Books I have read in 2013.

THIS IS A LIST OF ALL THE BOOKS I HAVE READ SO FAR THIS YEAR. THE MOST RECENT ONE IS AT THE TOP AND I WILL ADD TO IT AS I READ MORE. I DO READ LOTS AND ON A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS- SO THERE MAY BE BOOKS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OR NOT. THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS PAGE IS BECAUSE I WANT A RECORD OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH I READ. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT IF YOU ARE READING A BOOK WITH THE IDEA OF WRITING A SMALL REVIEW ON IT THEN YOU PAY A BIT MORE ATTENTION TO THE LITERATURE OF THE BOOK ITSELF. 

• 69. Saint Thomas's Eve - Jean Plaidy (finished 12/06/13) Focusing on King Henry's advisor Thomas More and his determination to stick with his beliefs and not accept the divorce of Katherine of Aragon! This resulted in his death - interesting to read! 

• 68. The King's Secret Matter - Jean Plaidy (finished on 7/6/13)  This is about King Henry and his battle to rid himself of Katherine of Aragon. Although read lots about this before I still found it enjoyable to read.

• 67.The Heart of the Lion - Jean Plaidy (finished on the 1/06/13) I am running out of things to say about Jean Plaidy's books now, they are still really enjoyable to read and this one was no exception - it was about Richard the lion heart and not knowing much about this period in history I was intrigued to find out more. 

• 66 The Prince Of Darkness - Jean Plaidy (24-29/051/2013) This is not a book about Ozzy Osbourne(!) but about King John - of the time of Robin Hood. This story illustrates how evil some of his tactics could be. He was a cruel king but this was still interesting to read.

• 65 Lord Robert - Jean Plaidy (20-24/05/13) Centres on Queen Elizabeth the 1st and her relationship with Robert Dudley. Interesting to read and jam packed with facts! 

• 64.The Widow of Windsor - JEan Plaidy. (18-20/05/13) The last of The Victorian series - enjoyable to read more about Queen Victoria after her husband died, learnt a lot about the Royal Family and politics of the time! Was quite upset this series had finished would love to have read more on the lives of this family.

• 63. Mary, Queen of France - Jean Plaidy (16-18/05/13) Mary was Henry 8ths youngest sister she was well loved by him and married the elderly King of France when she was younger - however she was in love with Charles Brandon (Henry's Friend) so when the king died she followed her heart - this focuses on her short life and happy marriage! 

• 62. Castile for Isabella - Jean Plaidy- (13-15/05/13) This is based in Spain and because I know very little about this era it was interesting to learn more. But because I can not place it on the timeline in history in comparison to Englands Monarchs. Will have to read more in the series! 

• 61. The Queens Husband- Jean Plaidy. (12/05/13) Following on from The Captive of Kensington Palace (see below) this book centers on the life of Albert, Queen Victoria's beloved hubby. Because this era in British history was so jam packed politically this could have been a difficult book to read, however the story flowed and I found it hard to put down. It also helped me understand more the tempestuous relationship between the married monarchs. 

• 60. The Revolt of the Eaglets - Jean Plaidy (10/05/13) Central to this story is  King Henry the 1st and the turbulance with his sons. Based in England and France this book helps explain the difficulties in the Monarchy at this time. Really enjoyable to read and factual too. 

• 59. Uneasy lies the head - Jean Plaidy (7-9/05/13) This story focuses on the Tudor family at the end of the war of the roses. The main theme is the princes who were killed in the towers and how this caused unease for Henry 7th. Really interesting and ties in with 2 previous books of Plaidy's previously read. 

• 58. The Thistle and the Rose - Jean Plaidy  (05-07/05/13) Another of Plaidy's books - I went through the list at the library and reserved a lot all at once!  This one is about Queen Mary - Henry 8ths sister and her life in scotland! Really enjoyable to read! 

• 57. The captive of Kensington Palace- Jean Plaidy  ( 03-05/5/13) Enjoyed reading this story about Queen Victoria's childhood and the troubles she went through with her overprotective controlling mother. It may be fiction but it well researched and has some historical content.

