Review of the Year 2017

Happy New Year!  Hope you've had a fab 2017 and are looking forward to a great 2018!

It was a bit of a slow start for me this year, but things have picked up as time has gone on.  In total I read 23 and about 2/3 books, so I wasn't far off my two-a-month target.  I got in a good mix of fact and fiction, some old and some new, so hopefully there was something of interest to you too.

My 2017 highlights have to be 'Pride & Prejudice' by Jane Austen and 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' by Gail Honeyman - something old and something new, and both brilliant.

Looking forward, I'm conscious that I have a shelf of books people have kindly sent me and another of things that people have given to me as gifts.  I feel awful for being so rubbish at reading things promptly, so I'm going to try to start putting this right a bit in 2018.  I always warn people who pass me books that I really do have a lot to read already, but I'm fairly sure that some of my friends and family have forgotten that they've lent me some of these...

Another thing I hope to do is read more classics.  Yes, that again!  Following on from 'Pride & Prejudice', I would really like to read another Jane Austen novel (Twitter recommended 'Persuasion').  Having visited both Haworth and Hardy's birthplace just outside Dorchester, I'd also like to try 'Jane Eyre' and 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles'.  I may not get a chance, however, as if I don't read Dumas' 'The Count of Monte Cristo', I think a friend of mine might actually pop! 

(By the way, if I manage to catch up on some of the books I've been sent, I'm thinking of making 2019 a year of books people have recommended to me.  But ask me about that again in 12 months time!)

Finally, I'm desperate to know what happens to Ross Poldark and co. after the Earth shattering events of 'The Angry Tide'.  Hopefully I'll squeeze at least one more of the late Winston Graham's novels in next year. 'Stranger from the Sea' is book 8 of 12, though, so I need to pace myself!

So, let's hope I can keep up the momentum for 2018 and make it a fantastic year.  As always, thank you for joining me on my personal reading challenge and I hope you keep enjoying the blog.  May your own personal projects be as successful!

Right, let's get reading!

2017: A Year in Books

1. 'The Shogun's Queen' by Lesley Downer
2. 'The Flame Bearer' by Bernard Cornwell
3. 'Slip of the Keyboard' by Terry Pratchett
4. 'Ghoul Britannia' by Andrew Martin - A good read for ghost story fans and writers.
5. 'The White Princess' by Philippa Gregory
6. 'Devonshire Folk Tales' by Michael Dacre
7. 'The Angry Tide' by Winston Graham
8. 'It's Only a Movie' by Mark Kermode
9. 'A Life Discarded' by Alexander Masters
10. 'Shattered Love' by Richard Chamberlain - Disappointing.
11. 'Cinderella Ate My Daughter' by Peggy Orenstein
12. 'Discovering Scarfolk' by Richard Littler
13. 'Trigger Warning' by Neil Gaiman
14. 'He Said / She Said' by Erin Kelly
15. 'The Tent, the Bucket and Me' by Emma Kennedy (Audiobook) - Entertaining stories of family holidays gone wrong.
16. 'Trans: A Memoir' by Juliet Jacques - A moving, personal story.
17. 'Free: Adventures on the Margins of a Wasteful Society' by Katherine Hibbert
18. 'God Bless You, Mr Rosewater' by Kurt Vonnegut
19. 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen
20. 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' by Gail Honeyman
21. 'How to Be Champion' by Sarah Millican
22. 'Little Me: My Life from A-Z' by Matt Lucas
23. 'Puckoon' by Spike Milligan

Review of the Year 2016

Happy New Year, lovely readers!  It's hard to believe that another 12 months has gone by already, but I'm afraid it has, so it's time to see how things are going.  No burying my head in the sand!

Although I didn't scale the dizzy heights of 2014 (32 books read.  32!!), I have managed to reach my two books a month average this year.  Half of these weren't on the original list, unfortunately, and I didn't always manage to blog about all of them, but I'm determined to do better in 2017.  There are so many great books on my shelves, it's time to knuckle down and do them justice.  Although I'll only be able to do this if the publishing industry stops being awesome and releasing amazing new books, of course.  Such a dilemma!


To my surprise, I've read more fiction (14) than non-fiction (10) this year.  If you'd have asked me, I would have told you that I'd read far more non-fiction, but it looks like I've been doing a better job of mixing things up than I realised.  Although, having said that, five of the books were autobiographies by actors and celebrities, so perhaps not that mixed up... Will have to try and keep an eye on that next year.

So, my ideal reading list for 2017 would be longer, include more 'list' books and fewer autobiographies.  It would also be great to get in a classic or two and some science fiction.  Been a while since we've had some of that, so we'll have to see what we can do.

I would also love to see Benjamin Mee's follow up to 'We Bought a Zoo' on next year's list too, but two years after supporting the crowdfunding to help Dartmoor Zoo gain charitable status, the promised book still isn't finished.  It's easy to forget that writing is a proper, full-time job, so it's not really a surprise that the guy is finding it hard to balance with running a zoo.  Talk about multi-tasking.

I hope to keep working through Winston Graham's Poldark books next year too.  Must keep ahead of the BBC series!  Although they're such great books, I would definitely want to be reading them anyway.  Good to have an incentive sometimes though!

While I'm still reading the Poldark series, I did actually finish another set of books in 2016; Ian Fleming's Bond novels.  So even though I may not feel like I've achieved much this year, I have achieved that.

As always, thank you so much for your support and I do hope you're still enjoying the blog.  To keep things interesting for you, I'm working on some posts about some great author-related places I've visited and hope to come up with some other book-related articles for you too.  Watch this space!

It's always great to hear from you, so don't forget you can tweet me via @EileenFurze.

That's it for now, so all the best for 2017 and happy reading!

