, and working through the books, love lives with gorgeous men! I think this was one of her better series and they did make me feel happy, so there you go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Finished A Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney last night. I have to say I nearly gave up about a third of the way through as it was very wordy and didn't seem to be going anywhere fast. I am glad I persevered though as it developed into a good read. It was an odd murder mystery that concentrated more on the character development rather than the mystery, but I think that worked well as it created a much gentler read whilst still delivering a good degree of tension. The location and time were interesting too, late 18th century Canada, the author excellently conjured up the sense of cold and desolation, and the fear associated with it. My only criticism of the book would be the short chapters and the way each chapter is narrated by different characters, it interrupted the flow and had me confused at times as to which character was talking, but all in all it is a book I would highly recommend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Actually, Hayley (for some reason I was reading your user name as Charlie)... Oh, so had I! It's funny how our brains see what we want them to see! You have some great books on your lists, Hayley - enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 I get it a lot! I've been using it for years here and there. My eldest son is Charlie and the username was originally supposed to be Charliepud, as that was his toddler nickname, but I spelt it wrong and it stuck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipread Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 The Tenderness of Wolves was a book I'd had waiting for quite a while but I kept putting it off, once I started reading it though I was quickly engrossed. I know what you mean about the confusion caused with different characters narrating, I remember having to go back a bit to pick the thread up again, but generally speaking I like shorter chapters and enjoyed the way the story was told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I get it a lot! I've been using it for years here and there. My eldest son is Charlie and the username was originally supposed to be Charliepud, as that was his toddler nickname, but I spelt it wrong and it stuck! Aha! Now I feel rather clever because I (and Janet) obviously knew what it was supposed to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Had a fab weekend at Alton Towers with other half and the kids, but back to business, and some catching up to do! Day 6 - A book that make you sad Unsurprisingly for anyone who has read it, this award has to go to The boy in the Striped Pyjamas, I have never cried so hard at the end of a book, or felt so devastated at how a story ended. For the few pages preceding the big shock of the story, I could feel it unfolding into an inevitable conclusion, and was desperately hoping it would not be so. For a short book it was a fantastic story and I can see why it is being used in many school/colleges on their reading lists. Day 7 - Most underrated book This HAS to be my most favourite book ever, Human Traces by Sebastian Faulkes, it is the book that I always buy friends for birthdays or try to convince them to read, with mixed results. It is a book that doesn't appeal to everyone, concentrating as it does on the subject of mental illness, but I feel it is his best book, better even than Birdsong, which would also be in my top 5. However when the name Sebastian Faulkes comes up, it is always Birdsong that comes to mind, and even Charlotte Gray, which I thought was pretty poor, is more highly recommended. Day 7 - Most overrated book No competition here, this has to be The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, in my opinion a poorly written book, with little structure; a young adult book which I felt was perhaps unsuitable for the age it was written for. Maybe I was missing something, but I read it twice for 2 different reading groups and just could not like it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I've only read Trudi Canavan's The Magicians' Guild. It had a boring start, nearly put the book down in several places. The ending was pretty decent though, yet I don't like that she needed 250 pages to make the story interesting. Does the series improve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 I'll let you know, TMG certainly wasn't the best book I've ever read but it was nice and light and held my interest, according to reviews the second book is better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I agree with you with both The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas and also The Lovely Bones I was also devistated with the ending of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, it actually made me cry! Also, I think its a book everyone should read. The Lovely Bonrs just seemed too grown up for a young adult audince, the subject matter was really quite hard to read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy Reader Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Day 7 - Most overrated book No competition here, this has to be The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, in my opinion a poorly written book, with little structure; a young adult book which I felt was perhaps unsuitable for the age it was written for. Maybe I was missing something, but I read it twice for 2 different reading groups and just could not like it... At the time I remember thinking that the beginning was the best beginning ever but that was it, it really did go downhill from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Right, other half has gone back to Iraq, so it'a back to reading for me! Just finished Linda Gillards Stargazing,it was a lovely easy romantic read to get me back in the swing of reading again, I just need to choose what to read from my TBR pile.... Day 9 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving - This will have to be the Twilight saga, I know they're like marmite and I really thought I would be in the hate it group ut I was persuaded