chesilbeach Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) And another one checked off the list ... I've just finished The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard. Now realise I'm three books behind with reviews but on the plus side, I'm now down to just SEVEN books left on Mound TBR!!!! Edited August 11, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) Wild Mary by Patrick Marnham is the biography of Mary Wesley, whose career as an author took off after she'd passed her 70th birthday. In a remarkably productive fourteen years, she published ten novels, most of which focused on the time of her youth during World War 2, often with scandalous, strong willed female heroines, sexual affairs, dysfunctional families and a fight for independence for women, all done with a wicked sense of humour but frank and honest. This authorised biography of Mary, looks back at her life before her fame, and shows how her experiences influenced her work. I adored Mary Wesley's book when I read them back in the 90s, and even back then I rarely re-read books, but there are a few of her paperbacks that are well thumbed up on my shelves as I read them again and again. Having said that, it's probably fifteen years since I last read one, and although I rarely read biographies, I could resist buying this one when I first saw it a couple of years ago. What a fascinating life she led! I loved reading this biography, from her aristocratic roots, though to years of poverty, via two marriages, the war years, love affairs, family estrangements and finally her eventual success as an author. Loved how there were direct links between events from her own, her family and her friends lives with scenes and themes in her novels, and I now want to re-read her books again, to remind myself of some of my favourite reads from years ago. Edited August 12, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard starts with the strange death of bookshop owner Luca Campelli. His son, Jon, who hasn't seen his father since he was fostered after the suicide of his mother twenty years ago, inherits the shop, but is immediately drawn into the secret society of people who can affect your thoughts and feelings when you read or when they read to you, and somebody is trying to destroy them, his father having been their latest victim, and is soon in a fight for his own life. When I bought this book a few years ago, it was purely based on the title, and made up the numbers in a three for two offer. Once I got it home, it went on the shelf and I never looked at it again until Friday, when I decided to start it. I didn't even read the blurb on the back and dove head first into it, so it was a complete surprise to find it was a paranormal thriller! It was a fantastic page turner, and I read the whole book in just over 24 hours - something I haven't done for quite a while except when I've been on holiday. I actually thought that it had the same sort of tone and flavour of a Kelley Armstrong Women of the Otherworld book, but without the focus on a female character. The first 350 pages, I was absolutely gripped by, but I personally didn't enjoy the denouement quite as much as the rest of the book, and I thought it was a bit too fantastical. But it was still a cracking read, and the sort of thing I usually love reading on holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Both Wild Mary and Library Of Shadows sound good reads Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 They were both surprisingly good for me, James! As I said, I don't really like biographies usually, and I had no idea what the other was about before I started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I like the sound of Wild Mary Claire as I have the Camomile Lawn on my TBR pile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Camomile Lawn is one of my favourites, and some interesting parallels with her real life in it! The television adaptation wasn't too bad either, although maybe a bit too nostalgic for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Have been perusing the list of authors appearing in the autumn book festival that the bookshop Topping & Co in Bath are running later in the year. There are quite a few writers I'd like to see, so may try and get tickets for some of the events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Claire wow, have you done well reading so far this year ! And your pile of books is almost depleted !! I bet maybe that festival of books might change the situation around a bit. It'll be hard to resist buying any in a place like that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Claire wow, have you done well reading so far this year ! And your pile of books is almost depleted !! I bet maybe that festival of books might change the situation around a bit. It'll be hard to resist buying any in a place like that ! Thanks Julie! I won't need a festival of books to inspire me to buy more, once I've got rid of this TBR, I'll be able to choose to read whatever I want as and when I'm ready to read a new book. I can't see me building up a TBR bigger than a few books at any one time now, other than maybe after Christmas as I usually get a quite a few books as presents. The festival is being held by a bookshop I go to in Bath, and although I might buy the books of the authors I see, I doubt if I'd be tempted into a massive shopping spree, as it would be too busy, and I prefer my bookshops quiet when no-one else is around, hence why I'm often found outside them waiting for them to open, so I can be the first and only customer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 