Keris Stainton

52 Books Project - The Reckoning*!

*To be said in a movie trailer voiceover-type voice.

Well, I've been and gone and done it! I can't believe it's over. This year really has flown by ... I know, I'm showing my age. And I didn't manage to finish Mindy Klasky (funny that, left with two books by women named Mindy at the end of the year!).

So - The Reckoning! First of all, how did I get on with my "must-read" list for 2006?

Little Women - read it, was disappointed;
Emma - nope;
Making Babies - nope;
The Virgin Suicides - tried; it was too sad;
A Room With a View - nope;
Madeleine's World - yes; loved it (again);
Monkey Business - yes; didn't like it;
We Need To Talk About Kevin - hated it; couldn't finish it;
A Confederacy of Dunces - started it ... will go back to it;
King of Cannes - read it, loved it.

Hmm. Not very well. That is a pretty poor showing, but it's partly because, in the second half of the year, I had to prioritise books I could review for Trashionista (excuses, excuses). I'll try and read them this year (or decide not to bother ...).

Diane kindly asked me the following questions and they just about sum it up, don't they? (I was only planning to work out the total books and the total Meg Cabots, but no, don't worry, that's fine, I'll go through the whole bloody list again ... and what's the betting the numbers don't add up?)

How many (adult) novels? 60

My favourite was Marian Keyes's Anybody Out There and I also loved Andrea Levy's Small Island, Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos and Stupid and Contagious by Caprice Crane.

How many YA? 26

And my favourite (non-Meg) was probably The Boy Book by E Lockhart. Ooh, or Fly on the Wall by E Lockhart.

How many non-fic? 34

102 Minutes was the best non-fiction book I read this last year.

How many Meg? 8

I think my favourite was the most recent - Princess Diaries: After Eight, but I loved Avalon High too.

Plus children's books (not including repeated readings of Monkey Puzzle and Is It Bedtime, Wibbly Pig?) - 2 (First Term at Malory Towers and Clarice Bean Don't Look Now)

How many, basically? 129!

(I'm not entirely confident that's right since I got 126 the first time I counted, but you know, it's somewhere in that region.)

How many (of the above) have you reviewed? 57

How many have you hated?

I don't think I hated any. But then there were 18 unfinished books - I haven't got time to keep reading a book I'm really not enjoying.

What have you learned?

... That I'm still excited about books. Each time I'd finish a book, I'd have this moment of disappointment that it was over, quickly followed by a flicker of excitement that now I could go and choose another book to read! You'd think I'd have got used to that after 30-odd years of reading, but no.

... That I can't be trusted with a library card. I don't know what the total fines for the year would be - and I don't want to know - but my last (and final) fine was (David, cover your eyes) £15. It doesn't bother me as much as fines from, say, banks (sorry, I mean "admin charges") because I choose to see it as a donation to the library, but I'm too disorganised to cope with library membership. I've finally had to accept it.

Would you recommend it?

I'm not sure. This is what I said when I started:

... it's a good way to give myself a break from work. I find that when I start working, I can't stop and not only do I need (and deserve) a break, I need to read. So this way I'll have an excuse to stop writing and read.

But once I started reviewing for Trashionista, I made reading work too. While on the one hand that's been fantastic - free books! free books! - and what could be better than reading (free!) books for money?! But on the other, it's meant that I'm never really not working ... yeah, yeah, the heart bleeds, I know.

Apart from that, it's been a bit of extra pressure - must read more books! - but I've always been a bit like that anyway. You know because ... so many books, so little time!

And, as it turned out, 52 books wasn't that much of a challenge, so ... I don't know.

Are you happy with that (crappy) answer? But I'd love to hear how you'd get on with it, Diane. Is it too late to challenge you to do it in 2007? :)

Tell us about your next project, Keris...

Oh, alright then! Much as last year's project was inspired by/ripped off Sara Nelson's book, this year's will be inspired by/ripped off this one:

Would it be possible to live without the designer coffee, the Kate Spade bags, the technology that were a part of my everyday existence? Could stripping away some of those items and habits make me appreciate what I have? I created a plan. Each month for one year, I would choose one of my favorite things and give it up, cold turkey, for one month. This would become my year to live better with less.

Like most people, Mary Carlomagno was stressed out, overscheduled, and tripping over the clutter of her days -- until she decided to take control and simplify her life. Each month she renounced one thing: alcohol, shopping, elevators, newspapers, cell phones, dining out, television, taxis, coffee, cursing, chocolate, and multitasking. During the course of the year, Mary took stock of her life, discovered what was really important, and gained a deeper appreciation for the world around her.

I'll have to make a few substitutions - giving up elevators wouldn't have much effect on me since I rarely leave the house - but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. January's - alcohol - is certainly one of my favourite things (or it was until this morning), so we're off!

52 Books Project - Week 52

Can you believe it's week 52? Where's the year gone? Where?

I'm leaving 2006 with one unfinished book - Melinda Roberts's Mommy Confidential. I will finish it - I'm enjoying it - it's just really long!

I forgot last week that I read and loved Miriam Toews' A Boy of Good Breeding as highly recommended - and loaned to me - by Diane. I loved it too. It reminded me of Richard Russo and Eric Kraft (have you read any Eric Kraft, Diane?). Very gentle, sweet and funny.

Not long ago I received an email from Pan Macmillan asking if I'd be interested in a review copy of the latest Princess Diaries. Ha! Two PDs in a year. Pan Macmillan, you're really spoiling me. I'll be reviewing it for Trashionista and Chicklish, but you know I loved it, don't you?