to read it by a friend and was instantly addicted (not to the films so much). They have introduced me a whole new genre that I would never have considered before, and have loved the Sooke Stackhouse books, some of the Anita Blakes, even A Discovery of Witches I wouldn't have considered before Twilight - I'd never have met Matthew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Day 10 - Favourite classic book - I don't feel qualified to answer this one as I have never been a fan of the classics, I did enjoy Lorna Doone and Sons and Lovers as a teen but I can't remember much about them. So, will have to go for Swallows and Amazons which I read over and over as a child. I'm looking out for a nice copy to buy myself so I can try reading it to my children. Day 11 - A book you hated - I can't recall any book that I have hated, there are plenty I have given up on but simply because I wasn't enjoying them. In general though I hate anything with very bad, coarse language, I appreciate it is sometimes relevant to the story or a particular character but I hate it!! I have stopped reading The Slap after only a chapter or so for this reason, it offends we and I cannot concentrate on the story. Perhaps books should come with warnings on like movies do? Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't anymore - A tricky one this as I am not a big re-reader. I would perhaps go for a genre instead if I'm allowed? I used to read a lot of crime books, I read all the John Grishams, lots of the Tess Gerritsens and many many more. I find them hard to get into now, for example I read the first two of the Millennium trilogy last year but cannot get into the third... Day 13 - Your favourite writer I will have to go for Sebastian Faulkes here as he has written my two favourite books ever, Birdsong and Human Traces. Strangely I have not enjoyed all his books but in general I look forward to any new release. Day 14 - Favourite book of your favourite writer - As much as I loved Birdsong, Human Traces I think will always be my most favourite book ever, it would take something extraordinarily special to surpass it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Day 15 - Favourite Male Character - After great consideration, this award has to go to Death from The Book Thief. I found this a magical book, and being narrated by Death made it completely unique. Day 16 - Favourite Female Character - I think I will go with Katniss from The Hunger Games trilogy, what a plucky girl! All she wants is a quiet life, and to look after her family when she literally gets thrown to the dogs! She faces adversity with courage and compassion and again, quite literally, fight to the death for those she loves. Right, off to bed to finish Finding Sky, an unexpectedly great read, hope the last third is at god as the first two thirds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Have had a really busy couple of weeks so need to catch up here! Thankfully the being busy has occasionally involve shopping so have a few additions to my TBR pile - The Blasphemer - Nigel Farndale (because I like reading fiction based in WWI and WWII) A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier (couldn't resist as so highly recommended on here) American Gods - Neil Gaiman (ditto) Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin (a cheapie on Amazon but looks like an original concept so thought I'd give it a go) The Body Finder - Kimberley Derting (another BCF recommendation) Letters from Home - Kritina McMorris (another WWII story) The Radleys - Matt Haig (recommended on here this week and 3 for 2 in Waterstones yesterday!) Every Last One - Anna Quindlen And two given to me by a friend - The Sweetest Thing - Cathy Woodman The Brightest Star in the Sky - Marian Keyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Day 17 - Favourite quote from your favourite book - It has been a long while since I last read Human Traces so I can't remember any quotes particularly. I do remember, however, the last paragraph staying with me for a long time after, in fact I didn't start reading another book for at least a month after finishing it, I found it so powerful - "Then the long trail of her footprints, stretching back towards the sea, became slowly indistinct as each one filled with water and edged in upon itself, and in a matter of minutes, as darkness began to fall, the shape of the foot was lost at every pace until the last vestiges of her presence were washed away, the earth closing over as though no one had passed by". Day 18 - A book that disappointed you - I suppose a fair few book do this over the years, but most recently it was The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. I thoroughly enjoyed the warmth and history in The Forgotten Garden and The House at Riverton and was so excited to get The Distant Hours the day it was released. I did finish it (but think that was just to get my moneys worth after paying for the hardback!!) It was slow and dull and could easily have fit into half of the pages she had written. It felt like she had written the book because it was expected of her not because she enjoyed writing it, a real shame.. Day 19 - Favourite book turned into a movie - I am going to cheat and pick two here as I can't choose between them, the first is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the original movie with the amazing Gene Wilder, and the second has to be Last of the Mohicans. Day 20 - Favourite Romance book - I'm going to pick A Discovery of Witches for this one as it is so fresh in my mind, I do like a romance where the female character is still allowed to have a strong character. Right, I'm going to stop there before I bore everyone to tears!