Friday, February 09, 2007

Book Diary

I tend to not think of reading as a proper activity so when I'm thinking about all the things I haven't done, I forget that I've buried in books. There's not much point in me blogging about books I'm currently reading, because most books only last a couple of sessions.

I can't remember most of what I read during January so here we go, in random order:

A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer
Usually read several times a year, because I find it soothing.

All Fun & Games Until Someone Loses An Eye by Christopher Brookmyre
Great fun. Need my own copy. Brookmyre remains one of my favourite authors. The characters are brilliant.

The Torment of Others by Val McDermid
Reasonable, but no urge to re-read it.

Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan
Good fantasy, interesting characters. Will read the rest of the series.

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
Usual enjoyable Reichs fare.

Blood Pact by Tanya Huff
Same ilk as Anita Blake but without the torrid sex scenes. The book was only just bearable, and I won't be reading any of the others.

Orcs by Stan Nicholls
I'd looked at this book several times in the shop and eventually borrowed it from the library. I'm glad I didn't buy it because then I would have felt obliged to read all of it. I managed about 45 pages before giving up. Blow by blow battle scenes are not my kind of fantasy reading.

Jack the Ripper's Black Magic Rituals by Ivor Edwards
Dave chose this book so obviously I've read it first. Pretty standard Ripper book - "I've got it right, everyone else got it wrong" but interesting take on the murders. The different perspective comes from the author having been a professional criminal for thirty years, and some personal anecdotes about being a slaughterman add depth to the usual skilled/unskilled killer debate. Has some different illustrations from the usual. Doesn't seem to know about killers' comfort zones, though.

The Crow Road by Iain Banks
I'm glad I bought this book, and sad it took me so long to read it.

Be My Enemy by Christopher Brookmyre
Absolutely hilarious. The first chapter was rough and put me off, but I came back to the book a few days later. The rest of the book more than makes up for the ropey beginning. A comic masterpiece.

Kafka on the Short by Haruki Murakami
After I read this, I didn't read anything else for a couple of days. I needed the time to absorb what I'd just read. I liked this a great deal and would recommend it, just as it was recommended to me.


Ashworth Hall by Anne Perry
I only read this because it was one of the few Pitt books I haven't read. The main entertainment came from the comments that a previous reader had written in the margins of this library book. Some of the comments on historical inaccuracy were the 'drivel' that the person had called the book, and I almost feel a need to track down this critic and point out his/her errors. As a Pitt book it was okay, not one of the good ones.

King Rat by China Mieville
An excellent book with some amazingly evocative descriptions of music, London and rotten food.

One Shot by Lee Child
I enjoyed this book but I don't know if I would read any more by the same author. The main character was too much of a Mary Sue for my taste.

Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
Funny but I wish the main character wasn't such a dicktease. If she's not going to have sex with Hooker, then she shouldn't let him get away with feeling her breasts without slapping him, and there's no need to sleep in the same bed as him. It put me off.

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