Of the three books hubby bought me for Christmas, I've read one so far - The World of Karl Pilkington. It's a bit of a rip, because it's mostly the transcripts of the podcasts so I've heard it all before, but it's still hilarious:

Karl: No, but they explained it. They said it's from the time when caveman was wandering about and he would go, "Hang on a minute" and he would look round and there's a dinosaur there or whatever, and he'd leg it.

Ricky: Right, this is nonsense. "When caveman was wandering around". Cavemen and dinosaurs, oh they used to live together, yeah sure. Oh that's the same era. What have you been watching, Raquel Welsh in One Million Years BC?

Karl: What do you mean?

Steve: You do know The Flintstones is only partly based on fact?

Ricky: You know cavemen didn't mix concrete in a pelican?

My final book of the year - how can that be? - was Mindy Klasky's A Girl's Guide to Witchcraft. I haven't finished it yet, but will do later today (if I have to hide in another room to do it!).

We're making the unprecedented move of actually leaving the house tonight - don't get too excited, we're not going far - so 52 Books Project - The Reckoning! (I'm hoping to sell the film rights to Vin Diesel) will be done tomorrow once I've sobered up.

Have a brilliant night, everyone! If you're really sad and stuck for something to do, can you go and comment on our Top 10 Extravaganza! posts on Trashionista, cos they took us ages and the commenting has been minimal. Ta.

See you next year!

52 Books Project - Week 51

I have no idea what day it is ... is it Friday? Then this is very late and no doubt Favourite Photo Friday will be too. Oh no, I've got a new photo I've taken which I can post later. Sadly, it's of Harry again. When will I get the scanner fixed? When? When?

Anyway, 52 Books project. Only two and a half days left. Yikes.

So last week I read Sloppy Firsts and Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About and started Melinda Roberts's Mommy Confidential (it's enormous, I'm never going to finish it before the end of the year).

I know I was supposed to be coming up with insights, but I can't think of any. Does anyone have any questions about the "project" and I can answer them - and reveal the total! - on Sunday? Anyone? Bueller?

52 Books Project - Week 50

Finished In Between Men, Dirty Sugar Cookies and the Strictly book (which was great) this week (and I'll be reviewing at least two of them!).

I've just realised part of the point of this project that I was meant to be ruminating on which books I chose to read and why and stuff like that, but since I started writing for Trashionista I've mostly just been reading the next book in line ... I've loved it though and I'm looking forward to working out exactly how many books I've read this year (cos I'm funny like that).

(Oh and can you let me know if you can see the video on the left or if it's knackered the formatting or anything. Merci.)

52 Books Project - Week 49

I finished What Would Murphy Brown Do and Me vs Me and reviewed them both for Trashionista. I also read The Principles of Love and, yes, reviewed it for Trashionista. Today I finished My Fat Brother and later this week I'll be ... yep, you guessed it.

52 Books Project - Week 48

Just two this week - Daughter of the Bride and Phosphorescence (which I'll be reviewing for Chicklish). I'm absolutely loving Me vs Me and I might even finish that today .. depends what's on the telly tonight.

I seem to have a bunch of half-read books littering the place, though, and I'll try and finish them all by the end of the year.

52 Books Project - Week 47

I've said it before, but I'll say it again: seeing how far along the year we are really focusses my mind. Well, it focusses it on going "Argh! Argh! There's only 5 weeks left!! What have I achieved? What is there still to do? That means it's only 4 weeks til Christmas! When am I going to buy presents? What are we doing? Where are we going?"

Then again, I've spent the rest of the week going, "Brendan Cole or Nick Knowles? Brendan Cole or Nick Knowles? Brendan Cole and Nick Knowles?" so a bit of panic is probably preferable. (Yes, I know .. I've got strange taste.)

Anyway, the books! Two read this week. Amy Peppercorn I didn't like much, but I'm not really sure why (and that's why I don't write book reviews for The Guardian). Breakup Babe I liked very much and will be reviewing for Trashionista this week.

The other thing about week 47 is that I have to go and look up next year's project and see if I really want to do it. I will do it (probably), I just need to see what I'm in for and psyche myself up.

Oh and in other news, I watched the first half hour of Queer Eye on FTN last night (before the Strictly results show came on) and it's only bloody ALL NEW Queer Eye! Why wasn't I informed? Who knows how many I've missed (and will continue to miss unless we can get our video to tune in to terrestrial)?

52 Books Project - Week 46

I was right about Miss Understanding, it was a hard one to review, but I managed it!

I've started What Would Murphy Brown Do and I'm really enjoying it. It's subtitled 'How the women of prime time changed our lives' and it's so interesting. Plus it's giving me a hankering to watch Roseanne. I don't think we ever got Murphy Brown over here. Has anyone seen it? Is it worth hunting down?

I read Ellen Meister's Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA and loved it. I expected to like it since it features George Clooney, but it's a really engrossing book about female friendships and gossip. It reminded me of Peyton Place and Jennifer Weiner's Goodnight, Nobody. Fab. (And I'll be reviewing it for Trashionista later this week.)

52 Books Project - Week 45

I enjoyed Cross Your Heart, Connie Pickles and will be reviewing it for Chicklish tomorrow .. probably.

I really enjoyed Heidi Raykeil's Confessions of a Naughty Mommy. Seriously, every mother who has struggled with her post-baby sex life (and that's all of us, surely) should read this book. It's brilliant and honest and intelligent and enlightening. I'll be reviewing it for Trashionista soon too.

I'm struggling a bit with Miss Understanding. It's going to be a hard one to review, I can tell ...

(And can you believe there are only 7 weeks left of this project and therefore this year? Yikes.)

52 Books Project - Week 44

I loved Don't Look Now, the latest Clarice Bean book. I don't think it was quite as funny as the previous two, but, like all Lauren Child's books, the Clarice Bean books are just so sweet, charming and good-natured. I love them.

