generalkala starts a little late :)

Hello everyone.

I hope doing this is okay. Nobody else seems to have started late so if it's not acceptable I'm sorry.

But this is what I've read so far this year so I'm well on track. Wish me luck!

1) And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

2) Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

3) Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

4) Tempted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

5) Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie

6) The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

7) Fire by Kristin Cashore

8) Inferno by Dante Alighieri

9) Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

10) Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

11) The Girlfriend Experience by Rebecca Dakin

12) The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

13) The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw

14) Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie

15) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

16) Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

17) The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

18) Lord Sunday by Garth Nix

19) Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey and contributors

20) The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle

21) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

22) Shopaholic Abroad by Sophie Kinsella

23) The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

24) Frostbite by Richelle Mead

25) Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

26) At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie

27) 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

28) The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff

29) The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon

30) Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

31) Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

32) Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

33) Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

34) Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

35) Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

36) Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

37) Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

38) Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

39) Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

40) The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

41) Third Girl by Agatha Christie

42) Glass Houses: The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

43) The Dead Girl's Dance: The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

44) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

45) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

46) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

47) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

48) The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey

49) Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

50) The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott

51) Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman

52) The Luxe by Anna Godberson

53) The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

54) The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

55) The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

56) Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick

57) Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

58) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

59) Biblioholism by Tom Raabe

60) The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer

61) Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

62) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

63) 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

64) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

65) Ash by Malinda Lo

66) At the House of the Magician by Mary Hooper

67) Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

68) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

69) The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

70) The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton

71) The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

72) Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong

73) Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

74) The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey

75) Haunted by Kelley Armstrong

76) Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

77) No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong

78) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

79) Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

80) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

81) Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

82) We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee

83) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Bernard O'Donoghue

84) It's a Don's Life by Mary Beard

85) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemsin

86) First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde

87) Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

88) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

89) Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

90) Mort by Terry Pratchett

91) The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

92) Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

93) The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

94) Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson

95) The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

96) Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

97) The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott

98) I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

99) The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey

100) The Big Four by Agatha Christie

101) Endless Night by Agatha Christie

102) The White Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey

103) The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie

104) Odalisque by Fiona McIntosh

105) Emissary by Fiona McIntosh

106) The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

107) Goddess by Fiona McIntosh

108) Balthazar Jones and the Tower of London Zoo by Julia Stuart

109) Perfume: the Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind

110) The Small Hand by Susan Hill

111) I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story For Christmas by Adam Roberts

112) Elfhunter by C. S. Marks

113) Books v. Cigarettes by George Orwell

114) Mrs Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico

115) Mrs Harris Goes to New York by Paul Gallico

I just finished The Luxe by Anna Godberson, which will be no.52.

I think it's quite possibly the most irritating book I've ever read. Ah well, I'm looking forward to my next book, which I'm using for one of the TIOLI challenges :)

No problem with starting late! We are an equal opportunity group. Welcome!

Actually, lots of people have started late on here, although some of the newbies have joined in so well you wouldn't tell. Have a look back at when Genny and LizzieD started posting and though I started at the beginning of this year, I was new to the group then.

I also see you're in the UK - I live in London now but I'm from Leeds (which for the benefit of anyone outside Britain who wants to know, is about 30 miles north of Sheffield and about 200 miles north of London).

Why was The Luxe so irritating?

I'm actually from Bradford, I moved to Sheffield when I went to University and then stayed here afterwards. I used to go to Leeds every weekend, I know Leeds centre better than Bradford!

I found it irritating because it seemed to be a group of people just constantly whining about their own trivial problems and refusing to do anything about them. Not a lot happens, just a lot of over-priviliged rich children complaining. It's got brilliant reviews, but I just don't see it!

You didn't start late - you just registered late. 52 titles already - that's impressive.

Welcome! Never too late to start.

It appears to have had quite mixed reviews on LT. Hope your next reads are better.

I just finished The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig.

It's strange, it was recommended for people that liked the Luxe, which I hated, but I adored this book.

It tells the tale of Eloise, a young scholar who unearths the surprising secret identity of the Pink Carnation, a masked rebel during the years after the French Revolution. The story involves the Purple Gentian, the Scarlet Pimpernel and a host of other likeable masked characters.

I knew from the first page I was going to love it. It's clever, witty and engrossing. One of my favourite reads this summer, I think

I read The Luxe last year and wasn't that taken with it. I felt the girls were a bit too modern for the period the book was set in. Anyway The Secret History of the Pink Carnation looks interesting so I'll check it out. It's clever, witty and engrossing.. That's an excellent recommendation.

That was exactly the problem, avatiakh. I'm pretty sure the sluttiness of some of the women in the Luxe would not have been condoned in 1890s New York!

I finished my 54th book today too - Girl with a Pearl Earring.

I've read it before, but Tracy Chevalier's books never seem to stay in my head for long. It's strange because I do like the, but they're just so forgettable. It's possibly because the quality is in the depth of character and description as the plots are simple with little action and few twists.

I just love how she takes something simple such as a tapestry or a portrait and weaves a whole story around it.

The only book of Chevalier's that I have read is Remarkable Creatures and I liked it a great deal. Have you read that one yet, Hanna?

Actually, yes, it's no. 49. I read it for the ISBN challenge and I loved it. I thought her books had been slipping in quality a little lately, but Remarkable Creatures pulls them right back up!

I just didn't think the romance was necessary, it felt a little out of place. But that was my only gripe so I'm happy!

I am glad you liked it!

Catching up on threads today. Welcome!

Had to laugh when I read your complaints about Luxe. I would hazard a guess that you didn't cry about the recent episode in the Lindsay Lohan story?

Mamzel, whatever do you mean? I simply live to follow the exploits of whiny, self-centered teenage socialites and their trivial problems! :P

Hence my feelings on Luxe.

55) The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

I have this book in an omnibus of all five stories so it always surprises me when I reach the end of this one. I always remember it to be longer than it actually is.

I do enjoy it though. The narration is so clever and witty. The character development is somewhat lacking but the plot and sarcasm more than make up for it. There's a cult following for a reason.

And who can't love Marvin the Paranoid Android?

#18: I have got to read that one! I love the name Marvin the Paranoid Android, lol.

"Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to take you to the bridge. Call that job satisfaction, 'cause I don't."

Douglas Adams = genius. That is all.

Definitely. He was one hoopy frood who really knew where his towel was.

56) Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick.

This is not a book about the Russian Revolution. This is a book about Arthur Ransome.

Ransome was the author of Swallows and Amazons (amongst other adventure stories) and a journalist during the Russian Revolution. The novel revolves around his life, his aquaintances and his problems, few of which relate to the Revolution. This fascinating historical event happens almost in the background, an afterthought.

Although his moral dilemmas over whether to become a spy form a large part, there is little else regarding the Revolution. The execution of the Tsar and his family form a mere three lines, while the difficulties in travelling back and forth between England and Russia drag on forever.

