chesilbeach Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Shadow Heir is the last installment of the Dark Swan series from Richelle Mead. The series follows Eugenie Markham, a shaman who specialises in banishing Otherworldly creatures back to where they belong. Throughout the series, Eugenie has been the subject of a prophecy which has seen multiple attempts on her life, and the final book brings her story to a conclusion. I've really enjoyed this series. Before I read this last book, I'd seen some comments on reviews with people saying they were unhappy with the conclusion, but I quite liked that there was some ambiguity about what Eugenie does in the future, as it had still resolved the main story, and after all, no-one's life is completely predictable and without choice still to be made. The main plotline developed well, and there were a couple of twists and turns, and unexpected revelations along the way, which made for great escapism, and another indulgent read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Back to something a bit more taxing on the brain, and I've been long meaning to read some more by E. F. Benson, so Mrs. Ames seemed like a good choice. E. F. Benson wrote the Mapp and Lucia books that I read a couple of years ago, and they've remained fond favourites of mine. Mrs. Ames is set in a similar society in the village of Riseborough, with the upper middle classes in the early twentieth century, and centres on the undisputed queen of the town, the eponymous Mrs. Ames. Social rivalries, village gossip, and a Shakespearean themed masked costume party, make for a witty and satirical exploration of the insular society of a village of the period. I absolutely adored the Mapp and Lucia books, and Mrs Ames is in a similar vein, but I felt that it didn't quite match up to the same level of humour. I didn't engage with the characters so well, and I think it flitted between characters too much for my liking. I noticed that it was actually written eight years before the Mapp and Lucia series, and although Benson was a prolific writer even before this was written, it seems to me as though Mrs. Ames was almost like an earlier attempt to create this fictional town and society, that Mapp and Lucia builds on and improves. Oh dear, I see this review has really just been a comparison between Mrs Ames and Mapp and Lucia! All I can say is, this is good, and if you read it and enjoy it, you will LOVE Mapp and Lucia. If you haven't read this yet, don't read this, read Mapp and Lucia instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) I bought nine books for my holiday reads, and I finished all nine during the week, so it's back to attacking Mount TBR again in earnest now. I say that, but actually, I started Hollywood Secrets by Gemma Halliday while still away, and although it's on the TBR list, it's also very much a holiday style read, so it's a nice filler before going back to the big guns. I've been thoroughly enjoying the author interviews that Michelle has copied over from the BCF Blog (which I always meant to read, but never quite got through it ), but there's loads of books and authors that I now want to add to my wishlist after reading the interviews! Still, as long as they remain on the "wishlist" and don't add to the "TBR list" until I finish my challenge, then that's fine with me. Fortunately, one of the books on my TBR is Guernica by Dave Boling who is one of the interviewees, so I've decided that will be my next book. My library book group also has a new book choice for this month - Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. Because of the library cut backs, we're only getting one book a month now, so if you don't fancy it, you're a bit stuck. This one is definitely not something I would choose to read, and if we had a second book, I'd have probably been going for that instead, so I guess I'll have to give this one a go anyway. Edited April 28, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 My library book group also has a new book choice for this month - Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. I read this one a couple of years ago, It's a good solid read, and one of the better crime books I have read. Hopefully you will enjoy it better than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 I read this one a couple of years ago, It's a good solid read, and one of the better crime books I have read. Hopefully you will enjoy it better than you think. I think that's the problem - I don't enjoy crime novels generally. I like them if they're quirky or funny, but serious crime just isn't something I enjoy usually. Still, I'll give it a go anyway and see how I get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 The last of my holiday reads are now complete, having read both Hollywood Secrets and Hollywood Confessions by Gemma Halliday. Light easy reads, the first following paparazzi photographer Cameron Dakota, and the second about investigative reporter Allie Quick, both of whom work for the L. A. Informer tabloid newspaper. Although there is a smidgen of romance in them, they're really more comic action thrillers (sort of the literary equivalent of a film like Knight and Day) but they're easy, funny reads, and great fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Well, excluding the holiday books which I was always aware I was going to be buying, it's now nine weeks since I stopped buying books and concentrated on reading from my TBR shelf, and I've reduced the number by just over half, going from 61 to 30 books. With my week off behind me, it's back to the challenge, and I predict it's going to be getting tougher now, as I've read all the "easy" books now, and I'm left with some of the heavyweight books I'd been putting off. That could be for a couple of reasons; either size - some of them are thick! - or in subject - some of the non-fiction books look rather dry and fact laden! Down to the last 30 books though, when all