On the Shelf

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2011-01-24T15:29:00.002Z

As you can see, I no longer use this blog, as I no longer have time to review every book I read (due to having become a new Stay-At-Home-Mum in 2008).However, I do still occasionally write reviews by request of authors and publishers, only I no wdo it exclusively through the Book Club Forum. All reviews are then posted on the BCF Reviews Blog.To date, the team of 25 reviewers have reviewed over

How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale by Jenna Jameson

2008-04-09T21:11:00.001Z

Title: How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary TaleAuthor: Jenna JamesonISBN: 0060539097Publisher: Regan BoksNo. of pages: 579Rating: 7/10Synopsis(from Amazon): The current queen of the adult entertainment industry intimately and candidly offers up lifetimes worth of sexual experience - from her days as an under-age Las Vegas stripper to her present position as CEO of her own adult

The Gatherer by Jerry Bayne

2008-04-09T20:50:00.003Z

Title: The Gatherer Author: Jerry BayneISBN: 9781419687365Publisher: Book SurgeNo. of pages: 330Rating: 6/10Synopsis (from back of book): In Italy, the Catholic Church unearths a subterranean chamber during an archaeological dig in which a primeval scroll is found, dusted off, and taken to Father Frank Daniel in New York City for interpretation. The father, with the able assistance of Dr. Cary

Nameless Night by G. M. Ford

2008-04-09T20:49:00.004Z

Title: Nameless NightAuthor: G. M. FordISBN: 9780060874421Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)No. of pages: 338Rating: 7/10Synopsis (from back of book): Discovered lying near death in a railroad car, his body broken, his mind destroyed, Paul Hardy has spent the past seven years living in a group home for disabled adults, his identity and his past lost - seemingly forever. Then, after a

The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

2008-04-09T20:47:00.002Z

Title: The SomnambulistAuthor: Jonathan BarnesISBN: 9780061375385Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)No. of pages: 353Rating: 7/10Synopsis (from Amazon): 'Be warned. This book has no literary merit whatsoever. It is a lurid piece of nonsense, convoluted, implausible, peopled by unconvincing characters, written in drearily pedestrian prose, frequently ridiculous and wilfully bizarre.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

2008-02-10T12:39:00.002Z

Title: Les Liaisons DangereusesAuthor: Pierre Choderlos de LaclosISBN: 0140441166Publisher: Penguin ClassicsNo. of pages: 396Other info: Translation and introduction by P W K StoneRating: 8/10Synopsis (from Tesco.com/books):The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. The

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

2008-02-10T12:39:00.001Z

Title: Journey to the Centre of the EarthAuthor: Jules VerneISBN: N/APublisher: LibrivoxNo. of pages: N/ARating: 7/10 Synopsis (from Amazon): When Axel deciphers an old parchment that describes a secret passage through a volcano to the centre of the earth, nothing will stop his eccentric Uncle Lidenbrock from setting out at once. So, with silent Hans the guide, the two men embark on a perilous,

Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders by Gyles Brandreth

2008-02-10T12:37:00.000Z

Title: Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight MurdersAuthor: Gyles BrandrethISBN: 9780719569302Publisher: John Murray PublishersNo. of pages: 355Rating: 7/10 Synopsis (from Tesco.com/books): This work is set in London, 1889. Oscar Wilde, celebrated poet, wit, playwright and raconteur is the literary sensation of his age. All Europe lies at his feet. Yet when he chances across the naked corpse of

500 Ways to Change the World by Global Ideas Bank

2008-02-10T12:36:00.001Z

Title: 500 Ways to Change the WorldAuthor: Global Ideas BankISBN: 9780060851767Publisher: Ixos PressNo. of pages: 400Rating: 7/10 Synopsis (from Tesco.com/books): 500 inspired ideas from around the world that cost nothing to implement but could enhance all our lives. 500 inspired ideas from around the world that cost nothing to implement but could enhance all our lives. They range from ideas

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

2008-01-25T21:01:00.000Z

Title: Heart of DarknessAuthor: Joseph ConradISBN: N/APublisher: LibrivoxNo. of pages: N/ARating: 2/10 Synopsis (from Librivox): Set in a time of oppressive colonisation, when large areas of the world were still unknown to Europe, and Africa was literally on maps and minds as a mysterious shadow, Heart of Darkness famously explores the rituals of civilisation and barbarism, and the frighteningly

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

2008-01-24T21:40:00.001Z

Title: The Tenderness of WolvesAuthor: Stef PenneyISBN: 9781847240675Publisher: QuercusNo. of pages: 450Rating: 8/10Synopsis (from Amazon): It is 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

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells

2008-01-18T22:34:00.000Z

Title: The Island of Dr. MoreauAuthor: H. G. WellsISBN: N/APublisher: LibrivoxRating: 7/10 Synopsis (from Amazon): Adrift in a dinghy, Edward Prendick, the single survivor from the good ship Lady Vain, is rescued by a vessel carrying a profoundly unusual cargo a menagerie of savage animals. Tended to recovery by their keeper Montgomery, who gives him dark medicine that tastes of blood, Prendick

