Reading Review

The Fifth Profession - David Morrell

One of my free 200 collection, this one is slightly older but I almost prefer thrillers from a time with less technology.

This novel follows a bodyguard as he tries to unravel a traumatic experience from his past. It's an interesting concept and kept me guessing.

I can't say I was 100% happy with the ending but I did enjoy it.

Tales from Shakespeare - Charles and Mary Lamb

Nico brought me this book home from work. It was written in the nineteenth century as a 'modern' take on Shakespeare's stories.

Sometimes the Victorian style was hard to follow but I feel like I got to know Shakespeare better and the short stories helped to break up the reading.

I did find it annoying that Shakespeare seemed to think a change of clothes would stop family members recognising each other in so many of his works...

Origin - Dan Brown

I treated myself to this new book in the holidays as it has been on my list for a while. 

Dan Brown is one of my favourite authors and this one did not disappoint. As an extra bonus, the story is set in Barcelona and lots of my favourite places were mentioned which made me want to jump on a plane.

Robert Langdon returns in a bid to help a former student release his life-changing message to the world. Full of facts, politics and history, it was just my thing.

Reading Review

The Mirror World - Gavin Extence

I came across this in Scarborough. It tells the story of a women suffering from manic depression. It's fiction and there were some funny and sweet moments, as well as a good ending but parts were also a bit depressing too.

The Saint meets the tiger - Leslie Charteris

From the huge 200+ book collection, I finally dug out the very first Saint novel. I do like the stories in this series and this one really kept me guessing but the language and how it's written are a real challenge and it took me much longer than it should have to wade through this.

Turning Thirty - Mike Gayle

Another from the 200+, I really enjoyed this one. It's fairly modern and follows Matt on the approach to his 30th birthday as he evaluates his life. 

There were lots of good characters, fun moments and twists. I'd like to read more from this author.

Reading Review

Simple Genius - David Baldacci

An older murder mystery with links to the CIA, WW2 and code breaking, I quite enjoyed this novel. It wasn't extremely unique but it did keep me guessing.

Two private detectives travel to a research facility in order to investigate a death which has otherwise been ruled suicide. I liked the historical link and the odd twist in there.

Midwives - Chris Bohjalian

Another novel from my free 200 collection, this one was very different. It told the story of a midwife who faced a manslaughter trial in the 70s and is told from the point of view of her teenage daughter.

This one was a real page turner, very emotional, and it had a few twists in there. I liked the depth to this story and the character development.

The Man from St.Petersburg - Ken Follett

I love Ken Follett even though his early works don't live up to his more recentcontributions.

This story was set in the run up to the First World War and follows the attempts of a Russian anarchist to prevent his country being dragged into the war.

There are many complications and twists and I really enjoyed this one.

Reading Review

Those who leave and those who stay - Elena Ferrante

Nico bought me the third instalment of this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't as exciting and easy to read as the first two but I enjoyed it on a different level because it follows the protaganist in the stage of life that I see myself in right now - that of early marriage and having children. 

I can't explain how this series affects me but I highly recommend it for readers of my demographic. Looking forward to the next one.

The Bat- Jo Nesbo

This one took me a loong time to get into.  I enjoyed it once it picked up the pace but for me it was trying too hard to be clever. I'd still like to try more from this author in the hope that he improves.

The Physicists - Friedrich Dürrenmatt

I recently reread this German classic to help one of my students. It's a strange German comedy play written in the sixties about a series of murders in a sanatorium. It's full of twists and laugh out loud moments but it's also terribly dated and I'm feeling older all the time since my eighteen-year-old tutee does not appreiate the humour!

Reading Review

The Hammer of Eden - Ken Follett

This was a good read but I can't say it was up to the standard of Follett's more recent work. It is the story of a terrorist group which tries to threaten the American government by causing earthquakes.

One for my Baby - Tony Parsons

Another of my 200 free books collection, this wasn't one that would have otherwise been on my radar. It is about an English teacher who met his wife in Hong Kong and is now living back in London following her death.

There's no real drive in the book but I really enjoyed it. The characters are well written and the story is interesting.

High Society - Ben Elton

This book is a humorous look at drug use in the UK. Well, there is obviously a serious side to the theme but, as with several of Ben Elton's novels, he finds a way to make it fun.

It follows the idea of legalising drugs in the UK. He looks at many different aspects of drug use and I really enjoyed it. The characters are interesting and fun.

Reading Review - Kids edition!

My reading has slowed down a little at the moment and I'm good with that.  This month I thought I would share with you some of the reading I've been doing with Isabella.  She's now three and a half so we read to her and I try to be consistant in reading English while Nico reads in German.

