Noel Griffin

An exceptional and well overdue book. A must read for anyone concerned with how the world works and the influence of science on how we view society works.

Simple advice for us all.

Decent debut novel. Interested enough to keep an eye out for the next one.

Despite being nearly 30 years old its still a solid and relevant read.

To be honest this was a pretty annoying book and the ending didn't make up for it. However, would still read more from the author as got the feeling that this wasn't her at her best.

I really thought I was going to like this a lot more than I did. The first 100 pages or so flew by with an almost intoxicating pace. (apart from the very clumsy front end of the very clumsy bookends of the novel). Thought this was going to be a 4 or 5 star read.

It is not a new or novel idea but there is nothing wrong with that. There is a lot to like in the book but it is too muddled in may of its themes and looses too much momentum in the middle and never quite recovers. Shame really.

Maybe if these ideas are new to you then perhaps it would have more impact. However, I do think that Naomi has a much better book in there waiting to come out.

I really liked this book. Thought the structure was very effective more so for being out of chronological order which seemed to allow for a feeling of getting more insight into the life and personality of Maggie. I found it a very moving book over all.

It's not a bad book just never really delivers on its promise. Felt there was so much more that could have been done with the premise.

Another page turner from Bruen.

Another solid story from Ken Bruen. As always an efficient well constructed story featuring one of the most accurate descriptions of an alcoholic you'll probably read about in Jack Taylor.

Really struggled with this. I am sure there is an important message in here somewhere but it was buried too deep in convoluted dross. I really didn't like this one at all. Starts off in one direction gets lost along the way and then just ends. Adult characters are just terrible.

Finally finished this on the second attempt. Quite enjoyed it. The back cover states that “Ariel finds herself swept into a thrilling adventure of love, sex, death and time-travel. All cool, however not entirely sure why female characters who like sex have to be suffering from some sort of trauma and daddy issues as a way of explaining why they are really just self harming.

V. I. Warshawski is a well established female PI. While I know that in many ways this is a send up of the genre I was a bit disappointed. Seen as one of the few feminist detective characters the rest of the women in the book were terrible characters. Maybe I just got a bad book (its only the 5th of 17) and also a bit of its time 1988.

Thought it was ok but not Claire's the strongest showing so far. Still, it hasn't put me off looking forward to reading number four.

I'm not really a short story person and this sort of reinforced it for me. I've not read any of Lucy's books and this is what i had to hand. I find them well written but somehow didn't engage as well for me. Horses for courses.

Despite owning a number of books by Glenn this was, shamefully, the first one I got round to reading (it's not even one of the books I actually own). Started off as a slow read but ended up reading the last two thirds one sunny day in early June. I guess some books just need a little longer spells in their company. I found it an enjoyable and thought provoking book in the end.

Fascinating and gripping read. Part mystery, part tragedy, part celebration of the human spirit. Highly recommend it and no you don't really need to know or understand anything about maths.

I was seduced by positive reviews and overcome my suspicion to chance a read of this. Sadly, and perhaps predictably, I was not rewarded. The novelty wore off very early in the book and trudged my way to the uninteresting conclusion. Sorry Oscar should have known better. Will make it up to you but need some time to rid myself of this.

I've had this book for years after it was recommended by a friend, can't remember which one, as being very funny. Finally got round to read it one day as I was reminiscing over my time overseas. This is a hateful book which tells the apparently autobiographical story of when the author spent a year in Paris as an over paid twenty something forced to sleep with a string of beautiful young Parisian women while all the time being completely smug about how superior he was. Would rather be dragged naked through a field of broken glass than spend 5 minutes in his company. Don't know why I finished reading it. I suppose I sort of hoped that there would be some sort of moment of self-realisation at the end. It is one of the few books that found their way into a donation box this year. (with all due respect to whomever recommended it in in the first place )

An interesting snapshot of coming of age during the second world war. Reminded me somewhat of The Emperor of Ice Cream by Brian Moore.

Found this a disappointing read. I don't understand why female characters need to suffer abuse/rape that has no real bearing on the plot. Expected better of John Banville/Mr Black.

Ah the last Disc World novel. It is not his best as you can tell that Terry wasn't finished. However, it is still well worth reading and is a fitting end to the series.
The fact that he managed to finish 5 novels after being announcing that he had been diagnosed with a nasty form of early onset alzheimer's is nothing short of miraculous.

While angeline might have stuck a few too many ideas in her debut novel the characters have stuck with me far longer than for most of the books I read which is no mean feat. Quite enjoyed this one.

Actually won this is a raffle. However, the blurb offered so much but in the end it was less than the sum of its parts and to be honest a bit tedious. Sometimes less is more.

While I admired and enjoyed aspects of this book I have to say I found myself underwhelmed by the end. I really didn't buy into some of the actions of the characters at the latter parts of the book.