What are You reading right now

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 12 Jun 2007, 17:07

Just finished perusing menus in Freidrichstrasse (that's in Berlin, ye ken

). I'll have something refreshing, I think, as it's 30° here

Auf Wiedersehen, freunden!!

PS Well done, BB! XXX

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 12 Jun 2007, 17:15

bellybabe wrote:I'm reading...nothing! Woohoo!

Because I have returned from Dundee, course over, diploma in hand , and I am free for the first time in three years to watch trashy TV, or (which is closer to what I've doing) sit in a chair and stare into the distance as I try and recover from a week with no sleep... I did return with six new text books mind you. It's like an addiction. Perhaps I should see a counsellor.

I probably should have put this in a thread on its own but I felt too shy to brag in my very own thread so thought I'd hijack this one.

Congratuations!

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 12 Jun 2007, 18:52

bellybabe wrote: Because I have returned from Dundee, course over, diploma in hand , and I am free for the first time in three years to

......read this forum

Congrats BB.

A lot of blood, sweat and tears have earned you that bit of paper. Take a bow..

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 12 Jun 2007, 19:09

Marya wrote:
bellybabe wrote: Because I have returned from Dundee, course over, diploma in hand , and I am free for the first time in three years to
......read this forum

You saying I'm a slacker?

Marya wrote:Congrats BB. A lot of blood, sweat and tears have earned you that bit of paper. Take a bow..

Well, definitely a lot of tears, anyway...! But yes, blood and sweat too.

Thanks everyone for the congrats. I can't quite believe it yet!

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 12 Jun 2007, 20:12

Well done and congrat
Now relax
then

will become fun again

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 12 Jun 2007, 20:18

Congratulations Bellybabe!!!

Who's a clever girl then??? $\:D/$

At the moment I'm reading " My best friend's girl" by Dorothy Koomson.
Think it was a Richard and Judy " best read" last summer!
On the fourth chapter and a good read so far!

my best friend's girl

What would you do for the friend who broke your heart?
Best friends Kamryn Matika and Adele Brannon thought nothing could come between them - until Adele did the unthinkable and slept with Kamryn's fiance, Nate. Worse still, she got pregnant and had his child. When Kamryn discovered the truth about their betrayal she vowed never to see any of them again.

Two years later, Kamryn receives a letter from Adele asking her to visit her in hospital. Adele is dying and begs Kamryn to adopt her daughter, Tegan. With a great job and a hectic social life, the last thing Kamryn needs is a five-year-old to disrupt things. Especially not one who reminds her of Nate. But with no one else to take care of Tegan and Adele fading fast, does she have any other choice?

So begins a difficult journey that leads Kamryn towards forgiveness, love, responsibility and, ultimately, a better understanding of herself.

Black Mamba · Post by **Black Mamba** » 12 Jun 2007, 20:35

Congratulations BB. Hope you enjoy relaxing now

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 12 Jun 2007, 22:02

ecm wrote:I must catch up with the more recent Brookmyre stuff. Boiling a Frog was one of the funniest, blackest books.
It had in me in tears.

I don't think his last couple have been up to the same standard as the earlier ones, my favourite - and it had me rolling about in tears too - is still One Fine Day in The Middle of The Night.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 13 Jun 2007, 09:51

arachnid wrote:
my best friend's girl

What would you do for the friend who broke your heart?
Best friends Kamryn Matika and Adele Brannon thought nothing could come between them - until Adele did the unthinkable and slept with Kamryn's fiance, Nate. Worse still, she got pregnant and had his child. When Kamryn discovered the truth about their betrayal she vowed never to see any of them again.

Two years later, Kamryn receives a letter from Adele asking her to visit her in hospital. Adele is dying and begs Kamryn to adopt her daughter, Tegan. With a great job and a hectic social life, the last thing Kamryn needs is a five-year-old to disrupt things. Especially not one who reminds her of Nate. But with no one else to take care of Tegan and Adele fading fast, does she have any other choice?