The BFG - Roald Dahl

We've been reading this since my Mum came to visit before Christmas.  I try to do a chapter each time but sometimes we mix it up.  I was a little unsure if she was ready for such a long book but she really enjoys it, she is excited to find out what happens next and she tells her own stories with giants and the Queen!  I love Roald Dahl and I would definitely recommend reading this.

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes - Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein

This one was recommended as a good book to read to girls.  I think it's a good message for boys too to be honest.  I'm not sure she totally grasps the message yet but she does enjoy this one and along with Tiger in a Tutu, she's enjoying it just for the story right now.

Green Eggs and Ham - Dr Seuss

Isabella has three Dr Seuss books and we love reading all of them but I think this is her favourite right now.  The words and rhyme are amazing and I love that Isabella's learning English through such a talented author.

Reading Review

Strange Fits of Passion - Anita Shreve

This novel tells the story of a woman fleeing domestic abuse.  It is clear from the beginning that there is going to be a dramatic climax to the story and it didn't disappoint. 

The book is set in the seventies and that is quite telling in how the topic of domestic abuse is dealt with. 

I enjoyed the story and how it was told from different points of view. 

The Saint Steps In - Leslie Carteris

Another in the Saint series, this was a nice little mystery.  This time it was set in America and while I am still getting used to the style of Charteris' writing, I enjoyed the story and trying to figure out what was happening.

Bill Bryson's African Diary - Bill Bryson

This was a short but sweet little read.  I like Bill Bryson's writing and his diary of a week in Kenya to raise money for CARE international did not disappoint.  I can only recommend it!

Reading Review

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

I picked this up over Christmas week and it was wonderful. Of course I've seen film and television adaptations but reading the book was different and typically Dickensian. I really enjoyed it.

Never Far From Nowhere - Andrea Levy

This follows the story of two second generation immigrant sisters of Jamaican descent through their teenage years and into adulthood as they live in London.

The sisters are very different but I liked them both in their own way and was keen to follow them. The story was good but I felt it left me hanging a bit at the end.

Dark Homecoming - Eric Van Lustbader

This was a crime novel following a former detective who has to choose between killing someone or watching his niece die of liver failure.

For the first time in ages, I really did not enjoy this book. It was over complicated while full of errors and mixed in too much superstition for my taste. Quite a disappointment unfortunately.

Reading Review

Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult

This book, passed on to me by my Mum, was everything I hoped for. I read My Sister's Keeper several years ago and I know that Picoult is excellent at making the big issues real on a personal level.

Small Great Things tackles the issue of racism from several perspectives on so many levels. The events of the story are so close to home, it's unreal, following the story of baby Davis who dies before he is even a week old, leading his white power parents to blame and sue the African American nurse.

Picoult writes in such a way that I could identify with all of the characters at times and of course, it was a tear jerker.

Murder on Pilgrims' Way - Julie Wassmer

Another book passed on from my Mum, I enjoyed this murder mystery set just outside of Canterbury.

It was a quick and easy read but it kept me guessing until the end and had some clever twists.

I skipped two of the series but look forward to catching up and I'm enjoying hearing that there's even a TV series in the works!

Shibumi -Trevanian

Nico bought me this book as he is currently reading and enjoying the German translation. It follows the life story of a world-class assasin with Japanese, Russian and German roots right up to his current tete-a-tete with the American government.

It covers such an eclectic and eccentric mix of topics from the game of Go to the Basque language and was a fantastic read, not at all dated by the forty years that have passed since it was written.

Reading Review

The Brutal Art - Jesse Kellerman

I was rereading this one after about ten years and while I honestly could remember nothing about it, it was a good read.  It wasn't your average page turner but it was interesting.

It follows the story of a New York art dealer who is tipped off to a huge undiscovered collection of brilliant artwork only to discover that it is linked to a series of brutal, unsolved murders.  The story flicks back and forth through time to tell the story of the artist.

It's really well written and I enjoyed reading it again.

Rules of Deception - Christopher Reich

It's almost difficult to review this book without giving away any big plot twists.  The novel tells the story of Jonathon Ransom who discovers that his wife has been leading a double life when she suffers a fatal mountaineering accident.

For me, there were one or two holes in the story but generally, I enjoyed the book and the various twists and turns.  A good international spy story.

The Saint Plays with Fire - Leslie Charteris

Among the free books I picked up a few months ago are a whole range of The Saint books.  I vaguely remember the television series but did not realise there were books too.  I picked this one out at random.

It is a typical detective story set early to mid twentieth century.  It was a quick and easy read but it also kept me guessing.  It reminded me a little of Sherlock Holmes.  I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the others from the series.

