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