• 56. Mum's army - Winifred Phillips. (1/5/13) Another memoir but this time about a woman's experience in the army. Very interesting to read.

• 55. A lucky Child - Thomas Buergenthal.  (25th-29th April) This is a memoir of surviving Auschwitz as a young boy and it is so lovely to read as it was written when Thomas was in his later years so could add adult knowledge and experiences to his story. What I liked the most though was the story about how he was reuinited with his mum and how life got back to 'normal' once they were released from the POW camps! 

• 54. Don't forget to write. Pam Hobbs (20th-25th April) A memoir type story of a young girl evacuated and the life her family experienced through the war years. 

• 53. My wounded heart - the life of Lilli Jahn, 1900-1944 written by Martin Doerry.  17-19th april - Another war time diary but this perspective is from a Jewess who lives in Germany and married a German man. It focuses on her bravery at the divorce the Nazi's made them get and then her subsequent imprisionment in a concentration camp! 

• 52 Flaunting, extravagant Queen- Jean Plaidy- 14-17th April - This book is all about Marie Antionette and the French Revolution. It was good to read and very jam packed with facts and historical knowledge. Took a while to read but enjoyable and definetely want to read more of her books! 

• 51. Evacuee Boys letters of a family separated by war John E.Forbat.(12-13th April) A full collection of letters from double evacuees and brothers Andrew and John Forbat. Originally from Hungary they moved to Britain to escape persecution from the Nazis (they were Jews) then once in England they were evacuated to the countryside. The letters from sons to parents are interesting to read and a narrative is provided by the author. 

• 50. We were young and at War - Sarah Wallis and Svetlana Palmer.  10-12th April. This is a collection of war time diaries from several countries affected by the second world war. Since reading Anne Franks diary at the age of 11 I have had a love of personal insights into wartime life. This collection spans Nazi soldiers, British Squaddies and everyday citizens - so very interesting to read. Learnt a lot of facts.

• 49 .Matron knows best - Joan Woodcock - (8-9th April) An interesting book which I enjoyed reading although I experienced deja vu throughout. Think this might be because I have read a lot of nursing books now. I did learn a lot about the hospital and nursing in general. If all nurses behaved and thought as this author did - there would be a lot of people who are in hospital that are happier. 

• 48. Mendel's Dwarf - Simon Mawer. (7th April) This was quite hard to read because it had genetic dialogue in it and seemed very scientific in places. But it was interesting in learning about how the discovery of DNA and genetics came about. The main character is a Dwarf or little person and it also highlights some of the prejudice and difficulties they face on a daily basis! 

• 47. Doodlebugs, gas masks & Gum. Christina Rex (6th - 7th April) This is a book which has childrens opinions from WW2. It is very interesting to gain  a childs perspective of the situation, and it made me feel almost empowered because you learnt how mums carried on feeding and clothing kids as Britain and the World fought around them, nothing was wasted and it makes me feel like I should perhaps do more to waste less in our lives. 

• 46. The Town House - Norah Lofts - (30-5th April) This is a book which took a long time to read (for me) mainly because the font was small and pages were very condensed. I found it interesting though because it follows a family over the years and is predominantly set in the one house. It is a trilogy and I will be looking for the other 2 because i want to see how the family grows and progresses.

• 45 Horrible histories - Julius Ceaser and his foul friends. Toby Brown (29th March)  A children's book which my daughter got from school - I wanted to know more about this man's life and find horrible history books amazing and easy to read, they are packed full of fun facts.

• 44.An interrupted life: the diaries and letters of Etty Hillesum 1941-43 (25th-29th March) This was a deep book, a real life harrowing story of one brave young woman's battle with the holocaust in amsterdam. It features religion quite heavily and this does not distract from the main elements of the book but I did find it quite difficult to read sometimes.

• 43.Better days will come - Pam Weaver (25th March) Another book by Pam Weaver and this one draws on her past experiences as a nursery nurse. It is a very easy book to read and it had me guessing as to the 'twist' in the story line so it was not very predictable - which is always good when it comes to fiction. I also enjoyed how one of the main characters defied convention by raising her child as a single mum, which back in 1947 was almost unheard of! 

