Mary > Recent Status Updates

Had to give this up after a couple of chapters .. not reaching me at all.

If you've never read Carlos Ruiz Zafon this book of short stories is a great way to get to know him. Although connected to his different books they are not extracts. Having said that, the last one is from the start of The Shadow of the Wind which is a brilliant read.

It is a wonderful read. Three seperate sections of history and following three generations of women and their connections to that history. His writing style is easy 'on the eye' and makes the whole book extremely interesting.

Another very good book by this author. Love, loss, friendship, bitterness, families ... all are explored so I would have no hesitation in recommending it.

Fabulous book.

Another brilliant read by this author. Iron Lake is a page turner, a crime-mystery novel set in a small rural town with plenty of action and believable characters.

A quick but lovely read.

A harrowing tale of life in Tuscany during WW2. It was sometimes hard to read because of the violent happenings but it is certainly worth persevering with.

Not having ever read Jo Spain and crime not being my favourite genre I went into this not knowing if I'd ever finish it. Well ... I needn't have worried as it is absorbing from the first page. Dealing with topics such as the Magdalene Laundries, rape, sexual abuse, supression of facts & the toll it has on victims make it a 'must read' book.

Mixed feelings about this, set in a time when the Chinese workers were shipped in to build the railroad, something in this story of two young children & their journey didn't quite sit right.
Just my opinion though.

Hmmm ... in my opinion a typical John Banville book, slow, times over descriptive and generally just plodding along. Having said that I finished it in a few days and enjoyed the 'local' aspect in it.

Really enjoyed this book, a quick read set in Ireland (and beyond) and showing how this country dealt with uncomfortable issues and how it has progressed. A delightful read.

This Tender Land is an enthralling story of four children escaping dire circumstances. Reading the authors notes at the end will tell you the amount of research that went into this brilliant book.

This, in my opinion, is the best Diane Chamberlain book I've read, a fascinating story of the restoration of a mural in a small town, the artists and their lives.

A very informative book on woodland, the flora & fauna, and the ecosystem of woodlands. It also gives what Ireland has done and is doing to promote the 'greening' in the country.

A family and their friends going through a difficult time, a sad but sometimes funny read.

Tedious and going nowhere.