Similar to the "rate the last film" thread.

Book - 7th Heaven
Author -James Patterson

8/10. Not as good as the previous 6 in the womens murder club series - however still very gripping. Cant wait for the 8th Confession

The book of Shotokan Karate by John Van Weenan 6/10 I borrowed it from the Library thinking it would help with my Katas and stuff at Karate, it's mainly the author's autobiography, and only deals with Kata and other Karate basics towards the end of the book :(

Have started reading "Bronson" again before I send the book over to friends in australia. Excellent book, just hope the films as good.

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. A solid 8/10, and a good start to the Sword of Truth series of books.

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith - fantastic. 9/10. This was really gripping. A serial killer is working in Stalin's Russia, but crime officially doesn't exist. Leo is a secret police man who risks his life trying to stop the murders.

Dinner with Mugabe - can't remember who it is by as I've already lent it to someone. 8/10This is a biography of Robert Mugabe. The author is a white women who grew up in Zimbabwe. As a young women she allowed her house to be used for meetings of the black political parties. One night a young Mugabe was at a meeting. His lift to the train station did not arrive so the women left her young son asleep alone while she drove him to the train station. The next day Mugabe phoned her to thank her for the lift and check her son had been ok. The book is this women trying to understand how Mugabe has gone from the friendley man she met to the apparent monster he is today. It is really interesting.

The Tommyknockers - Stephen King

4/10

I know its and old one but I've only got round to reading it last week.

I like Stephen King but this book isn't one of his best.

It is too long and a lot of pages don't really add anything to the plot.

If the book was 300 pages fewer it could be a good tight fast paced read, but as it is it is too long and slow

Right Ho! Jeeves-PG Wodehouse

10/10 Wonderful (especially when read in an imaginary Stephen Fry voice)

Oh that takes me back, I used to love the Jeeves stories. I think I will have to read them again to see if I still do.
I have just read Head Shot by Quintin Jardine. I am working my way through the whole series.

I have just read Philip Pullmans Dark Materials trilogy (Northern Lights, Subtle Knife & Amber Spyglass) and loved them! A great read for any fantasy lover!

The 1st was brilliant, 2nd was great for the 1st 1/2 and a bit tough going for the 2nd 1/2....3rd is amazing!

Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan. 10/10.

Just finished reading it for the second time and it's still as brilliant as the first time I read it.

The Damned United,quite good,would say 8 out of 10.

Things I want my daughters to know - Elizabeth Noble. 6/10
Bit of a chick flick but a nice easy read. Similar in style to Cecelia Aherns 'ps I love you'

The Star of the Sea - Joseph O'Connor 7/10 a great read really with depth to the characters and a fascinating underlying story. It was also thought provoking as it dealt with the hardships of the Irish famine

hells angels by hunter s thompson 12 out of 10

Scream for me 7/10

Written by Karen Rose - who to be fair is normally fantastic. I have read count to ten, nothing to fear, im watching you & kill for me and they were all gripping reads. Usually quiet gory reads but with a romantic twist running.

Scream for me was a sequel so wasnt expecting as much "action" however it was quite a boring book to read.

The Star of the Sea - Joseph O'Connor 7/10 a great read really with depth to the characters and a fascinating underlying story. It was also thought provoking as it dealt with the hardships of the Irish famine

I thought The Star of the Sea was a great book. Read it about 4 years ago, when it was first published.

At the same time, I remember reading John Lanchester's The fragrant Harbour - fantastic! I seemed to have a lot more time to read then:(

Now I am reading Isabel Allende's Ines of My Soul and very much enjoying it, there is a magical quality to her writing! Just wish I could read it in Spanish!

The 'Twilight' series

I've just finished these and even though I know they're aimed at teenage girls - I was one once:) I really enjoyed them. 9/10

Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco 9/10
Collins complete and unabridged English dictionary- still working on this one so will give marks out of ten in a couple of years!

Can anyone recommend any easy-to-read books based in Ireland? My friend has just had an operation which will keep her housebound for a few weeks.
She comes from Ireland and likes stories about ordinary people/families.

Hi Minimo,

Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle - 1993 Booker prize winner - An easy read and really funny.

And as for the last book I read, it has to be 10/10 for Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck.


.................................................. .................................................. ....

www.gullstory.weebly.com

Can anyone recommend any easy-to-read books based in Ireland?
James Joyce - Dubliners. This is the easiest of his books. :)

Can anyone recommend any easy-to-read books based in Ireland? My friend has just had an operation which will keep her housebound for a few weeks.
She comes from Ireland and likes stories about ordinary people/families.

Anything by Maeve Binchy, she's written quite a few novels and short stories.

Can anyone recommend any easy-to-read books based in Ireland? My friend has just had an operation which will keep her housebound for a few weeks.
She comes from Ireland and likes stories about ordinary people/families.

Anything by Maeve Binchy is good

lol sorry, teach me to read the full thread first!

Oh and the ones by Pauline Mclynn, the woman who played the housekeeper in father ted. Shes written a trilogy about a female PI in Dublin, very funny.

Thanks for the suggestions, off to town tomorrow to get her some books, she had her op Friday and came home today.

Jack & Jill - James Patterson

8/10 - Im loving the Alex Cross series

.......................

the film is good, it has to be as tom hardy is in it, but as with many films doesn't touch on much of the thought provoking stuff the book gets at...

Yeah generally once you`ve read the book, the film has a hell of a lot to live up to. And that was an absolutely fantastic read.

I had a brief glance at Marley and Me in Smiths last week.. Might buy it one day.

Cat and Mouse - James Patterson. 10/10. The best Cross book so far

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale - fascinating historical whodunnit based on a true story - 8/10

Just finished 7th Heaven by James Patterson and as much as I love his books, I find it really hard to get into the 'Women's Murder Club'. It took me a lot longer than it should have done to finish and I thought the ending, which is usually a bombshell, was quite disappointing.....

Just finished 7th Heaven by James Patterson and as much as I love his books, I find it really hard to get into the 'Women's Murder Club'. It took me a lot longer than it should have done to finish and I thought the ending, which is usually a bombshell, was quite disappointing.....

I felt exactly the same about 7th heaven. I posted about it a while back.
I find them hard to get into and I have only enjoyed (I think) 2 or 3 of the murder club books.

I read alot of James Patterson books and Im just reading thru the Alex Cross series and I have to say Im impressed.

Wasnt keen on Pattersons early stuff but its readable. Ive read his newest ones and I feel that maybe he is running out of ideas.

7th Heaven though was a big let down for me and Im hoping 8th Confession will bring back the faith...

Interestingly I believe they have made a series for tv of womens murder club - I just cant find it anywhere...:mad:

Blood canticle, by Ann Rice.

I think the more that she writes the less good they get especially the vampire chronicles.

I really dislike the idea of Lestat wanting to be a Christian saint :rolleyes: just let the true nature of the vampire with a conscience be what it is.
Sooo....6/10 for that Ms Rice.

Bleeding Heart Square by Andrew Taylor

I've read a few of his books so knew what to expect in terms of atmosphere and well written characters. This one had a decent enough plot with enough different strands to keep me engaged and a subtle twist at the end.

7/10

The instruction manual to Wii Fit 8/10 :D

Rented it for a week from the video shop.

Pop goes the weasel - James Patterson. Another detetive cross novel.

This got 9/10 - excellent - just didnt think parts of the ending were worth waiting for

Rose are red - James Patterson finished it last night. 10/10 best one in the cross series so far..

