Showing posts with label Home Library Reading Circle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Library Reading Circle. Show all posts

Monday, 7 January 2008

Friends Forever by Lynn Andrews

More comments and reviews by the Home Library Reading Circle

"A good read"
— D.

"A very enjoyable book. YOu have to keep turning the pages, and it makes you realise how lucky we are to have good friends.!
— N.R.

"A very good read. I loved every page."
— L. McE.

"A light-hearted story line. Well written, which makes 'Forever Friends' a very easy read."
— D.Y.

"One of those books which is an enjoyable, light-hearted read. I will be looking forward to more books by Lynn Andrews."
— L.N.

We have copies of "Friends Forever" at most of our libraries. It's also available in large print and as a Talking Book.

Wednesday, 7 November 2007

The Enemy by Lee Child

book cover: The Enemy
More comments and reviews from the Home Library Reading Circle

"THis could have been any Jack Reacher novel. They are all superb. Lee Child brings the 'all action hero' to life with his human flaws and his knack fro seeing off the bad guys. I love the way trouble seems to follow him."
— Sharon

"It is good but long-winded. Most of all, though, I guessed most of it at least a quarter of the way through. Although it did have a couple of twists to keep me reading."
— M. Jelbert

"He can be a little too descriptive at times, but the excellence of his story is so good it does not spoil the real enjoyment he gives his readers."
— E. Kenny

"A very well written story. Very enjoyable to read except for the military jargon which I found difficult to follow and understand. Jack Reacher is a great character, though."
— I. James

The Home Library Reading Circle were reading the large print edition of this book. We also have copies available in Crime Collections around the Borough and also as an audio book.

Wednesday, 31 October 2007

Readers Recommend

I've just updated the "Readers Recommend" page of our Web Catalogue to include a few titles that were nominated in some informal feedback sessions a couple of months ago, plus a couple of recent entries in this blog.

There are a few lists on this page:
  • The "Readers Recommend" list is pretty much what it says on the tin.
  • "Readers' Group Choice" are titles nominated by reading groups in our libraries. We're about due another canvass to update these. The Home Library Readers' Circle is a group of customers of our Doorstep Library Service which delivers books to housebound people; Sharon encourages them to share opinions and suggestions (you'll see a few of them in this blog).
  • "A change of format" is just a selection of alternative format versions of "Readers Recommend" titles. Some are in large print, some are in audio versions of one sort or another. the original aim of this was to make sure that we had something listed for people who can't use — or don't want — the "normal book" version of a title. I'm havering a bit on this and wonder if it might not be better to just incorporate them in the main list, same as I have with the Richard & Judy Summer Reads. I'm open to feedback on this.
  • "Readers' Polls" is made up of the results of various national polls I've bumped into at one time or another. I thought it might be interesting to see how similar or different these may be to local results.

I hope this is useful. If you have any ideas/comments I'd be pleased to hear them!

— Steven

Monday, 27 August 2007

The House on Lonely Street by Lyn Andrews

cover of The House on Lonely StreetMore reviews from the Home Library Reading Circle.

"This book is worth reading. Very sad but with a happy ending."
M.P.

"Very good insight into life before the First World War. Such poverty is unthinkable, but a good story. Well worth reading."
V.T.

"Enjoyed the story. A good tale."
D.H.

"A very good read. I enjoyed it immensely. So different to modern tales. The poverty made it seem more interesting, and the determination to get away from it played a part. I loved it."
I.J.

Friday, 24 August 2007

The Prayer of the Night Shepherd by Phil Rickman

cover of Prayer of the Night ShepherdMore reviews from the Home Library Reading Circle.

"A mystery with intermingling stories and complex characters. Once you sort the characters out you really want to know what happens to them."
Mrs. T.


"After working through the religion and one country to another, I did stop to wonder how the author got away with so much coincidental claptrap. Merrily Watkins seems to have a smoking problem and has lost her sense of humour."
Mrs. J.


"Didn't hold my interest as there were too many complicated characters. Wasn't what I call a 'good read.'"
Mrs. F.


"Good yarn but long drawn out. Far too many characters so it was difficult to really make anyone the main one. You need half a page of new chapter before discovering whose mind you were supposed to understand."
Eileen

Views from the Home Library Reading Circle

Sharon, who runs the Doorstep Library Service (formerly the Housebound Library Service) has set up the Home Library Reading Circle as a way for her customers to give her feedback on the books, tapes and CDs they've been borrowing. It's also an opportunity for them to share opinions with each other. We'll be including some of their reviews every so often in this blog.



The Road to Nab End by William Woodruff
front cover of The Road to Nab End

"The story starts when the author was born in 1916 in Blackburn. It is about the cotton mills and is a very good read. As a local, you can relate to lots of the happenings. Very good."
Vera


"It was good to read a book about the North of England. It brought back a lot of happy memories. A good read."
Alan


"I agree with the other readers. 'Happy Memories' Easy to pick up and read."
B.


"A very interesting read. Difficult to put down. Full of memories, facts and family history. Well written, absorbing, easy to follow. A credit to the writer, truly gifted, who kept his eyes and ears open."
Sylvia


"Very realistic story of how things were. Reminded me of things my mother used to tell me when she was young."
Mrs. T.