• 42. Voices from the Holocaust Jon E. Lewis   (24th March) This non fiction book collaborates many sources about the holocaust and suffering caused to Jewish people during WW2. It is very interesting although harrowing reading - it is also as objective as a book like this can be because it has documents from those responsible as well as those who suffered. 

• 41 When the children came home (Stories of Wartime Evacuees) Julie Summers.  (23rd March) I read this in one evening whilst supervising the little terror that is our new puppy. It was easy to read for a non fiction book and I did learn a lot more about the process of evacuation and some of the events that happened during the 3 mains periods of mass evacuation in WW2. 

• 40- Katherine the Virgin Widow - Jean Plaidy - 21-22nd March) A book about the tudor period, but focusing on the life of Katherine of Aragon (Henry 8ths 1st wife). It was a good book which was enjoyable once you had got used to all the spanish names, I learnt nothing new about this period of history or the story of Katherine but I will continue to look for more by the same author! 

• 39 London Belles - Annie Groves -  20th March - This was a very easy to read book about a group of women during WW2. It was interesting and very well researched and although I did not learn anything new about this era and the events of the time it was still enjoyable to read. 

• 38 Midwife on Call - Agnes Light  (15-17th March) Yet another midwife book! But this one was special to me for two reasons mainly because Agnes the midwife is a massive advocate for home births and as natural unmedical labours as possible. I had my second child at home so this brought back many happy memories. She also is deaf and wears hearing aids like me - it highlights some of the difficulties she faces with her hearing loss - but gives me hope that careers are possible. 

• 37. There's always tomorrow - Pam Weaver (14th March) This is a fiction book written by the nursery nurse who wrote book #31. Centered upon the after effects of WW2 and how it can disrupt families and friends in later life I found this an amazing book with lots of detail and some mystery to keep me on my toes. An author I will keep my eye on! 

• 36. It shouldn't happen to a Midwife - Jane Yeadon  (13th March) Another midwife book, yet this one is mainly based on the social life of the trainee midwifes and the friendship they developed. I do like reading birthing stories but it did not have many of these - still an ok read though.

• 35 Snow Flower and the secret Fan. Lisa See (10-12th March) This is the most enjoyable book I have read so far by this author. Focusing on the foot binding ritual that many Chinese Women were put through it centers on the difference a marriage can make to a family. And the deep ritual friendship between 2 Chinese women. Really informative, well researched and believable. Would recommend this book to people who like learning about a new culture. 

• .34. Tales of A Midwife - Maria Anderson (10th March) I picked this book up to read on one of my frequent sleepless nights. It took me 2 hours to read and I didn't put it down once I had started it. Even though I have read a lot of Midwifery books lately they still do not loose their charm. Perhaps this is because they make me recall my interesting birth stories? This one focuses on more recent times than previous ones so I could relate to this more - my 1st child was born in 2001! 

• 33. The Agincourt Bride - Joanna Hickson.  (7th - 10th March)  An historical fiction book focusing on a french princess who became Queen of England. I enjoyed reading from an alternative cultural perspective, and it was a nice thick book so I could really read it! There is a sequel and I definetely can not wait until that comes out.

• 32.Twelve Babies on a Bike - Dot May Dunn.  (5-6th March) Another enjoyable midwife book! I seem to be liking this type of memoir since I read call the Midwife. This tends to focus on 12 babies from birth to their discharge to the health visitor. Very charming and easy to read!

• 31Bath times and Nursery Rhymes  Pam Weaver- (4th March) A true book based on tales of a nursery nurse in the 60's. Before I read this I did not fully understand the function of nursery nurses- but now I feel I know the highs and lows of this woman's career. I think that Pam Weaver has written some more books so I will look out for these at my local library.

• 30. Dreams of Joy - Lisa See  (3rd march) Another Chinese based fiction book, but I do feel that although it is fictional it is authentic and describes life in China really well! This follows on from #23 (Shanghai Girls) it introduces Pearl and May's daughter Joy and the conflict she goes through because she is Chinese but brought up in America - she has a tough journey trying to discover her father and her families history! 

