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Rizzo
Beginner July 2011

2012 In 2012: The List *Updated 28/03 - 189 Books Read*

Rizzo, 2 January, 2012 at 10:26

Posted on Off Topic Posts 250

This thread is just for the list, for any questions or discussions please use this thread: www.hitched.co.uk/chat/forums/p/277145/2637686.aspx#2637686 The Rules - Every book must be started and finished in 2012. - Once you have read a book, post it in here and I will edit the list in the OP. It will...

This thread is just for the list, for any questions or discussions please use this thread:

www.hitched.co.uk/chat/forums/p/277145/2637686.aspx#2637686

The Rules

- Every book must be started and finished in 2012.

- Once you have read a book, post it in here and I will edit the list in the OP. It will save people scrolling through posts to see which books have been read.

- A book can only appear once on the list.

- Kids books can be included as long as it is a proper book and not 'Run Spot, Run'

For example:

1) Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh - not as good as the first - 6/10

^^^^^ This is only an example and not included as I read it last year.

The List

1) The Picture Book by Jo Baker - not as good as I expected from the reviews. 6/10

2) A Winter's Tale by Trisha Ashley - not demanding but very enjoyable. 8/10

3) Confessions of a GP - Benjamin Daniels - lighthearted but interesting. 8/10

4) I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith - I love this book so much, has lovely character studies - shame it gets tucked away amongst the teen fiction in bookshops. 10/10

5) Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton - A nerdtastic roaaarrr! Actually better than the film. 6/10

6) Appointment With Death - Agatha Christie - Christie at her best and typically Poirot does not appear until about half way through so very different to screen adaptions. 8/10

7) Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult - Very thought provoking and well written, couldn't put it down. 9/10

8) Great Expectations - Charles Dickens - an excellent book, there is a reason this is a classic, Characters are believable, they develop well and the story is extremely well put together. 9/10

9) Something from Tiffany's - Melissa Hill - Was expecting a typical romance book but gave a few more twists than expected. 7/10

10) Destiny- Louise Bagshawe - A nice easy read which kept my attention - not bad for chick lit. 8/10

11) The Host - Stephanie Meyer - Much better than expected - finished it in no time! 9/10

12) Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami. Reading this is like being on acid, it turns the real world into a metaphysical mindf*ck. 8/10

13) The Year She Fell - Alicia Rasley - Got me hooked from the start and had several twists along the way, free on kindle too! 8/10

14) 3096 Days - Natascha Kampucsh - Ok and some good and honest insights into how she feels about the situation but goes off on a tangent alot. 6/10

15) Wife Interrupted - Amy Malloy - A moving real life story of a 23 year old widow. I cried the whole way through - 9/10

16) Monday Mourning - Kathy Reichs - Usual fare from forensic anthropologist crime writer but trots along at a good pace and the forensic detail is interesting. Kept me entertained during the commute. 7/10.

17) Me Before You - Jojo Moyes - Absolutely hooked, not your usual chick lit book, had me crying my eyes out for the last 5 chapters. 9/10

18) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson - Fantastic end to the trilogy, couldn't put it down. Larsson is a genius. 9.5/10

19) Keeper of the Light - Diane Chamberlain - Unputdownable, as always with DC, developed characters you can really get to know and a good bit of mystery. 10/10

20) The Red Queen - Philippa Gregory - A bit repetitive and samey in places, but nonetheless still a very good read! 7/10

21) Catching Fire (Hunger Games) - Suzanne Collins - An excellent follow up to the Hunger Games - Katniss Everdeen is a brilliant heroine back once more in the Quarter Quell. 9/10

22) Mockingjay (Hunger Games) - Suzanne Colling - The last of the Hunger Games Trilogy. Not as good as the first two, a bit boring in some places, but an unexpected and brilliant ending! 8/10

23) Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte - WOW WOW WOW Loved this book :-) re-read the end a few times and have completely fallen in love with Mr Rochester :-) 10/10

24) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen - A slower start than I'd have thought, but I was hooked after about the halfway point 7/10

25) My Sister's Gift by Giselle Green - Story about a woman being a sister for her surrogate and the fallout from this, fairly good read. 8/10.

26) A Bride for Tom by Ruth Ann Nordin - Very short and the title tells you the whole story! wouldn't read again. 5/10.

27) Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy - Really good story of a aloholic man who has to change his life when he finds out hes a father. 9/10

28) Belle - Lesley Pearce - Marked down as it is just too long, the author uses 300 words when 50 would do, way too expressive, sex descriptions just cringeworthy! But one of those authors I read out of habit 7/10

29) The Promise of Happiness - Erin Kay - Easy going well written book by a new Irish author; quite early-Cathy-Kelly in style. 8/10

30) Manhattan - Ronni Cooper - Written by someone who works in the music industry, bit uncomfortable to read at times due to scenes of abuse, similar to Jackie Collins. Not as good as her first book 'Rock Chicks'. 8/10

31) The Birds and the Bees - Milly Johnson - Utter drivel, predictable from the start (perfect for a lazy afternoon in the sun!). 4/10

32) A Girl's Guide to Homemaking - Amy Bratley - Disappointing. Much less original and more chick-litty than I thought it woud be. 4/10

