The Book Whisperer

jottings, musings and recommendations of an incurable bookaholic

And the winner is…. October 12, 2011

Filed under: Crime/Mystery/Thriller,Joanne Harris,Uncategorized — The Book Whisperer @ 6:35 pm
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Thank you to all who dropped by to wish me a Happy Birthday after my mammoth (and trust me, it felt like it) 40 day challenge. There were days when I wondered why I’d commited myself to posting every day but I got so many lovely comments and someone even said it was like opening a new door on an advent calendar every day which really made me smile :)

Anyway, on the final day of my challenege I offered the chance for one person to win their choice of any of the books that I had read and posted about in the previous 40 days (and there were lots to chose from). So, after using random.org I now have a winner….

(drum roll please)

Sabrina

Sabrina blogs at Thinking About Loud and she has chosen Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. It’s a fantastic book, and I hope you enjoy it Sabrina :)

 

 

Day 9 – A favourite crime fiction book September 8, 2011

Filed under: Authors,Crime/Mystery/Thriller,Joanne Harris — The Book Whisperer @ 7:43 am
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Time, Gentlemen, please…

It’s fair to say that I’m a pretty big fan of crime fiction (in case you hadn’t noticed ;) ) but as I have done quite a few posts recently about my favourite books and author in this genre for Thrill Week I have decided to go with one that I absolutely loved but seems to get overlooked a lot. Gentlemen and Players is by Joanne Harris who is more famous for her foodie-type novels, in particular Chocolat. She has, in fact, written quite a few books that could be described as darker and this is one of them.

From the first page you know that there are a murder or two which sets the reader up for the unfolding story ahead. The story is set in a public boys school that is centuries old and has a mighty reputation to uphold and is narrated by two people in turn to keep us guessing. Whatever you think you know about this book, think again: by three quarters of the way through I guarantee that you will flick back wondering when you could possibly have missed the signs (not once but twice).  I really did not see the ending coming – brilliant twist!

No blood, gore, forensics or profiling but a bloody good read!

 

  Which crime fiction books took you by surprise?

 

 

The Thrill Week Blog Hop September 1, 2011

Filed under: Agatha Christie,Authors,Comfort Reading,Crime/Mystery/Thriller,Elly Griffiths,Erin Kelly,James Patterson,Jane Casey,Jilliane Hoffman,Jo Nesbo,Joanne Harris,John Saul,Karen Rose,Kate Atkinson,Kate Summerscale,Linda Castillo,Linwood Barclay,M C Beaton,Mary Higgins Clark,Neil Cross,Nicci French,Peter Robinson,R J Ellory,S J Bolton,Sophie Hannah,Steig Larsson,Stephen Beckett,Tana French,Tess Gerritsen — The Book Whisperer @ 12:00 pm
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Thrill Week is here! Mwahahahahahaaaa!!!

It’s finally here – Thrill Week – where myself and 6 other blogs will be celebrating all things crime fiction (one of my favourite genres). Pop on over to host Marce’s blog (Tea Time with Marce) to see her answers to the following questions and then have a peek at these lovely bloggers too – you’re bound to get some ideas and inspiration about which books you should be reading:

Best O’Books

Cafe of Dreams Book Reviews

Mental Foodie – A Book and Food Lover

 
 
 

  So to kick off the week, here are my answers to the questionnaire:

 

1) What is your favourite genre out of Thriller, Mystery, Suspense and Horror? Why?

I think I would have to say mystery. I love a good whodunnit and especially love trying to work out the perpetrator as early on as I can (what I especially love is, despite being a seasoned crime fic reader, the author can still fool me).

2) Who are your top 3 authors in those genres?

Tess Gerritsen, Val McDermid, Mary Higgins Clark.

Both Gerritesen and McDermid I love because of their ability to pull me in from page one with promises of high body counts, red herrings and clever psychological and forensic detail. I like intelligent crime fiction and these two are among the best for me. Mary Higgins Clark, on the other hand, is my Queen of Comfort in the crime genre. Her books are pretty formulaic but that’s what I love as I know what I’m going to get and she has never failed to deliver. I think MHC is a fantastic author who gets overlooked a lot but, for me, if I ever need a comfort read then she is at the top of my pile (and despite her books being formulaic, I hardly ever guess whodunnit until the end).

