The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

Excellent very modern murder/mystery book set in Sweden (unsurprisingly - see his name). First book in a trilogy. A good thriller and a remarkable insight into Swedish people and lifestyles. Some very gory and sexually abusive bits but the story depends on those bits. And at the beginning of each chapter Larsson (who was a newspaper investigator/reporter) quotes a statistic on the abuse of women in Sweden.

A long book, sometimes tough, but a very good read.

9/10

Playing with Grown ups - Sophie Dahl

The back said she was as marvellous as her grandfather.. which I guess is a ompliment but quite a lot to live up to.

I liked it, the story switches between a girl growing up in her teens with a unappropriate mother who clearly struggles.. to the girl grown up going to visit her mother. Nothing unexpected in the story but easy to read and enjoyably

8/10

The mirror crack'd from side to side - Agatha Christie

The first Christie I've read where I've known exactly who's done it all the way through (because I've seen the film several times...) A good story and interesting spotting how many clues are given throughout when you know who done it in advance.
Miss Marple is very old in this one and seems to spend most of the book making observations that people on the dreadful new housing estate are really just like normal people (although the only really good egg on the estate wants to move at the end) and pressing drinks on people.


8/10
and this means i read 21 books this year...

life and soul of the party - Mike Gayle

story told through several parties during the year by a groupd of friends. Nice.. easy and defo not too cheesy

8/10

Evil Seed - Joanne Harris

I love her normally and ths was alright but not amazing. bit disappointed it had vampires in as I've read a LOT of vampire stuff this year.

8/10

book thief markus zusak

marvellous. not sure why it needed to be told by death.. but it does remind you how very present he was in nazi germany
Really interesting view of life from ordinary germans..not the boy in stripped Pjs or Anne Frank but ordinary folks.

did break my heart at the end though

10/10

Generation X - Douglas Coupland

slightly spoilt by mark who kept asking 'have you got to XXXX yet?' but a nie story of 3 kids who have kinda dropped out of american life Not deperate to read all his other stuff but I might do gradually

8/10

Looking for Andrew McCarthy by Jenny Colgan

easy bit of reading. quite a good story without a DREADFUL ending although pretty cheesy

7/10

Revenge of the Wedding Planner by Sharon Owens

pretty poor chick lit that I bought second hand. no need to read more of this lady!

5/10

Hornet's Nest by Patricia Cornwell

pretty dreadful crime thriller. Silly story linking it together and the worst description of a transexual ever!!!

6/10

wish you were here - mike gayle

he writes good boy-chick lit and this is the same as normal
good story not dreadfully cheesy at the end

7/10

Until I find you - John Irving

not his best but still good. story that kept you gripped all the way through about a boy growing up with his mother who is hunting for his father.. nice twist at the end

8/10

The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant

Think this was a 3 for 2. Not amazing but interesting read about imigrants settling into life in london (or not really settling). Was nominated for the booker prize

7/10

Reluctant Fundamentalist - mohsin hamid

Marvellous

softly written but rather deep I think you'll find.. and interesting that at the end you don't fully understand

9/10

Babe - Dick King Smith

I think we were now in the bad part of summer and I needed some PROPER comfort reading.. so I thought I'd read babe and obviously it's being counted!!

fabulous as ever

8/10

Summer of Secrets - Martina Reilly

Lue brought this round thinking it was my book.. it wasn't but I read it anyway.

Bit chick lit.. not very clever although it did have my favourite with chapters told by different people.

5/10

Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer

She tried to mix this up a bit with different chapters told by different people.. because the others were written like that it was a bit odd but otherwise big parts of the story would be missed

7/10

Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Not as good as the others and a bit gory

Bella was starting to be a bit of a sap.

6/10

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

Well it would be rude not to read the whole set

Wasn't expecting that with Jacob!

8/10

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

If everyone else is ranting about it, you just have to read it.

Entertaining and fueled many conversations I might have missed out on otherwise.

8/10

The talented Mr Ripley - Patricia Highsmith

I've read it before but it's still marvellous everytime.. very clever and a bit scary!

