tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89002779195563128162024-02-06T18:51:59.280-08:00My Favourite ReadsAll about books, reviews and those books I really want!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-67121125344600621982013-10-10T11:17:00.003-07:002013-10-10T11:17:57.642-07:00The Humans by Matt Haig<img alt="The Humans" height="320" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353739654l/16130537.jpg" width="212" /><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">“I was not Professor Andrew Martin. That is the first thing I should say. He was just a role. A disguise. Someone I needed to be in order to complete a task.”</em><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">This is my second Matt Haig book and I have to say that they just get better and better. This is full of humour, love and maths!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">We follow an unnamed alien as he is transported into the body of Andrew Martin, a mathematician who discovers some mathematics solution that the Aliens do not want us to know as they think we can't handle it. And so begins the aliens account of what it is like to be a human with all their eccentricities like wearing clothes and having noses.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The book begins with his distaste of everything Humans do but in the end it turns into a sort of love story as he falls in love, not only with himself but also the family he has been transported into. Matt Haig's humour really shines through as the descriptions of things we do everyday are hilarious through the eyes of the Alien. The way he learns our language by reading Cosmopolitan made me laugh out loud more than once especially as it seemed to be an edition purely of orgasms!! The relationship between Father and Son was also really well written and could have come off as soppy written by anyone else but Matt Haig but this is full of humour and heart break all wrapped into one.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The book is heart warming, thought provoking, funny and sad and one of the best books I have read all year. I beseech you all to run out and grab a copy - you will not be disappointed.</span></span><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-8850783675184825722013-10-10T10:37:00.001-07:002013-10-10T10:37:34.131-07:00Soulmates by Holly Bourne<img alt="Image from Goodreads" src="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/16099393-200x300.jpg" /><br />
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I have to say I love a book that can make you laugh and cry in equal measures and that is why I loved Soulmates. For a first novel by Holly Bourne it is in my eyes a complete success. A book about finding your soul-mate and the consequences this can cause but not written in an overly toe curling way.</div>
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The main characters, Poppy and Noah, are well written with good senses of humour and just the right amount of teenage angst. It is Poppy we follow throughout the story so we see everything from her point of view which I personally think is the right way round as it is her struggle with becoming a cliché that makes the story work. She doesn’t believe in soul-mates or true love and can barely stand any of the boys in her town until she meets Noah. It is as if they are destined to meet and fall in love although it takes Poppy some time to come to terms with it all.</div>
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I also thought that the supporting characters in the book were really brought to life. My favourite being Lizzie. Lizzie is one of Poppy’s gang and I love the fact that she is a budding journalist and wants to be the first to get all the gossip.</div>
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I love the concept that if two soul-mates come together then it will cause a worldwide disaster and that there is a company who tracks them to make sure it doesn’t happen. I love the twist that finding your soul-mate is not necessarily a good thing as this kind of turns all your romantic notions on their head.</div>
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I really cannot recommend this book enough. As I said at the beginning it will make you laugh, cry and smile and for me it transported me back to being a teenage girl falling in love for the first time and who doesn’t want to relive that?</div>
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Reviewed for Emma - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-90474843636144828312013-10-10T10:35:00.001-07:002013-10-10T10:35:06.962-07:00Lockwood & Co by Jonathan Stroud<img alt="Image from Goodreads" src="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/13555073-200x300.jpg" /><br />
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I wasn’t quite sure of what to make of this book when it hit my doormat. The front cover says that there is an apparition contained on it and the back cover tells me to download an app so that I can see said apparition. Is this the way forward for books and their covers?</div>
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So I opened it up – the app and the book and have to say that I’m glad I did. The book did take me awhile to get into it as to be honest, I really didn’t have a clue what was going on. It wasn’t until you got some of the back history that everything becomes clear and the gripping story evolves.</div>
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The story is focussed on Lucy. She is a Junior Field Operative who can hear rather than see the Visitors. The Visitors are ghosts who have now become such a problem that there are companies who specialise in finding their source and getting rid of them for you. Most of the companies are run by adults but it is the children who actually do the work as they can see the Visitors. Lockwood & Co is different as it is run by Anthony Lockwood who is a child and George who helps out mostly making tea and doing research. Lucy ends up working with them and this is where the story comes to life. It follows the trio as they chase the Visitors and come across a ghost who nearly kills them but also gets them to solve the mystery of who killed her.</div>
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I really enjoyed this book. I think the way that Jonathan Stroud has written all three main characters shows that he understands the way teenagers think as there is some great humour in it as well as a cracking story full of mystery and ghosts. Nothing seemed rushed and he let the story tell itself. I’m not sure if there is going to be another Lockwood & Co book as this book does have a really good ending with nothing left hanging, well not much anyway but I for one will be first in the queue for the next one, apps and all.</div>
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Reviewed for Emma - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-54473239960582451142013-10-10T10:29:00.002-07:002013-10-10T10:29:27.560-07:00Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo<img alt="Image from Goodreads" src="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/16052012-200x300.jpg" /><br />