I am really excited to have have interviewed Mary Higgins Clark last year and I also have interviews with both Tess Gerritsen and Val McDermid coming up shortly so keep an eye out for those :)

3)Tell us who your favourite male and female authors are in the genre?

Female: Tess Gerritsen, Val McDermid, Mary Higgins Clark, Agatha Christie, Elly Griffiths, S J Bolton, Karen Rose, Tana French, Lisa Gardner

Male: Linwood Barclay, Harlan Coben, Jo Nesbo, Steig Larsson, Peter Robinson, James Patterson, Robert Goddard

Interestingly enough, I was able to immediately write down all the names of my favourite female authors, but with the exception of the first two males I had to go off and check what books I had read (which was accompanied by many “oh yeah”‘s) Wonder why that is?

4) What book do you remember loving but don’t remember the details?

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I read this when I was in my early teens and again in my twenties but I don’t remember a thing about it other than there are 10 people who are called to an island and one by one they are killed off and the reader has to try to work out who is doing it. I could read it again today and still have no idea until the end. In fact, I really must read it again – it’s a fantastic book and I highly recommend it!

5) What has been your favourite book this year so far:

Thriller – The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Mystery – Sacrifice by S J Bolton

Suspense – Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson

Horror – Carrie by Stephen King

  6) What series or trilogy would you recommend ?
 
  Rizzoli & Isles – Tess Gerritsen (Fantastic Detective / Forensic Pathologist duo who solve some really interesting and unusuak crimes between them. My favourites!)

Hill & Jordan – Val McDermid (Detective and Criminal Pyschologist who work together to solve serial killer cases and really get into the mind of the perpetrators. Brilliant series!)

Ruth & Nelson – Elly Griffiths (I love these two! Detective and Forensic Archaeologist who solve some old and new crimes when bones have been found. You gotta love Ruth & Nelson!)

The Millenium Trilogy – Stieg Larsson (Swedish Journalist, Blomkvist, gets involved in some high profile cases with the aid of his rather unique sidekick, Lisbeth Salander.)

Inspector Alan Banks – Peter Robinson (Set in the Yorkshire Dales where it’s supposed to be rural and sleepy except bodies keep turning up, leaving Inspector Alan Banks to investigate. Great series.)

Gretchen Lowell – Chelsea Cain (Not for the feint hearted. Gretchen Lowell is sick, sick, sick but you can’t help but read about her exploits).

  7) Recommend 1 or 2 books that you think more around the blogosphere should read
 
  If you want a proper crime, serial killer type book then you should definitely read Retribution by Jilianne Hoffman. I loved this book – pacey, gripping, creepy. Just brilliant!
 
 
  For something a little gentler then I would recommend Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. It’s a great book and I never saw the twist coming at the end!

  8 What authors have you tried and look forward to reading more from them?

Linda Castello – I have read her first book in a series of crime books set in the Amish community, Sworn to Silence,  and loved it so I am looking forward to reading the next two

Jane Casey – Has written 3 books and I have only read the second one, The Burning, which I loved.

Karen Rose – I have only read her latest book, You Belong to Me, and I really enjoyed it and am very excited to know that I have 10 more of hers waiting to be read!

Stephen Beckett – Againm, I have only read the first one (The Chemistry of Death) out of the 4 books he has written so far with the same lead character so I have more to look forward to.

Jilianne Hoffman – Despite loving Retribution (see above) I still haven’t read the other book by the author but I do have it at home so I am looking forward to diving in to that one.

  9) What authors in the above genres are on your TBR list but you haven’t tried yet?  Who should I read soon?
 
  I am always on the look out for new crime ficiton authors so I am open to suggestions.  Based on my likes, which authors or books do YOU think I should be reading?
 