7/10

The reader - Bernhard Schlink

liked this a lot.. and the unsureness at the end.. would tell you what I thought but not sure everyone has read it!

8/10

Time's Arrow by Martin Amis

Recommended by Sarah when we were talking about Martin Amis. A remarkable piece of fiction linked to some truth. Very clever writing by Martin Amis (who has a reputation of being too clever - perhaps pretentious) but with a horrific story line that emerges as you read more.

So, excellent novel but not for everybody - certainly not for Mum. Try London Fields instead if you want to taste Martin Amis's clever (prententious) style. Any other Matin Amis novels recommended?

9/10

Murder is easy - Agatha Christie

A whole series of mysterious deaths is a village that turns out to be not as quiet as anticipated. There's a strange subplot about an apparently GAY antique dealer who is clearly up to no good and perhaps a satanist. But the actual end was pretty good with a few unexpected twists. Liked this one.

Risk Assessment - James Goss

James' second torchwood book. Great fun.

Murde at the vicarage - Agatha Christie

The first Miss Marple story, she's already an old spinster of the village. Colonel Protheroe is murdered and it turns out just about everyone had a motive! Realised towards the end that I've seen this on tv...

The Assassination of Robert Maxwell

Haven't bothered with the authors' names. Lent to me by Rob Fox. Expected it to be poor but in fact it was a good read - if you enjoy conspiracy theory books by newpaper reporters. Was it all conspiracy theory or good investigation leading to the truth (which is fantastic and larger than life - as Maxwell himself was)? Dunno.

6/10

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Have been meaning to read this for ages ever since I read another book (can't remember which) based on the story. Virginia Woolf writes in a very strange way so I didn't find it easy to read...probably the sort of book you study for A level or something.....long sentences describing people's thoughts. The "story" is about one day when Mrs Dalloway is preparing to have a society party. Other people enter into the story as she shops in London, including a boyfriend from when she was young. However if you're looking for lots of action, give it a miss!
6/10

Till we meet again by Lesley Pearse

This was this month's book club book....believe me there is no other reason why I would have read it! The Daily Mail and Hello recommend it so I don't need to say more. It's about two childhood friends who meet in adult life...one is a lawyer; the other has just murdered two people. It didn't have a dramatic effect on my life.
4/10

The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis

My second consecutive book about teenage angst and sex (lots of sex!) in the 1960s. And my second Martin Amis book. A good and pretty quick read, very evocative of teenage angst (including sex) in any era. But the storyteller in this and my previous Amis has been upper class, moving in a wide ranging circle of people. Can M Amis not write from any other perspective? I'll try Time's Arrow (on Sarah's recommendation).

9/10

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

I had to check on Blogger that I hadn't read this book before...it seemed very familiar....but it doesn't look as if I've read any of hers...I think the style is just comfortable. It's about a Chinese mother and grown up daughter living in America. Over the course of the book the mother shares secrets about her life in China and the daughter confesses a secret that she has kept from her mother.
9/10

Portnoy's complaint by Philip Roth

My first Philip Roth. Won't be my last (have you noticed how media-popular he is at the moment? I think it was funny and a typically radical, shocking 1960s book. I don't know whether it was 'from the heart' or cynically designed to shock. But it could easily offend the sensitive! A monolog of a man's discussion with his psychiatrist (just the man talking, no comments from the psychiatrist - get it? VERY american jewish indeed, which made it very funny for me. But boy is it crude. His obsessions about his hyper-controlling mum, sex, sex, sex . . . goy (that's non-jewish) girls, sex, sex, sex, and just sheer jewishness are superbly written. But this book could offend from a variety of different angles!

9/10

A Most Wanted Man by John Le Carre

Excellent. A John Le Carre book that you can follow without drawing organisation diagrams, a page-turning fast read, and a bang up to date context.

Set in modern Germany, involving all of the modern anti-terrorist and political organisations from Germany, America and England, some Islamic people who may be Turkish or Chechen and who may or may not be legal immigrants and who may or may not be militant. And an Englishman running a private bank in Hamburg in its dying years but which holds massive questionable deposits from the cloudy past.

