Death Comes to Pemberley by P D James

I read this October 2012
Why: This was lent to me by Rosie  at Creative Writing Group.
It is set 6 years into the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy (P&P)
The plot is great and the style sometimes feels a bit tongue in cheek, but cheeky in a nice way.
I enjoyed reading this .
8/10
Helen

The Pleasures of Men by Kate Williams

I read rhis October 2012
Why because it was one of the Waterstones Buttermarket Book Club books.
The plot is about a serial killer in Victorian London - not Jack the Ripper! Man of Crows.
If you like Sarah Walters give this a go.  I enjoyed it.
8/10
Helen

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I read this October 2012 (for the second time)
Why? because at long last it has been made into a film and I wanted to reread this fantastic book prior to seeing the film.
I loved this book the first time and equally if not more the second. Just my type of book.
If you haven't read it - I highly recommend it
10/10
Helen

The Psychopath Test By Jon Ronson

I read this September 2012
Why: It was the book chosen for the Waterstones Arc Bury St Edmunds Book Club
The cover indicates this is a funny book, but I must have missed the piont, because although I found it interesting I didn't find it at all funny...or prehaps that's the piont you are supposed to be mislead.
I spent most of the time thinking 'is this true?'
Very confused
Can anyone explain?
I still enjoyed reading it though
7/10
Helen

The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson

I read this : September 2012
This was longlisted for the Man Booker prize2006
The plot is a Scottish minister who lost his faith- if he ever did have any.
After a near death experience in which he is rescued and stays with for 3 days - the  devil  and how that impacts on his life and the life of those around him.
I found the through  first chunk of the book I was waiting for the encounter with the Devil for too long... and then when he does meet him that bit it interesting and then not much of the book is left for the impact.

But don't let me put you off, it's a good story, well written and very enjoyable.
8/10
Have you read it? what did you think of it?
Helen

Song of Achilles by Madelaine Miller

I read this : September 2012
Why: Because it is one of the books chosen for the new Waterstones Bury St Edmunds, Buttermarket branch bookclub, which starts on 20 Sept 2012.  I am already a member of the book club at the Arc branch and will try the new one as well....
What I thought of it: Well for me this was a book of 3 thirds... I really enjoyed the first 1/3 I loved the way it was written, the language, the flow of the words
The second 1/3rd I got bored I'm afraid, I ploughed through this bit, I found it by then slow and tedious (I do quite often get that 'bogged down' feeling in the middle of a book)
The third 1/3rd livened up again, I started enjoying it again and was sort of disappointed it ended...
I will be very interested to hear what other people think of it.
7/10
Have you read it? are you planning on joining the book club?
Helen

Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs

I read this August 2012
Why: because I saw it at a charity event and thought it would be a good bedtime read.  Also I really like the television series Bones...great slick American junk TV...
The plot: Quite a complicated who's body is this plot. A body turns up drowned  and fingerprints reveal it is a man who was declared dead in the Vietnam war.
The scenes move across America and land up in Hawaii, the plot invoves Brennan and her family as well as colleagues, gang members etc...
I thought it would be a good bedtime read and it was...light and entertaining as well as a dead body or two or three...

5/10
Are you a Bones/Reichs fan?
Tell me what you like about it.
Helen