The Golden Prince - Rebecca Dean

I'm super excited about reading this latest historical tale of the monarchy from author Rebecca Dean (whose first historical novel Enemies of the Heart was inspired by her own German and British history). This book in my opinion has come at the very best time considering the recent announcement of the Royal Wedding between Prince William and (dare I say commoner?) Kate Middleton.

The blurb on the back of this book reads like so - 'Edward VIII became notorious for abandoning the throne for Mrs Simpson, but in the summer of 1911 he was a prince straight from the pages of a fairy-tale. Raised by the harsh disciplinarian King George V and his unfeeling Queen Mary, the prince longed for the warmth that had been deprived of him. The high society Houghton girls' lives however, were full of fun, both at their magnificent family seat Snowberry, and at the whirlwind of glamorous parties which punctuated their lives. When a moment of serendipity brings Edward and Lily Houghton together, the pressures of a stuffy court are replaced with the lightness that Edward has dreamt of. But a future monarch could not choose his own Queen, and even an enduring love might falter under the furious gaze of a King. Could the devotion of Edward and Lily triumph against him and the impending doom of World War I? Or would they bow to the inevitable and set in train events that could bring down the Crown, and change the course of history forever?

How can anyone not be interested in reading this novel?

A full review of this book will be added on here as soon as I have read it.

I would like to thank Sylvie from FuelMyBlog.com who was kind enough to offer me the chance of reviewing it.

To snap up this much sought-after novel before it's sold out simply follow this link below to the amazon website.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Prince-Rebecca-Dean/dp/0007315724/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290527328&sr=8-1

Big Money - PG Wodehouse - 1932 * * 1/2

I'm sad to say that this latest Wodehouse I read was a big disappointment to me. Compared to the quick-witted humour and sharpness of the last books it was a big mess with far too many characters for me to remember and too many situations happening that made me loose my place more than once. I won't even give you a synopsis because I think it would be too difficult for me. Let's just say it follows the structure of most of Wodehouse's novels with misunderstandings and incidents that are supposed to be funny ( but sadly I didn't find them funny at all this time around) and everything is always sorted out by the end. So yeah, that's it. Hopefully the next will be better.

Started 14th December

Finished 18th December

The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks 1984 * * *

It's hard to know what to say about this book. In some areas it's the work of genius and definitely a promising debut novel for Mr Banks, but in other areas it's full of the typical cliches and grammatical errors that you would expect from a new-comer into the work of book-writing. Some of the conversations between the protaganist Frank and his brother Eric on the phone are very wooden as though they were written by someone in school. I should know because I used to think adding as many 'doing' actions as possible to a short conversation in a story I wrote at school was a way of better writing, but it's not ( i.e. 'he said angrily', 'then he said manically' 'then he said crazily feeling very angry' etc'). However there are some paragraphs that are brilliantly written and although very gruesome, the definitions of Frank killing insects and particularly baby rabbits are excellently drawn. A book that needs to be read, if not purely for the hype, but I'm not sure if I would read any more of his work.

Started 12th December

Finished 15th December

Uneasy Money - PG.Wodehouse 1916 * * * *

I've only seen a few Wodehouse books and although they were funny some started off very well and then went downhill. This novel didn't, and I chuckled my way to the very last page.

Lord Dawlish who is running out of money fast, is amazingly left a million pounds by some man he helped on the golf course a while back. He also comes into the knowledge that the niece and nephew of the deceased man are only left a pitiful amount and so decides to seek them out to give them half his inheritance despite his nagging fiance Claire's negative attitude. Things don't go as planned when he finds himself falling in love with Elizabeth the niece, who has sworn to give the man who stole her inheritance a hellish remainder of his life, unaware that the man she has started to feel close to is the 'cad' himself. Through in romantic mix-ups, manic bees, the hilarious antics of a monkey and a blonde Lord Dawlish meets in club who makes a scene and causes him to fall over and you have all the ingredients of a classic Wodehouse.

Started 7th December

Finished 12th December

George Formby:A Troubled Genius - David Bret 2001 * * * *

George Formby - The chirpy and gappy-toothed man who has been my hero since I was 5 years old. The man who really got me hooked on black and white films ( followed closely by Fred and Ginger), the man who conjures up an immense feeling of affection and love for him more than any other star of his time and the man who made me truly appreciate comedy in it's best form. Needless to say I'm one of his biggest fans and have just recently completed my collection of every single Formby film that has ever been released ( sadly some are yet to be realised to DVD but hopefully it will happen one day). Watching him play the gormless yet loveable chap who 'always gets the girl' in his films made me realise that whether I liked it or not I had to find out whether he was as nice as I had always hoped and imagined. So when David Bret's book came along to my library I pounced on it. David Bret is a very controversial writer because he is known for exaggerating the lives of the stars he writes about ( his Jean Harlow book was read earlier in my blog) and not always in the most favourable terms. However as this was the only George Formby book within a 100 mile radius to me I decided it was better than nothing.

