General Chat

The House of Lanyon - Valerie Anand

Liza stood at the door. Christopher was somewhere near, within these very walls, but another bridegroom stood by her side and there was no escape....

Married into the Lanyon family against her will, Liza soon realises that she is merely a pawn in her father-in-law's game. Possessed by a single-minded ambition to change his family's fortunes, Richard Lanyon will gamble ruthlessly with all their futures.

As the Lanyons prosper, the struggle for England's throne intensifies and they are drawn into battle. In desperate times, Richard and his kin must decide where their loyalties truly lie - and Liza's desperate heartache must remain hidden if she is to survive.


I found this really slow to start with but when it got going....about half way through!....it was really quite good. The only critisism I really have is that there wasn't much of an historical feel to it. it certainly fell short of the feeling of being there that you get with authors such as Elizabeth Chadwick and Sharon Penman etc. But an enjoyable story nontheless

I actually bought Horse's Arse for my OH to read Ann but he didn't think much of it. It's been sat on the shelf ever since and I just fancied something different for a change.

I'm back with the period stuff again now though and I'm reading House of Lanyon

thank you Jeanette, good to see somebody adding to this thread. Horses arse I don't fancy, i have read and enjoyed fallen Angels and will look out for the Marian Keyes as I like her books.

Ann
Glos

Horse's Arse - Charlie Owen

It is the 70s and Horse's Arse is the affectionate name for Hanstead new town, a North Manchester overspill and an unholy dump. The police use it as a penal posting - all the bad egg coppers end up there.

Worst among the residents of Hanstead are the Park Royal Mafia, a gang of violent thugs who terrorise their neighbourhood. They and the officers doomed to serve at Hanstead wrestle constantly for dominance.

This is the story of some of theose police officers - The Grim Brothers, Psycho, Pizza, Piggy Malone and others, a grooup of hooligans in uniform and their journey through excess, despair and finally some form of salvation.

Some real laugh out loud moments in this book but it's not for the feint hearted. I've just bought the follow up, Foxtrot Oscar

Fallen Angels - Valerie Wood

Lily Fowler, shunned by society, is alone, frightened and heavily pregnant on the streets of Hull. When her attempts to find work prove futile, her only option is to work as a madam in a brothel, where she finds unexpected solace in the company of the other women working there. Together they strive to leave these miserable times behind.

Bound together by bonds far stronger than normal friendship, these fallen angels bid farewell to the slums, and to their very great surprise, doors swing open, lost loves are recovered and the happy endings that none of them dared to dream of begin to materialise.

I may be a bit biased as Valerie Wood is a local author but I really enjoyed this book

Anybody Out There - Marian Keyes

'I had to go back to New York and try to find him. There was a chance he mightn't be there but I had to give it a go because there was one thing I was certain of: he wasn't here'

Anna Walsh is oficially a wreck. She's lying in her parents' Good Front Room dreaming of leaving Dublin and getting back to New York. To her friends. To The Most Fabulous Job in the World. And most of all, back to Aiden.

But her family have other ideas (not to mention headaches of their own).

What could possibly have shattered the world that Anna loved so much? And is Aiden the only one who can put it all back together again?


Considering this book dealt with a very sad and serious subject, I laughed all the way through it. I can't say much more because I don't want to spoil it for you. All I will say is that the term 'feathery-stroker' had me howling and I find myself using it quite often ;-)))))))

That one sounds a bit different Jeanette. pity her book didn't get chosen for this month's read!

I must get the scarlet Lion.

Ann
Glos

Daughters of the Grail - Elizabeth Chadwick

Thirteenth-century France: Bridget has grown up mastering the mystical gifts of her ancestor Mary Magdalane, whose unbroken female lineage has kept a legacy of wisdom alive for a thousand years. But the all-powerful Catholic Church has sworn to destroy Bridget for using her healing talents and supernatural abilities.

Bridget's duty to continue the bloodline leads her into the arms of Raoul de Montvallant - a Catholic. But when the Church's savage religious intolernace causes Raoul to turn rebel, a terrible vengeance is exacted by Simon de Montfort, the unstoppable Catholic leader.....

Another good read by the queen of medieval fiction that kept me reading all the way, although I must say, I do prefer her books about real life characters such a William Marshal.

Ann....the Simon de Montfort that appeared at the beginning of the book is the father of the Simon that we know. 'Our' Simon does appear in it though as a young man through to middle age.

Jeanette x

Elizabeth Chadwick - The Champion.
Set in 1103, France and England. Alexander de Montroi flees an English Monastery to join his brother Hervi in France.

All the usual thrills of the Tourney, jousting and murder, plus romance.

