|
Post by susanb on Nov 12, 2020 22:49:46 GMT 1
Hi, just checking, any thoughts on our Christmas read for this year? I think shipping times might be impacted due to covid (and of course, Christmas!) I just ordered a new copy of Black Fury by Peggie Cannam, so I could do that if everyone wants to (it had gone in my "read and weed" phase last summer, as the copy I had was ex-library) Also, just checked on copies of Winter Ponies by Pamela Cockrill, and they seem to be available cheap at the moment. On Abebooks, there are copies in UK, Australia and New Zealand. Any other suggestions? Game to try anything I can get hold of.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Nov 20, 2020 18:55:23 GMT 1
Hi all and apologies Susan, I missed your post on here. I think either Black Fury by Peggy Cannam or Winter Ponies by Pamela Cockerill would be a good choice, depending on which books is easier for everyone to get hold of.
Please everybody could you let me know your preferance and I will get the winter/Christmas read set up very soon.
|
|
|
Post by rallycairn on Nov 21, 2020 2:17:30 GMT 1
Winter Ponies sounds more appealing to me, but Black Fury is much more accessible for me. So, basically I'm on the fence!
By the way, what is Christmas-y about Black Fury? The winter theme is pretty blatant with Winter Ponies, but can't tell with Black Fury.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Nov 23, 2020 17:34:08 GMT 1
Winter Ponies sounds more appealing to me, but Black Fury is much more accessible for me. So, basically I'm on the fence! By the way, what is Christmas-y about Black Fury? The winter theme is pretty blatant with Winter Ponies, but can't tell with Black Fury. Black Fury is quite a good one for Christmas. The first part of the book is set in the Christmas school holidays and the hero meets the horse for the first time on Christmas day. And there's also snow! I think there may even be another Christmas at the end of it but I can't remember for sure as it's some time since I read it.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Nov 23, 2020 22:04:44 GMT 1
You know, now that you describe Black Fury, I don't think I HAVE read it.....I'd thought I had in my "read and weed" binge last summer, but I think I just weeded it without reading....the copy I had was really beat up and grubby, (acquired in an ebay job lot), and I'm guessing I just tossed it into a bag o'donations.
Anyway, it sounds good to me, and I've already bought a new copy, but I'm game to go with whatever the group wants!
|
|
|
Post by darkhorse on Nov 25, 2020 19:38:24 GMT 1
I don't have either of the books so I'm happy to do either one. Sorry that's not much help, we're all sitting on the fence.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Nov 27, 2020 15:37:18 GMT 1
Hi again folks, well as a few of us have copies of the book, I think we'll go with Black Fury. I will get a thread set up for it shortly, although there will be plenty of time to order one if you haven't got a copy as discussion can go on all through the Christmas holidays. I can lend out my copy to anyone who can't get hold of it.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Oct 9, 2021 21:31:11 GMT 1
Hi all, anyone have a suggestion for the Halloween/spooky read this year? I also thought we could perhaps do, as a pre-Christmas read in November/early December, the latest Caroline Akrill book which is out at the end of the month(see summer challenge thread for more info).
|
|
|
Post by garej on Oct 10, 2021 2:47:44 GMT 1
The only downside of the Caroline Akrill book is that it's only currently available to pre order as an ebook. If you dont do ebooks then it may be a problem. Maybe one for the future when it's available as a paperback?
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Oct 10, 2021 23:01:09 GMT 1
I'm up for Akrill....love her work!
Re autumnal book, can't think of anything. I'd be fine with a regular (non Halloween) book as a group read if no one comes up with anything.
|
|
|
Post by h a f f y f a n 1 on Oct 11, 2021 21:00:11 GMT 1
Also up for the Caroline Akrill. I don't think it's a given it will even be released in paperback at this stage.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Oct 15, 2021 23:02:28 GMT 1
Thanks for the input folks. Yeah I agree with Haffy in that the Akrill book may not be released in pb or it could be a good while. It’s unfortunate that some people don’t do ebooks as quite a few are now only available in ebook form - although nowadays there are plenty of options to read them even without tablets. In fact I often read them on my laptop.
Anyhow I’ll have a think about the Halloween book and if I can’t think of anything we could just do the Akrill in its place.
|
|
|
Post by darkhorse on Oct 22, 2021 19:50:54 GMT 1
Would definitely be up for the Caroline Akrill book.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Oct 25, 2021 19:50:20 GMT 1
Have decided to just do the Akrill book as an Autumn read and not bother with a Halloween theme this year. Partly because I have run out of time to sort it out due to poor internet connection here. Apologies to all for not having the spooky read set up this year. Anyhow, will set up a dedicated thread for the Akrill e-book asap.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Dec 8, 2021 21:04:04 GMT 1
Hi all, a suggestion for Christmas read this year is A Riverdale Christmas by Amanda Wills. Hopefully not everyone will have already read it. I did do a review of it a couple of years back and thought it was a pretty good read - and am happy to do a re-read It is available as both an e-book and a paperback and is easy to find in both UK and USA. Other suggestions will also be taken into consideration but I will want to set it up in the next few days as we are already getting close to the festive season!