To put it bluntly ( and happily) Bret writes about George in exactly the way I had hoped he would. He covers George's problems with working with attractive female co-stars in his films, pointing out how overbearing and paranoid his wife Beryl was about him even looking at another woman. Because of this I think a number of his fellow actors came away with a less than favourible impression of him as being unfriendly and dull when in reality he was so controlled by Beryl that he tried to avoid trouble from her whenever was possible making it almost impossible for him to communicate normally with members of the opposite sex. To say he was 'dull' was a gross misunderstanding as many of his male friends and acquaintainces would agree on. Bret also recalls one particular incident that Dinah Sheridan who was George's co-star in 'Get Cracking' mentions in the official Formby website about her going to the set for what she thought was a quick chat with George and finding Beryl there instead. " Soon after, she had a call to meet with George Formby. "I walked into the office, there was no Formby. No director. Only Mrs. Formby, sitting behind a desk. She looked at me and asked immediately if I was married. I said 'Yes.' 'How long?' 'Three months, 'I replied, and she said, '"You'll do.' I was so newly married that I presumably posed no threat!" I find this to be a typical example of how horrible and uncompromising Beryl was to any female near the set. So much so that George wasn't allowed even to kiss his co-stars in the final scenes because she didn't allow it and in a few incidents Beryl was called away to the 'telephone', leaving George to finish the film with the kiss that was appropritate and much needed. She was a tyranical and pitiful excuse for a female in my opinion, seemingly there only for the fame and fortune that greeted George when he became famous and desperate to control every aspect of his life. Sadly, George never knew anything else other than her controlling and dominating ways as well as her cruel refusal to let him be a father and it was only when she died many years later that he felt he could finally be happy. Such a dreadful waste for a man who made millions laugh and never shared any of the joy in his own private life. David Bret actually does a great job here exploring all George's early life as well as his later life after and through his popular films where he risked his life consistantly to fly to dangerous areas of the country to perform to the troops and people, even at the risk of his health. Bret then goes on to mention in detail the horrible war than ensued between George's fiancee Pat Howson and George's mother after he died and his inheritance had to be broken up. His mother was another dispicable excuse for a human being.

Of course George made mistakes - he was known to have had affairs throughout his marriage to Beryl which is never the right thing to do, but I believe that if Beryl hadn't been the way she was he wouldn't have seeked solace with other people and I support him 100% on his choices. I only wish he could have escaped his turbulent marriage a lot earlier which would then at least, have given him a fews years or so of happiness. George was never boastful or arrogant, he was kind and considerate to those who knew him, and although he was hard to work with (mainly because of his domineering wife), he was never intentionally unkind to anyone for no reason preferring to stay out the way of his co-stars in case arguments erupted on set. He was totally misunderstood by many people and in no way gormless or thick. He had a warm and loveable quality that calmed many and helped hundreds of thousands through the war. It goes withought saying of course that he was a genius, and one of the most unforgettable people I have ever had the pleasure of seeing on film or reading about, I would have dearly liked to have met him to tell him how loved and appreciated he still is today.

UK on a G-String - Justin Brown 2004 * * *

Not a bad book in my book ( snort!), Justin Brown makes a ridiculous bet with his friend in New Zealand, I think to do with football, and to cut a long story short, his penalty ( I'm hilarious today!) for his team loosing is for him to fly to Englad and busk around it, making enough money for a plane ticket home. I'm sure many people would be thinking 'what a ridiculous idea, he's just setting himself up for disappointment,' 'why doesn't he just refuse to do it?' etc and you may well be right. However Justin isn't just a normal busker in that he plays to wide open spaces in horrible areas of London, he is in fact the first and I'm sure he won't mind me saying this 'most awful door to door busker ever.' That's right, he knocks on unsuspecting families, couples, pensioners' doors and demands to sing to them. Armed with a song about a Kentucky fried Kitten and a slightly rude tune based on Harry Potter he's all set to go traipsing around lovely and goddam awful parts of Britain where he soon meets a myriad of bizarre and charming characters. As long as someone will be kind enough (or desperate enough) to give him some money! By half way through the book you come to see Justin as an old friend and really start rooting for him ( although you wish he'd stop spending the money he makes on pints of beer with new acquaintances!)

Very humorous, easy to read and fun.

Started 18th November

Finished 25th November

Jean Harlow:Tarnished Angel - David Bret 2009 * * * *

I know enough about Jean Harlow to know that part of this book is fabricated stuff. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it immensely but I feel that for people who don't know about Jean's life that this is not a brilliant book to get them started. Classic movie stars dominate my world and I spend hours researching them for my own enjoyment. Hence how I know that many of the things Bret says about her are quite obviously fake. But hey I can still enjoy a good old scandal bio. 'Hollywood Babylon' is one of my favourite books despite the fact most of it is fictional gossip because I love imagining 'what if' these scenerios were true.

Harlow lived a tragically short and unfulfilled life, only just starting to realise her true potential when it was too late and I think she really was one of the most unique and adorable actresses of the day. She was also incredibly loving and kind to people around her which is a rare thing in Hollywood and that is the reason her funeral was almost mobbed with fans - nothing since Rudolph Valentino's early demise had caused such a commotion.

I was, am and will continue to find myself astounded and mesmerised by the Hollywood of yesteryear, it's people, it's image and it's life. Timeless to me forever.