Are you keeping up?

10/10

Landfall by Nevil Shute

Got this book as a book swap. It's set in the 2nd World war and is about a pilot who is accused of bombing an English submarine. A bit of a love story in with it too. Quite dated in its style and no where near as good as "On the Beach".
6/10

Indignation - Philip Roth

I love philip roth. Bought this in salzburg airport, it's a relatively new novel by him and it's pretty short. It's about a Jewish boy going to University in the States in 1951. The politics and environment are very saddening. What's interesting is Roth manages to make a sympathetic story about a rather disagreeable main character (similar in a strange way to his book everyman). I found it incredibly readable (finished in a day) and it left me feeling rather bleak but moved.


8.5/10

another world - Pat Barker

Thought this was brilliant, although I was a bit scared. The family relationships are really well done and the feeling of a plot or life on the edge of disaster was compelling. Thought the character Geordie was great. I think I still liked the trilogy more, but this was a great development.

8/10

Cat among the pigeons - Agatha Christie

Set at a girls' school, but with an international politics plot and priceless jewels too. Hercule Poirot comes along and saves the day but he's not in it for the first half and he's not as funny as in Styles. Interesting to read a book from this era that centres almost entirely on women.


7/10

The secret of chimneys - Agatha Christie

This one comes before The Seven Dials and is about the same characters - jolly good fun all round!



7/10

The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith

His second book (see earlier review of Child 44). Another big, longish action book about a family in the post Stalin era in Russia, this time about Gulags, Khrushcev and the Hungarian revolt. Good to read if you have read his first book. But I hope he writes a very different book next!

7/10

Facing the Light by Adele Geras

I got this as a swap on read it swap it and didn't know anything about it. It's a very easy read and a bit mindless. It's about a woman's 75 birthday party and of course family secrets unfold as the family prepare for it. An easy read that isn't a life changer!
5/10

The Reluctant Fundamentailist -Mohsin Hamid

Very good read...quite a quick book. The story is told by one side of a conversation and explains why a man gave up his financially successful life in USA to return to his homeland. Found the end rather strange...I'm still not sure what happened but maybe that was the clever part and it left you thinking!
9/10

Morven Callar by Alan Warner

Strange book written with a strong Scottish accent or vernacular, set around the time of rave clubs - 1980? You know that someone (in our family) said that you read Ian McEwen books waiting for the explosive incident. In this book it happens in the first sentence. Seven words. and yet the book has lots of tension and twists in it, and even in the slow passages keeps you occupied and turning pages. Wierd but a very good read. SPEAK NOW if you want to read it - mum is about to put it on readitswapit.

9/10

Pompeii by Robert Harris

A good novel if you like them based on excellent historical research. A fast read because it is a good, tense story line with believable characters. It's about a young (30s?) engineer who is sent from Rome to fix the massive aquaduct which supplies water to the whole bay of Naples. . . . whilst Vesuvious seems, to anyone who can read the symptoms, to be behaving strangely! A good story with a page-turning end.

9/10

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

On loan from Sarah. A monologue covering 200 pages. Surprisingly it never flags - keeps you reading as quickly as you can. Very unusual style and equally unusual ending.

8/10

The Brain Dead Megaphone by George Saunders

A gift from Patti, our snowbird. A series of essays by a critic/reveiwer/TV personality/author. He is the opposite of US TV ranters like Nancy Griffiths and Glenn Beck. Insightful and entertaining essays on life, people, politics in the US and the wider world.

6/10

The Body in the Library - Agatha Christie

This is a Marple mystery. In the same way I was surprised to find how funny Poirot is, I discovered Miss Marple is actually very irritating. Her quirk is to make comparisons between characters and events in the plot with people in her own village. So I found that part of this quite annoying, but the actual story was pretty good in the end.

6.5/10

The Seven Dials Mystery - Agatha Christie

A country house mystery with lots of jolly ladies and chaps - all baffled by how ghastly the murder and throw themselves in to solving the mystery. A touch famous five, but a pretty good story.