I'm currently reading yet another of Phillipa Gregory's historical novels - "The Other Queen" which features no less than Mary, Queen of Scots, and is set nearby, with links to Bess of Hardwick. It deals with MQoS' imprisonment, being moved from Bolton castle near Wetherby, to one of Chatsworth's sister houses, owned by Bess and her family.

It's a good read so far.

Handle with care - Jodi Picoult

It's interesting and a good involving read throughout, by turn taking the view of everyone in the family surrounding a child with osteogenis imperfecta and later the legal eagles involved in the trial for wrongful birth.

9/10

120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis De Sade.

Can't really say much about it on a family forum but it's was certainly different. I would recommend it but not if you have a weak stomach.

120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis De Sade.

Can't really say much about it on a family forum but it's was certainly different. I would recommend it but not if you have a weak stomach.

I'd give this 4/10. Points given for an interesting premise and then deducted for being badly written and unreadably repetitive. I'm amazed anyone finishes it, to be honest.

Georges Bataille is better in that line, imo.

The last book I read was Diana Athill's Somewhere Towards the End - 7/10. Interesting, funny, well-written memoir.

Violets are blue - James Patterson.

The follow up for roses are red.

8/10 - for the ending....1st half of book bored me as Im not into vampire stuff but the 2nd half was brill

The Brutal Art - Jesse Kellerman.

A good story, intriguing but let down by a lack of characterisation. I really didn't care about the central character, he meant nothing to me, no empathy. I didn't care if he lived or died which meant I had no emotional connection with the book.

God I turn into such a pseud when I've had a beer

four blind mice - James Patterson. 7.5/10...
Not up to the usual standard. I might swap authors for my nxt book

The Last Coyote ~ Michael Connelly 8/10

4th in the Harry Bosch series, still pretty strong (whereas some detective series have started to become cliched and stilted by this far in), will be interesting to see where the character can go after this (even though I know he does, there are quite a few more Bosch novels after this one)

The Last Coyote ~ Michael Connelly 8/10

4th in the Harry Bosch series, still pretty strong (whereas some detective series have started to become cliched and stilted by this far in), will be interesting to see where the character can go after this (even though I know he does, there are quite a few more Bosch novels after this one)

My dad recently got me into the Harry Bosch series, by Michael Connelly. I haven't yet read The Last Coyote, although I've thoroughly enjoyed all the ones in the series I have read, so far:- Blood Work, Trunk Music, The Black echo, Angels Flight, Echo Park, The Closers, The Narrows, and one whose name I've forgotten, but it's a follow on from Blood Work, where the pal who had the heart transplant dies, and HB is investigating his pal's death.

I've also read Chasing the Dime, and "The Lincoln Lawyer" which aren't Harry Bosch books.

the other hand, by Chris Cleave, is a wonder - it's a long time since I was so hooked by a book that finishing the story overruled my huge need to go to sleep at night!

Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind. Book 2 of the Sword of Truth series... now onto number 3....

the other hand, by Chris Cleave, is a wonder - it's a long time since I was so hooked by a book that finishing the story overruled my huge need to go to sleep at night!

Chris Cleave is a genius. Try Incendiary as well. I read it three times in a row and couldn't get it out of my head for ages.

I have just read;

Hold Tight - Harlan Coben - Excellent
Clive Cussler - The Navigator - Very good.

Chris Cleave is a genius. Try Incendiary as well. I read it three times in a row and couldn't get it out of my head for ages.

Thank you for recommending this. I've just ordered it.

The Lost Child by Julie Myerson.
I'd give this 8/10.
Really enjoyed this book, the search for Mary Yelloly alongside her own dramas at home made for a riveting read. :thumbsup:

just read angels and demons by dan brown,right load of rubbish.mixture of james bond,dr who and davinci code part two.just goes to show hype gets you noticed.

just read angels and demons by dan brown,right load of rubbish.mixture of james bond,dr who and davinci code part two.just goes to show hype gets you noticed.

It was written before the Davinci code but the success of Davinci meant an upsurge in readership for his earlier scribblings.

The Ghost - Robert Harris

Really poor compared to some of his ealrier books like Enigma and Fatherland. It felt as though his publisher had told him to come up with something topical quickly and so he produced this flimsy tale of an ex-British PM involved in The War on Terror and being accused of complicity in the rendition and torture of suspects.

Sound familiar?

Very shoddy writing and the bit when the ghostwriter goes to bed with the ex PM's wife was both predictable and ridiculous in the extreme.

A big let down

3/10

Prophecy by Peter James - 12/10 EXCELLENT read.

Peter James is a brilliant author Ive read a few of his but this was one of the earlier books and its fantastic!!

Theme is coincedences - do they really exist??

Chris Cleave is a genius. Try Incendiary as well. I read it three times in a row and couldn't get it out of my head for ages.

Seconded - a really good book.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Very moving, well written and thought provoking. I especially liked the first half of the book, it made me want to find out more about Afghanistan and it's people.

I thought the second half, the redemption, wasn't as authentic as the first part which felt very personal and autobiographical to me.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes intelligent and thought provoking literature and isn't afraid to be moved and upset by some harrowing scenes. It isn't all doom and gloom, there is heart warming stuff as well!

8.5/10

Twilight by stephanie meyer - 8/10 ..excellent read-very imaginative

Neil Gaiman- the Graveyard Book. Brilliant read, couldn't put it down and now that I've finished it I'm pretty much starting it again.
10.

Chris Cleave is a genius. Try Incendiary as well. I read it three times in a row and couldn't get it out of my head for ages.

Just finished it. You are absolutely right. I'll be starting it again tonight.

The Tommyknockers - Stephen King

4/10

I know its and old one but I've only got round to reading it last week.

I like Stephen King but this book isn't one of his best.

It is too long and a lot of pages don't really add anything to the plot.

If the book was 300 pages fewer it could be a good tight fast paced read, but as it is it is too long and slow

I love The Tommyknockers. I like the way King builds up the characters and the atmosphere throughout the book. True, a lot of pages do not add anything to the plot but he builds up the personalities of the characters really well I think.

I have finally got round to reading Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. It's OK but I don't understand what all the fuss is about really. I wasn't that impressed. 6/10

Blood canticle, by Ann Rice.

I think the more that she writes the less good they get especially the vampire chronicles.

I really dislike the idea of Lestat wanting to be a Christian saint :rolleyes: just let the true nature of the vampire with a conscience be what it is.
Sooo....6/10 for that Ms Rice.

I read the first 4 Vampire Chronicles books when I was at University, and really enjoyed them. I went back to Interview with the Vampire a couple of months ago to re-read it, and got about 50 pages in before giving up in disgust. The bleakness, the angst, the godforsaken depression! I couldn't take any more :rolleyes:

Recently I've enjoyed Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, Justina Robson's SF novels, and Lisa Jewell's books.

I read the first 4 Vampire Chronicles books when I was at University, and really enjoyed them. I went back to Interview with the Vampire a couple of months ago to re-read it, and got about 50 pages in before giving up in disgust. The bleakness, the angst, the godforsaken depression! I couldn't take any more :rolleyes:



I just couldn't stand the incessant, self pitying whining. It was just so boring

Da Vinci Code- Dan Brown

9/10

Brilliant

Neil Gaiman- the Graveyard Book. Brilliant read, couldn't put it down and now that I've finished it I'm pretty much starting it again.
10.

You can't beat Gaiman.

Did you know it's loosley based on The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling?

Big Bad Wolf - James Patterson. 8/10 Wasnt brill but not bad - bit confusing with all the different names they had for 1 character...

