Summer 2012 Reading: part one

It feels like watching last night of the proms is a good time to sum up my summer reading material. Due to the Olympics the reading list is a bit shorter than usual as I got distracted but this is what I read before the Paralympics started.

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
This is the third book, or technically the end of the second book in the 'Game of Thrones' series. I wish I could tell you what happened in this book but they are all blending in to one. I'm still going to read the next one but if I'm honest I'm now ready for the end but I'm sure I'll keep reading. What I find hard about this series is that I can't really empathise with any characters, particularly because they keep killing everyone off.

Fearless in High Heels by Gemma Halliday
I enjoyed reading about Maddie's earlier adventures, a chick-lit mixed with who-dunnit, what more could a girl ask for. This time Maddie is pregnant but that doesn't seem to stop her chasing after murderers. add in a vampire element because well these days you have to have a vampire. The result is enjoyable but not the best in the series and definitely light reading.

The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain
I loved the other books I have read by Diane Chamberlain and this one was no exception. It was perhaps a little predictable but once again some interesting twists, a few nail-biting chapters and a happy ending.

Confessions of a Male Nurse by Michael Alexander
Another medical book and this one was amusing. A qualified Aussie, male nurse coming over to London writes about his experiences. Particularly amusing was the chapter in gynaecology, just every stereotype you can imagine really does happen. if you liked Confessions of a GP, which I did then you'll probably love this too.

Forgotten books

I have been better at my theatre and ballet updates than the book updates this year so here is a catch-up on what I've been reading.

American Assassin by Vince Flynn
This was my first book read on the iPhone, however it was such a compelling story that I couldn't stop reading and soon got over that hitch. This book mixed my love of mysteries with an old love of war/spy books. This was more graphic and violent than previous books and included a healthy dose of revenge. Mitch Rapp was the central character and I'm not sure that I ever really liked him although he was on the 'good' side in this book about counter-terrorism efforts primarily in Beirut. Once I had finished the book I realised it was actually the latest in a series and I am glad I read this one first and am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. That all said the iPhone will not be replacing my Kindle and I only have free books on the iPhone and I suspect I will only finish them if they are really gripping.

Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James
A colleague recommended this book after reading it with her book club. I bought it and then suggested my dad might like to read it which meant I lost my Kindle into his hands over Christmas. Once it was returned I was distracted by other books but finally got round to reading this. I've not read PD James before but I am of course familiar with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice in particular. PD James picks up six years after The Darcys' marriage and the world of of Austen is plunged into uncertainty and mystery when Lydia pitches up on the door step hysterical and claiming the Wickham has been murdered. Cleverly written the character continuity is right on the money and I didn't work it out until the very end when all was made clear with a confession. Having read this book I might try another of PD James books to see whether this was a one off.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton
This book was much more than a 'simple' murder mystery as it entered into the world of genetic treatments and cystic fibrosis. I was quite convinced by the 'unethical' trial processes in place I can't quite see that level of falsification passing muster in the real-world but as it was only a story I'll let them off!  I got drawn in and felt sorry both Bee and her dead sister Tess at different points throughout the story. Was it murder or suicide? I was with Bee throughout and at every twist and turn I realised maybe a page ahead of her that she was following the wrong route but even then I didn't see the ending coming. Another great addition to my murder mystery collection that kept me up late at night trying to reach the end and find out what really happened.

Falling Star by Diana Dempsey
I enjoyed this book both for the story line but also for the relevance to my work. Diana Dempsey used to be a broadcast journalists and although set in America this book gave me an insight into the hierarchy of the broadcast news programmes where the news anchor is king. A good mixture of the insights into what makes a good news story and the logistics of putting it all together mixed in with some sexism and a nice dollop of intrigue. Reading this reminded me a little bit of Gemma Halliday's Spying in High Heels with an under-prepared  girl 'investigating' and inevitably ending up in trouble. A good quick read with a neat resolution, I think I might look into some of Diana Dempsey's other books and who knows I might learn some more about TV journalism from them.

