<snip> 145. Death Message - Mark Billingham 7/10
Sphere (Hachette UK), 516 pages
<Detective> Tom Thorne book 6. As stated before, this series is as good as the Rebus and Wallander books... this case continues in that vein. A former top cops' teenage son goes missing after been seen with a strange women outside his school… Thorne is called in, when the police begin to suspect kidnap. Thorne working with Louise Porter in the Kidnap Unit, begins to suspect that there's a lot more to the case than what meets the eye. Great case, great read, great series.
146. Absolute Sandman volume two - Neil Gaiman etc. 6/10
Vertigo (DC Comics), 515 pages
<Graphic Novel> Sandman #21-40 - Includes Season of Mist, Distant Mirrors and the very good Game of You. 147. Sandman 1992 - 1993 - Neil Gaiman etc. 7/10
D C Comics, 493 pages
<Graphic Novel> Sandman #41-56, Death #1-3. More Gaiman genius with 'Brief Lives', 'Worlds End' and 'Death - The High Cost Of Living'
148 World War Hulk - Greg Pak, Paul Jenkins, Christos N Gage 7/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 1013 pages
<Graphic Novel> The sense shattering explosive successor event to Civil War… in which we get to see a rampant but intelligent Hulk invade Manhattan with his 'Warbound' from Planet Hulk and personally whups all three Avengers teams, the Astonishing and New X-Men, Fantastic Four, X-Factor, Excalibur, She Hulk, Dr Strange, Black Bolt and lots more. A mega event that saw further repercussions of the New Avengers Illuminati's machinations. 149. World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Greg Pak etc 5/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 219 pages
<Graphic Novel> World War Hulk: Aftersmash, WWH Damage Control and Warbound. The devastated Manhattan begins to repair itself with the help of Damage Control and registered and unregistered heroes. In Warbound Elloe, Korg, Brood, Hiriom and SHELD Agent Kate Waynesboro team up against the Leader! 150. Incredible Hercules - Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente etc 3/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 772 pages
<Graphic Novel> Incredible Hercules #112-141, Hercules V Hulk and Assault on New Olympus. This book emerged from the Incredible Hulk series post World War Hulk following Hercules and Amadeus Cho
151. Swamp Thing 1987 - 1988 - Rick Veitch, Alan Moore, Stephen Bisette etc 6/10
D C Comics, 680 pages
<Graphic Novel> Swamp Thing volume 2 #57-80, Annuals #3-4. Moore's run ends with Swamp Thing's return; Veitch takes over on a run dominatewd by John Constantine and the Parliament of Trees.
152. Ceremony in Death - J D Robb (aka Nora Roberts) 6/10
Piatkus Books, 327 pages
<Crime> The fourth case in Nora Robert's 'In Death' series written under the pseudonym JD Robb sees Lt Eve Dallas with the likeable Peabody in tow, get caught up in a murder of a cop that leads to a pretty absorbing story involving…. Wiccans! Somehow Robb/Roberts manages to write a convincing story set in the mid to late 21st century with hi-tech cops investigating a conspiracy of good and bad witches!
153. On The Beach - Nevil Shute 8/10
House Of Stratus Ltd, 296 pages
<Modern Classic> One of the last inhabited places on Earth is Australia post nuclear war in the Northern Hemisphere… and as the fallout slowly but steadily comes south the lives the people start making preparations (or not) for the big end. Meanwhile the second to last US nuclear submarine is docked at the harbour. A truly wonderful read.
22. She Rises by Kate Worsley. This book is quite unlike anything else that I've read lately and is quite explicit in places, not one that I'd recommend to my Mum!
It's set in Harwich in the mid 1700s and tells the stories of Louise and Luke. Louise is a dairymaid who has been plucked from farm life to become maid to the daughter of a sea captain. Luke has been press ganged into the Navy. We switch between the two stories and about three quarters of the way through the book is a twist. I thought that the twist was pretty obvious from the first chapter and was well signposted along the way. This didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book though.
I thought that the storyline post twist lost its way a bit but I could see what the author wanted to achieve by the end. I thought that the real strength of the book was the excellent evocation of life in a seaport and on-board ship in the 18th century.
79. Coronation Day (Campbell Road Saga, #3) by Kay Brellend 5/5
80. Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne 5/5
81. Blood and Ashes (Joe Hunter #5) by Matt Hilton 5/5
82. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella 3/5
83. Basically...: My Life as a Real Essex Girl by Gemma Collins 3/5
84. London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson 3/5
85. Hunger (Gone, #2) by Michael Grant 5/5
31.Guilt Trip by Anne Cassidy (11th-12th May) – a massive hiatus in my reading. This is because I’ve tried reading 3 different books in the last month and given up on them because I just couldn’t get into them. This one finally broke the drought, largely because it was easy to read, about teenagers killing other teenagers and was like the plot of Pretty Little Liars. No great shakes, but it was better than Just Jealous which is also by Cassidy and I accidentally read for the second time last year.