33) Slices of Night - Erica Spindler, J.T Ellison and Alex Kava - Story was ok, was split into 3 with each author taking a third didnt rate that too much changed the feel of the story too much. 6/10

34) The One you Love - Paul Pilkington - Good story, fast paced but the ending a bit disappointing. 7/10

35) Run - Blake Crouch - Loved it, good story and kept my attention. 9/10

36) What The Dog Saw: And Other Adventures - Malcolm Gladwell - Short essays which prompt pub-based conversation: highlights include why criminal profiling is rubbish, why 9/11 was unpredictable, the true value of mammograms and, in reference to the title, why Cesar Millan is such a good dog whisperer. 8/10

37) Twilight - Stephanie Meyer - Loved the film but the book is even better, I couldn't put it down! 9/10

38) Life and Laughing - Michael Mcintyre - Really boring, only read whilst in bath as it couldnt hold my attention at all. Not funny at all! 3/10

39) Are We There Yet? - Ben Hatch - Really funny, had me laughing out loud. One families adventure round Britain, the parents with a 3 and 1 year old. Good light hearted fun read. 8/10

40) Can I Have Your Attention Please? - James Cordon - Good read, more serious than I thought it would be. 8/10

41) Falling Star - Diana Dempsey - Slow starter but got going from half way, slightly predictable, easy read. 7/10

42) The Help - Kathryn Stockett - A brilliant book, very thought provoking and an amazing read .. this should be on every book shelf (or kindle list) - 10/10

43) The Clever One - Helena Close - A tale of a dysfunctional (from the point of view of the 16 year old narrator) Irish family. I needd to care about the charatcers to enjoy a book and I did with this lot. Am VERY glad not to be 16 though! 8/10

44) When God Was a Rabbit - Sarah Winman - Didn't live up to the hype. 7/10

45) How I Won The Yellow Jumper - Ned Boulting - Very funny, brilliant if you like the Tour de France. 9/10

46) One Day - David Nicholls - Absorbing, touching story. One day over 20 years, sounds ridik but totally works. Great character development. 8/10

47) Kate's Wedding - Chrissie Manby - Disclaimer: Given by a relative who thought as I'm getting married I'd appreciate a book about getting married. Predictable, dull, cheesy trash. 3/10

48) Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Mayer - Read the series a pathetic 8 times now but truly one of the best love stories I've ever read. Makes me hate OH for a week after. 9.5/10

49) Gangs - Ross Kemp - Very good and an eye opener, makes you realise how lucky you are. 8/10

50) Lord of The Rings, Volume 1, The Fellowship of the Ring - JRR Tolkien - One of my favourite books of all time and I love re-reading it. Rich cast of characters, good vs evil, hope and friendship, triumph over adversity and an epic journey. LOVE. IT. 9/10

51) LOTR Volume 2 - The Two Towers - JRR Tolkien - More of the same. Genuine build up of tension and sense of impending doom (even though you know how it ends). Very atmospheric. 9/10

52) Dexter in the Dark - Jeff Lindsay - Not the best one in the series, but love the tv series, started to read the books, not so gripping but still a good read out of the series. 7/10

53) You're the One that I Don't Want - Alexandra Potter - Mildly entertaining but too long, thin plot and written in an overly-sarcastic Office style, which is ok but not when it goes on throughout the whole book. Wouldn't recommend. 6/10

54) Tell No One - Harlan Coben - Gripping. Although you had an idea how the story may develop still had some twists that kept you guessing. 9/10

55) The Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin - Timothy Snyder - Incredibly difficult to read because of the account of human suffering - he really brings the victims to life - but also an innovative look at 20th century communism and nationalism. 10/10

56) The Little White Horse - Elizabeth Goudge - Though this may be mostly for nostalgic reasons. It's a children's book, and was one of my favourites as a youngun. 9/10

57) Minus Nine to One - Jools Oliver - A bit rubbish. Didn't take to her writing style at all. It had been recommended, and I'm devouring all things baby related at the moment, but didn't really enjoy this. 4/10

58) She Wolves - Helen Crastor - Quite facual rather than a story but a very interesting narrative of Queens in history- by the end of the first 'queen' I was hooked! 8/10

59) Frostbite - Richelle Mead

60) Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead

61) Blood Promise - Richelle Mead

62) Spirit Bound - Richelle Mead

63) Last Sacrifice - Richelle Mead

64) Small island - Andrea Levy - Not as good as I expected but still an enjoyable read. 6/10

65) The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins - Thrilling story, couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what happened. Not always fast paced but intriguing. 9/10

66) Hurting Distance - Sophie Hannah - Great storyline but a few of the characters became a little bit too annoying and hard to empathise with. 8/10

67) Dead Like You - Peter James - Best book I've read in a long, long time. Gripping crime thriller with lots of twists & turns. 10/10

68) The Garden Party - Sarah Challis - Mildly entertaining but I wanted to slap ALL the characters! 5/10

69) Ill Wind - Rachel Caines - Couldn't put it down, not one to help me fall asleep at night.