Although I know Bret was far off on many areas of his biography that doesn't stop me from getting out his Joan Crawford and George Formby ( my favourite) biographies to eagerly devour. I know so much about George Formby that I doubt anything in Bret's book will make me adore him any less.

Started 26th October

Finished 1st November

Ivor Novello: Portrait of a Star - Paul Webb 2006 * * * *

Biographies are another of my 'phases'. I love them and have started drooling over all the possible books I can read on my favourite old stars ( as long as I can find them in the library!)
I have only seen Novello in 'The Lodger' and so couldn't really say I was a hard-core fan of his but after reading about his life in a lovely easy and entertaining way and seeing numerous pictures of him through various stages of his life I was hooked. Sad really that 'The Lodger' is the only film of his that is now properly accessable as all others have been lost or destroyed ( it always upsets me to hear that rare silent films have been lost of detroyed - my generation will never be able to see them) and therefore anyone who wants to know more about Ivor would do well to watch that first. I feel awful not knowing that it was Novello who was responsible for 'Keep the Home Fires Burning' which was one of the most popular songs of WW1. He was an incredibly talented and charismatic individual that doesn't seem to have been matched today on account of his quantity and quality of work complete with drop dead handsome looks. To be a genius is one thing, but to be an amazingly jaw-droppingly handsome genius is quite different as his looks opened up many doors for him in film and theatre.
Amazing book and so easy to read. I'm now an Ivor Novello fan.

Started 20th October
Finished 27th October

Someone to Watch Over me - Izzy Hammond 2007 * * *

This was another misery memoir that succeeded in pulling me out of my reading block. I sped through it, devouring everything Izzy explained about her ghastly childhood at the hands of her abusive father Ronald who was also deaf and partially blind. Her mother Emily was also deaf and so Izzy had no one to turn to when the sexual abuse inflicted upon her became too much to bear, resulting in her bringing her own children up in a similar pattern to her mother and neglecting them emotionally. I very brave story full of heart-breaking events that was easy to read.

Started 17th October

Finished 21st October ( with breaks)

Love, Honour and Betray - Kathy Lette 2009 * * * *

I never realised Kathy Lette was so incredibly funny but she is, and also has a wonderful way with words when it comes to describing people.

I had a bit of a slump this month and the last and as I approach the middle of October this is really the only book I have properly read ( flicking through my Adrian Mole volumes hardly counts!). I needed a book to pick me up from my rut that I have become accustomed to finding myself in throughout the months and usually when this happens I either turn to chick lit or true crime. Having exhausted the majority of the true crime books in my library I decided to give this novel a go, having seen it a few times leering at me from the shelves as I went past and I must say it really brought me out of my reading block. The story follows the same kind of format that most other chick lit books do in that the lead character has found out her husband is cheating on her and so decides to become an independent woman and in doing so win him back forgetting in the process that her children are going to prove some work to convince.

There are loads of hilarious incidents and some memorable characters and the book flew along for me which is always a good thing. Lette's writing is fresh and witty and she describes Australia ( where most of the novel is set) in a very eye-catching way that makes me want to experience the place for myself. I'll be reading more of Kathy Lette's work and more books in general again hopefully!

Started 3rd October

Finished 5th October

Missing - Rose Rouse 2008 * * *

A very sad book but very interesting as well to hear some of the first-hand accounts of families who have lost their children or partners in unusual ways. The horrible thing that they all agree on is never knowing whether their loved one is dead or alive. That can be even worse than finding out that they have died.
Some accounts are of those people who walk away from their children, only to find them years later, and others are from parents whose sons walk out one day and never come home. Unexplained disappearances are hard to comprehend, and usually (certainly from reading the book) we get the immediate feeling that these people would not have chosen to leave of their own free will, which, sadly leaves them being made to leave or taken against their wishes. Well written and well compiled, took a bit to get used to though as you are literally plunged into tight and completely different stories every 20 pages or so.

Started 19th August
Finished 1st September ( with breaks!)

The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole 1999-2001 - Sue Townsend 2008 * * * *

Adrian Mole can never disappoint and I have read all but 1 of his books now ( that being 'The Prostate Years'.) His wit, character and intelligence will make anyone chuckle as he tries to come to terms with his parents' sex life, his unreciprocated love for Pandora, his status as a single man living with 2 boys in a council house, his series of unfortunate and hilariously unsuccessful relationships and his overwhelming love for his many unfinished novels that he enjoys writing so much.

Enter Adrian's World, where everything ,no matter how ludicrous, can always make you laugh out loud.

