BABBLING BOOKS

Tigerlily · Last edited by Tigerlily on Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:38 am; edited 2 times in total

AUGUST BOOK CHOICES - YOU DECIDE!

Which books would you like to read in August? All you have to do is vote for one of the books listed here. Read the blurbs below to see if there is anything of interest to you and place your vote. The book with the most votes by 27th July will be chosen for discussion from 1st August.

There is another poll running so please take at look at that one too. Two books will be chosen, but don't feel you have to read both if you don't want to!

The polls end midnight Friday 27th July.

1. The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde 304 pages

'The problem was Megan had just taken the second half of her ecstasy when her father called with the news'. Nineteen-year-old university student Megan Thompson is beautiful, cool, clever and sexy - the kind of girl boys fall in love with. She's mostly steered clear of family life since the death of her younger brother. That is until the day she hears her mother, Diana, has been found floating face down in their swimming pool. Diana, as Director of the Center for Reproductive Choice, was a national figure who inspired passions and made enemies. Detective Huck Berlin is brought in to investigate the case when it becomes clear that Diana was murdered. Several people have quarrelled with Diana on that fateful day, not least Frank, her husband of twenty years, and her wayward child. Now, father and daughter are thrown together in an unexpected twist of family life. Set in a small town in Colorado, "The Abortionist's Daughter" is an utterly compelling novel of family secrets, dark passion and, ultimately, catharsis for those whose lives have become so strangely entwined. 'A remarkably lucid and authoritative novelist' - John Irving.'Like Anne Tyler, Hyde captures the quirky, heartbreaking core of a character and puts it on the page with shining prose' - "Publishers Weekly".

2. Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock 304 pages

'For eight-year-old Carrie Parker, life is divided into before and after. Before her beloved father's death, her family lived a relatively happy life in the small town of Toast, North Carolina. Now she and her sister, Emma, endure daily verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their stepfather, Richard, and the emotional absence of their mother. "A big sister has to look out for a baby sister," says Carrie, and she does her best to protect herself and Emma from Richard's fists

3. The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne 576 pages

This work presents a blisteringly high-concept serial killer thriller combined with delicious religious conspiracy theory from a hot new British talent. It shows two murders at opposite ends of America, one in the backstreets of New York City, the other in the backwoods of Montana. It presents a series of killings in every corner of the globe, from the crowded slums of India to the pristine beaches of Cape Town. There can't possibly be a connection. That's the instinct of Will Monroe, a young, British-born reporter for "The New York Times" - until the morning his beautiful wife Beth is kidnapped. Holding her are men who seem ready to kill without hesitation. Desperate, Will follows a trail that leads to a mysterious sect right on his own doorstep - fervent followers of one of mankind's oldest faiths. He will have to break through multiple layers of mysticism and ancient prophecy, unearthing riddles buried deep in the Bible - until he finds the secret that is said to have animated the world for thousands of years, a secret on which the fate of humanity may depend. But with more murders by the hour, and each clue wrapped in layers of code, time is running out...

4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 224 pages

Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Influenced by his friend Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life; indulging his desires in secret while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only his portrait bears the traces of his decadence. The novel was a succes de scandale and the book was later used as evidence against Wilde at the Old Bailey in 1895. It has lost none of its power to fascinate and disturb.

5. The Mermaid and the Drunks by Ben Richards 247 pages

Fresia Castillo's father left Chile smuggled in the boot of a car; her mother crossed the Andes by bus with two small children. Fresia, a photographer, has lived all of her life in Britain, but following the death of her father, she has decided it is time to return. Despite one previous visit when she felt at odds with her Chilean relatives, she is drawn to a land so rich in landscapes and extremes. It is also, of course, a place of political extremes, and the aftershocks of Pinochet's regime are still reverberating. On the journey to Santiago she meets Joe, a young university lecturer. When the two of them become entangled with a wealthy and mysterious Anglo-Chilean whose son has disappeared from a bar, their journey takes some unexpected turns. Exotic and sensuous, this is beguiling novel about identity, loyalty, friendship and unrequited love set against the backdrop of a country emerging from political turmoil.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling 608 pages

Here, in this seventh and final book, Harry discovers what fate truly has in store for him as he inexorably makes his way to that final meeting with Voldemort. In this thrilling climax to the phenomenally bestselling series, J.K. Rowling will reveal all to her eagerly waiting readers.

