January

Tom's Midnight Garden - Philippa Pearce
Getting off to a good start, got this for Christmas, which is the perfect time to read children's books. Couldn't quite believe I'd never read it before. I half expected to get to page 3 and go 'Oh yeah...' but I didn't. And it was great. Loved it. Kinda reminded me of The Time Traveller's Wife actually, which was also amazing.

This one gets a STAR.


In Pharaoh's Army - Tobias Wolff
This is part two of Wolff's autobiography and I read it because I read part one (This Boy's Life) last Month and had to find out what happened next. It's as readable as any novel, and if you didn't know it was an autobiography you could believe it was fiction. I'll probably read more of his stuff. I only read This Boy's Life in the first place because I'd read one of his novels, Old School, and loved it.
This one also gets a STAR. Gosh, either I'm getting soft or I'm having a fantastic start to the reading year. Last year I only awarded 8 stars in total for the whole year!


Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit - PG Wodehouse
I love these books because:
There are millions of them.
You don't have to read them in any order at all.
You're guaranteed a laugh per page.
Jeeves and Wooster are two of the best characters in English Literature.
They make you want to say things like 'What ho!' and drink Martinis while doing the Charleston.
Nuff said.



My Side of the Story - Will Davis
Gay teen + dysfunctional family = Entertaining read for rainy afternoon.
Nothing too mind blowing. Written in 'teen-speak' so don't bother if that annoys you.

In summary, I'm like the definition of Whatever.






A Winter Book - Tove Jansson
I read this because I'm a big Moomins fan and wondered what her writing for adults was like.

This is a beautiful book of short stories which seem to be fairly autobiographical and span a lifetime, from a tiny child listening in on her parents' parties to an old lady realising she will never go fishing again. Phillip Pullman says they are 'As smooth and odd and beautiful as sea-worn driftwood', which I think is the perfect description. Simple but intriguing. Unpretentious, unfussy but truly touching and memorable. I think she'd have been a facinating person to meet.