7/10

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

This month's book club, written by same woman who wrote The Lovely Bones and strange in a similar way. It's about a woman who kills her very ill mother...(not a nice theme). Not sure if you are supposed to sympathise with her or not but still quite an interesting read...and like her other two, a quick read.
7/10

Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro

This author wrote The Remains Of The Day which became an excellent film 'starring' Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. Get that from DVD club if you want to see 'below the stairs' life in the ... 1920s?

This is 5 short stories picturing life in England. Suzie bought it for my birthday. They are an easy read and enjoyable but nothing exciting or insightful. Borrow it if you want some light reading (no vampires or Torchwood).

7/10

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

T R S's first novel, well reviewed in Sunday Times and then a birthday pressie from Sheila who hadn't seen the review - coincidence. Detective drama with a harrowing theme (serial child murder) and a stunningly portrayed setting in post-Stalinist russia. A good thriller and a terrific insight into everybody's life in that crazy era (the farce of trying to eat and live in those conditions, and not only do your neighbours betray you, you partner will. Sound like 1984?). My only problem was that it was the book I took into hospital with me on 19 May - not a good time to read something as harrowing as this. But I did, eventually, and it is a good read. Sheila has now bought me his second novel. . . . watch this space.

8/10

A short history of nearly eveything - Bill Bryson

One of the new genre of books popularising science. Very successful. Gave lots of information in a way which was undestandable/accessible. Allowed the reader to grasp the scale of the universe and the tiny stuff inside DNA, and the emergence of homo sapiens. But 573 pages made it hard work overall so you need to need to read it or take it in small chunks.

8/10

The Big Four - Agatha Christie

This was marvellous. A crazy international spy thriller with poirot solving countless mysteries as he uncovers the identities of the wicked four trying to TAKE OVER THE WORLD. Very funny. The comments about race and sex aside, it's quite hard to think this was written in the 20s.



8/10

Keeping the world away by Margaret Forster

This month's Book Club and one which I wouldn't have chosen for myself. It centres around a painting from the turn of the last century and the effect it has of 5 women over the years ending with the present day. Surprisingly I enjoyed it and more exciting is the fact that Noelle lent me a book about the life of the painter (Gwen John).
8/10

The Midden by Tom Sharpe

I swapped this book through Readitswapit. Many years ago Dad and I read a selection Of Tom Sharpe books and found ourselves laughing out loud. Sadly this didn't cause the same reaction.....not sure if it's not as funny as his early books or maybe I'm just that bit older! Typical Tom Sharpe story about the gentry getting into all sorts of mishaps and corrupt police forces....it will be going back on my RISI list for exchange.
5/10

The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie

Well, I've started the "read all the agatha christie books" quest. One down - a very quick and gripping read. This was her first novel, and it's a Poirot. Loved the style and the slightly crazy characters. Now I will go and see what Kate and James have said about it and I missed.




8/10

Devil may care - Sebastian Faulks (as Ian Flemming)

Sebastian Faulks wrote this in the style of Ian Flemming (apparently he's a fan) to commemerate his centenary. It was a good read - and in general a good plot, although sometimes a little confusing with the references to other people. It's set in the 70s so Bond gets away with being a little dated...





6/10

Members Only - Leone Fox

At least these were written before she met rich. entertaining.





5/10

Another World by Pat Barker

Dare I say it....I found it more compelling a read than "Regeneration Trilogy"...only I suspect because the style seems to be so much easier to read. She certainly has a good understanding of people. I think I need to read the trilogy again to check out all the references to Geordie.
9/10

There will be rainbows by Kirk Lake

A biography about Rufus Wainwright which confirms the crazy life he had growing up and maybe excuses some of his actions. It's not at all sensational and rather assumes the reader knows all about when Rufus went crazy on crystal-meth so only refers to it as a part of the biography rather than writing a story full of the gory details. A lot is written about his father, mother, aunt and sister, all famous in the music business and all with their own strange behaviours. I really enjoyed reading it.
9/10

Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka

Read this ages ago and only just got round to adding it to Beck Book Club. Very similar to her "Tractors" book and equally amusing. It's a quick and easy read about a group of migrant workers who come to England in search of holiday work.
8/10

The Reluctant Fundamentailist -Mohsin Hamid

A great read (read it all on the flight to salzburg, leaving me with nothing to read IN salzburg). A great story, and the style is compelling. I thought the politics really moving and now really want to know what other people think of it.