Started 7th July

Finished 8th July

Disgraced - Saira Ahmed 2009 * * *

It is grotesque to think that in this day and age there are still arranged marriages taking place in the world. Even worse is the hell and unbearable suffering the girls go through who are abused by their new husbands. There is no wway out for them. Women are not permitted to leave an arranged marriage and if any do dare defy their families there is a good chance they will end up dead somewhere.
The word 'family' means something totally different in their civilisation. Not love and kindness but pride and superiority ( for the men at any rate.) They would rather murder or beat a daughter than have her bring shame on the family. How different we as societies seem to be and how frightening to think that someone you see as a loving parent could be willing to bring so much pain to you just for the sake of honouring their family.
This woman takes us through her early upbringing to her violent adolescence and late teens where she is forced to marry a stranger and forbidden to see her true love by her family. Her life is a constant stream of terror and uncertainty, most of the time she is working all hours of the day to pay her parents money for debts they owe. Her parents seem totally thoughtless and barely acknowledge her thanks when she helps them out which I find absolutely disgusting. I hope she can carve a better life for herself now with her young daughter.

Started 7th July
Finished 8th July

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson 1962 * * *

I can't really work out what to think of this novel. Although short it packs in a lot of information and really gets under your skin. It is written in a weirdly lyrical and surreal way which makes it hard to work out if the writing is simply disjointed or whether there is a special meaning to the prose.
The basic story - 2 sisters and their terminally sick Uncle Julian are boarded up in a large and impressive house on the outskirts of a village. They have been ever since the older sister Constance was accused and the aquitted over the murder of her remaining family. Her younger sister Mary Katherine "Merricat" spends her days playing outside with her cat Jonas and making the awful trips into the village for groceries, only to be accosted with virtually every person that she comes into contact with. It seems the village still want nothing to do with the family, and therefore when the sister's 'cousin' Charles turns up unexpected and starts imposing himself on the sister's life ( and their money) that something very nasty is gonig to happen.
Speaking as a virgin of Shirley Jackson's work I don't know if I fully understand or appreciate her style, and so this book is a bit of a hit and miss for me. Added to which, nothing is properly explained at the end, and instead we are left with an abrupt finish which leaves the reader very unsatisfied.
One to read, but not one to keep.

Started 4th July
Finished 7th July

The Thin Man - Dashiell Hammett 1934 * *

I read this novel immediatly after finishing The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler and I must say I was so desperately disappointed. The writing was dire, the plot really didn't go anywhere except round and round and it actually took me a long time to think that I should persevere as opposed to giving up . I have the film but haven't seen it yet but I can hardly doubt that Powell and Loy will translate this into as dreadful a movie as a piece of writing. In comparison to Chander, Hammett really doesn't have a clue. If I hadn't already decided to take out The Maltese Falcon (also by Hammett) from the library I would have given up on him as a writer already.

Started 1st July
Finished 3rd July

One, Two Buckle My Shoe - Agatha Christie 1940 * * * *

Is there ever going to be a dud Christie book? Highly unlikely after reading yet another brilliantly constructed and captivating piece of work from the Mistress of Crime. This novel is centred around the dentist and how maybe some people's fears can be justifed... Poirot himself is hardly fond of sitting in the chair with a large drill in his mouth and so when he finds out that the very dentist who was working on him a few hours before has 'died' in his surgery, Poirot must use every inch of his 'little grey cells' to find the truth.
Brilliant as ever.

Started 3rd July
Finished 4th July

Tiger's Child - Torey Hayden 1995 * * * *

I haven't read the prequel to this story which describes Sheila's life in more detail but I am pretty sure this book gave me as much information as was necessary.
The second Hayden book for me, this tells of Torey's encounter with a mentally and physically abused and abusive little girl who is abandoned at a young age and finds her way into Torey's special needs class. The amount of time that Torey and Sheila spend together is very brief in comparison to her other case I read ( Ghost Girl) but there is still plenty of time to get to know her and find out how gifted she really is. Torey Hayden has a wonderfully gentle way of writing which is in no way arrogant or money grabbing - she really just wants to help these children who have no one else and that is very heartwarming to see. A captivating and gripping book. I will be reading more of her work.

Started 28th June
Finished 30th June

The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler 1939 * * * *

Who cannot love Chandler's way of writing and creating unforgettable characters. The film of the same name with Bogart and Bacall is one of my favourite film noirs and so reading this was important to me.
Philip Marlowe's drawling wisecracks and constant whisky drinking as he sets on the trail of a rich and detached family who hold many more dark secrets than they let on is captivating. Even if you hadn't seen the film the characters would naturally jump out on you from the page, one of the only times I have felt like I am living the life of the main protagonist as opposed to simply reading the book.
Amazing story and now a desperate need to read all the rest of Chandler's work.

Started 25th June
Finished 28th June

Peril at End House - Agatha Christie 1932 * * * *

I thought that after the amazing ending in 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' Christie's other books would just be fairly mediocre. Actually this story as another amazing page-turner and I hurried through it desperate to read the ending. And when I did, I uttered the now all-too common words ' It was so obvious but I didn't see it' which really proves what a fantastic genius of a writer Christie is. I have loads more of her books stacked up ready to read and if I read a 3rd one to the same amazement and enjoyment than I will think nothing of seriously working my way through all her books. I also love the creation of Poirot - I think he is superb, and he is usually so calm even when he knows the truth that it spurs me on faster and faster to finish and find out his discovery. As I have only read 2 Christie's I cannot comment on his actions throughout other books, but if the Poirot TV show is anything to go by, he is about as much of a genius as Christie is - maybe she based his character on herself...