Ah, the next book, Caprice Crane's Stupid and Contagious, I also loved, but you couldn't quite call it charming or good-natured. It's definitely funny though. I'll be reviewing it for Trashionista this week, but I urge you to read it. I could happily read it again (except I've loaned it to Diane .. and I've just realised I should've checked with Gabrielle since she loaned it to me - Gabrielle, expect an email!)

On the way to Sheffield to meet Diane (I will be blogging about this historic meeting (!) at some point, but there's just so much to blog about!) I read Nora Ephron's essay collection, I Feel Bad About My Neck. It's wonderful, of course. I'll be reviewing that too.

Then I read another proof - Dramarama by the fabulous E Lockhart. I love her books and this one did not disappoint. Fabulous.

I'm loving Why Moms Are Weird too. In fact, I'd quite like to make myself a cup of tea and get back to it, if you'll excuse me.

(David's gone to see Motorhead tonight and I was planning to watch The West Wing on More4, but Harry's "hidden" the card thingie from the Sky box!!! Luckily, I've got The West Wing on DVD, but it's so much more fun to watch it on TV somehow!)

52 Books Project - Week 43

I finally finished Woman's Best Friend and I loved it. Be reviewing it for Trashionista at the end of this week, I think. And I'll be reviewing Megan Crane's English as a Second Language later this week too (review's up).

We're having a NaNovember Extravaganza over at Trashionista to celebrate National Novel Writing Month. We've got more giveaways, guest blogs, interviews, reviews and loads of NaNo fun. Don't miss it!

52 Books Project - Week 42

Ooh, look at that - week 42! Only 10 weeks of the year left!! Eek.

Reviewed fabulous Lani Diane Rich's The Comeback Kiss for Trashionista. I'll be reviewing Sue Limb's Girl, Nearly 16, Absolute Torture for Chicklish and Woman's Best Friend for Trashionista. That was easy.

Oh! I completely forgot (because it wasn't in the book list at the side, because it's not listed on Amazon yet) that I was lucky enough to read a proof copy of Lucy Diamond's Any Way You Want Me. I absolutely loved it. Seriously, it was an 'ignore the baby' book. Well I didn't exactly ignore him (and he's not exactly a baby), but he watched many more DVDs than usual, while I curled up on the couch laughing, gasping and, yes, crying a little. It's a fabulous book, but I won't be reviewing it for a while - it's not out until April 2007.

Have I mentioned how much I love my ... yeah, I have, haven't I.

52 Books Project - Week 41

Secret Society Girl was great (will be reviewing ...).

21 Dog Years, I've wanted to read for ages and I did enjoy it, but at the same time it was rather boring. I wanted all sorts of gossip and intrigue about Amazon and it didn't really deliver. But then again, it kind of did. It's just that once he's introduced you to the culture and the mindset of the early days of Amazon, everything else just seems pretty reasonable. Someone grows a lawn on their desk? Fair enough. They work entirely in the dark (except for the light from their monitors .. like I'm doing now)? Okay then. Packs of dogs roam the offices? Of course they do. It also wasn't as funny as I'd hoped (in fact it was barely funny at all). But having said all that - I couldn't stop reading it.

This morning my neighbour knocked with a book that had been left with her yesterday while I was out. It was Cancer Vixen* by Marisa Acocella Marchetto. It's a graphic novel and you've probably read about it, not least because it's going to be made into a film starring Cate Blancett.

I've never read a graphic novel before. I tried to read Jimmy Corrigan, but couldn't make head nor tail of it (even to the point of not knowing what order to read the frames in). I got In The Shadow of No Towers for Christmas (I did ask for it, it wasn't the world's most depressing present!), but haven't yet even opened it (you need to be in a certain mood to read a graphic novel about 9/11, and I haven't found that mood yet). Cancer Vixen I opened to read the first page and then barely put it down for the rest of the day. I loved it. You should read it. Yes, you. And, yes, I'll be reviewing it for Trashionista.

Can I just mention again how much I love my job? I really, really love my job.

* "Vixen" rather than "victim", you see.

52 Books Project - Week 40

I know this is late this week and I did almost forget to do it! Perish the thought!!

I'm reading a couple of books gradually .. Libby Malin's Loves Me, Loves Me Not I'm finding a bit *whisper* boring, so I'm reading a chapter between other books. Beyond Chocolate I think is wonderful so I'm reading a chapter each day to remind me to eat mindfully and all that palaver. (My friend Andrea Wren has finished it and is blogging about her attempts to boldly go Beyond Chocolate here.)

Zoe Rice's Pick Me Up I loved. Jackie Clune's Man of the Month Club I found disappointing. Shug I really enjoyed. I'll be reviewing all of them here and there one of these days.

52 Books Project - Week 39

Thank you for all your congratulations - you're all fab!

As for 52 Books, I read two last week and both will be reviewed elsewhere, but they were both absolutely great books - I loved them. The first was E Lockhart's The Boy Book which is the sequel to The Boyfriend List, my favourite YA ever (Meg Cabot excluded). The second was Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston (who wrote Sophie's Bakery For the Broken-hearted which I know I enjoyed, but can't remember anything about), which I also loved.

52 Books Project - Week 38

Argh, I'm so far behind. Right then, last week I read Bill Bryson's The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, which was great - don't take any notice of all the reviews saying that it fails as an autobiography/memoir, it's not an autobiography (it's obviously been marketed as one to appeal to his squillions of fans), it's more like a travelogue of America in the fifties. Sarra Manning's Let's Get Lost was fab (read Luisa's review here), and then e-luv which I also enjoyed (although funnily enough, I've laughed more at the author's blog than I did at the book) and will be reviewing for Trashionista .. at some point.