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What a lovely book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I said I would review it but it really was a delight. I know the illustrations were not all finished in the copy I had but they really made the story come alive and I looked forward to seeing them throughout.</div>
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We follow Flora and her incredible tale of life with a superhero squirrel, Ulysses. Ulysses is made into a superhero by a rampant vacuum cleaner and in a heartbeat (literally) he can understand Flora and wants to be able to communicate with her. As Flora has read The Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Icandesto!, for years she doesn’t bat an eyelid at this turn of events.</div>
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Throw in a romantic novelist Mum, a slightly batty Dad, the boy next door who is temporarily blind and Tootie the lady who sucked Ulysses up in the vacuum and you get one hell of a charming novel.</div>
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And if that wasn’t enough Ulysses decides that he wants to write poetry and learns how to use a typewritter.</div>
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As I said a charming book that is enhanced by the illustrations that really captured my imagination and heart.</div>
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Reviewed for Emma at - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/page/4" style="background-color: transparent;">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-43219693989056410712013-10-10T10:24:00.001-07:002013-10-10T10:24:17.541-07:00Brotherhood of Shades by Dawn Finch<img alt="Image from Goodreads" src="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/16100028-200x300.jpg" /><br />
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Dawn Finch invites us into a world that sits between life
and death in this utterly readable first novel. The world she has created goes
back to the Reformation that took place in Tudor times but skips forward to
modern day life in a heartbeat. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Adam is a homeless kid living in modern day London until he
dies and then meets D’Scover who tells him of the Brotherhood and their
constant quest to keep the evil spirits away.
D’Scover is convinced that Adam is the Sentinel who will once and for
all banish the forces of darkness and so begins their quest. Along the way they meet Edie, an actual
living breathing person, who can read minds and has been reincarnated for
hundreds of years. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I loved all three main characters and especially Adam’s
sense of humour. It feels at times that
the relationship between Adam and D’Scover is one of Father and Son as D’Scover
is hundreds of years old although still a child in his original form. I found it amusing to listen to Adam joking about
the world of the dead and could virtually feel D’Scover’s lip curling up in
distaste. I also thought the blossoming
relationship that was forming between Adam and Edie as very sweet and had
something of a teenage crush feel to it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also as a Londoner it really brought the City to life and now
I find myself wanting to visit the places that are in the book. I really
appreciated the facts at the end that tell you where to find some of the places
and objects so you can go on a little treasure hunt yourself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For a first novel I thought it was a really great read and I
do hope there is going to be a sequel as I would love to meet up with Adam,
D’Scover and Edie again and find out what becomes of them.</div>
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Another thankyou to Emma for the book - <o:p></o:p><a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-2240207111691972302013-10-10T10:22:00.002-07:002013-10-10T10:22:17.317-07:00The Secret Kingdom Trilogy by Jenny Nimmo<img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/n370084.jpg?resize=183%2C276" /><img src="http://i1.wp.com/www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/n394642.jpg?resize=180%2C276" /><img src="http://i2.wp.com/www.bookangelbooktopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/n433468.jpg?resize=185%2C276" /><br />
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Wow Jenny Nimmo knows how to tell a cracking story. The Secret Kingdom books are my first taste
of her novels and I have to say won’t be the last. The trilogy follows Timoken, a young boy who
is enchanted by a magical moon spider web cloak when he is born and leaves him
with one foot in this world and one in the realm of enchantments. When he is just eleven tragedy strikes and
his parents are killed by evil viridees who are after the cloak and to survive Timoken
and his sister Zobayda have to leave the castle. It is only when his Mother
advises him to fly from the Castle that Timoken learns of his magical powers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first book then follows their journey as they try to
find another home where they can live as a family. Along the way they have some fantastic
adventures and meet Gabar, a talking camel who helps them and then becomes part
of the family. Timoken can speak to all animals so the reader finds out what
Gabar is saying and this brings some very humorous passages within the
book. It is within this first book that
he learns of most of his magic and how both the elements and animals will help
him in times of trouble.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The second book – The Stones of Ravenglass follows Timoken
and his ever growing family to medieval Britain where he desperately wants to
find his own Kingdom so that he can find a place of his own. Unfortunately he
meets Osbern D’Ark and the Damzel of Decay who both want to harm him. He does meet some new friends along the way
though, a magician called Eri and his dragon Enid. Can I just say that I loved the relationship
between Gabar and Enid with Enid being the flirt and Gabar trying not to fall
for her charms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The last book – Leopards’ Gold jumps ahead to a place where
Timoken has his family and Kingdom but all is not well within the magical
walls. So follows a plot to overthrow
the King and create disharmony between his children. In this book we are told the story by
Petrello, one of Timoken’s younger children, who has not yet learnt of what his
magical talent might be. I think that
out of all the books this is the weakest as we are not hearing Timoken’s voice
and so feels a little disjointed compared to the other two.<o:p></o:p></div>
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These are truly magical books that explore the love of
family, loss and the need to truly belong somewhere. The books are extremely descriptive and it
feels as though you are in the plains of Africa or the deep dark forests of
Britain. Jenny Nimmo creates such great
characters throughout all the books that by the end you feel as though they are
friends and you are deeply committed to find out what is going to happen to
them all. <o:p></o:p></div>
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All in all a great trilogy that I think would make any young