 
  Have you seen anything you like? Do you already any of the authors above or do you think you might give any of them a go? And don’t forget those recommendations :)
 
 

  I will be doing another Thrill Week post on 6th September and I have the MOST AMAZING GIVEAWAY too! A total of  FIFTEEN BOOKS to giveaway so make sure you drop by!

 
 
 

Who fancies a little nosey at my bookshelves? July 30, 2010

Filed under: Charlotte Bronte,Comfort Reading,Ellen Wood,Joanne Harris,John Fowles,Kate Atkinson,Tracy Chevalier,Wilkie Collins,Yann Martel — The Book Whisperer @ 12:38 pm

Welcome to my crib

I thought I’d take you on a little tour of my lovely books and their homes. I recently bought two new bookscases as Mr Whisperer was getting fed up of seeing toppling piles of books at every corner and books behind books behind books on my creaking shelves. 

Up the stairs and two huge bookshelves greet me at the top

These are the two new ones which had to go at the top of the stairs as there isn’t enough room anywhere else. It’s a good job we have the house on the market as we’re running out of room. This view is coming up the staircase. 

Ta daaaaaa!

And here are the bookcases themselves. I had hours of fun piling, sorting and re-sorting my books onto these. They may look like randomly placed books but believe me, they make perfect sense to me. 

Choices, choices….

These are my two shelves full of books that have been sent to me by publishers and authors that haven’t been read yet. Actually, these photos were taken a couple of weeks ago so there is more to add. I hesitated about including this photo in case publishers think I have enough and don’t send me any more so here’s a little caviat…”There is no such thing as too many books! What doesn’t get read today may well get read tomorrow so keep ‘em coming!” :)  

My review copies.......all screaming for attention!

I heart Richard Parker

Check it! *flicks fingers* 

Ever since reading Life of Pi I have become obsessed with tigers hence my collection of lovelies on top of the two book cases in my office.  

The three bottom shelves on the left-hand case are all books I have on readitswapit.com where I get loads of my books from. I only swap out the ones I don’t want to keep (i.e. haven’t enjoyed, have enjoyed but won’t re-read etc). I have had some great swaps on that site. 

Bookcases in my office & my beloved Richard Parkers!

Books and a Turkish wall-hanging

  This was my original bookcase from when I lived in a one-bedroom flat years ago and didn’t have any more room. Now it lives in the hallway under my gorgeous wall-hanging from Turkey and an orchid from my parents-in-law. 

Bookcase in the hall

Pride of place

Some of my faves on display

These are the books that are in my living room and I expect guests to gasp and coo at (frankly, if they don’t they’re not welcome in my house anyway. Tsk.) These are some of my favourite ever books: classics like Jane Eyre, The Woman in White and East Lynne on there and also some of my faves like The Secret History, The Magus, Wild Swans, Five Quarters of the Orange, Memoirs of a Geisha, Girl with a Pearl Earring etc and others that are just downright good reads like We Need to Talk About Kevin, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, The Time Travelers Wife etc etc.

 

Did you enjoy your tour of Chez Whisperer?

 

 

Book Review: blueeyedboy by Joanne Harris April 5, 2010

Filed under: Crime/Mystery/Thriller,Joanne Harris,Uncategorized — The Book Whisperer @ 11:28 am

What Amazon says:

“Once there was a widow with three sons, and their names were Black, Brown and Blue. Black was the eldest; moody and aggressive. Brown was the middle child, timid and dull. But Blue was his mother’s favourite. And he was a murderer’. “Blueeyedboy” is the brilliant new novel from Joanne Harris: a dark and intricately plotted tale of a poisonously dysfunctional family, a blind child prodigy, and a serial murderer who is not who he seems. Told through posts on a webjournal called badguysrock, this is a thriller that makes creative use of all the multiple personalities, disguise and mind games that are offered by playing out a life on the internet.”

 

What I thought:

This is probably one of the most difficult reviews I have written in a long while, for two reasons: 1) I am a HUGE Joanne Harris fan; I have read nearly all her books and just adore them - except  for this one  2) I really had no idea what was going on for most of this book.