Started 18th June

Finished 24th June

Secret Smile - Nicci French 2005* * * *

This is the second Nicci French novel I have gobbled up and to be honest I would say its nearly as good if not as good as the last one ( What to do when someone dies). The thing about these 2 writers is that they have an ability to draw you in so well that you find yourself tripping over to read more and more. This really is one of those books where the case of 'just one more page' takes effect. Even when I know I have to get up for work I am still desperate to read more even if it means propping my eyelids up with matchsticks!
This is the second book I have read regarding the subject of stalking and as I read more and more I find out how complex and terrifying the act of stalking really is.
Brilliant writing.

Started 6th June
Finished 9th June

Footsteps in the Dark - Georgette Heyer 1932* * * *

I have heard a great deal about Heyer's Regency novels and was delighted to see that she had done a series of classics mystery novels that combined a good story with some dry humour which sounded ideal!
The story was a good one, although honestly I felt in some places it lagged. I liked the typically English stiff upper lipped attitude where no one says how they are really feeling and throw sarcasm around at each other every other sentence. The end was surprising, but I did sort of guess the culprit, not however having any idea about the motive. Worth a read. Will try some of her others.

Started 27th May
Finished 5th June

The Adventures of Sally - P.G. Wodehouse 1922 - * * * *

One of the better Wodehouse's, I sped through this barely stopping to take a breath except when I wanted to laugh! Sally's travels around Europe and back to America make for very funny reading and I was sad to come to the end of this one although I know I have to so that I can start new Wodehouses. The thing I liked most about this was that I didn't get mixed up with the characters like I do in many of his books and managed to stay focused the entire novel. Brilliant.

Started 25th May
Finished 26th May

Stalked - Kate Brennan 2009 * * * *

This is the kind of book that would make a good horror film, the scary part would be that it is actually a true story. One of the few books that genuinely scared me and made me go around locking all the doors before bed last night this kind of book really gets under your skin. The scary thing about it is that this woman is stalked by someone she knows better than anyone who proclaimed to love her when they were together and also threw daily insults and put downs in her face ( one such occurance happens when he pats her arm patronizingly and tells her that it's such a shame that he isn't sexually attracted to her anymore and he really wishes he was but it's just not going to happen.) How insulting and demeaning, as if this man has a right to act this way and then get angry when she mentions she can't stand it anymore. Her stalker Paul sounds like a very frightening character and the fact that he is still at large after all this time means Kate has to constantly up and move house for fear of him finding her. That is no way to live your life constantly looking over your shoulder, but unfortunately it is a reality that Kate must now live with.
A riveting read.

Started 23rd May
Finished 24th May

Something Fresh - P.G.Wodehouse 1915 * * *

After a mix up at his friend's house, Lord Emsworth absent-mindedly pockets a valuable scarab and takes it back to his home Blandings, to add to his collection. Things go from bad to worse when his friend hires someone to steal the scarab back for him, which would be fine if the man he hired wasn't also up against a beautiful and secretive woman who coincidentally lives in the same block of flats as him and has been invited to Blandings as a cook ( she secretly wants the scarab). The trouble is neither knows about each other... let the chaos begin!!
Funny and easy to read, Wodehouse is not capable of writing a dud!!

Started 20th May
Finished 23rd May

The Throwback - Tom Sharpe 1978* * * *

The first Tom Sharpe I have ever read has had me in hysterics since the beginning. I finished it last night and towards the end I had to stop for a breather because my gasping and snorts of amusement was making it hard to breathe. Sharpe is effectively Wodehouse with all the rude bits thrown in. However just because he's rude doesn't mean he is vulgar and though critics have mentioned that they find him over the top he still has a jolly good sense of humour and isn't afraid to talk about anything. Don't read this on public transport as I doubt you would last the trip (the taxidermy incident nearly made me fall off my bed I was laughing so much) and besides, this type of humour should be savoured and appreciated at it's fullest sense. But that didn't stop me from finishing it all in 2 days!


Started 17th May
Finished 18th May ( late!!!)

What to Do When Someone Dies - Nicci French 2009* * * * 1/2

This is my first Nicci French novel and is certainly not going to be the last. The story is a compulsive page-turner ( I read it in just over a day) and the layout of the story is very believable. If you found out that your husband had died in a car with another women how would you feel? Hurt, angry, betrayed or not convinced? That is how Ellie feels after learning that her husband met his death in a car with a glamourous yet unknown woman. And she won't rest until she finds out the truth.
All I can say is if all the Nicci French books are this good I'll be hoicking them to the top of my TBR pile!

Started 16th May
Finished 17th May

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie 1926 * * * * *

I'd heard high aclaim for this book but seldom is praise this justified. Christie's first novel surroundingthe mysterious murder of Roger Ackroyd is a compelling and thrilling read. The ending is well known for making you go, ' I don't believe it but I knew it all along!' and I felt exactly the same after finishing. This book has really made me want to explore more of her work and I am already building up quite a collection of her books!