readers want to dip into Jenny Nimmo’s world again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once again thanks to the lovely Emma for the books - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-73298944724162033332013-08-19T11:04:00.004-07:002013-08-19T11:04:53.389-07:00The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a thrilling mystery set in Victorian London that
follows Remy, a high wire circus act, who is also a very clever thief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We follow her as she attempts to steal the
Darya-ye Noor diamond from the Tower of London but is thwarted by a clever
adversary, Lord Abernathy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to say that I really loved this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really warned to Remy who I found to be a
very reluctant heroine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way her tale
entwines with Thaddeus Rec is extremely entertaining and utterly convincing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thaddeus Rec is a young policeman who when
not trying to save Remy is trying to arrest her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are both orphans and it is really
interesting to see how their paths have differed, Remy being a thief and
Thaddeus a policeman who was once living destitute on the streets of
London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are both catapulted into
the underworld of the London sewers and underground rivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That part of the story was really interesting
as I never knew how many rivers there were under London.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are other characters that play a huge part in this
Indian Jones style story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favourites
being J and the Professor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>J had all the
charm you would expect of a Victorian cockney lad who lives on the streets and
he reminded me of a character from Oliver Twist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Professor is like a mad scientist with
all his futuristic inventions including night vision glasses. In my head he was
“Doc” from Back to the Future!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All in all this is a truly entertaining book that captured
both my heart and imagination and I for one cannot wait to read more books by
Sharon Gosling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many thanks once again to the lovely Emma for the book - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-2780171574001026002013-08-02T10:23:00.001-07:002013-08-02T10:26:35.038-07:00Goblin Sectrets by William Alexander<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This book confused me! For starters I am not sure what time
period it is set in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that it always
matters but I kind of like having some sort of reference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It feels as though it is set in older days
but there are mentions of trains and complicated clockwork characters so I am
still not sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The story revolves around Rownie who is searching for his
brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ends up with a group of
Goblins who are also looking for Rowan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Goblins are a group of actors although acting has been outlawed by
the Mayor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is another part of the
book that did not make much sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
are never really told why it has been outlawed and I think if we had the book
may have made more sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Goblins
also have masks that they wear whilst performing and I would have loved to know
more about them, the history of why those particular masks and their meanings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There also doesn’t seem to be enough back story to tell you
why there are clockwork people and animals and how they came about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t really know who is clockwork and
who isn’t and again a bit more about that would not have gone a miss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The book is only 220 pages long and I think this is its
downfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the author had written a
longer book that could give you some of the back stories then I would have
enjoyed it a lot more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it is this
short as it is targeted for the 8-12 age range but I think they could have
coped with something a bit more in depth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks again goes to Emma for the book - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-25245514975284495552013-05-02T12:31:00.002-07:002013-05-02T12:31:38.046-07:00The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"The circus arrives without warning. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">The Night Circus is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Erin Morgenstern writes in such a bewitching way that you are soon captivated hook line and sinker. This is a story about a circus that appears without warning and only opens as the sun sets and closes when it begins to rise again. It treats the visitors to every magical aspect of a circus but is it real or just an illusion?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">The story is set in the late 1800's and we follow numerous characters throughout the book. The main two are Celia and Marco. When Celia is six she is entered into a complex competition by her Father, Prospero the Enchanter, and from then on she is bound by the rules even though she does not always understand them. Her Father then goes on to teach her his illusions and at times takes her lessons a bit too far. Marco, her opponent, we first find in an Orphanage and he is discovered by his teacher Alexander. Marco is taught with books and learning and is often left by himself to work things out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">The circus is designed as their arena and this is where the real magic is woven. They try to out do each other with different tents filled with amazing things. My personal favourites are the Garden of Ice and Widget's tent filled with all different bottles. This is where the book is exceptional. Erin's way of writing brings all the various tents to life and really makes you want to believe it is real. She concocts not just visual treats but also those of smell and taste. You may well get hunger pangs reading it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I loved this book and would highly recommend it to everyone as we all need a bit of escapism now and again.