I've also updated last week's 52 Books to include links to the Trashionista reviews (although there are still more to come).

52 Books Project - Week 37

Hello! I'm back! And, yes, I've missed you all.

I read a lot of books while I was away. 6 in total and 2 in part. I'm reviewing most or maybe even all of them here and there and I haven't got time to think about it now so .. I'll think about it tomorrow and update this then.

I didn't really enjoy Lauren Baratz-Logsted's How Nancy Drew Saved My Life. She can really write, but the story totally lost its way at the end. And do we really need an update of Jane Eyre? Particularly one that uses the events of 9/11 to excuse an unbelievable plot!

Stephanie Calman's Confessions of a Failed Grown-up is recommended!

The Princess Diaries Seventh Heaven I'll be reviewing for both Trashionista and Chicklish (new name for Chicklet) but I'll give you a sneaky preview - it's fab. As are Jancee Dunn's But Enough About Me and Stephanie Lehmann's You Could Do Better (here's the review).

Anyway, you're not interested, are you? You're desperate to hear about my hols and see my lovely photos, aren't you? Well I'll sort you out with that asap.

After tea. And the second episode of The Apprentice we taped (remind me to rant about The Apprentice soon). And after Jamie's School Dinners II: This Time It's Personal (or whatever it's called). (Oh and remind me to remind you that Loose Women is back on - woo hoo!) And I've got to do a bit of fiction for the do-a-bit-of-fiction-every-day group I'm in (that's not what it's actually called). So I might not actually get around to doing it until tomorrow. But I'll do it then. Honest. (Probably.)

52 Books Project - Week 36

I wrote this yesterday because now I'm on my holidays*, so it's not entirely up to date.

I reviewed Queen of Babble for Trashionista and I'll be reviewing Peaches for Chicklet soon.

Now that was pathetic. I'll have more to say next week hopefully, especially if I get a chance to read the eight books I'm taking (have taken) with me.

Have a great week, everyone!

* Don't worry, I've written timed posts for the week ahead. I know! I'm so good to you. Either that or I'm procrastinating on something ...

52 Books Project - Week 35

It's September (i.e. three quarters through the year) and that means - I need to count up my books again! (Groan.)

Last count was 56 and I've just counted another 20 (and no more Meg Cabots! Don't worry, I've just started one).

So that makes 76 books so far this year. Jeez.

As for this week - I've reviewed Which Brings Me To You for Trashionista and I'll be reviewing Opal Mehta there on Wednesday (here's a clue: plagiarised or not, I loved it).

Oh and I already know what next year's project's going to be and I'm rather excited about it!

52 Books Project - Week 34 & Favourite Photo Friday!

I loved Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love as you can see here. Sara's Face was a pretty compelling and topical read, but it left me a bit unsatisfied (I've reviewed it here). The latest No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book, Blue Shoes and Happiness, I'll be reviewing for Trashionista tomorrow.

That was easy (or it would be if I didn't have to do all the reviews elsewhere!).

Since the 52 Books Project post's so short today, I thought I'd stick Favourite Photo Friday (which I forgot to do on Friday) up today.

Me on the right and my sister on the left.

Note how Leanne has a kind of funky Kylie Can't Get You Out of My Head thing going on, whereas I have a Simon Cowell chest-trouser thing going on. Typical.

(And do I look exactly like Harry or what?!)

52 Books Project - Week 33

I seem to have been reading like a demon all week. Reviewing for two different sites really focuses my mind. Every time I pick a book up I have to check if I can review it or not, and if I can't review it have I got time to read it or do I need to read one I can review. It's fun, I'm loving it. (And I can't tell you how fantastic it is to sit with a book and a glass of wine and be working!) (Don't hate me!)

I loved Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency. I remember picking this up in Waterstone's and rejecting it because I didn't like the cover. I thought it looked like it was probably rubbish. Shows what I know. Ruby Parker Hits the Small Time I reviewed for Chicklet and Little Lady, Big Apple (the follow-up to The Little Lady Agency) I've reviewed it for Trashionista. I've just started Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love after reading an extract in O magazine. Enjoying it so far.

52 Books Project - Week 32

Yep, once again I can kill two birds with one stone in the bush .. or something. I reviewed Anna Maxted's latest A Tale of Two Sisters here, and 13 Little Blue Envelopes here.

I started reading Jane Fonda's autobiography a while ago and I've been alternating it with other books, partly because non-fiction doesn't hold my attention as well as fiction and partly because I wanted to savour it. She's an amazing woman and it's an amazing book which I think all women should read (men should read it too, but they probably won't) (Trashionista review here). I started reading Geek Love, which Jennifer Weiner raves about, but I found I was dreading picking it up so I've put it to one side.

I then started A Confederacy of Dunces, which was one of the books on my must-read-this-year list, but then I got my first free book to review (free! book!): Little Lady, Big City. It's a sequel and surely you know me well enough by now to know I wouldn't read a sequel without having read the first book so I zoomed off to the library and got The Little Lady Agency which I'm thoroughly enjoying so far.

52 Books Project - Week 31

I highly recommend Jennifer Crusie's Anyone But You, but Rose Wilkins' So Super Starry? Not so much. (Gawd, I'm an awful self-promoter!)

As for Ian Sansom's The Case of the Missing Books. Um. To begin with I thought I was going to love it. It's obviously trying to appeal to the Alexander McCall Smith gentle mystery market (but set in Northern Ireland) and it was charming and sweet and I really love Israel, the main character plus there are some fantastic supporting characters ... but. It was quite slow. And it wasn't as funny or clever as it thought it was and after a while the smugness started to rankle. Plus it really reminded me of something else which may or may not have been Roddy Doyle, but it was making my teeth itch trying to remember what it was! I'll probably read the next one though.