Reviews of the Year

2015
2014
2013
2012

2016: A Year in Books

January
'The Rendez-Vous and Other Stories' by Daphne Du Maurier
'Wishful Drinking' by Carrie Fisher

February
'To Kill A Mocking-Bird' by Harper Lee

March
'You Say Potato' by David and Ben Crystal

April
'Moranifesto' by Caitlin Moran
'Carmilla' by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

May
'Red: A Natural History of the Redhead' by Jacky Collis Harvey

'Absolute Pandemonium' by Brian Blessed

'Not My Father's Son' by Alan Cumming

'The Black Moon' by Winston Graham

'Dead Man's Folly' by Agatha Christie

June
'Gut' by Giulia Enders and Jill Enders

August
'The Swordfish and the Star' by Gavin Knight
'Spectacles' by Sue Perkins

September
'You Only Live Twice' by Ian Fleming
'The Man with the Golden Gun' by Ian Fleming
'The Heart Goes Last' by Margaret Atwood
'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' by Ransom Riggs

October
'Josephine' by Kate Williams
'Conclave' by Robert Harris

November
'The Four Swans' by Winston Graham
'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' by Ian Fleming

December
'No Cunning Plan' by Tony Robinson
'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4' by Sue Townsend

The Reading Paradox

Not the latest Dan Brown, as I'm sure you all thought, but the conundrum I've found myself in over the past few weeks.

Normally, the warmer months are a great time for me.  What reader can resist a pleasant summer afternoon outdoors, sunscreen-covered nose in a book? (That's how we bookworms preserve our appropriate pallor - industrial quantities of factor 50.)  For some reason, this year hasn't quite panned out like that.  In June/July/August 2016, I only read four books, compared with eight in 2015 and a whopping 11 in 2014.  Not only was it very odd, but it also left me without much to say to you!

September was a bit more successful, but led to the opposite problem.  While other years have seen a lull around the end of summer, this year I got through five and a half books.  "Really?"  I hear you cry "Why haven't I heard about this?!"  Well, it turns out that if I read too much, I don't have time to blog!  Who'd have thought it?

I think what I'm trying to say is, yes, I am still here, I am still reading and I am still blogging.  I've got a handful of posts in the pipeline about some of the great things I've read recently, plus I've had some trips to bookish places that I'd love to tell you all about.

So, let's get cracking!

Coming soon (hopefully)...

• A glamorous French empress!
• Two secret missions!
• And a peregrine on a Welsh island!

Review of the Year 2015

Early happy New Year everyone!  How has 2015 been for you?  Bit too exciting if you ask me - marauding vikings on and off the page, Poldark showing off his pecs in the Cornish countryside (don't remember THAT in the books!), Bond getting up to his old tricks and tonnes of fab new fiction and non-fiction to get me all distracted.

I did manage to read the minimum target 24 books (yay!), but 11 of those were either freshly published or new acquisitions (boo!). Such a shame when I got the balance right in 2014, reading an extra 10 or so books, but still finishing 24 from the list.  Definitely want to try and do better in the coming months.

Hopefully you've found something interesting among what I've read in 2015.  I'm quite pleased that there's a good variety in what I've covered, but classics are still rare.  After my fascinating trip to Haworth, the Bronte Parsonage Museum and the surrounding moors ('In Search of Wuthering Heights'), I'm hoping to get in some novels by the famous sisters in 2016.  And visit some more literary locations!

James Bond and historical fiction are still making regular appearances and I'm close to finishing both Ian Fleming's books and Philippa Gregory's Cousins War series.  Hopefully I can do this next year too and move on to another great series.

A few favourite genres and writers have disappeared completely recently, though, including Science Fiction and Daphne Du Maurier.  Perhaps in getting distracted by some great new publications I've missed the brilliant books already on my shelves.  Something to be careful of in 2016!

Almost unbelievably, next year will mark the fifth anniversary of this blog and my project.  A big thank you to all the friends, readers, writers and publishers who have given such great feedback and support here and on Twitter (@500_Books) over the years.  A special mention has to go to the lovely and glittery Lucy Porter, who thoroughly embarrassed me by looking at my Twitter feed while I was stood in front of her at a literary festival event.  Nearly as embarrassing as when I met Nigella Lawson at a book signing and couldn't think of anything to say... but that's another story.

Anyway, big love, bookworms!  Wishing you all a fabulous new year and I look forward to seeing you again in 2016!

Reviews of the Year

2012
2013
2014

2015: A Year in Books

January
'The Empty Throne' by Bernard Cornwell

February
'So, Anyway...' by John Cleese
'From Russia with Love' by Ian Fleming (Audiobook)
'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' by Marghanita Laski

March
'Goldfinger' by Ian Fleming
'Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism' by Natasha Walter

April 
'When I Met You' by Jemma Forte
'So, You've Been Publicly Shamed' by Jon Ronson

May
'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' by Antonia Fraser

June
'In Town' by Mark Steel
'Be Brilliant Every Day' by Andy Cope and Andy Whitaker

July
'It's All in Your Head' by Suzanne O'Sullivan
'My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me' by Jennifer Teege
'Diamonds are Forever' by Ian Fleming (Audiobook)
'The Spy who Loved Me' by Ian Fleming (Audiobook)

August
'A Book for Her' by Bridget Christie
'The Kingmaker's Daughter' by Philippa Gregory

September
'The Library of Unrequited Love' by Sophie Divry

October
'Just a Phrase I'm Going Through' by David Crystal
'Jeremy and Amy' by Jeremy Keeling

November
'Warriors of the Storm' by Bernard Cornwell
'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King

December
'Animal QC: My Preposterous Life' by Gary Bell
'Little Tales of Misogyny' by Patricia Highsmith - Coming Soon!

