Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris

I admit it, I'm addicted!  I was going to wait a while before I read the next one - but I couldn't!

Having 10 of the books in the house makes me want to read them all back to back - but then I'd have to wait for more!  So, I really must read something else now.

Anyway, the storyline in this edition of the Sookie Stackhouse novels sees her brother, Jason, turning into a werepanther, Fairies, more werepanthers, shootings, two-natured, vampires and a few normal humans....things are really beginning to get silly, but I just don't care.

I'm a bit disappointed that Sookie and Bill still aren't together, he only makes a brief appearance in this book, but Eric is more than making up for the lack of Bill - and having the look of the actors from the tv show in my head as I read these books makes it even more enjoyable!

The story line centres around the fact that many of the two-natured are being shot, and someone has tried to burn down Sookie's house (with her inside) - there are lots of subplots, and interesting wanders too.

I know I'm looking forward to the next book, but I AM going to wait a while.

Bought from 'The Book Collection'
30th November - 5th December 2010

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

No and Me - Delphine de Vigan

This came onto my radar due to the link to homelessness (i've been volunteering for a homeless charity), and it looked of interest.

I loved the style of writing and the voice of the narrator (the 'Me' in the title).

Lou is a gifted child with a disfunctional family and issues with school (she's in higher year group than her age). When she meets a homeless girl ('No' - short for Norween) in the streets of Paris, she's moved to take her in and care for her....with unintended consequences.

This is a great book, easy and enjoyable to read. I cared about the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen, particularly to 'No'.

The end was a bit disappointing, and I guess it's left rather open for a sequel. I imagine that it will be optioned for a film, but I'm not sure how well it will transfer to screen (certainly it would have to be a French film - the book was originally published in France and is set in Paris).

Bought on Green Metropolis
15th - 22nd October 2010

Club Dead - Charlaine Harris

I know, I know, I said I wouldn't be reading any more of these.......but I finished watching the second season of the True Blood on DVD and wanted more...

As with the first two this is really poorly written and needs a damn good editor - clunky grammar and sentence structure (and that coming from someone who is slightly dyslexic!).

BUT, the characters are fab and the story is great fun - like before I read this book in a day or so, and couldn't put it down.

Now looking forward to the third season (not on DVD for a while here in the UK), I'm undecided about reading the fifth book, but I'm sure I'll give in at some point.....it's like an addiction (but since when has a reading addiction been bad for anyone!?).

Bought on Green Metropolis

12 - 15th October 2010

Salmon fishing in the Yemen - Paul Torday

I'd wanted to read this book for sometime, in fact I'd given Dad a copy of it as we'd visited the Yemen together on business about 15 Years ago.

However I'd also heard that it was an incredibly silly book, and that had put me off a little.  So as is often the way with books I'm not sure about I got an audio version.

Often with me its not the story I don't like, but the writing style, something that doesn't matter when you listen to an audio book version.

What I'd heard was absolutely correct, the premise of the book is very silly - a wealthy Yemeni sheik wants to introduce salmon fishing into the wadis of the Yemeni deserts!  And as the project gains momentum it drags in various characters including the prime minister of the UK.

The book appears to be a collection of documents including diaries of the chief scientist on the project, an unpublished autobiography of the PMs press officers, transcripts from interviews and extracts from Hansard.

By the end I found that I was being carried along by the story and ignoring the improbability of salmon swimming in a river in a desert region of the world.

I'm not sure I'd have stuck with the book, and to be honest I'm not sure that Dad would have enjoyed it; but it made for great entertainment in the car, and the multi-voiced reading made it much more that a conventional audio book.

I've just discovered online that a film version is being made starring Ewan McGregor - I'd say it would certainly be worth a look, in fact it's probably more suited to being a film than a book!

Bought on Green Metropolis.

27th September - 4th October 2010