How do I even explain? Let’s give it a go: The story is narrated by B.B., a loner who spends most of his time on the internet either writing his own personal diary and telling the story of his life as he sees it and also writing fic (stories) on his badguysrock.com – a website that he created himself and attracts a whole array of misfits with their own problems. What is apparant from very early on is that B.B. had a particularly unconventional childhood with a very bizarre family around him. Switching between his private journal and the fiction he writes on badguysrock, we get to see B.B’s life played out before us in all its murderous glory.

Sounds simple enough, right? The thing is, I just didn’t get it. I read somewhere, before I picked this book up, that Harris started writing this and had no idea where it was going and how it would end up, and I’m afraid to say that that is the same feeling I got while reading it. I didn’t get any sense of a plot or purpose for much of it and at times it felt like I was watching someone vent their spleen about…..well, everything. It felt cynical, dark and even bitter but even then I got the sense of it being on the part of the author more than the protagonist.

There were other characters in this book, one of whom – Albertine – also shares her diary entries with us and they give this books some of the unexpected twists that appear more towards the end. Because of the tone and subject matter of the book there are naturally going to be one or two unsavoury characters, but I found that I didn’t like any of them. I couldn’t find a single redeeming quality in anyone who crossed the pages, which made for some uncomfortable reading for me.

It is with a sigh and a heavy heart that I write this review, as (as I said) I am a huge Joanne Harris fan but this book felt like such a departure from her other books that I love so much – even Gentlemen and Players which is also classed as a thriller but which I loved (it was very plot driven and had humour as well as some great charaters and twists).

To sum up: blueeyedboy is not a bad book, it is a different book than I am used to from Harris. There were parts of the book that I really enjoyed and felt that I was getting into, but unfortunately they were outweighed by the parts that were dark and cynical and uncomfortable to me. I do believe that this may have been the point of the book – afterall, can we really believe anything we read on the internet? No, necessarily – we can be anyone we want on the internet; we can invent a whole new persona. It’s just that for me, as a reader, it felt too chaotic, and too much dark with not enough light.

A good read, but not an enjoyable read. Liked it but didn’t love it.

I revieved this copy for review from Louise, publicist for Joanne Harris. Thank you, Louise.

 

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday February 3, 2010

Filed under: Joanne Harris,Uncategorized — The Book Whisperer @ 10:24 am

This weeks Waiting on Wednesday is Blueeyedboy by Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, Gentlemen and Players, Sleep, Pale Sister etc.

“Once there was a widow with three sons, and their names were Black, Brown and Blue. Black was the eldest; moody and aggressive. Brown was the middle child, timid and dull. But Blue was his mother’s favourite. And he was a murderer’. “Blueeyedboy” is the brilliant new novel from Joanne Harris: a dark and intricately plotted tale of a poisonously dysfunctional family, a blind child prodigy, and a serial murderer who is not who he seems. Told through posts on a webjournal called badguysrock, this is a thriller that makes creative use of all the multiple personalities, disguise and mind games that are offered by playing out a life on the internet.”

I can’t wait for this. I love her books!

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This event spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating. Please visit Jill’s blog to find out what other book bloggers are waiting for

 

Book Review: Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris January 30, 2010

Filed under: Crime/Mystery/Thriller,Joanne Harris — The Book Whisperer @ 10:54 pm

What Amazon says: “The place is St Oswald’s, an old and long-established boys’ grammar school in the north of England. A new year has just begun, and for the staff and boys of the school, a wind of unwelcome change is blowing. Suits, paperwork and Information Technology rule the world and Roy Straitley, Latin master, eccentric, and veteran of St Oswald’s, is finally – reluctantly – contemplating retirement. But beneath the little rivalries, petty disputes and everyday crises of the school, a darker undercurrent stirs. And a bitter grudge, hidden and carefully nurtured for thirteen years, is about to erupt. Who is Mole, the mysterious insider, whose cruel practical jokes are gradually escalating towards violence – and perhaps, murder? And how can an old and half-forgotten scandal become the stone that brings down a giant?”

