Andrea’s Comments (group member since Sep 13, 2012)

Andrea’s comments from the Aussie Readers group.

I don't usually do the seasonal challenges, but this one will help me prioritise the remaining books in my personal challenges.

#2 down
Cover you love

Australian author Unforgivable
Historical fiction The Visitors
Favourite genre (memoir) A Fort of Nine Towers: An Afghan Family Story
One-word title S.

#5 down
Aussie author (never read) Deadly Messengers
Set in another country Mornings in Jenin
Book turned into movie Half of a Yellow Sun
Female main character Baking Cakes In Kigali
Crime The Merry Misogynist

Nicole wrote: "Hello! I've read this book a while ago and endeed up giving it to secondhand due to travels and now I would like to purchase it online, and obviously I can't remember the name...."

Nicole, is it one of these? http://www.epicreads.com/blog/18-ya-b...

Jo wrote: "I have purchased on my kindle Unforgivable by sharon robards.when i go to start the book all i get is blank pages. Also has done this with The ugly Daughter by julia legion.I have emailed Amazon ag..."

Hey Jo - I checked both books on my Kindle and they were normal so I think you just have to persist with the customer service option.

Jo wrote: "I have purchased on my kindle Unforgivable by sharon robards.when i go to start the book all i get is blank pages. Also has done this with The ugly Daughter by julia legion.I have emailed Amazon ag..."

Hi Jo, I haven't experienced this problem but I have bought both of those titles so I will check on my Kindle when I get home tonight.

I noticed the other day that The Ugly Daughter was at the top of the list on my Kindle - which was odd - so I wondered whether Amazon had sent me a replacement copy. They do that sometimes when people complain about the typos and formatting issues.

Laura wrote: "How so?"

Others might be able to help me to elaborate on this.

You know the Temperance of the TV show already, but did you know her character started off a bit differently? I would say a bit more like a younger version of the Temperance from the books. I only realised this when, after a good few series had aired, I saw a re-run of the pilot and she had none of the abruptness or social awkwardness or whatever it is that makes her who she is. She was even dressed differently; a feminine, full skirt if I remember correctly. They must have dialled up the quirkiness within a few episodes (to get her to the character we recognise now), because I had completely forgotten this.

The Tempe of the books is an older (40-ish I would say), divorced, mother of an adult daughter. She is a sober alcoholic and this colours her life. She is also bilingual, which helps a lot as she divides her time between Montreal and North Carolina. This Tempe is exasperated by her scatty older sister who turns up from time to time. The commonality with her TV alter ego is the sexual tension she has with Detective Andy. I think in the books there is less emphasis on the technology of forensic anthropology too - she seems to get her hands more dirty and also does her thing more or less solo rather than surrounded by a team helping her to crack the cases.

Laura, I think you should just plunge right in and take a look for yourself! I'm sure you will enjoy the books as much as the TV show.

Laura wrote: "SO....I am caught....I watch the TV show but I've always been interested in the books but worried they would clash. I have a few Bones novels due to my Dad (short interest in reading). I just love ..."

I enjoy both very much, but be warned - the Temperance you see on TV is not the same Temperance you get in the books! Both good, just not the same.

Another example is something I have seen twice already in the book I'm currently reading - it's where the writer mixes up the words 'intensely' and 'intently'. I'm only at about 40%, so I will roll my eyes and read on...

I deliberately used the word writer, because for some strange reason I see this crop up in the context of my workplace from time to time.

Yes, I watched and thought the discussion of GSAW was surprisingly tame.

PS Andy Griffiths was a revelation!

A bit of free promotional material for Fiona McIntosh's new release The Perfumer's Secret is being released tomorrow. It's called On the Scent of Perfume.

It contains tales, notes and photos from her travels to Grasse on the French Riviera to research the novel, and details about the making of her own perfume. It also includes a sneak preview chapter of her new book, The Perfumer's Secret.

http://www.amazon.com/Scent-Perfume-F...

Susan wrote: "This cover is very clever — the "A" represents Adeline, Virginia Woolf's first name, and the "V" represents her second name, Virginia, which she adopted. In the book, which is a re-imagining of V..."

I like the way you've interpreted this, Susan.

Finished the July challenge last night.

1). Title: White is the Coldest Colour 2★
2). Cover: Code Name Verity 4★
3). Set in Winter*: You 4★

* As it turned out, not all of it was set in winter, but some pivotal scenes certainly were.

I've been having a few intermittent issues with my Kindle (4th Gen) lately and have been doing some research in case I need to make a quick replacement purchase.

I always assumed I would be upgrading to Paperwhite, but now the Voyage has caught my eye.

The features I'm keen on are the light and pagepress. The high resolution is also attractive, but Paperwhite has caught up now (the newest model also has 300 ppi). But is the Voyage worth all that extra $$$?

B the BookAddict wrote: "I've just read The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway which was inspired by real life events.
However, the real Cellist of Sarajevo is none too pleased with auth..."

Thanks for the article link, B. I've had this book on my list for a while, with no idea of the controversy surrounding it, but I will read it with my eyes open now.

RitaSkeeter wrote: "Leap by Myfanwy Jones is on special for $3.07. Just broke my buying ban for the first time....today ;)
..."

Thanks Rita! About the same price on the US site too.

http://www.amazon.com/Leap-Myfanwy-Jo...

☼♄Jülie wrote: "This Week's Free Audiobooks: http://www.audiobooksync.com/?utm_sou... Available to download free July 23 – July 29 ..."

Thanks for the tip about this site in the audiobook thread, Julie. I was looking at it last night and downloaded March, even though I already have a paperback copy. Might give this audiobook lark a try!

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Brace yourself! :( ..."

Eeeek!

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Just starting White is the Coldest Colour by John Nicholl."

I'm just about to start that book too, as my 3rd and final for the July challenge. And it's meant to be a miserable weekend on the way, so I might even have a chance of finishing in time!

Kathryn wrote: " After the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, I thought she was British! That's a bit disappointing! ..."

Not to mention the movie version of Possession - one of my all time favourites!

Kathryn wrote: "Agree about the narrator - but I'd say that probably comes down to personal preferences..."

Thanks so much Kathryn - that's a great start.

I've not yet taken the plunge into the world of audiobooks, but I'm hijacking this thread because a friend is having eye surgery soon and she wants to prepare for that by lining up some good audiobook titles (yes, I'm 'asking for a friend'). I get that the narrator can make all the difference, so what recommendations would you make in the genres of contemporary or literary fiction?