Quick Reads reviews - what the readers think about the books

The readers
The professionals
The press
Members of the public can also post reviews of any Quick Reads on the First Choice Books database.

The readers (adult learners)

Blackwater by Conn Iggulden
Hell Island by Matthew Reilly
How to Change Your Life by John Bird
Screw It, Let's Do It by Richard Branson
Someone Like Me by Tom Holt
Star Sullivan by Maeve Binchy
The Team by Mick Dennis
Woman Walks into a Bar by Rowan Coleman
General Comments

Woman Walks into a Bar by Rowan Coleman

I felt that this book had a brilliant happy ending. I could identify with the main characters' struggles, mistakes and triumphs. Her close relationship and strong bond with her young daughter really shone through this book. With each turn of the page I enjoyed learning about, the main characters, hard life, being a young single mum, struggling on, working hard and her never giving up attitude, so much I wanted to read it twice. - Terri D

• When I saw the cover I thought it would be my kind of book: modern romance, tells it like it is and quite funny - I wasn't disappointed. I thought it was good and I could identify with being a single mum and looking for Mr. Right. I thought the daughter's idea of slipping jokes to her mum to cheer her up was a good idea. It was quite funny in places. A book I enjoyed. I wish it had been longer. - Ann T.
  
• Really good book. We all have been there or know someone who has. Easy reading that you could relate to. Enjoyed this book it kept my interest, as it was nice and easy going. Have myself got a daughter who checks my hair and makeup before a night out to see if it meets with her approval. - Michelle S
• I found this book very interesting and I enjoyed reading it. I get put off by thick books but with Quick Reads I am definitely going to read all of them. - Halia
• I would recommend this book to any female of any age. Even though the book had only 115 pages it managed to tell the whole story without rushing it and trying to cram the whole thing into a few pages. - Jayne
• I would recommend it to my friends - it's quick and easy to read. - Saiqa
  
• The sun was setting. I didn't even turn the light on: I couldn't stop, I had to finish it.' - Reading group member at the Thames Valley Adult Dyslexia Centre

Star Sullivan by Maeve Binchy

I thought the cover of the book could have been a bit better - I found it a bit boring. I think maybe a family photo with Star standing out from the rest would have been nice. But the book I enjoyed. It was about an ordinary family with each child different. Mum worked hard and dad enjoyed gambling. Star was the youngest of all the children and all she wanted in life was for everyone to be happy. The ending I enjoyed because, as Star grew older, she wanted her real name back(Oona). Oona wanted to forget about the past and she ended up doing very well in her job and people couldn't believe how different she was (for the better). My daughter read this book also and enjoyed it very much. - Daphne C

• I thought this book had a good bunch of strong characters, with a good fluid storyline. "Star" the main character had a very complicated family life, which could be identified with by many families who have their own ups and downs, such as she does. The many twists and turns in this book made it a great page turner. I really liked it at the end when "Star" went back to her original birth name to start over again from fresh. - Terri D
  

Someone Like Me by Tom Holt

I really enjoyed this book. The author's style of writing was brilliant, so descriptive, so imaginative and so fluid. I felt Like I was in the dark tunnel with him!! I thought it was a great storyline, well set out and flowed at just the right pace. A definite edge-of-your-seat page turner, for me. - Terri D

• The front cover caught my eye. It was the eyes that got me to pick up the book and start reading it. At the beginning, I found it very interesting wanting to know what had killed all the people - going into the house not knowing what he was going to find as he went from room to room. And the best bit is the ending when … I enjoyed reading the book. Once you start reading the book you have to read it all. The book left me with lots of questions. There should be a Someone Like Me Two to answer the questions. - Tina H

• My type of book - I knew when I saw the cover. I love horror! It was brilliant - I couldn't put it down. It left lots to the imagination. The creatures were only referred to as 'They' or 'Them' and only a few snippets of description were given: 'They' had fur, wore clothes, were cat-like and had tusks - which did away with my earlier thought that 'They' were Werewolves! The hunter wasn't described at all - he didn't even have a name. The twist near the end was unexpected. Brilliant story... wish it had been much longer. - Ann T

How to Change Your Life by John Bird

I found this book to be very informative, frank and to the point, in a non patronising way. It was full of sensible ideas, which challenge you to look at and change things in your own life. I also found it to be thought provoking and in some ways inspiring. I really enjoyed reading this book. - Terri D

• The cover of the book tells the story. It is about each step further you take in life. This book is very good for someone to read who feels down about life and feels they are getting nowhere. I liked the idea of setting yourself at goal of 3% and building on this each time you achieved something new. The book explains every different step in life and gives you all the questions and answers you need to build yourself up and to reach a goal of 50%. I enjoyed reading the book and would find it very interesting for someone to read who is feeling a bit low. It did make me realise how good my life is and how life can be very hard for some people. - Daphne C
  

• Not a book I would have bought - I avoid self help books as they are usually complicated (and involve spending a lot of money so I end up feeling worse than I did). BUT this book is more like a cross between self help and an autobiography. I really enjoyed it. It is well written and I could identify with a lot with much of what was being said. It was easy to understand and had some humorous bits. I agreed with the idea of starting things (anything) small and doing whatever a little at a time, or as he said just give 3% and when you have done that add another 3%, or if you don't try and swallow the whole apple you are less likely to choke!!! Yeah, good reading, a change from my usual. - Ann T
  

• I've never liked reading since leaving school. But after reading this book I felt I have to start reading again. I found this book so positive and uplifting to read, that I'm definitely going to get myself a copy. - Emma