The House in the Forest by Michèle Desbordes

2008-01-16T17:32:00.001Z

Title: The House in the ForestAuthor: Michèle DesbordesISBN: 0571217796Publisher: Faber and FaberNo. of pages: 186Rating: UNFINISHED - 0/10Synopsis (from Amazon):In her cottage in the rain-drenched French countryside, an old woman receives an unexpected visitor: a boy whispering in an unfamiliar language, and bringing sheaves of paper, the letters and jottings of her youngest son. Some time ago

The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley

2008-01-16T17:30:00.001Z

Title: The Water BabiesAuthor: Charles KingsleyISBN: N/APublisher: LibrivoxNo. of pages: N/ARating: 4/10 Synopsis (from Wikipedia): The protagonist is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who falls into a river after encountering an upper-class girl named Ellie and being chased out of her house. There he dies and is transformed into a "water baby", as he is told by a caddis fly — an insect that sheds its

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

2008-01-15T22:12:00.000Z

Title: The Phantom of the OperaAuthor: Gaston LerouxISBN: 0140621741Publisher: Penguin Popular ClassicsNo. of pages: 270Rating: 6/10 Synopsis (from back of book):As Monsiers Richard and Moncharmin prepare to take over as acting managers of the Opera House, they discover their predecessors have bequeathed them the "Opera Ghost". A seperate memorandum-book has been set aside for his various whims,

How to Do Just About Everything (eHow)

2008-01-13T16:28:00.001Z

Title: How to Do Just About EverythingAuthor: Multiple (eHow)ISBN: 9780007798148Publisher: Harper Collins LtdNo. of pages: 688Rating: 9/10Synopsis (from Amazon): This text claims to have the answers to (just about) every question you might have. Whether you need to unclog a sink or wash your cat, you'll find clear, step-by-step instructions on how to do it. There are also checklists, calendars,

The Book Club Bible (various contributors)

2008-01-12T20:19:00.001Z

Title: The Book Club Bible: The Definitive Guide That Every BookClub Member NeedsAuthor: Various contributorsISBN: 9781843172697Publisher: Michael O'Mara BooksNo. of pages: 224Rating: 10/10Synopsis(from Amazon):Every book-club member has felt the pressure to pick out a new title for the whole group to read and enjoy. Wouldn't it be great if there was a book that helped you to make that

Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

2008-01-11T21:13:00.000Z

Title: Far from the Madding CrowdAuthor: Thomas HardyISBN: N/APublisher: LibrivoxNo. of pages: N/AOther info: Free audio bookRating: 6/10 Synopsis (from Amazon):'I shall do one thing in this life - one thing for certain - that is, love you, and long for you, and keep wanting you till I die.' Gabriel Oak is only one of three suitors for the hand of the beautiful and spirited Bathsheba Everdene. He

Out by Natsuo Kirino

2008-01-11T21:08:00.000Z

Title: OutAuthor: Natsuo KirinoISBN: 9780099492689Publisher: Vintage BooksNo. of pages: 520Rating: 7/10 Synopsis (from Amazon):In the Tokyo suburbs four women work the draining graveyard shift at a boxed-lunch factory. Burdened with chores and heavy debts and isolated from husbands and children, they all secretly dream of a way out of their dead-end lives. A young mother among them finally cracks

The Wit and Wisdom of the Discworld by Terry Pratchett

2008-01-06T11:22:00.000Z

Title: The Wit and Wisdom of the DiscworldAuthor: Terry Pratchett (compiled by Stephen Briggs)ISBN: 9780385611770Publisher: DoubledayNo. of pages: 304Rating: 8/10Synopsis (from Amazon):'A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores.' From, "The Fifth Elephant". 'Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.' From, "Moving

The Truth About Fairy Tales by K T Casha

2008-01-05T20:31:00.001Z

Title: The Truth About Fairy TalesAuthor: K T CashaISBN: 9781419662935Publisher: Echo Books, LondonNo. of pages: 397Other info: Reviewing for TCMRating: 7/10Synopsis (from back of book):Think passion is all over once you hit forty? Well, think again. Jaded after a series of failed relationships, Cate McCormack's channeling her "inner romantic" into her very successful books. Author of a series of

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

2007-08-31T19:47:00.001Z

Title: The Name of the RoseAuthor: Umberto EcoISBN: 0330284142Publisher: PicadorFirst Published: 1983No. of pages: 502Format: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:In 1327, Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville, accompanied by young novice, Adso, arrives to investigate. His delicate mission is overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths that take

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards

2007-08-31T19:46:00.001Z

Title: The Memory Keeper's DaughterAuthor: Kim EdwardsISBN: 0143037145Publisher: PenguinFirst Published: 2005No. of pages: 401Format: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:What would happen if you lost your child and she grew up without you? In 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins, he immediately recognizes that one of them has Down Syndrome and makes a split-second

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

2007-08-31T19:45:00.001Z

Title: Snow Flower and the Secret FanAuthor: Lisa SeeISBN: 0812968069Publisher: Random HouseFirst Published: 2005No. of pages: 258Format: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Set in nineteenth century China when girls had their feet bound and spent the rest of their lives in seclusion, illiterate, and isolated. In one remote county, women developed their own secret code, "nu shu" - meaning "women's

Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

2007-08-31T19:44:00.001Z

Title: Lost in a Good BookAuthor: Jasper FfordeISBN: 9780340733578Publisher: Hodder and StoughtonFirst Published: 1988No. of pages: 371Format: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:Thursday Next, literary detective and newlywed is back to embark on an adventure that begins, quite literally on her own doorstep. It seems that Landen, her husband of four weeks, actually drowned in an accident when he was