52 Books Project - Week 30

I've really enjoyed Sarah Waters' books, particularly Fingersmith, so I was looking forward to Night Watch but it was sort of disappointing. I say "sort of" because I really did enjoy it. It was beautifully written, intriguing, interesting, etc., but when I reached the end I found myself wondering what the point was. There wasn't really a plot as such and it wasn't even particularly original (except that there were some lesbians - but no lesbo action! - in it). Oddly disappointing.

Flirting with Pride & Prejudice I reviewed for Trashionista and Bad Kitty I reviewed for Chicklet. Coo. That was easy.

52 Books Project - Week 29

I wanted to read Steve Almond's Candyfreak because I'd read a review of his latest book - Which Brings Me To You (written with Julianna Baggott) and which I can't wait to read - that said the reviewer had fallen in love with Almond when she read Candyfreak. I do enjoy falling in love with authors (and I love chocolate, of course) so I got it from the library. And I loved it (I'm not in love with him yet, but I see potential).

I also got Lynn Grabhorn's Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting, from the library. I've no idea what made me pick it up, but Grabhorn would say it showed itself to me to set me on the right path. Or something. Yes, it's a little bit "woo-woo" (a little bit "weyyy"), but it actually does make sense. The (very) basic jist is that if you constantly focus on negatives, you will attract negativity into your life. And so the answer is to focus on positives (in other words, focus on what you want, rather than what you don't want) and, lo, you will attract positivity. I do believe in this. And even if it doesn't work, it's still much more pleasant to focus on the good. I'm now trying to counteract every (negative) thought about my flabby belly with a (positive) one about my lovely bosoms. (Sorry, too much information?)

I've reviewed Jenny Colgan's Do You Remember the First Time? for Trashionista.

52 Books Project - Week 28

I bought the Susan Isaacs book solely because Jennifer Weiner raves about her, but I must admit it didn't look like it was going to be my kind of thing. It starts with an omniscient narrator telling us about Charlie and Lauren two "American heroes" who are destined to meet and fall in love, but first, the narrator tells us, we need to know how they got to be who they are. And so we go back four generations to their shared Grandma, just arriving in New York from Poland. I made myself a cuppa, settled down and thought, 'Why don't I read books like this anymore? I love books like this!' but after 400 pages of Charlie and Lauren's ancestors, I was starting to wonder when it would get to the point. And then it did and from there it dragged. Shame.

The other thing that bugged me was that Susan Isaacs obviously believed she was writing An Important Book About What It Means To Be An American! I found myself getting annoyed at the tone of some of it. Still, the first part was great, the last part was poor, but I'll definitely look out for more of her books.

On to a book by someone I sort of know which makes it difficult to write about it here. So, guess what? I'm not going to - bwak bwak bwak bwak bwak (that's me being chicken, in case that was unclear). I've reviewed it here instead (and, yes, it's already moved!).

52 Books Project - Week 27

Curses. I said I'd count up my half yearly total, didn't I. Okay. I'll do it now. *mutters darkly*

Bloody hell! 56 books! I've read 56 books! That's insane. And 6 were Meg Cabots, which is a percentage of, um ... 933.33%! Oh, that's not right. Um ... 10.71%! (I actually had to go and ask David how to do that. I used to know, honest. All this reading's certainly not making me any cleverer, is it?!)

Right. So this week I read Enchanted Inc by Shanna Swendson. This is a sort of chick lit paranormal (very big in the US), i.e. the heroine, Katie, is a typical, normal, chick lit heroine, but she goes to work for a magical company. It's really good, very sweet, quite funny and nowhere near as twee as it sounds.

Next up was Jools Oliver's book which I read for the same reasons I read Ann Leary's last week. You know how Leary's a writer and didn't just get a book published because of who her husband is? Well ... Jools seems very sweet, but not the sharpest knife in the block and she's certainly no writer. It was, of course, a very easy read, but there were a few things that drove me absolutely mad. Not least that it didn't seem to have been edited at all (couple of examples: she used "consequently" where she meant "subsequently" and she used "akin" completely out of context). She claims that she bought and read numerous pregnancy books, but then mentions quite a few things she did during pregnancy and breastfeeding - eating honey and nuts, and drinking wine and coke - that are not recommended (though that might just be me being a pregnancy nazi).

The thing I found most interesting was the weird celebrity bubble they seem to live in and how Jools doesn't seem to be aware of it. Listen to this:

I remember once reading an article that Jamie had written for a magazine where he described the joy of feeling Poppy move around in my tummy. I loved it when he said that when I was asleep he used to cuddle me from behind and hold my tummy, waiting for the baby to make a move. I suppose it was a little private moment for just the two of them. Sometimes you really forget about your partner when you are pregnant. I used to get so wrapped up in me and the baby that I would forget that Jamie was also part of this amazing experience. Reading that article on the off-chance gave me the insight that he was as fascinated and excited as I was.

Don't you think that's odd? Firstly that it's hardly a 'private moment for just the two of them' if he's writing about it for a magazine. And secondly, how weird is it that she didn't know about this, he hadn't mentioned it to her, she found out about it by reading it in a magazine?! Which leads me to the really mad bit! She talks about Jamie doing an interview with Lynda Lee-Potter:

Originally they had been talking about cooking food and the rest, but somehow the conversation had been steered towards family life and me (something which I have always told Jamie to be very guarded about) ...

Excuse me?! I can't think of any celebrities less guarded about family. Um, what's this book I'm reading for a start? And the magazine article above? And the fact that Jamie's first TV series was filmed in their house! And aren't there pictures of Jools and/or their daughters in all of his books? It just shows how celebrities can live in a world of denial.