It is also clearly a children's book. The language is very, very simple and the few factual parts are toned down for easier understanding.

There are no likeable characters.

All in all, the novel provides a very basic understanding of the Russian Revolution, if you're prepared to slog through the meanderings of Arthur Ransome's troubles with his wife.

I've got Blood Red, Snow White down to read for the TIOLI challenge as well. I better get on with it, I'm trying to read all his books before the end of the year and I have at least another 4 to go. His latest White Crow sounds like a good gothic read.

>24 avatiakh:. This was the first of his books I've read, and it's put me off his others a little. I've got a few of them on my shelf to read but it might be a while before I get round to them.

I think I was just expecting something a little more adult.

57) Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

A fantasy book based on a different premise altogether.

I read this as a stand-alone book, without realising there was a full series before this one. This meant I had difficulty understanding the many allusions to the plot and characters of the previous books. I may have liked it more if I had read them, but the cover said 'Book One' so I wasn't aware there were more.

Opal can work magic with glass and is sent on a dangerous mission by the Council to discover why a clan of stormdancers are having trouble working their own magic. Along the way, Opal deals with her own perceptions, two love rivals and her growing powers.

Unfortunately, she is thoroughly annoying. She whines constantly about her own misfortune and how her powers aren't strong enough. She decides not to pass on important information in case it makes her look bad and generally stomps round self-pityingly.

The general concept is a brilliant one. She can use little glass animals she creates to do her bidding and to communicate with other magicians. Glass orbs form the basis of her power, which often makes her the target of ridule from the other, more convential, magic-users. I like this because it is so different from all the other fantasy novels with their usual spells and wands, the glass is a unique idea and it works fantastically.

The plot could use a little speeding up as quite a lot of time seems to be spent travelling and being attacked by the same group of people again and again. However, it flows reasonable well with only a few dry spells.

The novel is easy to read and flows well. The dialogue seems natural and unstilted and the characters are well rounded, aside from Opal herself.

Worth a read, but only if you read the previous series first.

Interesting. I'm reading my first book by Maria Snyder right now, Inside Out, and I'm not quite sure what I think of it yet... I might try the 'Glass' books afterward, but we'll see...

>27 dk_phoenix:. Inside Out seems very different to the Glass series. Although I'd read the previous series first, or this one is a little confusing. It starts with Poison Study.

It is worth a read though, purely because it's such a change from all the other fantasy books out there at the minute.

58) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

This is a very difficult book to write a review of, so I'm not really going to bother.

It's well written, funny, unique and lovely, but it's so thoroughly depressing. Every time I read it, I acknowledge that I won't be reading it again for quite some time. It deals with a difficult subject matter and completely moves you through it's jilted style and little pictures.

Obviously this is the sign of an excellent pageturner, but I don't know. It actually makes me not want to touch it, although I realise this is a fault of mine, not the novel's.

Well, wasn't that a load of babble?

59) Biblioholism by Tom Raabe

What a strange book.

Theoretically, the book is a series of articles detailing how to deal with a maddening disease known as biblioholism - the loving of books. This involves numerous chapters listing symptoms of the disease, a quiz for diagnosis, etc. But then this seems to go out the window halfway through the book, and it then morphs into a series of rambling articles that surely must have been inserted purely as filler. An example of this is a full chapter comprising of nothing but a list of bookish anecdotes about a Dr. Johnson, although it never explains who this man actually was.

The book is full of repetition - Raabe mentions the same concepts in every article. Furthermore, each is set out differently. Some have wide margins, others have borders, others have dated illustrations. I realise this is picky, but it annoys me nevertheless.

I would have enjoyed it more if the author hadn't sounded quite so pretentious. It reads as though he wanted to prove he was well read, so name-dropped as many classical authors and used as many long words as possible in every sentence.

I read somewhere that this was originally a series of articles that Raabe expanded drastically to form a book - You can tell.

Ah, finally a book I can skip without guilt.

#30 I have that one in the wishlist so I'm sorry to hear it's so repetitive and bitty. Oh, well.

I have somehow managed not to read The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy; I keep meaning to, so thanks for reminding me.

#30: I rather liked that one myself - probably because I saw so much of me in it, lol!

I tried the series starting with Poison Study. I enjoyed it but found that each successive book was much less to my liking. I ended up abandoning it, so I think I'll pass on this one.

>33 alcottacre:. That was my problem, I think, alcottacre. I didn't see myself in it. I'm a readaholic as much as anyone, but I've never started eating my books or sewing them into coatlinings like he suggested!

I think it needed to pick a direction - either be less serious, or more. He just needed to make his mind up!

>30 generalkala:. You should definitely read it, CatyM :) The sequels aren't so good but HhGttG is amazing.

>34 TadAD:. Did you get as far as Sea Glass, TadAD? I did think that the glass magic was a unique concept, I just found Opal annoying. I am dubious of starting Poison Study.

60) The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer

I have to confess - I am a Twilight fan! But shh, keep that quiet :)

This was a lot, lot better than I expected.

It is very, very short, but any longer and it would have felt wrong. It is the perfect length to tell the story of Bree Tanner, a new vampire created to fight the Cullens. She is lied to and misled as to her purpose, and the reason behind the showdown is explained.

A lot of story is packed into this little book and it is written extremely well. I actually prefer this to Breaking Dawn.

61) Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

This has to be my favourite Discworld novel.

I love the character of Susan Sto Helit, a 'plucky gel' who refuses to believe in magic, tooth fairies and talking ravens, despite the fact that her grandfather is Death.

It's just so... unique. Nobody else has ever written a novel that comes close to the sheer oddity and cleverness of a book like Soul Music. Two pages are devoted to dialogue involving references to real life bands, including a mention of some 'spotted animal with hearing difficulties' (Def Leppard).

It does have its psuedo-profound moments as well, where it speculates on the concept of music as a natural force and its possession of those that play it.

Witty, snide, and laugh-out-loud funny.

>35 generalkala:: No, Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study...done

I really enjoyed Soul Music when I red it a few years ago! Very clever, lots of laughs.

However, I disagree that Bree Tanner was "written extremely well"... the writing, in fact, was one of my main complaints about it! LOL. But as I said in my review, the story was for Twilight junkies like yourself ;) so in that respect, I'm glad you enjoyed it and it gave you what you needed! It just wasn't for me.

>39 dk_phoenix:. I think I judged it as written well in comparison to Breaking Dawn, the last in the Twilight series. It was terribly, terribly written to the point where just reading it made me cringe a little. I was just glad that she'd got her act together after that appalling fourth book.

62) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I appreciate that I'm probably going to be chased down by a mob with burning pitchforks for saying this, but what on earth is the fuss about with this book?

