chesilbeach Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks Chrissy, good to know I'm not alone and not a fuddy-duddy I've just finished Persuasion this afternoon, so I might treat myself to Prophecy: Dark Moon Rising this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 (edited) Persuasion was my second Jane Austen read of the year, and what an absolute joy it was. I'm so glad I've decided to embark on my year of reading her books and others inspired by them, as I'm already enjoying it more than I could have imagined. In the early 19th century, young women who had not married by the age of twenty-seven, such as our heroine, Anne Elliot, were no longer seen as young, and often would have probably have lost any expectation of finding a husband. When her family are forced to economise and let their home to a naval man while removing themselves to Bath, Anne encounters Captain Wentworth, a man who had proposed to her when she was just a teenager, but who Anne had been persuaded by her friend, Lady Russell, to break the engagement as Wentworth had no fortune and was just embarking on his own naval career. The story follows them as they become reacquainted, all the while examining the society of the time. I adored this book. It's only the third time I've read it, and probably not since I was a teenager, and I don't remember it affecting me quite so much back then, but now I felt every emotion along with Anne as the story progresses, and at times it is very melancholy and sorrowful. The characters are wickedly observed, including Anne's self-centred sister Mary, her vain and snobbish father and eldest sister Elizabeth, and the salty Admiral and his friendly wife. It was also lovely to see the scene move around some of my favourite places including Lyme Regis and, of course, the city of Bath, and Austen describes the different societies beautifully and with a wit that as always, sparkles. Fabulous. Edited February 21, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I finished the final book in the Prophecy trilogy by F. E. Heaton at the weekend, and it was a great conclusion to the story, with more page turning (or button pressing as it was on my Kindle )action and romance, and a fantastic battle at the end. Very good, among the best of the books in that genre I've read, and entertained me brilliantly over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) I've put my thoughts on Mistress Masham's Repose by T. H. White in the Reading Circle discussion, but I didn't really enjoy it, and am glad to have finished. In Jane Austen news, I've managed to get a new copy of the BBC adaptation of Persuasion with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, which is one of my absolute favourite Austen adaptations . (My old copy was scratched and the DVD player has officially given up trying to play it, but fortunately, it looks like the BBC have re-released a lot of the old adaptations recently so it was easy to get hold of ). Edited February 22, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 I've just finished the March Reading Circle book choice, Pied Piper by Nevil Shute. I know lots of other people will be/are reading it, so don't want to say too much and will wait for the discussion thread to start next week, but I will say I really enjoyed it. Without knowing anything about him, I would never have picked up this authors books, and I'm so glad I've now read this and I'm off to look up more of his books now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on Pied Piper Chesil ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) Conn Iggulden's Quantum Of Tweed: The Man With The Nissan Micra is a short story in the Quick Reads collection for this years World Book Day. It's the tale of a clothes shop owner who accidentally finds himself working as an assassin, and the jobs he takes to kill for money. It's a short read, and as the title suggests a quintessentially British tale, quirky and fun, and I really enjoyed it. I don't think this author usually writes books like this, as I think he mostly writes historical fiction and non-fiction, but if he decided to write more thrillers that are this much fun, I'd more than happily read more. Edited February 26, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on Pied Piper Chesil ! I'm really looking forward to the discussion next month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 (edited) Conn Iggulden's Quantum Of Tweed: The Man With The Nissan Micra is a short story in the Quick Reads collection for this years World Book Day. It's the tale of a clothes shop owner who accidentally finds himself working as an assassin, and the jobs he takes to kill for money. It's a short read, and as the title suggests a quintessentially British tale, quirky and fun, and I really enjoyed it. I don't think this author usually writes books like this, as I think he mostly writes historical fiction and non-fiction, but if he decided to write more thrillers that are this much fun, I'd more than happily read more. I usually read a few WBD Quick Reads but I haven't seen any this year! I must go and look and see what the titles are - and when it actually is - I think it's Thursday 1st? ETA: Oh my, I think I need new glasses - I was looking at the titles the children can get with their book tokens and I thought the Dahl book said Fantabulous Farts instead of Fantabulous Facts! Edited February 26, 2012 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler was one of my Christmas presents that I've only just got around to reading. Despite living on a boat, Emily's mother is afraid of the water and has never let Emily go swimming. When she goes to her first swimming lesson at school, she finds out an incredible secret when she grows a tail ... she's a mermaid! The story follows Emily as she discovers the wonderful world of the ocean, and eventually finds out more about her family and background, and embarks on a fantastic journey which will change her life forever. This was a charming read, which I would guess is aimed at 9-12 year olds. The descriptions of the ocean and the world beneath the waves is lovely, with colours and sensations that are beautiful and sparkling. The story itself is quite fast paced, and keeps you entertained, as well as introducing the reader to the new world that Emily finds herself in. There are currently three more books in the series, with a fifth one due out later this year. It's a lovely piece of storytelling, and I really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 I usually read a few WBD Quick Reads but I haven't seen any this year! I must go and look and see what the titles are - and when it actually is - I think it's Thursday 1st? I'm sure it's 1st March - I get confused between WBD and World Book