30. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King (14th-20th April) – on the surface, this book looks like one I didn’t enjoy as it took me much longer than recent books to read. It was a different challenge: I don’t usually read short stories and I sometimes found it hard to get into. Certainly the first two stories, ‘1922’ and ‘Big Trucker’ were pretty disturbing and graphic, and I didn’t think I’d like the rest of the book. However, later stories, especially the bonus ‘Under the Weather’ were really good.
19. The King's General by Daphne du Maurier. An enjoyable historical romance set mainly in Menabilly at the time of the English Civil War. A tragic heroine, a deeply flawed hero, a doomed romance and a secret hiding place are set against a backdrop of skirmishes between Cavaliers and Roundheads and internal feuds amongst the Cavaliers.
Not quite as atmospheric as Jamaica Inn but well worth a read if you like that sort of thing. I listened to the audiobook version, read by Juliet Stevenson. She's an excellent narrator.
I have the utmost respect for all you on here. Its the middle of April and I'm only half way through book 4 of The Game of Thrones series, I started at the begining of Febuary. Brilliant how some of you are in your hundreds. Keep it up.
I have the utmost respect for all you on here. Its the middle of April and I'm only half way through book 4 of The Game of Thrones series, I started at the begining of Febuary. Brilliant how some of you are in your hundreds. Keep it up.
Thanks Robert
I do spend too much time reading but its not harming anyone so why not
124. The Killing - David Hewson and Soren Sveistrup 9/10
Pan Books (Pan MacMillan), 707 pages
<Novelisation> A fantastic 'novelisation' of Sveistrup's BAFTA award winning series. I haven't watched the show, but as put forward in this book, bearing in mind Hewson still did additional research in Copenhagen, this is an amazing police procedural - political thriller - conspiracy tale driven by main character Sarah Lund's single mindedness in trying to discover the perpetrator of... the killing.
125. The New Titans 1994-1996 - Marv Wolfman etc. 6/10
D C Comics, 616 pages
<Graphic Novel> New Titans #106-130 with an almost all-new team and towards the end, a circle is completed as, after 16 years the series ends with Trigon and Raven, as it began.
126. The Incredible Hulk 1992-1993 - Peter David etc. 6/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 685 pages
<Graphic Novel> Incredible Hulk #389-412, Annuals #18-19, David's long run continues with Rick, Betty and Marlo back in the picture and the ever increasing prominence of the Pantheon. 127. The Incredible Hulk 1994-1995 - Peter David etc. 6/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 626 pages
<Graphic Novel> Incredible Hulk #413-423, Annuals #18-19, the fall of the Pantheon and the Sunville arcs commence.
128. The Flash volume three - Geoff Johns etc. 5/10
D C Comics, 263 pages
<Graphic Novel> The Flash volume three #1-12, the series that leads and feeds into the big Flashpoint DC event.
129. Malcolm X For Beginners - Bernard Aquina Doctor 7/10
For Beginners LLC, 186 pages
<Documentary> Thought provoking documentary summarising the life of Malcolm X, chock full of quotes, details of his tormented early life, his petty criminal days, his time with the Nation Of Islam and his final years after his visit to Mecca.
130. The Martians Are Coming - Alan Gallop 7/10
Amberley Publishing, 159 pages
<Documentary / History> The true story of the Mercury Theatre / Orson Welles production of HG Wells' War Of The Worlds on CBS radio in 1938 that led to panic in the New York, New Jersey areas and resulted in real injuries, chaos and significant disturbances on the night and reverberated across the United States, Hitler's Germany, Mussolini's Italy and around the entire world. A wonderful true story that demonstrated the reach and power of radio in the 1930s... as well as the genius of the man Orson Welles.
16. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
17. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (absolutely loved this:))
33. The Cruel Stars of the Night, by Kjell Eriksson. 2nd of the Inspector Ann Lindell series. Elderly men are being killed, seemingly with no link between them. 3/5
34. Burning Bright, by Ron Rash. Not usually a fan of short stories, but having recently discovered this fine American writer thought I would give this a go. Some wonderful stories here, set in Appalachia, he really is good. 4/5
35. The Man from Primrose Lane, by James Renner. Well, this was interesting to say the least, and distinctly a book of two halves. Good reviews, and even touted as a new style of form, this sets off at a cracking pace. If you like Stephen King, you will love the first half, and there are overt nods to Mr King along the way. Multi million selling author of a true crime miscarriage of justice, David Neff falls apart following the suicide of his wife. The links between the mysterious man who lives on Primrose Lane who is implicated with a series of killings and Neff's wife are told from differing times. This is pretty easy to follow until time travel comes into play. Whereupon I became totally lost. Good writing, but plot complication, sadly, leaves me with a score of 3/5.
36. Painter of Silence, by Georgina Harding. Could not get into this at all, which I feel is more my fault than that of the author. Beautifully written, the pre and post war story of a Romanian deaf mute and his love for the daughter of the local well to do family somehow left me cold. 2/5
37. Tudors:The History of England vol II, by Peter Ackroyd. Covering the beginnings of the Tudor dynasty to the birth of the Stuarts this comes close to the perfection of vol I. Perhaps we know too much about the Tudors to have any major surprises, and there is a narrowing or time from vol I, but some gems here. 4/5
135) The Last Time I Saw You - Eleanor Moran
136) You F'Coffee Sir - Liz and Julie (too many toilet stories in this one)
137) L is for Lawless - Sue Grafton (didn't enjoy this one though I have loved all the other alphabet books)
69. Judgement and Wrath (Joe Hunter, #2) by Matt Hilton 4/5
70. Slash and Burn (Joe Hunter, #3) by Matt Hilton 5/5
71. Cut and Run (Joe Hunter, #4) by Matt Hilton 4/5
72. Dexter in the Dark (Dexter, #3) by Jeff Lindsay 3/5
73. Dexter by Design (Dexter, #4) by Jeff Lindsay 5/5
74. Dexter Is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay 5/5
75. The Street (Campbell Road Saga, #1) by Kay Brellend 5/5
76. The Family (Campbell Road Saga, #2) by Kay Brellend 5/5
77. Meet Me at the Cupcake Café (Meet Me at The Cupcake Café, #1) by Jenny Colgan 5/5
78. Essex Boy: My Story by Kirk Norcross 5/5
Comments
Not quite as atmospheric as Jamaica Inn but well worth a read if you like that sort of thing. I listened to the audiobook version, read by Juliet Stevenson. She's an excellent narrator.