It's badly written with one-dimensional characters and only a rudimentary knowledge of Islam and Afghanistan. It's one saving grace is the relationship between Laila and Mariam, which is beautifully developed.

It's readable, but I just can't see how it stayed on the bestseller list for so long.

Am I the only one? I can't be.

63) 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.

I ADORE this book.

I like epistolary novels anyway, but this one is particularly charming. There is little to no plot, just a series of letters from a young woman in New York to the owners of a bookshop in London, but it really doesn't need one. A lot of the letters revolve around the books being ordered, but all the recipients sneak in little snippets of their own lives.

It's absolutely beautiful. So simple, but adorable and witty as well.

I want to write more on this, but there's nothing to say. It's a tiny little book that really grabs your attention and affections.

#42: One of my all-time favorites! There is a pretty good film version with Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, and Judi Dench too, if you want to look for it, Hanna.

>43 alcottacre:. I knew there was a film, but I didn't realise it had Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench in.

I'd be interested in seeing how they've done it. I just can't see how they've adapted an epistolary novel into film form :s

That's a book that I'm afraid would be spoiled by the movie. It's so well done that any change would detract.

I actually learned of the book from the movie, which is extremely rare for me. I enjoyed the film, then sought out the book and love them both for their own sake.

I was just glad that she'd got her act together after that appalling fourth book.

Agreed! I'm with you on that one, for sure.

#41 - After struggling through and getting quite angry with The Kite Runner I would never read another book by Khaled Hosseini.
#25 - Back to Marcus Sedgwick - he writes for younger teens and I love how he writes with such simplicity and elegance. That said I'm only 20 pages into the Blood Red, Snow White book and so far it's different from the others I've read, it reads like a child's history lesson. If you want to try another, his My swordhand is singing might appeal as it's based on vampire folklore.

>48 avatiakh:. I feel the same, I'll never read another of his books now

I didn't find his writing simple and elegant. I found it simple and stilted. It just didn't seem to flow at all. You're right, it does read like a child's history lesson, but unfortunately I'm not a child! I think the main problem was that I expected it to be more adult than it was.

64) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

I read a review on Amazon where the reviewer really enjoyed this book until the last third, when she said it got bored. I feel exactly the opposite, trudging through it resentfully, until I reached the last third. At this point it suddenly morphed into one of the best books I've ever read and I couldn't put it down.

Everybody knows the basic story of Oliver Twist - workhouse boy falls in with a gang of street thieves in London. However, this only takes up the first third, if that, and it occurred to me that I had no idea what happened /after/ that. It turns out to be a very interesting story.

It's been said before, and probably will be again, but Charles Dickens uses three pages where two sentences will suffice and this irritated me a little. At one point he took up a page and a half to say how he wasn't going to say much on that particular topic. It can make the novel hard going sometimes.

I do love his dry, sarcastic humour though, particularly during the workhouse scenes near the beginning. Throughout these scenes, you are made very aware that this is a book with A Point. It's primary objective was not to entertain, but to showcase the terrible conditions of the workcases to the Victorian public. After these scenes, the tone of the book changes and it becomes much less biting.

It's definitely worth reading, but the last third is far better than the rest.

>50 generalkala: Your review reminds me of the time I read Nicholas Nickelby, because I was going to see the play and thought I should understand the plot (ha! - the play was magnificent and the plot clear as glass). I was astonished to find how much I enjoyed his pointed, sarcastic comments.

I really like the film of 84 Charing Cross Road. Not as much as I love the book, but I do really like it. They did a good job of making the letters into something visual.

>51 ffortsa:. I think Charles Dickens is the king of sarcastic comments, ffortsa! Isn't it strange how we know the titles of all his works but are clueless as to the actual plot?

>52 Eat_Read_Knit:. I might buy the film then as it has so many good reviews! I still can't see how they've made the letters into a film, but it might be worth finding out.

65) Ash by Malinda Lo

A Cinderella retelling that isn't very Cinderella-y.

This is meant to be a reworking of the classic fairy tale with the addition of fairies, but the original is barely recognisable. Ash and the Prince barely pay attention to each other, 'Cinderella' is a lesbian, there's no glass slipper to be left behind and no transformation of vegetables into carriages. The only aspect of it that does overlap is a ball gown that magically appears on the doorstep. I don't understand why the girl is holding glass slippers on the cover, as there aren't any in the story.

The writing is very readable but clearly aimed at younger readers. However, the descriptions are beautiful and clearly make you feel the elegance of the scenery. The dialogue is unstilted and natural. Malinda Lo obviously has skill.

The thing that struck me most was the complete lack of emotion. The reader is never told how Ash feels, whether it's hatred, love or jealousy. She takes the existence of fairies as the most natural thing in the world and doesn't even consider that this might be, perhaps, a little bit odd.

The ending is rather rushed, I feel, but I won't spoil it.

Basically, a quick yet forgettable read.

>54 generalkala:: That sound like one that I don't need to put on the list.

I have to admit—given the "meant to be a reworking of the classic fairy tale" part—the " the Prince barely pay attention to each other, 'Cinderella' is a lesbian, there's no glass slipper " is amusing.

That's almost like, "If Hansel were in this story, it would be like Hansel and Gretel, if only Gretel was a character." :-D

>54 generalkala:: Huh. Interesting. As terrible as the book sounds, I like to read re-tellings to see what each author's interpretation of the story is... and then try to avoid that or learn from it in my own writing. I might pick it up if I see it somewhere, keeping in mind that it's not very good. Haha.

>55 TadAD:. Haha! Or 'This book is just like Little Red Riding Hood, only without a wolf. Or a grandmother. Or anything red or vaguely cloak-like. And there's no wood-cutter. Otherwise, it's EXACTLY the same!'

>56 dk_phoenix:. I like retellings too, my favourites are those by Mercedes Lackey. She uses the addition of elemental magic to make them unique and it works really well. Phoenix and Ashes is the Cinderella one.

Pick Ash up if you see it cheap somewhere, but don't put in great amounts of money or effort.

67) Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Student glass magician Opal Cowan's newfound skills to steal a magician's strength makes her too powerful.

Kept under house arrest, Opal dares defy her imprisonment to search for Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. 'Thinks' because she is sure another man - now her prisoner - has switched souls with Ulrick.

In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn't sure whom to trust. And now everyone is after Opal's special powers for their own deadly gain...

(from the blurb)

Hmm. This book is exactly the same as the first one, Storm Glass, only without the advantage of being unique.

To me, sequels are meant to be a new story, not a dragging out of the old one. Storm Glass was concluded nicely with most loose ends tied up and completed. This novel insists on dragging out that one loose end into a full-length story, when perhaps it would have been better to add it as a few extra pages to the previous.

The same faults persist as in the previous book - the same band of villians attack Opal on dark nights three of four times throughout the story, each time miraculously escaping from whichever guard happened to save them that time. This adds a very, very predictable edge to the book.

