dawnbirduk Posted October 31, 2011 Author Share Posted October 31, 2011 Life Is Just What You Make It: My Story So Far - by Donny Osmond Well, seeing this in the library I had to get it out, as along with a million other young girls I was madly in love with Donny, I found it pretty boring to begin with, quite predictable, but during the difficult times, I found it quite interesting. Not Bad. From Goodreads - Donny Osmond has had a show-business career that's spanned more than 35 years. A TV star by six, a Las Vegas veteran by eight, Osmond enjoyed success in tandem with his brothers, his sister, and as a solo act. He had 23 gold records by the age of 13. And just when the music industry was ready to write him off as a has-been, he reached No. 2 on the charts with the song "Soldier of Love." Now Osmond recounts those successes (and not a few setbacks along the way) in Life Is Just What You Make It Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie I read this as part of The Book of the Month. The edition I read was a very old Penquin edition with yellowing pages the book was published 1923 and this edition was a 1953 edition, complete with diagrams of the murder scene, brilliant. This really is Agatha Christie at her best, I had read the book before and remembered who did it, so that took a bit of the element from it, but it certainly it a most surprising murderer. My Favourite Character has be Caroline she is so english and so nosy The part I enjoyed most was the end when all was revealed I have read a few Agatha Christie books and do enjoy them, they are refreshing, often surprising, and not too gruesome I enjoyed the book apart from the knowledge of who did it. I did enjoy this book because the surprise of the ending, and the way all the clues came together The last line was awesome 'But I wish Hercule Poirot had never retired from work and come here to grown vegetable marrows' From Goodreads - Agatha Christie's genius for detective fiction is unparalleled. Her worldwide popularity is phenomenal, her characters engaging, her plots spellbinding. No one knows the human heart or the dark passions that can stop it better than Agatha Christie. She is truly the one and only Queen of Crime. The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd Village rumor hints that Mrs. Ferrars poisoned her husband, but no one is sure. Then there's another victim in a chain of death. Unfortunately for the killer, master sleuth Hercule Poirot takes over the investigation. Edited November 1, 2011 by dawnbirduk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopeanha Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Stieg Larsson The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson I had seen many references to this book but had my reservations, but eventually gave this book a go, a wopping book of 538 pages. But wow what a surprise, fantastic. The Prologue was a bit boring but it did set the scene, then you went into part 1, and it became a great page turner one of those rare books you can't get enough of and grudge every minute not reading. I totally agree! The trilogy was my surprise-super-duper-read of 2009 and I loved all three books and finished them in about a week, despite all those pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 I have just finished The Magician's Gambit by David Eddings (Book 3 of The Belgariad) so far I have found this the weakest book of the 3 I have read, the characters didn't develop as well, there were long stretches when nothing seemed to be happening, not a bad read, but nothing earth shattering. From Goodreads -Ce'Nedra, Imperial Princess of Tolnedra, was confused. Everyone knew the tales of the Orb that protected the West from the evil God Torak were just silly legends. But here she was, forced to join a serious and dangerous quest to recover that stolen Orb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 After all the hype of the films and reviews on book forums, I decided to take the plunge and read the book. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, I loved it. Although it was very close to the film, I liked it better because it was more indepth and gave a better insight to all the characters. From Goodreads - Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife—between desire and danger. Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Twilight by Stephanie Meyer After all the hype of the films and reviews on book forums, I decided to take the plunge and read the book. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, I loved it. Although it was very close to the film, I liked it better because it was more indepth and gave a better insight to all the characters. From Goodreads - Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife—between desire and danger. Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings This is the 4th book of the Belgariad Series, again I thoroughly loved it, Ce'nedra came into her own, and it was interesting finding out about Poledra Garions Grandmother, and the way they can transform into wolves. It had all begun with the theft of the Orb that had so long protected the West from the evil God Torak. Before that, Garion had been a simple farm boy. Afterward, he discovered that his aunt was really the Sorceress Polgara and his grandfather was Belgarath, the Eternal Man. Then, on the long quest to recover the Orb, Garion found to his dismay that he, too, was a sorcerer. Now, at last, the Orb was regained and the quest was nearing its end. Of course, the questors still had to escape from this crumbling enemy fortress and flee across a desert filled with Murgo soldiers searching for them, while Grolim Hierarchs strove to destroy them with dark magic. Then, somehow, they must manage to be in Riva with the Orb by Erastide. After that, however, Garion was sure that his part in these great events would be finished. But the Prophecy still held future surprises for Garion--and for the little princess Ce'Nedra. This continues the magnificent epic of The Belgariad, begun in Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, and Magician's Gambit--a fantasy set against a background of the war of men, Kings, and Gods that had spanned seven thousand years--a novel of fate, strange lands, and a prophecy that must be fulfilled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 The Enchanters End Game By David Eddings I have just finished the 5th and final instalment of The Belgariad, I felt this the weakest book of the series, it spent so much time warmongering, although there were some good bits in it. The quest was over. The Orb of Aldur was restored. And once again, with the crowning of Garion, there was a descendant of Riva Iron-grip to rule as Overlord of the West. But