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

2007-08-31T19:43:00.001Z

Title: Half of a Yellow SunAuthor: Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieISBN: 9780007200283Publisher: Harper PerennialFirst Published: 2006No. of pages: 433Format: paperbackRating: UNFINISHED - 5/10 (for the part that I read) Synopsis: The lives of five characters are caught up in the extraordinary tumult of the Nigeria during the 1960s. Fifteen-year-old Ugwu

Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery

2007-08-31T19:41:00.001Z

Title: Anne of Green GablesAuthor: L M MontgomeryISBN: 1853261394Publisher: Wordsworth ClassicsFirst Published: 1908No. of pages: 280Format: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:When Anne Shirley "erupts" into the Cuthberts's lives, they don't realize how fond they will become of the red-haired orphan. Both entertained and exasperated by her constant chatter and imaginings, they soon find it hard to

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

2007-08-31T19:14:00.000Z

Title: The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieAuthor: Muriel SparkISBN # 9780141181424Publisher: PenguinFirst Published: 1961128 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 3/10 Synopsis:She was a schoolmistress with a difference. Proud, cultured, romantic, her ideas were progressive, even shocking. And when she decided to transform a group of young girls under her tutelage into the créme de la créme of Marcia

The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar by Mauric LeBlanc

2007-08-29T21:39:00.001Z

Title: The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman BurglarAuthor: Maurice LeBlancNarrator: VariousPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1907Running time: 5hr 54min 47secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 8/10 Synopsis:The suave adventures of a gentleman roguea French Thomas Crown Created by Maurice LeBlanc during the early twentieth century, Arsène Lupin is a witty confidence man and

The Woman and the Ape by Peter Høeg

2007-08-29T21:38:00.001Z

Title: The Woman and the ApeAuthor: Peter HøegTranslated by: Barbara HavelandISBN # 1860463681Publisher: HarvillFirst Published: 1996229 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 5/10 Synopsis:The Woman and the Ape is the story of a unique and unforgettable couple--Madelene and Erasmus. Madelene is the wife of Adam Burden, a distinguished behavioral scientist. Erasmus--the unlikely prince--is a 300-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J K Rowling

2007-08-29T21:36:00.001Z

Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsAuthor: J K RowlingISBN # 9780747591061Publisher: BloomsburyFirst Published: 2007607 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 7/10 *** SPOLIER WARNING *** IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK, BUT INTEND TO, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Synopsis:Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely

Dracula by Bram Stoker

2007-08-29T21:35:00.001Z

Title: DraculaAuthor: Bram StokerISBN # 0140433813Publisher: PenguinFirst Published: 1897520 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula with the purchase of a London house, he makes a series of horrific discoveries about his client. Soon afterwards, various bizarre incidents unfold in England: an apparently unmanned ship is

The Chestnut Soldier by Jenny Nimmo

2007-08-29T21:34:00.001Z

Title: The Chestnut SoldierAuthor: Jenny NimmoISBN # 0749701501Publisher: MammothFirst Published: 1989168 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:To purge the anger from an ancient Welsh demonic god that he had helped release, and to soothe a moody, troubled soldier, Gwyn Griffiths draws on the strength of his namesake and ancestor in Welsh magic, Gwydion Gwyn. Review:As with the

Emlyn's Moon by Jenny Nimmo

2007-08-29T21:32:00.001Z

Title: Emlyn’s MoonAuthor: Jenny NimmoISBN # 0749701501Publisher: MammothFirst Published: 1987158 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Young magician Gywn and his friend Nia have been warned to stay away from Emlyn Llewelyn, the strange boy who claims his mother lives on the moon. And yet, a mysterious magic continues to draw them to him. But why? It's up to Gwyn and Nia to solve the

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

2007-08-29T21:31:00.001Z

Title: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s CourtAuthor: Mark TwainNarrator: Steve AndersonPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1889Running time: 13hr 42min 35secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:Hank Morgan, nineteenth-century New Englander, is knocked on the head with a crowbar and wakes up to find himself in sixth century England, during the reign of King Arthur. Ever resourceful,

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D H Lawrence

2007-08-29T21:29:00.001Z

Title: Lady Chatterley’s LoverAuthor: D H LawrenceISBN # 1840224886Publisher: Wordsworth ClassicsFirst Published: 1928268 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:Constance Chatterley feels trapped in her sexless marriage to the invalid Sir Clifford. Unable to fulfill his wife emotionally or physically, Clifford encourages her to have a liaison with a man of their own class. But Connie is

The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

2007-08-29T21:27:00.000Z

Title: The Black DahliaAuthor: James EllroyISBN # 9780099366515Publisher: Arrow BooksFirst Published: 1987384 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 4/10 Synopsis:It is Los Angeles, 11th January 1947. A beautiful young woman walked into the night and met her horrific destiny. Five days later, her tortured body was found drained of blood and cut in half. The newspapers called her 'The Black Dahlia'.