So begins a difficult journey that leads Kamryn towards forgiveness, love, responsibility and, ultimately, a better understanding of herself.

But where was Nate? Couldn't he have looked after little Tegan? I hope Kamryn doesn't consider taking him back after his being unfaithful and apparently abandoning his child too!!

Black Mamba · Post by **Black Mamba** » 13 Jun 2007, 20:33

Jeffrey Deaver "The Cold Moon"

The Cold Moon

Lincoln Rhyme returns in The Cold Moon, a roller coaster of a thriller that pits Lincoln and Amelia Sachs against time itself.

On a freezing December night, with a full moon hovering in the black skies over New York City, two people are brutally murdered—their prolonged deaths marked by eerie calling-cards: moon-faced clocks ticking away the victims' last minutes on earth. More murders are planned, and Rhyme and his team have only hours to stop the icy-cold, brilliant Watchmaker, whose obsession with time drives him to plan his carnage with the precision of a fine timepiece. While the cat-and-mouse search for the killer proceeds, Amelia Sachs must balance her efforts to catch the Watchmaker with her job as lead detective on the first homicide case of her own, in which she unearths shocking revelations from the past that threaten to undermine her very relationship with Lincoln Rhyme.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 14 Jun 2007, 09:17

ecm wrote:
arachnid wrote:
my best friend's girl

What would you do for the friend who broke your heart?
Best friends Kamryn Matika and Adele Brannon thought nothing could come between them - until Adele did the unthinkable and slept with Kamryn's fiance, Nate. Worse still, she got pregnant and had his child. When Kamryn discovered the truth about their betrayal she vowed never to see any of them again.

Two years later, Kamryn receives a letter from Adele asking her to visit her in hospital. Adele is dying and begs Kamryn to adopt her daughter, Tegan. With a great job and a hectic social life, the last thing Kamryn needs is a five-year-old to disrupt things. Especially not one who reminds her of Nate. But with no one else to take care of Tegan and Adele fading fast, does she have any other choice?

So begins a difficult journey that leads Kamryn towards forgiveness, love, responsibility and, ultimately, a better understanding of herself.

But where was Nate? Couldn't he have looked after little Tegan? I hope Kamryn doesn't consider taking him back after his being unfaithful and apparently abandoning his child too!!

And where were the Social Work Department - it's what they get paid for

Nelson Hatstand · Post by **Nelson Hatstand** » 14 Jun 2007, 12:23

Bog: Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk, 1978-1984 by Simon Reynolds

Bed: Death Of A Murderer by Rupert Thomson

magbagpuss · Post by **magbagpuss** » 20 Jun 2007, 19:46

Just read a series of 4 books by Marilyn Edwards about her life with her cats , great stories , look out for them, they are

THE CATS OF MOON COOTTAGE

MORE CAT TALES FROM MOON COTTAGE
THE CATS FROM HUTTON ROOF
THE COACH HOUSE CATS
sorry my spacings so bad

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 19 Jul 2007, 23:04

New Christopher Brookmyre to be published on 2 August, called The Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks:

"Summary:
Jack Parlabane is dead. Or is he? In an unlikely twist of the democratic process, he had been elected Rector of Glasgow's Kelvin University, taking over the post from the celebrity psychic Gabrielle Lafayette. Lafayette's tenure had one unexpected outcome - the establishment of a chair to investigate, using rigorous scientific controls, the causes of paranormal activity: mind-reading, levitating objects, speaking to the dead, all that sort of woo-woo. Due to his highly honed skills as a sceptic, Jack is invited to be an official observer to the whole exercise. Delighted to have the opportunity to puncture the unquestioning faith of the true believers - the unsinkable rubber ducks - Jack accepts with alacrity. But the outcome of the experiment is wholly other to his expectations and threatens to scupper his own beliefs, and also his own survival"

Sounds like it could be fun!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 20 Jul 2007, 08:54

I read Vic Reeve's biography, Me:Moir, whilst on holiday. It was suitably daft and I enjoyed it very much.