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-79828367527467387902013-04-25T10:18:00.000-07:002013-04-25T10:18:19.444-07:00Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a compelling crime novel that I just could not put down. The first part tells Nick's side from the first day of Amy's disappearance and Amy's by way of a diary that she has been writing for the past seven years. It is really interesting how you form impressions quickly just because the Author wants to take you down a certain route. I don't want to give anything away as the plot has more twists and turns than a roller-coaster but suffice it to say that first impressions are not all they seem.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I love the way that the whole book is told by just these two voices and the fact that you don't really see the twists and turns coming. It is full of suspense and really good writing and I am really sorry this isn't a longer review but you can't really say too much without giving the plot away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I would highly recommend this as I finished it within 2 days!!!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-20860174685027554822013-04-25T09:40:00.001-07:002013-04-25T09:40:46.395-07:00Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtSC6bWJA_9YIHBgC_Rmbck-CH3fB5ytFg25HO5v8Nj3v6XcbvZs1fP7s_YNj_RsuU51QJouoYfhaUsdJPRFdiBHZRIWSSTnBp8OqwtfK3qddk_DZ0QqOohC6fwbJ3xf43VrFMOjJ1dVG/s1600/51OtVqzHmzL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtSC6bWJA_9YIHBgC_Rmbck-CH3fB5ytFg25HO5v8Nj3v6XcbvZs1fP7s_YNj_RsuU51QJouoYfhaUsdJPRFdiBHZRIWSSTnBp8OqwtfK3qddk_DZ0QqOohC6fwbJ3xf43VrFMOjJ1dVG/s1600/51OtVqzHmzL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Azincourt, fought on October 25th 1415, St Crispin's Day, is one of England’s
best-known battles, in part through the brilliant depiction of it in
Shakespeare's Henry V, in part because it was a brilliant and unexpected English
victory and in part because it was the first battle won by the use of the
longbow - a weapon developed by the English which enabled them to dominate the
European battlefields for the rest of the century.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">The book centres around Nick Hook who is an expert with the longbow. It follows his journey from Southern England to across the Channel and one of the most famous battles in history. Nick is not the most likeable character when we first meet him but he does grow on you and you will him to survive all his battles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I have to say that the battle scenes are very graphic and sometimes you did need to take a breath but Bernard Cornwell has the amazing ability to make you feel like you are there amongst the soldiers. You literally fight each step alongside Nick and the men and see each gruesome death but I think this is what makes it such an interesting read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">I do love an historical novel but this is the first one by Bernard Cornwell that I have read and I must say that I don't know why I have waited for so long. It may be graphic but the story also captures your heart and imagination. I love the story between Nick and Melisande as this shows a different side to the soldier we come to know in Nick but it also shows just how brutal a place a battlefield can be for a women.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">As I said this is my first Bernard Cornwell novel but it won't be my last.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-9750867259768992722013-04-25T07:30:00.001-07:002013-04-25T07:30:53.574-07:00By Any Other Name by Laura Jarratt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcd5_bVtLe6tS961DNjr9fxuY2BpV8eCX-aBMWLUE54TmEG9o-IInCnZgNHIkxoiRtaSnUylAazV6WyUXVwvaGTSaw9ewCOrW7wloKJI8qRVTVZRQm6IAbP2p66FVbFcuJ4VeRndX5tJ8/s1600/51tbhwrty3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcd5_bVtLe6tS961DNjr9fxuY2BpV8eCX-aBMWLUE54TmEG9o-IInCnZgNHIkxoiRtaSnUylAazV6WyUXVwvaGTSaw9ewCOrW7wloKJI8qRVTVZRQm6IAbP2p66FVbFcuJ4VeRndX5tJ8/s1600/51tbhwrty3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">“<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">New girl, new school, new home, new life – everything about Holly is new. That's the point of witness protection; nobody knows the truth. But one wrong move will put her whole family in danger..."</span></div><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
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<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This is a great premise for a book and I somewhat naively thought it was going to be set in the States as you don't really hear much about witness protection over here but how wrong I was. It is set in a typical English village along with very typical English attitudes to strangers. Holly and her family move into a house she doesn't like and she has to start a school that she knows she won't like. It won't be the same as her old life where she had cool friends and a cool boyfriend. </span> </div><br />
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<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Holly is a very complex character as she tries to battle her past identity, Louise, with her new one. She tries to think how Holly would act instead of being herself and she falls in with the kind of crowd she wouldn't have looked at twice in her past life. I love the way Laura Jarratt keeps the suspense of what happened to Laura throughout the book, just drip feeding us when she has a nightmare or something reminds her of what happened. I enjoyed reading it this way round as it made you want to see what happened to Louise and you don't really find out the whole story until right near the end.</span></div><br />
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<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This book makes you think how you would react if you were in witness protection. You are cut off from everyone you know and love and most of the time you cannot even say goodbye. Imagine not being able to have a facebook or twitter account and not being able to look at your old ones as someone may be watching you trying to find out where you are. Imagine being a teenager going through this and you get exactly what Holly goes through. This book is really well written and the characters are easy to like so much so that you race to the end to find out what happens. I won't give anything away as the journey on getting to the end has to be savoured and not rushed.</span></div><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Many thanks to the wonderful Emma for the book - <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></span></span> </div><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-74313015001339557072013-03-27T10:52:00.001-07:002013-03-27T10:54:33.831-07:00The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann<br />
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“<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The
boy turned back to the lady. She clasped him close. There was a
burst of darkness, a storm of black wings flapping. It exploded up
around them, screaming towards the sky. Then they were gone...”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This
is Stefan Bachmann's debut novel and in most parts it is an enjoyable
read. It follows the story of Bartholomew Kettle, a peculiar living
in Old Bath. A Peculiar is half human and half faery and despised by
all so Bartholomew is always in hiding along with his sister Hettie.