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

2007-06-30T10:41:00.001Z

Title: The Wizard of OzAuthor: L. Frank BaumISBN # 1853261122Publisher: Wordsworth ClassicsFirst Published: 1900143 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:When a cyclone hits her Kansas home, Dorothy and her dog Toto are whisked to the magical Land of Oz. To find her way home, she must follow the yellow brick road to the City of Emeralds, where the great Wizard lives. But first, Dorothy

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

2007-06-30T10:40:00.001Z

Title: The Little PrinceAuthor: Antoine De Saint-ExupéryISBN # 9781853261589Publisher: Wordsworth ClassicsFirst Published: 1943109 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:This parable tells the story of an air pilot who meets a Little Prince when he has to make a forced landing in the Sahara Desert. The Little Prince tells him wise and enchanted stories. Review:This is one of those

The Plucker: An Illustrated Novel by Brom

2007-06-30T10:38:00.001Z

Title: The Plucker: An Illustrated NovelAuthor: BromISBN # 0810957922Publisher: Harry N. Abrams Inc.First Published: 2005144 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 10/10 Synopsis:The Plucker is a dark and twisted tale about a Jack-in-the-Box, aptly named Jack, who must fight for the life of his human boy owner against an evil force, called the Plucker (because he plucks your eyeballs out and sucks out

The Sign of the Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Audio Book)

2007-06-30T10:37:00.001Z

Title: The Sign of the FourAuthor: Sir Arthur Conan DoyleNarrator: Robin CotterPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1890Running time: 4 hrs 17 min 28 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 6/10 Synopsis:The greatest detective of them all is back... 'Down the Strand the lamps were but misty splotches of diffused light which threw a feeble circular glimmer upon the slimy pavement'. Whilst the seamy

Follow Me Down by Julie Hearn

2007-06-30T10:35:00.001Z

Title: Follow Me DownAuthor: Julie HearnISBN # 019275341XPublisher: Oxford University PressFirst Published: 2003269 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:Tom travels back in time to the 18th century where he meets a group of people who are displayed as monsters at Bartholomew Fair. Against a vividly-drawn background, Tom is able to help them tackle some of their difficulties, while at

Ronia, the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren

2007-06-30T10:34:00.001Z

Title: Ronia, the Robber’s DaughterAuthor: Astrid LindgrenTranslated by: Patrica CromptonISBN # 0140317201Publisher: Puffin BooksFirst Published: 1981176 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 10/10 Synopsis:Ronia is a girl growing up in a castle in the wood in a band of robbers; as the chief's only child, she is expected to become the leader of the band someday. Their castle, Matt's Fort, was split

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (Audio Book)

2007-06-30T10:33:00.001Z

Title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeAuthor: Robert Louis StevensonNarrator: David BarnesPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1886Running time: 3 hrs 8 min 25 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:Everyone has a dark side. Dr Jekyll has discovered the ultimate drug; a chemical that can turn him into something else. Suddenly, he can unleash his deepest cruelties in the guise

Faceless Killer by Henning Mankell

2007-06-30T10:31:00.000Z

Title: Faceless KillersAuthor: Henning MankellTranslated by: Steven T. MurrayISBN # 0099445220Publisher: VintageFirst Published: 1991298 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:One frozen January Morning at 5 am, Inspector Wallander responds to what he expects is a routine call out. When he reaches the isolated farmhouse he discovers a bloodbath. An old man has been tortured and beaten

Carmilla by J. Sheridan LeFanu (Audio Book)

2007-06-30T10:30:00.001Z

Title: CarmillaAuthor: J. Sheridan LeFanuNarrator: Elizabeth KelttPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1872Running time: 3 hrs 17 min 35 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:When an accident occurs on a road near their castle, Laura and her father take in the stranded survivor. Carmilla and Laura both appear young, beautiful, and innocent. But one is an ageless vampire; the other, an

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (Audio Book)

2007-06-30T10:29:00.001Z

Title: The Legend of Sleepy HollowAuthor: Washington IrvingNarrator: ChipPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1820Running time: 1 hr 23 min 23 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:The story is set circa 1790 in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, New York, in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow. It tells the story of Ichabod Crane, a priggish schoolmaster from Connecticut, who

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood

2007-06-30T10:27:00.002Z

Title: The Robber BrideAuthor: Margaret AtwoodISBN # 1853817228Publisher: ViragoFirst Published: 1993564 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:Zenia is beautiful, smart and greedy, by turns manipulative and vulnerable, needy and ruthless; a man's dream and a woman's nightmare. She is also dead. Just to make sure Tony, Roz and Charis are there for the funeral. But five years on, as the

The Thief of Always by Clive Barker

2007-06-30T10:27:00.001Z

Title: The Thief of AlwaysAuthor: Clive BarkerISBN # 0006473113Publisher: Harper CollinsFirst Published: 1992240 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:Mr. Hood's holiday house has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childish whim may be satisfied. But there is a price

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Audio Book)

2007-06-30T10:25:00.000Z

Title: The Hound of the BaskervillesAuthor: Sir Arthur Conan DoyleNarrator: Laurie Anne WaldenPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1902Running time: 5 hrs 52 min 59 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:The ancient legend of the Baskervilles has persisted in the family history for generations. It is Sir Charles's mysterious death in the grounds of Baskerville Hall that brings Sherlock

Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee

2007-06-30T10:24:00.001Z

Title: DisgraceAuthor: J. M. CoetzeeISBN # 0099289520Publisher: VintageFirst Published: 1999220 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:A divorced, middle-aged English professor finds himself increasingly unable to resist affairs with his female students. After an impulsive affair with his student sours, and having been discovered by the college authorities, he is expected to apologize

