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Just finished - just started
I've finished Darkness, Be My Friend, which was not as good as the previous three in the series. Im hoping it will lead into the fifth book, which I shall read soon.I've just started A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets, as someone has lent me the sequel so I thought I should read the first book.
I have too many books.Can't decide what to read next.
Just finished Cairngorm John: A Life in Mountain Rescue Hope it's OK to put a full review here, Patti said I could start a new thread and if she thinks it would be better elsewhere I expect I'll see it moved :}
This is a fascinating and absorbing book which I found difficult to put down; there were a couple of very late nights before it was finished. It is part-autobiography, part-mountain story and should be compulsory reading for anyone heading out to the hills.
Living on the edge of the Lake District I walk regularly with a rucksack full of "just in case but I hope I don't have to use it" kit. I have often wondered about the inner workings of the Mountain Rescue teams who are such an integral part of the outdoor world and this book is a wonderful journey into the lives and minds of those who will turn out in the worst of conditions to help total strangers.
One of the strong messages I came away with is the outstanding humanity and selflessness of John Allen and his team members and how (99% of the time) they are completely non-judgemental of those needing assistance. The criticism of a school group who demanded help and were rude and ungrateful when it was given is measured and considered, although I suspect had I been around at the time I would have found it hard not to treat a couple of the schoolgirls to a well-deserved slap. If the author felt the same then he is far too polite to say so.
I also learnt more than I previously knew about hypothermia which is no bad thing. A few parts made me smile, on one or two I laughed out loud and one particular rescue touched a nerve and brought a tear to the back of my eye.
Whether you regularly head off the beaten track or even just have a passing interest in mountains and Mountain Rescue then this is well worth a read.
This is a fascinating and absorbing book which I found difficult to put down; there were a couple of very late nights before it was finished. It is part-autobiography, part-mountain story and should be compulsory reading for anyone heading out to the hills.
Living on the edge of the Lake District I walk regularly with a rucksack full of "just in case but I hope I don't have to use it" kit. I have often wondered about the inner workings of the Mountain Rescue teams who are such an integral part of the outdoor world and this book is a wonderful journey into the lives and minds of those who will turn out in the worst of conditions to help total strangers.
One of the strong messages I came away with is the outstanding humanity and selflessness of John Allen and his team members and how (99% of the time) they are completely non-judgemental of those needing assistance. The criticism of a school group who demanded help and were rude and ungrateful when it was given is measured and considered, although I suspect had I been around at the time I would have found it hard not to treat a couple of the schoolgirls to a well-deserved slap. If the author felt the same then he is far too polite to say so.
I also learnt more than I previously knew about hypothermia which is no bad thing. A few parts made me smile, on one or two I laughed out loud and one particular rescue touched a nerve and brought a tear to the back of my eye.
Whether you regularly head off the beaten track or even just have a passing interest in mountains and Mountain Rescue then this is well worth a read.
Karon wrote: "I've finished Darkness, Be My Friend, which was not as good as the previous three in the series. Im hoping it will lead into the fifth book, which I shall read soon.I've just started ..."
A street cat named Bob is wonderful, read it a couple of weeks ago, then bought the sequel.
I've come across the first Agatha Christie that I don't want to finish. I think I may have made my self sick of them so I am going to read something else for a while.I also think it is worth mentioning that I have finished the first chapter of Harry Potter in Spanish, it only took me 2 weeks.
Which is it?I've just finished my first Ngaio Marsh, When in Rome, which I enjoyed but found rather more whimsical than I had remembered.
Ordeal by Innocence, I don't feel like I've engaged with the characters, I don't care for any of them. But as I say, it could be that I've sickened myself of the books/style.
I've just finished Lawrence Block's latest, The Burglar Who Counted The Spoons. It's a modern Whodunnit? of sorts, with an old-fashioned flavour. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I get pleasure from his Matt Scudder Series.I'm pushing one ahead of the pile as I've only just received it; I bought the hardback copy on this as I do that for special titles so I can have them on my shelf. It's Country Hardball by Steve Weddle. He edits Needle Magazine (which is recommendation enough, I reckon) and he's also an exciting writer. Can't wait.
Jud (Disney Diva) wrote: "Ordeal by Innocence, I don't feel like I've engaged with the characters, I don't care for any of them. But as I say, it could be that I've sickened myself of the books/style."I seem to remember that one was a bit like that. The one I found hardest, though, was Endless Night, which sticks in my head as a book never to read again, though I now can't remember much about it.