London Bridges...James Patterson...the Wolf (from big bad wolf) meets the weasel (from pop goes the weasel) This book was a big let down...not very exciting & the end was rubbish.
Worst cross book I have read so far. 5/10

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

He was never, ever going to be able to follow Shadow of the Wind but this book still drips with atmosphere and mystery and human feelings. Sinister goings on in early 20th century Barcelona with mysterious strangers, bent coppers, lost love and obsession.

8.5/10

On Writing by Stephen King. 10/10.

Rereading for the umpteenth time.

Part series of fuzzy snapshot autobiographical recollections, part toolbox of the craft for aspiring writers. Essential reading for the latter. Interesting and funny for the King fan.

On Writing by Stephen King. 10/10.

Rereading for the umpteenth time.

Part series of fuzzy snapshot autobiographical recollections, part toolbox of the craft for aspiring writers. Essential reading for the latter. Interesting and funny for the King fan.

I have that to one side ready to re-read myself once I finish my current book (Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind). King's reflections on his life and works make for a great read.

On Writing by Stephen King. 10/10.

Rereading for the umpteenth time.

Part series of fuzzy snapshot autobiographical recollections, part toolbox of the craft for aspiring writers. Essential reading for the latter. Interesting and funny for the King fan.

I read this recently and was underwhelmed, and disappointed to be underwhelmed because I kept hearing how great it was. I did enjoy the bits where he referenced Strunk and White's The Elements of Style a lot, so I went out and got that too.

I'll give it another go. So many people who know and love books and writing can't be wrong... On the other hand, I don't know how helpful sharing the fact that he churns out 2000 words every day is to the poor aspiring writer who struggles to produce 300 on a good day.

...On the other hand, I don't know how helpful sharing the fact that he churns out 2000 words every day is to the poor aspiring writer who struggles to produce 300 on a good day.
That his writing flows at a fair old rate of knots while neophytes are still struggling with scene construction, dialogue tags and finding their voice chafes a bit on the envy button, but I wouldn't call the knowledge of his writing rate unhelpful. It's more an interesting insight.

If you read it and were disappointed, then I wouldn't go back. Borders' shelves are groaning with other opportunities.

...Borders' shelves are groaning with other opportunities.
Quoting myself, but just to add: Write Away (rubbish title) by Elizabeth George is a good one for insight into how a professional writer approaches her work. Lots of detail. Appeals to the OCD planner in me, and not much luvvy wittering about pursuing the elusive muse.

The healing in the vine 10/10
one of the few books that i read when i was younger and can still enjoy now.

am currently reading DNA by Dr James watson, it's really good so far (as it's biology related, i can pretend i'm revising as i read it ^.^)

Twilight by stephanie meyer - 8/10 ..excellent read-very imaginative

I'm not really getting the fuss about the Twilight books, I mean, I've read them all, but it's a bit predictable and samey, it's not the type of books that you can read more than once!

anyone got suggestions on a good book? i love magic/ fantasy books, with a dash of romance! My fave book is the redemption of athalus and the begarian series by david eddings. the ones i can find recently are either too focused on sex or are a little childish >.<

I'm not really getting the fuss about the Twilight books, I mean, I've read them all, but it's a bit predictable and samey, it's not the type of books that you can read more than once!

anyone got suggestions on a good book? i love magic/ fantasy books, with a dash of romance! My fave book is the redemption of athalus and the begarian series by david eddings. the ones i can find recently are either too focused on sex or are a little childish >.<

Try Stone Junction by Jim Dodge. He almost falls into the Beat/ hippy genre in terms of style and context, but the book is certainly different to the usual magic/ fantasy book.

Synopsis: Charging like a runaway semitrailer on a downhill grade and spanning the era from Haight-Ashbury's Summer of Love into the darkness of 1980s Manhattan, Stone Junction is a wise and wildly imaginative novel about Daniel Pearse, an orphaned child who is taken under the wings of the AMO -- the Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws. An assortment of sages sharpen Daniel's wide-eyed outlook until he has the concentration of a card shark Zeta master, via apprenticeships in meditation, safecracking, poker, and the art of walking through walls. Wizards are made, not born, and this unconventional education sets Daniel on the trail of mysteries ancient and modern.

A strange, six-pound diamond sphere held by the U.S. government in a New Mexico vault, rumored to be the Philosopher's Stone or the Holy Grail, becomes the AMO's obsession. In time, Daniel perfects his powers and heads off to steal the magic stone, and what happens changes his life forever.

Stone Junction is a bravura act of storytelling, both a free-spirited adventure and a parable about the powers within all of us.

the hellbound heart by clive barker 10/10

A timeless classic, The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger 10/10.

I'd give this 4/10. Points given for an interesting premise and then deducted for being badly written and unreadably repetitive. I'm amazed anyone finishes it, to be honest.

Georges Bataille is better in that line, imo.

The last book I read was Diana Athill's Somewhere Towards the End - 7/10. Interesting, funny, well-written memoir.

I give it a minus one - I managed about six pages (twice). It was absolutely stomach churning and horrific - the quality of the writing that is not the content! Venus in Furs on the other is actually a pretty good read :) I'm currently reading Devil May Care which I'm actually quite enjoying. It's not challenging or anything but it's far more Bond-esque than the two recent films (which to my mind were more action movies than Bond movies). Score to come when I've finished!

just read angels and demons by dan brown,right load of rubbish.mixture of james bond,dr who and davinci code part two.just goes to show hype gets you noticed.

I thought the DaVinci code was pretty poor to be honest - recycled conspiracy theories and a bit of wish fullfillment by the author (dull middle aged bloke gets chased by nubile and intelligent young wench - hmmmmmm) I did read it but found it pretty vacuous - mindless book for the beach maybe?

Mary Mary - James Patterson 7/10

I think he writes too much, and so all his books are taking the same path...ie its quite slow to start then all of a sudden we find out who the killer is without going too much into the detective ways of finding them out...

Its like no one has a clue who the bad person is - then all of a sudden someone has a hunch or they have a list of posibles and they pick one who happens to be correct...

Finished Devil May Care - not a bad read for most of it (and very much like the originals) but falls apart VERY badly at the end. I would say a 7/10 for the beginning and middle and a 4/7 for the end.

Ultimate Weapon Chris Ryan 9/10. I've read most of his books now, all of which are very good. Anyone reccomend a similar author.

Ultimate Weapon Chris Ryan 9/10. I've read most of his books now, all of which are very good. Anyone reccomend a similar author.

My OH says Andy Mcnab is very similar but Ryan has the edge

The Truth = Peter James.

Peter is a very good author but this was one of his early ones. I enjoyed it but felt it took a bit long to get going...and the ending was over too quick..
7/10

rumour has it by jill mansell-9/10
i love all her books

The last book I read was the Haynes Workshop Manual for a Mini Cooper S.

The plot was a bit thin, but the good bits were easy to find due to the oily marks on the corner of the pages

Cross - James Patterson. 9/10 very enjoyable

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 8/10

Wild Things by Reg Presley(of Troggs fame).His insight into crop circles,aliens & other phenomena,weird!

Royal Flush by Lynda La Plante. Different from many of her other books, I found it quite entertaining.

Trust me - Jeff Abbott - 10/10.

Found this author about 18months ago when I read "Panic" & "Fear"- both of thoseworthy of a 10/10 too.

'The Nature of Monsters' By Clare Clark...Pregnant woman gets sold to weird doctor/philanthropist type who is looking into the effects of a woman's emotions on an unborn child.Sets out to do rotten stuff to see what bad emotions wreak upon hers and other foetus.Chilling and yet touching book in some ways.Really enjoyed it.9/10

Double Cross- James Patterson. excellent 9/10

Trunk Music - Michael Connelly 6.5/10

fifth in the Harry Bosch series, and the first one i've found to be pretty average

Trunk Music - Michael Connelly 6.5/10

fifth in the Harry Bosch series, and the first one i've found to be pretty average

I've just read "the Brass Verdict", which weaves both Bosch and "The Lincoln Lawyer" into one story. Very good read.