Rosemary’s Baby by Ira levin

2007-06-30T10:23:00.001Z

Title: Rosemary’s BabyAuthor: Ira LevinISBN # 0965723178Publisher: The Stephen King Horror LibraryFirst Published: 1967245 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse were delighted at the chance to move into Bramford, one of Manhattan's oldest and most celebrated apartment houses. Their friend Hutch urged them not to; he knew of too many shadows in Bramford's past

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

2007-06-30T10:20:00.000Z

Title: Blood and ChocolateAuthor: Annette Curtis KlauseISBN # 0613228367Publisher: Laurel-Leaf BooksFirst Published: 1997264 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father;

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

2007-06-30T10:19:00.000Z

Title: The Catcher in the RyeAuthor: J. D. SalingerISBN # 0140012486Publisher: PenguinFirst Published: 1951220 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:A 16-year old American boy relates in his own words the experiences he goes through at school and after, and reveals with unusual candour the workings of his own mind. What does a boy in his teens think and feel about his teachers, parents

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

2007-06-30T10:18:00.001Z

Title: The Eyre AffairAuthor: Jasper FfordeISBN # 034073356XPublisher: HodderFirst Published: 2001373 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:There is another 1985, somewhere in the could-have-been, where the Crimean war still rages, dodos are regenerated in home-cloning kits and everyone is deeply disappointed by the ending of 'Jane Eyre'. In this world there are no jet-liners or

Fanny Hill; Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland

2007-06-30T10:15:00.000Z

Title: Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of PleasureAuthor: John ClelandNarrator: VariousPublisher: LibrivoxFirst Published: 1749Running time: 10 hrs 27 min 30 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 8/10 Synopsis:Forced by the death of her parents to seek her fortune in London, Fanny Hill is duped into prostitution by an old procuress. In Mrs Brown's bawdy-house the naive young woman begins her sexual

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

2007-05-28T16:08:00.001Z

Title: Jane EyreAuthor: Charlotte BrontëISBN # 9780140620115Publisher: Penguin ClassicsFirst Published: 1847447 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Orphaned Jane Eyre grows up in the home of her heartless aunt, where she endures loneliness and cruelty, and at a charity school with a harsh regime. This troubled childhood strengthens Jane's natural independence and spirit - which prove

Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride

2007-05-28T16:06:00.001Z

Title: Broken SkinAuthor: Stuart MacBrideISBN # 9780007193172Publisher: Harper CollinsFirst Published: 2007439 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 9/10 Synopsis:A new Logan McRae thriller from the bestselling author of 'Cold Granite' and 'Dying Light', set in gritty Aberdeen. In the pale grey light of a chilly February, Aberdeen is not at its best! There's a rapist prowling the city's cold granite

No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong

2007-05-28T16:05:00.001Z

Title: No Humans InvolvedAuthor: Kelley ArmstrongISBN # 9781841493954Publisher: OrbitFirst Published: 2007 342 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 9/10 Synopsis:No Humans Involved stars necromancer Jaime Vegas. She's on a television shoot in Brentwood, Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. Invisible hands brush her arms, she sees movements out of the corner of her eye, and unintelligible

Wideacre by Philippa Gregory

2007-05-28T16:04:00.001Z

Title: WideacreAuthor: Philippa GregoryISBN # 000767242XPublisher: Harper CollinsFirst Published: 1987622 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Wideacre Hall, set in the heart of the English countryside, is the ancestral home that Beatrice Lacey loves. But as a woman of the 18th century, she has no right of inheritance. Corrupted by a world that mistreats women, she sets out to corrupt

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

2007-05-28T16:03:00.001Z

Title: The Bell JarAuthor: Sylvia PlathISBN # 05710181789Publisher: Faber & FaberFirst Published: 1963258 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 2/10 Synopsis:A student from Boston wins a guest editorship on a national magazine, and finds a new world at her feet. Her New York life is crowded with possibilities, so the choice of future is overwhelming. She is faced with the perennial problems of

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Audio Book)

2007-05-28T16:02:00.001Z

Title: Brave New WorldAuthor: Aldous HuxleyNarrator: Michael YorkPublisher: AudibleFirst Published: 1932Running time: 8hrs, 14min, 23secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 4/10 Synopsis:Far in the future, the World Controllers have created the ideal society. Through clever use of genetic engineering, brainwashing and recreational sex and drugs all its members are happy consumers. Bernard Marx seems

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

2007-05-28T16:01:00.001Z

Title: The Vanishing Act of Esme LennoxAuthor: Maggie O’FarrellISBN # 9780755308446Publisher: Headline ReviewFirst Published: 2007277 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Set between the 1930s,and the present, Maggie O'Farrell's new novel is the story of Esme, a woman edited out of her family's history, and of the secrets that come to light when, sixty years later, she is released

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (Audio Book)

2007-05-28T15:59:00.000Z

Title: The Three MusketeersAuthor: Alexandre DumasNarrator: Michael YorkFirst Published: 1844Running time: 6hrs, 15min, 58secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 9/10 Synopsis:D'Artagnan, arriving in Paris from Gascony with no horse and few worldly goods wishes to join the King's Guards. He finds himself in the company of three musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, the most renowned fighters of their