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Dec 9, 2021 19:52:53 GMT 1
Hi Claire,
Looks good to me, just bought a copy!
Also, looking ahead, are we doing the Winter mini-challenge?
Thanks!
Susan
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Dec 13, 2021 11:26:17 GMT 1
Not sure about the winter challenge as last year it seemed to fizzle out somewhat. I'll make a decision on it after the Christmas period.
|
|
|
Post by darkhorse on Dec 16, 2021 14:07:47 GMT 1
I've read the first 3 books in the series. This one says it's book 9. As you've read it before Claire, will it be easy to pick up without reading the other books in between?
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Dec 16, 2021 14:17:54 GMT 1
I've read the first 3 books in the series. This one says it's book 9. As you've read it before Claire, will it be easy to pick up without reading the other books in between? I hadn't read them all before this one so I don't think it's necessary to have read all the others in the series, or indeed any, to pick up the story.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Mar 21, 2022 17:28:07 GMT 1
Hi all, any suggestions for an upcoming Spring/Easter group read?
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Mar 21, 2022 22:03:02 GMT 1
I just picked up one that seems to be widely available and cheap: Kelpie's Pearls by Mollie Hunter, a fantasy...looks like it's on the lines of Leitch's Black Loch....not sure if it's very spring or Easter-ish though Open to anything I can get hold of. Had a hunt round for Easter: So Guy Came Too and Castle in Northumbria by Lorna Hill are both set at Easter The Treasure Riders by Marjorie Proctor Riding for Ransom by Catherine Harris A Spanish Adventure by Pat Smythe Yattunga by Janet Ashton Easter Meeting by Elizabeth Waud
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Mar 23, 2022 17:29:50 GMT 1
Thanks Susan, I may choose one of the Lorna Hill titles - as there could be some interesting discussions sparked off by the character of Guy! I'll check the availability first as they weren't too easy to find at one point.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Mar 24, 2022 0:31:07 GMT 1
I was sort of thinking of a lively debate when I suggested the Lorna Hill and Pat Smythe books 😉
Hopefully one of the books will be easily available.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Mar 29, 2022 13:28:29 GMT 1
I was sort of thinking of a lively debate when I suggested the Lorna Hill and Pat Smythe books 😉 Hopefully one of the books will be easily available. Lol great minds! 'So Guy Came Too' would I think foster the most lively debate but unfortunately it's not easily available. Castle in Northumbria seems a bit easier to find in the UK at least. Can you get hold of it on the USA Susan? (or do you already have a copy?) I don't think the character of Guy is anywhere near as annoying in that book though! It's also set in an area I know well so I wouldn't mind reading it again.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Mar 29, 2022 16:14:18 GMT 1
I have both of the Lorna Hill series, but haven’t read all yet…Castle in Northumbria is one I haven’t, so ideal for me, if it works for others. It looks like a lot of the GGB copies are around at the moment 😊
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Mar 29, 2022 22:32:16 GMT 1
We'll go with Castle in Northumbria then. I have noticed that Amazon has GGB copies for sale, also Abebooks has a few copies of various editions at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Mar 30, 2022 15:30:38 GMT 1
Hi all have just set up a thread for the book. I was browsing a review of the book on-line and it suddenly reminded me that this is the book with one of the infamous 'spanking' incidents which appear (mercifully rarely) in pony books. (Another one rears its ugly head in Grey Arrow by Catherine Carey). For some reason I thought this incident was in another book in either the Marjorie or Patience series - so now I must take back what I said about Guy not being as infuriating in this book as others! I think the book really is a must-read in terms of comparing the attitude of this author to her female characters and the male/female dynamic, as opposed to most other authors of the genre at the time. Castle in Northumbria Group Read thread
|
|
|
Post by Claire on Oct 11, 2022 11:40:13 GMT 1
Hi all, well it's almost that time of year again. Autumn/Halloween read. If anyone has any suggestions for a book that is easy to find/cheap let me know. Otherwise a potential candidate is a book of spooky short stories by Jane Ayres called The Spooky Pony Mystery and other stories. Kindle or paperback available. It's also available on kindle unlimited if you have that (there's usually a free trial). Fairly easy read and some decent short stories on there.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Oct 12, 2022 3:15:02 GMT 1
OT for the board, but I don’t think I’ve ever read Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party 😉
|
|
|
Post by haffyfan on Oct 12, 2022 20:32:09 GMT 1
I have KU so happy to go with the Jane Ayres.
As it's prime early access yesterday/today i would imagine KU offers are out there. I haven't paid for mine in ages. I get a 3 month freebie, cancel before it ends and go without a few days/weeks, and then they usually offer another freebie in your offers or at least a 3 month for #7.99 (I do have prime on annual, not sure if that helps)
|
|