Wellington Reads discussion

Greetings and welcome to 'What are you reading'? July 2013!!

I have two books on the go at the moment. I'm partway through Grace Coddington's biography 'Grace: a Memoir'. I haven't read a biography before but am really enjoying this one so far. I've also started The Great Gatsby - haven't been to see the movie yet and still really want to read the book! Still only on the first few pages.

What is everyone else reading this month?

I have just whipped through 'Murder with the lot' by Sue Williams- a light hearted murder mystery set in Australia. Not my best ever read but a good book for holidays or sick days! Just about to start another thriller, surprise,surprise! The Weeping Girl by Hakan Nesser. Have 'Risk' by CK Stead sitting by my bed for next, for something different.
Been getting carried away with my library reserves lately! Does anyone else have that problem?

Megan wrote: "I have just whipped through 'Murder with the lot' by Sue Williams- a light hearted murder mystery set in Australia. Not my best ever read but a good book for holidays or sick days! Just about to st..."

I do!! I become really interested / enthusiastic about a topic and reserve a heap of books, completely forgetting that they'll probably all become available around the same time. Doh!

I'm reading "The Master of Heathcrest Hall", the third in the Mrs Quent series. This is a sort of gothic romance fantasy series which I am really enjoying

Just finished "And the mountains echoed" by Khalid Hosseini.
Loved his previous 2 books, sadly I was very disappointed with this one. It was simply an "ok read".

Just started "Alice in Exile" Piers Paul Read. Seems promising....

Tracey wrote: "I'm reading "The Master of Heathcrest Hall", the third in the Mrs Quent series. This is a sort of gothic romance fantasy series which I am really enjoying"

I couldn't finish the first book (The Magicians and Mrs. Quent)...I found the parallels between that and Pride and Prejudice a bit offputting. What did you think of it?

I am currently love love loving the next in the series of Girl Genius novelisations (Agatha H and the Clockwork Princess)!

Chloe wrote: "Tracey wrote: "I'm reading "The Master of Heathcrest Hall", the third in the Mrs Quent series. This is a sort of gothic romance fantasy series which I am really enjoying"

I couldn't finish the fir..."

Hi Chloe, I did find the first one a bit odd - the
middle bit reminded me more of Jane Eyre than P&P. But, I stuck with it, and now admit to being hooked!

Hi Tracey, I admit I didn't get that far, but from the reviews I read, you're correct, the middle bit does seem to be like Jane Eyre.

I just finished The Neutronium Alchemist: Night's Dawn Trilogy 2 (Nights Dawn Trilogy 2) by Peter F Hamilton, which wasn't bad but could have done with an editor. Also reading Tom Swan and the Head of St George Part Three: Constantinople by Christian Cameron, which is a serialised medieval adventure that I am enjoying a lot.

Paula 1 wrote: "Just finished "And the mountains echoed" by Khalid Hosseini.
Loved his previous 2 books, sadly I was very disappointed with this one. It was simply an "ok read".

Just started "Alice in Exile" Pier..."

Kirkus wasn't very impressed with "And the Mountains Echoed" either

Stephanie wrote: "Greetings and welcome to 'What are you reading'? July 2013!!

I have two books on the go at the moment. I'm partway through Grace Coddington's biography 'Grace: a Memoir'. I haven't read a biograph..."
I too have just finished "Grace" and I loved it but I have a history in the fashion industry....I did wonder if someone without a love of fashion would find it a bit dull! I also found myself imagining the two actresses out of the movie as I read it.

Having been in bed sick for the last 3 days I caught up on my reading. I can recommend all of these.
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
Revenge wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
Grace by Grace Coddington...
......it was great to catch up but I would have preferred to be doing it healthy and on a golden warm beach!!!!

Andrea wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Greetings and welcome to 'What are you reading'? July 2013!!

I have two books on the go at the moment. I'm partway through Grace Coddington's biography 'Grace: a Memoir'. I haven..."
I thoroughly enjoyed it, too!! Unfortunately, I was only halfway through when it became overdue so I had to return it prematurely - am planning to get it out again and finish it! Some common complaints I had heard was about the 'name-dropping' - I didn't think it was a problem because it was clearly a description of the people she was around, but maybe you're right that you need an interest in fashion to find it interesting.

That is an impressive amount of reading for three days; well done, you!