Started 13th May

Finished 16th May

The Girl on the Boat - P.G. Wodehouse 1922 - * * *

Wodehouse has done it yet again, this time aboard a cruise ship where cousins meet ex-fiances and new fiances meet old acquaintances who aren't always what or whom they seem ( are they ever in his books???). This book is funny, silly, and more to the point exactly what we want from Mr W. You can never feel sad when finishing any of his books, except of course for the fact that it's over. He transports us to a world where men are genteel and wear smoker's jackets and women are pretty, silly little things who need to be protected but seem to have strong opinions. You can count on the men acting like idiots and mucking up in front of the women in an attempt to show off, but with Wodehouse you are 100% sure that the women will always forgive them; that's the kind of world I'd love to live in.


Started 9th May
Finished 12th May

Notes on a Scandal - Zoe Heller 2003* * * *

Having seen the film I was immediatly making judgements about this book before I'd even started it. However the film and the book don't always cover the same ground and certainly end very differently (I prefered the ending of the film) but there were many parts that were similar. I think the idea for this story is very good and rather daring for a book, dealing with underage affairs between pupils and teachers and the consequences for all those around.
Barbara is a lonely mid-sixties spinster who spots pretty new pottery teacher Sheba at her first day in the elementary school. Recognising ( in her own head) a kindred spirit, Barbara and Sheba become very close ( Barbara records everything in her diary) and it is only when Sheba confides the news of an affair between herself and a 15 year old boy from the school that Barbara's world threatens to come crashing down.
Brilliantly addictive. The kind of book you stay up late to read even when you can barely keep your eyes open.

Started 7th May
Finished 9th May

Laughing Gas - P.G. Wodehouse 1936 - * * * *

I blasted my way so fast through this book that the first thing I did this morning when I woke up (at 4 am!) was to finish it! This is extremely funny about a newly appointed Earl - Reggie Havershot who, after being sent to America to track down his newly alcoholic cousin Eggy happens to go to the dentist's at the same time as a young child star named Joey Cooley and subsequently they are given laughing gas. When they awake... you've guessed it, they have switched bodies but still have the same minds, leading to some hilarious and typically Wodehouse situations. His books just keep getting funnier.

Started 6th May
Finished 8th May

Pig Island - Mo Hayder 2006* * * *

This book holds a certain meaning to me, for a few years ago I was on the train to London and once I'd reached the tube station I noticed an advert for this book on the wall. The image never left me and although I forgot ( many times) the title of the book I swore to myself that I would read it someday. And now I have. Mo Hayder has a brilliant way of enticing the reader into the story and keeping you there as a prisoner until you are too weak or tired to read anymore. This book barely took me any time at all and I was terrified, excited, entranced and amazed by the subject matter. I really enjoyed this.

Started 4th May
Finished 6th May

Uncle Fred in the Springtime - P.G. Wodehouse 1939* * *

Like all his books, Wodehouse manages to incorporate unique and funny language with ( most of the time) bizarre and hilarious plots! This time we are treated with a trip to Blandings' Castle, where the prized pig 'The Empress' gets embroiled into a kidnapping plot including a couple of the members of the Castle! Confused? You will be, but it's all in good fun really and another light and frothy read from the Master.

Started 26th April

Finished 3rd May

The Beach - Alex Garland 1996* * *

Without meaning to I spent most of this book comparing it to the film even though I knew that the film had changed things around and missed things out!

I won't say this is a great book by any standards, but it was certainly captivating and I really couldn't wait for lunch break every day to get back stuck into it ( it's been my work only reading book!). I thought the first half of the book was very well written with amazing descriptions of Thailand and surrounding scenery but later on into the novel my interest lagged a bit, and near the end I was just desperate to see what happened. The ending was a big disappointment to me, a) because the events surrounding it were just a blur to me and b) nothing was explained or justified. Yet again I was comparing the end to the ending in The Beach and it was nothing like it (dare I say that the film ending was a lot better and much more fullfilling..) Of course I am not going to dislike a book simply because the ending doesn't work out the way I want it to as sometimes that can be even more refreshing, but I'm not impressed when authors spend ages enticing you with gorgeous prose until about 3 pages before the end then suddenly decide that's enough and you are plunged out the other side! Worth a read, but I'm afraid to say the film IS better.

Started 22nd April

Finished 28th April

Cocktail Time - P.G. Wodehouse 1958 * * * *

As I had hoped, Wodehouse is getting funnier with each read (although so far I am only on my second out of nearly 100!) and I sped through this book in 2 days. Wodehouse has a lovely easy way or writing and drawing you in that means you literally cannot put the book down ( it was taken into every room of the house, held whilst cooking and read whilst walking to put the rubbish out to the bin!) and that is what I love about him. The premise of this novel is effectively a story about a story. We are introduced to Lord Ickenham who, one day after feeling particulary naughty, takes a catapult and shoots his in-law Beefy in the head with a Brazil Nut. Unaware of who the culprit is, Beefy publishes an annonymous and scandelous novel about the events and then, because he is afraid that exposure may ruin his chances in politics he lets his dreadful cousin Cosmo take all the credit, and the royalties! Mayhem ensues of course! Hilarious!