Struggled to read this. It was very hard to like any of the characters very much and so I found it hard to engage with this book
I read this last year - it really was a non-event.
63. The Secret Lorna Hill
Managed to track down the final 2 books I had never read. Bit of an anti-climax as not quite how I expected it to end.
Time for a change of pace.
64. Interview with a Vampire - Anne Rice
65. The Vampire Lest at . Anne Rice
66. Queen of the Dammed - Anne Rice
I love these books and I haven't read them for so many years. Forgot how good they were.
Thanks Robert
I do spend too much time reading but its not harming anyone so why not
125. The New Titans 1994-1996 - Marv Wolfman etc. 6/10
D C Comics, 616 pages
<Graphic Novel> New Titans #106-130 with an almost all-new team and towards the end, a circle is completed as, after 16 years the series ends with Trigon and Raven, as it began.
126. The Incredible Hulk 1992-1993 - Peter David etc. 6/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 685 pages
<Graphic Novel> Incredible Hulk #389-412, Annuals #18-19, David's long run continues with Rick, Betty and Marlo back in the picture and the ever increasing prominence of the Pantheon.
127. The Incredible Hulk 1994-1995 - Peter David etc. 6/10
Marvel Entertainment Group, 626 pages
<Graphic Novel> Incredible Hulk #413-423, Annuals #18-19, the fall of the Pantheon and the Sunville arcs commence.
128. The Flash volume three - Geoff Johns etc. 5/10
D C Comics, 263 pages
<Graphic Novel> The Flash volume three #1-12, the series that leads and feeds into the big Flashpoint DC event.
129. Malcolm X For Beginners - Bernard Aquina Doctor 7/10
For Beginners LLC, 186 pages
<Documentary> Thought provoking documentary summarising the life of Malcolm X, chock full of quotes, details of his tormented early life, his petty criminal days, his time with the Nation Of Islam and his final years after his visit to Mecca.
130. The Martians Are Coming - Alan Gallop 7/10
Amberley Publishing, 159 pages
<Documentary / History> The true story of the Mercury Theatre / Orson Welles production of HG Wells' War Of The Worlds on CBS radio in 1938 that led to panic in the New York, New Jersey areas and resulted in real injuries, chaos and significant disturbances on the night and reverberated across the United States, Hitler's Germany, Mussolini's Italy and around the entire world. A wonderful true story that demonstrated the reach and power of radio in the 1930s... as well as the genius of the man Orson Welles.
Really enjoying these.
17. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (absolutely loved this:))
Yes - that was a lovely book
34. Burning Bright, by Ron Rash. Not usually a fan of short stories, but having recently discovered this fine American writer thought I would give this a go. Some wonderful stories here, set in Appalachia, he really is good. 4/5
35. The Man from Primrose Lane, by James Renner. Well, this was interesting to say the least, and distinctly a book of two halves. Good reviews, and even touted as a new style of form, this sets off at a cracking pace. If you like Stephen King, you will love the first half, and there are overt nods to Mr King along the way. Multi million selling author of a true crime miscarriage of justice, David Neff falls apart following the suicide of his wife. The links between the mysterious man who lives on Primrose Lane who is implicated with a series of killings and Neff's wife are told from differing times. This is pretty easy to follow until time travel comes into play. Whereupon I became totally lost. Good writing, but plot complication, sadly, leaves me with a score of 3/5.
36. Painter of Silence, by Georgina Harding. Could not get into this at all, which I feel is more my fault than that of the author. Beautifully written, the pre and post war story of a Romanian deaf mute and his love for the daughter of the local well to do family somehow left me cold. 2/5
37. Tudors:The History of England vol II, by Peter Ackroyd. Covering the beginnings of the Tudor dynasty to the birth of the Stuarts this comes close to the perfection of vol I. Perhaps we know too much about the Tudors to have any major surprises, and there is a narrowing or time from vol I, but some gems here. 4/5
Apparantly a movie is being made of it.
I really hope the screenplay does it justice:)
136) You F'Coffee Sir - Liz and Julie (too many toilet stories in this one)
137) L is for Lawless - Sue Grafton (didn't enjoy this one though I have loved all the other alphabet books)
70. Slash and Burn (Joe Hunter, #3) by Matt Hilton 5/5
71. Cut and Run (Joe Hunter, #4) by Matt Hilton 4/5
72. Dexter in the Dark (Dexter, #3) by Jeff Lindsay 3/5
73. Dexter by Design (Dexter, #4) by Jeff Lindsay 5/5
74. Dexter Is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay 5/5
75. The Street (Campbell Road Saga, #1) by Kay Brellend 5/5
76. The Family (Campbell Road Saga, #2) by Kay Brellend 5/5
77. Meet Me at the Cupcake Café (Meet Me at The Cupcake Café, #1) by Jenny Colgan 5/5
78. Essex Boy: My Story by Kirk Norcross 5/5
Didn't enjoy this at all