Daughters of the Doge by Edward Charles

2007-05-28T15:58:00.001Z

Title: Daughters of the DogeAuthor: Edward CharlesISBN # 9780230018129Publisher: Macmillan New WritingFirst Published: 2007371 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:Richard Stocker, a young man from Devon, accompanies his friend and mentor, Dr. Thomas Marwood, to Venice as personal secretary to the exiled Earl of Devon, Edward Courtenay. There, he is faced with many decisions that will

The Separation by Christopher Priest

2007-05-28T15:57:00.001Z

Title: The SeparationAuthor: Christopher PriestISBN # 057507003XPublisher: Gollancz FictionFirst Published: 2002405 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:In 1936, twin brothers return to Britain from the Berlin Olympic Games with bronze medals and a young Jewish woman, a refugee from the Nazis, concealed inside their van. This act of compassion sets in train a sequence of events which

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Audio Book)

2007-05-28T15:54:00.000Z

Title: The Handmaid’s TaleAuthor: Margaret AtwoodNarrator: Barbara CunninghamFirst Published: 1985Running time: 8hrs, 14min, 23secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot

Marina Lewycka – A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

2007-04-24T21:14:00.001Z

Title: A Short History of Tractors in UkrainianAuthor: Marina LewyckaISBN # 0141020520Publisher: Pengiun BooksFirst Published: 2005324 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 4/10 Synopsis:'Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamourous blonde Ukrainian divorcee. He was eighty-four and she was thirty-six. She exploded into our lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the

Eddie Izzard (with David Quantick and Steve Double) – Dress to Kill

2007-04-24T21:13:00.001Z

Title: Dress to KillAuthor: Eddie Izzard (with David Quantick and Steve Double)ISBN # 1852277637Publisher: Virgin BooksFirst Published: 1998160 pagesFormat: Hardback Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:Following his success as stand-up comic and theatrical performer, Eddie Izzard has turned his attentions to the written word. His first book, Dress to Kill, is a series of conversations with writer/

Simone Lia – Fluffy (Graphic Novel)

2007-04-24T21:10:00.000Z

Title: FluffyAuthor: Simone LiaISBN # 9780224080484Publisher: Random HouseFirst Published: 2003 - 2005187 pagesFormat: Hardback graphic novelRating: 7/10 Synopsis:Originally published by the author in four volumes, Fluffy is described by Simone Lia as 'a story of unanswerable questions, love, despair, adventure and happiness'. Fluffy is a baby rabbit who is being looked after by an anxious,

Jasper Fforde – The Fourth Bear

2007-04-24T21:09:00.000Z

Title: The Fourth BearAuthor: Jasper FfordeISBN # 0340835729Publisher: Hodder and StoughtonFirst Published: 2006416 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:The Gingerbreadman - psychopath, sadist, convicted murderer and cake/biscuit - is loose on the streets of Reading. It isn't Jack Spratt's case. Despite the success of the Humpty Dumpty investigation, the well publicised failure to

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Purple Hibiscus

2007-04-24T21:08:00.000Z

Title: Purple HibiscusAuthor: Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieISBN # 0007766653Publisher: Harper PerennialFirst Published: 2004307 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:Longlisted for the 2004 Man Booker Prize Shortlisted for the 2004 Orange Prize A haunting tale of an Africa and an adolescence undergoing tremendous changes by a talented young Nigerian writer. The limits of fifteen-year-old

Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice

2007-04-24T21:07:00.000Z

Title: Pride and PrejudiceAuthor: Jane AustenISBN # 1853260002Publisher: Wordsworth ClassicsFirst Published: 1813288 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the

George Orwell – Nineteen Eighty-Four (Audio Book)

2007-04-24T21:06:00.000Z

Title: Nineteen Eighty-FourAuthor: George OrwellNarrator: Frank MullerFirst Published: 1948Running time: 9 hrs, 35 min, 23 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 9/10 Synopsis:Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skillfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which

Richard Montanari – The Rosary Girls

2007-04-24T21:05:00.002Z

Title: The Rosary GirlsAuthor: Richard MontanariISBN # 0099486881Publisher: Arrow BooksFirst Published: 2006533 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:In the most brutal killing crusade Philadelphia has seen in years, a series of young Catholic women are found dead, their bodies mutilated and their hands bolted together. Each clutches a rosary in her lifeless grasp. Veteran cop, Kevin

Jennifer Donnelly – The Tea Rose

2007-04-24T21:05:00.001Z

Title: The Tea RoseAuthor: Jennifer DonnellyISBN # 0007155565Publisher: Harper CollinsFirst Published: 2002782 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 9/10 Synopsis:Set in Whitechapel in 1888, The Tea Rose is a tale of a love lost and won, of a family's destruction, of murder and revenge - and one young woman's quest to escape the poverty of her childhood and make her fortune in the tea trade. Fiona

Patrick Süskind – Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

2007-04-24T21:04:00.001Z

Title: Perfume: The Story of a MurdererAuthor: Patrick SüskindISBN # 0141029048Publisher: Penguin BooksFirst Published: 1985272 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Survivor, genius, perfumer, killer: this is Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. He is abandoned on the filthy streets of Paris as a child, but grows up to discover he has an extraordinary gift: a sense of smell more powerful than