9/10

Eclipse - Stephanie Meyer

Yes, I read the third one. Still enjoyable, although with this book I started to get more irritated with the gender politics and not so sure about it being targeted at teenage girls (the theme of which of these two men will you choose to protect you started to grate).
Still, I will be reading the 4th...




7/10

Secret Scriptures - sebastian barry

This was a book club book. can you guess it was told by 2 people?? A woman who had been in a mental institution for 80 years and her doctor.

Mark read it just before me and didn't guess the ending until right at the end.. he obviously didn't have his feelers out because I thought it was very predictable.

6/10

19th Wife - david ebershoff

Picked this up as a 3 for 2 at blackwells.

About a sect of mormons. Like everything else I'm reading at the mo, it's several stories linking together although rather than 2 people telling the same stories this is 2 historical stories that mirror each other.

I really liked it and it gave me quite an insight into polyomy

8/10

This Charming Man - marian keyes

Similar to her other novels, a story about ladies with slightly dark undertones.

written from 3 different women's points of view, who all know the same man. Seems unrelated until the middle of the book and then it all starts slotting into space.

8/10

New moon - Stephanie Meyer

Oh dear, I'm addicted. This was the second in the teenage vampire series. It was fine, a bit simplistic, although the finish was pretty dramatic. Not enough vampire and a bit too much werewolf in this one. Let's hope Kim lends me book number 3 soon.


7/10

Private Members - Leone Fox

I'm not reading as much as I should so I need to list every book I can. This was hilarious, but I spent all the time on the train worrying people were going to read it over my shoulder.

5/10

A perfectly good family - Lionel Shriver

Picked this up on the way back from Colorado. It's no 'we need to talk about kevin', but it's a good study of three siblings who inherit their parents' house. The two brothers each ally with the middle daughter who is torn between the two. A really interesting character study, a bit depressing in places, but overall thought provoking about family and friendships.

8/10

The Glittering Prizes by Frederic Raphael

I remembered this book because it was brought out as a TV series some time ago. It's about a group of people who leave Cambridge in the 50s. A quick easy read, but I suspect better as a drama than a novel.
6/10

Twilight - Stephanie Meyer

An enjoyable, but light story about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. I liked the way the characters and the story was set up, although there were places where not much was happening... I watched the film on the plane to the states which was fun as well and I expect I'll read the other books in the trilogy.

6/10

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

One of Dad's birthday presents. Haven't seen the film, but the book is quite a good read about a young boy who has an affair with an older woman and then comes across her several years later when she is being tried for war crimes. The second part of the book moves slower than the first.
7/10

How late it was by James Kelman

Not sure who suggested this book, but I got it from Read it Swap it. It's about a drunk in Glasgow and what happens to him over about a week. Once you get used to reading the dialect, it's a good read; quite disturbing knowing that a lot of his experiences are probably happening to people every day.
8/10

White tiger -Aravind Adiga

This won the booker last year.. he's coming to bristol to do a talk and I thought I really 'should' read it!
about a guy from india who grew up in a rural village. the darkness and then moves to the city to work. He becomes an entrepreneur and the story is a series of letters he writes to the president (???) of china who is coming to visit to tell him what the real india is like.

8/10

Happenstance - Carol Shields

Another one for new bookclub

About a couple, he is an academic and she was a stay at home mum and has discovered crafting and is giong away to a conference on quilting. the first half of the story is from his point of view. and the second from hers.

I didn't realise until afterwards but both people very nearly have an affair during the week. I think the woman comes away looking much worse and I'm not sure if that's my interpretation of her, a feminist statement from the author, or actually she is naughtier!!

8/10

Mudbound Hillary Jordan

This was the first book i've read for new bookclub(which I havent managed to get to .. just reading the books!)