I'm finding it very interesting to blitz-read an author's books: you see parallels and themes that you don't otherwise notice, I think.
I'm surprised by how similar all the books are yet I still can't guess whodunit. They all follow the same formula but I've never yet correctly predicted the murderer until the revealI finished Ordeal by Innocence, A Letter for Maureen and I started The Stranger in the Shed. It's nice to have a break from reading Agatha
Just finished Swallowfields - lovely story - review to follow.Just started Closure - crime thriller - early days but it's shaping up.
Just finished Zoo. A fast-paced, easy read perfect for that long commute or plane ride, but probably a once only read and then pass it on. Good though, especially after the heavy books I've been reading lately; sometimes the brain just needs a simple thriller.Don't have anything else to start...
I also read The Memory of a Salt Shaker, The Inbetween, Stopping Time, Part 1Stopping Time, Part 2 and Quidditch Through the Ages yeaterday (can you tell I didn't do much work yesterday afternoon? I'm now reading The Key to Rebecca and after this I think I'll go back to Agatha Christie
Michael wrote: "Actually, just bought Off the KUF Volume 1: Short fiction from the Kindle Users Forum"I think that's excellent - I would say that, wouldn't I? Only one I didn't like and I bet you can guess once you've read it!
Just finished The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, lesbian romance first published in 1952. Five stars. Unusually, this made me want to fall in love (best avoided, I find).Just started my first stint as a beta reader for Jan Hurst-Nicholson of kboards.com, checking her manuscript 'With The Headmaster's Approval.' She's included a lesbian character and a bisexual female character and wants to know whether she's made any errors. I found that a really interesting request.
I've just finished two booksBrother's Boneswas quite good, easy reading but had elements of the old Hardy Boys or Scooby Doo. I also finished A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets. I enjoyed this but it was a little repetitive in places. It will make me think twice about Big Issue sellers in future.I've started Capitaland Darc Murders Collectionbut shall only read up to 9th Circle to start with .
I've just finished The Omega Paradox which was an interesting thriller:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
I'm now onto The Reconstruction Descending
I've just finished The Reconstruction Descending which was a wonderfully bizarre read:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
I'm now onto The Last Praetorian, which is off to a fun if uninspired start.
Read quite a few books while i was away,some good, some not so good.Strictly Murder,lynda wilcox.
Stadium Chase,adam faiers.
Agent X.noah boyd.
The Consultant,claude bouchard.
Hand For A Hand,frank muir.
Dead in Red,l l bartlett.
The Cult of Me,michael brookes.
Wanted,tim arnot.
The Lewis Man,peter may.
A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets,james bowen.
The Doll's House,tania carver.
blind alley,danielle ramsay.
Dying Light,stuart macbride.
The 50/50 Killer,steve mosby.
Last Witness,jilliane hoffman and unusually for me i'm reading 2 books at once,
One Dog at a Time: Saving the Strays of Helmand - An Inspiring True Story,i'm having to read this a bit at a time because it upsets me and i'm reading The Bat.
I've not got into a long novel since I finished Doctor SleepJust been pottering with short stories n such. I started The Little Book of Thunks: 260 questions to make your brain go ouch!: 260 Questions to Make Your Brain Go Ouch! last night which looks like it might be interesting.
As Dave has be at school late today and I'll have peace n quiet all day, I might try and get into a properly meaty book today.
Finished The Waste Lands which was pretty good, readying me nicely for the next one in the series.Started The Business of Dyingwhich is a pretty decent... er... is there a naughty policeman genre?
Anyway, someone here on this group recommended Simon Kernick - I've forgotten who, sorry - so thanks to whoever it was.
Beverley wrote: "Just finished Candide by Voltaire, just started Original Sin by PD James. Candide was hilarious by the way, not at all what I expected."I quite enjoyed Candide Beverley. Did you like it?
Almost finished On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Next up is The Brothers Karamazov!
Are we ever told where they carry the mats off to, these brothers?
Guy wrote: "Beverley wrote: "Just finished Candide by Voltaire, just started Original Sin by PD James. Candide was hilarious by the way, not at all what I expected."I quite enjoyed C..."
I did enjoy Candide. Each new chapter brought a renewed sense of dread and anticipation at what horrible thing might next afflict poor little Candide and his cohorts. Each chapter was like a bizarre episode of Blackadder and it made me wonder if they had probably encountered Candide at some point.