Anna Sewell – Black Beauty

2007-04-24T21:03:00.001Z

Title: Black BeautyAuthor: Anna SewellISBN # 0140621490Publisher: Penguin ClassicsFirst Published: 1877224 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:During his long life, Black Beauty has many different owners who put him to a variety of tasks, from being a riding horse on a country estate to a cab horse in town. Despite often being subjected to cruelty, Black Beauty's strength, gentle

Gideon Defoe – The Pirates! In an Adventure with Whaling

2007-04-24T21:01:00.000Z

Title: The Pirates! In an Adventure with WhalingAuthor: Gideon DefoeISBN # 0297849018Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicholson (Orion Books)First Published: 2005152 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Since she sailed away after the pirates' adventure with scientists, the pirates' boat has been somewhat battered by the rigours of ocean life. Her mast keeps collapsing, her wheel has broken off

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell – The Stone Pilot

2007-04-24T21:00:00.000Z

Title: The Stone PilotAuthor: Paul Stewart and Chris RiddellISBN # 0552554391Publisher: Corgi BooksFirst Published: 2006 (World Book Day)80 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:This is an exclusive story, tracing the history of Maugin, the Stone Pilot, who Twig meets in "Stormchaser". Maugin is a trog, destined to change from a beautiful delicate creature into the fearsomely

H. Rider Haggard - King Solomon’s Mines (Audio Book)

2007-04-24T20:59:00.000Z

Title: King Solomon’s MinesAuthor: H Rider HaggardNarrator: John NicholsonPublisher: www.Librivox.ogFirst Published: 1885Running time: 8 hrs 28 min 51 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 6/10 Synopsis:Following a map drawn 300 years ago by a dying man, three adventurers set out in search of the legendary riches of King Solomon's diamond mines. On their journey they have to cross deserts, mountains

Holly A Harvey - Karma

2007-03-31T15:17:00.000Z

Title: KarmaAuthor: Holly A HarveyISBN # 9871873671009Publisher: BookforceFirst Published: 2006349 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 8/10 Winner of the Undiscovered Authors 2005 General Fiction category for the North East Region Synopsis:Karma is a light-hearted, comical story about Paige, a 28 year-old northern woman whose life revolves around sleep, caffeine and VH-1 rather than sex, drugs

Randy Alcorn - Deception

2007-03-31T15:15:00.000Z

Title: DeceptionAuthor: Randy AlcornISBN # 1590526163Publisher: Multnomah BooksFirst Published: 2007490 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Who Done It... and Why? Ollie Chandler is a brilliant and quick-witted homicide detective who lives by Ollie's First Law: "Things are not what they appear." So when a university professor is found murdered and the motive looks like revenge, a

Jane Austen – Northanger Abbey (Audio)

2007-03-31T15:14:00.000Z

Title: Northanger AbbeyAuthor: Jane AustenNarrator: VariousPublisher: librivox.orgFirst Published: 1817Running time: 8hr 12min 02secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 8/10 Synopsis:With its loveable, impressionable heroine and its themes of growing up and learning to live in the real world, "Northanger Abbey" remains one of Jane Austen's most irresistible and up-to-date novels. Catherine Morland is

Deborah ElizaBeth Hill and Sandra Brandenburg – The Crystal Chalice (Vol. II – Lost Myths Saga)

2007-03-31T15:12:00.000Z

Title: The Crystal Chalice (Vol. II – Lost Myths Saga)Author: Deborah ElizaBeth Hill and Sandra BrandenburgISBN # 1929374445Publisher: FireMountain PressFirst Published: 2006259 pagesFormat: PaperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:Lily is happy in college, but not with Marshall, He is sleeping with everyone except his beloved. Evan wants Valaura to be ready to settle down. Valuara wants a little

Anthony Hope – The Prisoner of Zenda (Audio)

2007-03-31T15:10:00.000Z

Title: The Prisoner of ZendaAuthor: Anthony HopeNarrator: Andy MinterPublisher: www.librivox.orgFirst Published: 1894Running time: 5hrs 42 mins 29 secsFormat: Audio Book Rating: 6/10 Synopsis:Rudolph Rassendyll's life is interrupted by his unexpected and personal involvement in the affairs of Ruritania whilst travelling through the town of Zenda. He is shortly on the way to Streslau, the

Raven Hart – The Vampire’s Seduction

2007-03-31T15:07:00.000Z

Title: The Vampire’s SeductionAuthor: Raven hartISBN # 0345479750Publisher: Ballantine BooksFirst Published: 2006408 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:When it comes to a wild and seductive nightlife, Savannah has bite. Older than the United States and wealthy beyond his years, playboy William Cuyler Thorne is a vampire with a nice long undead life—one that includes a steady stream

Terry Pratchett - Moving Pictures (Audio)

2007-03-31T15:00:00.000Z

Title: Moving PicturesAuthor: Terry PratchettNarrator: Nigel PlanerPublisher: Isis Audio BooksFirst Published: 1990Format: Audio Book Rating: 8/10 Synopsis:‘Holy Wood is a different sort of place. People act differently here. Everywhere else the most important things are gods or money or cattle. Here, the most important thing is to be important.’ People might say that reality is a quality

Jed Rubenfeld – The Interpretation of Murder

2007-03-31T14:54:00.000Z

Title: The Interpretation of MurderAuthor: Jed RubenfeldISBN # 9780755331420Publisher: Headline ReviewFirst Published: 2006529 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:The Interpretation of Murder is an inventive tour de force inspired by Sigmund Freud's 1909 visit to America, accompanied by protégé and rival Carl Jung. When a wealthy young debutante is discovered bound, whipped and