Readed again:
Gabriel Garcia Marquez - One Hundred Years of Solitude => 10/10

I have recently read the twlight books and i found them to be soo amazing. really creative i really recormend the four books and the films.

Masie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

An introduction to Maisie Dobbs, detective, set in the 1920's. A decent enough first novel which is good on character but slim on plot which was OK for a lightweight holiday read. Some good bits detailing the character's past experiences in WW1. Overall a 7/10. Not sure I'd rush out and buy any more in the series but would certainly pick them up if I saw them on the book trolley at work.

Just read the Ricky Tomlinson Autobiography - brilliant read

Imperium by Robert Harris - not his best by a long chalk but a lot better than his more recent effort, Ghost.

5/10

I read Colin Martin's 'Welcome to Hell' today. (One chapter to go though)

Almost hard to believe it isn't fiction. I wasn't surprised at all at the treatment of Thailand prisons inmates, but found the justice system there almost unbelievable. It backs up what some of my work colleagues [who have been there] have said about everything revolving around money there.

An unmissable read.

Earlier in the week I read 'Drop the Pink Elephant' by Bill Mcfarlan.

A great light-hearted read, about communication.

I'm not sure which chapter number it was, but it was titled..

'don't tell Anna' ... a text mistakenly sent to Anna, 2001. You can guess the rest. I actually tested that at work to test the outcome :hihi:

Easy read, serious, but with dry humour, highly recommended.

Snatched by Mandasue Heller.
Not her best i thought, kept going over the same things over and over. Don't know why some authers do this, seems like it's just filling pages for the sake of it.

The Girl who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson

The follow up to the hugely enjoyable The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Fast paced, compulsive reading, like a rollarcoaster I wanted to get to the end but didn't want it to finish. As soon as I finished the last page I wanted to get my hands on the, as yet unpublished, third and final installment.

Exciting, gripping, intelligent and sexy

Haven't quite finished it yet, but I am enjoying Enemy Within by Paul Adam. It is set in Sheffield, and it is quite weird to see references to Fulwood, Hallamshire Hospital etc, and the miners strike.

why strange to read refs to fulwood and hallamshire if set in sheffield

Just because you don't get that many books set in Sheffield.

;)lol im sure theres going to be a killer one out soon lol

Reginald Hill - On Beulah Height. A thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery. It was my first Dalziel and Pascoe novel and I was pleasantly surprised. It was well written and gripping. All I could want from a holiday read.

I've just finished "A Snowball in Hell" by Christopher Brookmyre. It isn't for the faint hearted, but if the inventive slaughter of B-list celebrities is your thing, then this is the book for you. It is great fun from beginning to end, especially identifying the thinly veiled attacks on the celebs in question. It is typical Brookmyre, brilliantly written, funny and very unpleasant in places.

I've just finished 'Blood of the Fold' by Terry Goodkind. It is the third in the Sword of Truth series of fantasy novels, and after working through the first three I'm taking a break before moving onto the next one.

So, in the meantime I'm starting on the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris. I've begun with Dead Until Dusk, the first in the series, and am loving it so far despite already knowing what is going to happen (after all, True Blood has adapted it pretty much word for word so far).

Pick Of Punch , It were ok, but I think Private Eye Magazines are funnier

I have just finished reading Atonement. It dragged on a lot about nothing and he describes far too much for my taste. It was a compelling read but not sure if this is because I wanted to move on to my next book.

I'd give it 6/10

I would recommend Speaks The Nightbird by Robert McCammon. I have just finished this also and thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt like I was practically there in his world and it was tense and amusing and oh just brilliant.

10/10

I would recommend Speaks The Nightbird by Robert McCammon. I have just finished this also and thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt like I was practically there in his world and it was tense and amusing and oh just brilliant.

10/10

Have you read Boy's Life by McCammon? Brilliant book, reminded me of Stephen King when he was good.

I've just finished 'Pygmy' by Chuck Palahniuk. It's a very weird read indeed. It is a satire in which a group of extremely high IQ young teenagers from an unnamed, fictitious communist country, profoundly indoctrinated to hate and despise American capitalist culture and politics, arrive to live as guests for 6 months with American Christian 'host families'. This is the ostensible reason for their visit. However, the political indoctrination they have been fed in their homeland means that the real intention of their visit is to wreak as much death and destruction as they can on the host community and wider America.

Despite this grim theme, the book's exposition is essentially comic, in the main because Pygmy, the diminutive narrator of the tale, employs an entertaining, highly idiosyncratic form of English to compose his reports 'home'. Warning: much of what he writes about and the expressions he uses are distnctly unaesthetic, but the book held on to this reader at any rate, and despite the bad things that Pygmy does (along with the good), I think you would have to have a heart of stone not to warm to him more and more and be touched by the ending of the book.

It keeps you turning the pages: a gripping read. I'd give it 8/10.

Have you read Boy's Life by McCammon? Brilliant book, reminded me of Stephen King when he was good.

Not read Boy's Life but I sure will in the future. Have just bought Stinger and Mine from ebay which I think are some of his older stuff. Cant wait for the next installment with Mr Corbett which I believe is out next year. :):)

The Dead Place by Stephen Booth - another in his series of dark and atmospheric detective novels set in and around the Peak District. This one had plenty of locations I'd actually been to during our Sunday walks and was all the more fun because of it.

A good and gripping read. If you've ever read one of his novels you'd know exactly what to expect with this one.

I have just read "Dudley Moore: An intimate portrait" by Rena Fruchter. It was well written and gave a great insight into Dud's later life and his illness. It was very moving in parts and laugh out loud in others. If you like biogs you will love this, its got it all!

Imprimatur by Monaldi & Sorti.

The cover blurb is all about how outraged the Italian church and press were whn this book was first published in 2002. There is also reference to it being better than Eco and guaranteeing to set the cat among the Vatican pigeons.

It was in truth a rather dull and stolid story whose "great secret" was that a seventeenth century pope whose family were well known money lenders might have lent money to William of Orange that he then used to invade England and thus become a heretical King.

Meh.

I was expecting more from this book.

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlam. Was expecting a trashy, fast paced thriller and it was just that. Not as good as the film and it seemed very dated, which isn't entirely surprising given it was written in 1980.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I had read the first book with my son when he was little, and we quite enjoyed it, but never went on with the series, even though we owned the U.S. versions. In a bout of nostalgia and curiosity, I started the U.K. versions a few weeks ago. "The Goblet of Fire" is the weakest link in the series for me. Despite the necessity, due to a change in the overarching story, many of the familiar themes, interactions, and scenes were gone, making it a longer, more laborious read.

3.5/5

Sepulchre by Kate Mosse.

Pants. I never read a book without finishing it but this one nearly had me throwing it in the bin about half way through. Predictable story, poorly written and weak characters. I couldn't care if they lived or died.

I thought her first book Labyrinth was overblown and not as good as people made out. This was worse.

1 out of 10

She only gets the 1 because she is not Dan Brown or Martin Amis.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I had read the first book with my son when he was little, and we quite enjoyed it, but never went on with the series, even though we owned the U.S. versions. In a bout of nostalgia and curiosity, I started the U.K. versions a few weeks ago. "The Goblet of Fire" is the weakest link in the series for me. Despite the necessity, due to a change in the overarching story, many of the familiar themes, interactions, and scenes were gone, making it a longer, more laborious read.