Gag About

I love the comedy on Radio Four and Radio Four Extra.  From the wicked wordplay of 'Just a Minute' to the affectionate farce of 'Cabin Pressure', these stations have kept me entertained for hours at home and on my travels.  Two of my favourite programmes are Mark Steel's 'Lectures', which look at historical figures with awe, fascination and an eye for the human behind the name, and 'In Town', which kind of does the same thing for British towns and cities.  So I was delighted when I discovered that there was a book to go with 'Mark Steel's In Town'.

Mark Steel has criss-crossed the country performing stand up inspired by the many different and unique places he's visited.  But this is a travelogue with a difference.  Instead of despairing at the sameness of modern high streets and telling jokes which make audiences laugh at broad, shared experiences, he's been on the hunt for each place's passion and individuality.  From Penzance to Kent, Orkney to Portland and Merthyr Tydfil to Norwich, the comic and writer finds local stories of heroes and villains, explosive celebrations and historic eccentricity.  Above all, he discovers that all is not lost and that people and communities are defiantly idiosyncratic, despite the best efforts of big retail businesses and growing standardisation.

This is a great book to dip in and out of, but, to be honest, it was a bit tough to read as a whole.  Mr Steel often writes as he speaks, so some of the sentences ran over so many lines that I had to go back and read them again to make sure I'd not missed anything.  Fortunately, I could get around this by imagining him actually saying them, but this might be a bit hard for anyone who doesn't know what he sounds like!

It was also very tempting to just skip to the places I know.  Because there's no overarching structure as such, i.e. Mr Steel is not trying to win a bet or reach a specific destination, I suppose there was nothing to stop me doing this, but I always want to do each book justice.

Overall, this book was OK and I really feel that Mr Steel's hopeful message - that despite bland modern standardisation, many communities remain as defiantly different as ever - is an important one, but, really, it's the shows that make this come across best.  So, the next time Mark Steel's in town, why don't you pop along and see him for yourself?

Now, what next..?

Related Links

Back Catalogue of 'The Mark Steel Lectures'
Current Series of 'Mark Steel's In Town'

Queen of Broken Hearts

Bet you can't guess what this post is going to be about!

Earlier this month, I finally finished 'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' by esteemed historical biographer Antonia Fraser.

'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' is a hefty tome which examines the life of the last queen of France

'Marie Antoinette: The Journey'
by Antonia Fraser
(Phoenix, 2002)

and seeks the truth behind the many myths that surround her.  Daughter of the matriarchal Queen-Empress Maria Teresa, Marie Antoinette was born to be a pawn the game of European dynastic power.  Unfortunately, she was ill-suited to political machinations and unprepared for the cruel popularist media that thrived in the lead up to the French Revolution.  Innocent of much she was accused of and made a scapegoat by power-hungry politicians, this is the tragic story of a woman whose life became so unbearable, the guillotine's blade came as a relief.

I began reading this about seven years ago after finishing a book about Marie Antoinette's second son Louis-Charles ('The Lost King of France' by Deborah Cadbury).  It too was a heart wrenching story, but, as is often the case with history, reading about one person led to another.  Since studying A Level French I'd always wanted to know more about this period, partly because I couldn't believe the language assistant's claim that the whole French royal family had simply been wiped out.

'Marie Antoinette: The Journey' is excellent in that it is focussed, well researched and refrains from huge leaps of supposition, but this does mean it lies more at the textbook than popular history end of the spectrum.  In itself, this isn't a bad thing, it just means that it's not an easy ready.

Although, given the subject matter, it was never going to be an easy read.  I suspect that one of the reasons why it's taken me so long to finish this book is that I knew where it was going to end.  Marie Antoinette was no angel, but she was still a human being and no-one deserved the vilification that she received at the hands of the media and her captors.  Throughout this book, she comes across as the wrong person cast in the wrong role and you can't help wondering what would've happened if she and Louis XVI had been born in a different class at a different time and in a different place.  Thinking back over representations of the Queen I've encountered on TV and in films, it makes my stomach turn to realise that more than 200 years later old prejudices still rule.

So, overall, this book is not for the faint hearted, in terms of content or style.  It is interesting and informative, however, so I would recommend it for anyone who wants an insight into this almost legendary monarch.  Just be prepared to work at it.

Now, what next...

Review of the Year 2014!

Here we are again, can you believe it?  The end of one year and the start of another.  And what a year it's been for my reading project!

This has been my most successful twelve months so far.  I've read 33 books, a whole ten more than in 2013. Admittedly, eight of them were gifts sent to me by various publishers and retailers (thank you!) plus there were a couple of books that weren't on my list at the start of the year, but overall everything balanced out.  The extra ten books I read were new, so the remaining 23 came off my list. So it all sort of worked out nicely in the end.

As always, I've hit the variety button!  The non-fiction covered everything from journalese to murder to psychics to psychology, as well as positive thinking and chocolate (not the same book, honest!).  I've enjoyed new and established writers, short stories and full length novels.  I read thrillers, science fiction, horror and, of course, my favourite, historical fiction, plus a couple of books that defy genre.  These included an original retelling of Romeo and Juliet which I think is very underrated.  Looking back, it's been a very eclectic year and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.

Last year, I decided to try reading series of books to give me some intermediate and (hopefully) more achievable targets.  I would like to go back to Philippa Gregory's Cousins' War series soon and am keeping up with Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories, but this year has been the year of James Bond.  I've always loved the films and had heard a lot about the books, so really wanted to give them a go.  I'm lucky enough to have a lot of them on CD, so this was the series I started in 2014.  I've now heard six of the books and am part way through a seventh ('From Russia with Love').  There are just six more after that, so perhaps I'll finish them all in the next year.  You never know!