70) The Retribution - Val McDermid - Another fantastic addition to the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series. I was disappointed as a reader in the ending because it was not the one I was hoping for, but I understand it. I just hope one day that (story-wise) Tony and Carol finnnnnnnnnnnally get it together!! 10/10

71) The Mistress Affair - Kate Silver - Borefest!!! An awful basis for a story, with undeveloped characters that you do not care about and come across as shallow and pathetic. 0/10

72) Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes - Brilliant - haunting and wise, dizzyingly wonderful. A nostalgic and sad story full of grounding humanity.10/10

73) A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan - Absolutely breathtakingly frabjous! Really, truly great - in form an accomplishment, and in story it somehow managed to explain how time passing feels with such clarity 10/10

74) Fractured - Karin Slaughter - A really gripping thriller by one of my favourite crime thriller writers. As well as the main plot (murder of a teenage girl, the abduction of another), several smaller sub-plots about the various relationships between characters flow together seamlessly, and helps you get to the know the characters. One of the things I loved most about this book, is the fact you get a twist in the opening few chapters, when it becomes clear all is not as it first seems. You read the first few chapters thinking the plot is going one way, and then 'bam', it changes course. Great stuff. 9/10.

75) The Etymologicon - Mark Forsyth - Brilliant brilliant book, all about where words come from and how they all link together. Each chapter is written like a little tale and links to the next, and written with a brilliant sense of humour. Fascinating! 10/10

76) More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea - Tom Reynolds - Funny and definitely worth a read. 9/10

77) Fear and loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson - Quite a difficult read but apparently easier when you've seen the film 6/10

78) Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman - Fantastic, if you know London it'll make you laugh at the the irony of things. A fantastic fantasy work by a fantastic author 9/10

79) Enduring Love - Ian McEwan - Fairly gripping although the climax was not a surprise, however had very interesting characters. 7/10

80) Heat Stroke - Rachel Caine - 2nd book in the Weather warden series, I thought after reading Morganville that these were books for teenagers, but maybe I am a bit of a prude, so with incest and S&M I hope not. Couldn't put it down but glad I had the next one down loaded because it is one of those books that goes straight into the next one.

81) Breaking the silence - Diane Chamberlain - Really enjoyed and you will too if you like Jodie Picoult. 9/10

82) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick - Enjoyed reading it. Good read, didn't want to put it down. 7/10

83) The Way Things Look To Me - Roopa Farooki - Loved this. Story of three young adult siblings, one of whom is autistic and the effect this and life has on all of them. They take it in turns to narrate so you get to see the same world from three points of view. 9/10

84) The Midwife's Confession - Diane Chamberlain - Very good - not to be read by expectant mothers as it is quite harrowing in places, the twists were fairly obvious but overall a very well written book; as others have said, DC is like Jodi Picoult but has a slightly simpler, easier-to-read style. Would recommend any of her books. 9/10

85) Never Look Away - Linwood Barclay - Gripping crime thriller, excellent read. 9/10

86) Chill Factor - Rachel Caine - Fairly racing through this series and enjoying it very much.

87) Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe? - Hazel Osmond - Chick lit with a few twists and turns, kept me occupied for a few days. OK. 6/10

88) Destiny - Louise Bagshawe - Slightly more American in style than her usual books, but still very good, well-written, light-hearted although I do prefer her earlier, more meaty efforts. 7.5/10

89) 61 hours - Lee Childs - Good easy read 7/10

90) Beyond all Evil - June Thomsom and Giselle Ross - Story of two women whose husbands killed their children. How can I grade that?

91) A Stolen Life - Jaycee Dugard - Very interesting story, not brilliantly written. 7/10

92) The Penal Colony - Richard Herley - set in the future when prisoners are kept on islands around the UK rather than prisons. Similar to transporting them to Oz years ago. Story about how the prisoners set up their own villages - interesting comment on society. 7/10

93) The Dress - Sophie Nicholls - great story with lovely use of clothing and accessories to 'illustrate' feelings of the characters. 9/10

94) Call The Midwife - Jennifer Worth - Great read, finding out what it was like for expectant mother and midwives in post war London. Just abit disappointed by the end....it just ended. I wanted to know what happened to the other midwives. worth a read. 8/10

95) One of Our Thursdays is Missing - Jasper Fforde. Latest Thursday Next book- basically they continue to get mroe surreal with each installment, and are never as good as the first. 7/10.

96) This Perfect World - Suzanne Bugler - Theme of the repercussions of bullying fron the point of view of the perpetrator. And her pushy-parent friends. 8/10

97) You Can Run But You Can't Hide - by Duane Chapman aka Dog The Bounty Hunter - a interesting biography, if a little preachy at times it was completely honest. - 8/10

98) The Phantom of the Opera - nothing like the film or stage show, but okish none the less ... I probably wouldn't have finished it if it wasn't for this challenge. 3/10

99) The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton - My favourite book of all time, I can read it again and again and again, an amazing story. 10/10

100) Dead Tomorrow - Peter James - Another gritty page-turner from the crime novellist. Easy to get in to and impossible to put down! 10/10

101) The Various Haunts of Men - Susan Hill - very good, think early Ruth Rendell - the secret was out about whodunnit half way through, but that was the point - and then the tension built until the end. Couldn't put it down. 9/10

102) Trafficked - Sophie Hayes - I don't usually go in for these "woe is me" memoir style books, but I'm glad I took a chance. Amazing story which kept me gripped right to the end (I actually shouted at my book a few times). 10/10