I have skip -read this book and thought the photographs and little line drawings were delightful, but as a biography it was disappointing. GC did not really reveal very much about herself at all.
Incidentally - about the movie- " The September issue" was a documentary and featured Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour as themselves. Were you thinking of 'The devil wears Prada", the fictionalised account of the relationship between these women? (We have both these DVDs)

Sue wrote: "I have skip -read this book and thought the photographs and little line drawings were delightful, but as a biography it was disappointing. GC did not really reveal very much about herself at all.
I..."

Having read some of the reviews on here, there was comment that there was a lot of depth in some aspects but very little on others, which would be considered far more important. I think quite a few people felt disappointed with what she did and didn't reveal about herself.

I did see The September Issue and that was what inspired me to read the bio - Grace really stood out for me, far more than Anna Wintour so I was curious to know more about her.

Stephanie wrote: "Sue wrote: "I have skip -read this book and thought the photographs and little line drawings were delightful, but as a biography it was disappointing. GC did not really reveal very much about herse..."
Yes i think it was more about those around her, but since the September Issue Doco she has become very well known. Just a piece of gossip...Anna Wintours son is married to a Wellingtonian and they got married here in the capital, and the father of the bride described Anna as lovely, warm and down to earth and easy to talk to and host!!!!!!

Just to stay on this theme, if you want a real insight into fashion you HAVE to watch "Valentino the Last Emperor" doco.Beautiful, funny, stunning visuals,basically breath taking. And as I have meet the man himself at the Paris collections it is a true look at him and how he behaves.
It is a must see, trust me.

(reply to Stephanie's hot little item of gossip).
Well well well!! Life is full of surprises. I wonder how this slipped under the radar.You would have thought that someone would have tipped off the media. And I would have liked to have seen the photographs.
Glad that she (Anna Wintour)can be warm and human - she certainly was a very scary lady in "The September issue"
And incidentally we have a biography on her, too, -"Front row : the cool life and hot times of Vogue's editor-in-chief" by Jerry Oppenheimer (B WIN.)

Andrea wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Sue wrote: "I have skip -read this book and thought the photographs and little line drawings were delightful, but as a biography it was disappointing. GC did not really reveal ver..."
Wow, juicy gossip indeed! I'm also surprised that went unnoticed!! Hard to imagine Anna Wintour in that light but very good to hear.
I LOVE The Last Emperor - such a good DVD! A really good watch. Valentino cracks me up; I'm incredibly jealous that you met him!

Well back to what we are reading. I am whizzing through "No I don't need reading glasses!" by Virginia Ironside. I so enjoyed her previous novel "No I don't want to join a book club!! I was a little bit wary of this one as it deals with the dread subject of dementia - but although this aspect of the book is sad it is sensitively handled and the rest is really hilarious. A very uplifting and cheering read.
And this week sees the release of the latest in the "Scotland Street' series by Alexander McCall Smith,"Bertie's guide to life and mothers" - an occasion to break open the bubbly !!

Just finished "The Last Runaway" by Tracy Chevalier. Really enjoyed this after giving up on this author for a few years.
Her meticulous background research is evident throughout the novel and she turns the interesting combination of Quakers, quilting and slavery, into a very good read.

I am (slowly, I have too many books that I want to read all at the same time) working my way through the Phryne Fisher mystery series, and I'm loving watching the tv show of the novels - Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

I have finished " No!! I don't need reading glasses' by Virginia Ironside and am going back to the world of biographies. A book which had looked forward to but which had slipped under my radar - "Living with mother - right to the very end" by Michele Hanson. (B HAN.) I very much enjoyed her account of growing up as a lone Jewish child in North London ('What the grown-ups were doing") ' Living with mother" won the MIND (British charity for mentally handicapped and impaired people) last year - at the end Michele's mother has some form of dementia. But it's a merry romp all the way till then. Michele Hanson is a very warm -hearted woman who makes the most of life in whatever circumstances she finds herself.

Well I was wrong about Lyn Hanson's mother having dementia at the end - she didn't (thank goodness) -and was feisty and acerbic to the end. She died in her nineties. I think the MIND aspect was more to do with the strains of managing a three - generational household - three women - and two dogs.

Just finished "The Secret Keeper" by Kate Morton. Huge tome and I did get a bit tired towards the end, but would still recommend this for a good story. Interesting twist at the end which I did not see coming.