is said and done, and it's downhill all the way, with each book making the gap on the TBR shelf bigger and bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Wow! Well done you on getting that TBR pile down so much, hope you carry on doing such a good job! Let's hope you enjoy all the rest of the reads! Although, part of me suggests you buy yourself a new book to celebrate? ...like a reward? .... just sayin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Hey Charm! Nice to see you again Don't worry, as soon as that TBR hits zero, I'll be attacking my wish list with a vengeance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I bet you will! .. and thanks! I'm still catching up, I've missed so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 The Basque town of Guernica holds a special significance for the Basque people because of an oak tree, known as the Gernikako Arbola, where the assemblies would meet and has become a symbol of the traditional rights of the Basque people. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the Luftwaffe bombed the town in support of Franco. After a short prologue referring to one of the characters after the bombing, Dave Boling's Guernica starts in 1893, and the first half is a family saga, building the life stories and the history of the Ansotegui family members. The politics of the Basque country and Spain are threaded through the story, but the main focus is on the family itself, building up to the bombing and the aftermath. The first half of the story reads like a ordinary family saga, but I don't think the writing was particularly special, but it did have heart and I felt an emotional connection to the family, even if the characters all seemed a bit too good to be true at times. From the prologue you know how the family will be affected by the bombing, and when the attack on the town comes, it was just a waiting game before finding out how the inevitable happens. And because of my connection with the characters, I found it very sad to read of the bombing itself, and the mark it left on those left behind. I'm very glad I read it, as it expanded on my knowledge of that period in Spanish history, following my recent reading of George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, but it had nowhere near the impact of that book, and I don't think it really explained the significance of the town of Guernica to the Basque people. So overall, a good and enjoyable read as a family saga, but not completely satisfying as a fictional representation of the bombing of Guernica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 (edited) After watching the fantastic BBC series Great Barrier Reef earlier this year, I've been wanting to read more about the environment and biology of this type of ecosystem, and fortunately I had a copy of Coral - A Pessimist in Paradise by Steve Jones. I can't deny, I bought this book without reading very much of the blurb, and assumed it was about coral reefs. What it actually is, is a book that looks at the links between the scientific world with history, sociology, medicine and politics, using Darwin's The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs as a stepping off point, and comparing and contrasting the biology and geology of coral with the other themes. This was a bit of a disappointment. I was hoping for a book dedicated to coral, but it was mostly about the other topics, and wasn't what I wanted to read. I'm sure if you're more interested in history and medicine than I am, it would be an interesting read. I did enjoy some of the chapters, including the history of the nuclear testing carried out on some of the atolls, and the sections that were actually about the reefs themselves, but on the whole, it wasn't what I had expected, and not what I really wanted to read. I will definitely be trying to find out more about coral reefs, and will be doing some further investigation on some books on the subject. Edited May 5, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 (edited) Another week since I bought any books, and I'm now down to 28 left on my TBR. This week, Guernica was good, but not great, and Coral was not what I was hoping for and, therefore, disappointing. As I predicted, it's getting very hard to choose a book the smaller the numbers on the TBR get, especially if I haven't enjoyed the book I've just read. I want to read something I'm going to enjoy, but there's a reason these books have been on the shelf for a long time and I'm worried I might not like any of them! I'm also trying to read the paperbacks only now, as these are the books that have been waiting the longest to be read, and it's striking me that these are the challenging books I have left, and if I divert from them now, all might be lost and I'd give up on them totally. I'm sticking to my guns for now though, and next I've chosen to read Wicked by Gregory Maguire. This one I have a good feeling about, as I bought it based on recommendations from here, and I've only been putting it off because it's quite thick and won't fit in my bag easily, but I bought a new, bigger bag yesterday, so no excuses on that score any more. The only reservation I have is that I've never read or seen the film of The Wizard of Oz (I was frightened of witches when I was little and have never managed to bring myself to watch it ever since), so I don't know the original story, let alone this retelling, but I'm sure people have assured me in the past that it doesn't matter, so I'm going to dive in to it headfirst today. Edited May 6, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 You've been flying through books again, you are one mean reading machine The Bolter by Frances Osborne is a biography of Idina Sackville, who was famous in 1920s society for her many marriages, divorces and affairs. This sounds interesting! And Sackville as a name rings a bell. Do you know if she was of any relation to Vita Sackville-West, partner of Virginia