Mark Haddon Book

Bit of a long title for a small paperback book but this is my latest finish:

A murder mystery with a twist as the detective and narrator in this instance is Christopher Boone, a 15 year old with Asperger's Syndrome. He's a maths whizz but knows very little about human beings. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He's never gone further than the end of the road on his own but after finding a neighbours' murdered dog he sets off on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down. More info here.

An award winning book (deservedly so, IMHO), it was written and is classed as Children's Fiction but there's a lot to interest adults too, though be warned: it's not always a happy read. It does, however, grab you from the first page and also makes you think about your own, and others, attitudes towards those in our society who are "different". So, if you ever wondered what Asperger's was, how it affects those who have it, and those around them, then this is a must read - it gives an amazing insight into those aspects and especially in to the Asperger's mindset.

I started reading it late Saturday night and finished it late Sunday night, picking it up in every spare moment possible and hardly got any stitching done because of it. Not many books make me do that! :0)

The Sixth Wife

I finished reading the Sixth Wife , it was ok I wasn't keen on the way it was written , the whole story was told by her friend Cathy .

A gripping novel of love, passion, betrayal and heartbreak. Katherine Parr survived Henry VIII to find true love with Thomas Seymour - only to realise that her love was based on a lie.Clever, sensible and well-liked, Katherine Parr trod a knife edge of diplomacy and risk during her marriage to an ageing, cantankerous King Henry. When he died, she was in her late thirties and love, it seemed, had passed her by. Until, that is, the popular Thomas Seymour - bold, handsome, witty and irresistible - began a relentless courtship that won her heart. Kate fell passionately in love for the first time in her life and, also for the first time, threw caution to the wind with a marriage that shocked the worldly courtiers around her.But all too soon it becomes obvious that Thomas has plans beyond his marriage for the young, capricious, quick-witted heir to the throne - Elizabeth - and that in his quest for power, he might even be prepared to betray his now pregnant wife...Kate's whirlwind romance is witnessed and recounted by her closest friend, Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, who lives through the tumultuous years after Henry's death at Kate's side. A sharp and canny courtier in her own right, Cathy is keenly aware of the political realities of life at court and is, apparently, a loyal supporter of her friend. As her story weaves its way through that of Kate and Thomas's heady passion and tragic denouement, however, it gradually becomes clear that Cathy has her own tale of betrayal and regret to tell...

The Alienist - Caleb Carr

This is the latest book I've just finished reading:

Set in New York in the 1890's, it's a murder mystery/thriller. A serial killer is murdering boy prostitutes in an horrific way: society turns a blind eye, preferring to know nothing about the seedier side of life, and the police are too corrupt and inept to try to capture him. Bring in the Alienist (psychiatrist), give him a team and have them start investigating.....
The book gives a fascinating insight into the development of criminal/psychological profiling as a tool to identifying and capturing the killer and of the historical period it is set in.
If you want to know more about the storyline please see here.

A very good read that kept me hooked right up to the last page. I'll certainly be looking out for the author's next book: Angel of Darkness.

The book has been registered on the Book Crossing web site and has been released into the wild - although it was at the Il Sorriso cafe on Ashby High Street and not in the cinema. Looking forward to seeing if it travels and how far. :0)

A new start ...

Decided on a trip to the library and picked up a Philippa Gregory to give her a try, another recommended author by Karen, have read a couple of chapters and enjoyijng it so far

The Wise Woman - Philippa Gregory

Julie x

Child of the Phoenix

YAY!!!! i finished it last night.

Our internet connection was off yesterday for 12 hours for some upgrade work, there was me trying hard to connect for about 6 hours, then the kids come home and tell me the sad news .... no PC for mum today so i finished my book instead LOL

I have to say, that i enjoyed the other 2 i have read more than this one. It didn't get going till about 1/4 of the way through (when her 1st hubby died). The names in it were difficult to read and i did find it hard going in some parts, as it progressed it got my interest. It hasn't put me off reading any more of hers, i have 3 more on the bookself i have aquired secondhand from various places.

Now to decide what to read next - another Barbara Erskine or a visit to the library to try someone different .....

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_D2UAAAACAAJ&dq=inauthor:Suzannah+inauthor:Dunn
This is the book I am just about to start

On page 700'ish Karen!

Had a mammoth reading day today, DH was at the hospital so lots of waiting around.

See i am a good girlie and am reading faster Karen LOL

Hi Karen I am back and almost ready to go lol. I am currently reading yet another Lesley Pearse book entitled Trust Me. Set in the 1940s it deals with the lives of 2 sisters whose father is imprisoned for murdering their mother. Although he is innocent the sisters go to live with their granny who is too old and infirm to look after them. Sent to an orphanage run by nuns their lives take a disturbing change for the worse and when the eldest sister is offered to go to Australia a land of great opportunity sold to her by the nuns she thinks it will be a change for the better. She is put to work on a farm in the outback where life is even harsher for her. I am about half way through and must say I am really enjoying it. Is this the sort of thing i should be saying ,do you think.Barb

Finished reading the child of phoenix last night, I sort of enjoyed the book but not as much as others by Barbara Erskine.
I won't go too much into detail about the book as Julie is reading it as well

Hello fellow readers!

Thank you for the invite.
I am currently reading Making Money by Terry Pratchett, even though it is taking me a while to read it, I do enjoy the Discworld books. I know some people do think these books are for students and teenagers, but I do enjoy the daft fantasy side of these stories. Well you are only as old as you feel. Whilst on the subject of younger readers, Have you read any of the Louise Rennison books,you must look them up, whilst being for the young ladies they are very hilarious!!
I have quite a few favourite authors, but the one main favourite has to be Stephen King, I have literally grown up reading his books, and I do own most of his books. I also like James Herbert but I am not just into the horrors. I will admit to loving a lot of chick lit. 8-0
I like James Patterson and Jonathon and Faye Kellerman, and have read nearly most of their books. I have tried making a journal of all the books I have read. So far there is over 200 authors, but not counting all the books I read before I started.
I could go on all night but I won't bore you anymore. Sorry for rambling on. ;0)

At the moment I am reading the Child of Phoenix with Julie , it's a good read so far , the names of the characters are interesting !! I am only glad I have to read them and not actually pronounce them out loud

Child of the Phoenix

I am a new fan of Barbara Erskine, she was introduced to me by Karen.

I was reading 'Kingdom of Shadows' and Barb (an avid BE fan!) told me there was a follow on book. I searched my library for it and local secondhand bookstores and charity shops, but couldn't find it. With only 2 chapters to read, good old Amazoon came to the rescue and i picked up a copy for little money.

I am a few chapters into it so far .....