Night, which you'd assume would be the same 24 hours, but apparently not! ETA: Oh my, I think I need new glasses - I was looking at the titles the children can get with their book tokens and I thought the Dahl book said Fantabulous Farts instead of Fantabulous Facts! Although, I can imagine Dahl writing a book called Fantabulous Farts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 Really pleased to have been able to start talking about Pied Piper in the March Reading Circle discussions. I wrote the answers to the initial questions this morning, then went out for a few hours and when I came back I had more I wanted to add. Then just after finishing writing my second post in the thread, I've thought of something else I want to add! I think I'll keep it up my sleeve until a few others start posting, but I have so many things I want to say about the book On a related note, I've been looking up more books by Nevil Shute I'd like to read, and top of the list so far are A Town Called Alice and The Far Country. Need to catch up with some of the books I already own first, but I don't think these will stay off that list for very long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Right, that's it. I'm declaring war on my book buying habits. Why is it that books I don't already own are more tempting than books I have already bought/downloaded? I'm really enjoying the books I'm reading at the moment, but why am I still eager to start looking for others? I have 59 books on my TBR list, and I'm desperate to get to the stage where I have none and can just buy the next book I feel like reading after I've finished the last one. The last book I bought was on 25th February, so I've already managed for over a week, but I've just spent the best part of an hour doing exactly what I've described above (an hour that I could have spent reading!) and all it's done is remind me that there is a new book in a series I follow coming out soon, and has set me dreaming about buying and reading it. I know that if I buy it, I'll just feel guilty that I'm reading yet another new book instead of one I've had for ages that I was so probably desperate to read when I bought it and yet I haven't bothered because I've been seduced by the shiny new ones instead. So the upshot of that it, other than books for my library group reading group, the reading circle on this forum, and my year with Jane Austen challenge, I am not, do you hear me, NOT, buying or borrowing any more books until I have read every last one on my TBR list. No more looking at the Kindle Daily Deal. No more looking at the current price of books on my wishlist in case I can get one at a bargain price. No more waiting for release dates so I can get my favourite authors/series next book. This madness will stop, and it will stop TODAY! I can't see this lasting for very long (it doesn't usually), but I'm really going to try and achieve it this time. But if I do manage it, imagine all the fun I'm going to have catching up on all the new releases coming out this year when I finally get a chance to read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen.d Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Good luck with that! I have tried refraining from buying books until I had read everything on my TBR list, but I couldn't do it. I hope that you have more will power than I do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Thanks Karen. I've been promising myself for years to reduce my TBR list, and to be fair, it was over 120 at one point, so I'm am gradually reducing it. The problem is that I have so many *new* books on my wishlist I want to read, but I know that once I buy them, unless I read them straight away, they seemed destined to just sit on the TBR list instead of being opened and read, like all the others I've done exactly the same with! I'm telling myself it's going to be just like my diet - slow and steady is the way to go, I just need take it one book at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen.d Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Thanks Karen. I've been promising myself for years to reduce my TBR list, and to be fair, it was over 120 at one point, so I'm am gradually reducing it. The problem is that I have so many *new* books on my wishlist I want to read, but I know that once I buy them, unless I read them straight away, they seemed destined to just sit on the TBR list instead of being opened and read, like all the others I've done exactly the same with! I'm telling myself it's going to be just like my diet - slow and steady is the way to go, I just need take it one book at a time. That's a good way to think! Ignoring this advice probably explains why my I have so many books and diet isn't going so well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Just finished reading Siren by Tricia Rayburn. Vanessa Sands and her family spend every summer at their holiday home in Winter Harbour. Following an accident a couple of years earlier, Vanessa is afraid of everything - the dark, heights and the ocean - but her clever, popular, outgoing sister Justine is always there to help her through. When Vanessa lets slip Justine's secret to their mom, Justine storms off, but the next day, her body is washed up on the beach. Everyone thinks it was an accident, a misjudged attention seeking cliff jump in the adventurous nature of her sister but Vanessa is not convinced and wants to find Justine's boyfriend, Caleb who was with her when she jumped, to ask him exactly what happened. But Caleb has gone missing and she sets out find him with Caleb's older brother Simon. Now I know I love a good YA romantic fantasy and I tend to rave about them, as I think they are perfect weekend escapism, but I have to say, this was a cut above the majority I read. The romance side is not at all like the normal fare in this genre, with the story being much more centred around the mystery of Justine's death, Caleb's disappearance, and just why there are more storms and accidental deaths in Winter Harbour than should be naturally possible. Much more substance, and a great mystery, with enough hints and tips for you to work out what's happening, but with enough suspense and a few twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. I know this is going to be part of a trilogy, so you're never going to get a cut and dried conclusion to the book, as the author wants you to read the next installment, but I loved that there was not a happy ever after style ending, and you're left knowing that Vanessa has only just started on her journey, and that it's not going to be plain sailing from here on in. Edited March 4, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Why is it that books I don't already own are more tempting than books I have already