I'd also like to return to Cornwall and see how the Poldarks are getting on.  A new TV adaptation is looming, so I would really like to be able to watch it without spoiling the books!

So, as well as finishing Fleming and Graham's back catalogues, what else does 2015 hold?  Well, I'd really like to read at least one classic next year, as well as more non-fiction history.  I've got some great looking history on the shelves and would really like to see if it lives up to expectations!

As always, thank you for joining me on this journey.  I hope you're still enjoying the blog and finding my posts useful and entertaining.  If you've got any feedback, you can find me on Twitter as @Girl_LovesBooks.  Take care and have a fun and fabulous new year!

Related Posts

Review of the Year 2013
Review of the Year 2012

2014: The Year in Books

January
'Alex and Me' by Irene M Pepperberg

February
'Romps, Tots and Boffins' by Robert Hutton
'The Pagan Lord' by Bernard Cornwell
'For Your Eyes Only' by Ian Fleming

March
'The Devil in the Marshalsea' by Antonia Hodgson
'Gin O'Clock' by The Queen of Twitter
'The Bluffer's Guide to Chocolate'

April
'Casino Royale' by Ian Fleming
'Bird Box' by Josh Malerman

May
'Mr Briggs' Hat: A Sensational Account of Britain's First Railway Murder' by Kate Colquhoun
'Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming

June
'A Host of Voices' by Doris Stokes
'Dr No' by Ian Fleming
'The Psychic Tourist' by William Little
'The Essential Marx' by Groucho Marx, selected by Stefan Kanfer

July
'All My Friends are Superheroes' by Andrew Kaufman
'The Art of Being Brilliant' by Andy Cope and Andy Whittaker
'Warleggan' by Winston Graham
'My Baby Shot Me Down' by Blinding Books

August
'Wake' by Anna Hope
'Octopussy, the Living Daylights and Other Stories' by Ian Fleming
'Moranthology' by Caitlin Moran

September
'The Illustrated Man' by Ray Bradbury
'Thunderball' by Ian Fleming
'Love and Treasure' by Ayelet Waldman
'Warm Bodies' Isaac Marion

October
'Office Politics' by Oliver James
'We Bought a Zoo' by Benjamin Mee
'The Tiny Wife' by Andrew Kaufman

November
'How to Read a Graveyard' by Peter Stanford
'Moonraker' by Ian Fleming

December
'The Miniaturist' by Jessie Burton

Three is a Magic Number...

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday The Girl Who Loves Books blog... Happy birthday to you!

So here we are, three years old, toddling about, asking annoying questions, learning how to tell the time and throwing tantrums (mainly because I can count and I'm starting to grasp the task ahead of me).

But it's not all doom and gloom!  In fact, 2013/14 has actually been pretty good.  Even during the lulls I've managed to read at least one book a month and, appropriately for the third year, I read three or more books in December, February and March.  In total, I've hit my two a month target and read 24 books. Yippee!

I've also read two book series (the Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell and the Oryx and Crake trilogy by Margaret Atwood) and am two titles off finishing the Cousin's War series by Philippa Gregory.  I've also made a start on the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming.  I've managed to get my sticky fingers on some of the excellent 007 Reloaded audio books by AudioGo, which is getting me going on these books and really helping me make progress.  I don't want to make a habit of it, but everyone likes having a story read to them from time to time and it means I can keep working on the list even when I don't have time to sit down with an actual book.

As mentioned in my 2013 review post, however, there is a slight snag.  I've read a lot of books that weren't on my list and/or are new.  Certainly something to work on this year.  Especially as I've had a count up and realised that I've got a few more books than I thought.  Ooh err.

So, in the next year I want to stay focussed on the list, keep reading at least two books a month (or ideally more) and work on series of books as this is clearly helping and I do have several sets on my shelves.  I also want to get better at a) blogging more regularly and b) blogging more quickly after finishing a book as I think I've got a bit rubbish at doing this again.  After all, I should've written this post on 5th May 2014...

Last but far from least, a big thank you to you for reading my blog.  I hope you're still enjoying it and appreciate your support and encouragement.  If you have any feedback, you can find me on Twitter as @Girl_LovesBooks.

Now, where's that birthday cake...

Previously from the Girl Who Loves Books...

June

'The Unknown Ajax' by Georgette Heyer

July

'The Lady of the Rivers' by Philippa Gregory

'The White Queen' by Philippa Gregory

August

'Will Storr vs The Supernatural' by Will Storr

'The Red Queen' by Philippa Gregory

September

'The Year of the Flood' by Margaret Atwood

'Maddaddam' by Margaret Atwood

October

'The Burning Land' by Bernard Cornwell

'Death of Kings' by Bernard Cornwell

December

'Dracula' by Bram Stoker

'You Made me Late Again!" by Pam Ayres

'The House We Grew up In' by Lisa Jewell

'Him and Me' by Michael and Jack Whitehall

January
'Alex and Me' by Irene M. Pepperberg

February
'Romps, Tots and Boffins' by Robert Hutton
'The Pagan Lord' by Bernard Cornwell
'For Your Eyes Only' by Ian Fleming

March
'The Devil in the Marshalsea' by Antonia Hodgson
'Gin O' Clock' by HM The Queen of Twitter
'The Bluffer's Guide to Chocolate' by Neil Davey

April
'Casino Royale' by Ian Fleming
'Bird Box' by Josh Malerman

May
'Mr Briggs' Hat' by Kate Colquhoun
'Live and Let Die' by Ian Fleming

Birthday Blogs
2013
2012
The First Post

Review of the Year 2013!

An old year ends and a new one begins and it's time for another check up!