P.S. Arachnid, how did Best Friend's Girl turn out??

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 20 Jul 2007, 21:23

ecm wrote:I read Vic Reeve's biography, Me:Moir, whilst on holiday. It was suitably daft and I enjoyed it very much.

P.S. Arachnid, how did Best Friend's Girl turn out??

Loved it! Great story with a happy ending! (Ahhhh! Nice!)

Would make a good film!

Now reading the tenderness of wolves by Stef Penney, a bit of a murder mystery this time!

1867, Canada - As winter tightens its grip on the isolated settlement of Dove River, a man is brutally murdered and a 17-year old boy disappears. Tracks leaving the dead man's cabin head north towards the forest and the tundra beyond. In the wake of such violence, people are drawn to the township - journalists, Hudson's Bay Company men, trappers, traders - but do they want to solve the crime, or exploit it? One-by-one the assembled searchers set out from Dove River, pursuing the tracks across a desolate landscape home only to wild animals, madmen and fugitives, variously seeking a murderer, a son, two sisters missing for 17 years, a forgotten Native American culture, and a fortune in stolen furs before the snows settle and cover the tracks of the past for good. In an astonishingly assured debut, Stef Penney deftly weaves adventure, suspense, revelation and humour into a panoramic historical romance, an exhilarating thriller, a keen murder mystery and ultimately, with the sheer scope and quality of her storytelling, one of the books of the year.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 21 Jul 2007, 08:23

arachnid wrote:
ecm wrote: P.S. Arachnid, how did Best Friend's Girl turn out??
Loved it! Great story with a happy ending! (Ahhhh! Nice!)
Would make a good film!

Excellent! Not the kind of book I'd choose to read but I'd watch the movie on Hallmark.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 21 Jul 2007, 20:15

Not exactly a current read but when on holiday in Rathboneland last week I spent the best part of an hour on Imagine by Tommy Sheridan and Alan McCombes. It was a very long hour.........

. Had I only known one of the authors would be running me about in his car last night I would have got him to sign it. It's not often you get to tell an author how boring his book is and not get thrown out of his car

Just finished The Timetraveller's Wife before that. Great book.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 21 Jul 2007, 21:45

Just about to start.... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, received this morning

plan to have a lazy day tomorrow and read till I finish it

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 22 Jul 2007, 07:32

Epykat wrote:Not exactly a current read but when on holiday in Rathboneland last week I spent the best part of an hour on Imagine by Tommy Sheridan and Alan McCombes.

And I was hoping she'd take it away with her.......

I'm currently reading Coming Up For Air by George Orwell.

(p.s. It was nice to hear Jeanette Winterton describe Cloud Atlas as a great book on Late Night Review on Friday

)

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 22 Jul 2007, 09:36

Sandra wrote:Just about to start.... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, received this morning plan to have a lazy day tomorrow and read till I finish it

I'm so bad!
I checked for spoilers first thing yesterday on the net and then checked a few pages of a copy when up in Waterstones yesterday just to confirm what I'd read online.

Imagine Harry turning out to be Luke Skywalker's brother!!

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 22 Jul 2007, 13:46

ecm wrote:Imagine Harry turning out to be Luke Skywalker's brother!!

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 22 Jul 2007, 14:13

Currently reading this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rage-Pride-Oria ... 917&sr=8-1

It is a bit of a controversial book - half the readership thinks the authoress is a complete mentalist, the other half agree with her.

ali · Post by **ali** » 22 Jul 2007, 16:15

Jamesie wrote:Currently reading this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rage-Pride-Oria ... 917&sr=8-1

It is a bit of a controversial book - half the readership thinks the authoress is a complete mentalist, the other half agree with her.

which half will you end up in then, I wonder?