Similarly, Opal is still ridiculously annoying and whiny. She complains constantly about her position in life without actually trying to do anything about it. She is silly and naive, and at one point feels embarrased for screaming after she is pushed off a cliff. And yet, she seems to have no feelings or emotions, even when an event occurs that will alter her life forever! She calmly accepts being captured each and every time, and I suppose we're meant to just assume that she likes her partner without ever being told. Lack of emotion in books is a pet hate of mine, I admit, but this book is severely guilty of it.

Having said that, Sea Glass is a very readable novel and I did enjoy it. The concept of Opal's glass magic is still unique, although I would have liked to have been told a little more about it.

I will buy the next one, although I hope to God Opal will actually have some feelings.

>41 generalkala:: I was picking up my pitchfork, but quickly put it down with your redeeming comments on 84, Charing Cross Road. ;-)

I actually like to read comments about books that disagree with the way I felt. I can usually learn something from them -- and yours are humorous to boot! I'm enjoying your thread.

>59 Donna828:. Glad to hear it Donna! And everybody loves 84, Charing Cross Road, how can you not? :)

67) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

When her corgis stray into a mobile library parked near Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels duty-bound to borrow a book. Discovering the joy of reading widely (from J. R. Ackerley, Jean Genet, and Ivy Compton-Burnett to the classics) and intelligently, she finds that her view of the world changes dramatically. Abetted in her newfound obsession by Norman, a young man from the royal kitchens, the Queen comes to question the prescribed order of the world and loses patience with the routines of her role as monarch. Her new passion for reading initially alarms the palace staff and soon leads to surprising and very funny consequences for the country at large.

This is so short I almost feel guilty including it in this list!

I did enjoy it though. It's hardly profound literature, but I am British and our monarchy does interest me. Obviously it's fiction through and through, but it presents Queen Elizabeth in a more gentle and humane light than the current tabloids.

For such a simple story, it really does drag you in and invites you to sympathise with the Queen. After all, she just wants to read and who here hasn't felt the nagging pull of a book? :)

I wonder if she'd like to join LT? ;)

#61: I enjoy that one too! I am glad you liked it Hanna.

69) The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

I'm not going to review this as such, because lets face it, all Agatha Christie books are the same.

I just want to say that I do like the character of Bundle, who I've never come across before. And also, I hated the ending. It was unpredictable, it's true, but still.

#61: I really enjoyed that one as well. I loved the reactions of others to her new interests and her attempts at discussing books.

Delurking to say that I agree with you about A Thousand Splendid Suns. But I have to say I did enjoy The Kite Runner.

70) The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton

Meh.

This is one of those books that can only be called 'alright.' It's perfectly readable, but promptly forgotten when you've finished.

The only thing that bothered me is the complete lack of realism. Certain things happen that could not possibly be entertained as realistic, and don't even come across as normal in the book. It's supposed to be semi-serious but this particular event seems out of place and unnecessary,

The characters are likeable and all have their own distinct personalities. It does seem a little strange that so many of them can magically speak English!

I don't like the ending, but it is a very powerful one and possibly the only part of the book that is vaguely realistic.

It's worth a read, but don't go out of your way to do so.

#66: I just started this one. I've had it on my shelf for a while, and I saw you had listed it for the TIOLI challenge.

>67 carlym:. Oh good, come back and let me know what you think about it? I love other people's opinions of books I've recently read.

>66 generalkala:: Well, my opinion doesn't differ much from yours, Hanna. I remember thinking this could have been a much better book....but now I forget why!
Meh, indeed.

71) The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

I adore the Thursday Next series, I could quite happily read them every day for the next ten years.

Thursday is from our world, but is temporarily residing in an out-of-print book due to the Goliath Corporation's desire to kidnap her and force Thurday to tell them how to jump into books. Along the way, she attends a trial in Alice in Wonderland for her accidental changing of the ending in Jane Eyre and saves the Bookworld from a 'mispeling vyrus.'

It sounds like a children's book, but it's really not. The language is too advanced and there are too many references to classical works for that. That's possibly the best thing about these books though - all the allusions. For example, whilst in a field full of rabbits, Thursday thinks about how much 'Lenny' would like it. During the Book Awards, 'Scout Finch' wins a trophy for the best lead in a Coming-of-Age novel. It's the little asides that make the book really sparkly.

I really have nothing bad to say. I love the unique format, with the heavy use of footnotes and the use of classical characters as the Fiction Police.

These books are easily one of my favourite series.

#66: I finished The Camel Bookmobile last night. I did get drawn into the story, but I agree that it is completely unrealistic. It seems so unlikely that four or so people in the tiny tribal village would speak fluent English, that the relationship would develop between Miss Sweeney and Matani, etc. I did like that the book examined, to some extent, the unintended consequences of Western aid.

#71: I love this series. I haven't read the last one (Thursday Next: First Among Sequels) because I'm kind of saving it for a rainy day :)

>71 carlym:. It was the relationship between Fi and Matani that irritated me as being unrealistic. They'd be too alien to one another for something like that to happen in such a short period of time.

I can barely remember First Among Sequels. I really need to reread it.

72) Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong


Columbus is a small, fading town, untouched by the twenty-first century. But when three young women are found dead - victims of what appear to be ritual murders - things start to get very dark, and very dangerous ...Private investigator Savannah Levine can handle 'dark and dangerous'. As the daughter of a black witch, she has a lot of power running through her veins, and she's not afraid to use it. But her arrival in Columbus has not gone unnoticed. Savannah may think she's tracking down a murderer, but could she be the killer's next target? Of course she could always ask her old friend (and half-demon) Adam Vasic for back up. But Savannah has her own - very personal - reasons for keeping Adam well away from Columbus. And in any case, she can rely on her own powers. Can't she ...?

This just isn't as good as Kelley Armstrong's usual works.

Firstly, the story barely revolves around the supernatural. It's added almost as an after thought. It read just like any normal murder mystery and even contact with other supernaturals is very limited. It's boring and I've never said that about a Kelley Armstrong book before.

To be fair, I've never clicked with Savannah. She's selfish, stubborn and whiny. The case is solved by her incredible leaps of faith - she makes assumptions and guesses based on almost nothing at all. The 'twist' at the end is ridiculously predictable, but afterwards Savannah just shrugs and claims that she knew it along. If she did, then she's an idiot for going along with it.

A strange criticism, but the author seems to have no concept of age. Kayla is eight, but talks like she's fifteen. Savannah is 21, but talks like she's 33. She constantly refers to when she was 'young' and talks about how she's ashamed of living at home when she's so old. A small thing, but it really bugged me.

Normally, the romance in Kelley Armstrong's book is subtle and slowly developed - it's part of the reason why her books are so good. But in Waking the Witch, it's just shoved in there. We don't know if/why Savannah/Michael like each other, we're just told that they do. There's no build up, just suddenly they're making out against a tree.