bought/downloaded? Let me know when you figure this one out because I have this problem too. Also, it's books I have read before which seem to be more appealing than new books these days. I dread to think how many books I have on my TBR list - must be in the hundreds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Good luck, Claire - I'm sure you'll do better than me. My resolution was to try to buy fewer books this year and I'm already on 17 - and that doesn't include all the Kindle books I've downloaded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Thanks Janet, I'm really going to try and stick to it this time. I've even started a paperback off my shelf this afternoon instead of going for another Kindle book ... one book at a time I did have a think about it this afternoon, and realised I'll probably need to put the plan on hold when I go on holiday as I won't have enough Kindle books lined up and there's no way I'm going back to packing a huge bag full of books to take with me, but I figure if I only buy books for that purpose, I should be able to read all my TBR books by the end of the year. Fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Good luck with your book buying boycott Chesil, I'm trying to do this too, but it's so so hard!! It doesn't help when people keep recommending such good books, Siren sounds great by the way, I've put it on my wish list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Thanks, chaliepud, I'm determined! Mind over matter and all that Another book bites the dust - I've just finished Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. This is one of her standalone novels, and a few years ago, books in this genre would have been the backbone of my reading, but I have to say, since that period my interests have changed (perhaps I'm growing up - nah, never gonna happen ) and I've read very few chick lit books. Although I liked the Shopaholic series, I've always preferred the standalone books, but it's been a few years since I've read one. In fact, I actually borrowed Twenties Girl from the library when it first came out in hardback, but for some reason, I wasn't in the mood for it at the time, and took it back after only reading the first chapter and I've been a bit hesitant about starting it again. After deciding I wanted to finally make the effort to only read books I already own until I've reduced mount TBR to dust, I bit the bullet this afternoon and made a start. I really enjoyed it. Kinsella writes believable characters even if they are in unbelievable situations, and I got caught up in the story, which I thought kept going very well coming nicely full circle at the end. If I'm honest, I think it was a bit too long, but that's really just a minor quibble, and if you like chick lit, I'm sure you'd enjoy this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Really pleased to have been able to start talking about Pied Piper in the March Reading Circle discussions. I wrote the answers to the initial questions this morning, then went out for a few hours and when I came back I had more I wanted to add. Then just after finishing writing my second post in the thread, I've thought of something else I want to add! I think I'll keep it up my sleeve until a few others start posting, but I have so many things I want to say about the book On a related note, I've been looking up more books by Nevil Shute I'd like to read, and top of the list so far are A Town Called Alice and The Far Country. Need to catch up with some of the books I already own first, but I don't think these will stay off that list for very long I haven't yet made my way to answering the questions and reading other people's thoughts on the book, but I loved the novel and I believe that the thread is going to be quite overflowed with comments! I consider myself warned by your eager enthusiasm over it and the fact that you keep on having new stuff to comment on the thread, I fear I might be the same I was also looking into Nevil Shute's other novels, I'd never read anything by him before but having read the RC book and loving his way of writing, I definitely want to read some other novels by him. I'm going to keep an eye out for your possible future reviews on his books Why is it that books I don't already own are more tempting than books I have already bought/downloaded? I'm really enjoying the books I'm reading at the moment, but why am I still eager to start looking for others? I have no answer for you, but you have my sympathy and believe me, you are not in this alone! It's so dangerously inviting and tempting to go on different online 'bookshops' and browse for new books to buy... and then one notices how time's sneakily passed by, and that time could've been spent by reading actual books! Thanks Karen. I've been promising myself for years to reduce my TBR list, and to be fair, it was over 120 at one point, so I'm am gradually reducing it. You've done a great job, you've actually reduced your TBR by 50%, so you know you can do it again. I don't know if you know, but there's a support group, or maybe rather a 'commitment' group for people who are trying to reduce their mount TBR, by doing a 'read 3, buy 1' sort of thing, maybe that might be something that would aid you in your efforts in managing your TBR? Another book bites the dust - I've just finished Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. I really enjoyed it. Kinsella writes believable characters even if they are in unbelievable situations, and I got caught up in the story, which I thought kept going very well coming nicely full circle at the end. If I'm honest, I think it was a bit too long, but that's really just a minor quibble, and if you like chick lit, I'm sure you'd enjoy this book. I'm glad you gave this one another go and ended up in enjoying it. I personally think that it's Kinsella's best standalone book, and definitely up to par with the Shopaholic series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Good luck with the reducing your books I like you though end up just getting a new book rather than finishing or even starting something I already own, to be fair though I do usually come back to the original and read it but best of luck with the book reduction. And its great to save all the ones you want to read for the kindle for your holidays I ended up downloading 9 from wish list onto my kindle and read them all on holiday just what I needed, there was even some varity from Vampires to crime Btw also read the 4th part of the Jane True series by Nicola Peeler?? great series loved it new one is out later this year. I might have a look at Siren as judging from your commenst above its worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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