Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

I read this January 2013
I read, re-read and loved Life of Pi, so when I saw this in a charity shop I went for it.
The story involves a writer who has not published for a while and a taxidermist writing a play.  The pair meet and the book is about the play and their interaction.  It is an allegorical novel about the Holocaust.  VERY DARK, but excellent.
The play involves two animals a donkey and a howler monkey - Beatrice and Virgil,  talking about their hunger, pain, experiences.
I loved it.
10/10
Have you read it? tell me how you felt about it
Helen 

The Secret Shopper's Revenge by Kate Harrison

I read this Januaury 2013
I found it in a charity shop and it looked like fun.
It was.
A nice light read, but not with a simplistic plot... I really enjoyed this, it was an ideal bedside book
7/10
Helen

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

I read this Januaury 2013
It was teh January book for the Waterstones, Arc, BSE Book Club
I voited for this book as I had wanted to read it for a while now.
It is a non fiction book about Henriettea Lacks and her family, Henrietta's cells have been used for medical research ever since they were taken in the 50's and successfully grown in the lab.
They are used for all sorts of research, cancer, polio etc.
I think, for me, this book was over long.  I got a bit bored with what is a very inetersting subject.  I would recommend it, but I did have to slog through it a bit.
8/10
Helen

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

I read this in December 2012
I downloaded this a free ebook
Plot: A young clerk awakes one morning to find he has changed into a giant bug.
A very interesting , magical realism type  book.  Exploring the state of mind of Gregor who before the incident had been supporting his family and the dynamics of family life and the realisation that the family will have to support themselves
I liked this book, strange as it was...
9/10
Helen