• 29 Cleopatra's Daughter - Michelle Moran-  (2nd Mar) I don't know much about Cleopatra's offspring until I read this book. In all honesty I did not find this as interesting as others Michelle has written but it was still informative and I am pleased I have read it! 

• 28. Bundles of Joy - Linda Fairley (26th Feb) Again like the 1st book Linda wrote (#26) This is a really good informative and funny read. Obviously there are dark moments because there are unfortunately tragedies with birth occasionally. But Linda covers them in a heart warming manner which makes you attempt to understand her extraordinary life! 

• 27. Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness (23rd Feb)  I selected this book from the library in a hurry - mainly because I liked the title and the cover and it was on the 'New Book' stand. I did not know what to expect until I begun to read it. WOW - I loved it. It is about a witch who has married a Vampire in modern america and then they time travel together to Elizabethan England. It is the 2nd book in the series and I have now gone on to reserve the 1st one so I can learn more. Very well written with some fabulous historical detail as well as supernatural fights and folklore! 

• 26 The Midwife's Here - Linda Fairley  (22nd Feb) A biographical book about one womans journeys as a midwife. What makes it more exceptional is the fact that she has practised at the same hospital for her whole career and she is Britain's longest serving midwife. I enjoyed it so much I read it in a single night and the adventures made me feel happy and sad, but it did feel like she has more to tell so I am eagerly awaiting her next book! 

• 25 The second Empress - Michelle Moran - (19th Feb) I have read a few books about the French Revolution but this is the 1st book that is about Napoleon in the years after the Revolution. It was for this reason I found this so interesting, learning about his eccentricness and how it affected his family and his country made me more aware of the social climate in France at the time. I completed the book in one night - thanks to it been the school holidays with no early morning. And found it easy to read and engaging! 

• 24 The Resurrectionist - James Bradley (18th Feb) This book was very macabre and gothic and I usually like this type of book, however I couldn't relate to the characters and I thought some chapters too short. It was an easy book to read and I did enjoy it but it didn't have me gripped which is what I like in a book. I liked the section towards the end which focused on those people sent to Australia to live out their prison sentences - this provided a fresh insight into those early people who made Australia what it is today. The book itself also offered graphic descriptions of dead bodies and the Victorian culture in burying them and their analysis for medical purposes. 

• 23. Shanghai Girls - Lisa See(16th feb) This book provided an insight into the culture of Chinese people, it told a harrowing story about how 2 girls became women in a China torn by war and then in America and the prejudice they suffered there. It has themes of motherhood and war running through it and I found it very easy to read and understand. 

• 22. Nefertiti - Michelle Moran (13-14th Feb) Following on from a book I have read previously - I think in hindsight that I should have read this first. This explained the context of the other book (The heretic queen) in a way that was easy to read and understand. But although it was read in the wrong order it was still enjoyable in its own right. It was another that I read easily and one which I appreciated because of the historical content and the research that must have gone into getting it printed. Having read 3 of Michelle Moran's books this year I am eager to reading some more. 

• 21. The Queen's Confidant Karen Harper (12th Feb) Another Karen Harper book, and I actually enjoyed this one a lot more than the previous. This focuses mainly on a Chandler (Candle / Wax maker) and being female she is not typical in her profession, although because of her carving skills she becomes friendly with the Queen at the time (Henry the 8th) mum. As mentioned before I do like the Tudor period and found this enjoyable because it focuses on the earlier years and the politics of the time. I found it easier to read and understand and couldn't put this book down. 

• 20. The Queens Governess Karen Harper (11th feb) Having read a lot of books about the Tudor period and Henry the 8th and his children I was not prepared for this book to be as enjoyable. I was proved wrong however though. This book gave an interesting perspective on Elizabeth's childhood as she grow up with her governess almost replacing the love and affection her mother should have given had she not been beheaded! There is the theme of motherhood and absent mothers running throughout and it follows all the events at the time in a well researched manner. 

• 19. The Heretic Queen - Michelle Moran (10th Feb) Because I enjoyed the previous book I had read by this author I decided to get some more and went on the library website to reserve some. This was the 1st title that arrived at my local branch. Based on the Ancient Egyptians I initially thought it would be difficult to read, other books based in this period have previously taken me some time to get into. However once the main characters were introduced and I had become accustomed to the names etc.. I found it easy to read and extremely interesting because I do not know much about this era. A very good book and I am defiantly looking for some more by Michelle Moran. 