103) Windfall - Rachel Caines

104) FRirestorm - Rachel Caines

105) Thin Air - Rachel Caines

106) Gale Force - Rachel Caines

107) Cape storm - Rachel Caines

108) Fortune House - Kirstie Scott - Not heard of the author before but I liked the blurb on the back so gave it a chance - it is a bit Joanna Trollope like, plot slightly wishy washy and there are one or two plots that never seem to come to anything, but on the whole I enjoyed it. 9/10

109) Through Thick and Thin - Gok Wan - Really moving. Funny, sad and interesting read it in a night! I love Gok anyway so that may be why I loved it too. The chinese recipes at the start of each chapter were a nice touch. 8/10

110) Eclipse - Rachel Caines - the last one in the weather warden series (you can tell I am on holiday ) enjoyed the whole series, and although it is all fantasy stuff i felt this last one might have pushed it a bit far, tied all the ends up neatly though and the right place to end before i got fed up of the characters.

111) Autobiography of a Geisha - Sadu Masuka - Very compelling and an insight into the not so glamerous life of a geisha. 8/10

112) Polgara the Sorceress - David Eddings - Very involved, moving at times, and generally a fascinating read. 8/10

113) Bloodlines - Richelle - Meade really enjoyed it then found it is a new series and book 2 isn't out till April Smiley sad

114) The Distant Hours - Kate Morton - Very well written book, lots of detail, twists and good ending. Start reading it when you have a few days to spare! 10/10

115) The Dark - James Herbert - Some scary bits and kept me pretty hooked, not my favourite of his books though. 8/10

116) An Idiot Abroad: The Travel Diaries of Karl Pilkington - Made me laugh out loud but a lot of it is the stuff that is covered in the series although there are extra bits and it goes a bit more in depth. 9/10

117) The world of Karl Pilkington - Karl Pilkington - easy to read as it is loads of conversations, really funny. 9/10

118) Karlology - Karl Pilkington 9/10

119) Happyslapped by a Jellyfish - Karl Pilkington 9/10

120) Booky wook 2 - Russel Brand - An entertaining read and I like how he writes exactly how he speaks and he seems to tell you thinks honestly despite the fact that the don't really show him in a good light. 8/10

121) Creative Spirit - Scott Nicholson - Was OK keppt you hooked enough to get through it but was a bit far fetched and the twists weren't that shocking. 6/10

122) Troubled - Scott Nicholson -Kept you hooked and characters are intrieging (sp). 8/10

123) Broadmoor Revealed - Mark Stevens - Interesting insight but left you wanting more information on some patients. 7/10

124) Boy Racer - Mark Cavendish - Good read and keeps you intetested, I found his personality likeable but have no interest in cycling so some of it went a bit over my head 7/10

125) The Other Queen - Philippa Gregory - a good story with some interesting characters and a different perspective from usual. However, it's slower moving and less easy to like than her earlier ones. 6/10

126) All that Mullarky - Sue Moorcroft - Is "Choc lit" whatever that is, read the first chapter and thought no don't like it and stopped. came back to it a week later and read it all in one go.

127) The Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England - Ian Mortimer - Loved this - a non fiction factual account of what it was really like to live in the Middle Ages. History proper brought to life. 10/10

128) Dead Man's Footsteps - Peter James. Romped through this nail-biter, another 10/10.

129) The Royals - Kitty Kelley - Released before Princess Diana died, an insight into our Royal Family in a gossipy, expose way. Having been banned from being sold in this country by the Royal Family, it makes interesting reading and shows certain people's manipulative ways. 7/10

130) A Woman of Secrets - Amelia Carr - Exciting wartime action mixed with modern storyline, great 10/10

131) Dance With Wings - Amelia Carr - I like the way she weaves a few storylines together with a little twist at the end 9/10

132) A Song at Sunset - Amelia Carr. Another historical romance, gripping stories and characters 9/10

133) That Summer in Ischia - Penny Feeny - Quite good, enjoyable and atmospheric 8/10

134) Punished - Vanessa Steel - Really sad story of abuse, pretty hardgoing and very tragic and well-written 8/10

135) No More Silence - David Whelan - Another awful story of abused children but I did not enjoy the way he wrote 7/10

136) The Courage Tree - Diance Chamberlain - Great, love her work, lots of storylines twisting together and well written 9/10

137) Dear John - Nicholas Sparks - A great novel, really descriptive. I would have given it a higher mark if I hadn't seen the film first. I kept picturing the film and it ruined my interpretation of it Smiley sad 7/10

138) Headhunters, Jo Nesbo - hard to get into and hard to follow, with a confusing twist, or maybe that was just me being blonde, but a very good book nonetheless. 9/10

139) Tales From a Hen Weekend - Olivia Ryan - Good lighthearted book with lots of twists. Get to know each character well. 7/10

140) Dating a Cougar - Donna McDonald - Easy to read but very predictable. 7/10

141) The Child Inside - Suzanne Bugler - Bit of an unsympathetic "heroine" in that she has an affair and it's all about the fall out. Pretty realistic, I think! 9/10

142) Storm Born and - Richelle Mead

143) Thorn Queen - Richelle Mead - Urban fantasy which I enjoy but lots of graphic sex scenes which have got more as the books have progress. Unfortunately that has turned into a bit of a yawn factor and I am tending to skip those bits.