the Prophecy was unfulfilled. In the east, the evil God Torak was about to awaken and seek dominion. Somehow, Garion had to face the God, to kill or be killed. On the outcome of that dread duel rested the destiny of the world. Now, accompanied by his grandfather, the ancient sorcerer Belgarath, Garion headed toward the City of Endless Night, where Torak awaited him. To the south, his fiancée, the princess Ce'Nedra, led the armies of the West in a desperate effort to divert the forces of Torak's followers from the man she loved. The Prophecy drove Garion on. But it gave no answer to the question that haunted him: How does a man kill an immortal God? Here is the brilliant conclusion to the epic of The Belgariad, which began in Pawn of Prophecy--a novel of fate, strange lands, and a Prophecy that must be fulfilled--the resolution of the war of men, Kings, and Gods that had spanned seven thousand years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Taboo (Reilly Steel #1) by Casey Hill Wow what an amazing book, I couldn't put it down, a new character, new author but wow. Great chatacters with amazing twists and turns I loved it. From Goodreads - Forensic investigator Reilly Steel, Quantico-trained and California-born and bred, imagined Dublin to be a far cry from bustling San Francisco, a sleepy backwater where she can lay past ghosts to rest and start anew. She’s arrived in Ireland to drag the Irish crime lab into the 21st century, plus keep tabs on her Irish-born father who’s increasingly seeking solace in the bottle after a past family tragedy. But a brutal serial killer soon puts paid to that. When a young man and woman are found dead in an apartment, the gunshot wounds on their naked bodies suggest a suicide pact. But Reilly’s instincts are screaming that something’s seriously amiss, and as more bodies are discovered, the team soon realises that a twisted murderer is at work, one who seeks to upset society’s norms in the most sickening way imaginable… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 This book was a very slow start, but gradually the characters wound round my senses, and at chapter 5 I realised I was thoroughly enjoying it, it was fascinating, very descriptive and well written, I ended up loving it. From Goodreads - Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, Louise Penny's wise and engaging '21st-century version of Hercule Poirot' ("Publishers Weekly", starred review), is looking forward to celebrating his wedding anniversary at the remote, luxurious Manoir Bellechasse. The only other guests are members of the Finney family - rich, cultured, and respectable - who have arrived at the height of summer to unveil a slightly startling memorial to their late father. As the heat wave gathers strength, it's surprising when Peter and Clara Morrow, from the well-loved village of Three Pines, turn up at the family gathering - but much more of a shock when old secrets and buried resentments turn out to be only a prelude to murder. As Gamache's holiday becomes a busman's anniversary, he learns that the seemingly peaceful lodge is a place where visitors come to escape their past, until that past catches up with them. Agatha and Anthony Award-winning author Louise Penny breathes brilliant new life into the classic drawing-room mystery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 The Night Season by Chelsea Cain I wasn't overly keen, I felt their was very little depth to the characters, they just didn't seem 'real' to me. The storyline wasn't the best, although it was a very unusual murder weapon The Night Season (Gretchen Lowell, #4) Oregon detective Archie Sheridan and local journalist Susan Ward team up again in this extreme weather thriller. As heavy rains pound Portland, apparent drowning victims keep surfacing on the Willamette River. While others tremble before the steadily rising waters, the sleuth and reporter come to the harsh realization that a serial killer is loose and hiding behind nature's merciless torrents. Chelsea Cain's fourth Archie Sheridan mystery (Heartsick; Sweetheart; Evil at Heart) builds its intensity and suspense by rapid cuts between the ominous gathering flood and the dangerous manhunt. One of our most talented young mystery writers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 The Railway Man by John Dean I found this a very disappointing book, the characters were shallow and I got confused who was who, glad to have finished it. When the opening of a railway museum is marred by the murder of a former railman, Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard finds himself confronting some awkward truths. Not only does he have to consider the unpalatable possibility that his friends could be concealing vital information from him, but he soon discovers that the dead man's legacy is a dark shadow that spreads across the northern city of Hafton. In the end, though, John Blizzard has to confront a betrayal that he never thought possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz I saw this book in the Library a couple of days after watching the film, so decided to have a read, it is very close to the film, however, it is a typical teen book, somehow couldn't get my teeth into it. Stormbreaker (Alex Rider, #1) They said his uncle Ian died in a car accident. Alex Rider knows that’s a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle’s car confirm the truth. But nothing can prepare him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for Britain’s top-secret intelligence agency. Enlisted to find his uncle’s killers and complete Ian’s final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with no way out. The original novel that started the worldwide phenomenon is now a major motion picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 Rivers of London by Benh Aaronovitch I have wanted to read this book for quite some time, eventually I got hold of it and was most disappointed, it had all the elements I enjoy for a good read, crime, fantasy, supernatural, however, I found the characters very shallow and couldn't get to grip with them, I kept losing track of the plot, eventually I gave up. From Goodreads - My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit - we do paperwork so real coppers don't have to - and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluable, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England. Now I'm a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden . . . and there's something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair. The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying. Which, I don't mind telling you, would involve a hell of a lot of paperwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 16, 2011 Author Share Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) Heat Wave by Richard Castle This is based on the TV series Castle which I enjoy, but I did find the book disappointing, I didn't relate to the characters, and got confused between characters, I found the storyline most disjointed. A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light. Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly best-selling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City's top homicide squads. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest. PulitzerPrize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wise-cracking and meddling aren't her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat Edited December 16, 2011 by dawnbirduk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Boudica by Manda Scott A very well written and colourful book the characters are very well thought out and described, a brilliant read. In AD 60, Boudica, war leader of the Eceni, led her people in a final bloody revolt against the occupying armies of Rome. It was the culmination of nearly twenty years of resistance against an occupying force that sought to crush a vibrant, complex civilization and replace it with the laws, taxes and slavery of the Roman Empire. Gloriously imagined, BOUDICA: DREAMING THE EAGLE recreates the beginnings of a story so powerful its impact has survived through the ages, recounting the journey to adulthood of Breaca, who at twelve kills her first warrior, and her sensitive, skilful half-brother Ban, who carries with him a vision of the future that haunts his waking hours. In the company of a supreme storyteller, the reader is plunged into the unforgettable world of tribal Britain in the years before the Romans came: a twilight world of Dreamers and the magic of the gods; a world where horses and dogs and the landscape itself become characters in their own right; where warriors fight for honour as much as victory. Above all, it is a world of passion and courage and spectacular, heart-felt heroism pitched against overwhelming odds. Manda Scott's BOUDICA will tell the extraordinary, resounding story of Britain's first and greatest warrior queen, the woman who remains one of the great female icons - to read it is to discover our history, to learn about ourselves and our heritage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Happy Birthday Dawn, and congratulations on the kindle!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Boudica by Manda Scott A very well written and colourful book the characters are very well thought out and described, a brilliant read. I love this series of books. I was able to get completely engrossed in the stories being told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Happy Birthday Dawn, and congratulations on the kindle!! Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Happy Birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Happy Birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopeanha Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Happy belated birthday, Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 Children's Stories From The Village Shepherd, Vol 1 by Janice B. Scott I run Junior Church and had this book bought for my Birthday by my Mum, it is a series of short stories with a christian Moral, very interesting and informative. Because I believe that God is in every part of life but does not intrude unless invited, these stories follow a similar pattern. That is, they are about God and Christianity, but they do not intrude unless invited. Above all, they are for enjoyment, because that too is what I believe about God -- that God should be enjoyed. -- From the Foreword This collection of heartwarming stories from the Village Shepherd is an ideal means for revealing deep truths of the Christian faith while at the same time entertaining and captivating readers. It is a journey through worlds of talking animals, imaginative characters, pixies and goblins, and regular, everyday life, learning important lessons on faith, love, family, and God. Some stories evoke laughter while others bring tears, but each will leave the reader better for the experience. Every tale is linked to a passage from the Bible, aiding readers in searching beneath the surface of the story and applying its wisdom to their daily lives. This collection is sure to be a treasured part of any library, appealing to the child in all of us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 The Black Shuck - The Devils Dog by Piers Warren This is set up the coast from me in Blakeney, Norfolk, based on the Myth of the Black Hound, a good stimulating reed, characters were very good and likeable, I enjoyed it, living in Norfolk, it was so descriptive, I know the Watch House, Cley and Blakeney. I could imagine I could smell the salt in the salt marshes, fantastic book. From Amazon - Black Shuck - The Devil's Dog - a terrifying new supernatural thriller by Piers Warren set in the village of Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast. For centuries Black Shuck has patrolled the coastal paths of Norfolk - a spectral portent of death. But recent events have allowed the massive phantom dog to evolve, to metamorphose, into something altogether more horrifying. Gaining strength and powers by the day, Shuck has developed a gruesome appetite - a hunger the hell hound sets out to satiate ... Wildlife film-maker Harry Lambert needs a serious rest. His colleague and best friend is dead, his wife has left him and his career has derailed. A spot of bird-watching on the Norfolk coast should help... but when Harry stumbles into Black Shuck's territory, the fearsome beast finds what it was looking for ... Black Shuck: The Devil's Dog - a terrifying new supernatural thriller by Piers Warren set in the village of Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Sorry to hijack your thread, but I know you live near Hunstanton, which is just up the road from me, I'm just the other side of King's Lynn. Just wondering if you had seen that poor whale that has been washed up? I keep seeing pictures of it everywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnbirduk Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Sorry to hijack your thread, but I know you live near Hunstanton, which is just up the road from me, I'm just the other side of King's Lynn. Just wondering if you had seen that poor whale that has been washed up? I keep seeing pictures of it everywhere! Hijack as much as you like, no I haven't see it, I think I am about the only person who hasn't seen it, people are flocking to see it, I feel it is a bit gruesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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