The Lacuna

I read 'The Poisonwood Bible' a few years ago and, in my opinion, it was one of the best books I have ever read. I can now say that Barbara Kingsolver's 'The Lacuna' is just as good a read. Absolutely thought provoking! I belong to a Book Group here in France and will put this book on the list for discussion - being my choice.

A great ending for a great charcter!

This book was released this morning and 3 hours later i've finished it. I just could not put it down! This book is a great end to (in my opinion) one of the greatest series of books of all time. My only regret is that this is the end of the series. (and yes, i did have a tear in my eye as i turned the last page!) <br />Just like the rest of Robert's books it still has great humour, characters you really want to be friends with and pages of complete excitement/terror/suspense, but all this is tinged with a bit of sadness because going into this book you know it's going to be James's last mission and you just hope the author sends him off with a bang and that he will carry on happy forever. Thankfully Robert Muchamore came through with this and unlike other series of books i've read, i'm 100% happy with this ending. Go read it, now! You will not be disappointed...except for the fact there will be no more of James's CHERUB life to read about!

A pretty good read

I would have rated Wolf Hall a 3.5 instead of a 4 but Amazon wouldn't have it. <br />I found this to be a good book although I wouldn't call it"the most gripping book you'll ever read" like The Times did. What I liked about it was how it was written in from the perspective of Cromwell, which I haven't considered before. I am hoping there is going to be a sequel, which I think would have the possibility to be even more interesting then Wolf Hall.<br />The only downfall from this book was at times it was hard to decipher who was saying what, especially if you were not paying attention. Despite that I would recommend it, especially if you are a fan of Tudor historical fiction.

Adrian Mole won't disappoint.

This is yet another triumph for Sue Townsend. Those of us who have grown up with Adrian Mole can relate to him, his life and family. There are some very funny moments in this book but also some very poignant ones particularly when you read about Glen in Afghanistan. Adrian's prostate cancer is dealt with sensitively without melodrama and plenty of humour.<br /><br />Adrian Mole fans will not be disappointed with this next installment of his turbulent life. A great holiday read that will make you smile if not laugh out loud!

Like a Blunt Blade Hacking At Frozen Marshmallow

Spread over ten disks, with 11 hours of audio book, this seems like a good deal. Sadly, unlike some of Frederick Forsyth's previous efforts,"Day of the Jackal" for instance, wading through this thriller is a real chore. The premise sounds potentially interesting, but there's little on the bone to offer the audience any sense of excitement or suspense. Although the setting is grounded in plausible reality, the drama is thin and repetitive, and there is no sense of threat or danger for any of the people inhabiting this dry cut-and-paste world Forsyth has thrown together. The characters as laughably devoid of personality and the dialogue is by turns glib and perfunctory and preposterous and pompous. The resolution (or lack thereof) lends a strong sense that even Forsyth lost interest before he fired this one off to the publishers.<br /><br />John Chancer's narration is clear and easy to follow. However, his voice lacks any glimmer of passion, and the flat inflection, languid pace, and listless energy with which he conveys the material make it very difficult for this mediocre story to ever take off and keep you engaged for any length of time.<br /><br />This should have been something to savour and enjoy but is sadly a very dismal experience.

THE SNOWMAN

THIS IS MY FIRST HARRY HOLE/JOE NESBO. CAPTIVATING FROM START TO FINISH, WITH MULTI TWISTS<br />AND TURNS. A 5 STAR ALL THE WAY. NOW I'LL HAVE HAVE THE JOY OF STARTING AT HIS FIRST, AND CATCHING UP.

A hilarious read

Stewart Lee recounts the circumstances of his return to stand up through autobiographical accounts, and heavily annotated transcripts of the 3 live shows available on dvd.<br /><br />The insight into his personal, professional and creative life are hilarious and thought provoking with the liberal footnotes adding further context, and acerbic commentaries on both his and other's work; often praising and (jokingly?) abusing his contemporaries in equal measure.<br /><br />I'd definitely recommend watching the dvds first however, to get a feel for the routines before reading them in print form.

yet another fantastic read

I love these books and again I was not dissapointed! Another page turner that I was unable to put down until I reached the end. Cant wait for the next one..

Oh dear this is a complete mess

Yep - another person wondering what on earth was going on when they published this book. <br /><br />The recipes simply don't work which suggests that no one bothered to test them in a domestic setting. Either the bakery or the publisher simply hasn't done the basics. And that is wrong. People are going to waste their money on recipes that are wrong.<br /><br />If like most people you stick to the recipes and don't have the confidence to make MAJOR changes, the results come as a huge disappointment. Most of the recipes don't look complicated, and they shouldn't be - but the quantities, cooking times and temperatures are all over the place. It's only when you find yourself confronted with a gloopy mess, a cake that refuses to rise - or even set, dough so stiff you could use it to fill walls, or mountains of meringue or batter that you realise there was a very good reason the book has been sitting gathering dust for so long.<br /><br />Hummingbird have quietly issued a set of corrections on their site for some of the recipes, but I've had problems with many of those not listed on their pages, so reluctantly I'm not bothering with the book again. Instead I've switched to the Magnolia Bakery cookbook for when I want to do some fancy cakes or muffins.

A step in the right direction, but a hill to climb

This book starts with Artemis Fowl explaining his idea to save the world from global warming, but with an unhelpful side-dish of Atlantis Complex. You know something will go wrong and it soon does, followed by Artemis & co managing to get out of seemingly dead end situations.<br /><br />It has the usual components which should make for a classic Artemis story but the book still isn't back to the standards of the books up to, and including, Opal Deception. It is a step up from the Time Paradox but, in my opinion, Eoin still has some bridges to build to get back to his previous great Artemis Fowl style.

A Must-Read

This is a harrowing book. I remember the sixties and regret that I was too young then to realise just how dreadful the Vietnam war was. Karl Marlantes knows, at first hand. He has written this novel from his soul and I thank him for it. Don't expect this to be an easy read - it's not something to while away a couple of hours on the beach or beside the pool on holiday. You're there, slogging through the mud and waiting for the bullets; waiting for the cloud to lift so the helicopters can fly; wondering if today is the last one you'll see.<br />It took the author over thirty years to write it down and it took two days to read. I will read it again and again.Thank you, Karl Marlantes and your companions then and now, for your courage and your sacrifices. War is dreadful but heroism will always shine through the darkness.

Predictable storey line

The storey line was disapointing and the outcome was predictable. The best author? Has he lost his way? I will read rewiews before buying the next book.

A very worthy addition....

To say that I was exited about getting my hands on this book is an understatement. And now, after having browsed through it a few times, I'd certainly say that I'm not dissapointed. John Wrights style is informative, engaging and witty, and the descriptions of plants (both edible and some poisonous species) are detailed and accompanied by excellent photographs.<br />Although the handbook only covers a selection of the many edible species in the British Isles, it describes some of the more worthwhile species and would make an excellent introduction to someone new to foraging.<br />This book is a worthy addition to the River Cottage Handbook series and will also compliment some of the classic tomes such as Roger Phillips 'Wild Food' and Richard Mabeys 'Food for Free'.

Annabel Karmel's baby complete baby and toddler planner

I would recommend this book to first time parents, very helpful and some good recipes for weaning those youngsters.

Angela revisited :P

If you Loved I Heart New York then you have to read this one.. Angela experiences even more fabulous stuff, just read it, please? :D And don't forget I heart Paris for when you've read this one!