3.5/5

I've read all the Harry Potter books repeatedly, I think Order of the Phoenix is the best one.

Just finished The Analyst by John Katzenbach, well worth reading. 7/10

Zadie Smith's 'On Beauty'.

I quite enjoyed 'White Teeth' but found this disappointing. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, most of which were thoroughly dislikeable anyway. The book was described as 'humorous' in several reviews but I failed to see what was amusing about it. It was also hard going in terms of plot and length - the storyline never really went anywhere and the book could have been a good 100 pages shorter IMHO. The constant academia-related references also grated on me after a while.

I'd give it 4/10 - sorry Zadie!

I read Alan Carr's Its only me, it was ok not the best book I've read though!

Just picked up Gloria Hunnifords book about her daughter (I forget the name) I'll be starting that one soon

Just discovered a new auther to me, Mark Gimenez, very, very good.

First read "The abduction" which was his second novel, fantastic book, tense, funny, sad.

Just finished his first "The colour of law" couldn't put it down.

Now halway into his third "The perk" and don't think this one is going to disappoint either.

last book I finished was 'Veronika decides to die' by Paulo Coelho. To be honest, I thought it was rubbish. I've now read four of his books and thought two were great (The Alchemist and Eleven Minutes) but The Zahir and this one seemed clunky, badly written and not very engaging.

Oh yeah, I knew the twist in this on about page 10, which didn't help.

Reading 'The Plauge' by Camus now, which promises to be better!

i have just read Steven Kings, The Dark Half its ace 10 out of 10

the art of racing in the rain made me cry

I'm on Daphne Du Maurier's 'Jamaica Inn'.

Only read the first chapter but it looks like it's going to be a good read (being a fan of the Brontes, I add).

Presently, about to finish Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. So short, you can read it on the toilet, while peeing.

Mama Black Widow by Iceberg Slim. The book was poignant and very detailed.

Winter in Madrid by C.J.Sansom

Started excellently with lots of atmosphere and character development but then lost it's way half way through when the "action" got going and so was ultimately disappointing

I just finished When I found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I'd say 8/10. I was expecting a chick-lit style read but this was more engaging and I got quite into it. Definitely an easy read, but enjoyable and I wanted to keep reading.

I am now three quarters of the way through The Enemy by Charlie Higson. It is actually a kids book, but I really liked him in the Fast Show so decided to give it a go. It is surprisingly good so far, and certainly has enough to keep a grown up entertained. I'll give a final verdict once I have finished.

Just finished The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin. Was OK.

Reading 'The Plauge' by Camus now, which promises to be better!

Studied this at school years and years ago. Would be interested to hear how you got on with it.

Got Howards End by E.M Forster and The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards from my daughter for Christmas and have just finished Howards End last night ( What can I tell you,OH has the flu so spent NYE with a good book and a large Margerita!) I enjoyed th story very much although it wasn't an easy read having been written in 1910. Having said that, I found the story still came across well even though it deals with sex and love in euphemistic terms ,far removed from the novels of today of course. I loved the film and found that the screenplay was very faithful to the book.

Just finished The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. Recommended by a friend, but quite hard to understand. Just starting The Essays by Francis Bacon.

I just finished When I found You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I'd say 8/10. I was expecting a chick-lit style read but this was more engaging and I got quite into it. Definitely an easy read, but enjoyable and I wanted to keep reading.

I am now three quarters of the way through The Enemy by Charlie Higson. It is actually a kids book, but I really liked him in the Fast Show so decided to give it a go. It is surprisingly good so far, and certainly has enough to keep a grown up entertained. I'll give a final verdict once I have finished.

I finished the Enemy last night, it was definitely very good, and very suspenseful and gory for a kids book.I would recommend it to anyone aged over about 12.

Not sure whatto read next...I have just read Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray, another kids one, I thought my little sister might like it but it's still a bit old for her yet.

Meg Hutchinson - Ties of Love 8/10

Looks like it will be rubbish from the cover but I could not put it down!

The Silver Sword (Ian Serraillier)

Read it to my children almost 30 years ago...found it in a drawer recently and re-read it. Hope to read it to my grandchildren in the near future

Khaled Hosseini - A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Given the subject matter - Women in Afghanistan - this book was never going to be a laugh a minute rom com and it was with a sense of foreboding that I turned each page. Well written and touching but not as atmospheric and evocative as The Kite Runner. Having said that it was a bit more truer to life than The Kite Runner.

There was warmth and love as well as pain and seething injustice.

We are all made of glue - Marina Lewycka

An easy read, thouroughly entertaining. Some of my friends said it made them laugh out loud, but it just made me smirk lots. Loved the characters and all their accents and I really squirmed with embarrasment when the velcro got stuck!!

We are all made of glue - Marina Lewycka[/B]
An easy read, thouroughly entertaining. Some of my friends said it made them laugh out loud, but it just made me smirk lots. Loved the characters and all their accents and I really squirmed with embarrasment when the velcro got stuck!!

I've read this one, I could'nt put it down. :hihi::hihi::hihi:

Speaking of funny books and accents, one book that made me laugh my ass off is The Education of Hyman Kaplan - Leo Rosten. :thumbsup:

Just finished 'To kill a mockingbird' by Harper Lee. Took me 3 attempts to get into it but when I did I loved it.

Ive just finished the first three books in the 'chronicles of the necromancer' series by gail z. martin. enjoying the books and they are a good read for anyone who enjoys there fantasy. havnt read the fourth book yet and the fifth isnt out so it could end as a classic, but for the moment its an enjoyable read and i look forward to the next book, and you cant say more than that.

Book: Me Cheeta: The Autobiography by James Lever

Rating: 8/10

The fictional autobiography of Cheeta the chimp from the Tarzan films might seem like a bizarre premise but it was actually very cleverly written. Cheeta's observations on his treatment, the celebrity circus that surrounded him & Johnny Weissmuller (aka Tarzan) were heartwarming, shocking and hilarious in equal measures.

I'd throughly recommend it

the lost symbol, angels and demons, de vinci code, i couldnt put them down

Just finished The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. Recommended by a friend, but quite hard to understand.

I've started this about half a dozen times and never finished it.

just read bob wilsons autobiography not very good all abought how he was so good and never did anything wrong.no insight into how arsenal were so boring or why wenger is always moaning.the sad part and i know how he felt having lost my daughter was the story of his daughters fight to over come her illness.

Christine Joanna Hart - Searching for Daddy 10/10

Thomas Harris - Red Dragon 9/10

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett.

Conveniently released in time for the World Cup, football arrives in Ankh Morpork.

Great fun with some new characters and some old familiar faces. Loved every minute of it.

Val McDermid - The wire in the blood 8.5/10

Karen Rose - Don't Tell 8/10

A Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh - I love classic detective stories and this was great. I'm so bored of the modern detective who brings all his/her baggage along.

"Ooh, I know, I'll make my detective a hard drinking maverick with marital problems, that'll pad out the book for 500 pages so nobody will notice my shi*e plot"

(Yes Ian Rankin, I'm looking at you)

the twilight saga is amazing<3

Just this minute finished The Devil and Miss Prym - Paulo Coelho. Very interesting and quite different from anything else I've read. 8/10

Gunter Grass - the tin drum. weirdest book I have ever read, only book I have read where I haven't liked the main character. can highly recommend it!

Bernard Cornwell's The Burning Land.

A bloody episode set in the ninth century. First novel I've read of Cornwell who writes well and is obviously keen on this particular historic period.

I enjoyed it but the question is: would I read another?

