Sunday, December 31, 2006

Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook



(242 pages)



This utterly charming second novel by Cook (Ready To Fall) is a fun read, perfect for whiling away an afternoon on the beach. Sarah Hurlihy is 40 years old, divorced, and happily teaching preschoolers a multicultural curriculum. But her interfering, overzealous Boston Irish family thinks that she should be dating, and with much love she is pushed into answering a personal ad from a gentleman seeking a lady "who enjoys elegant dining, dancing and the slow bloom of affection"; the clincher is that he's a man who "loves dogs." That man turns out to be the last man on earth any woman would want to date, but Sarah pushes on, slowly falling headlong into the dating game with decidedly mixed results. Meanwhile, Sarah's widowed father has his own dating troubles, brother Michael is deep in marital problems, and sister Carol is having difficulty at home with her temperamental teenage daughter, who turns to her favorite aunt for comfort and body-piercing support. Somehow, they all seem to end up on Sarah's doorstep at the most inopportune moments, keeping the laughs going all the way to the not-quite-storybook-perfect ending.

I found this really enjoyable and was chuckling along in many places. Boy am I glad my family isn't as insane as Sarah's!!!
A good soppy fun read, that doesnt turn out quite as expected.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore



(275 pages)



Little Joshua Barker is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old prays for Santa to come back from the dead. There's an angel waiting in the wings, but he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos.

This has to be one of the most bizarre Christmas Books I have ever read!!
I did enjoy it, and the sick humour and the Christmas surprises at the church were hugely entertaining and more than a little bit warped, but it really wasnt what I expected...
It has made me want to read more of his stuff, but I am still undecided...
Certainly not a Christmas story for the faint hearted!!!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

The Lost Slayer by Christopher Golden



(592 pages)



A single moment of bad judgement catapults Buffy into an alternate future dimension where vampires reign supreme. Imprisoned in the body of her 24-year-old-self-and confronting friends and foes the likes of which she'd never imagined-the Slayer must uncover her past misstep and correct it, or risk facing a terrifying monster that she herself has created..

This was a really good and engrossing read. The full collection of the Four Lost Slayer books in one volume it was a really fantastic read. All the characters that I love frome the series were there, with some gruesome ends for a few.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves Buffy the series as it give s view into a possible, if not rosy future for everyone. It is set near the beginning of series four (for those who are interested)!

Friday, November 10, 2006

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly



(384 pages)



LAPD detective Hieronymous (aka Harry) Bosch is a loner and a nighthawk. Called out on a routine drug overdose case, Bosch soon realises that the victim found lying in the Mullholland Dam drainpipe is no accident case. Billy Meadows was a fellow 'tunnel rat' in Vietnam and Harry swears to bring the killer to justice.

Yet another enjoyable Bosch story. They just keep you gripped from the outset and yet again I didn't figure out whodunnit!!!! I just love Harry!!

Friday, October 13, 2006

Crazy For You by Jennifer Crusie



(325 pages)



Quinn McKenzie has always lived what she calls a "beige" life. She's dating the world's nicest guy, she has a good job as a high school art teacher, she's surrounded by family and friends who rely on her, and she's bored to the point of insanity. But when Quinn decides to change her life by adopting a stray dog over everyone's objections, everything begins to spiral out of control. Now she's coping with dog-napping, breaking and entering, seduction, sabotage, stalking, more secrets than she really wants to know, and two men who are suddenly crazy...for her.

I did really enjoy this book. It was full of hunour, whilst also looking at what happens when your long term relationship gets boring. I wouldnt necessarily go as far as Quinn and Darla to shake things up, but in true chick lit style, things dd turn out well in the end. Katie was adorable and I hated Bill and BP with a vengencw. as for the Ziegler brothers.... well..... phew!!!! LoL.
This isnt the first Crusie book I have read, and I have decided it wont be the last. Any book that can shock you, make you laugh and have a warm fuzzy feeling inside is okay by me!!!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Woman Walks Into a Bar by Rowan Coleman



(115 pages)



A Friday night out with the girls changes Sam's life forever ...28-year-old single mother Sam spends her days working in the local supermarket and her Friday nights out with her friends, Joy and Marie, letting her hair down at the White Horse. Life has never been easy for Sam, but she's always hoped that one day she'll meet The One. After a series of terrible dates with men she's met through an internet dating agency she's starting to lose heart - until her friends tell her they've set her up on a blind date. Sam's horrified but finally she agrees to go - after all you never know when you might meet the man of your dreams ...

