Since I’m sick* and way behind on reviews, I’ve realised the only way to catch up is to make them speed reviews and post a whole batch at once.
The Age of Napoleon; Alistair Horne, eng, 235
Interesting, but a little choppily written, and also the author assumes you know certain things and never explains them, [...]

Posted on July 7th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A-Z Reading Challenge, B, Book Blowout, C, Classics, D, English, GLBT interest, Historical, History, Lifestyle, Mystery, Religion, Romance, Science Fiction, Sex, sexuality & gender, Speed reviews, Swedish, To Be Read, Young Adult | 1 Comment »

Torchwood: Something in the Water
by Trevor Baxendale

English
255 pages
BBC Books
ISBN: 978-1-846-07437-0
First line: The Late Bob Strong.
Back cover blurb:
Dr Bob Strong’s GP surgery has been treating a lot of coughs and colds recently, far more than is normal for the time of year. Bob thinks there’s something up but he can’t think what. He seems to [...]

Posted on July 5th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: Book Blowout, C, English, GLBT interest, Science Fiction | No Comments »

A Game of Thrones
by George RR Martin

For the Here Be Dragons and First in a Series reading challenges.
English
837 pages
Bantam Books
ISBN: 987-0-553-57340-4
First line: “We should start back,” Gared urged them as the woods began to grow dark around them.
Back cover blurb:
In a land where summer can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. [...]

Posted on June 30th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: C, English, Fantasy, First in a Series, Here Be Dragons | No Comments »

The Uncommon Reader
by Alan Bennett

English
121 pages
Faber and Faber
ISBN: 978-1-84668-133-2
First line: At Windsor it was the evening of the state banquet and as the president of France took his place beside Her Majesty, the royal family formed up behind and the procession slowly moved off and through into the Waterloo Chamber.
Back cover blurb:
Led by her [...]

Posted on June 29th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A, English, Fiction | 3 Comments »

A Strong and Sudden Thaw
by RW Day

For the Here Be Dragons reading challenge.
English
333 pages
Iris Print
ISBN: 978-0-9787531-1-5
First line: There’s an old scenic view about halfway up the mountain, alongside where the old highway runs.
Back cover blurb:
Dragons in Virginia?
Nearly a hundred years after the Ice changed the face of our world, the people of Moline work [...]

Posted on June 22nd, 2008 by Love
Filed under: A, English, GLBT interest, Here Be Dragons, Romance, Science Fiction | 2 Comments »

Throne of Jade
by Naomi Novik

For the Here Be Dragons reading challenge.
English
399 pages
Del Rey
ISBN: 978-0-345-48129-0
First line: The day was unseasonably warm for November, but in some misguided deference to the Chinese embassy, the fire in the Admirality boardroom had been heaped excessively high, and Laurence was standing directly before it.
Back cover blurb:
When Britain intercepted a French [...]

Posted on June 22nd, 2008 by Love
Filed under: Adventure, B, English, Fantasy, Here Be Dragons, Historical | No Comments »

Doctor Who: The Resurrection Casket
by Justin Richards

English
254 pages
BBC Books
ISBN: 0-563-48642-2
First line: Death was hiding in Kaspar’s pocket.
Back cover blurb:
Starfall — a world on the edge, where crooks and smugglers hide in the gloomy shadows and modern technology refuses to work. And that includes the TARDIS.
The pioneers who used to be drawn by the hope [...]

Posted on June 8th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: Adventure, B, English, Science Fiction | No Comments »

Doctor Who: The Stone Rose
by Jacqueline Rayner

English
254 pages
BBC Books
ISBN: 978-0-563-48643-5
First line: Rose carefully dropped three pound coins into the large collecting box at the entrance to the British Museum.
Back cover blurb:
Mickey is startled to find a statue of Rose in a museum — a statue that is 2,000 years old. The Doctor realises that [...]

Posted on June 6th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: Adventure, B, English, Science Fiction | No Comments »

A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens

For the Decades ‘08 reading challenge (first published 1843) and part of the BBC Big Read.
English
77 pages
Dover Publications
ISBN: 978-0-486-26865-1
First line: Marley was dead: to begin with.
Back cover blurb:
In October 1843, Charles Dickens—heavily in debt and obligated to his publisher—began work on a book to help supplement his family’s meager income. [...]

Posted on June 6th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: C, Classics, Decades '08, English | No Comments »

Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride
by Helen Halstead

For the Back to History reading challenge.
English
310 pages
Ulysses Press
ISBN: 978-1-56975-588-4
First line: What a joy it is to have a worthy topic of conversation, to hold the power to amaze!
Back cover blurb:
In Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen brought together one of the most beloved literary couples of all time—Elizabeth [...]

Posted on May 27th, 2008 by Love
Filed under: Back to History, D, English, Historical, Romance | 3 Comments »