Gabriel García Márquez – Of Love and Other Demons

2007-03-31T14:51:00.000Z

Title: Of Love and Other DemonsAuthor: Gabriel García MárquezTranslated by: Edith GrossmanISBN # 0140256369Publisher: PenguinFirst Published: 1995147 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 3/10Olympic Challenge: Colombia Synopsis:The story of Sierva Maria de Todos los Angeles, who is bitten by a rabid dog and subsequently confined to a convent. There the girl is thought to be possessed by devils, but

P G Wodehouse – Right Ho, Jeeves (Audio)

2007-03-31T14:48:00.000Z

Title: Right Ho, JeevesAuthor: P G WodehouseNarrator: Mark NelsonPublisher: www.librivox.orgFirst Published: 1934Running time: 7hrs 57 mins 17 secsFormat: Audio Book Rating: 8/10 Synopsis:Bertram Wooster’s manservant, Jeeves, is renowned for his ability to apply his keen intellect to solve all problems domestic, and Bertie’s friends and relatives flock to him for his counsel. But Wooster,

Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman – Good Omens (Audio)

2007-03-31T14:33:00.000Z

Title: Good OmensAuthor: Terry Pratchett and Neil GaimanNarrator: Stephen BriggsPublisher: Isis Audio BooksFirst Published: 2006Running time: Format: Audio Book Rating: 8/10 Synopsis:According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter - the world's only totally reliable guide to the future - the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact.Just after tea. There

Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist

2007-02-27T19:33:00.000Z

Title: The AlchemistAuthor: Paulo CoelhoTranslated by: Alan R ClarkeISBN # 0725532938Publisher: Harper CollinsFirst Published: 1988177 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 8/10Olympic Challenge: Brazil Synopsis:Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. This is such a book - a magical fable about learning to listen to your heart, read the omens strewn along

Maureen Rylance - The Spur on the Plate

2007-02-27T19:32:00.000Z

Title: The Spur on the PlateAuthor: Maureen RylanceISBN # 1412054591Publisher: TraffordFirst Published: 2005100 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 7/10 Synopsis:1529 - The England/Scotland border - a wild lawless place where families made their own law and stealing from each other was part of daily life. Meg and Rob Armstrong despair at the hardships of their family, a family, until recently,

Tara Ison - The List

2007-02-27T19:31:00.000Z

Title: The ListAuthor: Tara IsonISBN # 9780743294140Publisher: ScribnerFirst Published: 2007259 pagesFormat: paperback (advance uncorrected proof)Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:For anyone who has ever broken up with someone... a smart, sophisticated, and darkly comic novel about a dysfunctional couple who make a list of 10 things to do before they break up. Isabel is finishing medical school and

Vadim Jean (with Terry Pratchett) - Hogfather: The Illustrated Screenplay

2007-02-27T17:34:00.000Z

Title: Hogfather: The Illustrated ScreenplayAuthor: Vadim Jean (with Terry Pratchett)ISBN # 0575079290Publisher: OrionFirst Published: 2007252 pagesFormat: HardbackRating: 6/10 Synopsis:Hogswatchnight is fast approaching, and the Hogfather (that jolly fat man who delivers presents to the kiddies) is missing. But it's vital that all the presents are delivered, otherwise the sun won't rise

Art Spiegelman - The Complete Maus (Graphic novel)

2007-02-27T17:33:00.000Z

Title: The Complete MausAuthor: Art SpiegelmanISBN # 0141014083Publisher: Penguin BooksFirst Published: 1996296 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Combined for the first time here are Maus I: A Survivor's Tale and Maus II - the complete story of Vladek Spiegelman and his wife, living and surviving in Hitler's Europe. By addressing the horror of the Holocaust through cartoons, the

P. G. Wodehouse – My Man Jeeves (Audio book)

2007-02-27T17:32:00.000Z

Title: My Man JeevesAuthor: P. G. WodehouseNarrator: Mark NelsonPublisher: www.librivox.orgFirst Published: 1919Running time: 5 hours 12 min 51 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 7/10 Synopsis:Containing drafts of stories later rewritten for other collections (including "Carry On, Jeeves"), "My Man Jeeves" offers a fascinating insight into the genesis of comic literature's most celebrated

Stephen Booth - Black Dog

2007-02-27T17:31:00.000Z

Title: Black DogAuthor: Stephen BoothISBN # 9780006514329Publisher: Harper CollinsFirst Published: 2001528 pagesFormat: paperbackRating: 8/10 Synopsis:Dark, intense and utterly compelling, 'Black Dog' was an extraordinary first novel from a writer who has rapidly become the most promising crime author to emerge in the genre in years. 'Where Cooper stood was remote and isolated! But the smell

H. G. Wells – The Invisible Man (Audio book)

2007-02-27T17:30:00.000Z

Title: The Invisible ManAuthor: H. G. WellsNarrator: Alex FosterPublisher: www.librivox.orgFirst Published: 1897Running time: 4 hours 54 min 55 secFormat: Audio Book Rating: 5/10 Synopsis:With his face swaddled in bandages, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses and his hands covered even indoors, Griffin the new guest at The Coach and Horses is at first assumed to be a shy accident-victim. But