Woolf? I think if you enjoy biographies, and are interested in the 1920s to the 1950s, you'll probably enjoy it, but it just isn't my cup of tea, I'm afraid. Sold! I like all these things, and I'm now having to add this to wishlist. Don't worry, as soon as that TBR hits zero, I'll be attacking my wish list with a vengeance! I'm still very much admiring your willpower, and your stamina. There's no stopping you! And eventhough you read a lot, and write long, wonderful reviews, you still have time to chat on the forum, you're so efficient that I'm getting quite jealous I'm not doubting that you could do it [or should that be 'couldn't', I always have problems with the verb 'doubt', even in Finnish But you know what I mean!], but I was just wondering if that's really your plan, to hit zero before buying another book? If so, that must be some kind of a record here on the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 You've been flying through books again, you are one mean reading machine I have no life, it makes it easy to read lots! Work, my family, drinking coffee are the only other things I do other than read and spend time here. This sounds interesting! And Sackville as a name rings a bell. Do you know if she was of any relation to Vita Sackville-West, partner of Virginia Woolf? Sold! I like all these things, and I'm now having to add this to wishlist. Yes, she was her cousin. I hope you enjoy it when you get it. I'm still very much admiring your willpower, and your stamina. There's no stopping you! And even though you read a lot, and write long, wonderful reviews, you still have time to chat on the forum, you're so efficient that I'm getting quite jealous I'm not doubting that you could do it [or should that be 'couldn't', I always have problems with the verb 'doubt', even in Finnish But you know what I mean!], but I was just wondering if that's really your plan, to hit zero before buying another book? If so, that must be some kind of a record here on the forum! Aw, thank you. It's lovely writing reviews here as I don't have anyone else to chat to about books for most of the time, so I enjoy putting my thoughts down and if anyone is interested, discussing the books here. Yes, my plan is absolutely to hit the big fat zero of books on my TBR. I just know that if I don't do it know, some of those book will never be read, and will gather dust on the shelf forever, and I would always have that nagging guilt that they might be great books and I should be reading them instead of the latest purchase. I'm determined, totally and completely determined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Aw, thank you. It's lovely writing reviews here as I don't have anyone else to chat to about books for most of the time, so I enjoy putting my thoughts down and if anyone is interested, discussing the books here. Yes, my plan is absolutely to hit the big fat zero of books on my TBR. I just know that if I don't do it know, some of those book will never be read, and will gather dust on the shelf forever, and I would always have that nagging guilt that they might be great books and I should be reading them instead of the latest purchase. I'm determined, totally and completely determined. And I do enjoy reading them Claire even though I don't always leave a comment I so admire your will of steel I can't imagine ever getting to the end of my TBR mountain it would be wonderful but I'd probably go out & buy another load of books in celebration. Good luck reaching your target Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I just had to say, I do rather enjoy your reviews and have added a few books to my TBR pile like others have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 And I do enjoy reading them Claire even though I don't always leave a comment I so admire your will of steel I can't imagine ever getting to the end of my TBR mountain it would be wonderful but I'd probably go out & buy another load of books in celebration. Good luck reaching your target Thank you Although I won't go out and buy a tonne of books, I will take great pleasure in choosing that first purchase off my wish list, it's definitely one of the dreams that keeps spurring me on with the challenge! I just had to say, I do rather enjoy your reviews and have added a few books to my TBR pile like others have. Thanks, you guys are so nice, you're making me feel all self conscious now. I'm glad I could inspire you to read some of the books I've enjoyed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I have no life, it makes it easy to read lots! Work, my family, drinking coffee are the only other things I do other than read and spend time here. Drinking coffee is a good hobby! And don't you love it how you can combine that with you other favorite hobby, reading? Yes, she was her cousin. I hope you enjoy it when you get it. OMG, I feel embarrassed now! See, I thought that maybe she was Vita's wife. That Vita took her last name and coined it with her own name, West. And I've now realised that it would've been totally impossible in those days Silly me! Aw, thank you. It's lovely writing reviews here as I don't have anyone else to chat to about books for most of the time, so I enjoy putting my thoughts down and if anyone is interested, discussing the books here. I think that's the plague a lot of us are suffering from and this is our way to treat ourselves until we find the cure. (And we'll still be hooked on the drug, the BCF ) Yes, my plan is absolutely to hit the big fat zero of books on my TBR. I just know that if I don't do it know, some of those book will never be read, and will gather dust on the shelf forever, and I would always have that nagging guilt that they might be great books and I should be reading them instead of the latest purchase. I'm determined, totally and completely determined. If you don't resort to your Kindle reads, you should be able to reach that goal of zero TBR before long! Well before the