Over the past 12 months, I've read 22 books.  Pretty good you might think, just two off my target for each year.  Just one slight problem.  Five of those books weren't actually on my list in the first place.  'MaddAddam' by Margaret Atwood and 'Consumed' by Harry Wallop, for example, were newly published in 2013, but they caught my eye and before I knew it I was several pages in.  So I think I really need to stop reading book reviews if I'm ever going to read everything I already have!

On the plus side, I've read lots of different genres again this year (which I hope makes my blog varied and entertaining!).  We've had horror ('Fluke' by James Herbert), history ('My Heart is My Own' by John Guy), science fiction ('The Man Who Fell to Earth' by Walter Tevis) and biographical works by Sir Roger Moore and Arabella Weir.  I even read a classic in the form of 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker, although it did take six weeks and I kind of hoped I would read more than just one in 2013.

Later in the year, I decided to try out finishing some sets of books, something I considered in the 2012 review of the year.  This seems to have worked - I've finished Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake trilogy and would've finished Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories if he hadn't had the cheek to publish a new one!  I'm already on the case with that, though, and hope to finish it early in 2014.

I also made an attempt on Philippa Gregory's Cousins War series.  Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the second and third books as much as the first, which has put me off reading the fourth, 'The Kingmaker's Daughter'.  Ms Gregory also published a new addition to this series in 2013, 'The White Princess'.  I think I may give this series another go at a later date, but not just yet.

Overall, this strategy has gone well, so I think I will carry it over into 2014 as it gives me a sense of achievement without tying me down too much.  I can still mix and match if the mood takes me or I think you might be getting a bit bored!

Unfortunately, I didn't read anything anniversary related in 2013.  As how long it takes me to read books can be very unpredictable, however, I'd have probably disappointed myself and everyone else by failing to finish the right book at the right time anyway, so that idea's probably safer left on the back burner.

So 2013 was on the whole quite positive.  I nearly made my target (even though it was in fits and starts and there was a sudden late surge) and I finished a few series and kept the variety going in my reading.  But next year I must refocus and keep that list of new releases firmly out of reach!  I also hope to find the time to blog more often, perhaps including more posts related to things I've read to keep you entertained.  One thing I know for sure, though, is that I mustn't get carried away and forget what this is actually all about!

I hope you've enjoy hearing about the books I've read and want to say thank you for your part in this project.  Don't forget that I can be found on Twitter (@Girl_LovesBooks) and love to hear what you think of the project and books I've read.  Happy new year and I hope you have a healthy, successful and enjoyable 2014.

Related Posts

Review of the Year 2012

2013: The Year in Books

February 2013

'My Heart is My Own' by John Guy

'Fluke' by James Herbert

March

'My Word is My Bond' by Roger Moore

'The Man Who Fell to Earth' by Walter Tevis

'The Real Me is Thin' by Arabella Weir

April

'The Other Queen' by Philippa Gregory

'Remember Me?' by Sophie Kinsella

May

'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro

'Consumed' by Harry Wallop

June

'The Unknown Ajax' by Georgette Heyer

July

'The Lady of the Rivers' by Philippa Gregory

'The White Queen' by Philippa Gregory

August

'Will Storr vs The Supernatural' by Will Storr

'The Red Queen' by Philippa Gregory

September

'The Year of the Flood' by Margaret Atwood

'Maddaddam' by Margaret Atwood

October

'The Burning Land' by Bernard Cornwell

'Death of Kings' by Bernard Cornwell

December

'Dracula' by Bram Stoker

'You Made me Late Again!" by Pam Ayres

'The House We Grew up In' by Lisa Jewell

'Him and Me' by Michael and Jack Whitehall

Previously from the Girl Who Loves Books III

Oh dear.  It's all gone a bit wrong this month.  No idea why, although it's probably something to do with it being too cold to sit outside and read now winter has finally arrived in the UK. Turning pages is just too tricky with freezing fingers!

So, by way of an apology and to say I've not forgotten you, here are some reviews I wrote before starting this blog. Hope you enjoy them!

'Cautionary Tales for Grown-Ups' by Chris Addison

`Cautionary Tales...' is a collection of humorous rhymes, each of which deals with a different 21st century `sin' and wreaks terrible (and often grotesque) vengeance on the perpetrator. The crimes against society include browsing in bookshops rather than buying, NIMBY-ism, reality TV shows, littering, driving 4x4s in town, excessive Christmas lights and nude charity calendars among many others.

After reading this book, I have very mixed feelings. I liked the idea of it very much, but was disappointed that the stories were in rhyme rather than prose. It has the unfortunate effect of making the tales seem insubstantial, as if the author had been knocking up a poem or two every time he got bored and had a spare five minutes. I found them amusing rather than funny and it did make me wonder whether they would have been funnier if developed into full short stories. Also, this is a very middle class book and some of the morals did come across as a bit patronising. On the plus side, there were some poems which did make me laugh out loud, although there were also some punishments which made me wince!

Overall, this book feels like it may be the start of something interesting which could be developed, but it also feels like a throw away doodle and isn't really worth the £7.99 price tag. It could, however, be just the right gift to bring a smile to the wound-up whinger in your life.

'The Vampire Lestat' by Anne Rice

When I wrote my review of `Interview with the Vampire', the first of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, earlier this year, I ended hoping that its sequel would be less ambiguous. I am delighted to say it is, although it almost goes to the other, indepth extreme!

`The Vampire Lestat' is a hefty tome which principally follows the life, creation and afterlife of the enigmatic Lestat de Lioncourt, a minor French nobleman who dreams of more than the futile existence dictated by his position as the younger son in a poor but arrogant family. But this book is also about so much more. This second Chronicle is a lot thicker than the first for the simple reason that it not only contains the `life' story and personal development of Lestat himself, but also the histories of two older vampires, the elegant Marius and the lost Armand, as well as legends of the race's origins and the first vampires, Enkil and Akasha. Like the first book, `The Vampire Lestat' continues to ponder life and death, good and evil and where vampires fall in the grand scheme of things, but there is also a lot of action and adventure which give the overall tale much more bite than the first and greatly improve its pace.

