A good start from Julian

Advantages: Easy read and enjoyable subject matter
Disadvantages: A bit of an obvious lead character

...This is Julian Clarys debut novel and a fairly good read it is. Plot ---------------- Johnny Debonair (aka JD, aka Johnny D!) grows up with his slightly odd mother and no father in Kent before being taken to stay at his Grandmothers in London when his mother gets a little too 'odd'. It's here that Johnny begins to get a sense of himself through his Grandmothers more focused attention. Johnny moves back home and embarks on a relationship with the local high society boy before heading to Drama School. This quickly takes a peculiar turn when his new flat mate Catherine, introduces him to a dark and seedy new profession. As Johnny's life begins to get more and more macabre he is suddenly given an opportunity to start on TV and he quickly becomes the best thing to hit the screen. But a dark past never stays hidden for long...

jonescraiga 11.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of Murder Most Fab - Julian Clary

Not a book to lend to my mum!

Advantages: entertaining and outrageous
Disadvantages: slightly too risque at times

...I was intrigued when I discovered that Julian Clary had written a novel as he is one of my favourite entertainers. I put it on my Amazon wishlist and luckily for me it turned up in my Christmas stocking! I was not disappointed at all because, like its author, this book is entertaining, outrageous and a lot of fun. Murder Most Fab tells the story of Johnny D. He was a boy with a slightly unusual childhood who ultimately became a highly paid and successful entertainer, skipping over a few intervening years as a much sought after rent boy! Johnny's life has always been somewhat alternative and complicated particularly when he is egged on to try out new experiences by his best friend Catherine. (She is a hooker who becomes his manager) As you can imagine, a complex lifestyle (sex, drugs and too much money) lead to complications and there...

kingfisher111 05.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of Murder Most Fab - Julian Clary

Reading Most Fab

Advantages: Very funny in places, great story
Disadvantages: Some quite graphic sexual details

...I first came across this book when I was searching to see if Julian Clary had a recent biography out and found that he had written this novel. I was very undecided about reading this at first as I could not have imagined his ever being able to write a novel but I finally took the plunge and I am so glad that I did. The book is centred around Johnny Debonair who at the start of the book tells us about his life working as a rent boy in London. We learn that he lives which his close friend Catherine and it is her that got him into this life. He was struggling to make ends meet when attending college and was not enjoying his course when he found out that although Catherine was working as a nurse she also spent her evening working as a escort. She made it sound like easy money so Johnny also decided to try it. Johnny now takes us back...

sewbizzie 18.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Murder Most Fab - Julian Clary

A fab read

Advantages: fast paced, interesting plot
Disadvantages: predictable and OTT in places

...I was browsing books on Amazon a few months ago when I came across this one. I wasn't aware that Julian Clary had written a book, and although I don't mind him as an entertainer he is not one of my favourites if I'm honest. Still, I thought the book looked interesting, and when I came across a copy of it in a charity shop in Edinburgh, I decided to buy it, and looked forward to reading something different from the chick lit I normally go for. ~The Story~ The prologue of the book is a letter from the fabulously named Johnny Debonair (also known as JD and Johnny D throughout different stage of his life) to Timothy. Although we don't yet know either Johnny or Timothy, the letter is written in such a way that we can gauge quite a lot from it... it is apparent that Johnny and Timothy were once lovers. It is also apparent that Johnny...

pink_champagne 09.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Murder Most Fab - Julian Clary

Le Meridien Hotel, St. Julian's - Malta

Advantages: Staff, Facilities, Location
Disadvantages: Lift speed.

...On my recent holiday to Malta i stayed in Le Meridien Hotel, located in Saint Julian's. I would not normally have stayed in a 5 star hotel, but I was lucky enough to win some money towards a holiday from the company that I work for. Obviously, with free money, you are going to push the boat out a bit, and I am glad we did!! Location/Area We arrived at the hotel in the dark, quite late on a Friday night. The taxi brought us round a few small streets and then up quite a steep hill, thus bringing us to the reception of the hotel. My first impression was that it was in quite a strange location, but this is because i had only just seen where we were, and also it was dark, so everything seems different. The doors to the reception are round the back of the hotel and on the ground level floor. The hotel itself is situated on top...

lustba 08.04.2008 (15.04.2008) · Read review
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Review of Le Meridien, Saint Julian's