This was a really quick and really fun read :) I was especially fond of the flashbacks that filled in the gaps of Sam's life. Reading about the bullying I began to feel really attached to her and wanted there to be a happy ending as it was exactly what she deserved, and I wasn't disappointed :)
I enjoyed it so much I may go hunting for more books by this author.

Monday, October 09, 2006

The Wizard, The Witch & Two Girls From Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou



(273 pages)



When mortal enemies Veronica Lopez and Heather Simms get hit by a bar code scanner while fighting over the last copy of Queen of Twilight, it takes them a moment to realize that they aren’t in a New Jersey bookstore anymore. In fact, they’re in the novel. Too bad they don’t realize it until after they accidentally kill the book’s heroine, Princess Arabelle, aka "The One." Only The One can restore light and peace to the land of Galma, long held in thrall to the evil Twilight Queen. Now Veronica and Heather have no choice but to try to save Galma from the Twilight Queen. But can the two girls find their way to the end of the story and home again without destroying Galma - or killing each other?

I loved this soooo much :D I devoured it in a day, i simply couldn't put it down!! I loved te characters, although Heather drove me insane at first (I mean a health spa in a cave with assassin bugs :o for goodness sakes!!)!!! Lol!
The additional characters of Chattergee, Karn and especially Dogget, not forgetting all the monsters and creepy crawlies, made the story rattle along at a fine pace, with plenty of things going on to keep me hooked.
I couldn't wait to see how it ended, and just as woth the movie Shrek, I felt that there was a moral undercurrent running through that left me with a big smile on my face :)
What a great read!!!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

The Siege by Helen Dunmore



(304 pages)



Leningrad, September 1941. German tanks surround the city, imprisoning those who live there. The besieged people of Leningrad face shells, starvation, and the Russian winter. Interweaving two love affairs in two generations, THE SIEGE draws us deep into the Levin's family struggle to stay alive during this terrible winter. What is it like to be so hungry you simmer your leather manicure case to make soup? So cold you burn first your furniture and then your books? THE SIEGE is a story about war and the wounds it inflicts on people's lives. It is also a lyrical and deeply moving celebration of love, life and survival.

This was a well written and moving book, however I did feel rather detached from the characters. It was very well written, with some great attention to detail, but it lackled a certain something to make it a great book.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier



( pages)



Stunned by his mother's recent death and appalled by the way his father sleepwalks through life, Jerry Renault, a New England high school student, ponders the poster in his locker-Do I dare disturb the universe?
Part of his universe is Archie Costello, leader of a secret school societ-the Virgils-and master of intimidation. Archie himself is intimidated by a cool, ambitious teacher into having the Virgils spearhead the annual fund-raising event-a chocolate sale. When Jerry refuses to be bullied into selling chocolates, he becomes a hero, but his defiance is a threat to Archie, the Virgils, and the school. In the inevitable showdown, Archie's skill at intimidation turns Jerry from hero to outcast, to victim, leaving him alone and terribly vulnerable.

This was a very intersting read, and about 40 or so pages in i remembered that i had read it before. The story is well written and the characters rounded, but I unfortunately felt as though i was reading as part of a school assignment (like the first time) rather than for fun :( Still worth the read though :D

Thursday, October 05, 2006

The BFG by Roald Dahl



(208 pages)



The BFG is a big, friendly giant who spirits a child out of bed one dark night. Fortunately, this giant really is friendly, but his countrymen in the land of giants are inveterate child-eaters. Can the child enlist the aid of his kidnapper in stopping the nightly massacre?

I remember reading this as a child and loving it, so I really couldne wait to read it again :) I wasn't disappointed :D I sat down, started reading and simply couldn't stop! It is a wonderfully written, magical story and definitely one of my favourite Roald Dahl books, everyone should read it!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine



(58 pages)



Tuffy was in big trouble - on Monday he killed a bird, on Tuesday a mouse and on Wednesday he dragged a dead rabbit through the catflap. This caused pandemonium for Ellie and her parents as it was their neighbour's pet rabbit, Thumper.

This was really funny. I mean how often do we see the world throught he eyes of our beloved cats. It wasn't Tuffy's fault that the bird attacked him, or that the mouse was dead not to mention poor Thumper!!!!
A must for all cat loving kiddies out there :D

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Quidditch Through The Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp



(42 pages)



Did you know that there are 700 ways of committing a foul in Quidditch? Have you ever wondered how the Bludgers came into existence or why Wigtown Wanderers have pictures of meat cleavers on their robes? This copy of a volume in Hogwarts School Library contains everything you need to know.