Although I enjoyed this much more than `Interview...', I believe that both books should be read rather than one or the other. `The Vampire Lestat' casts a great deal of light on the events of `Interview...', placing it in the context of Lestat's existence and explaining much of the what happened between Lestat, Louis, Claudia and Armand. It's almost as if `Interview...' is a taster for `The Vampire Lestat' rather than a novel in its own right.

In short, although its length made it hard to keep momentum towards the end and I feel a bit cheated because it's now clear that the second and third Vampire Chronicles are really one book/story rather than two, I feel that my perseverance has been rewarded and I am keen to continue reading. `The Vampire Lestat' is exciting and interesting, just as its predecessor verged on the depressing and perverse, and it really is a great read. Just try not to be put off by the size of it!

'Demelza' by Winston Graham

This is the second of the twelve Poldark novels. As such, I began it a little worried that, like far too many sequels, it wouldn't live up to expectations.

`Demelza' begins a few months after `Ross Poldark' and with the birth of Ross and Demelza's first child, Julia. It covers a turbulent time for the couple, as poverty and illness ravage Cornwall and relations with cousin Francis are once again become strained. As Demelza spreads her wings and begins to find a place in society, Ross becomes involved in a venture that threatens the Warleggan's financial stranglehold on the county, putting the young family in danger from their shadowy influences. Meanwhile, there are developments between cousin Verity and the disgraced Captain Blamey and a love triangle develops between the new doctor Dwight Enys, miner Daniel Martin and his new wife Keren.

I'm delighted to say that this book was as far from a disappointment as you can get. Once again, Mr Graham evoked a powerful sense of time and place which was completely absorbing. The plot is a rollercoaster of joys and misfortunes which culminates with a dramatic description of two ships being storm-wrecked and looted, a pivotal event which is intrinsic to the next book.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to any fan of Cornwall-set or historical fiction. Unlike much historical fiction, the world that this author creates feels all the more realistic because it doesn't shy away from tragedy nor exclude the humour of everyday life. As such, both `Ross Poldark' and `Demelza' stand out for me and, once again, I hope that the remaining ten books in the series do not disappoint!

'Angels: A History' by David Albert Jones

`Angels: A History' is an excellent, if rather brief, introduction to the subject of these celestial beings and their origins in Jewish, Christian and Islamic scripture. Although the text is quite dry at times and can read like an edited essay, it manages to cover a lot of ground in a very simple, factual way which meant that I learned quite a lot from a relatively short book. This book would not be out of place in the excellent Oxford `Short Introductions to...' range, which, if you are familiar with this series, gives an indication of its style.

My only criticism of this book is that its title is a bit of a misnomer. It is not really a history of the angels, more a summary of the original sources on the subject and what they tell us about these beings. In a way, it feels like the first few chapters of a longer book. Although more modern representations of angels, including on film and in art, are mentioned, it is always to support a point made rather than as part of a linear, chronological narrative.

Even so, this is still a fascinating insight into where our modern idea of angels came from and gives some indication as to why they have remained such an emotive concept within modern cultures. Recommended for those curious about the subject but who do not know where to start.

Related Posts

Previously from the Girl Who Loves Books I

Previously from the Girl Who Loves Books II

Previously from The Girl Who Loves Books II

Hello everybody!  You may have noticed that I'm letting the side down again and am taking a while finishing 'The Unknown Ajax' by Georgette Heyer.  By way of an apology. here are a few notes on some books I read before starting this blog.  I hope you enjoy them and perhaps find something you'd like to read while you wait for a new post!

'Ross Poldark' by Winston Graham

This is the first novel in the famous `Poldark' series by Winston Graham. The books are probably better know via the popular seventies television series starring Robin Ellis, but don't let that make you think that they have nothing left to offer.

Ross Poldark, the son of a minor branch of the gentrified Poldark family, returns to his Cornish home after two years serving in the army in America wars. He left a headstrong and restless teenager, but returns older, wiser and ready to settle down. Unfortunately, the world has irrevocably changed in his absence. Ross' father has died and his drunkard servants have allowed his smallholding, Nampara, to fall into disrepair. Meanwhile, believing him dead, his sweetheart, Elizabeth, has become engaged to his cousin, Francis. The book follows Ross has he endures the despair of hopes dashed, begins to rebuilds his fortune and finds something to live for.

I had quite a job getting hold of this book, but it was worth the effort. I absolutely, completely and utterly fell in love with it. The story is dramatic, romantic, funny, tense, illuminating, atmospheric and engrossing - in short a must read for any lover of historical fiction. The characters are complex, realistic and rounded and the skilful use of humour adds colour to a story which could otherwise have slipped into doom and gloom. I just hope that the other eleven books in the series are as good!

'The Poison Tree' by Erin Kelly

I must admit that I am a bit of a coward when it comes to trying new authors. Unless a writer or book is recommended to me, I tend to stick to the same, small pool of big names who consistently tell interesting stories in the same sort of way. Having dipped my toe in the wider sea with Erin Kelly, however, may have changed my ways forever.

