Thursday 6 February 2014

Turning Pages



For the rest of this year, my first blog-post of each month will be devoted to the novel I will be reading that month. I've joined The Year In Books and you can find out more about it (if you aren't already taking part) by popping over to Laura's blog Circle of Pine Trees, and joining the group. You can go the whole hog and do all the technical stuff, or just register your intention. I did finally manage to get the 'button' onto my blog - it is a bit tortuous for a technophobe like me!

I'm a little late joining, so here I'm reviewing January's book which I read without actually being part of the group. I'm sure that you, like me already read more than one book a month! I did re-read a couple of old favourites in January, I've always got one on the go, and I have been re-reading Anne Granger's 'Mitchell and Markby' series; I finished 'Flowers for his Funeral' and 'Where Old Bones Lie'. They aren't heavy, just a jolly good read if you like English detective fiction .... more updated Christie than anything too modern. As you can clearly see, these books have been read more than once!



The new book which I read was a Christmas present from Jim. Elly Griffith's fifth book in her "Ruth Galloway' series, "Dying Fall". Elly writes about Ruth, a forensic archeologist working at the University of North Norfolk, who unwittingly becomes involved in a series of murders, a very married, bluff Northern detective working in King's Lynn, and a cast of truly original and fascinating characters. Ruth lives with her baby daughter in a cottage on a windswept isolated spot on the North Norfolk coast; however this book takes her up to Lancashire to find out more about the death of her old University -pal,Dan, a lecturer at the Uni up there. Dan contacted her out of the blue excited that he had made an astoundingly important archeological discovery, and fearful that his life may be in danger.


The story unfolds with many a fascinating twist, more bodies , and the unexpected close encounter with  Ruth's ex-lover, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson, father of Ruth's daughter. Well written, very enjoyable, though this was my least favourite novel by Griffiths as it takes Ruth Galloway far from her stamping ground in Norfolk; I found I missed being able to place the characters in an environment I am very familiar with, recognising the places and roads travelled. That's not to say it isn't a good book - just that I enjoyed it less than the others. It hasn't stopped me ordering her next one when it is released.

SO, my Book for February. I must be one of the last people to discover A Game of Thrones! My friend Katy bought and read ALL the books, and watched the serial on Sky Tv long before it was on general release here. I borrowed the first book in the series,  written by George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones, but fell at the first hurdle. It is a big book, which wouldn't normally deter me, but I took one look at the list of characters and quailed - there were hundreds of them, and I thought I would be incapable of sorting the four Houses out, and which character belonged to which. And so I gave up after half a chapter, and never bothered watching the series when A Game of Thrones fever hit the UK. However, some face book chatting  sparked my interest, and I decided to purchase the first two books in Kindle form, and here I am, ready to go! I'll let you know next month how I got on. My photograph, at the very top, is of the DVD cover, as I bought the kindle editions, and treated myself to the first two seasons on DVD. I look forward to reading the choices of those of you who have signed up.



23 comments:

  1. DB also reads this on his Kindle. His advice is to stick with it and flick through a few pages here and there when the author starts listing things. Our son bought him Series 1 on DVD (yet to watch it). He is currently on Book 5 and now enjoys it. Your author from the 'University of North Norfolk' sounds most interesting, shall have to give her a go!

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    1. Dc, I am doing exactly that - I find some of the "Purple Passages" are quite easy to dismiss, descriptions of costumes -which normally I would find fascinating - wear thin after a while, and some of the action passages in battles I can skip past. Other than that, it is proving to be a rattling good yarn and I have finished the first book! DO try Elly Griffiths, she writes really well and her 'made up' establishments are just 'local' enough to be believable.

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  2. I must have missed your button on Laura's page.... it's a good idea, and seems to be the kickstart lots of ladies needed to get their reading habits back on track. Mine have never wandered off-track, which is why we have thousands of books I suppose! And reading one a month is easy peasy when you are used to reading more isn't it, and when you don't have the demands of a job and family to look after as well. Aren't we lucky? Hope your health problems are being kept under control at the moment?

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    1. Edwina, I must go back and do the pinging thing on Laura's blog, I've only just managed to get the button onto MY blog! I'm a bit of a techno-wimp! I always managed to find time to read even when I was working full time and had the boys at home. And thank you, I am fine at the moment and hope to stay that way!! Lx

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  3. i love the idea of a book club but have never joined one - the main reason is that once i pick up a book i cannot put it down until it's finished - which is not a good thing if you've got other stuff to do!!! another thing i worry about is having to read a book i don't like - reading is almost a luxury - i don't want to be wasting time when i could be reading a good one - i usually only read seriously on holiday - when we go to new zealand i take loads - what would be good is if i could then discuss them with someone when i get back - perhaps it would be a good idea for there to be a website that you could go to and feed the name of the book in and then comment - sorry don't mean to say what you are doing is wrong - it just isn't for me!!!! hope you are keeping as dry as possible - happy reading (and sewing, cooking, music making etc ........are you sure you aren't wonder woman?) take care xxx