Perhaps. Which means a score of about seven out of ten.

Bernard Cornwell's The Burning Land.

A bloody episode set in the ninth century. First novel I've read of Cornwell who writes well and is obviously keen on this particular historic period.

I enjoyed it but the question is: would I read another?

Perhaps. Which means a score of about seven out of ten.

Bernard Cornwell's King Arthur trilogy (http://www.bernardcornwell.net/index2.cfm?page=1&seriesid=4) is a rollicking good read,

Not quite finished it, but have to mention it....

'A story of Two Sisters in Auschwitz. Rena's Promise'...by Rena Kornreich Gelissen.

Words are not enough. Read it, and buy a mansize box of Kleenex.

How about My Left Foot, I think it's by Chris Brown, great read. A dvd of Waking Ned is always good for a laugh, cheer anyone up.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian by Marina Lewycka

I enjoyed it but wasn't blown away. In turns sad and funny but not one I'd enthuse about.

Just finished The Girl Who Played With Fire which I really enjoyed and flew through it in 2 days. 9/10.


Now starting The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.

'Union Street' by Pat Barker. I don't know what you guys think but half of these Booker Prize winners, I feel have just been given the title for having written the most shocking swear word in it. Hardly a prize winner, Pat. Certainly no awards for use of language, or interesting story line.

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho 7/10

Very unusual but I found it interesting and enjoyable... though I know there's quite a few SF'ers who'd HATE it. :hihi:

Just finished The Girl Who Played With Fire which I really enjoyed and flew through it in 2 days. 9/10.


Now starting The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.

Top series of books those, un-putdownable! (if that's a word)

'Union Street' by Pat Barker. I don't know what you guys think but half of these Booker Prize winners, I feel have just been given the title for having written the most shocking swear word in it. Hardly a prize winner, Pat. Certainly no awards for use of language, or interesting story line.

I always find prize winning books really dull. might be a good use of language in there but they always have a pants story line

Top series of books those, un-putdownable! (if that's a word)

No kidding, I've already read 120 pages of the last book and I only started it at 6pm ;)

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho 7/10

Very unusual but I found it interesting and enjoyable... though I know there's quite a few SF'ers who'd HATE it. :hihi:

It's funny i was going to suggest you read this book after i saw that you'd read the devil and miss prym.
I thought it was a very good book and would advise most people to read it.
You should read "the life of pi" it is terrific.

Possibly my favourite series of books ever is "the death gate cycle" quite possibly the best bit of fantasy fiction since the lord of the rings.

Agent Zigzag, by Ben McIntyre. 8/10

The amazing true-life story of Eddie Chapman, British-born safe-breaker and heart breaker who went on to become the most important British double agent of WWII.

Written by a Times journalist who makes it read like a fantastical novel.

He's got a new one out now called Operation Mincemeat, about the astonishing Allied deception plan to cover up the Siciliy Landings.

Death's Own Door by Andrew Taylor, a detective novel set in the 50's.

This one was part of The Lydmouth series of novels featuring his detective Richard Thornton. I like them because as well as a good plot there is good writing and good characterisation. The back stories add to the main plot rather than detract from it or get in the way.

Book - The Game
Author - Neil Strauss

9.5/10 - An excellent read, funny, true (actually based on a true story so i'm told) and well, has some great 'advise' in there too hehe.... love it!

Michael Connolly - The Brass Verdict.

Meh

It was OK, an enjoyable read but nothing special and not as good as some of his previous books. John Grisham writes better court novels.

Possibly my favourite series of books ever is "the death gate cycle" quite possibly the best bit of fantasy fiction since the lord of the rings.

It's not even the best series written by Weis and Hickman. The Dragonlance Chronicles or the Twins trilogy are both better.

Michael Connolly - The Brass Verdict.

Meh

It was OK, an enjoyable read but nothing special and not as good as some of his previous books. John Grisham writes better court novels.

I liked the twist, and the connection he made between his Harry Bosch Novels and the "lawyer" novels.

I've quite enjoyed the Connolly books I've read, I found his non-Harry Bosch book, "the Poet" hard going, but on the whole, the Harry Bosch books are an entertaining series.

My signed copy of Tony Stockwell's book. Met him in june at city hall and he signed my book for me.

Interesting that no one's mentioned The Lord of the Rings.

Or the Bible.

Interesting that no one's mentioned The Lord of the Rings.

Or the Bible.

My bible is in the toilet its such a good multi purpose book. I came up with the idea of recycle what you read. lol :hihi::hihi:

His Robot Girlfriend 5/10

A good, well executed story but it just seemed to end very suddenly. Very disappointing.

His Robot Girlfriend 5/10

A good, well executed story but it just seemed to end very suddenly. Very disappointing.

I recently rediscovered Girlfriend In A Coma, which I loved.

It's not the last book I read but I absolutely loved 'The Lovely Bones'
It is soooo much better than the film

Moab is my washpot - Stephen Fry 7/10 a bit hard going at times

The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn - an Inspector Morse novel by Colin Dexter. Not bad but a bit convoluted and messy. 5/10

Transition by Iain Banks. Brilliant and fun to read. It could have been written as an Iain M. Banks book given it's plot of parallel worlds, interwoven story lines meeting at the finish, people flitting across realities, a giant all powerful governing body and much murder, sex and drug taking.

Great stuff.

Just finished reading 'Underworld' by Don DeLillo. Sublime writing, absolutely breathtaking, but the end was a slight let-down for me. Still good enough that I've kept it to read again some time.

The last book I read was 'Fear the Worst' by Linwood Barclay.
It's a very easy read, and keeps you gripped.
It's very similar to his others in that you can never see the twists and turns coming and never know what to expect.
Great read. 8/10

The last book I read was Past Imperfect by Julian Fellowes. Some bits of it rambled quite a bit and I found myself jumping a few paragraphs untill it became relevant again, which was dissapointing as I don't usually do that. It was an interesting insight into life for the rich kids of the 60's and also into human nature.

Oooh, I read an amazing book by Linwood Barclay. He is a fantastic author. Gripping.

The Star of the Sea - Joseph O'Connor 7/10 so great !

John Connolly - Dark Hollow. The second of his Charlie Parker novels which combine routine crime thriller with dark, other-worldly forces and Satanic serial killers. Enjoyable hokum. 7/10

'My Brilliant Career', by Miles Franklin (female), set in Australia in the late 1800's, about a girl who refuses to conform to what society expects of her. She rebels against becoming the subservient woman, and refuses to fall in love and get married. A VERY modern woman, in a VERY old-fashioned time. I imagine many women, in particular, will identify with this protagonist. Although, what she strives to achieve, we, mostly, have these day. Must have been exceptionally difficult being a strong, independent woman in those days. But, thank heavens they existed, or maybe we would not have progressed so much, as women, to what we have today.

My last book is the recent novel of Marc Levy.
I rate it 7/10
It's really romantic, as usual, and so lovely :D

Oooh, I read an amazing book by Linwood Barclay. He is a fantastic author. Gripping.

Yeah, I loved No Time For Goodbye... excellent book.

Yeah, I loved No Time For Goodbye... excellent book.

I was ultimately left disappointed by that book. The premise was fantastic and it started out really well but took a wrong turn towards the middle, which I felt was a great shame.

Whose Body, a Lord Peter Wimsey novel by Dorothy L Sayers.

Not the best one, rather short and under developed but possibly to be expected from Lord Wimsey's first outing. Not a patch on classics such as 5 Red Herrings and Murder Must Advertise but still enjoyable.

Elizabeth Smart's By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept.