‘The Poison Tree’ tells the story of Karen, Biba and Rex and the summer that will change their lives forever. Although Karen is a straight A language student in her final year at a good university, everything has come easy to her and her life is cold and passionless. As the sweltering summer of 1997 begins, she meets the tempestuous and exciting Biba and gets drawn into the exotic life that she leads in tumbledown Highgate mansion with her brother, Rex, and an every-changing collection of wondering friends and lovers. As the summer wears on and uncomfortable truths emerge, the three twenty-somethings find themselves caught up in a sequence of events which will change their lives drastically forever.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. It was suspenseful and intriguing and I found it very hard to put down. Ms Kelly successfully managed to challenge the reader to work out the truth while drip-feeding information at just the right pace so the final chapters remained a surprise. This is a very difficult thing to do and I’ve become frustrated with other books which don’t get this balance right. ‘The Poison Tree’ may not be high literature, but it’s a cleverly crafted, entertaining novel and an excellent summer read. I can’t wait to recommend it to friends and family.

'Hey Yeah Right Get a Life' by Helen Simpson

This is Helen Simpson's fourth collection of short stories. This book contains nine interlinking stories which examine the role of the modern wife/mother from different perspectives. We meet tough go-getters, feckless teenagers, alienated stay-at-home mums and men who just don't get it. Over the course of the stories we see how different women deal with being a wife and mother and see the extremes of experience they find.

In the beginning, I didn't enjoy this book. I found it difficult to sympathise with the characters and reading about women who sacrificed their autonomy and ambitions to look after ostensibly mollycoddled children grated on my sense of justice. However, I persevered and by the end I felt I had a much better grasp of the choices these women faced and the inner conflicts which plagued them. It was far from a comfortable read but felt like a very real reflection of how some women feel every day of their lives and made me a far less judgmental.

Although this is definitely not holiday reading, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in women's issues and, specifically, the changing role of wives and mothers. You might surprise yourself and learn something new. I certainly did.

'The Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith

Weirdly, I was quite nervous about reading this book. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' series has been phenomenally successful and there's nothing worse than feeling like you might be the one who throws a spanner in the works of the popularity juggernaut.

`The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' is the tale of Precious Ramotswe who, upon the death of her father Obed, uses her inheritance to set up the first female-run detective agency in Botswana. Although business is slow to start, the determined Mma Ramotswe's reputation for logical thought, common sense and discretion steadily grow. The people of Botswana quickly learn that whether it's alleged fraud, missing persons or suspected infidelity, Mma Romotswe's there to help.

Considering this is supposed to be detective fiction, I was very surprised how easy a read it was. The style used keeps things plain and simplistic and in the hands of another author, this may have made the book seem stereotypical and patronising to the people of Botswana and Africa generally. However, its simplicity and matter-of-factness seem right for some of the more harrowing aspects of the book, such as the story of Mma Ramotswe's unsuccessful marriage. Throughout, I could clearly hear Mma Ramotswe's voice and was moved at times by the things she and other characters had experienced.

The book also has a very episodic pattern to it. This is really useful if you read during your commute or can only dip into a book for a few pages at a time.

Unfortunately, this bitesize simplicity also made it almost instantly forgettable, which is a shame for an interesting and original book.

Although this book has more in common with a holiday read than a gritty crime novel, overall, I did enjoy it and may read some of the others in the series. Afterall, it's hard work reading complex books all the time!

The Difficult Second Year Post

I can't believe I've been writing this blog for two years already!  And I definitely can't believe it's a whole five months since I last reviewed my progress. Blimey!

I have to be honest, though, and say that not much has really changed since my review of the year in December. Despite not finishing anything in January, I'm still averaging two books a month (yay!), but I've still not really latched onto any themes or events or read any classics (boo!).  I've picked up 'Jane Eyre', 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' and 'To Kill a Mocking Bird' at various times, but somehow always managed to get distracted by something else. Clearly I'm shallower than I thought and these books need shinier covers!

On the plus side, and I hope you agree with me on this, what I'm reading is still quite varied. As someone who loves Historical Fiction and Science Fiction, I often worry that I'll get carried away and read too much of one or other of these genres. I really don't want to bore anyone and think my 'library' is broad enough to cater for most people, so hopefully this won't become a problem. Having said that, I do want to read a few series of books, although this category ranges from the Poldark novels to Ian Fleming's James Bond books, so perhaps I don't need to worry!

So, between May 2012 and April 2013, I read 23 books. Not bad considering I had a couple of quite major lulls due to the length (and sometimes weight!) of what I was reading. Sadly, I've not been able to help myself when unleashed in the local bookshop, so this hasn't really made much difference to the overall total.

I am reading more due to the lovely weather we've been having lately though.  It makes such a change to be sat in the warm sunshine, lulled by the sound of insects buzzing about, rather than inside, under a blanket, listening to constant rain thrashing against the windows.  So, as long as the weather holds, I'm quite hopeful for the next few months.  Just so long as I don't get too relaxed!

As always, thank you very much for reading this blog and sticking with me despite the lack of progress! I'm glad that you're interested in what I've read and what I've thought about it and hope that you're enjoying at least a few of the posts. At least not all of them are as dull as this one!

May 2012
'Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day' by Winifred Watson
'Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops' by Jen Campbell
'Notes on a Scandal' by Zoe Heller

July
'Fragile Things' by Neil Gaiman
'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald

August
'The Somnambulist' by Essie Fox
'The Day of the Triffids' by John Wyndham

September
'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' by Rachel Joyce
'In-Flight Entertainment' by Helen Simpson

October
'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures' by Emma Straub
'Bob Servant: Hero of Dundee' by Neil Forsythe
'Sword Song' by Bernard Cornwell

November
'How to be a Woman' by Caitlin Moran
'Legend of Sleepy Hollow' by Washington Irving

December
'Little Boy Lost' by Marghanita Laski
'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ' by Philip Pullman

February 2013

'My Heart is My Own' by John Guy

'Fluke' by James Herbert

March

'My Word is My Bond' by Roger Moore

'The Man Who Fell to Earth' by Walter Tevis

'The Real Me is Thin' by Arabella Weir

April

'The Other Queen' by Philippa Gregory

'Remember Me?' by Sophie Kinsella

Review of the Year 2012!