But at least we now all know that all is for the best, in this, the best of all possible worlds! LOL!
Lynda wrote: "Are we ever told where they carry the mats off to, these brothers?"I didn't get that to start with Lynda. I'm on a bit of a slow start today! Hopefully the little grey cell (there's only one of them) will wake up in a minute.
Beverley wrote: "Lynda wrote: "Are we ever told where they carry the mats off to, these brothers?"I didn't get that to start with Lynda. I'm on a bit of a slow start today! Hopefully the little grey cell (there'..."
It's just a general mat-removal service, I gather. Not everyone wants to tackle mat-carrying, what with the mud and things, so when a reliable family firm takes it on, it's worth writing about.
Oh, I get it now. I was a bit worried they might just turn up unannounced and make off with my front door mat and I'm getting enough wet leaves and grime trodden through to the hall as it is.Isn't it heartwarming to hear that small family run businesses are still thriving in these testing times?
Good luck to the pair of them I say and how clever of them to see a niche in the market like that. Who'd have thought?
I've just finished the book that I think is my favourite of the year so far (and that's quite a statement, I think). It's called Country Hardball by Steve Weddle.Only problem is, it's not available as a kindle book yet, but it will be (I'm pretty sure). Keep your eyes open.
I picked it up as a hardback and I'm pretty delighted about it. Now I want the author to sign it - that'll only happen in the imaginary world of unlimited cash though.
Great collection.
No, if any unauthorised mat removal takes place you can take a complaint to the Mat and General Floor-Covering Protection Ombudsman, so it's unlikely to occur as then the brothers could lose their licence. And unlicenced mat removal is unthinkable.
Well, I'm 83% into my Blake Crouch book, not sure how far into Big Little Life, not getting much time to read again.
Just finished some beta reading. Just started Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams.
I actually managed to finish a November read in November... Another Man's Treasure, and liked it. Especially Ethel. Now moving slowly through Four Widows, hoping it will get going soon, tho the style is engaging enough.
I finished The Key to Rebecca I quite enjoyed it but nothing to write home about.Now reading Cat Among the Pigeons
Finished The Business of Dying, not too bad at all.Started reading The Pale Horseman, which I think I may have read before, but I want to do the series in order - this is book 2.
Started rereading The Wasp Factory, which I don't think I've reread since the first time I read it when it came out, so it is long overdue for a second go round.
I finished chapter 2 of Harry Potter y La Piedra Filosofal! I'll get to Hogwarts eventually.
Been very slack on this! I finished The Killer Trees by David E. Manuel a couple of weeks back. I really do like David's books - kind of laidback thrillers, if there is such a thing.I'm continuing to read Doughnut by Tom Holt - he is my favourite author, but I have to say that this is my least favourite book of his. However, he has another one out in December and I've preordered the Kindle edition, so I'm quite excited about that.
I've just started The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and I'm finding it an enthralling but long read as I also edit / proofread / write other books at the same time. Lucky I'm good at (serial) multi-tasking!
Debbie wrote: "Been very slack on this! I finished The Killer Trees by David E. Manuel a couple of weeks back. I really do like David's books - kind of laidback thrillers, if ther..."I loved Shadow of the Wind. Has he written any more?
Love this thread, so i'm putting this here - my fave books (new and newish ones) from this year are listed here http://nigelpbird.blogspot.co.uk/2013...I'm putting it up early for the present seekers.
Lexie wrote: "Has he written any more?"My colleague who recommended Shadow of the Wind to me said there was a sequel (or possibly it is part of a trilogy), so I'll answer yes, but it's the first of his I've read.
I went off and did a search after I wrote that and discovered he has indeed written quite a few more. http://www.carlosruizzafon.co.uk
Ah. I've had Shadow of the Wind for ages. Had a paperback copy but got rid of it when we left the island and have a copy on my kindle.Don't think I've read it yet...
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Ah. I've had Shadow of the Wind for ages. Had a paperback copy but got rid of it when we left the island and have a copy on my kindle.Don't think I've read it yet..."
It's quite compelling once you start, I've found. I just need more time to read really.
(p.s. intrigued by 'left the island'...)
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I decided not to post that I was disappointed from that angle. I used my kindle to go onto the Kindle lending library. And with Prime, you can only borrow one book a month. Handy for the 60p it saved me in postage, and the £3.99 book I got to borrow, but not worth paying £50 a year for. I have paid for quite a bit of postage this year, but doubt it was £49 worth.