Hobbies and Crafts

Hi Det.... :-) :-) <3

I hope you got a few vouchers I did..... :-D :-D

I am now reading Railway Man by Eric Lomax

This account of the author's experiences as a Japanese prisoner of war is, as you'd expect, a fairly harrowing one. But what lifts this remarkable tale is the book's humanity and compassion, and the tenderness of its narrative.
Whether Eric Lomax is re-living his childhood fascination with steam locomotives and trams, or describing the horrendous, inhuman acts of torture, the prose are consistently imbued with an almost poetic and innocent sense of wonder.
The details, observations and character sketches are authentically andvividly drawn. But it is the final passages of this book which document the author's determination to come face to face with one of his torturers, that make this extaordinary book so moving, compelling and ultimately uplifting.

it has now been made into a film staring Colin Firth ....

Happy Christmas to all Readers.

May you find a book/kindle voucher/book token (delete as applicable) in your Stocking tomorrow. :-)

Emms ive just downloaded :-D :-D I like steamy with abit of mystery thrown in :-D

Thanks Emmikins <3 <3

I like steamy Emma :-D :-D

I got it on kindle ages ago...but watch it Ann it's
a bit steamy in parts :-D :-D

That sounds a good read Emma :-)

Highland Surrender by Tracey Brogan is what I'm
reading at the moment.
The Sinclairs and the Campbell's were friends years ago but
they ended up on the wrong side as the Campbell's backed
King James.
To try and bring the families together the Sinclairs married their
daughter off to a Campbell son.....and then the fun and intrigue
begins. Her mother had an affair with his father and his father is accused
of killing her mother, but did he?
Emma :-)

Merry Christmas all <3 <3

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all Bookworms <3 <3

Thank you for all the postings and keeping our little thread going, you
are amazing :-D :-D mwahhh <3 <3 <3

Happy Reading for 2014 !!! <3 :-D

Thanks Ann.... :-)

Enjoy it Mersey, I did.

I have just read Wish Upon a Star by Sarah Morgan. A Fairly light read, a romance or rather two romances as it is two stories in one. Set mainly in the Lake District at Christmas in the snow. Christy is married to Alessandro but will she soon be? Their good friend Jake has always loved her by only wants her happiness, then Jake meets Miranda, single and pregnant. All work at the local hospital and 3 of them are involved with mountain rescue. A very well written book for a light read I thought and I enjoyed it.

Hellllloooooo lovelies :-) :-) :-) <3

I have just started reading Bay of Secrets - Rosanna Ley



Set between England and the Spanish Canary Islands, three women learn the truth about their shared past, and discover the importance of family.

Spain, 1939.

Following the wishes of her parents to keep her safe during the war, a young girl, Julia, enters a convent in Barcelona. Looking for a way to maintain her links to the outside world, she volunteers to help in a maternity clinic. But worrying adoption practices in the clinic force Sister Julia to decide how far she will go to help those placed in her care.

England, 2011.

Six months after her parents' shocking death, 34-year-old journalist and jazz enthusiast Ruby Rae has finally found the strength to pack away their possessions and sell the family home. But as she does so, she unearths a devastating secret her parents, Vivien and Tom, had kept from her all her life.

I've not read any Lee Child so might look out for one of his books next.

I quite enjoyed the Lee child books I have read but generally only read them on holiday when I find them there on the book shelves.

Yes, I read it because of your review, Ann, and maybe you are right, was probably not in the right mood! Now I am thoroughly enjoying the Jack Reacher book. I suspect I shall now read every one of the books. :-D

That is strange BC, I just read my review of The Rossetti Letter and I loved it. Maybe you weren't in the mood for the jumping backwards and forewards.

I may try Hotel du Lac, Vera. Like the sound of it. I stopped reading The Rosetti Letters (for now) as was being irritated by it for some reason! I was attracted by the story line and the setting of course, the beautiful Ventce, so perhaps I will get back to it.

Having listened to the author Lee Child on the radio, discussing his hero Jack Reacher, I decided to start on book one, Killing Floor. . Have only just read a few pages but think I am going to like it.

Happy Reading! <3

Just finished Putting out the stars by Roisin Meaney.
A fairly easy read, quite good for a wet Sunday afternoon’s reading material. Part romance, part a book about relationships set in Limerick.

This is a Greaders book so I won't review it here but in January on the greaders thread.

I've been getting through some fairly easy reading books lately.

In The Presence of the Enemy by Elizabeth George. It's an Inspector Lynley book though he appears very little in it; mostly it's concerned with his sidekick Barbara Havers and the victims and possible perpetrators of the crimes. If you like detective/crime novels this is an enjoyable whodunit. Well written but quite long.

One Hundred Names by Cecilia Aherne. Journalist finds a list of 100 names amongst her recently deceased employer's effects and tries to find the connection between them. Traces 6 of the names and we get their stories and journalist works out the connection which I thought was a bit of a cop-out. I didn't find any of the characters very believable.

Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner. I enjoyed this one which won the Booker prize in 1984. It's the story of a middle aged English woman who goes to stay in the hotel at Lake Geneva after scandalising her friends by an affair with a married man. There she meets a number of other English people, mostly pretty eccentric, and becomes involved with Mr. Neville. Quite a short book; very well written.

Am currently reading Gone Girl which has been on my kindle for a long while. Found the style difficult at first but am now really enjoying it.

Just a couple of the many books read in the last few months, both free Kindle downloads at the time

The Testimony by James Smythe
(might have been mentioned somewhere on GR before)

The whole world (or nearly the whole world) hears static, then messages in English.
What do the messages mean, and who is sending them? If the source can’t be explained by science, then a religious element must be involved….they think.
Told as diary entries by different people, it tells how governments, seen through the eyes of the diarists, and individuals react. People of religion question their beliefs. Others find theirs. One country blames another. People die for no apparent reason. People are suddenly cured of most aliments which could have caused their deaths.

An interesting variation of the Apocalypse scenario, while at the same time questioning society’s blind belief in established religions.
………….

Tuppenny Hat Detective by Brian Sellars

A gentle murder mystery set in 1951 Sheffield.
Young Billy Perks believes the old Star Woman was murdered, but the police think it the death was caused by a fall. Billy and his friends set out to prove them wrong, discovering other injustices and getting into scrapes along the way.

Some of the dialogue is in dialect, but that shouldn't put readers off. Aside from the story line, it does give in an insight into the living and social conditions of a city struggling in-post war conditions.

Helllooooooo Bookworms..... :-) <3

I have been neglecting our ickle book thread, and for that I apologise, but my reading is getting back to normal now, and will do over the next few days I hope.....

Thanks for all those who have posted and kept it going, im just about to read back now to catchup...... :-)

Happy Reading :-) <3