Books Read 2009

Well, it is the last day of 2009 and I have managed to read 64 books this year, better than 2008 but there is still room for improvement! I have put links to my reviews of the books that I have enjoyed most this year and there have been a fair few. I had some new books from Santa which I will be blogging about in the new year plus the lovely people sent me a copy of Sharon Owen's book The Seven Secrets of Happiness which is out in paperback in January, I started it yesterday and so far so good! What have been your favourite books of 2009 and what are you looking forward to in 2010?

1. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
2. A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson
3. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
4. The Love of her Life by Harriet Evans
5. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
6. The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson
7. Shouting at the Shipmen by Tim Geary
8. Love Letters of Great Men edited by Ursula Doyle
9. The House at Midnight by Lucie Whitehouse
10. Polly by Freya North
11. The Abortionist's Duaghter by Elisabeth Hyde
12. After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell
13. Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes
14. Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell
15. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
16. The Parasites by Daphne Du Maurier
17. The Mistress of Mellyn by by Victoria Holt
18. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
19. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer
20. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
21. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
22. Daphne by Justine Picardie
23. State of Happiness by Stella Duffy
24. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander Mc-Call Smith
25. The Truth about Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell
26. Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake by Rosie Wilde
27. Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
28. The Vampyre by Tom Holland
29. Secrets by Freya North
30. Sanctuary by Nora Roberts
31. A Crowded Marriage by Catherine Alliot
32. Look Who it Is by Alan Carr
33. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
34. Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel
35. The Gift by Cecilia Ahern
36. Running in Heels by Anna Maxted
37. The Lost Daugter by Diane Chamberland
38. Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House by M.C. Beaton
39. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
40. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
41. Thinking of You by Jill Mansell
42. A Spring Affair by Milly Johnson
43. The Seance by John Harwood
44. The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton by Catherine Alliott
45. The Believers by Zoe Heller
46. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
47. A Romantic Getaway by Sarah Monk
48. Tell Me Something by Adele Parks
49. Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell
50. Holly Would Dream by Karen Quinn
51. Memoirs Are Made of This by Swan Adamson
52. The Love of My Life by Louise Douglas
53. The Suspicions of Mr Wilcher by Kate Summerscale
54. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
55. The Book of Tomorrow by Cecilia Aherne
56. The Blood Detective by Dan Waddell
57. The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse
58. The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
59. The Other Hand by Chris Cleave
60. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
61. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
62. Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay
63. The Dog Who Came in from the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith
64. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Merry Christmas!

I have finished work for the holidays and braved the shops today for all the last bits and bobs! We shall be going back to Mr S' parents tomorrow and staying until Boxing Day so there will be no blogging for me! I have just started The Little Stranger and I am already hooked, so hopefully a review of that before the end of the year! Hope that everyone has a fantastic Christmas and I shall hopefully be able to tell you about any new books that Santa might be bringing when I get back!

Book Review: Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay

I hate to write negative reviews but I have to be honest and say how disappointed I was by this book. I loved Linwood Barclay's first book No Time for Goodbye so I was excited when I received a copy of his new one. The blurb sounded promising:

What's more frightening than your next door neighbours being murdered?
Finding out the killers went to the wring house...
For the Cutter family, the idea that they may have been the intended target seems crazy, but each of them has a secret they'd rather keep buried. What was on the old computer teenager Derek had salvaged? And where is it now? What does a local professor and bestselling author have on Ellen Cutter? And what does Jim Cutter know about his neighbour that even her husband didn't?
But the final secret- the secret that could save or destroy them- is in the one place no one would ever think of looking...

Too Close to Home is fourty four chapters long and unfortunatley it took me until chapter thirty seven to be gripped. I very nearly gave up and it was only the fact that I had enjoyed his first book so much which kept me going. I could not identify with any of the characters in this book and I really struggled to find them realistic. I felt as though the dialogue between them was slightly forced and this led to the whole book feeling stilted.
The idea of the book is fantastic but unfortunately I felt that Barclay failed to deliver in the way he did with No Time for Goodbye.

The Dog Who Came in from the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith, Chapter 58 to End.

Alexander McCall Smith's online novel The Dog Who Came in from the Cold has come to an end. I shall miss visiting the Telegraph online everyday to find out what's happening at Corduroy Mansions. I think they will probably leave it up for a little while so if you are still cathing up then I am sure there is still time to see the final chapters.
I loved how McCall Smith tied everything up at the end:

• Freddie de la Hay is safe and sound and back home with William.
• Rupert may finally get his hand on Barbara's apartment.
• Barbara is heading off to the Scottish Highlands with the perfect Hugh.
• Caroline seems to have gotten over her disappointment with James by falling into the arms of Anthony.
• Berthea manages to save the day and get Terence out of the clutches of the rather dodgy Roger and Claire.
• Dee and Martin have sold their Sudoku Remedy business for a tidy sum and Dee has already decided to move out of Corduroy Mansions.

There are many questions left unanswered which will hopefully be addressed in a future online installment:

• Will Barbara be happy in her new life with Hugh?
• Will William ever find love?
• What was going on with the yeti, Rupert has decided that he is not real yet Barbara and Erol Greatorex seem convinced.
• Who will take Dee's place when she moves out of Jo and Caroline's apartment?