From what I've read about the mad burd she is a right wing, racist, polemicist who is trying to portray all muslims as deranged suicide bombers trying to overthrow western civilisation which is as silly an idea as believing that all irish people were card carrying members of the IRA. She also claims that immigrants to Italy don't show enough "gratitude". I wouldn't read that rubbish even if amazon delivered it to my door free with a complimentary six pack of beer.
cheers
ali

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:11

Just read 6 degrees by Mark Lynas.
He's collated studies on global warming and written the book with the view "this is what will happen with 1 degree, this will happen with 2 degrees etc ".
He's put scientific studies into readable English.
Very worrying book.

Got Harper Lee's "To kill a mocking bids" in the lavvy and reading Douglas Adams Dirk Gently novels.
Just dont know what to read next.
We discovered 4 boxes of our books in ma in laws attic, must have stored them there when we last redecorated ( in the early 90's)
So many there.
All the Dune novels, McCaffreys Dragon books, Asimov's Foundation series, Garp, Tai Pan, Red Dwarf, Michael Moorcroft, aaaaaah and so many more.
Then I got some more books the other day, well, I just happened to be in Blackwells........ oh and Tesco had some on offer
Think Clanger 1 will come home and find her bed is a makeshift library

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 23 Jul 2007, 19:14

I'm the same, if Im in bookshop/tesco always buy more than one book!

Looking forward to the next Alexander McCall Smith Scotland Street Saga (The world according to Bertie) out on 1st August.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Jul 2007, 23:28

Sandra wrote:Looking forward to the next Alexander McCall Smith Scotland Street Saga (The world according to Bertie) out on 1st August.

I saw someone on the bus today reading said book, Sandra. As she was sitting at right angles to me the bright yellow "£3 off at Waterstones" sticker on the cover caught my eye! I nebbed at the title because she sniggered a couple of times!!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 23 Jul 2007, 23:45

Working through assorted Robert Heinleins to celebrate his anniversary year. Very aged paperback copies...

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 25 Jul 2007, 09:39

Poppy wrote:
Sandra wrote:Looking forward to the next Alexander McCall Smith Scotland Street Saga (The world according to Bertie) out on 1st August.
I saw someone on the bus today reading said book, Sandra. As she was sitting at right angles to me the bright yellow "£3 off at Waterstones" sticker on the cover caught my eye! I nebbed at the title because she sniggered a couple of times!!

Thanks for that Poppy! Will head out to buy today

Nelson Hatstand · Post by **Nelson Hatstand** » 25 Jul 2007, 11:06

Fifth Form At Malory Towers. They're putting on a pantomime. Alicia is the demon king. It's so exciting.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 09 Aug 2007, 21:50

Reading above book. As usual very entertaining characters. If you haven't read the Alexander McCall Smith "44 Scotland Street" series you are missing out! Great read.

Previous to that was reading last Harry Potter book.

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 09 Aug 2007, 23:22

Mallory Towers, that takes me back to p7, having the chickenpox and getting a box set of them to read while ill. They were much better than St Claire's.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 09 Aug 2007, 23:38

blasts from the past! I just hallucinated the chalet school girls

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 10 Aug 2007, 01:15

John Connolly's 'The Unquiet'

The 'Book Of Lost Things' was a bit of a detour from his usual, but he's back to what pays the bills in a Charlie Parker update. Good, disquietingly spooky, stuff.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 12 Aug 2007, 12:19

Astrid and Veronika by Linda Olsson

In the midst of a harsh winter, young writer Veronika arrives in the Swedish countryside seeking stillness and solitude to come to terms with a recent tragedy. Her arrival is silently observed by gaunt Astrid, her elderly, reclusive neighbour from the farm next door, who in turn guards her own secrets. Astrid tentatively offers comfort in the form of companionship and lovingly home-cooked meals, but their friendship is a stop-start one. As the icy winter gives way to spring, Astrid and Veronika are drawn together and begin to embark on a tender and unusual friendship. Confiding in one another over hot-smoked trout and the new season's strawberries, the two women swap memories of loves lost, and the dark secrets that surround them both begin to come to light ...

Just started, will post more about it after I have read it. It got good reviews.