He craves a friend and when he tries to summon a faery servant he
sees a strange lady taking away the boy from across the road and
wonders where he has gone and if he could go too. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">For
the most part I enjoyed this book but felt like it took far too long
to get going. It wasn't until the end of the book that I realised
that there would be a sequel and I think that it distracted from the
actual novel as it felt a bit like the warm up for the main event.
Don't get me wrong the book is well written and easy to read and I
really like the character Mr Jelliby who turns into an unlikely hero
but it felt like there was something missing. Maybe this is a ploy
to get you to read the next one as it does end on a cliffhanger!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">If
you are looking for a book that you know will have to continue in
maybe one or two more books then this is for you. I have to confess
that I may well pick up the next one just to see what happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many thanks to Emma for the loan of the book - <a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-82259917816680574152013-03-20T11:52:00.001-07:002013-03-20T11:52:49.805-07:00Henry VIII's Wives - History in an hour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I seem to have a bit of a thing about Henry VIII it seemed like this 99p Kindle book would be a great quick read and I was right. It easily goes through each wife in turn saying when they met Henry and what happened to them once they married him. It also included photos of the characters we met along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is a perfect book for anybody studying the Tudors and can't remember the song, "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived!" It is also a good starting block for those who are a little put of by historical novels as this is a read that only takes an hour but will wet the appetite for more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A good read and only 99p - bargain!</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-10062620219462258162013-03-13T14:21:00.001-07:002013-03-13T14:21:06.915-07:00The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WLMQcCcQxMnF9yHnBMY1t-6Efm5RUH4RWglGoEWOnnTBy9zt2noQ8wN_BCN2P9nX_kf7dVBdhFkIvDh9O6oo02mbKfbglijmjs7Drb08PP1tSq05wmE-uBF-ybBICjQNmeS8qfo6cpIT/s1600/51f6yKkUebL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WLMQcCcQxMnF9yHnBMY1t-6Efm5RUH4RWglGoEWOnnTBy9zt2noQ8wN_BCN2P9nX_kf7dVBdhFkIvDh9O6oo02mbKfbglijmjs7Drb08PP1tSq05wmE-uBF-ybBICjQNmeS8qfo6cpIT/s1600/51f6yKkUebL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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"<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Harold Fry leaves home one morning to post a letter, with his wife hovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep on walking. To save someone else's life."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I must have a thing about older men at the moment as the last two books I have read are all about older men who go off on an adventure! Rachel Joyce really captures the imagination and as soon as I started this book I could not put it down. Harold Fry is an unlikely hero as he is just a quiet unassuming man who is newly retired and trying to find things to do with his day. As soon as he receives a letter from Queenie, an old friend who is dying of cancer, he writes back and intends to take it to the nearest letterbox but he carries on walking to the next one and then the one after that until soon he is out of his village and heading North. The journey he then embarks on is not just a physical one but also mental as the more he walks the more his memories come back to haunt him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The relationship between Harold and his wife Maureen is very complicated for reasons that become clear as the book evolves. She doesn't understand why he is walking and he finds it difficult to explain it to her. I grew very fond of Maureen as the book develops although at the start I couldn't warm to her as she seemed such a cold character and one I couldn't see with Harold but their story soon becomes clear and I found her funny and heart warming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As for Harold he is just such a character that you instantly fall for him. You will him to carry on walking even when he finds it so tough all he wants to do is go home. Some of the people he meets along the way are kind to him but I have to say that it all got a bit much for me when the Pilgrims started walking with him and took over what was, for Harold a walk of need and not so much a desire to be famous. A nod to our society maybe?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">All I can say is rush out and get this book and enjoy your walk with Harold, enjoy the stunning countryside that England has to offer and most of all enjoy a stonking good read.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-34285899890005659852013-02-26T12:19:00.001-08:002013-02-26T12:19:42.317-08:00The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It all starts on the one-hundredth birthday of Allan Karlsson. Sitting quietly
in his room in an old people's home, he is waiting for the party
he-never-wanted-anyway to begin. The mayor is going to be there. The press is
going to be there. But, as it turns out, Allan is not...Slowly but surely Allan
climbs out of his bedroom window, into the flowerbed (in his slippers) and makes
his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving
criminals, several murders, a suitcase full of cash, and incompetent police. As
his escapades unfold, we learn something of Allan's earlier life in which -
remarkably - he helped to make the atom bomb, became friends with American
presidents, Russian tyrants, and Chinese leaders, and was a participant behind
the scenes in many key events of the twentieth century.</span> "<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can I just say what an absolute joy this book is to read? Giggling throughout the epic tale of Allan Karlsson's life pre and post his 100th birthday, this book charmed the pants off me. The modern story follows Allan as he does a bunk hours before his 100th birthday party and follows him to the bus station and the one decision that will change the path of his life forever. He takes a suitcase that isn't his and so follows a classic caper of bungling cops, mean baddies and some fascinating friends he makes along the way, oh and not forgetting the elephant!! I did say it was funny.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The flash backs take us back throughout his life and the people he tends to meet. From Presidents of the USA to Winston Churchill to Stalin we follow how someone so non political as Allan seems to change the history of the world without even trying. The story of him meeting Stalin is a particular favourite and found me giggling out loud on trains!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jonas Jonasson really is a gifted story teller and I will be shouting about this book for a long, long time.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-60874622836817252912013-02-26T11:51:00.001-08:002013-02-26T11:51:58.745-08:00The Somnambulist by Essie Fox<br />