144) Cirque Du Freak - Darren Shan - Book 1 in the Darren Shan saga. A brilliant book about how Darren Shan becomes a vampire - 9/10

145) The Vampires Assistant - Darren Shan - Book 2 in the Darren Shan Saga - 10/10

146) Tunnels Of Blood - Darren Shan - Book 3 in the Darren Shan Saga - 9/10

147) Vampire Mountain - Darren Shan - Book 4 in the Darren Shan Saga - 9/10

148) Trails of Death - Darren Shan - Book 5 in the Darren Shan Saga - 8/10

149) The Vampire Prince - Darren Shan - Book 6 in the Darren Shan Saga - 10/10

150) Hunters of the Dusk - Darren Shan - Book 7 in the Darren Shan Saga - 7/10

151) Allies of the Night - Darren Shan - Book 8 in the Darren Shan Saga - 7/10

152) Killers of the Dawn - Darren Shan - Book 9 in the Darren Shan Saga - 8/10

153) The Lake of Souls - Darren Shan - Book 10 in the Darren Shan Saga - 6/10

154) Lord of the Shadows - Darren Shan - Book 11 in the Darren Shan Saga - 9/10

155) Sons of Destiny - Darren Shan - Book 12 in the Darren Shan Saga - 10/10

156) Birth of a Killer - Darren Shan - Book 1 in the Larten Crepsley Saga - 9/10

157) Oceans of Blood - Darren Shan - Book 2 in the Larten Crepsley Saga - 8/10

158) Palace of the Damned - Darren Shan - Book 3 in the Larten Crepsley Saga - 9/10

159) About Last Night - Adele Parks - started off slow, then got promising, then got boring - ...marking harshly as sometimes I wonder how these books get published! 6/10

160) Innocent Traitor - Alison Weir - Very moving novel based on Jane Grey's life. Wonderful depiction of characters and descriptions. 8/10

161) Dear Fatty - Dawn French - Pretty entertaining, some chapters much more interesting than others. 7/10.

162) Wife in the North - Judith O'Reilly - Loved this diary acccount of a woman and three small children whose husband thinks it would be a good idea to relocate to northumberalnd (while staying in his London job). Not at all "sicky-sweet/girly", more thoughtful and had me going "yes, I understnan that" at lots of points. 10/10

163) Iron Crowned - Richael Meade - 3rd in the series, less sex more story, much better.

164) The Ice Cream Girls - Dorothy Koomson - brilliant book, every book she writes is utterly gripping.

165) RSVP - Helen Warner - bit of wedding drama related fluff, nothing special but made for a good holiday read.

166) The Angel at No 33 - Polly Williams - really well written, touching in the right places but not overly depressing.

167) Crazy as Chocolate - Elizabeth Hyde - I never seem to get on too well with American books but enjoyed this one, about the fall out and lives of two sisters whose mother commits suicide. Not as glum as it sounds. 8/10

168) Katy Carter Wants A Hero - Ruth Saberton - A fab chicklit! Very funny, even if slightly predictable. 8/10

169) Christmas At Tiffanys - Karen Swan - A lovely warm, fuzzy Christmassy read. (Despite the fact I started it in January, after opening it as a late pressy). Lots of exciting twists and turns. 9/10

170) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - JK Rowling - I'm sure you all know the story by now... 8/10

171) Shadow Heir - last one in the Dark Swan series and probably the best, left me wanting more, which their isn't.

172) I Heart New York - Lindsey Kelk - Easy read with a nice flow from start to finish 6/10

173) Succubus Blues - Richelle Mead. I really enjoyed it and unlike the reviews on Amazon didn't know who dunnit till near the end.

174) Not Dead Enough - Peter James - another in the DS Roy Grace series. Extremely well written, even though the plot is always revealed mid-way, it is so cleverly and well-written that you don't notice/care. Brilliant. 10/10

175) Stormbreaker - Anthony Horrowitz - A good introduction to the teenage spy - 7/10

176) Point Blanc - Anthony Horowitz - One of my least favourite books, but sets up some good twists later in the series - 5/10

177) Skeleton Key - Anthony Horowitz - Another great story about the teenage spy Smiley smile - 7/10

178) Eagle Strike - Anthony Horrowitz - A quick read, but one of the most predicable books - 6/10

179) Scorpia - Anthony Horowitz - A fantastic book, one of my favorites, as Alex Rider turns to the dark side - 8/10

180) Ark Angel - Anthony Horowitz - A little unbelieveable ending, but overall not too bad - 7/10

181) Snakehead - Anthony Horrowitz - Brilliant book, wiht amazing twists that I didn't see coming - 9/10

182) Scorpia Rising - Anthony Horrowitz - A fantastic ending to the series, but with something that I never saw coming! 10/10

183) Me and Mr Darcy - Predicable chick lit 5/10

184) Dead Man's Grip - Peter James - the last so far in the Grace series, a bit more graphic than usual, but still very well written and drops a few more clues on his ongoing mystery... 10/10