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    1. Ah Lynne, I think you have the wrong end of the stick. It isn't a book club as such, I perhaps didn't explain because I thought folks would skip over to Laura's blog for the details.No, you choose a book YOU want to read, and you DON'T have to write a full review, just as little as I liked it or no thanks this one bored me to tears .... as much or as little as you like.So no, you don't have to read a book you don't fancy . (And no, no offense taken at all!) And hey, why don't you do your own Holiday Review when you come back from your break, just a post about "what I also did on my Holidays" after all it is your blog! And I do all this by ...not trying to do them all at once! My need to be enthusiastic about ONE THING to the exclusion of all else - a bit of a black mark to me I think but that's how I am! Lxxx

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  4. keep plodding on with GOT , it just gets more awesome as you progress...hope the wretched writer finishes the series before I end up in me box...lol

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    1. Hahaha! You and me too Kate, yes, I am enjoying it immensely; I hope I don't run out of steam before I finish too, I sometimes find I get bored by very long series, unless the author can competently keep the interest going without too mud repetition or wandering off into ridiculous story lines.

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  5. At the moment I'm reading "the heart of all things" by Elisabeth Gilbert. So far I'm really enjoying it!
    Hope you like Game of thrones, we really love the series... never read the book though...
    Wishing you lots of book pleasure, love from Mirjam.

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    1. Hi Stins, nice to hear form you. I haven't watched the DVD yet, am saving it til I finish the second book. I think I shall be uploading the next couple of books - it is holding my interest so far.

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  6. Great to have you reviewing books here Lynne! Good job you had that clear out so that you can now get loads more in! I am reading a lot of American classics, borrowed from my son who is reading them for his Uni course at the mo. Your last post on food was yummy - good ideas for eggy things which I like. Just went to my blog and my post, which was there this afternoon, had vanished. But now I've put it back .... I hope! What's that all about?? xCathy

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    1. Not sure I will be doing huge reviews - let's see how it goes. Glad you enjoyed the foodie post - I do enjoy writing about food as well! Hmm yes, things do happen with blogs that remain a mystery ...I shall head over to read it now it is there! Lxx

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  7. HA! Mine should have arrived today. I was in Norwich having a music lesson and a one-to-one with the mac team at the Apple shop - and my Dearly Beloved didn't hear the postman, so I shall have to toddle in to pick it up tomorrow. Just as well really, or I'd have started it tonight!.

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  8. I'm a Kate Atkinson fan so thought Elly Griffiths sounded good too. I've ordered it from the library - there is now a queue developing! Thank you for the recommendation

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    1. Hi Kate, I'm sure you will enjoy the Elly Griffiths - her husband is an archeologist and she has relatives in Norfolk, so she is pretty sound on all counts. I'm sure you will enjoy her books - I'd suggest you begin with the first one. They are, in order: Crossing Place, The Janus Stone, The House at Seas End, A Room full of Bones, Dying Fall, and the new one, The Outcast Dead.
      Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but to follow the 'back story' it's best to read them in order. Hope this helps, enjoy your reading!

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    2. thank you - I have changed my library reservation! Have a good weekend

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  9. I don't read many novels I prefer non-fiction but my daughter tells me 'Game of Thrones' is a great book so I hope you enjoy it.
    Gillx

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    1. I enjoy non-fiction if it is something `I'm quite passionate about, and I read poetry, but I have loved to read fiction since I was a pre-schooler - though of course we didn't use the term in Those Days! Lx

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  10. I love the variety of choices we are all making, and somehow knowing more about people's reading choices tells you more about them. Not only is Laura's Year of Books getting us all reading it is also fascinating :)

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    1. You are so right about that, Annie, I always look at people's book shelves when I am in their homes! (It used to depress me when health Visiting, to go into homes where books just didn't feature - that tells you a lot too!)
      However, I do hope that it doesn't become a kind of 'platform' (is that what I mean?) for people who want to be seen as reading the 'right kind' of books - remember how when prominent personages are asked for their favourite books always have to have a couple of Booker Prize winners in there - often the more obscure ones! i hope people are going to feel free to publicise that they enjoy a wide range of genres - yes, I'll even defend your right to read Mills and Boon! For myself, I know that for every serious novel I read, I will be racing through three lighter, more frivolous ones, and why not? I must confess though, to making the odd snap judgement about book choices - the same as I do when contemplating trolley contents in the check-out queue! Lxx

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  11. I think this is a fabulous way of finding new books to read. It's actually getting me to read more too and I've already got a list of some to look out for. Almost finished my book for February so might have to start on another :)) Px

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    1. Sorry Patricia! Have left it so late to blog again I hadn't realised there was another comment! Yes, I have read my February books and I expect I shall have another one on the go well before March. It's really good to check out each others suggestions, as you say. Lxx

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