Anyhoo. Next up was Frogs and French Kisses, the second in Sarah Mlynowski's All About Rachel trilogy. It's also chick lit paranormal (albeit for teens) so I should've paced myself really, but I enjoyed the first and couldn't wait to read this one. And it was great. I'm hoping to review it for a new site I'm working on with Luisa so I'll say no more!

52 Books Project - Week 26

Week 26! You know what that means, don't you? That means - if I have reckoned correctly - we're exactly halfway through the year! OMG! That means I should have half done (at least!) all the things I wanted to do this year. Have I? I don't know! Argh! Argh! Too much pressure!

Plus I should've read 26 books. I've definitely read more than 26. I started counting - separating out the Meg Cabot's for Diane's benefit - but then I wasn't sure if I'd included the Megs or not and I got all confused. I'll try again tomorrow.

When I'm reading I often stop and mark pages with a post-it if I want to refer back to them or write about them here. Harry's new favourite thing is to find my books, pull out all the post-its and then present them to me with a grin. Of course, he's been pulling my bookmarks out since he was old enough to pinch. Just thought I'd mention that.

Lovely Diane loaned me In Praise of Slow and it was just what I needed. In fact, it made me think about my reading style. Basically, I can't read fast enough. There are so many books and so little time. And they keep publishing the damn things. Faster than I can read them. So I'm constantly buying books, reading books, getting books from the library, adding them to my Amazon wishlist. And often books lead to other books and then sometimes you find an author you didn't know you'd love, but you love them and they've written loads of books which you then have to read and, oh my god, it's all so much pressure!

Occasionally I stop and think this is ridiculous; slow down and savour the books you're reading. This line of thought usually leads to a book-breakdown and I spend a few days capable only of reading magazines or lying on the sofa watching relaxing TV.

So as I was speeding through Slow I, um, realised I was speeding through Slow. But I couldn't stop. It's such a good book: wise and practical and, actually, necessary (in my opinion), but spending a full semester reading Middlemarch (as they do at the University of Surrey) is just not going to happen. (I think it took me a full semester to read it, but that was only because I found it boring and inpenetrable.)

I didn't know there was a new Danny Wallace book so when I saw this one in WH Smiths last week I had to snap it up. When I got home I noticed I hadn't been charged for it. Result!* This is an extremely slight story - basically Danny goes to Wallace, Idaho for a couple of days and wanders about - but Danny is so sweet and funny, his books make me feel all warm inside. But don't even think about reading this if you haven't read Join Me or The Yes Man. Everyone should read Join Me and The Yes Man (and, for that matter, Are You Dave Gorman? and Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure). Then you can read this.

I got the latest Janet Evanovich for research (something to do with that publishing contract I told you about). It's great, but it would've been better if I hadn't just read/scanned five of the previous books. When you read them close together you start to notice a bit of repetition of plot and even some specific lines. Still a great read though.

Finally I read Ann Leary's Special Delivery. Ann Leary is Denis Leary's wife and this book is the story of their son being born three months early when they were in London for Denis to do a TV show. I'm nosy about women's birth experiences and the families of famous people I like so I had to read this. Ann actually is a writer (rather than her having a book published on the back of being married to Denis) and it's a great read.

Yikes. That's a lot of books for one week. No wonder I'm not getting much work done. (Actually, there's nothing on the telly. Except the Tour de France has started now - yay!**)

* Don't get your undies in an uproar, I'm paying it forward by listing my copy here. Do you think Earl taught me nothing?

** I'm not being sarcastic. David loves the TDF (as we call it round here) and over the years I've got sucked in. The fact that every year there's a drug scandal and you can't tell the genuine athletes from those that've been assisted making the whole thing a mockery of a sham doesn't spoil our enjoyment. (Well it does a bit, but what can you do?)

52 Books Project - Week 25

I only read one book in full this week, but it was a doozy: Love Walked In.

I got it from the library and, as usual, I picked it up because I liked the cover, but it's a gorgeous book. It's so beautifully written with great classic cinema references, twists and turns and a fantastic ending. Plus as I was reading I was thinking this can't happen or this'd better happen and I hope this doesn't happen or whatever and the author tied everything up beautifully, but not easily or tritely. Realistically. And even though it didn't work out exactly how I wanted, I knew it was right. That's so great.

Highly, highly recommended.

52 Books Project - Week 24

I have quite a lot to write this week, so I'm doing my usual thing of putting it off and stressing myself out about it. Just do it! Now! And then you can have a cup of tea and some toast and an episode of Gilmore Girls. Okay, okay.

Sorry about that.

Right. So. Lisa Yee: Millicent Min, Girl Genius. It's YA and I really enjoyed it. Millicent is a genius (the clue is in the title) and I thought it was going to be irritating at first because she is so clueless, but once you get into it, Yee does it really well and I was rooting for Millicent by the end. Plus Lisa Yee's next book is the same story from the perspective of one of the other characters which is just a great idea.

Loved Ex and the Single Girl, but I've loved all of Lani Diane Rich's books so I wasn't surprised. Actually, I didn't love it as much as her first, Time Off For Good Behavior, but, still, it was a great read.

Ah, The Wonder Spot. I was unsure about reading this because of the brouhaha* (I mean, I like a good brouhaha as much as the next person, but chick lit related brouhahas - broushaha? - get on my last nerve. Do male authors constantly bitch and moan like this? I think not.) Also because I didn't adore A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing like everyone else seemed to (love the cover though) but something about The Wonder Spot pulled me in (think it was the cover again; I'm so shallow). And I loved, loved, loved it. Beautifully written, so funny and I was sorry to finish it. I have utterly no idea whether it's literary or chick lit or what it is. It depends on your definition, I suppose, and I just don't care that much. To me, a good book is a good book (which is why my English Lit lecturers despaired of me) and this is a good book.