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"<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When seventeen-year-old Phoebe Turner visits Wilton's Music Hall to watch her Aunt Cissy performing on stage, she risks the wrath of her mother Maud who marches with the Hallelujah Army, campaigning for all London theatres to close. While there, Phoebe is drawn to a stranger, the enigmatic Nathaniel Samuels, who heralds dramatic changes in the lives of all three women. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When offered the position of companion to Nathaniel's reclusive wife, Phoebe leaves her life in London's East End for Dinwood Court in Herefordshire - a house that may well be haunted and which holds the darkest of truths..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Essie Fox offers the reader a glimpse of gothic Victorian London in this gripping novel. She paints a picture of gritty urban streets to the luxury of a sprawling estate in Hertfordshire as we glimpse into the life of Phoebe Turner. Essie Fox is very passionate and knowledgeable about this era and that certainly shows in the details that she writes as it transports you back with all the sights, smells and tastes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I did think that this would be more gothic then it is and maybe follow some of the sinister characters that were around at the time but as it was I worked out the plot twists way before they happened. Although she does delve a little into an incestuous relationship that is as dark as it gets really and I for one could have done with a more sinister plot line.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Saying that I did enjoy the book and would look out for any others written by Essie Fox. All in all a good book club book as there are loads of discussion topics.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-59360417048223950872013-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:002013-02-07T10:00:06.085-08:00Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick<br />
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When Arn Chorn Pond was eleven, the Khmer Rouge, a radical Communist regime, came to power in Cambodia, herding the entire population to work camps in the countryside. Families were separated, and everyone, including children, was forced to work long gruelling hours digging ditches and growing rice. Tens of thousands of people died from starvation, overwork and sickness. Many more were tortured, forced to swear they were traitors, then killed and buried in mass graves that have come to be called the Killing Fields. Nearly two million people died one in every four people. It is the worst genocide ever inflicted by a country on its own people.</div>
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I have to say that I do not know a lot about Cambodia and the war that went on there so was fully engrossed from page one. The book is written as Arn and takes on his speech patterns and language which did take me awhile to get used to but once I did it was like he was speaking to you through the pages and you went on his journey with him. And what a journey it was. Sometimes it was brutal and was very hard to read especially when it focused on the children and how they were tortured. I enjoyed, if that is the right word, the relationships he formed with people he met especially his music teacher and one of the Khmer Rouge soldiers who, in their own way help him to survive and show that even in the toughest surroundings you can form relationships.</div>
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It is hard to get your head around the fact that this is a true story and quite remarkable that Arn and others like him actually managed to stay alive. It was a draining read but one I would highly recommend especially for those who are learning this period of history in school.</div>
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Once again many thanks to Emma for the loan of the book:</div>
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<a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-73213077693270809502013-02-07T09:09:00.001-08:002013-02-07T09:09:45.310-08:00Black Heart Blue by Louise Reid<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">“Hepzibah
and Rebecca are twins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One beautiful,
one disfigured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trapped with their
loveless parents, they dream of a normal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But when one twin tragically dies the other must find a way to
escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because if she doesn't then
she'll end up like her sister.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">Blue
Heart Black is a dark menacing book telling the story of twin girls, Rebecca
and Heph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heph is the beautiful one
whereas Rebecca is disfigured due to her suffering from Treacher Collins
Syndrome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They live in a very small
village with their Mother and Father, who is a vicar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the start we know that one of the twins
has died and the story is told by both sisters before and after this event,
Heph before and Rebecca after. In this way we get to find out more about each
sister and their painful upbringing with a, frankly, sinister Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a tense tale of abuse and religious
fervour and not for the feint hearted but if you can stomach it Louise Reid
writes the two sisters so well that you are gripped from the outset and as
emotional as the book becomes you want to see it though if only to find out
what happens next. The girls have such a deep love that connects them that this
is where you find the light passages of the book and so have a mini break from
the darkness that surrounds them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
book has moments where you want to cry and then shout out in anger at their
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">Please
do not get me wrong, this is an enthralling read and I highly recommend it and
will now look out for other books by Louise Reid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt;">Many thanks for Emma at Book Angels for the loan of the book: </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-10785336340660767012013-02-07T08:12:00.000-08:002013-02-07T08:12:03.896-08:00The Summer Book by Tove Jansson<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">“An elderly
artist and her six-year old grand-daughter, while away a summer together on a
tiny island in the gulf of Finland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gradually, the two learn to adjust to each other’s fears, whims and
yearnings on independence, and a fierce yet understated love emerges – one that
encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the island itself, with its
mossy rocks, windswept firs and unpredictable seas.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">This is the
