Rainbowtrout's reading log 2011

rainbowtrout

Right, this is my third stab at a reading log.

2009: 12 books
2010: 17 books - an improvement on the year before but still wondering where all my time goes.

So another crack at the 50 books in 2011.


Started on Monday and finished just a while ago

1. Mortal Remains - Kathy Reichs

Anyone who watched the Bones series on TV will be familiar with these crime novels if indeed they haven't read any of the books. Like these for easy reading at bedtime when I'm not looking for anything too heavy. Think she's getting a bit smug though, she name checked 'Bones' in this one when mentioning a few crime dramas which was a bit ick and the resolution of the cases is becoming more and more extreme in the final piece of the jigsaw being a million to one likelihood. That probably doesn't make sense but if anyone reads the book or reads the spoiler they'll understand what I'm on about.

Yer man's mother in the story it emerges is a chimera, a human with an extremely rare genetic defect which means a human has two sets of chromosomes and so had two different types of DNA. So when his DNA is checked against hers originally it doesn't match, but when they get a different tissue sample belonging to her it does. Chances are extremely rare though and Reichs may be clutching at straws to come up with new ideas for novels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_(genetics)

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2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

Read this over the weekend. A really good crime thriller. I have the second one ready and waiting and if it's anything like the first one I'll be more than happy.

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3. The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson

The follow on to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the second book in the Millennium trilogy. I wasn't disappointed. Will be starting the third book later I think.

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4. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson

The final book in the Millennium trilogy which ties up everything from the second book. Definitely worth a read.

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5. The Brain that Changes Itself - Norman Doidge

This was really good. Not too scientific to the point where it was laborious to read and not dumbed down to the level of pseudoscience. I got this as a Christmas present from a friend and on her part it was a really good choice. Neuroplasticity is fascinating!

On another note, I've neglected reading somewhat for the past two months, I have a few books on the go but none finished aside from this morning's reading session. On two weeks holidays now so that might change.

rainbowtrout

Was flat out at work for a few months and as per usual reading got neglected as did my reading log.

Read a few books on my summer holiday but it'll be a miracle if I read 50 books by the end of the year

5. A Hundred and One Days - Asne Seierstad

Her account of being in Baghdad before it was liberated by the Americans and Saddam Hussein was deposed. Very interesting.


6. Homecoming - Cathy Kelly

Easy summer reading, does exactly what it says on the tin.

7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson

Didn't know what to expect as I didn't know anything about it, but I really enjoyed it

8. Set in Darkness - Ian Rankin
9. The Falls - Ian Rankin

More Inspector Rebus crime novels.

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10. At Home - Bill Bryson


This is in a similar vein as 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' but while that followed a coherent line of scientific discovery I expected this book to be similar. Each chapter is named after a room in his house, and starts off in that room, but generally goes off on a tangent after that. It's really a social history and is really interesting and if you like his other books, you'll probably like this, and I did like this book, but I guess I wasn't expecting the content to be as it is.

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11. A Question of Blood - Ian Rankin

Another Inspector Rebus novel, but I do like the character so another few from that box set I got last Christmas will probably feature here before the year is out.

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12. The Naming of the Dead - Ian Rankin

The second last in the Rebus series. I'm still working my way through the boxset, but reading time is limited as I'm doing a masters by night so I have enough reading for college let alone what I can read in my spare time.

Same number of books read as in 2009 going by my old thread, read 17 last year so a bit to go yet.

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13. Flash and Bones - Kathy Reichs

Shorter than her past novels, so not as heavy on detail but easy enough reading for bedtime.

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14. Knots and Crosses - Ian Rankin

Still working my way through the Inspector Rebus series. Good crime novels and a welcome break from the college texts, 'Oracle Essentials: Oracle Database 11g' is pretty dry stuff. I should probably add it to the list as I only have a chapter to go for the module I'm currently studying.

rainbowtrout

Got a load of books from my brother for Christmas. Read the first one over the last few nights.

15. Nemesis - Jo Nesbo

Another crime novel, it had a few good twists in it, so I'll probably read a few more of his books.