 

What I thought:  What a great book; especially the end where I did NOT see any of those twists coming. It’s the sort of book that makes you want to turn to the beginning again to see where you might have picked up clues or see what you missed.

I am a HUGE Joanne Harris fan, my favourites of hers being the “foodie” books and I must admit to being a tad sceptical when I picked this up thinking that maybe she wouldn’t do thriller novels quite as well. I was wrong – this lady is no one-trick-pony. From the first page you know that there are a murder or two which sets the reader up for the unfolding story ahead. The story is set in a public boys school that is centuries old and has a mighty reputation to uphold and is narrated by two people in turn to keep us guessing. The old school teacher, Mr Straitley, adds some real comic moments too which add warmth to the book. However, whatever you think you know about this book, think again. By three quarters of the way through I guarantee that you will flick back wondering when you could possibly have missed the signs (not once but twice). Mwaaaaahahahahahaha!

I highly recommend this book; I had great fun reading it. If you have only read the “foodie” books, then this will be a really great surprise. This author can write!

 

 

Book Review: Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris January 30, 2010

Filed under: Comfort Reading,Globe Trotting,Historical,Joanne Harris — The Book Whisperer @ 10:38 pm

What Amazon says: “Joanne Harris’ sensational novel Five Quarters of the Orange revolves around a recipe book, continuing the theme of culinary intrigue begun in Chocolat and Blackberry Wine. Framboise, the middle-aged narrator, begins her story in Les Laveuses, on the banks of the Loire:

When my mother died she left the farm to my brother, Cassis, the fortune in the wine cellar to my sister, Reine-Claude, and to me, the youngest, her album and a two-litre jar containing a single black Perigord truffle.

Framboise returns to the village where she grew up during wartime, and with the help of the recipes scribbled in her mother’s album, opens up a small restaurant. However, she is desperate to keep her identity a secret even amongst the aged villagers with whom she played on the banks of the Loire in the years of German occupation during the Second World War. Framboise immerses herself once again in the peaceful rhythms of village life, pungently evoked by Harris’s evocative prose. But slowly, reluctantly, Framboise begins to unravel the terrible wartime secret that drove her family away from the village. As she cuts between idyllic descriptions of the village and the increasingly dark memories of the war, Framboise admits:

I know, I know. You want me to get to the point. But this is at least as important as the rest, the method of telling, and the time taken to tell. It has taken me fifty-five to begin, at least let me do it in my own way.”

 

 

What I thought: I am head over heels in love with this book. Only a terrific author can write about something as appalling as war and occupation and uneccesary death but yet make you feel so alive and carefree whilste reading it. The prose was as mouthwatering, succulent and juicy as the food in the book and I wanted to be there! Yes, I wanted to run down to the Loire and swim and splash and yell and hang upsidedown from trees overhanging the river and race through sun-soaked fields and pick fruit in the orchards. I wanted to sneak off on the back of bike to the nearest village to watch a film in the cinema unbeknown to my mother, I wanted to set traps in the Loire and catch fish and I wanted to go to market on a Thursday morning and sell home-made pastries. And all this under German occupation. Only a talented author can make you feel like that while telling the story of something far more sinister.

This is a book about an old woman who comes back to the village of her childhood, but can’t allow the villagers to find out who she really is. Aged nine Framboise and her family has to make a hasty exit from Les Laveuses and now she can’t allow them to know the truth of who she really is and also what really happnened back in 1942. The book is as sumptuous as it is teasing with bits of information that allows the reader to peice all the fragments together over the course of the story and lead us to the final catastrophic moments.

I adored this book; it was ripe, tangy and a feast for the senses. I want to read it all over again. But if not, it has made me hungry and now I need to go and raid the fridge………

This book is in my Top 10 ever!

 

If you enjoy Five Quarters of the Orange then you should also enjoy Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris.