185) The Secret of Happy Ever After - Lucy Dillon - Too long by about half. 6/10

186) The Devils colony - James Rollins - Really enjoyed reading it. Better than his more recent ones. 8/10

187) Ten Reasons Not to Fall in Love - Linda Green - A good easy read, classic chick lit - six hours from start to finish! 7/10

188) The Slap - Christos Tsiolkas - Too much sex and swearing without context, a good idea but plot let it down. 6/10

189) The Woman in Black - Susan Hill - Brilliant short story, havent seen the film but will now! 9/10

250 replies

  • NewYearRose
    Beginner December 2012
    NewYearRose ·
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    The Night Stalker by Chris Carter - this is Carter's third novel, and having been a huge fan of his first two, I was certain this would be another winner. It was. I bought it yesterday and finished it at 3am this morning. I just couldn't put it down. Carter's books are not for those faint of heart, the killings are brutal (yet not described too graphically), even I winced a few times and I love these kind of books. As with the previous books, always a nice twist at the end, and never predictable either. I'm now truly hooked on Chris Carter's books, so when his fourth (The Death Sculptor) comes out in hardback in August, I'll be buying and reading it on the first day. No doubt about it. 10/10

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  • avintagebride
    Beginner March 2012
    avintagebride ·
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    How strange I've just gone to post my recent bookes and this is my next one line up to read! Glad to see the good review, I'm 2 chapters in!

    So - I'm a fast and obsessive reader when I get going. I have had 2 weeks off work for the wedding and honeymoon and in the last 10 days I've read SIX books. Whoops!

    Hunger Games 1, 2 and 3. As a Twilight fan I thought I'd give these a go. The story does draw some parallels; Teenage girl with 2 love interests but no supernatural stuff going on in here. I really enjoyed them and have read all 3 in in 3 days! A nice bit of gore and an interesting setting to the story - If you like Twilight, you'll like these. 9/10

    Karen Rose - You Can't Hide: Great book for crime readers, kept me guessing right till the end. I love a bit of psychological drama and this didn't disappoint. Grisly and a total page turner. 8/10

    Mo Hayder - Hanging Hill: Same genre as above, not quite as enthralling a story but the characters were well woven if the pace a little slow. Frustrating ending, I hate it when a book leaves questions unanswered, especially when it doesn't seem like it would have a sequel?? 7/10

    Paul Merson - How not to be a Professional Footballer: Borrowed from OH on the plane back from Honeymoon! Made me laugh out loud in a few places and a real eye opener in to what his life became at the height of his addictions. 6.5/10

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  • AmnesiaCustard
    Beginner June 2011
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    The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.

    9/10

    Loved it. Novel about polygamy in Mormon culture, but so much more about love.

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  • AmnesiaCustard
    Beginner June 2011
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    Fifteen by Beverley Cleary

    10/10.

    My teenage "best book". Thanks Footlong for reminding me to read it again. Only took me a couple of hours.

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  • 1234ABC
    Beginner
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    Room by Emma Donoghue - An amazing story of discovery from a 5 year olds perspective. Hard hitting. - 9/10

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  • LittleMissP
    Beginner September 2012
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    I loved this book, was quite sad but i did find the boy's innocence quite fasinating

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  • Vickydrip
    Beginner July 2012
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    Murder at the Vicarage - Agatha Christie - I'm a huge fan of Poirot but didn't really enjoy Marple. She annoyed me that it always reminded her or something else. - 6/10

    The Body in the Libary - Agetha Christie - Not my cup of tea. May have to give the Marple books up. 4/10

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  • Vee Tee
    Beginner April 2012
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    Apologies if these have been named but didn't see them

    1. 11th hour by james patterson. love the womens murder club but this isnt the best. 7/10
    2. the donor by helen fitzgerald. very interesting gritty moral dilemma tale about a single father with twin daughters, both of whom need a kidney but he can't save both. 8/10
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  • Vikster79
    Beginner July 2011
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    Toast by Nigel Slater - An honest, descriptive and sometimes sad portrayal of a food loving young boy growing up in England in the 60's.

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  • unexpectedpenny
    Beginner January 2013
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    A walk in the park - Jill mansell. Love her books, easy to read romance style. 9/10

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  • NewYearRose
    Beginner December 2012
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    A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard. A harrowing and frank narrative of Jaycee Lee Dugard's abduction and the 18 years she spent at the hands of Philip and Nancy Garrido. It's her story, written in her words. However, despite the dark subject, the book is inspirational. As Jaycee herself says, she is not a victim, she is a survivor. I was humbled by her account of how she never gave up, especially after having her daughters. In the introduction she says, "My trust and hope were indeed put in the wrong person(s), but nevertheless it still lived." Inspirational. 10/10

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  • C
    Beginner March 2013
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    Ooh just seen this thread. I'll go grab the ones I've read this year...

    The Book of Tomorrow - Cecila Ahern - Very much a teenagers book, but once I saw past that the story had an imaginative plot - 7/10

    The Gift - Cecila Ahern - This could have been so much more, but it is a short book! - 5/10

    Exposed - Liza Marklund - Fast paced whilst being very descriptive of absolutely everything! Unpredictable plot too. - 8/10

    Where Rainbows End - Cecila Ahern - It's a lovely story but a tad predictable. Typical Cecila Ahern but all through letters, emails, text messages etc. Easy read - 7/10

    (I've also read The Help by Kathryn Stockett this year too, and like previously mentioned in the list, I would give this 10/10 as well. Can't recommend enough!)