first book I have read by Tove Jansson but I know her from writing the Moomins
so I was excited to see what sort of grown up book she would write and I was
not disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She writes with such
vivid prose that you are instantly transported to the little island where she had
similar experiences with her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
story is all about the bond between grandmother and Sophia, sometimes they love
each other, sometimes they can’t stand each other but more often than not there
is always humour at the core of their relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not a long book but Tove Jansson
manages to delve into such varied subjects from death and questions about
heaven to how an angleworm feels when he is split in half!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say that this is one of the best
books I have read this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
really easy to read and I love a book where you find yourself smiling as you
read it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go on I urge you pick up a copy
today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-23161080943942770682013-02-05T09:58:00.001-08:002013-02-05T09:58:51.861-08:00A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir<u></u><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">“A Dangerous
Inheritance tells the dramatic story of two heroines, separated by time, but
intriguingly linked by history’s most famous murder mystery.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">It seems
like fate that I finished this book on the day that they verified Richard III’s
bones were found in a car park in Leicester as this book tells the story of the
Princes’ in the Tower but takes a different look at it through the eyes of two
girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls are Katherine Grey and
Katherine Plantagenet separated by a nearly one hundred years but sharing a
common bond by trying to solve the mystery of what happened to those boys in
the tower.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Katherine
Grey is the Sister of Lady Jane, the Queen who reigned for just 9 days and her
story follows what happens to both Jane and Katherine as their parents stop at
nothing to get them the Crown of England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We know what happens to Jane but I hadn’t read much about Katherine so
it was really interesting to see the story from her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From her early marriage to Harry whom she
falls head over heels in love with to her incarceration in the Tower by Queen
Elizabeth I the book shows her spirit and also her determination not to turn
out like her Sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Katherine wants the
Crown at the start but realises after all that it is love she craves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Katherine
Plantagenet is someone I had never heard of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was King Richard III’s illegitimate daughter who wants to believe
that her Father is not the demon that he is portrayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remembers the kind hearted Father who she
lived with in Middleham who she could tell anything to and she does all in her
power to carry on with that belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
the rumours start about her Father having the two Princes’ put to death she
tries her hardest to find some evidence to the contrary and that is where the
mystery starts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I really do
enjoy books by Alison Weir as you don’t realise how much history you are
learning whilst you read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is such an
imaginative story teller that you get carried away in the era that she is
writing about and all too soon the 500 hundred pages have flown by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was intrigued to see how she would write
the events with Richard III as there is a lot of hearsay about this King but I
found it all believable and really wanted Katherine to find out something that
would exonerate her Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course
she doesn’t as after all this is a book about history.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you haven’t picked up anything by Alison Weir
I would highly recommend any of her books, just jump in and let the history
wash over you. </span></span></div>
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<u></u>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-70519906617265525482013-01-22T09:44:00.000-08:002013-01-22T09:44:19.773-08:00Into that Forest by Louis Nowra<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“We were
lost, and the only thing that could help us were the tiger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more I looked at its black eyes, the more
I seen kindness, and I knew it were saying, Come, I’ll take you home.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is a
truly remarkable novel that had me spellbound from the first page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It weaves the story of Hannah and Rebecca who
are stranded in the wilds of Tasmania after being washed ashore following a
storm that kills Hannah’s Mother and Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As they are only six and seven and a half they have no way of knowing
how to get home and so appear two tigers who Hannah believes will lead them
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the home they take them to is
the tigers and not the girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so we
follow them for four years, living with and becoming tigers themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You read
the book as Hannah, the younger of the girls and it is written as she now
speaks as her English is not so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought Hannah was a great character and she really came alive on the
page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The narrative really made you feel
as though you were in the jungle living as a tiger and going through all the
necessary transitions they went through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The way she describes her first hunt and kill are gripping to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her friendship with Becky is the basis of the
book as this is something that will link them together forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did feel, however, that Becky wasn’t a full
a character as Hannah but maybe this is because it is not told from her
perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just didn’t seem to warm
to her as I did Hannah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This book
made me realise that whatever nurtures you in younger life you take with you
your whole life and for Hannah that was the love and guidance of two tigers
that formed her character and gave her abilities she would never have found if
she had lived a “normal” life with her Mother and Father. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a book I will take with me through my
