41) Maestra by L S Hilton
42) Known by Kendra Elliot
42) Known by Kendra Elliot
Reading Challenge 2016 (216 in 2016)
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10) Girl in the Train - Agatha Christie 4/10
Not really enjoying these short stories so far, very unrealistic.
Formula seems to be, two strangers meet, straight away they fall in love with each other and the man hints that they will be married.
Like what happens everyday, yeah
Not really enjoying these short stories so far, very unrealistic.
Formula seems to be, two strangers meet, straight away they fall in love with each other and the man hints that they will be married.
Like what happens everyday, yeah
35/ Psycho by Robert Bloch
Novel that the film is based on.
Even though I know the story from the film this is excellent. Gripping throughout.
36/ Doctor Who - Impossible Worlds by Stephen Nicholas and Mike Tucker
Behind the scenes book about the various design elements of the series. Much better than the Vault book. Superb imagery and more in depth coverage of how the art department works
Novel that the film is based on.
Even though I know the story from the film this is excellent. Gripping throughout.
36/ Doctor Who - Impossible Worlds by Stephen Nicholas and Mike Tucker
Behind the scenes book about the various design elements of the series. Much better than the Vault book. Superb imagery and more in depth coverage of how the art department works
12. I let you go by Claire Mackintosh
I was waiting for this fantastic twist that was trumpeted on the front cover- there was a little twist and I guess that was it. A bit disappointing tbh.
I was waiting for this fantastic twist that was trumpeted on the front cover- there was a little twist and I guess that was it. A bit disappointing tbh.
37/ Frequent Hearses by Edmund Crispin
Not the best Gervase Fen novel but it's reasonably engaging even if the solution comes completely out of nowhere.
Not the best Gervase Fen novel but it's reasonably engaging even if the solution comes completely out of nowhere.
38/ Ghost Devices by Simon Bucher-Jones
Number 7 in the Bernice Summerfield series.
Possibly the worst of the series so far. Written in an overly complicated style to cover up the flimsy nature of the plot.
Number 7 in the Bernice Summerfield series.
Possibly the worst of the series so far. Written in an overly complicated style to cover up the flimsy nature of the plot.
11) Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
It took a while, but I read it and glad I did so. Fantastic book. I liked the themes of social classes and morals. Also enjoyed how you'd have certain judgments about characters and then it gets turned on its head. I'll have to read some more Dickens. 8/10
It took a while, but I read it and glad I did so. Fantastic book. I liked the themes of social classes and morals. Also enjoyed how you'd have certain judgments about characters and then it gets turned on its head. I'll have to read some more Dickens. 8/10
My expectations of getting lots of time to read while waiting for my parents at doctors' offices have been shattered because now I almost always go into the offices with them. *sigh*
3. Gathering Blue (The Giver Quartet #2) by Lois Lowry – Kira grows up in a harsh environment, protected only by her mother. In this community, everyone fights over everything, and once Kira’s mother dies, Kira might lose her life, too, because of village women who want her cott’s location for themselves. Luckily for Kira, the Council of Elders decides to take Kira in and use her skill at embroidery to restore an important garment. I liked the book for the most part, but at times the children talked to each other very simplistically and it seemed like it was meant for younger readers than the first book, although this is a much more openly violent society than the one in the first book.
3. Gathering Blue (The Giver Quartet #2) by Lois Lowry – Kira grows up in a harsh environment, protected only by her mother. In this community, everyone fights over everything, and once Kira’s mother dies, Kira might lose her life, too, because of village women who want her cott’s location for themselves. Luckily for Kira, the Council of Elders decides to take Kira in and use her skill at embroidery to restore an important garment. I liked the book for the most part, but at times the children talked to each other very simplistically and it seemed like it was meant for younger readers than the first book, although this is a much more openly violent society than the one in the first book.
18. A Question of Inheritance (A Very English Mystery # 2) by Elizabeth Edmondson.
19. A Youthful Indiscretion (A Very English Mystery Novella) by Elizabeth Edmondson. A short story bridging books 1 & 2.
1953. A period of austerity and change after World War 2. Hugo Hawksworth was a spy on active service but has had to settle for a desk job in a secret establishment in the country after having been wounded. Lodgings are arranged for himself and his younger sister at Selchester Castle, seat of the Earls of Selchester. The old Earl disappeared seven years ago and his niece is the only member of the family still in residence.
An enjoyable, undemanding, easy read. Together with A Man of Some Repute, the first book, this was a promising series with good characters and an interesting time period. Life was changing fast and the Cold War was underway. Sadly the author died recently so I guess the series has come to an abrupt end.
19. A Youthful Indiscretion (A Very English Mystery Novella) by Elizabeth Edmondson. A short story bridging books 1 & 2.
1953. A period of austerity and change after World War 2. Hugo Hawksworth was a spy on active service but has had to settle for a desk job in a secret establishment in the country after having been wounded. Lodgings are arranged for himself and his younger sister at Selchester Castle, seat of the Earls of Selchester. The old Earl disappeared seven years ago and his niece is the only member of the family still in residence.
An enjoyable, undemanding, easy read. Together with A Man of Some Repute, the first book, this was a promising series with good characters and an interesting time period. Life was changing fast and the Cold War was underway. Sadly the author died recently so I guess the series has come to an abrupt end.
44) The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
45) The Accidental Guest by Tilly Tennant
46) I'm Not in Love by Tilly Tennant
47) Deadly Obsession by Nigel May
48) A Day at the Office by Matt Dunn
45) The Accidental Guest by Tilly Tennant
46) I'm Not in Love by Tilly Tennant
47) Deadly Obsession by Nigel May
48) A Day at the Office by Matt Dunn
4. The Client by John Grisham – I really hope this is the last Grisham audiobook the library sends us, because this was a stinker. Two boys are sneaking a cigarette when a mob lawyer parks nearby and tries to commit suicide. While trying to prevent the suicide, the older brother, Mark, gets pulled into the car and the lawyer tells him where a body is buried. The book is way too long, and essentially it boils down to just waiting for the kid to finally tell the FBI about the body. Good grief.