Reading Review

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

The last of my children's classics, this one took a while to get into but once I did, I really enjoyed it. It tells the story of Huck Finn and his friend, the runaway slave Jim as they sail down the Mississippi. The language is difficult at times but fits the story.

Nothing to Lose - Lee Child

This was a nice, easy read to break up the classics. Unlike the last Jack Reacher, this one kept me guessing. The books do follow the same pattern, Jack Reacher on the road, gets dragged in to a case, sleeps with a local, solves the mystery, moves on. I personally preferred the first ones with more history and personality involved but the books are fun to read anyway.

The 158-pound marriage - John Irving

I came across this book in the 200+ free collection from the classifieds. I knew and liked the author already from Owen Meany.

The novel is the story of two couples who indulge in some partner swapping. It follows the relationship and looks back on the histories of the main characters too.

I found the histories and the psychological side of this story really interesting. The characters were engaging and the book left me wanting more.

Reading Review

The Hard Way - Lee Childs

Another one from the 200+ freebies, I took this one on holiday with me for a quick read and it certainly was that. It was enjoyable and interesting but I didn't enjoy it as much as some of his other works as I had the twist figured out much too early. Either I'm reading too many of these books or I'm getting clever!

Veni, Vidi, Vici - Peter Jones

I started reading this on holiday. From the non-fiction section, it explains everything you wanted to know about the Romans and then some!

At first I found it very interesting, especially the linguistic tidbits but towards the end, it was very dry and hard work to read.

Jackdaws - Ken Follett

This was a fantastic read. I love Ken Follett's novels but I've never read his earlier works before.

Jackdaws follows the female protaganist Flick, and her mission behind enemy lines towards the end of World War Two. There was no cross over with his other works and it was a real page turner. Cannot recommend it enough.

Reading Review

Aladdin and other tales from Arabian Nights

Before picking this book up, I only knew the Disney version of Aladdin and I was honestly surprised at how different the original is. Just the fact that it was knew an unknown made the adventure story more exciting for me.

It was branded as a children's classic but from the language I'm not surprised I never picked it up as a child.

The 'other tales' were the seven voyages of Sinbad which were new to me as well. They were varied and interesting too.

The Stretch - Stephen Leather

Another of my freebies, I probably wouldn't have picked this up otherwise. It tells the story of a crime boss' wife and how she handles the business while he's in prison.

It was an easy read and the point of view was interesting but this one didn't really grip me.

Coral Island - R.M.Ballantyne

Another fake 'children's classic', this one tells the story of three men shipwrecked on an island in the South Pacific. It was actually an interesting read and I really enjoyed following their adventures. I'd recommend this one.

Reading Review

Death of a Blue Movie Star - Jeffrey Deaver

This was among a collection of over two hundred books I picked up for free on the classifieds.

It's not really what I expected from this author but I think it came before his more well known novels.

It's a good, easy read, crime novel following a wannabe film producer who is tracking down a serial killer. It has the usual mix of suspense, twists, and interesting characters.

Tom Brown's School Days - Thomas Hughes

Another of my children's classics, this one took a long time to get into. It follows (as the title suggests), Tom Brown's adventures during his school years.

There are some good parts - tales of fights and friendships and some terrible bits - a much too long description of an early rugby game.

The book is basically written as a 'Guide to Life' for Victorian schoolboys so I was never going to be 100% happy with the read but it wasn't all bad and I'm glad it's off the list.

Talk before Sleep - Elizabeth Berg

Another of the 200+ collection, this book was a much more feminine read. It follows the heartbreaking story of a woman supporting her best friend through the final stages of terminal cancer. It looks back on their open and honest friendship.

I devoured it in three sittings and loved it despite the depressing content. It was a story of true friends, I'm glad I came across it.

Reading Review

Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Another Sherlock Holmes children's classic, I really enjoyed this crime story. It was one story, unlike the collection I recently read but it was interesting and kept me guessing.

Pietr the Latvian - Georges Simenon

This was a gift from Nico. It's the first in the Maigret series though it's not one of the TV adaptations that we've seen.

The story follows Detective Maigret in his hunt for Pietr the Latvian a criminal wanted throughout Europe. It's not a long story but it is very descriptive and does keep you guessing.

I'm looking forward to more of this series.

Dick Whittington - Retold by Vera Southgate

This is a quick little read that my Dad recently brought over from England with some of my things.

It's the famous story of Dick Whittington going to London to make his fortune. Of course there is a cat involved and it's a fun tale.

Looking forward to reading this with the kids.

Reading Review

Sherlock Holmes Investigates - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Another of my children's classics collection, this was by far the easiest to read. It is a collection of Holmes' shorter cases and I knew some from previous forays into Sherlock Holmes territory (books and television) but there were still some new cases in there too.

