The Chrysalids - John Wyndham

Loving it loving it loving it.
Still addicted to John Wyndham.. Didn't find it quite as spooky as the kracken wakes and almost it was a lot more realistic with GM and nuclear accidents.. hmmm

9/10

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Gripping stuff, even by Ian McEwan's standard. Excellent portrayal of the lifestyle of different classes in the 30s and later. And excellent storytelling, of course. Loved it. 9/10

A Boy's Own Story by Edmund White

Based on his life story, this book caused quite a fuss in the 80s when it was published. It's about his early life to teens realising that he was homosexual and trying to understand why he felt as he did, living in America in the 40s and 50s. 8/10

Alentejo Blue by Monica Ali

I enjoyed this although was a bit confused at the beginning as the first two chapters seemed to nothing in common. Interesting study of diiferent people living in small town in Portugal. 8/10

(un) arranged Marriage by Bali Rai

Found this in the canteen at work. Was the story of a 17 year old boy who's family are pushing him into an arranged marriage. Felt very simply written but maybe that was because it was meant to be by a 17 year old?? interesting though

6/10

A short history of tractors in Ukrainian - Marina Lewycka

I was expecting more from this, it was very readable, but I found the history of Ukraine alongside the slightly silly current day plot, rather unsatisfying. It was long listed for the Booker which I thought was really odd.

7/10

The Regeneration Trilogy - Pat Barker

An absolutely brilliant trilogy which came out in the early 90s about the first world war. Very moving, very vivid charaterisation. Gives you a real feeling of insight in to what it was like for the men who were fighting, and the women they left behind. Was really surprised by some aspects of the story she's describing, which made it all the more interesting. At least in part it's based in fact, with fictional characters added, and you get a sense that it's very believable.

one of the best books (or three) in ages.

10/10

Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig

A rather strange book, set in the present and based on "Hamlet". It's written as a child writes and so very easy to read and is interesting to see the similarities with the play. However I'm not sure how good it would seem if you didn't know the play. The ending is really odd. I still don't understand that. So worth a read but quite confusing.
8/10

Day of the Triffids - John Wynham

MARVELOUS
really rather scary.. possibly not as scary as the kracken but that might have been because I was reading it by the sea. Still really addictive and v looking forward to the crysalids!!

9/10

The Forget-Me-Not Sonata by Santa Montefiore

I got this book as a result of the book email Katy sent from a friend of Christine's. It's an easy read and quite an interesting story about life in Argentina, but wouldn't say I have to read lots more of her books.
5/10

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Read this for a second time as it was a Book Club book. It's based on a true story about a murder in Savanah. We borrowed it from Gus before our drive down the eastern side of US but sadly didn't read the book till after we'd visited Savanah. The book is a good read but it would have been better to visit Savanah after reading it not before.
7/10

A Spot of Bother - Mark Haddon

Well.. generally I liked it, not as strong as a curious incident but still a gripping story that I wanted to finish. Portrayal of mental health was a bit shallow and I wasn't particularly happy with the ending to the episodes.
That said I will defo read his other books but not rush to buy them in hardback.

Bit wierdly Mark's mum was reading this when she came to stay..

8/10

rk Rowling Harry potter and the deathly hallows

so sad the end of an era. But very glad I queued up at midnight for it.
cheesy end but still made me cry

10/10

JK Rowling Harry Potter and the Half blood prince

Had to re read it in preparation for.....

8/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling

I won't say much, but I did have to stay up til 1.30 am last night reading and I thought the overall ending to the book and the series was pretty neat.
Can't wait to discuss it....

8/10

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

Bought this on the way home from Switzerland as I had run out of reading! It's the same author as 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time'. This book is about a family with grown up children and the various crisis which hit when the daughter gets married, including the father having a breakdown. I didn't enjoy this anywhere near as much as the last book - which I thought was really interesting from the narrator's point of view. This one was ok on giving the father's view of the world, but I thought it was all a bit superficial.

6.5/10

What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt

It takes a bit of getting in to, but well worth it. A truly beautiful book and a real tear jerker. As a parent, you wonder how long you could think positively about a son like Mark. Thanks Sarah for recommending it.
9/10

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathon Saffron Froer

Wow. What can I say, katy said this was brilliant and it is. So sad though - whereas I think Katy cried on her way to walk, I cried on the train home from geneva.
I thought the different voices and styles worked much much better than in Everything is Illuminated. I wasn't convinced as I was reading it about the resolution of the story - but as soon as I had read it I felt very convinced by it.
Amazing - and a definite recommendation if anyone hasn't read it yet.

9/10

The Spell - Alan Hollingshurst

A short book by Alan Hollingshurst who wrote Line of Beauty. It was a good read, and really interesting characters, but I didn't feel it spoke about the world in the same amazing way that line of beauty did. It was certainly evocative, but perhaps it wasn't really trying to say much provocative. Good read though! And I'll probably read others by him

8/10

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This month's Book Club book. A marvellous book about life in Afganistan during the troubles of the last 40 years. I know very little about the history of the country and now feel I need to find out a lot more. What makes it really tragic is that I suspect much of the book could be true.
9/10