Decided I wanted to read some fiction to go along with The Music of the Primes by Marcus Du Sautoy, so thought I'd read Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh as the fiction choice, but I'm just not getting on with it. Read 80 or so pages, but it's not grabbing me at all at the moment. It's a very awkward book to read as well, as it's the smallest size paperback but with over 500 pages so it's quite unwieldy, yet the typeface is quite big. Don't understand why they didn't make the typeface smaller making it fewer pages and an easier book to handle. Anyway, I'm going to give it up for now. I know it's also the first part of a trilogy and the second book came out last year, and not sure when the third one is due. May think about downloading a Kindle version in the future, but for now, I'm giving up the book, and the paperback will be going to the charity shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 I can't believe next week it will be SIX months since I started this TBR challenge. And I can't believe I'm looking in such good shape either! My TBR currently stands at five books, one of which I'm reading. In fact, it's the last paperback standing. After this one, I'm down to just Kindle books from my original TBR list at the time. Now, I did buy a couple of paperbacks when I was in Bath last time, and I've borrowed a book from Kay, so I do have three others to read, and once I've finished the original TBR books, those will be my first new books to read. I didn't include them in my TBR numbers, because I wanted to stop myself reading them before all the others I had, but I feel a bit guilty that they're not included, so officially my TBR is 8 books, but it's still far less than I really believed I could achieve. I've worked through so many paperbacks recently, my Kindle has felt decided neglected, but I can't wait to pick it up again, hopefully, in a couple of days time, and start on those final few books. I'll also be able to get back to my Jane Austen challenge soon, as I've also put that on hold to concentrate on the TBR books, and I think the coming autumn months will be perfect for that, as I always find her very comforting for snuggling up in a cosy armchair and indulging in a favourite read. I'm already planning some things for next year too! I'm definitely going to go ahead with the Persephone challenge, to read through their entire catalogue. Currently at just under 100 books in total, I've read five already, and am going to look at getting the entire catalogue on my shelves. I'm going to set myself the goal of at least one book a month, and I'm already getting excited about it, as I've loved all the ones I've read so far. In addition, I've been perusing our bookshelves for books my other half has, and I've mentioned on here before, but just to sum it all up again, I'm also going to be reading the J. L. Carr and E. H. Young books he has. So I definitely won't be reading exclusively Kindle books, and I'm not giving up on the paperbacks altogether, as these will probably be about four or five years, and a good few bookshelves too, worth of tree books and won't be abandoning them completely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 My gosh Claire ! You have done so well this year ! 94 books ?? You're leaving me in the dust. I was hoping to reach 50 by year's end, but not sure I'll make it . It muct be a good feeling to have your shelves getting cleared off of books that may have been there a long time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 (edited) Hi Julie, sorry I missed your post. It is such a good feeling to have all those books off my conscience! I've now finished the last of my tree books, and just have two Kindle books left on my original TBR and I can then say I completed my challenge. It's a bank holiday weekend over here, so I might actually finish them both, but one is quite a long one, and I think it might take me a few days, but still, the end is in sight now. Edited August 25, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 You have done fantastic Claire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 I'm already planning some things for next year too! I'm definitely going to go ahead with the Persephone challenge, to read through their entire catalogue. Currently at just under 100 books in total, I've read five already, and am going to look at getting the entire catalogue on my shelves. I'm going to set myself the goal of at least one book a month, and I'm already getting excited about it, as I've loved all the ones I've read so far. They will look so beautiful too which is an added bonus I look forward to that challenge Claire which I may join in .. though perhaps in a smaller way. It'll be good to hear your recommendations though because whenever I look at the list I'm sort of overwhelmed by it and don't know which to go for. Without looking at my bookcase .. I have about eight of them and have read about six .. all of which were enjoyable. Well done for sticking to your guns Claire and getting the job done .. the end is in sight and it's pure enjoyment after that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks has been on my TBR for a long, long time, and many people have recommended it to me over the years. It starts in 1910, and follows Stephen, a young Englishman who has travelled to Amiens in France on business, and falls in love with Isabelle, the wife of the man whose house he is staying in. Six years later, we catch up with Stephen on the battlefields of France in the first world war, in the battle of the Somme, and later at Ypres. Interspersed between Stephen's story, we also