Unfortunately I never got round to reviwing this one as I read it on holiday last year and now I’m not sure I could do it justice by trying to remember the details. However, if you liked Chocolat or Five Quarters of the Orand then there is a huge chance that you will love this one. It’s one of her three “foodie” themed books and is totally magical. The book is actually narrated by a bottle of wine (sounds strange, but honestly it really works!). Again, it is set in rural France and has the same effervescence of the other two. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Book Review: Chocolat & The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris January 30, 2010

Filed under: Globe Trotting,Joanne Harris — The Book Whisperer @ 10:30 pm

I am a massive Joanne Harris fan – she is one of my all-time favourite authors. I met her about 5 years ago at a book signing for Jigs and Reels (her short story collection) where they were showing the film Chocolat too at the Photgraphic Museum in Bradford, Yorkshire. I had already read the book Chocolat and loved it, especially as I have heard that what inspired her vision of the chocolate shop in the book was a little sweet shop in a tudor building in Wakefield, Yorkshire (where I grew up and now live again) as Joanne went to the Girls High School down the road and walked past it every day. I remember that sweet shop – the building was gorgeous. It is now a restaurant called The Cow Shed and I love it in there too; the food is amazing and the staff are great (am drooling thinking about it!). I think there is always a sense of pride when an author comes from the same town as you so loving her books is a bonus.

 

The first book  I read was Chocolat and I have gone on to read six more of hers since and I can’t wait for the release of her new book (see this weeks Waiting on Wednesday for more details). So, here is my review for Chocolat and its follow up, The Lollipop Shoes (titled The Girl with No Shadow in the US).

 

What Amazon says: “Lansquenet-sous-Tannes–”a blip on the fast road between Toulouse and Bourdeaux”–and new home to Vianne Rocher, her six-year-old daughter Anouk, and Anouk’s “imaginary” rabbit, Pantoufle. They arrive “on the wind of the carnival”, and, a couple of days later, Vianne opens a luxuriant chocolate shop. “La Céleste Praline” bubbles over with the most tempting of confections, topped with an irresistible selection of rich, smooth chocolate drinks. It’s Lent, the shop is opposite the church (which Vianne and Anouk don’t attend) it’s open on Sundays and Francis Reynaud, the austere parish priest with the “measuring, feline look” is not exactly happy. As one by one the villagers sidle into the shop to sample Vianne’s concoctions, we learn of their characters and secrets, their loves and desires, their troubles and hopes. Sad, polite Guillame and his dying dog. Shoplifting, beaten Joséphine Muscat. And Armande Voizin, still vigorous and perceptive in her 80s, who can see Pantoufle, and recognises Vianne for who she really is. But Reynaud has his power base. And when Vianne advertises a Grand Festival of Chocolate to start on Easter Sunday, it’s all-out war. War between church and chocolate.”

What I thought:  Set in a peaceful little French village, where the most notable event is the sermons by the local priest, the people’s tranquillity is abruptly disturbed by the arrival of Vianne, a woman set to challenge every convention the villagers know. She begins by opening a chocolate shop right in the middle of lent, and so a battle of wills ensues. There is no room for a priest and a witch in one village. One of them must go and the priest is determined that it won’t be him, growing increasingly frustrated as Vianne  and her 6 year old daughters, Anouk, gently win over the locals.

 
Packed with colourful characters, snappy dialogue and a wonderfully detailed depiction of village life, Chocolat lures the reader in from the opening page. Add to this the sub plots of a woman’s liberation from her abusive husband, the prejudice encountered by a group of river gypsies, and an old woman determined to enjoy what is left of her life, whatever the cost. You can taste the chocolate as you read and I longed to be in that shop!!

A really magical read and one that I can highly recommend.

 

 

What Goodreads says: “Since she was a little girl, the wind has dictated every move Vianne Rocher has made, buffeting her from place to place, from the small French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes to the crowded streets of Paris. Cloaked in a new identity, that of widow Yanne Charbonneau, she opens a chocolaterie on a small Montmartre street, determined to still the wind at last and keep her daughters, Anouk and the baby, Rosette, safe. Her new home above the chocolate shop offers calm and quiet: no red sachets hang by the door; no sparks of magic fill the air; no Indian skirts with bells hang in her closet. Conformity brings with it anonymity and peace. There is even Thierry, the stolid businessman who wants to take care of Yanne and the children. On the cusp of adolescence, an increasingly rebellious and restless Anouk does not understand. But soon the weathervane turns . . . and into their lives blows the charming and enigmatic Zozie de l’Alba. And everything begins to change.