A great way to get further inside the world of Harry Potter, and have some idea what Ron is wittering on about when he goes into his Quidditch spiel!!

Monday, September 18, 2006

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander



(42 pages)



As Albus Dumbledore says in his introduction, this set textbook by Newt Scamander has given the perfect grounding to many a Hogwarts student. It will be helpful to all Muggles out there too.

At last, I can understand Hagrid's love of all beasts mystical. These little books are a must read for all people who are Harry Potter fanatics and simply need to know more about the wizarding world.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult



(389 pages)




(Amazon.co.uk Review)
From the first few words of her latest novel, Jodi Picoult grips her reader so firmly it would be madness to struggle. And from then on, it’s such a roller-coaster ride that it’s as much as you can do to put it down before you’ve reached the very last word.
After years of dealing with abused children and their families and working her damnedest to bring the perpetrators to justice, assistant district attorney Nina Frost takes a while to recognise the signs of abuse in her only child. When five-year-old Nathanial stops speaking and finally, through sign language, identifies his abuser, Nina takes the law into her own hands. And so begins a fast and furious tale of twists and turns--just when you think you’ve got it covered, you move at right-angles and a new reality emerges.
Perfect Match delivers what Picoult fans would expect--intelligent, polished writing that feels so real and natural you might forget it’s fiction. Once again, she covers the familiar themes of love--here specifically parent and partner relationships--and what happens to ordinary people when the extraordinary turns their world upside-down. Her research is as impeccable as ever--Nina is believable as a DA and the court-room scenes feel like the real thing. The everyday details of modern family life are set against the life-shattering events that ordinary people come to believe they are immune from as Picoult explores the boundaries of decency, bravery and betrayal and the consequences of believing, if only for a split second, that you and your family deserve more.

As an avid Picoult fan I am trying to work my way through all her books. This has to be one of the most gripping ones that I have read, as there are so many different types of characters. Whlst you are supposed to be rooting for Nina, she is an easily dislikeable person,l and my sympathey was transferred to different people throughout the story.
It has been written in such a rich way, that it was almost impossible to put down. Whilst the ending was extremely neat, I didn't see the customary twist happening in the way it actually did. I was very impressed with the sensitivity in which she managed to handle such disturbing subject matter. She certainly did a good job of making you think about what you would do in a similar situation, Yet again my love of Picoult has grown. Fantastic :)

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Learning to Swim by Ann Turner



(113 pages)



Unfolding in a series of exquisite narrative poems, this is the haunting true story of a tragic summer in a young girl's life. Annie is supposed to be having a carefree summer -- but instead she must face the unwanted advances of an older boy in the neighborhood, who threatens her if she tells. It isn't until Annie's mother pries out the secret that Annie is released from her horror and isolation and can slowly begin to heal.

This was a beautifully written and extremely powerful book. Even if you don't like poetry, you would probably like this.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

SilverFin by Charlie Higson



(384 pages)



FILE NOTE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL - AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY Subject: James Bond Age: 13 Description: dark hair that falls in a comma above his brow, despite efforts to control it; blue eyes; tall for age; surprisingly strong; fluent French, good German. Essential components: A villain so vile no white fluffy cat would go near him A girl - blond, green-eyed, named Wilder Lawless One fast car. Additional detail: Sinister experiments at a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands The disappearance of a young boy Britain building to war in the 1930s Summary: A must-read book for spring. A hot sequel follows in autumn.

This was a really enjoyable read, obviously designed for young teenage boys. I was particularly fond of the tournament at Eton and the driving lessons :)
I would like to read the rest of the series to see how this young Bond turned into Sean Connery and co.
Recommended to all spy wannabes ;)

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis



(176 pages)



In The Magician's Nephew, the first of the seven Chronicles of Narnia, nothing is quite as it seems. Digory and Polly find themselves magically transported to a Wood between the Worlds, where several small ponds act as gateways to different worlds. They discover the dead world of Charn and together with Aslan the lion the pair fight against the evil Queen Jadis, restoring the land to its natural state and triumphing over the darkness that reigned before their arrival.
Rich in imagery and emotion, The Magician's Nephew has been relished by hoards of young readers since it was first published in the 1950s. This impressive new edition, published in celebration of the centenary of CS Lewis and featuring delicately crafted, hand-coloured, original illustrations by Pauline Baynes, will capture the hearts of a whole new generation, working its magic on young minds as they wallow in the sheer joy of the Chronicles of Narnia.

I enjoyed this so much more the second time around and cannot wait to get through the rest of my Narnia Box Set.