1 - Private Berlin by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan
2 - 12th of Never by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
3 - Hitman: My Real Life in the Wold of Cartoon Wrestling by Bret Hart
4 - Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child by Terrance Dicks
5 - Doctor Who and the Daleks by David Whitaker
6 - Doctor Who: Timewyrm: Genesis by John Peel 7 - Doctor Who: Timewyrm: Exodus by Terrance Dicks
8 - Alex Cross Run by James Patterson
Well I haven't been on for ages... At the end of Feb I split up with my boyfriend and have been busy finding somewhere to live etc so reading hasn't been top priority. I have 2 books to add in since my last lot but I'm miles behind of my 150 target now!!!
13) Letters to My Wife - Terry Dean. I loved this book, it was freebie on Amazon but it was funny, emotional and I couldn't put it down. Was really sad it ended which is always the sign of a good book!!! This was my favourite read of 2013 so far!!!
14) The Midwife's Confession - Diane Chamberlain. i enjoyed this book but you could see things coming. It was a good read though and I will be giving her other books a go.
Read The Shopaholic Series which was a nice wee bit of fluff which was good for getting me back into reading!!! Was nice to read them after the disaster of a film that they made about...
15) The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella.
16) Shopaholic Takes on Manhattan - Sophie Kinsella
17) Shopaholic Ties the Knot - Shophie Kinsella
18) Shopaholic and the Sister - Sophie Kinsella
19) Shopaholic and the Baby - Sophie Kinsella
20) Mini Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella
I loved the first 3 books and I found the following 2 a good development in the series just not as strong as the original ones. I did find the last book a bit strange though... It seemed liked everyone had had a complete personality transplant!!! That being said if they bring out another one I will read it no doubt!!!
<snip> 153. On The Beach - Nevil Shute 8/10
House Of Stratus Ltd, 296 pages
<Modern Classic> One of the last inhabited places on Earth is Australia post nuclear war in the Northern Hemisphere… and as the fallout slowly but steadily comes south the lives the people start making preparations (or not) for the big end. Meanwhile the second to last US nuclear submarine is docked at the harbour. A truly wonderful read.
154. Sandman 1994 - 1996 - Neil Gaiman etc. 7/10
D C Comics, 493 pages
<Graphic Novel> Sandman #57-75. The run finishes with 'The Kindly Ones' and 'The Wake'.
155. Son Of Hulk - Greg pak, Paul Jenkins etc. 6/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 433 pages
<Graphic Novel> Son of Hulk #1-17 + three one shots. Relating to the post 'Planet Hulk' Planet Sakaar, Old Power and Hulk legacy stories. Surprisingly good work for a Marvel 'cosmic' story. 156. Hulk 2009 - 2010 - Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness etc. 7/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 391 pages
<Graphic Novel> Hulk volume two #1-17… post World War Hulk and Secret Invasion, sees a gap to be filled… so along comes the Red Hulk! Jeph's high octane introduction to the Red Hulk with McGuinness' great artwork.
157. Girls Can't Make Gun Noises - Paul Surridge 7/10
Man Overboard Publishing, 287 pages
<Comedy> Long Listed - Wales Book of the Year 2013. Pretty spot-on and well crafted fictitious(?) biography about growing up in the 1970s… In Wales. This charts from 1975, when Hawaii Five-O was at it's height through to 1979 and the coming of Margaret Thatcher.
158. The Hurricane Party - Klas Ostergren 6/10
Canongate Books, 314 pages
<Mythology> Set in a dystopian future a man and his son just live their lives, until tragedy strikes and a resolution from the Clan is sought. An innovative reimagining of Norse Mythology set alongside a post-environmental break-down apocalypse. Interesting read, clever ideas, could have been bettered executed narrative wise
159. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets - J K Rowling 8/10
Bloomsbury, 251 pages
<Fantasy 8> Third time time's a charm (last read in 2007)… as on my third reading of this series, do I really begin to appreciate just how good it is. At Hogwarts paranoia, suspicion and danger rules as it is rumoured that the mythical Chamber Of Secrets has been re-opened.