Ah, 2012!  A great year for distractions, not such a good one for reading!  Although, having said that, I did spend a few hours reading 'The Somnambulist' rather than watching the sailing on a big screen on Weymouth beach, so perhaps I can't really blame the Olympics or Jubilee!

2012 really didn't start well for my project.  One book in two months?  TWO MONTHS?  And a book of short stories at that?!  I'm pretty sure it wasn't the fault of R, Murray Gilchrist, author of 'A Night on the Moor and Other Tales of Dread', or his stories.  As usual, I'd bitten off more than I could chew with a training course, lots on at work and a number of other factors too tedious to go into.  June was equally unsuccessful, because my friends had the audacity to keep getting married or having children.  I didn't want to chance chucking a hardback at the married couple rather than confetti, so decided not to try to multitask that month!

Fortunately, for the rest of the year (nine months) I made my target of at least two books a month.  This totalled 21 volumes in all, excluding the three books I gave up on (sorry Ms. Austen!), which brings it up to 24.  OK, it's not quite the 30 books I managed in 2011, but it's still progress.  Slow progress, but progress nonetheless!

I've read quite a selection of books this year, so I hope you've all found something of interest to you.  The books included modern classics, science fiction, horror, humour, literary fiction, historical fiction (surprise, surprise!), short stories (ditto!) and non-fiction.  There have been quite a few new books in there this year, including the lovely 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' and enchanting 'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures'.  Although I don't regret reading them for one moment, trying to be less distracted by new releases will have to be a resolution for 2013, otherwise I'll never empty my shelves!

My big regret for 2012 is that I didn't take advantage of various celebrations, anniversaries or film releases to spur me on.  'We Bought a Zoo' came out on DVD, while 'The Woman in Black', 'Anna Karenina' and 'Life of Pi' arrived at cinemas.  There is still hope yet, though.  While 2012 was the 50th anniversary of the first James Bond film, 'Doctor No', 2013 is the 60th anniversary of the first Bond book, 'Casino Royale'.  Sounds like a good opportunity to me!

On the whole, I think this has been an OK year, but I definitely want 2013 to be better.  A minimum of two books a months seems manageable, so I think I'll stick to that for the time being, but I must make sure the acquisitions stay under control too!  I think I would like to read more classics in next year (I have my eye on 'Jane Eyre', 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' and 'Anna Karenina') and more non-fiction (I've got a few history books waiting for me).  Although I don't want my love of historical fiction to take over, it would be great if I could finish at least one series of books.  I'm part way through Jean Plaidy's Tudor novels, Bernard Cornwell's King Alfred books and Winston Graham's Poldark stories.

I sincerely hope that you've enjoyed reading my blog as much as I've enjoyed writing it.  I always try to be honest and fair in my opinions and respectful of the authors whose work I read, which I hope comes across.

Until next time, I'd like to wish you all a very happy new year and the very best for 2013!  I hope you'll join  me again soon!

2012: The Year in Books

January 
'A Night on the Moor' by R.Murray Gilchrist

March
'QI Book of General Ignorance'
'The Virgin's Lover' by Philippa Gregory

April
'The Help' by Kathryn Stockett
'The Psychopath Test' by Jon Ronson

May
'Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day' by Winifred Watson
'Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops' by Jen Campbell
'Notes on a Scandal' by Zoe Heller

July
'Fragile Things' by Neil Gaiman
'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald

August
'The Somnambulist' by Essie Fox
'The Day of the Triffids' by John Wyndham

September
'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' by Rachel Joyce
'In-Flight Entertainment' by Helen Simpson

October
'Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures' by Emma Straub
'Bob Servant: Hero of Dundee' by Neil Forsythe
'Sword Song' by Bernard Cornwell

November
'How to be a Woman' by Caitlin Moran
'Legend of Sleepy Hollow' by Washington Irving

December
'Little Boy Lost' by Marghanita Laski
'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ' by Philip Pullman

First Impressions (or Pride and Prejudice)

Now, I like to believe that I'm not a typical girly girl, that I'm pretty level-headed and interested in most books regardless of whether they're aimed at men or women.  I'm happy reading the odd bit of chick lit or a blood thirsty adventure story and that is reflected in the 479.  I've been known to sneer at a anything that looks a bit soppy and have told myself that I'm reading historical fiction because it's a way of learning about the past.  Looking at my shelves though it's pretty clear that I've been both proud and prejudiced and am really just a sucker for big, fat historical romances with posh frocks on the cover.

'Murder Most Royal' by Jean Plaidy
Published by Arrow Books (an imprint of
Random House) in 2006.  RRP. £8.99

One such book is the gargantuan 'Murder Most Royal' by Jean Plaidy, one of the three books I'm currently reading.  It's so massive, I'm sure that I've strained my hand trying to hold it up.  I've been working my way through the book's 646 pages for a few weeks now and, like the other Plaidy novels I've read, it's completely absorbed me without my noticing.  I love it when you get so engulfed in a book that it takes you a few moments to realise where you are when you finally look up from it.  'Murder Most Royal' tells the story of Henry VIII's second and fifth wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, their rise and downfall.  I'll let you know if I manage to finish it without further personal injury!

Once Upon a Time...

...There was a princess with a problem.  She lived in a tiny flat in a provincial town with over 450 books.  Her Prince Charming was very kind and let her indulge her book buying habit, but after the shelves of two book cases snapped under the strain, it became clear that it would take more than a fairy godmother to sort this one out.  So now The Girl Who Loves Books (TGWLB) is on a quest.  She must work her way through 477 paperbacks, hardbacks and ebooks, surviving foreign lands and strange times, to bring the addiction under control and, hopefully, find her happy ever after...