• 18 Always the children - Anne Watts (7th Feb) This belongs with the book I read earlier called A NURSE ABROAD - however I found this book better to read. Perhaps because this focuses on more children and families effected by the various 20th century wars. Some of the stories are heartbreaking whilst others inspire you, but all in all the book serves to remind you that even though you think life is hard sometimes now, it is always a lot worse for some one else. 

• 17 .The Distant Hours - Kate Morton (5th Feb) An enjoyable book which kept me guessing all the way through about the family secrets that were hidden in the past. Set in WW2 and the 1990's it flows easily between the different periods with no problems for the reader. Very well written and researched! 

• 16 Madame Tussaud - Michelle Moran. (2nd Feb) As the title suggests this book is based on the life of the famous wax sculptress but because it is set in France in the era of the French Revolution you find yourself  learning more about this historic period. It is full of historical facts which are sometimes realistically gross but includes much social history too and the typical romantic relationship of this type of novel. I know I say I recommend this read on a lot of the books I have read but this is one that should definitely be read in my opinion! 

• 15. The Book of Fires - Jane Borrowdale (30th Jan) I selected this book because its historical but it also involved fireworks and illegitimate pregnancy. It was a book that once I begun I couldn't put down and I read it rather quickly. It kept me guessing up until the last few chapters and without giving much away the outcome for the protagonist was a surprise to me. Jane Borrowdale the author has gone to a lot of effort to get historical knowledge of pyrotechnics and the period of the novel correct and this shows in how effective it all is at describing the world of fireworks. A recommended book! 

• 14 The Girl in the Picture - the remarkable story of Vietnam's most famous casualty. - Denise Chong (27th Jan) This is a book that focuses on the life of Kim Phuc - a victim of the napalm bomb strikes in the Vietnam war. It shows the hardship of war and covers religion as well. But the most extraordinary story is how this young girl matures into a wise focused woman who struggles against adversity to achieve most of her desires and dreams. I was not around during the Vietnam war so all I really know of it is the films that have been produced since. That was the main reason I selected this story, I like to learn more about things that I have little knowledge on. I would recommend this book for a read that is graphic yet inspiring. 

• 13. The Virgin Widow - Anne O'Brien- ( 25th Jan) This book focuses on the life of Anne Neville and the War of the Roses. Because the War of the Roses has a meaning to Wakefield where I live this held a fascination for me. It took some getting into but once I did I absorbed the words wanting to know more about this extraordinary woman who is little known in history. For an historical romance I would put this on the level of Elizabeth Chadwick and Phillipa Gregory. 

• 12 .The Great Stink- Clare Clark -  (23rd Jan) focuses on life in 1855 in london and has the effects of the Crimean war on Soldiers who were there. Another interesting one from my point of view is the theme of self-abuse. This is a subject close to my heart so was intriguing to read from that aspect. It is interesting to hear / read about life in the sewers and how much work went into cleaning up after a city which is growing by the day.

• 11. Wildthorn - Jane England - (22nd Jan) This is a young adults fiction book and I picked it to read because it is based in an asylum which I thought would make an interesting read. I was correct- with the theme of lesbian love running through it I believe young adults who read it will identify with the confusion of life and sexual attraction. Even as an older adult reading it I could identify with some aspects of the novel - there is also the theme of feminism running through it. Would recommend this book to anyone who likes a short (ish) story with a touching tale of love running through it.

• 10. The Glory and the Shame - Harry Bowling (21st, jan) I initially found this hard to get into but once it took off there were a lot of interesting characters who had interesting lives. Based in the East End in post war Britain it mainly focuses on 2 families and a secret they have kept since the war. I especially liked the dialogue, written as cockney English you get a really believable conversation.

