BABBLING BOOKS

lisa2062 · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject: Books we read in January 2009

Please post here books you have read this month. Lisa x

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Currently Reading - Want to Play? By P.J Tracy (again)

http://www.we7.com/user/view-playlist?playlistId=537463&m=0

katey · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:36 pm Post subject:

What Mothers Do-Naomi Stadlen-this is a nonfic and I am dipping in and out of it-I am about 3/4 of teh way through at the moment
Yes Man-Danny Wallace-enjoyed this, but not my favourite of his
84 Charing Cross Road- Helene Hanff-ADORED it!
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street-Helene Hanff-loved this too, the images of London are so evocative
Extremely Loud and Incredibly close-I couldn't finish this, got about 150 pages in then gave up. Just not an easy enough style of writing for me
Free Range Knitter- Stephanie Pearl-McPhee- Good fun from SPM again, but prefer Yarn Harlot
Emma-Jane Austen- Disappointed by this. I had convinced myself I would love Austen, and I didn't!
The Little Prince- Antoine de saint Expurie )Can't spell his name!)-I enjoyed this short book, very thought provoking
Twilight-Stephenie Meyer_loved it, but pacing myself with teh rest of the series as read this in a flash!
Oscar adn Lucinda-Peter Carey-this is a big tome, so am still reading this alongside other books
Educating Esme- Esme Raji Codell-diary of a first year teache in Chicago. Easy to read adn very enjoyable
The Fib- George Layton-reread-David's favourite book!
The Swap-George Layton-Follow on to teh above, not quite as good
The Trick-George Layton-Follow on from teh above, first story pulled on my heartstrings
For One More Day-Mitch Albom-I didn't enjoy this as much as I had hoped, but it did touch me
Jonathan Livingston Seagull-Richard Bach-disappointed
Of Mice and Men-John Steinbeck-How had I not read this before?! Loved it!
Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging-Louise Rennison-I really enjoyed this. I only got it as it was on teh big read list, but it was good fun
Alice in Wonderland-Lewis Carroll-Not sure if I had read this as a child, I think maybe, but have enjoyed it so far-will prob finish it tonight
Bible reading- 1 and 2 corinthians, galatians, phillipians, ephesians, collosians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians
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Katey
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Books 01.09- 18 (5)
Books 02.09- 12 (4)
Books 03.09- 9 (1)
Books 04.09- 3 (0)
Books 05.09- 3(0)
Books 06.09- 8(1)
Books 07.09- 9(0)
Books 08.09- 10(1)
Books 09.09- 3(1)
Books 10.09- 9(1)

Target for 2009- 100 (15)- 16(2) to go!

jobar · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:27 am Post subject:

My January books :

Company of liars: A Novel of the Plague ~ Karen Maitland
Sea of Poppies ~ Amitav Ghosh
The Year 1000 ~ Robert Lacey and Danny Danziger
A Most Dangerous Woman ~ L M Jackson
Ice Trap ~ Kitty Sewell
The Double Bind ~ Chris Bohjalian
The Rabbi's Daughter ~ Reva Mann
The Tin Kin ~ Eleanor Thom
The Spare Room ~ Helen Garner
The Reluctant Fundamentalist ~ Mohsin Hamid

Lauzc · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:52 pm Post subject:

Just finished My Friend Leonard ~ James Frey. Really enjoyed it - sad, funny and insightful! 4/5

About to start Mr Pip ~ Lloyd Jones.
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handmade by Laura Croxson

RonnieJacobs · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:42 pm Post subject:

Blind Faith - Ben Elton
Maximum Ride - The Angel Experiment - James Patterson
Two for Joy Patricia Scanlan
Sophie's bakery for the broken hearted - Lolly Winston
Sushi for beginners - marian keyes
the rabbis daughter - reva mann
the other side of the story - marian keyes
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too many books so little time

ginger987 · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:29 pm Post subject:

The Shadow of the Pomegranate - Jean Plaidy 6/10
Things I Want My Daughter To Know - Elizabeth Noble 8/10
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak 8/10
Jamaica Inn - Daphne DeMaurier 9/10
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Currently Reading: Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

zanthewitch · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:35 am Post subject:

Dear Fatty - by Dawn French
Only one for me this month so far - I have been very poorly and not even able to read for long.
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READING

The blood of Elves - Andrzej Sapkowski

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heathera · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:32 pm Post subject:

3 books for me this month:

The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne 9/10
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky 7/10
Mister Pip - Lloyd Jones 8/10

And finished Wild Swans - Jung Chang for our read-a-long.
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Currently Reading:

The Moonlit Cage - Linda Holeman

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

ejb76 · Babblers First Words Joined: 28 Dec 2008 Posts: 46

I have set myself a personal challenge to try and read 50 books this year..

not a great start only 3 this month:-

Unzipped - Suzi Quatro 6/10
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak 8/10
Slash - Autobiography 8/10

hope have better luck next month!!

blueflower · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject:

The Linnet Bird by Linda Holeman 8/10
Boy in Stripped Pyjamas 8/10
The Reader - Not to sure how to mark this as it is still playing on my mind.

annecater · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:16 pm Post subject:

A good month for me - great start to 2009

Born To Run by Michael Morpurgo : I really enjoy his books, written for older children, but written very well and do tug at the heart strings.

The Cellist Of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway : A fabulous story which opened my eyes to the horrific happening in Sarajevo not that long ago - on a par with A Thousand Splendid Suns for me and I'm sure will be in my 2009 Top Ten Books.

Bachelor Brothers Bed and Breakfast by Bill Richardson : The tale of a real-life Bed and Breakfast run by twin brothers - their story and stories of their guests. Interspersed with book anecdotes along the way, a gentle read.

The ASBO Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Asbosen : A collection of up to the minute takes on traditional fairy tales. Little Red Riding Hoodie etc etc, quite funny in places but I found it all got a bit 'samey' - definitely not for children!

Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult : Fabulous! Jodi Picoult at her very best! The story of a family wrecked by their daughter's illness - and what the Mother will do to ensure her daughter has the best possible life chances. I loved it!

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer : A wonderfully written tale of a book club formed during the war years on Guernsey, and their correspondence with an American lady. Similar in style to 84 Charing Cross Road, I enjoyed this one very much.

The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman : Some of her books I love, others I just dont like at all. This one sat somewhere in the middle - I dont remember much about it to be honest - which probably says a lot!

Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell : A book that had been on TBR for two years, and I decided to finally pick up after reading a thread on RISI. What a fantastic story - some wonderfully cold descriptions of the arctic landscape and an intriguing plot line.

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff : Another that I had on TBR for ages. I really didnt like this - I had no interest in the main character or the plot and found the different styles of writing quite clumsy and hard to follow.

Night by Elie Wiesel : I think this should be a 'must read' for everyone. A true memoir of a young boy's experiences in the Nazi concentration camps. Only a very short book, but extremely moving. I found it difficult to read more than 5 pages at one sitting.

Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper : I really enjoyed this, far more than 'Widower'. He has such a dry sense of humour and draws some vivid characters - highly recommended.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros : This has been hyped up all over the USA, and is read in high school and university. The recollections of a young American girl, narrated in a kind of short story format. The format did nothing for me, was left quite unimpressed.

Mothernight by Sarah Stovell : Yet another that had been on TBR for so long, and another that really surprised me by how good it was. A very good story, with a twisting turning plot. A very good read.

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale : The first half of the book kept me fascinated by the rise of the Detective and the mystery of the Road House Murder. I felt that the second half of the book was spoilt by unnecessary information that was included about people related to the case.

Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel : My 1001 Book challenge read for this month. An OK story, but I wasnt overly impressed by it.

The Servants by M M Smith : A wonderful read that I really enjoyed, I would like to know a bit more though - and have been pondering this book since I finished it - which isnt a bad thing!
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Currently reading: The Tent The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and Granny The Pag by Nina Bawden

1001 Challenge Books read in 2009 - 3
1001 Challenge Books read in 2008 - 8
1001 Challenge Books read in 2007 - 13

Karen · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:36 am Post subject:

A very slow month for me on the reading front.

In the Place of Fallen Leaves by Tim Pears 5/10
Staff Required by Kevin Jones 7/10
March by Geraldine Brooks 6/10

About halfway through Notes from an Exhibition which is looking like my favourite read for a while.

eightlegs · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:48 am Post subject:

Tales of the City – Armistead Maupin - 7/10 Was surprised to enjoy this quite as much as I did, light read but fun.

The Book Thief – Marcus Zusak 8/10 Like this book but wasn't blown away by it. Found the death element a bit "tacked on" at times.

Where are the children? – Mary Higgins Clark 9/10 This is the first of hers I'd read and I really enjoyed it. It read like a good detective suspense mystery from the TV. Will definitely read more of hers

Love songs and lies – Libby Purves 8/10 I enjoy all her books and this was no exception.

Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh 8/10 A long overdue read that I enjoyed. Not as heavy going as I feared, and portrays a lifestyle long gone.

smiler07 · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:46 am Post subject:

wonderlake · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:25 am Post subject:

1. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins
this was a Christmas present off a friend so I wanted to get it read rather than it sitting on the shelf forever and a day... my doggie chewed it however !!

& a non-fiction one:

2. Congratulations! It's a Dog!
I want to do some training with my doggie (even before she chewed my book - which was the first inappropriate item she has mauled), but this was more suitable for people either thinking of getting, or who have only just got a new puppy - not a 6 month old, meh
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Current reading: The Last Temptation, Val McDermid ~ 40 @2009

1001 challenge 2009: 11

blueflower · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:35 pm Post subject:

Karen · Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:04 pm Post subject:

I don't think I would have finished March if it was not for my reading group I'm glad to note that I am not the only one who found it tedious. The reading group is not until Wednesday, but after having coffee with one or two last week everyone else seemed to love it and I was beginning to think I had missed something. I am going to look out for Year of Wonders since you both rate it.

eightlegs · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:00 pm Post subject:

Year of Wonders is definitely worth reading Karen IMO. I think I liked March but it definitely wasn't as good.

smiler07 · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:06 pm Post subject:

I think January was a really good reading month for me...

The Kissing Gates – Mackenzie Ford (8/10)
During the Christmas ceasefire during the first world war a German and an English soldier exchange greetings in no mans land. The German, Wilhelm asks the English solider, Hal if he will take a message to his English sweetheart Sam should he get sent back to England for whatever reason. However when Hal suffers a serious injury and goes to see Sam he falls in love with her himself. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of this love triangle set against the back drop of the First World War and found the writing similar to Anthony Cappella. Very romantic, and I even shed a few tears.

Brave New World – Aldous Huxley (9/10)
Set in the future Huxley imagines a society which is totally manufactured and conditioned. I found this very thought provoking and have kept it as I know that I will re-read it. One of the 1001 reads.

The Yellow Wallpaper – Charlotte Perkins Gilman (4/10)
Not really my cup of tea, but one of the 1001 reads nonetheless.

Secrets – Lesley Pearse (9/10)
I have always avoided Pearse, the frumpy covers really put me off (I know that I should know not to judge books by their covers by now) but the women in my office are always talking about how fantastic she is and so I thought I'd give her a whirl. I thought the story was fast paced, easy to read and very enjoyable. I will definitely be looking out for more by Pearse.

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini (9/10)
Not as moving as the Kite Runner for me but still a fantastic read. Hosseini is a wonderfully talented writer and I hope we don’t have to wait too long for his next book.

Remember Me? – Sophie Kinsella (8.5/10)
Kinsella still enjoys top spot as my favourite chick-lit author, I read this in one sitting.

seanat · Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:14 am Post subject:

The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman 6/10 - ok read, but left me a bit cold (no pun intended)

Buried by Mark Billingham 7/10 - good read as always

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk 8/10 - a bit Tarantino-ish, really enjoyed it, but a bit silly sometimes.

Company of

s by Karen Maitland 7/10 - my fault maybe for having high expectations, but i just didn't bond with the characters and guessed some of the secrets, great atsmosphere though as 9 travellers each carrying a secret try to out-run the Plague.

The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber 7/10 good thriller with a Shakespearean twist, better than Shakespeare Secret i thought.

The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman 7/10 - great characters and enjoyed it, but not much of a thriller/mystery.

The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville 7/10 - started very slow then became more interesting as the Lieutenant met and bonded with the aboriginals.

Q&A by Vikas Swarup 10/10 - great fun read, just how did an uneducated Indian waiter know the answers to win a billion rupees?

Rosewater and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran 8/10 - preferred this to Pomegranate Soup, lovely gentle story of rural Ireland and the Babylon cafe.

Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold 10/10 - loved this, loved the style. Interesting insites into life of Dickens and his wife.

Looking Good Dead by Peter James 9/10 great follow-up to Dead Simple, will def read the rest.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer 8/10 - really enjoyed this, very intense and brooding...wish i were a teenager again. My surprise of the month, really liked Bella and the style of writing. Not sure how the sequels will work though now that they are together though, if it's all teen love angst i'll get bored...but will read on to find out.

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