Read All Of The BBC Top 100 Reads Part 3

Nearly half way through this list, but I think my notion of having this completed by the end of this year was a tad optimistic. Here goes the ones I've read in this batch:-

1984 & Animal Farm - George Orwell - loved both of them preferring 1984 of the two. Loved the fact that 1984 leaves you asking questions and Animal Farm read so much different then when I first read it as a teenager. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho - an okay read, personally I don't see what the fuss is about, but it's probably one of those that I will pick up again at a later stage and understand better. The BFG - Roald Dahl - wonderful read, but just thought the daft language of the giant, spoilt it somewhat. Black Beauty - Anna Sewell - a wonderful children's story, told through the eyes of the horse. I can't quite believe I never read this as a child, but it still read as good now! Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl - another wonderful children's book, it still breaks my heart to read of their poverty at the beginning of the story and the character of Willy Wonka is truly brilliant. The Clan Of The Cave Bear - Jean Auel - this one really surprised me, I totally loved it! The story is so well researched, you actually feel like you are living alongside the cave men. This is one of three in a series, so it may be one that I revisit at a later stage. Emma - Jane Austen - my favourite of all the Jane Austen's that I've read so far. I've watched several different versions of the film, so I felt this helped me along with the story somewhat. You can easily relate to Emma, as she is typical of any of the interfering friends that you or I may have, that mean well, but it never quite works out that way! Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy - another of those wonderful surprises that you get from reading a list of unknown books. I loved the central characters in this book and the fact that Hardy makes his woman characters so strong! Holes - Louis Sachar - never realised this was a children's book until I accidentally found it in the children's section in my local library. An enjoyable read, telling the story of a bunch of kids in a correction centre that are made to dig holes every day as punishment. The Story Of Tracy Beaker - Jacqueline Wilson - I heart Tracy Beaker, I think the character is wonderful and so angst ridden for one so young! Tracy is a girl that lives in a children's home and hates every minute of it - I so wanted to adopt her! The Woman In White - Wilkie Collins - for all those people that constantly put this on the best reads list - one question - why??? It is truly one of the worst books I have ever read - I would rather stick pins in my eyes that have to read this again - truly awful! Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte - Heathcliff, Cathy, a bleak back drop, a depressing story!

Oh well, 52 more books to read on my list and 7 months of the year left to read them all in!! For now, I may well take break from this, as my new Jodi Picoult is calling me......