follow the story of his granddaughter in England, 1978, as she discovers his war diaries and finds out more about his life. This was a real page turner of a story. After the bright colours of the Amiens chapters, the muddy, almost monochrome pallet of the soldiers in the trenches were such a contrast and reflected the nature of war. The conditions the soldiers worked and lived in, and the horrendous scenes of battle were harrowing to read, as well as portraying the claustrophobia of digging the tunnels under the fields in horrifying detail. A really incredible account of the reality of war. However, I don't think I'm going to be popular with this opinion, but after reading now my fourth Faulks book, I've realised why I never give them top ratings; I don't fully engage with his characters. I don't know why, but for some reason I enjoy reading (most of) them, but as soon as I've finished, the characters are gone. From what I'd been told, I'd thought I was going to take Stephen and Isabelle to heart, and feel a genuine emotional link with their story, but I never did. It was a fascinating book, and took me to places I'd never been, but I never felt that tug of emotion about them as people. I think this is my problem though, as like I've said, lots of people who I respect have told me that they did engage with them, so I'm putting it down to a fault on my part. Overall though, a difficult subject to read, but told in a very approachable way, and I would still recommend it to others, if only to read about the realities and hardship of a war that saw the loss of more than 9 million men, and left those who returned both physically and mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 You have done fantastic Claire. Thanks James! I'm almost there now ... within touching distance. They will look so beautiful too which is an added bonus I look forward to that challenge Claire which I may join in .. though perhaps in a smaller way. It'll be good to hear your recommendations though because whenever I look at the list I'm sort of overwhelmed by it and don't know which to go for. Without looking at my bookcase .. I have about eight of them and have read about six .. all of which were enjoyable. It would be lovely to have someone else read some of them too, Kay, so I'll definitely be recommending as I go along! I was also a bit unsure where to start as I know very few of the authors, so I've decided to just go for starting at number 1 and working my way through. I've actually already read number 1 earlier this year, William - An Englishman by Cecily Hamilton and is currently still my top read of the year. Well done for sticking to your guns Claire and getting the job done .. the end is in sight and it's pure enjoyment after that Fortunately, for the most part, it's been extremely enjoyable along the way, so it hasn't actually been too much of a hardship, more just a case of willpower! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 (edited) Back to my Kindle again next, with Emotional Geology by Linda Gillard. Rose has moved to island of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides to try and make a new start in life and immerse herself in her work as a textile artist. She makes friends with her neighbours and is attracted to the neighbours brother, Calum. She must then decide whether she can come to terms with her previously tumultuous relationships and her own enforced estrangement from her daughter enough to be able to move on with her life and the promise of love in the future. I really enjoy reading Linda's books. There is always more to the love story than meets the eye, with intelligent, realistic heroines, often damaged in some way by life, but with an interesting story to tell. I loved the descriptions of the textile art too, as I've always been fascinated by people who can create art from a craft, and be inspired by the world around them (I can follow instructions, but don't have the imagination to create my own designs), and loved how Rose was inspired by poetry. Another good read, and I've got Untying the Knot on my wishlist to read at some point in the future too. Edited August 25, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 Mr Lonely by Eric Morecambe is the story of Sid Lewis, with his modest beginnings as the host in a nightclub and, after his invention of the character, the eponymous Mr Lonely, his rise to fame through television and his own show in Vegas. This was a very odd book to read. Although it was obviously fiction, it felt like an accurate portrayal of the life of a comic, and was funny but disquieting, as Sid was a womaniser and there was definitely a seedy side to show business on display. What was odd though, was that Sid's humour was Eric's humour, and all I could hear when the jokes and funny quips came, was Eric's voice which just didn't seem right; I don't want to think of my comic hero as a seedy womaniser! I did enjoy it for the most part, but I did find it quite discomforting at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 25, 2012 Share Posted August 25, 2012 Back to my Kindle again next, with Emotional Geology by Linda Gillard. Rose has moved to island of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides to try and make a new start in life and immerse herself in her work as a textile artist. She makes friends with her neighbours and is attracted to the neighbours brother, Calum. She must then decide whether she can come to terms with her previously tumultuous relationships and her own enforced estrangement from her daughter enough to be able to move on with her life and the promise of love in the future. I