Zozie offers the brightness Yanne’s life needs. Anouk, too, is dazzled by this vivacious woman with the lollipop-red shoes who seems to understand her better than anyone—especially her mother. Yet this friendship is not what it seems. Ruthless, devious, and seductive, Zozie has plans that will shake their world to pieces. And with everything she loves at stake, Yanne must face a difficult choice: Run, as she has done so many times before, or stand and confront this most dangerous enemy. . . .”

 

What I thought: I was so disappointed with this book; when it first came out I even bought it in hardback as I had absolutley loved Chocolat. I had practically been counting down the days to the release of this book and was left feeling incredibly underwhelmed by the whole thing.

The Lollipop Shoes is the story of Vianne and Anouk and Vianne’s new daugher who have moved to Paris and set up a chocolate shop there too but there is none of the magic of that first shop, it’s very dull and lacks sparkle. Also, the characters in Lollipop Shoes don’t even seem to be the same people they were in Chocolat; Vianne was carefree and happy in Chocolat and in this she is dull and conventional (I know she is supposed to be hiding from her past but I just didn’t buy it). And I found the storyline of Red coming back to find her almost ludicrous as their relationship in Chocolat never developed into what we are lead to belive it did in this book.  For me it had none of the magic I had expected. Infact, it left me feeling flat as a pancake.

I would always invite someone to make up their own mind about a book but this really didn’t cut it for me.

 

Typically British Challenge January 8, 2010

Filed under: Frances Hodgson Burnett,Joanne Harris,Rose Tremain — The Book Whisperer @ 3:41 pm
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 I have joined a new challenge in support of my fellow country-men and British authors! This is hosted by Book Chick City and here are the rules:

Timeline: 1st Jan 2010~ 31st Dec 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.
 
Details:
 
1. Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate. 
 
2. There are four levels:
 
 • “Put The Kettle On” – Read 2 Typically British novels.
 • “Gordon Bennett” – Read 4 Typically British novels.
 • “Bob’s Your Uncle” – Read 6 Typically British novels.
 • “Cream Crackered” – Read 8 Typically British novels.
 
3. Any book format counts. Must be fiction not non-fiction.
 
4. You don’t have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront then you can change them, nothing is set in stone! 
 
5. The books you choose can crossover into other challenges.
 
I’m going for the “cream crackered” option. There’s loads of books that I want to read that are by Brisith authors, some to be released this year and some that I have on Mt. TBR at home. Some of my picks at the moment are:
 

Blueeyedboy by Joanne Harris

Trespass by Rose Tremain

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
 
Shirley by Charlotte Bronte
 
Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
 
 

My Top 10 Reads of 2009 December 31, 2009

Filed under: Aravind Adiga,Charlotte Bronte,Edith Wharton,Jiang Rong,Joanne Harris,Sophie Kinsella,Suzanne Collins,Tracy Chevalier — The Book Whisperer @ 3:26 pm
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So here we are, the end of another year. I have read exactly 100 books this year (well, I will have when I race through #100 today!). I’ve read some truly fantastic books and some real humdingers too! So here is my Top 10 of 2009:

This book is just awesome! I can’t believe that I have never read it before this year. I fell in love with the Bronte’s from reading this and went on to read several more of theirs this year. I also live in Yorkshire and my Mum bought me membership to the Bronte Society for my birthday this year (so excited!). The village of Hawarth is stunning – it’s no wonder that those sisters were so inspired to write such wonderful books.

You can read my review of Jane Eyre here. I also highly recommend Villette which only just missed out on a Top 10 spot.

Wolf Totem is quite possibly my favourite book of all time! I devour books about China as I am fascinated with the country (I even went there on holiday in 2004 to feed my fascination). I picked this up one night just to flick through the pages (as I was already in the middle of another book) and before I knew it I had read about 20 pages and could not put it down. Wolf Totem is not only beautifually written (I don’t know what the Chinese version is like but the translation is stunning) but I really felt like I was right there in the pages. It also made me fall head over heals in love with wolves (which has started another book buying craze!). I cannot recommed this book highly enough – it really is a gem. You can read my review here.