12. The Mud Sisters - Edie Claire
13. Unspoken - Sam Hayes
7/10 - I have read a couple of author books by this author and they were better than this one, but it was a reasonably good read about the body of a teenager girl being found and the local doctor being accused of her assault. The twist was fairly good and I was expecting it to be more predictable than it actually was.
13. Unspoken - Sam Hayes
7/10 - I have read a couple of author books by this author and they were better than this one, but it was a reasonably good read about the body of a teenager girl being found and the local doctor being accused of her assault. The twist was fairly good and I was expecting it to be more predictable than it actually was.
16) The Deadly Dozen - Americas 12 worst serial killers by Robert Keller
3/10
Did what it says on the tin.
A very brief overview of some notorious cases. Quick to read, its a pity its nothing more than a cut and paste job from Wikipedia.
3/10
Did what it says on the tin.
A very brief overview of some notorious cases. Quick to read, its a pity its nothing more than a cut and paste job from Wikipedia.
12) Our Little Neighbour - HG Wells - 5.5/10
13) The Thing in No.7 - HG Wells - 6/10
14) Through a window - HG Wells - 5.5/10
13) The Thing in No.7 - HG Wells - 6/10
14) Through a window - HG Wells - 5.5/10
39/ Deceptions by Rebecca Frayn
Reasonably engaging story of how a family reacts when a child goes missing.
This is ok but let down by the author trying to hard to add extra levels of mystery that aren't necessary. The mother is totally unsympathetic and making the father an unreliable narrator means that you're not sure what the true circumstances are.
40/ The Hammer Vault by Marcus Hearn
Probably the best of the Vault series as it has pictures of some truly rare merchandise. The writing covers each film individually but also places it within a wider context.
41/ The Red House Mystery by AA Milne
AA Milne's only mystery novel.
A light story which shows that Milne had potential as a crime novelist.
Perfectly pleasant way to pass the time.
42/ Doctor Who - A History of the Universe in 100 Objects by James Goss & Steve Tribe
Nice idea, well executed. Obviously based on the History of the World in 100 Objects this takes a look at the fictional Dr Who universe by focusing on 100 varied objects from the series.
It also looks at a bit of behind the scenes stuff too.
A nice touch about this book is that there is a sense of humour in some of the entries particularly those for UNIT and the Pandorica.
Reasonably engaging story of how a family reacts when a child goes missing.
This is ok but let down by the author trying to hard to add extra levels of mystery that aren't necessary. The mother is totally unsympathetic and making the father an unreliable narrator means that you're not sure what the true circumstances are.
40/ The Hammer Vault by Marcus Hearn
Probably the best of the Vault series as it has pictures of some truly rare merchandise. The writing covers each film individually but also places it within a wider context.
41/ The Red House Mystery by AA Milne
AA Milne's only mystery novel.
A light story which shows that Milne had potential as a crime novelist.
Perfectly pleasant way to pass the time.
42/ Doctor Who - A History of the Universe in 100 Objects by James Goss & Steve Tribe
Nice idea, well executed. Obviously based on the History of the World in 100 Objects this takes a look at the fictional Dr Who universe by focusing on 100 varied objects from the series.
It also looks at a bit of behind the scenes stuff too.
A nice touch about this book is that there is a sense of humour in some of the entries particularly those for UNIT and the Pandorica.
As I've been barrelling through books at a ridiculous rate I've decided to increase my target to 90.
Even allowing for choosing a couple of books that had more imagery than writing I'm still way ahead of schedule.
I don't know what's come over me this year!
Even allowing for choosing a couple of books that had more imagery than writing I'm still way ahead of schedule.
I don't know what's come over me this year!
43/ Most Wanted by various authors
Collection of short stories written by former presidents of the Private Eye Writers of America.
As you'd expect from any collection of short stories they are a mixed bag. While none are awful none are great either - most range from good to average.
Collection of short stories written by former presidents of the Private Eye Writers of America.
As you'd expect from any collection of short stories they are a mixed bag. While none are awful none are great either - most range from good to average.
20. Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor narrated by Peter Marinker.
This is ostensibly the story of a sea voyage from Ireland to the USA at the time of the Irish potato famine, however, much of the book is taken up with the back stories of the various characters. A mixture of people from those travelling first class down to the poor starving passengers in steerage. A literary sort of book and quite harrowing in places. I thought it was very good and that the narrator did an excellent job. The story slows right down towards the conclusion. I nearly gave up at that point as I thought that the book was pretty much finished, a good job that I didn't as it ended with a big surprise!
This is ostensibly the story of a sea voyage from Ireland to the USA at the time of the Irish potato famine, however, much of the book is taken up with the back stories of the various characters. A mixture of people from those travelling first class down to the poor starving passengers in steerage. A literary sort of book and quite harrowing in places. I thought it was very good and that the narrator did an excellent job. The story slows right down towards the conclusion. I nearly gave up at that point as I thought that the book was pretty much finished, a good job that I didn't as it ended with a big surprise!
64) The Long Hitch Home - Jamie Maslin
65) The Perfect Present - Karen Swan
66) Can We Live Here - Sarah Alderson
67) The Improbability of Love - Hannah Rothschild
65) The Perfect Present - Karen Swan
66) Can We Live Here - Sarah Alderson
67) The Improbability of Love - Hannah Rothschild
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