• 9. Mistress of my fate  - Hallie Rubenhold (18-20th Jan) As I was reading this book it quickly became apparent that it was ever so similar to Fanny hill (John Cleland) and Moll Flanders ( Daniel Defoe) - it is told in a first person narrative and follows a young women in a historical period and the trials and tribulations she encounters. Her main objective is to find the love of her life but along the way she has to use her body and feminine wiles to her best advantage. She is a professional mistress who goes through the heartache of her baby boy been taken away. So when reading it you feel for her because it wasn't the life she expected: she is the victim of circumstances which her parents created. A fabulous first novel - of which there is a follow up. I can't wait to see where Mrs Henrietta Lightfoot's travels take her next. 

• 8. A Nurse Abroad -  Anne Watts - (17th Jan) A true life story of an adventurous woman who has a wanderlust for life and adventure. It follows her as she Nurses people from several countries, including Eskimos and Aborigines - and it covers the experiences and adversity she encounters on her travels. Whilst reading this I have discovered she wrote another book about her work in vietnam. So watch this space because that book will be on this list soon! 

• 7. We remember the BLITZ - Frank & Joan Shaw (read 14/1/13) Another amazing book, real life and based on true stories of humorous and humbling stories from WW2. What I liked about this book is the fact it covers a lot of social history and I did learn a lot more about this period in history. The tales are told in such a way that you almost can imagine sitting down with a cup of tea and chatting away. It is a very emotional book though, especially when the person who is talking about their experience mentions they were the age that my children are now, it just makes you think about how hard their lives were back then. If anyone has an interest in WW2 or social history then I would definitely recommend reading this - the individual stories are quite short so it is an easy book to read when you have just a couple of minutes spare. 

• 6.The house at Riverton - Kate Morton  (read 8-12/1/13) This was a bit longer than the other books and having lots of application forms etc .. to fill in I didn't have the time to sit and read as i wanted to. It was also a book that took me a while to get into, it crossed between modern day life and life in the 1920's focusing on the maid of a lady and her hidden secrets. It combined all the elements I liked although I do think it could have been a bit more dramatic? 

• 5. Shame -  Jasvinder Sanghere (7/1/2013) The urge to read this book came from once more not knowing much about the topic in question. It is based on a Punjabi family who are living in England and the main protagonist Jasvinder is one of 7 daughters. This book focuses on the themes of racism and family loyalty. It is heartbreaking to hear of the worries and stress Jasvinder goes through because of her religious family. When she stands up to them her life is so much harder but against all adversity she thrives and becomes a successful and strong woman who is now helping other Asian women going through similar experiences  It is a true life memoir style book and one that I would recommend to anyone who wants to know more about 1st hand experience within a strict, religious family. 

• 4. Bloodline -  Fiona Mountain (read 6/1/2013) Fiction this time. But totally believable, it focuses on a historian (my love of history creeping in there) who stumbles across some Nazi secrets left over from the WW2. Using her skills and knowledge of genes and research she discovers how much these secrets are affecting her modern life. Again an interesting book which focuses on a lot of subjects that I have an interest for! 

• 3.The Sugar Girls -  ( Tales of hardship, love and happiness in Tate & Lyle's East end. ) Duncan Barrett & Nuala Calvi. (Read 05/01/2013) Another true life book, and equally as fascinating as Falling Leaves - this time set in Britain and focusing on the war period and after. It follows the turbulant lives of the girls as they form friendships and experiance life in a busy factory. Just my kind of read! To top it off you can also check out the website www.thesugargirls.com where you can meet the characters and see photos of areas previously read about.  

• 2.Falling leaves - the true story of an unwanted chinese daughter. Adeline Yen Mah (04/01/2013) - I was originally interested in reading this because I know very little about Chinese social and political history. Packed with Chinese proverbs and horrifing facts about been a unwanted child this book was another one I was unable to put down once I had begun to read it. You really feel for Adeline yet are encouraged by her braveness and success in life. Although it was quite difficult to read in some places because of the chinese place names etc... I would definatly recommend this read.

• 1.Below stairs - best-selling memoirs of a 1920's kitchen maid, Margaret Powell (04/01/2013) - I like learning new things when I read and although I couldn't put this book down it didn't teach me anything. Perhaps that is because I have read a lot on social history from this period anyway? Like I said though I still found this story touching, amusing and entertaining! The old recipes and menus were very interesting.