By Audrey Niffenegger
One of those books that absolutely everyone raves about, I stayed well clear of it until last year, when I picked it up at a boot sale for a buck (what's not to lose?). I'm glad that I came to it eventually, and discovered that the adoration professed by everyone who reads it is pretty much spot on. The characters are flawed and human, each wrapped up in their own problems, but still likable, and the love story that is weaved around is exquisitely played out.
I have read this before, so had an idea of what to expect, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this story, even if it was powerful enough to bring me to tears. I hope the movie can measure up to the sky-high expectations this book gave me.
Date finished: 13/11/09
Year total: no idea!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Last House in the Galaxy
Andy Secombe
The blurb suggested a funny book, which was enough for me to give it a try. I'm glad I did; this is a relatively light read, taking place all over the galaxy as the rebels try to steal a device out from under the Evil Dictator that would give them the advantage. With not-very-subtle comparisons to Star Wars and a thoroughly British sense of storytelling, this wasn't so much laugh-a-minute as it was a case of reading for an hour and not realising that time was passing.
Although I didn't get the sense that it was part of a series, I'd be keen to see what else I can find by Secombe. If it's much like this book, it'll be totally worth the effort.
Date finished: 21/03/09
Year total: 12
The blurb suggested a funny book, which was enough for me to give it a try. I'm glad I did; this is a relatively light read, taking place all over the galaxy as the rebels try to steal a device out from under the Evil Dictator that would give them the advantage. With not-very-subtle comparisons to Star Wars and a thoroughly British sense of storytelling, this wasn't so much laugh-a-minute as it was a case of reading for an hour and not realising that time was passing.
Although I didn't get the sense that it was part of a series, I'd be keen to see what else I can find by Secombe. If it's much like this book, it'll be totally worth the effort.
Date finished: 21/03/09
Year total: 12
The X Files: Goblins & Whirlwinds
Charles L Grant
Two separate stories, these are set near the first season of the show, before too much of the Conspiracy is looked into. Goblins deals with a military experiment gone astray, and comes to a climax at night in torrential rain. Whirlwinds takes place in the Southwest desert and involves Indian magic.
Both were good reads, and it's possible to pick up the conversations as they flow on the show; I'm not sure a non-fan would get much out of these stories, but they were a good way to spend an afternoon, almost nostalgic.
Date finished: 18/03/09
Year Total: 11
Two separate stories, these are set near the first season of the show, before too much of the Conspiracy is looked into. Goblins deals with a military experiment gone astray, and comes to a climax at night in torrential rain. Whirlwinds takes place in the Southwest desert and involves Indian magic.
Both were good reads, and it's possible to pick up the conversations as they flow on the show; I'm not sure a non-fan would get much out of these stories, but they were a good way to spend an afternoon, almost nostalgic.
Date finished: 18/03/09
Year Total: 11
Doctor Who and The Bodysnatchers
Mark Morris
The Doctor and Sam find themselves in Victorian England, while bodies are being stolen from graveyards and living people completely change their personalities.
I love the thread of humour that flows thru these books; it's possible to replace any doctor with your favourite and still have a recognisable Doctor.
Date finished: 11/03/09
Year total: 10
The Doctor and Sam find themselves in Victorian England, while bodies are being stolen from graveyards and living people completely change their personalities.
I love the thread of humour that flows thru these books; it's possible to replace any doctor with your favourite and still have a recognisable Doctor.
Date finished: 11/03/09
Year total: 10
Face the Fire
Nora Roberts
Magic in modern times; a coven of three is invaded by a love interest from years ago, just in time to do battle with an evil threatening to destroy them and their homes.
I this had the potential for me to really like it, but the fact that it was obviously the third in a trilogy, and nowhere on the cover did it say that (I would have read the others first if it had) meant that I was continually skipping bits that referred to other books, or just not understanding the undertones that followed the story.
I don't think I'll bother with any books by this author for a while. The fact that it was more like reading a Mills & Boon from page 110 meant that I was more frustrated than entertained.
Date finished: 04/03/09
Year Total: 9
Magic in modern times; a coven of three is invaded by a love interest from years ago, just in time to do battle with an evil threatening to destroy them and their homes.
I this had the potential for me to really like it, but the fact that it was obviously the third in a trilogy, and nowhere on the cover did it say that (I would have read the others first if it had) meant that I was continually skipping bits that referred to other books, or just not understanding the undertones that followed the story.
I don't think I'll bother with any books by this author for a while. The fact that it was more like reading a Mills & Boon from page 110 meant that I was more frustrated than entertained.
Date finished: 04/03/09
Year Total: 9
Sunday, March 1, 2009
True Grace:
The Life and Times of an American Princess
Wendy Leigh
0312381948
2008
Maybe I expect too much from biographies, but while I now know a lot more about Grace Kelly than I did before, I didn't really feel that I understood her by the time I finished this book.