I started reading this book on the plane to New York a few weeks ago and I was gripped! This is one of the best written, on-the-edge-of-your-seat books that I have ever read. The plot is amazing: dystopia novels always frighten me because I can see something like this so easily happening  just as I did with Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (another awesome book). This is a YA book but really is one for the adults too; in fact I didn’t notice that I was reading something aimed at teenagers, I was so engrossed in it.

You can read my review here. Read this and then read the second in the series, Catching Fire. The third is out in August and I cannot wait!

I am a massive Joanne Harris fan. If you have read Chocolat and loved it, then you will love Five Quarters of the Orange even more. I love the way Harris can make you fall in love with a place and want to be there among the village and the characters, despite the fact that it’s set in the middle of a war. All her books are wonderful but I think that this is my favourite of them all.

I will be uploading my review of this book shortly so watch this space.

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I just love books with really bleak settings which is exactly what Ethan Frome is. I think it’s because I crave peace and quiet and solitude so to me a tiny village that regularly gets cut off by the snow sounds like heaven to me! This book really is bleak, the characters have hard lives and there is little to look forward to. Yet in the middle of that is one of the most beautiful love stories that I have ever read. I know that this book is not a favourite among a lot of people (I think it was a set read in some American schools and seems to have really turned people off it) but seriously, it is such a treat to read. I highly recommend.

You can read my review of Ethan Frome here.

Tracy Chevalier is another author that I am a massive fan of. She writes historical fiction but often based on true stories (of people that aren’t well known historical figures). Remarkable Creatures is one of those. It is based on a fossil hunter called Mary Anning who lived on the English coast in the early 19th century. This book really was a joy to read; I felt like I knew Mary and her friends and that I was there in the pages with them. I love it when a book can do that to you. It’s such a gentle read yet the pace never slackens and I found myself not able to put it down.

You can read my review here.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first in a trilogy of books. It is written by a Swedish journalis (which also stars a Swedish journalist) who died just after completing the trilogy (I wonder if he had any idea just how big this series would become). The girl in question is a computer hacker who ends up helping the journalist to solve a “locked room” mystery. It’s such a fabulous page-turner of a book, just as the second in the series The Girl who Played with Fire is. I have the third book at home which has stopped whispering to me and is now yelling at me from the bookshelf! I must read that really soon.

You can read my review here.

This book is a real eye-opener into Indian society. White Tiger is about a young boy whom we watch grow up and try to carve out an existance for himself in India. It is shocking, heartbreaking and funny all at once. There are no real heros in this book; there is no-one to root for as they all make bad choices but ultimately you have to ask yourself what would you do in their situation? They are trying to survive in a corupt world. Fantastic narrative, witty, sharp and ultimately a real page-turner.

You can read my review here.

No list is complete without some chicklit on it. And this is the best of them for 2009. I am a huge Sophie Kinsella fan and have read all her books, but out of the 4 standalone this is my favourite. I read it while curled up on a sun lounger in Kefalonia this summer and it was perfect summer reading. In Twenties Girl, yes there is the usual shopping and shoes and boys (what’s not to love?) but this time there is a ghost who wants to relive her glory years in the roaring 20′s and boy does she make sure she has fun.

You can read my review here.

Who knew that science fiction could be so much fun? I just loved this book! The Midwich Cuckoos is about a little English village that suddenly freezes in time for a few hours and all the residents collapse. Nobody can get in and nobody can get out. When they wake up they have no idea what happened but in the following weeks all the women and girls over about 15 find themselves pregnant. When their children are born they all have the same white blonde hair and don’t communicate with anyone but themselves. It’s creepy and brilliant! Don’t miss it.

I will upload my review soon so watch this space.

So that’s my Top 10 of 2009. You can see the full list of 100 books that I read here.

 

 
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