• 'A big thank you to John and the people who chose the book as part of the Quick Reads series. I have recommended it to friends who are undergoing troubled times and have previously not had chance to do very much reading, but because of the format of the book have returned to it and have found reading a great comfort. Everyone should read this book!' - L Davies
  

Screw It, Let's Do It by Richard Branson

I enjoyed the book and read it in a day and could easily read it again. I like the size of the writing and the off white paper as it made it so much easier to read. I like the bit that Richard says "I speed read...I don't allow myself to trip over slow or tricky words but get the meaning from the flow and the sense of the section." It made me realise that I do the same. The book was good because there were no words that were tricky words for me. - Ayleen

The Thief by Ruth Rendell

Now I've read that book, I've started another one - a Billy Connolly book. Now I can try and get into reading books.' Adult Literacy Student, on reading "The Thief"

Blackwater by Conn Iggulden

'This is the first book I have ever finished. Just my sort of book'. - Reader at Holme House Prison, Stockton on Tees

• This is one of the first books I have sat and read cover to cover. It was a very good dark story that had me thinking even after I had read the last page. I did not want to put the book down. So full marks to the author, more books like this please these are just what I need. - Terry
• My daughter is twenty, very dyslexic and has never been able to read through a book in her life so far - she gets in about five pages and gets so lost she gives up. Last weekend she read her first Quick Reads book, Blackwater by Conn Iggulden, from one end to the other, oblivious to the rest of us and it was wonderful to see. She has now rushed out and bought two more. Thank you, thank you, thank you. She has always wanted to read and has shelves of books that have been attempted and not finished. We have bought other books that were meant to be designed for those with difficulty in reading but they have never been right. Please make sure that all the authors involved know that it is a great thing that they have done and encourage many more to join the scheme. - Juliet, Surrey

Hell Island by Matthew Reilly

Excellent… after reading the first few pages I was hooked. I found the text size and spacing helped me read the book as I was not lost in a jumble of letters. The chapters were a good size and this made the story easy to follow. This book is only 115 pages long, I thought this was a bonus as it did not put me off. This is the first book I have read in a very long time, and I will continue to read more of the Quick Reads range. - David

The Team by Mick Dennis

The chapters would all take about five minutes to read and they stand alone so you can lift and lay this book very easily. I'd particularly recommend it for anyone who either has never read a book before or to anyone who has stopped reading. - Jerome

Chicken Feed by Minette Walters

I didn't want to put it down. This book has made me interested in reading. I've only read one book before, which my daughter made me read when I was on holiday with her, and I found it a big effort. This Quick Reads is an excellent idea. Because it's short, you don't get tired of it. - Sylvia Pethybridge (aged 63)

General Comments

• I haven't read a book since I was at school and I'm in my 30s now. I couldn't put it down. It took me 3 hours to read and it was brilliant. I'm going to get another. - Colin, Evesham
• Being able to sit and read a book all the way through without help was like the chocolate on the cake. - Linda, Evesham
• I don't usually read, but this was a really good book. It was real and talked about proper things that go on. It was funny as well. - 22 March - Quick Reads session at Stockton Hall Hospital
• I've not read a book since school but this one was really easy.
• I'd sit down and I'd think, if only I could do this when I was a child. And then I'd think well it doesn't matter, I'm older now, I can do it now. And it feels good.' - Adult Literacy Student after completing her first Quick Read - the first book she has ever read from beginning to end by herself.
• I've never read a book in my life, but I've read three Quick Reads; we swapped them amongst ourselves. I started reading during the day, I read all evening, and took the book to bed with me - even though my husband laughed at me for reading a book. - Parent in a Family Learning Class
• Big print is really useful. Every time you read a paragraph you want to read the next paragraph, and then the next one. Until you finish the book. - Reading group member at the Thames Valley Adult Dyslexia Centre

The Professionals

• The Learning Resource Centre has had a successful response from promoting the Quick Reads. We have collated a colourful display with comments from students who have enjoyed a particular Quick Read. Quotes such as "Learnt a lot", "interesting, made you think about life" and "Funny, romantic and enjoyable". The Division of Learner Services have had good links with the local Library and on this occasion invited academic staff to give us their top ten reads and why they enjoyed reading them. It has been enjoyable and successful because Users were able to find a book which suited their needs, sit back relax and enjoy! - Sharon Gray, Division of Learner Services, HCFE, Hartlepool

• The first batch of Quick Reads titles have been issuing like hot cakes and were well received by our emergent readers group, The Ashton Amateurs (a name decided on by the group themselves). - Tameside Libraries
• My learners in one of the dyslexia support groups decided to listen online to the authors as they read their first chapters: the response was amazing. Many continued to read further on after the audio had finished. The stories are gripping and the fact that a dyslexic learner such as Richard Branson contributed as well as the down-to-earth John Bird made them really extra special, positive and inspiring. A big fat juicy thank you for producing these books; letting us all know about them; giving money-off vouchers and doing a really good quality piece of work in getting adult readers engaged. I do hope it all continues - there is a great demand by lecturers like myself for something more inspiring. Dyslexic learners can have very good IQs and need good material to keep them reading. - Karen Gregson, Lecturer in Basic Skills & Dyslexia at South Leicestershire College.
• We had an excellent RaW workshop and follow-up lessons are in progress … We read Minette Walters' Chickenfeed and thoroughly enjoyed it. One learner read it 14 times over the Easter holiday! - RaW workshop organiser at Dudley College
• Rendell mystery works its magic - article in TES FE Focus by FE tutor (June 2006)

The press

A short and sweet idea for reluctant readers

Members of the public can also post reviews of any Quick Reads on the First Choice Books database.