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 I'm so rubbish at this but will make another attempt to finish the list! Day 21 - Favourite book from your childhood - For this I'm going to go for my Childrens Bible, a bit of an odd one as I am now a confirmed atheist and I wasn't raised to be religious as all, but I must have been given this book at some point and it was a lovely hardback with pictures painted in mainly pastel colours so very soothing, and filled with a variety of stories that never failed to engage me. Day 22- Favourite book you own - I'm going to cheat and pick two here, the first is the Kennel Club's Illustrated Breed Standards, I have always been a dog nut and my Dad bought this for me a fair few years ago now. I love seeing a breed when I'm out and about then coming home to look it up and find out something I didn't already know. The second is an old book that I picked up about 20 years ago, called 'Whose Dog Are You?" by Michael Chance, it is a 1938 first edition, not worth very much, particularly as it lost its dust jacket many moons ago. It writes about a number of then famous people and their dogs, it truly is delightful and wonderful for dipping in and out of, including the likes of Amy Johnson, Lloyd George and Gracie Fields. It even has an inscription from 1940. I really would love to buy more books of this type but we are sadly lacking in second hand bookshops in this area. Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t - Now, I suppose if I'd really wanted to read them I would have, BUT, books I feel I should have read by now are 1984, To Kill a Mockingbird (now on my TBR pile) and maybe Pride and Prejudice as it gets so many rave reviews on here, I'm just not really a Classics kinda girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Day 21 - Favourite book from your childhood - For this I'm going to go for my Childrens Bible, a bit of an odd one as I am now a confirmed atheist and I wasn't raised to be religious as all, but I must have been given this book at some point and it was a lovely hardback with pictures painted in mainly pastel colours so very soothing, and filled with a variety of stories that never failed to engage me. When my son was about five, the Jehovah's Witnesses came to our door, and when they saw we had a young child, left him a Children's Bible (not quite the same as the traditional one, but not much different). He loved that book, and took it to bed to read for years! Like yours, it was a hardback and had lovely paintings with the stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier (couldn't resist as so highly recommended on here) Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin (a cheapie on Amazon but looks like an original concept so thought I'd give it a go) I quite liked A Tiny Bit Marvellous. Rebecca is BRILLIANT! And I also have Elsewhere on my tbr (in fact it's been on there for quite some times ) I'm so rubbish at this but will make another attempt to finish the list! Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t - Now, I suppose if I'd really wanted to read them I would have, BUT, books I feel I should have read by now are 1984, To Kill a Mockingbird (now on my TBR pile) and maybe Pride and Prejudice as it gets so many rave reviews on here, I'm just not really a Classics kinda girl. TKAM and P&P are two of my all time favourite books If you do read them, I hope you enjoy them. Like you, there are books which I feel I probably should have read by now; I tell myself I'll get around to them some day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 When my son was about five, the Jehovah's Witnesses came to our door, and when they saw we had a young child, left him a Children's Bible (not quite the same as the traditional one, but not much different). He loved that book, and took it to bed to read for years! Like yours, it was a hardback and had lovely paintings with the stories. When I was about 7 or 8, the same thing happened.....Jehovah's Witnesses left me a hardcover book of Children's Bible Stories....I loved that book....I am sure that's where my love of reading first surfaced....they aren't long stories, just a page or two each, but the illustrations are beautiful.....I still have that book, though I haven't read or even handled it in maybe 20 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynb Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 You have so many great (and what I think will be great) reads on your TBR pile and wish list. Is The Prince of Mist a new book by Zafon? I completely agree about The Book Thief. I was fortunate that I had a day off work when I got to the end. I could never have successfully held all those tears back in public. Hi - This is a great list - this would almost be my wish list too. The Kite Runner and a Spledid Thousand Suns are truely great books. I hope you get to read them soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 'Ooshie'When my son was about five, the Jehovah's Witnesses came to our door, and when they saw we had a young child, left him a Children's Bible (not quite the same as the traditional one, but not much different). He loved that book, and took it to bed to read for years! Like yours, it was a hardback and had lovely paintings with the stories. 'Sofia' When I was about 7 or 8, the same thing happened.....Jehovah's Witnesses left me a hardcover book of Children's Bible Stories....I loved that book....I am sure that's where my love of reading first surfaced....they aren't long stories, just a page or two each, but the illustrations are beautiful.....I still have that book, though I haven't read or even handled it in maybe 20 years! I can't remember where my copy came from and sadly either I or my parents got rid of it at some point, must check out amazon etc, my son would love it! 'Ruth' I quite liked A Tiny Bit Marvellous. Rebecca is BRILLIANT! And I also have Elsewhere on my tbr (in fact it's been on there for quite some times ) I have the same problem with my TBR pile Ruth, I need more tim, and with term ending this week I'll have even less time!!! 'lynb'Hi - This is a great list - this would almost be my wish list too. The Kite Runner and a Spledid Thousand Suns are truely great books. I hope you get to read them soon. Thanks, it's always good to know good taste is shared!! The Kite Runner is on my TBR pile, I am making an earnest effort not to buy more books so hopefully will get to it this year, is A Thousand Splendid Suns a sequel? Why are my Multiquotes not working????!!!! I am such a technophobe but it looked fine before I posted it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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