Of course, it's always going to be difficult writing about someone who is no longer living, but it seemed that a lot of this book was based on interviews about people that knew her, and what they thought of her, instead of interviewing the people themselves.
Date Finished: 28/02/09
Year Total: 8
Wendy Leigh
0312381948
2008
Maybe I expect too much from biographies, but while I now know a lot more about Grace Kelly than I did before, I didn't really feel that I understood her by the time I finished this book.
Of course, it's always going to be difficult writing about someone who is no longer living, but it seemed that a lot of this book was based on interviews about people that knew her, and what they thought of her, instead of interviewing the people themselves.
Date Finished: 28/02/09
Year Total: 8
The Reliquary Ring
Cherith Baldry
0330492071
2004
Set in an alternative Venice, where Genics, genetically engineered creatures designed to serve, are an abomination to the upstanding citizens and the Church, but where they are also intelligent, thinking people, caught in a world they didn't ask for.
I thought this would be a quite bit of fluff, judging from the cover, but it was better than I expected. The was a large cast of characters, and while the genics were fleshed out, I felt that most of the humans were a little cliched, used as a backdrop to a story that rightly centred on the more interesting plight of the genics.
Date finished: 21/02/09
Year total: 7
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Was
Geoff Ryman
The 'real' story of Dorothy Gael and her life with her Aunt and Uncle in Kansas. There were other stories mixed in along the way, of Judy Garland while she was filming the movie, of a strange little Canadian boy, and a young man who goes to work in a mental hospital.
The other stories were distracting to me, until they started coming together and I could see the links that held everyone together.
There were two main themes that came through in this for me - sadness and futility. Although it should have been a really depressing read, it wasn't. I am a little relieved that it's finished and I can go on to something else, but I'm glad that I read it, and saw that the other side of the rainbow can hide an awful lot.
Date finished: 13/02/09
Year Total: 6
The 'real' story of Dorothy Gael and her life with her Aunt and Uncle in Kansas. There were other stories mixed in along the way, of Judy Garland while she was filming the movie, of a strange little Canadian boy, and a young man who goes to work in a mental hospital.
The other stories were distracting to me, until they started coming together and I could see the links that held everyone together.
There were two main themes that came through in this for me - sadness and futility. Although it should have been a really depressing read, it wasn't. I am a little relieved that it's finished and I can go on to something else, but I'm glad that I read it, and saw that the other side of the rainbow can hide an awful lot.
Date finished: 13/02/09
Year Total: 6
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Much Obliged, Jeeves
P.G. Wodehouse
0099706903
1971
I was expecting this to be a quick read, but found the formal language a bit of a shock and I had to slow down and think about a little more than the picture on the cover suggested.
That said, it didn't take long to adjust to the pace, and I found that I was able to really savour both the language and the story, rather than try to finish it and move onto the next one.
I felt that I was missing a lot of jokes and references to previous books, which was annoying, but the story itself was delightful. I don't think I'll actively hunt out the rest of the series, but would read them if they were handy.
Date finished: 03/02/09
Year Total: 5
0099706903
1971
I was expecting this to be a quick read, but found the formal language a bit of a shock and I had to slow down and think about a little more than the picture on the cover suggested.
That said, it didn't take long to adjust to the pace, and I found that I was able to really savour both the language and the story, rather than try to finish it and move onto the next one.
I felt that I was missing a lot of jokes and references to previous books, which was annoying, but the story itself was delightful. I don't think I'll actively hunt out the rest of the series, but would read them if they were handy.
Date finished: 03/02/09
Year Total: 5
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A Song for Nero
Thomas Holt
0-349-11614-8
Nero died in a ditch, his last words immortalised and repeated as legend. So the man dodging guards and prison cells all over the Empire was just a bloke who happened to look a little like him, right?
Told from the point of view of Nero's companion, a little Greek who fancies himself a thief (not a very good one, as he keeps getting caught), this book manages to be both funny and tragic, with an ending that makes you realise that Galen isn't quite as smart as he thinks he is.
Not a bad read, but there are pages where I felt my eyes glaze over. Not enough paragraphs breaks, and it's hard to plough through six pages of solid narrative.
Date finished: 25/01/08
Year total: 4
0-349-11614-8
Nero died in a ditch, his last words immortalised and repeated as legend. So the man dodging guards and prison cells all over the Empire was just a bloke who happened to look a little like him, right?
Told from the point of view of Nero's companion, a little Greek who fancies himself a thief (not a very good one, as he keeps getting caught), this book manages to be both funny and tragic, with an ending that makes you realise that Galen isn't quite as smart as he thinks he is.
Not a bad read, but there are pages where I felt my eyes glaze over. Not enough paragraphs breaks, and it's hard to plough through six pages of solid narrative.
Date finished: 25/01/08
Year total: 4
Friday, January 9, 2009
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