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  • pandorasbox
    Beginner August 2012
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    16. Beautiful Creatures by Lulu Taylor - great, love her stuff about beautiful rich girls, liked the plots and plenty of smutty bits as well 10/10

    17. Outrageous Fortune by Lulu Taylor - as above

    18. The Good father by Diane Chamberlain - briliant, as good as all her others with some twists and turns 9/10

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  • AmnesiaCustard
    Beginner June 2011
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    Still Alice by Lisa Genova 9/10

    A novel written from the persepctive of a Harvard lecturer who discovers she has early onset Alzheimer's disease.

    Very realistic.

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  • Panjita
    Beginner May 2011
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    (I couldn't see this on the list)

    Before I go to Sleep - Loved it, couldn't put it down. Nice twists. 8.5/10

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  • cookiekat
    Beginner August 2012
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    Didnt see either of these...

    Kill Your Friends - John Niven - sex, violence and makes you laugh at things you really shouldnt be laughing at - Shocking and disturbing all in one. Brilliantly written 9/10

    Good as Dead - Mark Billingham - police thriller not his best book but an easy read 7/10

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  • AmnesiaCustard
    Beginner June 2011
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    Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham (thanks to Tray) 9/10

    Good whodunnit - and whydunnit!

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  • leo-nella
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    I don't think this was on here:

    American Gods - Neil Gaiman

    9.5/10: One of his best! Loved the characterisations and the development of thr story.

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  • *Funky*
    Beginner January 2001
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    A million little pieces - James Frey, Loosely based on the authors own battle with his self destructing drug and alcohol addiction and his journey from near death to rehab and the characters he meets along the way, quite hard hitting, the book made me laugh, made me cry and made me cringe in places everything a good book should do in IMO 10/10

    My friend Leonard- James Frey, the sequel to 'a million little pieces' finishes the story with unexpected twists...word of advice do not read the spoiler at the end of 'a million little pieces' so it doesn't spoil the story for you 10/10

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  • mrsgreatbatch2b
    Beginner July 2012
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    Fifty Shades Of Grey - E.L James: One of the best books i've ever read. Well written and your imagination can run wild. Read in 2 days. 10/10

    Fifty Shades Of Darker - E.L James: Just as good as the first. Read in 1 and 1/2 days. 10/10

    Fifty Shades of Freed - E.L. James: Can't wait to re read these books. Highly recommended. Read in 2 days. 10/10

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  • T
    Beginner
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    So far I've read; (1) Inside the Firm: The Untold Story of The Krays by Tony Lambrianou. An excellent read; took me a day to read it. (2) Bronson by Charles Bronson. A very interesting read, couldn't help but like him. Read in 2 days. (3); Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L James. "OMG".

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  • Helenia
    Beginner September 2011
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    Sorry if I'm duplicating any:

    1)The Lady of the Rivers - Philippa Gregory. Part of her "Cousins' War" series, this has the less-well-known Jacquetta of Luxembourg as the main character. It's a good story, adding colour to the books which were written before but take place after this one, and introducing a fascinating new character. 8/10.

    2)The Redbreast - Jo Nesbo. This is my first time reading any of Nesbo's books, and I'm impressed. A gripping story with a few twists and turns. The main character is your standard flawed policeman which could have been a bit deeper, but I think the subsequent books will build on this. 7/10

    3-5) The Fifty Shades Trilogy - E.L. James. These are fantastically popular at the moment, and I can see why, but honestly, although they are easy reads, they are awful books. If you're not used to reading erotica, then the first few sex scenes/kinky bits are pretty hot, but later on they just get repetitive and tedious. The two main characters are deeply unlikeable - Ana is a whinging, stumbling idiot who never does anything to justify Christian describing her as "witty, intelligent, captivating" or any of the other adjectives he throws at her. She is a wet blanket who never manages to actually stand up for herself, just simpers and sulks a lot. Christian, for all he is a Sex God, is a seriously warped man, with anger and control issues. There are a lot of abusive tendencies in all of his behaviour, and I'm NOT talking about the BDSM. There is very little substance to their relationship; it seems to be based upon hot sex and...erm...loving each other very much because they love each other very much. Too many screaming matches over very fundamental things within a relationship. I worry when I hear that women are idolising him as some kind of masculine ideal. *Phew, rant over!* 3/10.

    6) Fall of Giants - Ken Follett. This is one of his "epic novels" like Pillars of the Earth, rather than one of his more straightforward detective stories. However, it's set in the 1910s, and follows a set of people from a Welsh mining village and the nearby country house. It feels a bit "Downton Abbey-ish" in places but I don't think he intended that, it's just coincidence they appeared about the same time. He tells a great story and gives you some fascinating perspectives on things like the Russian Revolution. It's a long read, but a good one. 9/10.