In this book William Marshal is in his 60s. King John reigns after Richard Lionheart dies.

Another very good read by Elizabeth Chadwick. she bring history to life and teaches much that I don't know about the medieval period.

Ann
Glos

Sadly I have not read the scarlet lion yet, haven't got hold of it. managed to buy 4 of E Chadwicks books in The works but they didn't have that one.

Ann
Glos

I have just started The Scarlet Lion ,the second book about William Marshall. From what I have read so far its as good as The Greatest Knight.
Looks like I will now have to order The Champion :)))
x Jill

Jeanette, yes it is and you feel you understand what they are on about. Never knew much about the period before I read these books.

Kate. Thanks for that, I have seen that A thousand splendid suns is supposed to be even better. maybe it will get suggested for the next book reading.

Ann
Glo

I've just read the Kite Runner as well and enjoyed it a lot - it was interesting and informative as well as a really good story. The author creates some very believable characters and, although you might not like all they do, it is hard not to feel for them as well. The same person who lent me Kite Runner also lent me A Thousand Splendid Suns which I haven't read yet but he reckons is better still so I'm looking forward to that.

Kate

Simon de Montfort has just appeared in mine. It's like being in the company of old friends lol

Thanks Jeanette, I like Marian Keyes, don't think i would class that as chick lit though, the subject is a bit too serious. will look out for that one anyway. i am now reading Elizabeth Chadwick, The Champion, very good so far I have to say, and William Marshall appears in it aged 64.

Ann
Glos

I've just started it Ann so I'll let you know.

Rachel's Holiday - Marian Keyes

I thought I'd have a bit of a change and go for something that would probably be classed as chick-lit....although I'm not quite sure what chick-lit is! lol

Rachel is 27 years old, lives in New York and is a drug addict...although she doesn't believe she is. When her drug taking becomes too much her best friend and her boyfriend shop her to her family who immediately come to take her back to Dublin and put her into The Cloisters, a rehab center. The story follows Rachel through her rehabilitation and the year or so after she leaves.

This book isn't for the faint hearted as it includes sex, drug taking and swearing, but it's all done in a very amusing way and I quite often found myself laughing out loud. I must admit I was quite prepared to have to ditch this book half way through as I wasn't sure it was going to be my sort of thing, but Marian Keyes is a good story teller (the Irish generally are I find) and her believeable and witty characters kept me reading right to the end

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

I wasn't sure when I started this book if I was going to like it but it is a brilliant book, so informative about the history of Afghanistan.
The following is taken from the book notes:

Khaled Hosseini explores the nature of friendship, forgiveness and redemption, set against the turbulent background of his native Afghanistan.

Amir is the son of Baba, a rich and popular merchant. Amir's friend is Hassan, the child of Ali, Baba's lifelong servant. Amir's mother died at his birth and Amir and Hassan were both breast fed by the same nursing woman as Hassan's mother ran off as soon as she saw Hassan's hair lip. Amir and Hassan always played together.

An encounter with Assef, the local bully, in which Hassan springs to Amir's defence has appalling consequences, destroying their friendship and driving Amir to desperate measures to rid himself of Hassan, measures which result in a puzzling reaction from his father.

Babar and Amir are soon in flight when the Russians invade, they flee first to Pakistan and then to San Francisco, joining the Afghan community there where Amir eventually marries Soraya. Baba eventually dies.

Amir receives a phone call from Baba's old friend Rahim Khan, once in Peshawar, where Rohim is dying, Amir learns that he is to find Hassan's lost son, Hassan now being dead. In so doing he must summon his courage and face not only his old enemy but also the destruction that has been wrought on his homeland. In return he is rewarded with the truth about his relationship with Hassan and a greater understanding of his beloved Babar.

I really enjoyed this book and learnt a lot, it is beautifully written and I look forward to reading his other book, A Thousand Splendid Suns

Ann
Glos

I have got daughters of the grail on my shelf waiting to be read Jeanette, shall be interested to know what you think of it.

A Place Beyond Courage - Elizabeth Chadwick

Well, what can I say? Absolutely brilliant! Elizabeth Chadwick is the queen of historical fiction in my opinion.

This is the story of John FitzGilbert, father of William Marshal, The Greatest Knight, and is set during the civil war between King Stephen and Henry I's daughter, Matilda. John has to make difficult choices that will determine whether he and his family will live or die.

As usual I got really 'into' this book and felt as though I was actually there. When I read Elizabeth Chadwick's books I seem to be transported back in time and it's more like watching a film in my head rather than reading a book. I couldn't comment on her style of writing as I don't really realise that I am reading. Does that make sense?

I've just been down to the library and got another of her books out....Daughters of the Grail

Jeanette x

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