Ariadne's reads for 2010

[Ariadne]

January 2010:

Jane Borodale, The Book of Fires (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/01/look-at-jane-borodales-book-of-fires.html)
Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-which-i-make-up-for-not-being.html)
Stefanie Pintoff, In the Shadow of Gotham
S. J. Parris, Heresy (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-of-heresy-by-s-j-parris.html)
Leila Meacham, Roses
Clare Clark, Savage Lands (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/02/book-review-clare-clarks-savage-lands.html)
Maryse Conde, Victoire: My Mother's Mother (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/01/look-at-maryse-conde-victoire-my.html)
Philippa Carr, The Miracle at St. Bruno's (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/01/d-is-for-damask.html) (reread)

February 2010 (in progress):

C.W. Gortner, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici
Katharine Beutner, Alcestis
Catherine Delors, For the King

[Ariadne]

More for Feb:

Matthew Flaming, The Kingdom of Ohio
Eleanor Fairburn, The Golden Hive (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/02/e-is-for-eleanor.html) (reread)
James Long, Ferney (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/02/f-is-for-ferney.html) (reread)
Frances Hunter, The Fairest Portion of the Globe (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-fairest-portion-of-globe-by.html)
Galen Beckett, The Magicians and Mrs. Quent

[Misfit]

I really liked Fairest Portion of the Globe, even more so than their first book. Ack, eating the spoiled bear meat :eek:

I'd love to see what they could do with the expedition itself.

[Ariadne]

I'd like to see what they could do with it also. I haven't read the first book yet. Ew, the weevil-ridden flour, too...

[Misfit]

Oh yes, ewwww on the flour. And the toads. I did like it when he shot the falls with that young kid though.

[Ariadne]

Finishing out February:

Robin Oliveira, My Name is Mary Sutter
Guy Gavriel Kay, Under Heaven (in progress)

[annis]

Is GGK's "Under Heaven" an ARC, Ariadne? I didn't think it was due out till April.

[Ariadne]

Yep, it's an ARC. I'm reading it for a blog interview to go online when the novel comes out.

[Ariadne]

March reads:

Dana Hand, Deep Creek (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-review-deep-creek-by-dana-hand.html)
Erin Quinn, Haunting Beauty
David Mitchell, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

[Ariadne]

March and early April:

Rachel Hore, The Glass Painter's Daughter
Anna Dean, A Moment of Silence (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-review-moment-of-silence-bellfield.html)
John Speed, The Temple Dancer (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-is-for-india.html)
Tony Hays, The Killing Way and The Divine Sacrifice

[Ariadne]

Late April:

Kathleen Grissom, The Kitchen House
Sarah Dunant, Sacred Hearts (re-read)
Diana Norman, King of the Last Days (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/04/reviews-of-obscure-books-diana-norman.html) (maybe someone besides me has read this?)

[EC2]

Late April:

Kathleen Grissom, The Kitchen House
Sarah Dunant, Sacred Hearts (re-read)
Diana Norman, King of the Last Days (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/04/reviews-of-obscure-books-diana-norman.html) (maybe someone besides me has read this?)

I read King of the Last days so long ago that I don't remember much about it, but I have read it! :confused::rolleyes::)

[Ariadne]

Early May:

Lynn Cullen, The Creation of Eve (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-review-lynn-cullen-creation-of-eve.html)
Philippa Gregory, The Red Queen

EC, not surprised you've read King of the Last Days! I doubt it's a good candidate for reissue, it's probably too quiet of a book for today's readers, but it was very good.

[annis]

I read King of the Last Days back in the '80s, when I first discovered Diana Norman and devoured all her books. I now regret not buying them at the time! I love her quirky characters and wry sense of humour. I have to confess that I've bailed on her Ariana Franklin series, though- I just find them too unbelievable and lacking in the subtlety of her earlier work. I'm pleased she's found success with them, but they're not for me. It's inoticable that she's revisiting some of the themes of earlier books- the Glastonbury discoveries of KOTLD reappear in Relics of the Dead/Grave Goods.

[EC2]

I read King of the Last Days back in the '80s, when I first discovered Diana Norman and devoured all her books. I now regret not buying them at the time! I love her quirky characters and wry sense of humour. I have to confess that I've bailed on her Ariana Franklin series, though- I just find them too unbelievable and lacking in the subtlety of her earlier work. I'm pleased she's found success with them, but they're not for me. It's inoticable that she's revisiting some of the themes of earlier books- the Glastonbury discoveries of KOTLD reappear in Relics of the Dead/Grave Goods.

They are not for me either - they play a bit too fast and loose with the history. I have heard that Diana Norman is unwell, but I don't know any more than that at the moment. I do hope she makes a full recovery. And like you I wish I'd bought those books at the time, but I was a skint library borrower in those days.

[Ariadne]

I don't know how I missed these last messages, but I hope that Diana Norman recovers quickly. The only one of her recent series that I've read is the first (Mistress of the Art of Death) which I enjoyed.

More May reads:

Cecelia Holland, The Secret Eleanor
Sarita Mandanna, Tiger Hills (http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2010/05/report-on-sarita-mandannas-tiger-hills.html)
Marina Fiorato, The Madonna of the Almonds (in progress)