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  • Canary
    Beginner August 2013
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    Fatherland - Robert Harris - Fantastic read. Set in a hypothetical world where Hilter won WWII, the plot slowly twists and turns through various guises and I never felt I could predict the bigger picture of the book until the end. Couldn't put it down after the first few pages. Completely believable, which makes it scary, thought provoking and interesting. 10/10

    White Wedding - Millie Johnson - Easy to read girlie fiction. More twists and turns than usual but relatively predictable. Good holiday read but not strenuous. 6/10

    The War Widows - Leah Fleming - Picked this book out of chance but after finishing it, this book will probably become one of my stable books that I will always return to. Fantastic story, moving and appealing. I like the author's style of writing so have purchased another three of her books to read. 9/10

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  • Rizzo
    Beginner July 2011
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    I've read all three and prefer KC now to MC.

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  • pandorasbox
    Beginner August 2012
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    19. Just finished 'Remarkable Creatures' 6/10 average plot, not exciting but an intriguing topic.

    20. Lone Wolf - 9/10 not as good as other Picoult but still worth a read.

    21. Kindertransport - a short play, 7/10 interesting but confusing in places.

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  • Pompey
    Beginner June 2012
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    I haven't really been keeping up with this thread as well as I should, but I feel compelled to comment as I have just finished one of the most 'un-put-downable' books for a long time. Hope I'm okay to invade!

    Kate Morton - The Forgotten Garden 9/10: A very well written book and the first I have read from this author. I found her writing style easy to follow and loved the way that she jumped from era to era with each character. The plot developed well and very intricately. I read this in 6days, no mean feat when you consider that I work full time and play netball. Brilliant twist and touching story.

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  • Sparkles82
    Beginner April 2013
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    I have two :

    "The Wedding Day" by Catherine Allot - Insipid, boring, predicatable and not worth the effort of downloading, even for free! 1/10

    "Room" by Emma Donoghue - Oh my goodness me, what a fantastic book! I have recommended it to everyone I know. Like nothing I have ever read before! 10/10

    There is also another one but I lent it to my sister and I cant recall the name, it was about a girl found on a beach, turned out she had gone missing after working a cruise ship and was being held captive by rich americans. If anyone know what it is called, please remind me!!!

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  • stephanieeff
    Beginner July 2014
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    So far this year:

    IT - Stephen King: Long, good read if you like that kind of thing. Best parts are where people describe their encounters with IT & the disasters the town faces. Gets a bit weird to the End.

    Under the Dome - Stephen King: Very Long, good character based story with a sc-fi setting.

    Walking Dead- The Rise of the Governor - Robert Kirkman: The first proper novel based around the backstory of one of the main Characters in the Walking dead comics, you might enjoy it if you're a zombie fan but you probably wont 'get' the twist at the end if you haven't already read the comics.

    I've read more this year, will post later.

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  • AmnesiaCustard
    Beginner June 2011
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    "Made in Nottingham" by Peter Mortimer.

    10/10...or 100/10 if I was allowed.

    Probably won't mean as much to anyone else but it is an autobiographical account of growing up in the area I grew up in (albeit several years apart!) It also contains several references and half a chapter on my dad and photographs of both my parents.

    How could I not love it?

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  • AmnesiaCustard
    Beginner June 2011
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    The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. 10/10

    Loved this. The premise is that the rotation of the world has slowed down, so it's all about what that means, juxtaposed with the adolescent issues of the narrator.

    Read it!!

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  • Helenia
    Beginner September 2011
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    Nemesis - Jo Nesbo. Very clever crime thriller. 8/10

    The Devil's Star - Jo Nesbo. The crime plot in this is excellent, really well-thought out and exciting. But it's interspersed with rather grim bits about the main character being a miserable alcoholic, which slow the pace down without necessarily adding much to the story. 7/10

    The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins. This is really a teen/young adult book, but like Harry Potter it is readable and enjoyable for older readers too. It's an adventure story set in a dystopian future, where children are sent into an arena to fight to the death for the amusement of the ruling class. There is a very strong female lead and an interesting mix of other characters, plus a few twists here and there. If I had teenage daughters I'd far rather they were reading this than Twilight! 9/10.

    Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins. The second in the Hunger Games trilogy sees Katniss and Peter (the heroes of the first book) return to the arena in an unprecedented second round of the games. The author has tried hard to make this one different enough from the first book that it doesn't feel too repetitive, but that's not always possible. Still a very enjoyable read. 9/10

    Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins. This is the final book in the trilogy, in which the people rebel against the ruling class that forces them into the Games each year. This is much more complicated than the previous ones and some of the character interactions are a bit annoying/unnecessary, especially the love triangle of the main characters. There is a final twist which is also gutting but does not add much to the plot, which I found disappointing. The weakest of the three, but the trilogy overall is great. 7/10.

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  • Flamin Nora
    Beginner August 2013
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    I've been a bit rubbish on posting on this but I'll try and catch up-

    The Woman in Black - 7/10 - dark, almost Victorian style 'scary' book but didn't live up to the hype.

    The 50 Shades Trilogy - 7/10 - easy to read, not as racey as expected and didnt like the female lead at all!

    The Hunger Games Trilogy - 9/10 - Loved these! Number Two is the best, and for once I liked the female lead character!

    Me Before you by Jojo Moyes - 8/10 - Focuses on a girl who is hired as a carer/friend for a quadlapegic (sp?) man. Beach read with a lovely story and made me weep.

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