Started 20th April

Finished 21st April

Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman E.W. Hornung 1890 *

Try as I did to like this I just couldn't. It was dull, tedious and most importantly unfunny! I liked the idea of a cracksman who is also a keen cricketer but it was poorly executed and the characters were so boring and unlikeable!

Within the first page it is almost as though we have been thrown headfirst into a story that is already in the middle of happening and therefore we are given the impression that we have missed a lot including Raffles and Bunny getting to know each other and planning their ideas meticulously (although they never work properly!)

It was a chore to finish this book and that is not what a good novel is about; this author will never be a Sherlock Holmes or have his extreme dry humour and simply genius ideas, nor should he even try.

Started 12th April

Finished 18th April

The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova 2005 * * * *

Having finally finished this book yesterday I breathed a huge sigh of relief. This was an amazing book, not simply because of the story but because of the intricate detail that Kostova put into researching the folklore of Dracula, and his surrounding homeland. There are literally pages and pages of descriptive beauty as the story shifts from present to past and the hero/heroine comes across sumptuous countries and traditions.

Not everyone will like this book, purely because the legend of Dracula is a tricky subject, and also because some people feel that this is author is trying to overtake Bram Stoker's wonderful book.

She is doing no such thing and if anything is bringing the Dracula myth to the surface, alive and kicking. I am astounded at some of the folklore that Kostova shares with us, and also how she intergrates it into the story. I think she really deserves praise for the book and for her dedicated research, added to which the story itself was really gripping with some solid and heartfelt characters.

The one thing I wasn't keen on was how the story shifted immediatly from past to present without much of a warning, which gave me the impresssion that sometimes I was reading the account of the wrong person. The whole account is a story inside a story so to speak which can make you loose track sometimes, but overall that didn't stop me loving the idea of the story, and spending ages thinking afterwards 'as Vlad Tepes (Dracula) was a real person, who's to say this folklore couldn't be true and that he may not be alive today in some shape or form?..'

Started 1st March ( I was only reading this at work so it has taken longer!)

Finished 20th April

Sweeney Todd : The Real Story of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Peter Haining 1993* * * *

I've gone back to being fascinated by the legend of Sweeney Todd after recently re-watching the newest film with Johnny Depp and so was pretty excited to find that this book had been written, trying to prove that his story was more than just a myth, but actually a reality. Although in my rather grotesque mind I had hoped that it was based on truth I didn't really start to believe it until I read this book, where the author has painstakingly laid out all the evidence from first-hand accounts to newspaper articles and proven (in my opinion) that Todd was a real life person. I think one of the reasons that the public have got it into their head that Todd was a character of fiction is because there were many plays performed of his story fifty years or so after the events were supposed to have happened.I also think that people could not believe that something this gruesome could have occured in our society and decided to denounce it as ever having happened,(which is where the writer makes excellent references to Sawney Bean, who, along with his lover, allegedly killed and decapitated hundreds of people in 16th Century Scotland, pickling their body parts ready to be eaten. This gastly event is well documented and thoroughly believed by all so why can't the same be said for Sweeney Todd?).
The book is brilliantly written and very well researched and is a welcome breath of air to all books that base themselves purely on Sweeney's Todd's "legendary" existance.


Started 10th April
Finished 12th April

Money For Nothing - P.G. Wodehouse 1928 * * *

With nearly 100 Wodehouse novels to get through I decided to go down to the library and take a few out to start me off so that I'd know if I liked the style of his writing. I can say that I really enjoyed the way Wodehouse wrote and think these books would be brilliant for an easy read which is sometimes what I desperately need!
The plot roughly follows a group of likeable fellows who decide to stage a robbery to get some much needed money by breaking into their friend's house;with his say-so! The only trouble is a few other people catch on to what is happening and cannot keep it secret forever...
Can't wait for the next one!

Started 27th March
Finished 10th April

How could he do it? - Emma Charles 2008 * * * *

I think this is to be the last misery memoir that I read for a while because there comes a point where you find yourself too depressed to continue reading book after book of ghastly and disgusting information about child abuse. The difference with this book is that Emma Charles is not the daughter but the mother, and she decided to write the book to give her events of how difficult it was for her monster of a husband Daniel to get convicted because of his sexual abuse on her daughter Tamsin. She painstakingly takes us through the weeks and months after finding our from her daughter about the horror that she endured and explains how awful it was for her and her family when her husband refused to give them any money to live on and so for a time they were barely making it through with benefits that she managed to receive from her disability. It really speaks volumes to have a book written like this and in a way it was more interesting than some of the other memoirs I have read by the children themselves because it shows us how corrupt and uncaring people like the Social Services and the Criminal Justice System can be (for example Daniel's lawyer tried to make out that Tamsin who was under ten at the time of the event had thrown herself on her father and forced him to perform sexual acts on her, an idea that is so disgusting and insulting that it is almost laughable) and for that I am glad I have read it and my eyes have been opened.

Started 25th March
Finished 30th March

Norwich Murders - Maurice Morson 2006 - * * * *

I cannot help but be interested in murders that take place in places that I have visited before. Although I didn't know every part of this book of Norwich-based murders I certainly knew enough to be thoroughly amazed and disgusted by some of the cases.
The particular highlights for me were the last trilogy of murders from about 1860-1950 all based around passionate killers. Very eerie to see pictures where the bodies were found and areas the suspects were arrested etc.
Very well written.