160. Cards On The Table - Agatha Christie 8/10
Harper (HarperCollins), 320 pages
<Modern Classic> The fifteenth Poirot book case is a modern classic in my opinion.. With four detectives and four unconfirmed murderers invited to a dinner party, with the predictable result. Well crafted story with some great denouements towards the end. This case also saw the debut of the irrepressible detective fiction writer Ariadine Oliver.
161. Habit - Stephen McGeagh 8/10
Salt Publishing, 157 pages
<Horror> McGeagh's debut novel is pretty remarkable mixing urban decay and disenfranchisement with good old fashioned horror. Michael divides his time between cadging freebies, collecting dole and getting pissed, when without realising his life takes a huge turn on meeting a young women being thrown out of a dole office. Great debut set in the underbelly of Manchester. Highly rated by UK Amazon reviewers.
23. Nostromo by Joseph Conrad. I hated this book with a passion at the age of 17. This time round I listened to the audiobook version (unabridged) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Narration by Nigel Anthony was excellent.
Comments
148) The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh
146. Absolute Sandman volume two - Neil Gaiman etc. 6/10
Vertigo (DC Comics), 515 pages
<Graphic Novel> Sandman #21-40 - Includes Season of Mist, Distant Mirrors and the very good Game of You.
147. Sandman 1992 - 1993 - Neil Gaiman etc. 7/10
D C Comics, 493 pages
<Graphic Novel> Sandman #41-56, Death #1-3. More Gaiman genius with 'Brief Lives', 'Worlds End' and 'Death - The High Cost Of Living'
148 World War Hulk - Greg Pak, Paul Jenkins, Christos N Gage 7/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 1013 pages
<Graphic Novel> The sense shattering explosive successor event to Civil War… in which we get to see a rampant but intelligent Hulk invade Manhattan with his 'Warbound' from Planet Hulk and personally whups all three Avengers teams, the Astonishing and New X-Men, Fantastic Four, X-Factor, Excalibur, She Hulk, Dr Strange, Black Bolt and lots more. A mega event that saw further repercussions of the New Avengers Illuminati's machinations.
149. World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Greg Pak etc 5/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 219 pages
<Graphic Novel> World War Hulk: Aftersmash, WWH Damage Control and Warbound. The devastated Manhattan begins to repair itself with the help of Damage Control and registered and unregistered heroes. In Warbound Elloe, Korg, Brood, Hiriom and SHELD Agent Kate Waynesboro team up against the Leader!
150. Incredible Hercules - Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente etc 3/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 772 pages
<Graphic Novel> Incredible Hercules #112-141, Hercules V Hulk and Assault on New Olympus. This book emerged from the Incredible Hulk series post World War Hulk following Hercules and Amadeus Cho
151. Swamp Thing 1987 - 1988 - Rick Veitch, Alan Moore, Stephen Bisette etc 6/10
D C Comics, 680 pages
<Graphic Novel> Swamp Thing volume 2 #57-80, Annuals #3-4. Moore's run ends with Swamp Thing's return; Veitch takes over on a run dominatewd by John Constantine and the Parliament of Trees.
152. Ceremony in Death - J D Robb (aka Nora Roberts) 6/10
Piatkus Books, 327 pages
<Crime> The fourth case in Nora Robert's 'In Death' series written under the pseudonym JD Robb sees Lt Eve Dallas with the likeable Peabody in tow, get caught up in a murder of a cop that leads to a pretty absorbing story involving…. Wiccans! Somehow Robb/Roberts manages to write a convincing story set in the mid to late 21st century with hi-tech cops investigating a conspiracy of good and bad witches!
153. On The Beach - Nevil Shute 8/10
House Of Stratus Ltd, 296 pages
<Modern Classic> One of the last inhabited places on Earth is Australia post nuclear war in the Northern Hemisphere… and as the fallout slowly but steadily comes south the lives the people start making preparations (or not) for the big end. Meanwhile the second to last US nuclear submarine is docked at the harbour. A truly wonderful read.
It's set in Harwich in the mid 1700s and tells the stories of Louise and Luke. Louise is a dairymaid who has been plucked from farm life to become maid to the daughter of a sea captain. Luke has been press ganged into the Navy. We switch between the two stories and about three quarters of the way through the book is a twist. I thought that the twist was pretty obvious from the first chapter and was well signposted along the way. This didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book though.
I thought that the storyline post twist lost its way a bit but I could see what the author wanted to achieve by the end. I thought that the real strength of the book was the excellent evocation of life in a seaport and on-board ship in the 18th century.
80. Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne 5/5
81. Blood and Ashes (Joe Hunter #5) by Matt Hilton 5/5
82. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella 3/5
83. Basically...: My Life as a Real Essex Girl by Gemma Collins 3/5
84. London Bridges (Alex Cross #10) by James Patterson 3/5
85. Hunger (Gone, #2) by Michael Grant 5/5
2. I Can Make You Hate
3. On Writing
4. Coram Boy
5. Paranormality
6. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
7. The Wizard of Oz
Cannot wait to start reading properly once my uni course has finished. Just a couple of weeks to go now.
150) Soft Target - Conrad Jones
2 - 12th of Never by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
3 - Hitman: My Real Life in the Wold of Cartoon Wrestling by Bret Hart
4 - Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child by Terrance Dicks
5 - Doctor Who and the Daleks by David Whitaker
6 - Doctor Who: Timewyrm: Genesis by John Peel
7 - Doctor Who: Timewyrm: Exodus by Terrance Dicks
8 - Alex Cross Run by James Patterson
87. The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game, #1) by J. Sterling 5/5
Read The Shopaholic Series which was a nice wee bit of fluff which was good for getting me back into reading!!! Was nice to read them after the disaster of a film that they made about...
15) The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella.
16) Shopaholic Takes on Manhattan - Sophie Kinsella
17) Shopaholic Ties the Knot - Shophie Kinsella
18) Shopaholic and the Sister - Sophie Kinsella
19) Shopaholic and the Baby - Sophie Kinsella
20) Mini Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella
I loved the first 3 books and I found the following 2 a good development in the series just not as strong as the original ones. I did find the last book a bit strange though... It seemed liked everyone had had a complete personality transplant!!! That being said if they bring out another one I will read it no doubt!!!
154. Sandman 1994 - 1996 - Neil Gaiman etc. 7/10
D C Comics, 493 pages
<Graphic Novel> Sandman #57-75. The run finishes with 'The Kindly Ones' and 'The Wake'.
155. Son Of Hulk - Greg pak, Paul Jenkins etc. 6/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 433 pages
<Graphic Novel> Son of Hulk #1-17 + three one shots. Relating to the post 'Planet Hulk' Planet Sakaar, Old Power and Hulk legacy stories. Surprisingly good work for a Marvel 'cosmic' story.
156. Hulk 2009 - 2010 - Jeph Loeb, Ed McGuinness etc. 7/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 391 pages
<Graphic Novel> Hulk volume two #1-17… post World War Hulk and Secret Invasion, sees a gap to be filled… so along comes the Red Hulk! Jeph's high octane introduction to the Red Hulk with McGuinness' great artwork.
157. Girls Can't Make Gun Noises - Paul Surridge 7/10
Man Overboard Publishing, 287 pages
<Comedy> Long Listed - Wales Book of the Year 2013. Pretty spot-on and well crafted fictitious(?) biography about growing up in the 1970s… In Wales. This charts from 1975, when Hawaii Five-O was at it's height through to 1979 and the coming of Margaret Thatcher.
158. The Hurricane Party - Klas Ostergren 6/10
Canongate Books, 314 pages
<Mythology> Set in a dystopian future a man and his son just live their lives, until tragedy strikes and a resolution from the Clan is sought. An innovative reimagining of Norse Mythology set alongside a post-environmental break-down apocalypse. Interesting read, clever ideas, could have been bettered executed narrative wise
159. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets - J K Rowling 8/10
Bloomsbury, 251 pages
<Fantasy 8> Third time time's a charm (last read in 2007)… as on my third reading of this series, do I really begin to appreciate just how good it is. At Hogwarts paranoia, suspicion and danger rules as it is rumoured that the mythical Chamber Of Secrets has been re-opened.
160. Cards On The Table - Agatha Christie 8/10
Harper (HarperCollins), 320 pages
<Modern Classic> The fifteenth Poirot book case is a modern classic in my opinion.. With four detectives and four unconfirmed murderers invited to a dinner party, with the predictable result. Well crafted story with some great denouements towards the end. This case also saw the debut of the irrepressible detective fiction writer Ariadine Oliver.
161. Habit - Stephen McGeagh 8/10
Salt Publishing, 157 pages
<Horror> McGeagh's debut novel is pretty remarkable mixing urban decay and disenfranchisement with good old fashioned horror. Michael divides his time between cadging freebies, collecting dole and getting pissed, when without realising his life takes a huge turn on meeting a young women being thrown out of a dole office. Great debut set in the underbelly of Manchester. Highly rated by UK Amazon reviewers.
52. Tin Swift - Devon Monk
53. Fire Me Up - Katie MacAlister
54. Grave Dance - Kalayna Price