Dark Fire - C.J.Sansom

This is the second in Sansom's Shardlake series and I went into it wondering how he could follow his first tudor times murder mystery. Well, it lived up to the first in every way possible. It was full of twists, different plot lines and a range of interesting characters. I'm even more excited for the third now.

Sepulchre - Kate Mosse

This is the second novel of a trilogy which I've read a bit back to front this year. It didn't really matter though. It works perfectly as a stand alone novel, while maintaining some character and setting links with the other two.

It follows Leonie, a seventeen-year-old Parisian in 1891 and a twenty-something American writer in 2007 uncovering some spooky family secrets. An enjoyable read.

Reading Review

Rip Van Winkle - Washington Irving

This was a really odd one. It was from my 'children's classics' collection and yet again, I can't imagine a child reading this.

The book is actually a collection of short stories including Rip Van Winkle and Sleepy Hollow. The stories are all based around a Dutch settlement in the state of New York. Some are vaguely interesting but they don't really grab me. Not one I'll be reading again.

Blackout - Marc Elsberg

Nico put me onto this book after waiting a long time for an English translation. It follows the story of a varied group of characters spread across Europe during a continent wide blackout.

It's an absolute page turner. The scary thing is how realistic and plausible the story is. I could imagine this book as a film. The characters and story are brilliant, I can't recommend it enough.

Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

Now this is a real children's classic. I love this story with its lovable characters and moral stories. It really makes me feel like a child again reading about Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad and their fun adventures. Looking forward to reading this one with the kids.

Reading Review

Labyrinth - Kate Mosse

Having recently picked up the third in this trilogy, I wanted to go back and start again. This book tells the stories of Alice, working on a dig in the South of France and Alaïs, a soldier's wife in medieval Carcasonne. Their lives are intricately linked.

I really enjoyed rereading this one. I love historical fiction and the story and characters are really gripping.

Peter Pan - J.M.Barrie

Another of my children's classics, this one really opened my eyes to what Disney can do to a story. I hadn't realised how different the original story was and in places ir's quite dark and, especially for a child, difficult to read.

The Steps up the Chimney - William Corlett

I honestly don't remember where this book came from and have no recollection of reading it as a child, though I must have.

It is about three siblings who spend Christmas with their uncle on the English-Welsh border and discover some magical secrets of the old house he is renovating.

I enjoyed the story but it is the first in a series of four and really leaves the reader hanging. I felt like I was just getting into the story when it ended.

Reading Review

Heidi - Johanna Spyri

This is one of my favourite childhood classics. There were lots of parallels with The Secret Garden in that contact with nature does wonders for children's health.

Of course there are lots of moral notes to the story. It's a wonderful children's classic.

The Keeper of Lost Things - Ruth Hogan

My Mum passed this one on to me. I had bought her it for Mother's Day having read rave reviews online. We both really enjoyed it.

It's several stories really. The main thread is about a man who collects and saves things that other people have lost. The book follows the attempts made to reunite them with their owners.

It was a nice break from the classics and I'd really recommend it.

The Call of the Wild - Jack London

This is another children's classic but one that I can't really recommend for children. It's brutal from the start, the language is difficult and the story isn't particularly exciting. It's not often that I don't enjoy a book on some level, but I didn't enjoy this one.

The only positive I can take from this book is that it tries to show things from the dog's perspective. I've often wondered what happened to our cat before he came  to us. This is an imaginative tale of what happens to a dog kidnapped from his comfortable, family home.

Reading Review

Citadel - Kate Mosse

This was a re-read from my collection and I actually mistook it for the first of the trilogy rather than the third but it still works well as a stand alone book.

It follows a group of friends who join the resistance during World War Two in Carasonne. It's packed with action and strong characters as well as a dose of European history.

A really enjoyable read and I'll be reading the first of the trilogy again soon.

The Unmumsy Mum Diary - Sarah Turner

Just like the first book, I devoured this in under two days. In the emotional and hormonal turmoil that is motherhood, Turner's writing is a real beacon of light. An excellent reminder that all mothers have it hard at times but with a real comedy twist. I found myself laughing out loud more than I have in a long time.

Dissolution - C.J.Sansom

Nico bought this one for my birthday having read and enjoyed it himself. Previously I had read and loved Winter in Madrid by this author but didn't realise he did Tudor fiction too.

This is the first in a series of novels following a character called Shardlake. Here he is sent by Cromwell to investigate a murder at a monastary. It's full of interesting twists and characters. The end was a real surprise and as usual I loved learning something new of history.

Looking forward to following this series.