Started 22nd March
Finished 27th March

Sickened - Julie Gregory 2003 *

This was quite frankly a really boring and badly written book. The author writes in a peculiar and barely readable way, mixing up real and fantasy in a way that really confused me. I didn't enjoy it at all and I'm very pleased it's over.

Started 20th March
Finished 26th March

The Edible Woman - Margaret Atwood 1969 * * * *

Margaret Atwood has an amazing knack of conjuring up a vivid and distinctive picture of a certain scene for me when I read and although this is shamefully my first Atwood it won't be my last. She writes in a perfectly normal way with a hint of bizarre obscurity. I was also surprised to learn that she was only 23 when she wrote this, her first novel and although there are hints of a naive writer there are also parts of the book that seem incredibly mature. I look forward to sampling more of her books.

Started 19th March
Finished 23rd March

Crimes of Passion: An unblinking look at murderous love - Howard Engel 2001 * * * *

Although this book took quite a while to get into I found it really fascinating to read about so many cases (some that I knew, and some that were unknown to me) where people have either got off a jail sentence (or the death penalty)when it was clear it was premeditated murder or have been executed when they really shouldn't have been because it was literally a crime of passion. The cases span back hundreds of years from the case of Grace Marks (who was written about as the subject of Margaret Atwood's novel 'Alias Grace') right until more recent ones including the case of Lorena Bobbitt who cut off her husbands' penis after a row. Very well written and documented.

Started 7th March
Finished 19th March (was also reading other things!)

Forgotten - Les Cummings 2008 * * *

Not a bad read, I got through it pretty fast, written in an easy style and this time we are confronted with the dreadful story of a boy who is abused in the children's home that he is sent to after being abandoned by his mother. This man really confronts his demons later on in his life though and it is a relief to read.

Started 17th March
Finished 19th March

Broken - Shy Keenan 2008* *

Although this story was dreadful and hearbreaking I didn't much care for the way it was written. References began to annoy me afterwards such as rape being called 'doing the horrible' which came up on nearly every page and for that I don't want to rate it higher than 2 stars. That is only for the writing style and technique however and nothing to do with the story - unlike fiction you cannot even think of rating a story such as this because it seems like an insult to mark it out of five. Still it has taken me a lot longer than some misery memoirs I have read in the past.

Started 5th March
Finished 17th March

Bel-Ami - Guy De Maupassant 1885* * * * *

A first book from this writer for me, but it definitely won't be my last. A wonderful portrayal of 19th century Paris and the ruthless, money-grabbing chauvinist that is Georges Duroy a.k.a Bel-Ami to his friends and many adoring mistresses. Maupassant has an amazing way of capturing Paris through his writing and when reading about his walks up and down various streets at night one could almost make believe that you were there too. His writing style is exquisite and the story is one of the best satires about a corrupt social-climbing manipulator that I have ever read.
Amazing.

Started 1st March
Finished 9th March

The Chocolate Run - Dorothy Koomson 2004* * * *

I'd never heard of this writer before until a good friend recommended her and I sped through this book. This was incredibly easy to read and I found that I really cared about the main character and what happened to her from beginning until end, however I did manage to guess the big 'secret' way before the finish but all the same a fun read.

Started 2nd March
Finished 5th March

Intimate Adventures of an Office Girl - Sienna Lewis 2009* * * * *

I thoroughly enjoyed this account of an office girls' exploration into one night stands, sex clubs and 'uncomplicated' flings. Written in a very real and very refreshing way, Sienna manages to pull the reader straight into her life and witness her failings at finding 'the one.'
Great Read.

Started 1st March
Finished 3rd March

Please don't make me go - John Fenton 2009- * * * *

This story really touched a nerve. I'm not sure if it was the way the boy had been brought up to believe that violence was a normal part of life, or the fact he was so religious despite all the trauma he went through including being sexually abused and beaten and caned by the sadistic Brothers at his school - St Vincent's.
Written in a very easy style to read I skimmed through this book in no time.

Started 23rd February
Finished 26th February

Evil Psychopaths - Gordan Kerr 2009* * * *

I have quite a few books based around this subject but am always on the look out for more and so I was pleased to find this in my library. It covers quite few killers that I've heard of already and know of quite well but also shows a few lesser known characters who have the ability to shock and disgust all the readers.
A good book but with some obvious mistakes such as spelling.

Started 22nd February
Finished 26th February

The Most Evil Women in History - Shelley Klein 2003 * * * *

This book had it's good and bad parts. The selection of women was interesting and there were a few that I hadn't heard of which is very rare for me. However a few of the women mentioned at the beginning of the book were simply double acts to their powerful husbands and were drunk on the power of what he could do instead of being ruthless killing machines themselves. There will always be a difference on opinion on books like this as certain people find certain female killers worse than others and so the definative list will never be 'correct.'
Each woman however was covered with a lot of information and each of their stories was interesting/gruesome to the extreme.

Started 19th February
Finished 23rd February