But the thing I really wanted to blether about is, um, that thing where you read something in one book and then you read it in another book and then another. Synchronicity? Or something. I don't know. But it happens a lot. F'r'instance. Do you know a lot of men named Ian? I don't. But in Alison Pace's If Andy Warhol Had A Girlfriend there's a British man named Ian. And in Ex And The Single Girl. And The Wonder Spot. In Pug Hill Hope goes to evening classes at The New School. So does Sophie in The Wonder Spot (but for a different subject). While Sophie's at The New School she hears a girl listening to Led Zeppelin and mentions the lyrics 'if there's a bustle in your hedgerow'**. Marian Keyes mentions the same lyrics in Anybody Out There.

A hedgerow, yesterday.

That's all. For now.

* One thing I will say is that you only have to read the first paragraph of that review to decide that Curtis Sittenfeld is not your new best friend. Jennifer Weiner is. (My favourite bit: I’m smarter than she is. Also, my book is not chick lit. It’s CATCHER IN THE RYE! Only with blow jobs.)

** Scroll down to number 2.

52 Books Project - Week 23

I gave up on Three Junes after about 400 pages. 400 pages! It was beautifully written, but I don't remember when I last read a more humourless book. The main character, Fenno, described himself as humourless, as pompous, as "boorishly self-obsessed". Well .. yes. And that doesn't exactly make for a fun read. After about 300 pages I started thinking, God, stop moaning Fenno! and then, when thinking that overtook my enjoyment of the writing, I had to stop reading.

The cover comment by Michael Cunningham 'Threatens to burst with all the life it contains ... it's extraordinary' surprises me. I assume he means in an 'all life is here' sort of way and I agree, the breadth of the novel is extraordinary, but 'burst with life' implies joy to me and I found the book utterly joyless. Threatens to implode under all the life it contains would, for me, be a more accurate description.

That'll teach me to make assumptions based on 'gay bookseller living in New York'. Now, anyone know any humourous, joyful books about gay booksellers living in New York?

I finished another book set in New York: 102 Minutes. Even though this was a non-fiction account of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre, I actually found it more life-affirming than Three Junes. Of course it was incredibly sad, but so many people behaved so beautifully that day. The kindness, tenderness, bravery and basic goodness of people was just overwhelming. I'm so glad I read it, because when you think about September 11th you, of course, think about the 3,000 people that died, but there were also so many other stories. People who chose not to leave the towers but to stay to help others escape. People who refused to leave friends who, for whatever reason, couldn't get out. Many others who didn't die, who managed to get out of the towers and who, along the way, saved, comforted or encouraged strangers. Like I said before, it's an amazing book.

And yet another book set in New York, Alison Pace's Pug Hill. It's a really lovely story. I didn't love it because I found the heroine a little too reactive, I wanted her to pull herself together, but I liked it a lot. The ending is so perfect it actually made me a little teary. And it reminds me of something else that disappointed me about Three Junes. Even though quite a lot of it is set in New York, I didn't get any sense of place from it at all; it could've been anywhere. In contrast, Alison Pace writes about New York so well that while I was reading I felt like I was there. New York or San Francisco, New York or San Francisco. I can't choose. Luckily I don't have to cos I can't afford to go to either.

And, yes, another book that's given me a hankering for travel is Stephen Walker's King of Cannes. An extremely easy read - I pretty much read the whole book during the train journey to Manchester and back (45 mins each way) - and really very funny.

52 Books Project - Week 22

Busy reading week, this week. Finished Don't Look Down and it was - unsurprisingly - completely brilliant. Hoping to review it for Trashionista when I get a chance.

I then read yet another Meg Cabot - Missing 3: Safe House. This was my favourite of the Missing series so far. I love the character of Jess Mastriani and the concept is so brilliant and yet simple it drives me mad that I didn't think of it first. Or at all.

After the Meg interlude, I started Julia Glass's Three Junes. I've had it for a while and I didn't know anything about it except I liked the cover and it won the National Book Award, but this week I read a review of her new book (scroll down) and it made me want to read Three Junes immediately. And I'm loving it. I don't know quite what it is about it, I can imagine in the hands of a lesser writer I might have lost interest by now, but there's something about it that's really grabbed me.

The other book that's really grabbed me is 102 Minutes. I've been almost frightened to start this account of September 11th in case it was just too upsetting. So far it hasn't been. It's brilliantly written and utterly compelling. As I'm reading it I still can't believe September 11th really happened. I've just reached the point in the book where those trapped in Tower 1 above where the first plane hit have started to call home to let people know that they won't be able to get out. I can't imagine a more terrifying ordeal (or a more upsetting phonecall to receive). I imagine from here the book will get harder and harder to read. Even so, I really think (so far) everyone should read it.

Alongside everything else I've been re-reading Janet Evanovich's Seven Up for an article I'm working on (well, so far the "working" has consisted of re-reading Seven Up, but the idea is there). Anyone who hasn't read any of the Stephanie Plum books should do so immediately. And I envy you because you've got eleven to catch up on (and a twelfth out on the 20th June). I forget between books just how brilliant they are. And they are the only books I generally allow myself to read at one sitting. Hee. And just imagine, this time I'll be able to do it and call it "work". I love my life!

52 Books Project - Week 21

Well Gemma was right, I couldn't finish Spellbound. No interest in the characters and I don't like Jane Green's writing much either. When will I learn?

I loved Motherless Brooklyn though. And it proved one of my theories. Although nothing much happened I kept reading because I liked the character, I was interested in what he had to say and I enjoyed his voice. My theory is that, despite what anyone says, character is more important than plot. So there.

