Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris

Everytime I read one of these books I say it will be the last, but this time I know it won't as I've actually ended up buying a set of 10 of them! And they really are so hard to resist!

This edition of the story sees Sookie looking after an amnesiac Eric, and helping the Weres, Vamps and other Supes fight a coven of evil witches who wish to take over the area.....

There isn't much more to say except that as usual it was an easy, quick and enjoyable read.  I just need to stop myself from reading the remaining editions too quickly.

Bought from 'The Book Collection'
27th - 28th November 2010

Memoirs of a Fruitcake - Chris Evans

As I've said before I'm not really one for biographies, but Liz lent me the first part of Chris Evans' story and it was brilliant.  By the end I was left wanting to know what happened next - and this is from someone who REALLY doesn't give a stuff about celebrities!

This book, subtitled 'The wilderness years 2000 - 2010' and takes us from the end of the first book when Chris bought Virgin radio, up to recently when his first son, Noah, was born.  In between he doesn't spare his embarrassment much but telling of all the stupid things he has done and the multi-millions of pounds he has gained, spent and lost!

As I think I said in my review of his first book, I didn't like Chris Evans at all during this period of his life, and he fully admits that he was a complete idiot 'lost in showbiz'.   It wasn't until he started to pick his life back up, got back on the radio (Radio 2) and met his new wife, Tash, that things started to get better and I certainly rediscovered what a fantastically entertaining DJ he actually is.

I will never be pleased that he moved from the Drivetime show to the Morning (not because I wanted Terry Wogan to stay, but because I listen to the Today programme on Radio 4 and therefore can't listen to Radio 2) - but the book has gone a long way to explaining why and how this happened.

I'd suggest that it's not necessary to know anything about Chris Evans to read this book, but it would certainly help (and reading the first book would help too but isn't necessary), it's an interesting 10 years, I look forward to the next chapter of his life - I think with Tash and Noah it will be a lot quieter and perhaps a bit more sensible (but then again......this is Chris Evans the 'fruitcake').

Lent to be by Liz Jones
19-22nd November 2010

The Survivors Club - Ben Sherwood

I didn't pick this book up because it is a New York Times bestseller, or because I thought it would help me survive a crisis or disaster; I picked it up as it looked interesting - and it is.

The basic premise of the books is that everyone has the potential to be a survivor. A survivor of accidents, disaster, serious illness, bereavement, stress and life in general, it's not about what you know, how fit you are or knowing how to survive in a jungle with a single match; it's more about attitude and being prepared.

The author looks at situations and exceptional circumstances and how people have survived, and what we can learn from these experiences.

How to better your odds at surviving a plane crash, how to survive a trip to casualty, and what makes someone a survivor. Looking at victims of crime, survivors of accidents and wars; we learn the simple little things that we can teach ourselves about surviving.

The second half of the book is linked to a website where you can take a multi-question test to find out your own survivor profile. I'm not sure about that, when I did the test I'm not sure I agree with the result. But it's still fascinating nonetheless.

I've learnt some important facts and survival techniques, that I actually hope I'll never need. But I've also come to realise how I've survived some of the stresses and situations I've already been in so far in my life.

October 2010

Bought in Waterstones, Sheffield