I think the author should focus on the supernatural more, and try avoid bog-standard murder mysteries

#73: Too bad about that one, Hanna. I am a fan of Armstrong's books, but I think I will be passing on that one.

Hanna - what did you think of The girl with glass feet, I'm planning to read it this month?

>75 avatiakh:. It's a bit strange. Beautifully written and very sad. But I just couldn't get into it, it never drew me in and grabbed me.

It's got rave reviews from nearly everybody else though, I can't wait to see what you think of it.

Thanks, it sounds pretty interesting. So I have to ask if you've read Troll: a love story, I thought I should read it after seeing a few people listing it in their 1010 challenges earlier this year.

Uncounted - How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

I'm sure this book has a very good storyline. If I'd actually managed to get past page 10, I could have let you know.

This book is appallingly written. It's written as a young teenager speaks, so the sentences are long and babbly with little punctuation. Random words in every sentence are capitalized and quote marks are never used.

I'm sure I'm missing the point and that it's just a unique style or whatever, but regardless of the intention it's ridiculously hard to read.

How this was shortlisted for the Orange Award I'll never know.

#78: I bought that one last year but still have not read it. I think I might not be now.

73) Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

A very clever paraody of the Phantom of the Opera as told by Agnes, a fat witch with 'a nice personality' and a voice that can sing in harmony with itself.

This is earily one of my favourite Discworld books. It parodies extremely will but quite subtely so it's also a good standalone book. The three witches are as amusing as ever and I loved the in-jokes about musicals such as 'Miserable Les.'

I struggle to review Terry Pratchett's books because they're all so similar, but they're popular for a reason.

74) The Black Swan by Mercedes Lackey

Baron Eric von Rothbart, a powerful sorcerer, hunts down women who have betrayed men and transforms them into swans who can only resume their true forms by moonlight. His lonely daughter Odile, who watches the flock and studies spells, longs vainly for his approval. One day von Rothbart tells Odette, the swan princess, that she can break the spell by winning and holding a man's faithful love for one month. He's even chosen a candidate, Prince Siegfried. Unfortunately, the prince is a womanizing hedonist. Should Odette succeed nevertheless, von Rothbart secretly plans a trap for them and the prince's ambitious mother, Queen Clothilde, who schemes to rule in her own right. But he must use Odile, who has befriended Odette and is no longer her father's puppet.

I do seem to like fairytale retellings at the minute!

This particular story is magnificent though. It's a retelling of Swan Lake, although with a different ending to the German original.

Although it does take a little getting into, by the end I felt frantic for a happy ending. The relationships are beautifully described, both those of friendship and of love, and each character has a distinct personality that shines through.

It does feel a little more serious, more solemn, than some of the author's other books, but perhaps the story itself demands it.

I adore this book, it's one I recommend everybody should read.

75) Haunted by Kelley Armstrong


Eve Levine — half-demon, black witch and devoted mother — has been dead for three years. She has a great house, an interesting love life and can’t be killed again — which comes in handy when you’ve made as many enemies as Eve. Yes, the afterlife isn’t too bad — all she needs to do is find a way to communicate with her daughter, Savannah, and she’ll be happy.

But fate — or more exactly, the Fates — have other plans. Eve owes them a favor, and they’ve just called it in. An evil spirit called the Nix has escaped from hell. She feeds on chaos and death, and is very good at persuading people to kill for her. The Fates want Eve to hunt her down before she does any more damage, but the Nix is a dangerous enemy — previous hunters have been driven insane in the process. As if that’s not problem enough, the only way to stop her is with an angel’s sword. And Eve is no angel. . . .

Hmm. I've read this before. I liked it then, but for some reason I like it a lot more this time round.

Eve is one of my favourite Women of the Otherworld characters. She's bitchy, sarcastic and thoroughly bad ass... in a dead ghost kind of way. It shows a whole new side to her character, as the earlier books don't really reveal a great deal.

The other characters have smaller roles but are still present and correct with a brief nod to certain events from the earlier books.

There are some quite graphic parts but what can you expect from a visit to the Hell dimensions? It seems a little more adult than the other books, but the plot grabs you and doesn't let go.

This is much, much better than Waking the Witch, Eve is so much more interesting than her daughter.

Uncounted - Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

Out come the pitchforks again. I seem to have a knack for disliking the books everybody else seems to adore. I'm not sure where you're going to get tar and feathers at this time of night, but I'm sure you can manage.

Anyway. This is such a dreary book! It could have been such an amazing work if it had been a simple biography of Azar Nafisi's book club, but instead she rambles about abstract concepts and colours and constantly flits back to discuss previous memories. There's no chronology or structure at all. The characters are all completely one-dimensional and I never learnt to care for any of them, including the author.

Parts of it read like a University lecture and others like a personal letter. Pick a style and stick with it.

The thing that really tipped the scales? She refuses to use speech marks. Heinous.

Sorry you did not enjoy Reading Lolita in Tehran, Hanna, but it is like I always say: Not every book is for every body.

76) Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered a reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust, and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and she develops magical powers she can't control. Her life’s at stake again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear!

This is the first of a series of five of which I accidentally read the last two without knowing. I wasn't THAT enamoured of Storm Glass and Sea Glass but I thought I'd give this one a try anyway. I expected it to be more of the same - readable but not wonderful.

It's so much better! Yelena is a much more likable character than Opal, who whinges, whines and makes stupid decisions. The relationship with Yelena and her lover is beautifully developed and the descriptions of Ixia and the castle are wonderful.

The ending is predictable in parts, but it doesn't detract from the story.

Most amazing of all, Yelena actually has ,feelings! Opal doesn't, you see. She calmly accepts the most horrific torture and beautiful declarations of love with barely a blink. Yelena has feelings, both good and bad, and they are nicely shown for your reading pleasure.

Maria V. Snyder seems to have a knack for creating unique concepts. Both Opal's glass magic and Yelena's role as food taster are ideas that I have not come across in any other fantasy book, and these novels are all the better for it.

I'm looking forward to reading Magic Study.

79) Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

While I don't dislike any of the Thursday Next books, this one has to be my least favourite.

There's nothing wrong with it exactly, it's just that Thursday returns to the real world and it's a whole lot less interesing than the Book World. Although the fictional characters, such as Mrs Tiggywinkle and Emperor Zhark, do pop in from time to time, Thursday's escapades revolve more around croquet games and thirteenth century prophecies.

It retains all the charm and amusement of the other books, it just seems like nothing more than a way to close a few loose ends.

I especially enjoyed the duel between Yorrick and the Cheshire Cat, I just think the rest of the book could have been livened up a little.