It's set just after the 2nd WW in america.. pretty sounth I'd say. it's about a family who move out to a farm which gets rained in during the winter (mudbound!). They have tennant farmers and one family inparticular who pay a key part are a black family, where the son has just returned from fighting in the war.

each chapter is told by a different member of the family.

8/10

A Son of the Circus

Let's be honest I love john irving but this did feel a bit silly.

It's about an indian doctor who lives in canada but spends several months a year in india. he' also a screen writter and write films that his nephew is the star of. One film he's written is similar to a real life murder 20 years ago and the story is about how they solve the murder.

He's also friends with a variety of acts from the circus.. hence the title.

7/10

The Yellow Wallpaper and other writings by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Suzie heard this book mentioned on Radio 4 I think. The first half of the book contains a selection of short stories, the second half extracts from her non fiction work. She wrote at the turn of the 20th century and was a great feminist and sociologist. It's amazing how forward thinking she was but I have to say that it became a bit like a text book towards the end and not "going to sleep" reading. Would certainly recommend the short stories though and a taster of the essays.
6/10

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

This was last month's Book Club book and I have to say I wasn't looking forward to reading it. However it turned out to be really good. It's a novel based on the character Dinah, sister of Joseph (of the multi colourder coat fame). She's mentioned a little in the Old Testament and I think the author knows quite a bit about old Jewish traditions.
8/10

A short history of the world by H G Wells

Yes, that H G Wells. Mark gave me this, saying it was a clear and enjoyable read. And he was right - surprisingly clear and concise summary of the world from its formation. Though the post-Roman stuff got pretty complicated! It may get passed to Chris Bell (yes, Linda Bell's husband).

7/10

The Ghost Road by Pat Barker

Excellent conclusion to her excellent trilogy. Amazing writing and amazing portayal of the first world war, and very, very readable - three real page-turners.

10/10

The boy in the striped pyjamas

At last I've read a book! It's been ages. Really enjoyed this - a quick by engaging read. I thought the perspective of the boy was really well done - although I think it worked well as a short book, might not have managed to keep it up for a longer novel. I thought the ending was excellent - avoided anything cliched.

8/10

The Ghost Road by Pat Barker

The final book in the trilogy and probably the best I think. Not sure how much of it is fact, I now need to read the book written by Rivers' sister which is about their connection with Lewis Carroll.
9/10

The amazing adventures of dietgirl - Shauna Reid

Elaine lent me this saying she thought I'd like it and praising it muchly.

Started it monday night, finished it thursday night and I had to go to work inbetween.

VERY VERY funny. About a girl in aaustralia who looses half her body weight (25 to 12 stone) but also discovers self confidence. she wrote a blog about it and then published all the blogs in a book.. so a bit like bridget jones but real.. and much easier to relate to.. and much better.

made me laugh out loud, and cry a couple of times.. and I dont' want to admit to how many times I emailed E to tell her I'd found the line I most related to!!

9/10

The parasites - Daphne du marrier

Brought this to go to France and then didn't get round to reading it until last week.

Fabulous DdM as ever.. no scandalous ending or freakery that was just sneaking up on you, but still really enjoyed it.

About a family in the 1940s.. they had rich parents and are accused of being parasites.. the chapters alternate between what they are diong now (to deserve the title) and their life when they were growing up..

8/10

The Eye In The Door by Pat Barker

Second book in the Regeneration trilogy, and another good read. Excellent portayal of all the issues for soldiers and civilians in the first world war. Sounds boring but it is a very good story line, especially if you have read the first book, Regeneration. V tempted to read the third book NOW!

9/10

Groupie by Jenny Fabian

Quite a rubbish book so very easy to read quickly. It was written in the 60s by a girl, based on her life as a groupie. The only reason I wanted to read it is that the main group in the book is based on Family. I had difficulty spotting who were the other groups in the book as she uses pseudonyms.
5/10

Resistance by Owen Sheers

Last month's book club book and not one I was looking forward to reading, so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it so much. It's written as if the Germans won the Second World War. A group of soldiers end up in a Welsh community, where the men have left to fight in the resistance. Sheers has written several poetry books and has quite a beautiful style of writing.
7/10