Strange, sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. A book to read in a day (only 112 pages!).

Love the lines which Morrissey used (some complete, some altered) on loads and loads of Smiths and solo tracks.

I might have to read it again though as a lot of it went over my head. I also did not expect to find the 'c' word in a book published in 1945!

Well Ousetunes, I have read your post, then read the reviews on amazon, then ordered the book! I'll keep you informed. I'm especially looking forward to spotting the Smiths lyrics.
thanks:)

Well Ousetunes, I have read your post, then read the reviews on amazon, then ordered the book! I'll keep you informed. I'm especially looking forward to spotting the Smiths lyrics.
thanks:)

If you haven't already done so
you truly need this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozipedia-Encyclopaedia-Morrissey-Simon-Goddard/dp/0091927099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282912927&sr=8-1
an absolute must for any Mozza/Smiths fan.

Goddard lists Smart under her own entry and has gone to great lengths to list practically all the references attributed to By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept. 'Grabs and devours', 'I smoke because I need something to hold' &C.

Well Ousetunes, I have read your post, then read the reviews on amazon, then ordered the book! I'll keep you informed. I'm especially looking forward to spotting the Smiths lyrics.
thanks:)

Having also read the reviews on Amazon, I think I'll have to purchase this book too; it looks wonderful. I have Waterstones vouchers from god-knows-when to spend (because more often than not, I end up buying books on Amazon) so they can be well spent on this!

If you haven't already done so
you truly need this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozipedia-Encyclopaedia-Morrissey-Simon-Goddard/dp/0091927099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282912927&sr=8-1
an absolute must for any Mozza/Smiths fan.

Goddard lists Smart under her own entry and has gone to great lengths to list practically all the references attributed to By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept. 'Grabs and devours', 'I smoke because I need something to hold' &C.

Mozipedia is on my birthday/xmas wish list ... :)

Having also read the reviews on Amazon, I think I'll have to purchase this book too; it looks wonderful. I have Waterstones vouchers from god-knows-when to spend (because more often than not, I end up buying books on Amazon) so they can be well spent on this!

£7.99 at Waterstones, Jen.

It really is a strange read because you suddenly come upon a familiar line or phrase and think: I know where I've heard that before!

As I said, I'll have to read the book again because it is really different from anything else I've ever read.

PS. Jen - I leave work on Tuesday 31st August (after 25 years!).

£7.99 at Waterstones, Jen.

It really is a strange read because you suddenly come upon a familiar line or phrase and think: I know where I've heard that before!

As I said, I'll have to read the book again because it is really different from anything else I've ever read.

PS. Jen - I leave work on Tuesday 31st August (after 25 years!).

It sounds as though it's a great read. :thumbsup:

Oh wow, so soon! Just make sure you still come here - who else can I have geeky conversations about the Beatles with? :hihi:

Oh wow, so soon! Just make sure you still come here - who else can I have geeky conversations about the Beatles with? :hihi:

Will do, especially over the next few weeks as I'll finally have some time off!

Nineteen minutes by Jodi Picould 9/10 couldn't put it down

Under the dome, Steven King. 9/10 loved it, only bad point was slightly too many characters

An April Shroud by Reginald Hill, a Dalziel & Pascoe novel.

Not a bad detective story but I can't help envisioning Warren Clarke as Dalziel all the time, which shows the problems of reading books that have already been put on screen.

Hi,

I just completed "The Tawny Goldman" Its really nice story.

ive almost finished "is it just me" by richard hammond, not a bad book about him, but i found he mentions bits of top gear that people have already seen anyway

Elizabeth Smart's By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept.

Strange, sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. A book to read in a day (only 112 pages!).

Love the lines which Morrissey used (some complete, some altered) on loads and loads of Smiths and solo tracks.

I might have to read it again though as a lot of it went over my head. I also did not expect to find the 'c' word in a book published in 1945!

I finally bought this and read it yesterday evening.

It was heart breaking how her - the protaganist's - state of euphoria and pleasure turned into such anguish and mental torment towards the end of the book. As you state, it's a short read, so everything happens rather quickly (intensifying the contrast of emotions that take place, in my opinion) and because of this Smart flits from one event to another. This occasionally made it difficult to know exactly what was going on, but a second read should sort that out.

A book about one thing only, love, and the fervent emotions (be they blissful or painful) it brings. I enjoyed it very much but like you, Ousetunes, some passages lost me a little, so I'll have to re-read it.

Elizabeth Smart's By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept.

Strange, sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. A book to read in a day (only 112 pages!).

Love the lines which Morrissey used (some complete, some altered) on loads and loads of Smiths and solo tracks.

I might have to read it again though as a lot of it went over my head. I also did not expect to find the 'c' word in a book published in 1945!

My second hand copy via Amazon has not arrived yet:(

My second hand copy via Amazon has not arrived yet:(

It it doesn't show and you can't wait, PM me and you can borrow mine.

I finally bought this and read it yesterday evening.

It was heart breaking how her - the protaganist's - state of euphoria and pleasure turned into such anguish and mental torment towards the end of the book. As you state, it's a short read, so everything happens rather quickly (intensifying the contrast of emotions that take place, in my opinion) and because of this Smart flits from one event to another. This occasionally made it difficult to know exactly what was going on, but a second read should sort that out.

A book about one thing only, love, and the fervent emotions (be they blissful or painful) it brings. I enjoyed it very much but like you, Ousetunes, some passages lost me a little, so I'll have to re-read it.

I have to admit to being none the wiser, second time round!

I have since moved onto CJ Samson's Heartstone which, approaching halfway through is proving to be a superb read.

I love the colours and smells of sixteenth century England and the reign of Henry VIII.

Recommended if you're wondering what to purchase next.

Black Echo by Michael Connelly. Not bad but it got to a point three quarters through when I just wished it would get on with it. Not as good as some of the later Harry Bosch books.

Dynamo by Andy Dougan.
This is the true story of the Dynamo Kiev team of the 1930's & what happened to them during the Nazi march into the Ukraine & of there struggle against the occupation.
I am not normally a fan of war books but this book is well worth the read although it is heartbreaking at times. 9/10.

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

Pants.

The first 20 pages and the last 50 were good but the 400 in between could have been seriously purged. Badly written, the author tries to write from the point of view of a 50 year old bloke and fails spectacularly. The characters are irritating at best and totally unbelievable.

3/10 - just.

Star Wars: Death Troopers

Not to bad

The story takes place on board the Imperial prison barge "the purge", and the charcters blossom into something really interesting, and later with the introduction of Han Solo and Chewie it makes the story better, however that being said its let down big time by rehashing the whole "the dead come back to life because of some chemical"

Its not a bad read but if your looking for a truly scary star wars story read the illustrated life and time of Jar Jar Binks

6/10 generally a good story but definatly not unique in the stories key factor

Elizabeth Smart's By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept.

Strange, sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. A book to read in a day (only 112 pages!).

Love the lines which Morrissey used (some complete, some altered) on loads and loads of Smiths and solo tracks.

It finally arrived! I've never willingly read a book written in poetic prose. Once I'd got over the first chapter I did enjoy it although I was a little confused at times with he and she not ever being named. I also enjoyed doing a bit of research afterwards about Elizabeth Smart and George Barker...fascinating thanks.

A Clubbable Woman by Reginald

Enjoyable and compelling but not as complex as some of his later novels. Interesting to note the dynamics between Dalziel and Pascoe in their first outing.