life as it truly was wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I want to thank Emma once again for the lovely book.</span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p><a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/</a></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-44716323691624115642013-01-04T09:20:00.001-08:002013-10-10T10:45:27.899-07:00My 100 Books<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here is the list of books I have read this year:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">1. Savage by Alex Morel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">2. Into that Forest by Louis Nowra.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">3. The Girl who Fell Beneath Fairyland and led the revels there by Catherynne Valente.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">4. North of Nowhere by Liz Kessler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">5. A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">6. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">7. The Somnambulist by Essie Fox.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">8. The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">9. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">10. The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">11. Henry VIII's wives - History in an hour by Julie Wheeler.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">12. By Any Other Name by Laura Jarrett.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">13. You had me at hello - by Mahairi McFarlane.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">14. Azincourt - Bernard Cornwell.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">15. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">16. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">17. Sentence of Marriage (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">18. The SoulKeepers by GP Ching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">19. Mud and Gold (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">20. Settling the Account (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">21. A Second Chance (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">22. The Dying Game by Beverley Barton.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">23. Weaving the Destiny by GP Ching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">24. Return to Eden by GP Ching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">25. Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">26. WolfHall by Hilary Mantel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">27. Lockwood & Co by Jonathan Stroud.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">28. Goblin Secrets by William Alexander.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">29. The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">30. The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">31. The Stones of Ravenglass by Jenny Nimmo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">32. Leopards' Gold by Jenny Nimmo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">33. Soulmates by Holly Bourne</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">34. Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">35. Brotherhood of Shades by Dawn Finch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">36. The Humans by Matt Haig</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">37. Soul Catcher by GP Ching</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">38. The Seven Stars by Simon Leighton-Porter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">39. The Universe versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-43370395922040262672013-01-04T08:49:00.001-08:002013-01-04T09:16:17.776-08:00100 books for 2013<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well I thought this would give me a kick up the backside to actually read and blog about the books I read this year. The challenge is to read 100 books in 2013 - let's see how many I c</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">an do :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/12/details-sign-up-bccs-100-books-in-a-year-reading-challenge-2013.html/100books">http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/12/details-sign-up-bccs-100-books-in-a-year-reading-challenge-2013.html/100books</a></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8900277919556312816.post-75969319897180482872012-06-11T10:23:00.001-07:002012-06-11T10:23:57.477-07:00The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making by Catherynne M Valente<img alt="The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making" border="0" height="300" id="prodImage" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eV7DgC5xL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU02_.jpg" width="300" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">When this book came through my letterbox I think I fell in love just a little bit as the cover is just so beautiful and it really makes you want to dive straight in.</span><br />
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</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The book is about September who is a 12 year old girl living in Omaha with her Mum. Her Dad is off fighting a war in Europe and her Mum is working all hours in a factory leaving September feeling very lonely. This is where the fairytale starts. She is whisked away by The Green Wind and The Leopard of Little Breezes to Fairyland where she is set to have many adventures. </span></span> </div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Once there she finds herself on a quest for the mean Marquis, a good deed for some Witches and making friendships along the way. One of my favourite being A-Through-L, a Wyvern whose dad is a library so Ell, as September calls him, only knows about things beginning with A to L. He looks like a dragon but can't fly as the mean Marquis has made it law that no fairies or Wyvern's are allowed to fly so his wings have been chained up with a lock and key. Their friendship is at the heart of the book and the author really makes you care about them both to the point where later in the book it gets a little bit emotional! The characters you meet are as varied and colourful as you would expect from a fairytale but the author really makes you believe in them and this is coming from 40 year old Mum!!</span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
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</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This book is truly a great fairytale. The author describes Fairyland in such vividness that you feel as though you are there with September. In fact throughout the book I kept feeling how great this would be as a Tim Burton film with bright colours and slightly odd characters. I would highly recommend this to any age of reader. I say dive on in you won't regret it and you will certainly enjoy the ride.</span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many thanks again to Emma who very kindly gave me the book.</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835113018254892674noreply@blogger.com0