start of autumn. It'll be interesting to see how you will cope with the excitement then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Just realised I haven't written a review for Wicked by Gregory Maguire yet. The premise of the book is that it's the life story of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz to explain how the events of her life shaped her to become the infamous villain of the classic children's story. Now I should explain before I start, I've never read The Wizard of Oz or even seen the film. I remember my mum sitting me down to watch the film what I was young - I can't remember what age I was but it was definitely before the age of seven - but as a child I was so scared of witches that I ended up sat behind her armchair and being too upset to watch any more, and I've never been able to bring myself to watch it ever since. The problem with that is, although I have an idea of what the gist of the story is, I've never known how it is resolved. But actually, for reading this book, that didn't matter at all. I really enjoyed reading Elphaba's story, from her birth through to her final meeting with Dorothy, but from what I can tell, the actual overlap of the main story is only in the final chapters, and even then is only alluded to and not part of the main narrative of this alternative story. I was quite surprised that this was aimed at an adult audience, with some sexual content and mature themes, bearing in mind that the original is very firmly a children's book. The breadth of the story encompassing how the various experiences of her life shape the person she becomes made this a very satisfying book to read, but I have to say, I'm surprised that it hasn't tempted me to read or watch The Wizard of Oz. The thing that occurred to me after I finished was that I wondered if this story gives a different perspective to some of the characters from the original book, and shows them as much more complex than I imagine they would be in a children's story. I felt that this would be most evident with Elphaba and Glinda (the Good Witch of the North/South?) who gradually become friends at college and their relationship alters dramatically as they grow and their own politics and morals shape the people they eventually become. If I had one criticism (and let's face it, I usually do) it was how awkward the names of both some of the characters and places felt to read. I realise that it's a fantasy and the author is creating (or recreating) a fantastical world, but it did sometimes take me out of the story as I had to figure out how to pronounce a name, even if it was only in my head! Overall though, I thought it was a good story, and a very imaginative alternative telling of a well loved classic. Edited June 5, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Drinking coffee is a good hobby! And don't you love it how you can combine that with you other favorite hobby, reading? Oh dear! I just realised that this comment might sound really patronizing! That was not my intention at all, I'm a huge coffee fan myself and I love nothing better than having a cuppa when reading a book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) Oh dear! I just realised that this comment might sound really patronizing! That was not my intention at all, I'm a huge coffee fan myself and I love nothing better than having a cuppa when reading a book. No, it didn't come across as patronizing, and you're absolutely right anyway - coffee is the elixir of life, so being able to indulge in it at the same time as reading a book, how perfect is that?! Edited May 12, 2012 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 No, it didn't come across as patronizing, and you're absolutely right anyway - coffee is the elixir of life, so being able to indulge in it at the same time as reading a book, how perfect is that?! Phew, I'm happy you didn't take it the wrong way! I probably shouldn't say this out loud, but I find that people who don't drink coffee are people who are missing out on a very wonderful, essential pleasure in life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Phew, I'm happy you didn't take it the wrong way! I probably shouldn't say this out loud, but I find that people who don't drink coffee are people who are missing out on a very wonderful, essential pleasure in life Oi! That's me! (I am allergic to caffeine though... But even before I discovered that I just couldn't abide the smell!? I just have to make do with other essential pleasures.........) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 The Olive Harvest is the third book by Carol Drinkwater following her and her husband on their olive farm in Provence. In this book, there is a problem with the olive trees, and the harvest will not provide enough fruit to press for oil, and after a shocking incident, Carol and Michel's marriage may not survive, so Carol looks to other activities in the region to take her mind off her troubles. I really enjoy these books, I love the glimpse into someone else's life, mixed in with the agricultural and environmental stories, the variety of characters in her life and the people she meets, and the travel aspects of her forays into the festivities of the Provençal area. This felt a very personal book, and it was very emotional reading what Carol was going through at times, and it was fairly obvious that she tried to distract herself by throwing herself into the researching the language and traditions of Provence, but that writing this book was a way of actually being able to look back at this period in her life and come to terms with all that she went through. I have the next book on my shelf to read, but I think I need a bit of a break before I can read it, as this was rather melancholy and I'd like time with some other people and characters before I come back to Appassionata again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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