#78 - I'm also not a fan of Meg Rosoff's books, though I remember liking her Just in Case. I also read somewhere that she doesn't like doing research for her novels.
I'm going to have to read some of these Mercedes Lackey retellings soon. I just read Thornspell which is a rather good YA retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

>87 avatiakh:. She doesn't like doing research for her novels? What? What kind of lazy author is she?

Which Mercedes Lackey are you starting with?

I saw your review of Thornspell actually. My finger's hovering over the wishlist button, I do like my retellings!

I can't wait to read Poison Study... it's about 2 feet away from me at the moment, calling my name...

>89 dk_phoenix:. Oh, read it! It's actually a hell of a lot better than I expected. But make sure you have Magic Study and Fire Study ready for when you finish!

80) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

I read this years and years ago, but I don't know what prompted me to pick it up again this time.

It's a lot more... sinister, I suppose, than I remembered. The Duchess especially, with her point little chin that she rests on Alice's shoulder. I'm suprised the illustrations didn't cause nightmares in little children.

Lewis Carroll must have had a hell of an imagination, but it's just... nonsense. The story is just one mad encounter to the next and then 'poof!' Alice is home again.

I enjoyed reading it again, and it's obviously very quirky and odd, but I won't be bothering again for a while.

81) Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

I actually enjoyed this one more, possibly because there is actual progression in a storyline.

It surprised me how much Disney used out of this book. I'd assumed it was mostly from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, but the talking flowers, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, the Walrus and the Carpenter, etc... they're all from this one. The Red and White Queens also appear, as featured in Tim Burton's film.

It has to be said, Alice herself is remarkable annoying. Whiny, petulant and spoilt. Shame the Queen of Hearts didn't actually take off her head!

Uncounted - How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read - Pierre Bayard

I did actually finish this, but considering that by the halfway point I was doing litte more than skimming, I'm not going to count it.

This book actually really offended me. I picked it up because reviews commented on how witty and inventive it was, and so I was expecting a humourous manual on how to babble about Jane Austen or Herman Melville.

Not so. Instead I got a boring, repetetive book that took itself way too seriously. Bayard states over and over again how people that skim books actually end up more knowledgeable than those that sit and read them and everybody who has ever read a classic is lying. It is more important, apparently, to know where a book sits on the intellectual shelf of life than to actually read it.

He implies that all readers are pretentious and only read in order to make themselves look intelligent. God forbid we actually enjoy reading.

He barely mentions the well-known classics such as Jane Eyre or Moby Dick, even though they do feature on the cover. Instead he quotes huge excerpts from stranger works that I'd never heard of that last for pages and pages and often have very little relevance except to pad out his book.

I did enjoy the concept of 'true books' and 'shelf books' - that every book is different for every person. So that copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe exists as a 'shelf book' but the way you remember it and the influences your imagination had is the 'true book.'

I'm sure Mr. Bayard would state that I just don't 'get it' but as he's a Literature Professor that proudly states he hasn't read a book in years, I don't think his opinion would count for much.

It sounds like his students deserve a refund. I'm thinking about reading How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler soon--that might be an antidote for you!

>93 carlym:. Well, come back and tell me what it's like when you're done! I'm not picking up anything even vaguely similar to How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read until at least one person has recommended it.

I think it's pretty much the opposite of the one you read--it's about how to read classics thoroughly and thoughtfully.

#95: it's about how to read classics thoroughly and thoughtfully.

Yes, it is and I agree, pretty much the opposite of the Bayard book since Adler is telling you how to actually read the books, not skim to be pretentious.

Oh right. I might give it a go then.

You've hit the nail on the head though, Stasia. That's exactly what the book is - how to skim a book to be pretentious.

82) We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee

After a recent spate of mediochre to poor books, this one really cheered me up.

It tells the tale of the Mee family who, as the title suggests, bought a zoo. It's a true story, and a moving one. The family struggles through financial failure, battles with cancer, animal escapes and staffing problems to re-open a once failing zoo to the public on a designated date.

Benjamin Mee was/is a journalist with experience in animal-centred articles, so it's no surprise that the prose is eloquent and well flowing. For such a simple story, it really drags you in and keeps you there. I couldn't put in down, and I'm not usually into biographical/true story books.

I really enjoyed feeling though I was going behind the scenes at a zoo, and finding out how the extinction scale works and where the meat for the carnivores come from.

A wonderful book that results that nice happy book-fuzz :)

#98: That one looks like a book I would enjoy. Who doesn't need a nice happy book-fuzz every now and again? Thanks for the recommendation, Hanna!

>98 generalkala:: I also found that I learned a few animal facts that have stuck with me to this day. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

83) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Bernard O'Donoghue

I have to admit, I've read better translations. Occasionally the wording seems somewhat stilted as though O'Donoghue just selected the first possible meaning for each word, without attempting to find another that may fit better.

Oh well. It's still a wonderful story. I love the King Arthur stories and this is one of my favourites. Sir Gawain must travel in search of the Green Knight, in order to fulfill his part of a deal made the previous year. The Knight had allowed Gawain to strike one blow upon his neck, in return for one made by the Knight upon his own.

When you can still get drawn into the story, despite the old-fashioned (and stilted) language, you know it's a good one.

Oh, I love Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I recently read the (fairly new) translation by Simon Armitage, which I thought was terrific - you might like to try that one if you haven't.

I have Sir Gawain in the TBR pile, in the Armitage translation. Thank you for reminding me that I really must get to it soon!

84) It's a Don's Life by Mary Beard

One day I will actually read an Amazon page thoroughly before getting click-happy with my bank card. Then the book that lands on my doorstep may actually be what I was expecting.

However, it's not Mary Beard's fault that I don't like complications of articles or blog posts. She writes wonderfully well but I was expecting prose about what it's like to be a Don at Oxbridge. A few of the articles deal with this, but most deal with intellectual pursuits of the classical world. Even so, her writing is accessible and understandable, even to someone without a Classics degree.

My problem was with the comments from visitors to her blog that she has chosen to add at the end of every article. They seem to fight to out-do each other with escalating arrogance and complexity. They include Latin phrases with no translations, references to obscure texts and discussion of Classical concepts that the casual reader would have no knowledge of. At times they're very insulting to Ms. Beard. I do think it would have been better overall if she'd just missed them out.

An interesting collection of unusual articles about the Classical world, interspersed with irritating commenters.

Do you use book swapping sites, or is it too much of a problem for you to get to the post office at the moment?

You can also search conversations threads as well as reviews on LT - I'm one of at least two people who could have told you about the Mary Beard book's format, and perhaps given you a little more idea what it's like. I liked it but I can see what you're complaining about.

There's also a review of it at www.thebookbag.co.uk which was one of the things I saw that made me want to read it.

>105 elkiedee:. I do, I use ReaditSwapit and I have used BookMooch before but not for a while.

I know, I wish I had. It was on my Amazon wishlist for a while though, from before I started using LT, I think so that's probably why I didn't look it up.