really enjoy reading Linda's books. There is always more to the love story than meets the eye, with intelligent, realistic heroines, often damaged in some way by life, but with an interesting story to tell. I loved the descriptions of the textile art too, as I've always been fascinated by people who can create art from a craft, and be inspired by the world around them (I can follow instructions, but don't have the imagination to create my own designs), and loved how Rose was inspired by poetry. Another good read, and I've got Untying the Knot on my wishlist to read at some point in the future too. I enjoyed Emotional Geology. House of Silence was good too. I have read the first chapter of Untying The Knot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 (edited) I know it may seem odd to some, but maths was my favourite subject at school, and I'm still interested in the subject, so one of my Christmas presents a couple of years ago, was The Music of the Primes by Marcus Du Sautoy. The book follows mathematicians fascination with prime numbers from ancient Greece through to the modern day, and looks at how German mathematician Bernard Riemann proposed his hypothesis about prime numbers ... but no proof for his theory, and his housekeeper burnt most of his papers after his death, leaving the mathematical world with an unsolved problem to this day. Although no one has cracked it yet, the search for a solution has led to the cryptography we rely on today to keep all our computer systems secure. Even as someone interested in maths, I'm surprised just how much I enjoyed this book. Du Sautoy has a very approachable style of writing, and I was genuinely fascinated by the stories of the different stories of all the mathematicians through history, as well as the impact prime numbers have on our lives today. A very enjoyable book, and for anyone interested in the subject, I would highly recommend reading it. Edited August 27, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hy Brasil by Margaret Elphinstone is the last fiction book on my TBR challenge. After winning a writing competition, Sidony Redruth finds herself on Hy Brasil to write the first ever travel book about a remote archipelago of islands situated in the north Atlantic. What develops is something like a swashbuckling adventure story for adults, there's even some modern day pirates thrown in! I'd actually read the first half of this book about five years ago, when one month for our reading group, the library gave us all different books, ones that were due to be removed from the library circulation list as they were taken out so infrequently. She wanted to see if there were any hidden gems that deserved a second chance. Unfortunately, I only got half way through and had been enjoying it, but I gave the book back without finishing it, and then promptly forget to take it out again. I downloaded it on my Kindle last year, and have finally got round to reading it, and I'm so glad I did. I started from the beginning again, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a sort of grown up version of a swashbuckling adventure, set on islands with active volcanoes, a history of piracy, smuggling, corrupt politics and the sunken treasures of a shipwreck just off the coast. The chapters alternate between Sidony's journal and notes written for her travel book, and narrative told from the view of a variety of inhabitants of the island. I loved the fictional country of Hy Brasil, with vivid descriptions of the landscape, and a wonderful sense of the people who live there, so much so that feel I can picture it in my head. In fact, I wish it was real, as it sounds like it would make a fantastic place to visit! A great page turner of a book, with humour and excitement, it was like being a kid again, reading one of the adventure books like Enid Blyton's Adventure series, but with adult situations and themes. Very entertaining, and I'll definitely be reading more of Elphinstone's books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Love the review! I have to say, Margaret Elphinstone is one of my favourite writers or, as I've not read a huge amount yet, is the writer of two of my favourite books: The Sea Road and Voyageurs. I've got Hy Brasil on my short term to read shelf, and think I'd better read it sooner rather than later. I found the two books I have read somewhat different in style, in spite of the fact that there are some points of significant similarity (both deal with journeys into the unknown of America - one in Viking times to Vinland, the other in the time of the Seven Years War to the Great Lakes), but in both she evoked place, time and characters superbly (maybe that's why I think the styles are different?), and they were good plots too! I'm mystified as to why she has such a low profile - she's a massively better, more interesting, writer than many better known names in my view. I regularly go to where her books should be in bookshops, and find absolutely nothing, even in some of the biggest shops in Scotland. Maybe because she's not massively prolific? Her ratings on Amazon from the relatively few who review her are consistently high. I've also got Light ready to read on my shelves, another that looks very promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Based on Hy Brasil I'm surprised she's not better known and more widely read as well. There are four more of her books available on Kindle - the three you've mentioned plus The Gathering Night, so they've all gone on my wishlist for future reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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