I then read Kate Harrison's The Starter Marriage. I bought this book in hardback ages ago because I was interviewing Kate for the Mslexia article (it was a very short interview, but I never need much of an excuse to buy a book). Since then it's been sitting on the shelf mocking me. Why? Because while I haven't had time to read it, it's come out in paperback, Kate's had another book published and she's written 80,000 words of yet another book. And still found time to comment on my blog. Which is why I'm rambling. I'm sorry, Kate, but I didn't love The Starter Marriage. I enjoyed it, I did, but it wasn't something I would normally have chosen to read. Brown Owl's Guide to Life sounds much more my sort of thing (and Scaredycat even more so!). It was beautifully written though. (And, no, I did not dream about Aaron!)

I then read Helena Frith-Powell's Two Lipsticks and A Lover, which I really enjoyed and which I'm going to blog more about in the next couple of days. I'm now reading - and absolutely loving - Don't Look Down by Bob Mayer and Jennifer Crusie.

52 Books Project - Week 20

My Desperate Love Diary - as loaned to me by lovely Luisa - was good, but not a patch on the Louise Rennison books. Sorry, Luisa.

Then I read Maximum Diner by Chris Nye, who I sort of know. It's hard to "review" books by people you sort of know - what do you say if you don't like them? - but luckily I really loved Maximum Diner. It's what happened when Chris opened an American style diner in Uckfield. It's very funny and even sort of inspiring (and it's added to my hatred of McDonald's, which I did think had reached its peak).

At the same time as the Chris Nye, I was also reading Motherless Brooklyn which I've wanted to read for ages. The main character has Tourette's and it's an interesting insight into the condition. Plus it's a great story. The chapters are really long though and since I've got such a short attention span, I'm having to read it in conjuction with another book. I've started Jane Green's Spellbound. I don't expect to finish it - I've never finished any of her books except Bookends - but I'm giving it a go.

52 Books Project - Week 19

I'd been saving Marian Keyes' Anybody Out There? for a good few weeks now because - like the promo says - you can "Trust Marian" so I knew I could take it on holiday and not have to worry about not liking it. I've reviewed it for Trashionista so I can't say more here, but it's a wonderful, lovely, witty, wise book. Read it.

I also took Anne Robinson's Memoirs of an Unfit Mother with me. I think I bought this two years ago to read over Christmas and didn't get around to it. I didn't particularly enjoy it. In fact, I scanned a lot of it. I should've known really, but I didn't like her tone. And it didn't hold my attention. I was disappointed cos I'd heard such great things about it. Never mind.

On the flight home I read and loved E Lockhart's Fly on the Wall as sent to me by Luisa. Lockhart is so talented and her books are such an easy read. I can't wait for her next - The Boy Book (god, I love that cover!), a sequel to The Boyfriend List (which is a fabulous example of YA chick lit). And, thanks to Amazon, I now know the "E" stands for "Emily". Thanks. I was wondering.

Tonight I'll finish reading Julie Powell's Julie and Julia, which is completely not what I expected, but I'm loving it just the same. And, of course, she's got a blog.

And I've just spotted that Bill Bryson has a new book out later this year and that Armistead Maupin has written a sort-of sequel to the Tales of the City series. Yay!

52 Books Project - Week 18

I got 174 pages into The Ivy Chronicles. It was okay, I was mildly enjoying it although I did think it could have done with some serious editing and every now and then the tone changed and it was fairly clear Karen Quinn was writing about her own experiences and 'losing' the character's voice, but then came page 174.

There is a character called Michael who has made a couple of extremely fleeting appearances, we know very little about him. He and Ivy go out for a friendly dinner and he gets on stage to sing.

Nobody but me paid attention to the change in entertainment, so I decided to relax and enjoy his talent, which was almost as impressive as my own singing.

Aside from the fact that 'his talent .. almost as impressive as my own singing' isn't actually grammatical, it totally made me lose sympathy for the character. How conceited! Yeah, I may well be the queen of self-deprecation, but really! And the scene degenerated from there. I won't say anything more since some of you may actually want to read the book, but the events of the scene came totally out of the blue to me and the character of Ivy became so increasingly obnoxious over the next two pages that I shoved the book back in my bag and pulled out the latest O magazine instead. Pah.

And, yes, I then read another Meg Cabot. I love her. Sue me. This was the second in the Missing series and I really enjoyed it (of course). But much as I love all Meg's books, they can't compare to the Princess Diaries. I'm so excited about getting number seven in Canada. Eep.

52 Books Project - Week 17

Only one book read again this week: Beth Kendrick's My Favourite Mistake. I really enjoyed it. Light, easy read with a pretty tasty hero (who seemed to me to have been based on Luke Danes from Gilmore Girls so he was alright with me).

I then started The Virgin Suicides which was supposed to be my April book (from my "must-read this year" list) and, though it's beautifully written, it's just too sad. I found myself dreading picking it up. I will read it at some point, but maybe one chapter at a time between other (happier) books, rather than all in one go.

I then read a few pages of Forever, Amber, which I really want to read, but at almost a thousand pages it just seems like too much of a time investment. Maybe I'll take it on holiday. When Harry's left home.

I seem to have been reading a fair bit of chick lit and YA so I scanned the bookshelves thinking "no YA, no chick lit" but the only thing that leapt out and shouted "read me" was The Ivy Chronicles. So I've started that this evening.

For some reason though - and this happens only very occasionally - I don't really feel like I'm in a reading mood at all. I just want to lie on the sofa and watch TV. I think this must be me chilling out. I'm not sure, I don't do it very often. So tonight I'm going to watch In Good Company and Rescue Me and not read at all (except during the ad breaks).