I did like it, despite the format. She writes very well and it's not her fault I didn't read the information properly!

85) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemsin

I really can't decide what I make of this.

On one hand, I really wasn't that bothered about finishing it. You know that when you're happy studying for a Land Law exam instead of reading, your book really isn't that good! I never got into it really, I just didn't care what happened.

It also broke Commandment of Fantasy Books #1 - too many characters and locations with different names. I had to keep flicking back to try and remember who was who and I hate that.

It's an odd criticism, but Yeine seems too young for all the gratutious sex. She's meant to be 20 but she 'feels' a lot younger.

On the other hand, it's completely original with a unique set of characters. The development of the main few is interestingly carried out and the plot moves forward nicely.

The main point is that I just didn't care about it.

86) First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde

I really do love the Thursday Next books.

This is the fifth in the series and retains the magic that the fourth book seemed to lose. The action takes place primarily in the BookWorld, the lack of which made me like The Well of Lost Plots a little less.

There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the plot turning nicely, and features cameos from characters such as Mrs. Danvers, Elizabeth Bennett and the Minotaur.

Mm. Happy Book-Fuzz.

#107: I think I will skip that one.

#108: I enjoy the Thursday Next books too. I am glad you are now in a 'happy book-fuzz,' Hanna.

87) Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Not as good as Poison Study, but still better than the Opal Cowan books.

While still a good story, it just wasn't quite as unique as the last one. It's one of those books where not a lot seems to happen apart from a lot of chasing all over the place.

And similar to the Glass series, Yelena gets kidnapped or ambushed all the time . It's ridiculous, you'd think she's learn that there's an 80% chance she's going to be kidnapped on every page and so adapt accordingly by NOT RUNNING OFF ALONE. Similarly, like Opal, she's just not bothered about being tortured or hurt. It doesn't faze her at all. Good lord. Be scared please.

I sound like I didn't enjoy it and I did. It's just that the same faults run through all Snyder's books and it irritates me. All I want is one chapter without the heroine being kidnapped and (usually) tortured.

I still prefer Yelena to Opal though.

Just discovered your thread today, and had to star it because it looks like we have a lot of similar tastes. Although I had to cavil with Poison Study because I didn't feel like the romance developed naturally. I'm a big Jasper Fforde fan, though.

>111 ronincats:. I did think the romance developed naturally, I enjoyed it. But it felt stilted and unnatural in Magic Study. It's another thing that irritated me. Valek called Yelena 'love' at the end of every sentence and I hated it.

89) Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh. These books are getting worse.

I loved Poison Study. Magic Study was alright. Fire Study is not.

It's just so boring. I had to force myself to keep reading it so I could move on to something else. Not a lot happens apart from a lot of riding around.

And now for the complaints I've written about Snyder's other five books. I'm tempted just to cut and paste, it's that bad. But anyway.

Yelena has no feelings. None. The most traumatic events don't bother her in the slightest, aside from an off-side 'Yelena felt sad. See her sad face? Sad Yelena.' Argh. It's like the author tells you how Yelena feels without actually showing you.

And the repetitiveness. Much the same as in the Opal Cowan books, somebody gets kidnapped, ambushed or betrayed by a trusted party member roughly every chapter. It got the point where you know one of the above is going to happen, simply because the group is camping outside. Snyder has three plot points at her disposal and thoroughly beats you with them until you cry for mercy.

Lastly, Opal and Yelena are pretty much the same person. They have the same narrative voice. But also, Opal acts differently as a secondary character in Yelena's books than she does in her own, and vice versa. It's like neither character was strong enough to survive without a first-person narrative.

I still prefer Yelena to Opal, but the end of this trilogy was a disappointment.

#113: These books are getting worse.

I have heard that comment numerous times about that series. I have only bought the first book and I think I am going to just stick to it.

>114 alcottacre:. The first one really is worth reading, it's just let down by the others.

>114 alcottacre: I think I'll join you and just read the first one too.
Hanna - I hope your exam went well at least.

>116 avatiakh:. Let me know what you think of it?

Thank you, that's nice of you :) Unfortunately I was too ill on the day to actually attend so I have to redo the module next year, but it couldn't be helped.

91) The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey

I read this for the Fairytale Challenge as it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but using Elemental Magic to add a little variety.

I love all of her Elemental Masters books; they're all based on fairytales in some way or another. Obviously they're quite predictable, but they're beautifully written using a whole range of interesting characters and memorable descriptions.

For me, what sets her apart from other authors is the way she describes how her characters feel. She often writes from more than one point of view, but each character has their own distinct 'voice,' memories and feelings.

She also explains the magic used, a rarity in fantasy novels. Instead of just being told that so-and-so has magic, you're told how and why the magic works, which almost makes it more believeable.

This one is a little more romance-y than the others. They focus more on the magic while this is more about the love side. But still, I love it.

#118: I will have to look for that one. I have read very little of Lackey's work. Thanks for the recommendation, Hanna.

The Fire Rose was written much earlier than the other Elemental Masters books, and is my favorite of them.

#118 I think I have yet to read anything by Mercedes Lackey but The Fire Rose sounds like something i would enjoy.

Sorry to hear you couldn't sit your exam. Hope your health improves so that you can redo it next year.

A book quiz that it seems is the new trend -

1. The last book you gave five-stars to: The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey
2. The last book you were unable to finish: Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
3. The last book you bought: The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory
4. The last book that made you cry: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The last book you borrowed: Mort by Terry Pratchett
6. The last book you received as a gift: We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee
7. The last book you found disturbing: Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka
8. The last book you read that made you laugh: Mort by Terry Pratchett
9. The last book you really felt you got lost in (the good kind of lost): The Fire Rose, again
10. The last book you reread: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

>113 generalkala: - 116: I've read the first three and definitely should have stopped with the first. I recommended the first to some friends who read fantasy, thought the second was meh!, and gave the third 1½ stars.

Nice answers, Hanna!

92) Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Another for the Fairytale Challenge. Well, I created it, it's only fair I should lead the way!

This definitely a children's book, but a good one at that. It tells the tale of Cinderella ('Ella') after the ball, when she is cooped up in the castle with a Prince she abhors.

Ella is very naive, very stupid and very whiny. She's definitely a grass-is-greener kind of girl and whiny characters always irritate me.

And yet it is an engrossing book. It's very short and simple, I finished it in about an hour. Although it's instantly forgettable, it's... well, 'nice.'

#125: I have not read that one by Haddix and frankly, I like 'nice' books every now and again. lol

93) The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

I've finally finished all 675 pages of this. Finally. It's an excellent book that I love, but it's far too long and I just got sick of it.

If Dumas had stuck to the plot, the novel would be a fifth of the size. But no. The Musketeers always get distracted by looking for horses or having picnics or generally wandering off to do something irrelevant.