I am a big fan of Alexander McCall Smith and I love his Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency series. This is the first online novel that I have read as unfortunately I missed the first Corduroy Mansions installment. There were times when I read one single chapter a day as intended and times when I caught up with several chapters at once. It's such a fantastic idea to have it onlineand I really enjoyed having the option of listening to Andrew Sachs read the chapters too.
The Dog Who Came in from the Cold is a great mix of the ordinary and extraordinary thrown together. Alexander McCall Smith has chapters dealing with relationships and everyday problems alongside a possible yeti living in London and MI6 borrowing someone's dog in order to entrap some Russian villains.
I shall miss Corduroy Mansions and Freddie de la Hay especially. I do hope that there will be another online novel from Alexander McCall Smith very soon. If you've been reading along too then who was your favourite character and what did you think of the final chapter?

I'm still here!!!!

I've just realised that I haven't posted for a whole week!! I have been so busy, I was determined to be organised for Christmas this year but it really hasn't happened! I only bought wrapping paper and cards last night! No mince pies have been made or cupboards filled with Christmas delights!
I am still reading though but I have to say that Too Close to Home is turning into a bit of a hard slog, I am on chapter twenty three and still waiting to be gripped, really disappointed as I loved No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. Hopefully there will be more posting going on next week but in the meanwhile I hope that you are all enjoying the run up to Christmas and that you are more organised than me!

Book Review: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I really wanted to read something festive and finally read some Dickens, so A Christmas Carol was perfect for both! It was first published on 19th December, 1843 and as we all know it has remained popular with both film and musical adaptations being made of this classic Christmas story. Dickens was inspired by his own childhood experiences and his sympathy for the poor, especially young children.
The story begins on Christmas Eve where we meet one of literature's great characters, Ebenezer Scrooge, a man whose only desire is to make money even though he doesn't seem to gain any pleasure or comfort from it. We learn that it is seven years since Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley died, he now runs the business alone with very little care or concern for his few staff.
Returning home for Christmas, Scrooge is confronted by the ghost of Jacob Marley fettered in heavy chains. Marley warns Scrooge that he too will bear these heavy chains in eternity unless he mends his ways. Before disappearing, he tells Scrooge to expect visits from three other spirits.
The Ghost of Christmas Past arrives first and takes Scrooge back to his childhood, which highlights how much he has changed. The Ghost of Christmas Present is next and his visit takes Scrooge to the home of his nephew Fred and also to the home of his employee Bob Cratchit and family. It is clear for Ebenezer Scrooge to see how happy they all are in spite of having hardly any wealth or material possessions. Finally we meet The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come who presents Scrooge with some horrible visions of the future where Scrooge has died but is hardly missed.
The three ghostly visits greatly affect Scrooge and it appears that he has learnt a valuable lesson. He is far more generous with this time and affection with regards to his nephew and he takes more notice of his employee Bob Cratchit and provides care for Bob's crippled son, Tiny Tim.
A Christmas Carol really does capture what Christmas is all about, Dickens makes you take stock of who or what you have in your life and reminds you to be thankful for it. Whether you read the book or watch one of the film versions, the message carried in Dickens' Tale is just perfect for this time of year.

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I must be one of the very few people who had not read this book. When it first came out I was really put off by all of the hype surrounding it plus I hate books that jump back and forth which this one obviously would. However, the release of the film caught my interest and I decided to give the book a go. I am so, so glad that I did because I think that The Time Traveler's Wife is simply stunning.
It is the love story of Claire Abshire and Henry DeTamble. They met when Claire was six and Henry thirty-six and then they married when Claire was twenty-two and Henry was thirty. Confusing? The concept took a little bit of getting used to but the idea is that Henry suffers from a genetic condition which causes him to involuntarily travel back and forth in time.
Audrey Niffenegger has created a basic love story with extraordinary circumstances. I loved the realness of Claire and Henry's relationship; Claire admits that she sometimes quite enjoys the time to herself that she gets when Henry disappears, even though it is always a huge relief when he returns. Henry and Claire are beautifully constructed characters and we are told the story from both of their perspectives which adds another dimension to the book.
As the reader, I very quickly accepted Henry and the condition he has. I felt like this was mirrored in the character of Claire, she meets Henry when she is only six years old and so the way he is, is almost normal to her as she has not really known anything different. I did think that when other characters in the book were made aware of Henry's condition they accepted it very quickly. I am not sure in real life if I would believe in something like that without wanting to ask hundreds of questions first.
Audrey Niffenegger explores relationships, love, loss, loyalty, absence and loneliness through her story of Claire and Henry. I could not put this book down and the ending had me in tears mainly because I just did not want the book to finish. I think that this is a beautiful book and I only wish that I had read it sooner. I will not be waiting so long to read the author's new book Her Fearful Symmetry which has been getting rave reviews. I'm not sure now that I have finished the book of The Time Traveler's Wife whether I will watch the film adaptation or not. I'm a little worried that it will be no where near as good as the book. If you, like me are one of the few who haven't read this yet then I urge you to get a copy, I loved it!

Booking Through Thursday: But What About Me?

What’s your favorite part of Booking Through Thursday? Why do you participate (or not)?

Booking Through Thursday is one of the first weekly postings that I came across when I discovered the world of book blogging and I try to take part every week! I think that the questions often make you think a little bit more about the books that you are reading. I love hearing about what other people are reading too and I usually add a couple of books to my wish list after reading people's Booking Through Thursday responses.