Julian the Genius

Advantages: Funny, gripping, eminently readable
Disadvantages: None

...10 1/2 Chapters? Not only does Julian Barnes manage to condense the history of, not only the world, put the workings of the human psyche into under 11 chapters, he skilfully provides an extremely intriguing title to his novel. This gimmick is successful, as once you embark upon the journey of his tale you will not be disappointed. Each chapter of the book relates a self-contained short story and yet each chapter is inextricably linked from the rest of the book, through themes, topics, emotions and the human condition. 1. The Stowaway Barnes starts his epic journey by recounting the events surrounding the flooding of the earth and the 'rescue' of the animals by Noah in the Ark. This is certainly the most unique depiction of this story. The chapter is written in the first person and, it slowly transpires that it is being...

Ophelia 30.11.2002 · Read review
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Review of History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters - Julian Barnes

Euphoric Clary Sage

Advantages: Euphoric, Uplifing, Good for skin.
Disadvantages: Definetly avoid with alcohol

...Clary Sage is definetly regarded as one of the more female essential oils particulary is uses for PMT. The most effective way to benfit from this oil is by adding it to your bath water or blending it in a carrier oil and applying to the skin. it blends very well with lavender.It definetly is one of those oils you can like one minute and hate the other, this is probably more due to your hormone levels and mood at that point. So dont be surprised if you liked it when you bought and hate it now, youll be drawn to it soon enough. From personal experience it is a great oil to lift you of the depths of despair or anxiety particularly when suffering from exhaustion, nervous and or physical. I have seen quite a few friends benefit from this when suffering from post-natal depression. It also been known to help to curb addictive...

Rosemary1 06.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)

A 5-star experience in St Julian's, Malta

Advantages: Comfortable, relaxed, air-conditioned, fabulous breakfast, free WiFi
Disadvantages: Nothing major

...The Radisson SAS Bay Point is a relatively new, 5* hotel in St Julian?s on the north coast of Malta, having been built around the turn of the millennium. The hotel is a 20 minute drive from Luq?a airport and 15 minutes from the centre of Valletta. I was here for work, for a conference organised by the governing party of Malta, who clearly pulled out all the stops, so it is conceivable, although I guess unlikely, that the overwhelmingly favourable impression I have received of this hotel may not be an accurate picture of the hotel. With that disclaimer, I will set out what I have seen. WHAT THERE IS IN THE HOTEL The entrance level is on level 2 of the hotel, with the reception desk on the right. On the left is a coffee bar (the Bridge Bar) with leather armchairs and sofas around coffee tables, while ahead of you is another bar...

lobourse 06.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Radisson SAS Bay Point, Saint Julian's

Hotel Claris, Barcelona

Advantages: Luxury hotel in a great setting for restaurants and shopping
Disadvantages: Not the friendliest staff, and pricey extras

...I had read some negative reviews of this hotel and travelled determined to love the place, and while I did have a great long weekend, the hotel was slightly disappointing. We booked a last minute suite at 225 Euros per night, and were rewarded by a spacious room with large sofa. Interestingly I searched through many of the cheap web sites offering rooms at the Claris, and it was going direct to the Hotel web site that got me the best deal (over 200 euros cheaper for a 3 night stay!) The complimentary bottle of wine was a nice touch too. But on the first night the noisy spa bath would not turn off and after 1 hour and two baffled housekeeping staff we left them to it. When we returned the spa bath was made inactive with no explanation or apology, just a piece of gaffer tape stuck over the switch. Seeing as the spa and sauna in...

Nell31 17.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Hotel Claris, Barcelona

Love Etc is a clever enough title for this

Advantages: Nice easy read for my holiday
Disadvantages: Writing style took a while to get used to.

...I picked up Love Etc (Julian Barnes) at a local library as they were having a book sale of withdrawn books. I have to admit to liking the cover and choosing this book purely on that basis. Love Etc is the sequel to an earlier novel ?Talking It Over?, which I have not read, but this has not had an impact on the enjoyment of this novel, and may even had improved on the story. I am not a lover of sequels unless I am aware that I am reading the first book of a trilogy, etc. Love Etc was first published in 2000. The writing style is unusual, and took me a while to get into the different characters. It reminds me of the film ?When Harry Met Sally? in the way the main characters take it in turns to talk to me, the reader. So, for instance, page one is Stuart talking to me. I wasn?t aware he was talking directly to me, and thought he...

orlando 30.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Love, etc. - Julian Barnes