I do love it though. You really can't fault the characterisation - even the smallest character is given a throrough description and backstory and the larger ones continue to develop throughout the narrative. I really ended up caring about all the characters, simply because they're so well-rounded and real.

If it wasn't quite so long-winded, it'd be my favourite book of all time.

_________________________________

EDIT - Argh. That's quite possibly the worst review I've ever written. I'm just trying to get across the point that I do love this book, I just get sick of the long-windedness.

#127: I will get to that one some day. I need to finish up The Count of Monte Cristo first though!

94) Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson

What a relief to read something easy and short!

This is a cute little book, telling the tale of a down-on-her-luck governess who knocks on the wrong door and is whisked away for a day of glamour and sophistication due to her mistaken identity.

Not very believable, but who cares? It's a pretty thing, set in 1930s London and the creme-de-la-creme of society.

A definate feel good book! It's still making me smile now.

#129: I agree with you - it is a feel good book! I am glad you enjoyed it, Hanna.

I read The Three Musketeers earlier this year and also loved it. I think sometimes you have to have more 'energy' for these sorts of stories. And I also loved Miss Pettigrew lives for a day, it's a lovely story. Paul Gallico's Mrs Harris goes to Paris is a similarly good read if you need another.

>127 generalkala:: Hmmm, I have to say that I loved The Three Musketeers. If you found it long-winded, I'd really advise stopping now in that series. While I thought Twenty Years After was OK, by the time I got the final three, it was hard work. Even The Man in the Iron Mask, which I expected to like based upon all the movies, was tedious.

I've finally found and read your whole thread--but now I'm out of time for commenting! I'll be back.

>131 avatiakh:. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is on my Amazon wishlist already! I'm really looking forward to reading it.

>132 TadAD:. No, no, I loved it too! It was really hard trying to say that I loved it despite its longwindedness. It's still one of my favourite books.

>133 _Zoe_:. Isn't that always the way? Welcome!

94) The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

I've never wanted someone to die quite as much as Mary, Queen of Scots before today.

Every single character in this book needed to hanged, but no-one as much as her. With her smug, pompous, arrogant attitude, I just wanted to take my book and clout her over the head with it. At times I actually had to stop reading and go do something else because I was that annoyed. The only reason I continued was because I knew the inevitable ending and longed for it desperately.

I know it's historical fiction and therefore theoretically it's not the author's fault her characters are horrible. But there you go. It is what it is.

It was beautifully written, if a little tedious. But unfortunately I can't get past how much I hated Mary Stuart.

#135 "I've never wanted someone to die quite as much as Mary, Queen of Scots before today."

I may give that one a miss although your review made me chuckle!

#135: As I have vowed never to read another Gregory book after having read one (the travesty that was The Other Boleyn Girl), I do not have to read that book!

>137 alcottacre:. Usually, I do quite like her books. I didn't like The Other Boleyn Girl or The Other Queen but the rest are alright, particularly The Boleyn Inheritance. Obviously take the historical facts with a pinch of salt, but the characters in the other novels don't make me want to hurl the book at their heads like this one.

#138: My problem with her books is that I prefer more history with my historical fiction, I guess.

96) Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

I really do like these books.

They're definitely meant for children, but so what? The classical Greek myths are intertwined with a whole new plot, and even the lesser known mythological beings are given a chance to shine.

I love how the language isn't over-simplified like it sometimes is in children's books - it doesn't drag the plot down at all.

My pet hate in any novel is romance that feels like it's been shoved in with a spade, but in the Percy Jackson books its so subtle and almost under-played, so it's ignorable if you want. Now that makes a good book!

There's not a lot to say about it really, only that I do really like these books.

97) The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott

This could have been an amazing book. It wasn't.

It deals with the finding of the resting place of the Greek hero with the inclusion of lots and lots of happy, bloody violence. There was waaay too much action. Quite literally, somebody was wielding a gun or knife every four pages. I'm now at the point where I'd feel quite blase if a masked stranger held me at gunpoint this evening - I'm quite used to the concept as apparently that sort of thing happens in everyday life regularly. I'm sure I could escape using nothing but a nail file and a piece of string.

It's just so stupid. It's entirely my own fault for actually picking up this type of book, but I was swayed by the mythological aspects. They escape from everywhere over and over again, using the most unrealistic and contrived plans. In the real world, they'd have died on page one. Thankfully.

The mythological bits I found very interesting, but even then the narrator was at gunpoint.

Argh.

I enjoyed the entire Percy Jackson series too, Hanna, so I am glad to see you are as well.

Too bad about The Tomb of Hercules. It sounds like one I would have enjoyed too. Thanks for the heads up though. Now I know to give it a wide berth.

Guess who's still alive?

I'm back after an annoyingly long stint of being ill, in which I only read seven books or so. However, I only need 11 more before the end of the year to complete my challenge, so here goes!

Welcome back. Looking forward to seeing your posts again.

Glad to have you back and feeling better! We know we are really sick when we can't even read, don't we?

Glad to see you back, Hanna! Sorry that you have been ill for so long.

Sorry to hear that you were ill.

#142 Sorry to hear you haven't been well. We will be cheering you on for those final 11 books!

Thanks all! That means a lot to me. I'm absolutely determined to complete my challenge though, so full steam ahead!

106) The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

What a good start to my final push for eleven.

This is the second book in the Pink Carnation series that started with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. I wasn't actually looking forward to reading it as it deals with people that were only secondary characters in the first book and that I wasn't really interested in. I'm glad I did though - I enjoyed the budding relationship of Henrietta and Miles just as much as that of Richard and Amy, especially as the author took it down a different road to avoid repetition.

Lauren Willig writes with a dry sense of humour, although sometimes the prose seems a little stilted, especially during the Eloise sub-plot. It's easy to get in to and enjoyable, but don't expect an accurate retelling of the revolutionary years.

A little light on spies and a little heavy on silly romance, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

I hope your determination pulls you through, Hanna! Good luck!

107) Goddess by Fiona McIntosh

This is the third in the Percheron series, where an ancient goddess is trying to reincarnate to defeat her arch nemesis.

To say that at times action really dragged during this series, the ending was surprisingly rushed and disappointing. I was expecting a climactic battle, the forces of good against evil, etc. Except not so much. It just kind of dwindles off without ever really satisfactorily explaining why.

Characters don't really seem to feel anything, a pet hate of mine in novels. It's not as great offender as some I've read this year, but just once I wanted to actually feel the love, not just be told it was there.

Despite this, the characters are excellent. They all have their unique personalities and develop in a natural, appropriate way.

An enjoyable series, but with a disappointing ending.

#150: An enjoyable series, but with a disappointing ending.

Too bad about that, Hanna!

Are you going to join us for 2011? The group is up and running: http://www.librarything.com/groups/75booksin20111

I hope to see you there!