I recently read A Trick of the Dark, Val McDermid's latest offering. What a huge disappointment from such a great author whose skills at crafting a highly suspenseful narrative and plot are second to none. It was not particularly well written, the plot was flimsy and predictable and the characterisations poor. Overall it was dull and plodding: 5/10.:(

Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy

Had no idea what to expect when I picked this up from the book trolley. It was an OK read. Lots of different characters with lots of individual problems based around a small Irish village whose Lourdes like grotto is faced with imminent destruction due to a bypass. The story is about the wide ranging people who go there to pray for St Ann to intercede on their behalf.

Can't say I'll remember any of it in years to come but it was readable. The characters were interesting. All the goodies ended up more or less happy and all the baddies got their comeuppance. 6.5-7/10 maybe.

Just finished reading Dan Browns The lost symbol.

It usually takes me a day to read a book this size, this one it took 3.

What a complete waste of paper. If I wanted a reference book I would have bought one or gone to the library.

It could have been so much better if he had kept to the story instead of showing off how much research he had done.

Loved all his other books but this one I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
Very disappointing:(

Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard. Liked it because I like Elmore Leonards sense of cool and his great characters. Good for a laugh or two also!

I'm currently struggling through Perdido Street Station by China Mieville - and getting frustrated by it to be honest! It has some really nice ideas buried in there and having battled my way through 472 pages I'm not going to be beaten now but the overwhelming experience is one of turgid, overblown, overwrought description that could do with a damn good editing!

The Left Hand of God - very entertaining but (and I can't put my finger on it) quite a frustrating read. lets hope the sequel is a little better. 7/10

The Retromancer, by Robert Rankin - very good, one of his better efforts, with some surprises in there for long time followers. 8/10

The Shadow Project, Scott MAriani - another great read in his series. It's like indiana jones crossed with Bond. Very entertaining and moving. I'd recommend them all. 9/10.

Just finished reading Dan Browns The lost symbol.

It usually takes me a day to read a book this size, this one it took 3.

What a complete waste of paper. If I wanted a reference book I would have bought one or gone to the library.

It could have been so much better if he had kept to the story instead of showing off how much research he had done.

Loved all his other books but this one I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
Very disappointing:(

I really felt this and Davinci code were both total garbage.

I wanted my six hours back, frankly, after reading them. Well... I read DVC but by the time I got 1/3 the way in to LS I just thought, "Bah! ", and threw it on the slates.

Both books were formulaic and poorly written IMO. I Only read DVC to see what all the hype was about.

The Steig Larrson books, "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", "Girl Who Played With Fire", and "Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" were a far better and much more gripping read. I've just finished the last of the three "Girl Who.." trilogy.

Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers.

Not bad but not one of the best Wimsey novels. The ending felt a bit rushed and unsatisfactory and a number of things were never adequately explained.

I read the menu in Champs on Saturday. It was alreyt.

Recently finished Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. I'd rate it 5/10 and also rate it as one of the most overrated books I've ever read. It's so meandering that I found it impossible to engage with any of the characters.

Handle with care - Jodi Picoult

It's interesting and a good involving read throughout, by turn taking the view of everyone in the family surrounding a child with osteogenis imperfecta and later the legal eagles involved in the trial for wrongful birth.

9/10

just finished this last week. Thought provoking and once i got into it i found it hard to put down. As with all the Jodi Picoult books i've read it tells the story from everyones point of view which makes it really interesting. I love this author! 9/10


Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone 9/10 Thought i'd better get my act together and read the books, been meaning to for years. Enjoyed this book from the very first page. Reading the second book now!

The Book of Lost Things - 8/10

Really good twist on classic fairly tales, liked the imagery and description, but felt the plot was a bit predictable, particularly the ending.

Junkies, judges and jail.
True tales from a sloicitor in Rotherham, good read :)

Halo Evolutions

Absolutly brilliant compelation of short stories from the Halo universe a definate must for any Halo fan

The Witches of Chiswick - Robert Rankin.

Good book....but enjoyed Retromancer more.
Must get my hands on the Brightonomicon. Have got the radio play, but would like to book too.

Stieg Larsson's trilogy; the girl with the dragon tattoo, the girl who played with fire and the girl who kicked the hornet's nest are the best i've read in years!

Stieg Larsson's trilogy; the girl with the dragon tattoo, the girl who played with fire and the girl who kicked the hornet's nest are the best i've read in years!

I am on the waiting list at the library for the last two,really enjoyed the first couldnt put it down.

The Witches of Chiswick - Robert Rankin.

Good book....but enjoyed Retromancer more.
Must get my hands on the Brightonomicon. Have got the radio play, but would like to book too.

I'm getting bored of Rankin's output nowadays. I've read them all but the old Brentford Trilogy ones were the best.

number9dream by David Mitchell 6/10

I really was not sure if I liked it or not! For some reason I wanted to carry on reading it and find out what happened but it also felt very disjoined going off a werid tangents that were just as good when you got into them. It is almost like lots of little stories weaved into one. I'd only advise reading it if you have the time to, it is not a put down and leave for a week book as you forget what happened and it;s hard to pick the story back up.

Currently reading a fraction of the whole which I'm really enjoying. Will give a score when I've finished it :)

Stieg Larsson's trilogy; the girl with the dragon tattoo, the girl who played with fire and the girl who kicked the hornet's nest are the best i've read in years!

I am on the waiting list at the library for the last two,really enjoyed the first couldnt put it down.

I was thrilled to get all three of "The Girl who.." books from Waterstones' Bookshop, on a 3 for 2 offer, a few weeks ago. I was gripped. GRIPPED I tell you! I could not put them down.

I was having quite a good conversation with some poor, random young lady, who had the misfortune ( ;) ) to be sat opposite me on the bus last night, with a copy of the second book, "Played With Fire", and we were both enthusing about how gripped we were with the trilogy.

If Random Young Lady On Bus (RYLOB) happens to be reading this:- I do apologise, profusely, for eating into your book-time on your journey home. But thank you, RYLOB, for the conversation, It's nice to meet someone as enthusiastic about books as I am. :D

Star of the Sea - just got round to reading this, and I really enjoyed it, it conjured up a brilliant feeling of the past and how things were, and was really interesting history that I didn't really know about before (Irish potato famine). I liked the way the narrator kept changing - the mixed use of historical extracts, letters and first person narration was interesting.

I'm currently struggling through Perdido Street Station by China Mieville - and getting frustrated by it to be honest! It has some really nice ideas buried in there and having battled my way through 472 pages I'm not going to be beaten now but the overwhelming experience is one of turgid, overblown, overwrought description that could do with a damn good editing!

Finally finished PSS and can't honestly recomend it. Some nice idea buried in it but the writing style was quite painfull and story managed to be confused and utterly predictable at the same time - quite a clever trick!

I was thrilled to get all three of "The Girl who.." books from Waterstones' Bookshop, on a 3 for 2 offer, a few weeks ago. I was gripped. GRIPPED I tell you! I could not put them down.

I must admit I was seriously unimpressed with "The girl who..." books. I read the first one and it was OK but nothing more. The second one I found awfull to the extent that I couldn't bring myself to read the third one!

Star of the Sea - just got round to reading this, and I really enjoyed it, it conjured up a brilliant feeling of the past and how things were, and was really interesting history that I didn't really know about before (Irish potato famine). I liked the way the narrator kept changing - the mixed use of historical extracts, letters and first person narration was interesting.

It took me a while to get into that one but once I did I couldn't put it down.

I read pretty much all the time am reading defence of the Realm at the moment. Always have a problem with getting rid of old books.

I was introduced to this site 'supaswap dot info' which lets you swap out books (and other stuff) for free with other members (again free to join)

Since then I rarely buy a book any more

Check it out

Hope this is of interest