'His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione.' With these words "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" draws to a close.

7. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 415 pages

An enchanting novel for older children by the author of "101 Dalmations." Seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Over six turbulent months, Cassandra tries to hone her writing skills, filling three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries which chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. A BBC production is planned, to be directed by Tim Fyell of "Madame Bovary" fame, with Mike Newell as executive producer.

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Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

Garscadden

Not wishing to be noxious when I have just joined, but... Seems two of the books have the same description...

mummymelly · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:14 am Post subject:

Ooh...Some great choices this month! I'm debating between 4 on this poll!
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Swap List: http://tinyurl.com/33pg6r
Currently Reading "Switchcraft" by Lowri Turner

miranda · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:15 am Post subject:

Another good list! I loved Picture of Dorian Grey and have read it twice already, but would gladly read again - it is soooo dark. I haven't read the other HP books so don't think I would want to read that. I Capture the Castle is the only other one I would go for - it is on the 1001 list as well ( I think).
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Currently reading: The Human Stain by Philip Roth
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.'

Tigerlily

Garscadden

lisa2062 · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:33 am Post subject:

I Capture the Castle for me as I love the film, but have not got around to reading the book. Lisa x

Mazzystar · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:35 am Post subject:

I've gone for the Abortionist's Daughter even though this wasn't one of the few I suggested.

There is some blurb on Amazon.com for 'Me and Emma'.

xxx
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My Swap List
Currently reading: Other people's children - Joanna Trollope
Challenge books read: 5

lisa2062 · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:37 am Post subject:

Blurb on 'Me & Emma' by Elizabeth Flock -

'For eight-year-old Carrie Parker, life is divided into before and after. Before her beloved father's death, her family lived a relatively happy life in the small town of Toast, North Carolina. Now she and her sister, Emma, endure daily verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their stepfather, Richard, and the emotional absence of their mother. "A big sister has to look out for a baby sister," says Carrie, and she does her best to protect herself and Emma from Richard's fists.' Lisa x

Tigerlily · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:40 am Post subject:

Thank you Lisa for the blurb

Gonna have a serious think about which books to choose as there are loads I want to read and have on tbr.
_________________
Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

blueflower · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:13 pm Post subject:

I haven't read Half a Yellow Sun yet!

Voted for The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde as I have this one on my TBR.

Read The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne but not keen on it, felt he was jumping on the Da Vinci Code bandwagon but missed.

I haven't read the other Potter books so not sure I will know whats going on if I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

heathera · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:38 am Post subject:

I went for the Harry Potter on this one, and it's going to be my next book to read anyway. I can't wait to get stuck in! Having said that The Abortionists Daughter has been on my tbr pile for months and I really fancy reading that too. If that wins it'll help me prioritise my reading!
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Currently Reading:

The Moonlit Cage - Linda Holeman

1001 Book Challenge:
2009 - 4
2008 - 14
Books Available for Swapping on RISI

miranda · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:40 am Post subject:

I went for 'I Capture the Castle', because I have fancied it for ages and it is on the 1001 list, but I have also had 'The Abortionist's Daughter' on my tbr for ages so don't mind if it is that one either.
_________________
Currently reading: The Human Stain by Philip Roth
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.'

Tigerlily · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:16 am Post subject:

oooh this is gonna be close!
_________________
Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

blueflower · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:34 pm Post subject:

Tigerlily · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:26 pm Post subject:

Have decided to add an extra discussion forum for the new Harry Potter book for those who want to discuss it, so the winner for this poll at the moment looks to be I Capture the Castle.

_________________
Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

Tigerlily · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:38 am Post subject:

The winner is...I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith!

(Have this on tbr so looking forward to reading this too).
_________________
Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

miranda · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:01 am Post subject:

Woo hoo! I am looking forward to this, and it will count towards the challenge

_________________
Currently reading: The Human Stain by Philip Roth
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.'

mummymelly · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:11 am Post subject:

I've just requested a swap for this and it got accepted! So I'll be reading it later in the month.
_________________
Swap List: http://tinyurl.com/33pg6r
Currently Reading "Switchcraft" by Lowri Turner

blueflower · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 2:28 pm Post subject:

I can't find my copy. I have gone through my books twice but it's not there. I have a sneaking suspicion my daughter may know something of its whereabouts.

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