To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn
After a bit of a break I thought it was time to come back to Carola Dunn and the reading of this book seemed perfectly timed as the TV scheduling was fixated on Titanic it being a hundred years since the sinking. I think the break was a good idea as I really enjoyed this one although I was a bit surprised at how many people got knocked off on a ship without Alec and Daisy figuring out who did it. Mixed in with the whodunnit element was a good sprinkling of class snobbery and of course in true Daisy style it all came out in the wash. I'm looking forward to the next instalment after I've read a few more books in between.

Valeria's Last Stand by Marc Fitten (Book Club)
This was the first book since I joined The London Girly Book Club two years ago where no one in the room seemed to have a good thing to say about it. At first I thought I would quite enjoy this book but by the end of chapter one I wasn't convinced. I carried on and by the half way point I was just ploughing on to reach the end before Book Club. I found the storyline to be mundane, the characters were all unlovable, perhaps the problem was that it was all too much like real-life in a Hungarian village and I just couldn't connect. I was reminded of a Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka, however Marina Lewycka does not shy away from parodying her characters adding humour to lift what could have been a story of everyday life. I won a copy of Marc Fitten's next book Elza's Kitchen as an uncorrected proof and I'm not sure I can bring myself to read it.

The Chalet School and Robin by Caroline German
I grew up on a diet of school literature from Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers to my mum's collection of Abbey Girls (EJ Oxenham) and The Chalet School (E Brent-Dyer). I always wanted to go to the Chalet School but although that never happened I still love to curl up with on of these books. The Chalet School series has a number of gaps and also some inconsistencies which has left the series open to a number of filler books written by fans of the series. Mum's latest purchase was this one and it was a particularly good filler. I was impressed that the style was so close to the original books and although I had forgotten that Robin's time as head girl was not included in the series this book fitted in and cleverly added details to some of the stories mentioned later in the series but never spelled out.

A hiatus...

So after just three posts my laptop broke leaving me with no laptop and therefore no means to post. So I've lots catch-up on. So I'll cover the last three months in short...

April
Started early, took my dog by Kate Atkinson (Book club)
Another book told from a variety of view points, some of the story lines weren't really to my taste so I wasn't the greatest fan of this book...

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
Billed as highly controversial, I'm not sure it was that bad. However it was interesting to have a book where you didn't really like any of the characters. It was also bizarre to read about a community with such a relaxed view towards drugs, I can't imagine a place where parents are fine with their children taking drugs... But I do recommend giving this book a go.

May
The Trouble with Alice by Olivia Glazebrook
I discovered this book via Amazon's Rising Stars, a fantastic first novel that did make me cry. I loved this book because it wasn't your typical love story but mainly because I started off hating the central character but by the end I was converted...

Spying in high heels by Gemma Halliday
A good fun, if slightly unbelivable murder mystery. I lvoed the light hearted nature of the book with a 'ditzy blonde' central character who aside from being intensely nosey also seemed to have a magnetic attraction to trouble. A lovely twist at the end made it a worthwhile, speedy read, though perhaps only for the girls.


Sugar and Spice by Saffina Desforges
Definitely not for the easily offended, this book on the topic of child sexual abuse was a gripping read. You were also convinced that you'd got the end sussed then it all came undone. Some overly graphic descriptions but overall a gripping read with some different viewpoints.

Truth, Dare, Kill by Gordon Ferris
Another 'whodunnit' set in post-war London, a serial killer is on the loose, killing prostitutes. A wounded ex-soldier, turned private investigator, is trying to find out wht happened. However you start to wonder whether he did, or is he being set-up? you'll have to read it to find out.

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
I picked this one because I secretly like to read cookbooks even if I don't have a meal to prepare. This book had laughter and tears and I loved it. I learnt about the shares market and challenges of running a start-up in a recession. But what I loved most was the insight behind closed doors into the lives of families and inside the heads of the characters. Definitely worth read even if you don't love cookbooks!


Killer, Undercover, Alibi and Mayhem in High Heels by Gemma Halliday
I loved the first one so ended up reading the box set... By the end I definitely needed a break from the story and the central characters promise to give up getting involved in criminal cases. However I will be planning to read the other books on a holioday because they are definitely easy reading and I still never manage to work out who did it until it's all laid out for me...

Now I've reached June I should be able to remember what the books were about again so I'll write a fuller post tomorrow on the subject of June...