And the plot thickens...

Finding Things in Books

2012-02-03T23:35:00.000-08:00

I bought this book from Dymocks today. This note was inside....

Changless — Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate #2)

2012-01-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can. She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

Genre: Fiction, Steampunk, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2010
Rating: 3/5

You know... trying to write this review I realise I don't have much to say about this novel. Sure I am way behind in my reviews and it's been months since I read it, which could be the reason why, but really, what is there to say?

For me the Parasol Protectorate series is my go to when I need a silly read. You know those times when you just can't do serious, you don't want to think too hard and you want something fun? Yup, these books provide just that and I mean that in a positive way. These types of books are just as important as serious, award winning literature.

That said, I have no firm opinions on the plot in this book. Sure it was an enjoyable enough read. There were a few laugh out loud moments and Carriger has a unique writing style, but I didn't connect with the characters and for me that is the number one aspect of what makes a book excellent instead of average.

Reading this series, I know Lord Maccon is supposed to be a mega hotty, but I don't see it. Honestly, I am probably not the best person to review this book as despite my enjoyment of paranormal novels, I just don't "do" paranormal romance in the sense it makes me swoon.... and I think I am supposed to swoon. Instead I picture Lord Maccon to be hairy, smelly and ... well.... let's leave it at that.

As for Alexia. I want to love her, I really do. She had so much potential in book number one to be an awesome, kick are female protagonist. Unfortunately I didn't feel her character was developed much more in this novel... for me, she lacks depth. Depth is what makes an ordinary character a brilliant one. Honestly, I think it must be extremely difficult to write 'real' characters, especially when they are of the supernatural variety. So that can be forgiven.

When I read Soulless last year I enjoyed it. Mainly because it was so different from my usual reads. So I picked up Changeless thinking I could really get into this series. Although I have Blameless sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read (and I will read it) I am not itching to do so. I am happy for it to sit there until I am having one of those days where I need some silliness.

Wither – Lauren DeStefano

2012-01-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

What if you knew exactly when you would die? Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Year: 2011
Rating: 5/5

I picked up this book on sale at Basement Books in Sydney. It was cheap. It has a pretty cover. And I had previously read a review on 25 Hour Books which caught my interest.

Despite that, I wasn't expecting too much. Nowadays the market is saturated with these types of novels. YA romances. Dystopian fiction. They are a dime-a-dozen and there is plenty to choose from. So I was expecting the run of the mill read. I was pleasantly surprised. Wither was intriguing and haunting. I couldn't put it down.

Thanks to scientific experiments in genetic engineering, people now only live until they are young adults. Once women hit 20 and men hit 25, they get sick and die a horrible death. In an effort to save the human race from extinction, the older generation which are still living from before these days, encourage their offspring to procreate before they die. All while looking for an antidote.

This has resulted in woman being treated as a commodity. Life is tough. You have to fight to survive and harsh realities face teenage girls. There is fear of being murdered, kidnapped and forced into prostitution, or kidnapped and forced to be 'a bride' in order to have babies and keep the human race going.

For Rhine, all of these options are horrifying, so to say she is unhappy when she is kidnapped and forced to marry Linden is an understatement. She joins two other girls, her sister-wives, and together they are afforded to live their short lives in luxury, on the condition they do their best to get pregnant.

When it comes down to the crunch, this doesn't sound so bad. Rhine gets to live in a beautiful manor, she is given plenty of pretty dresses and has two other girls to spend her time with. But loss of freedom is loss of freedom no matter what the circumstances, all Rhine wants to do is escape and return to her twin brother.

The novels focuses on her plans to do this and her growing relationship with her sister-wives, a young servant boy and her husband. Things are never as they seem and Rhine learns this the hard way.

The big bad in this novel is Linden's father. He will stop at nothing to try and save his son. He is driven by a desire to find an antidote and will do all it takes. Even if it means murder. There sure are some creepy scenes in this novel.

Underneath the basic story DeStefano touches on some very important issues. Human trafficking, mortality rates, the sex trade, womens rights and lack of power are all issues that are very real in our world today. So although this book is fiction, it really isn't all that far from reality. If you can look past the futuristic setting and dystopian aspects, you could relate these themes to problems facing women in many different countries in our world today.

This book, being YA, was also an easy read. I basically read it in one sitting. So this is one of those books that is great for a lazy Sunday afternoon or long journey. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction. Just be aware that this novel is focused on the characters so don't expect a great new world. I think that is the only negative about this novel, the world isn't really fleshed out. But that's ok. The characters and the issues they face are more than enough to make this book a good read.

Books read in 2011

2012-01-01T02:48:00.000-08:00

January 2011

1. Soulless – Gail Carriger
2. Sputnik Sweetheart – Haruki Murakami
3. Angels and Demons – Dan Brown
4. Shame on You – Clara Salaman
5. Possession – Peter James
6. Deadly Decisions – Kathy Reichs
7. After the Quake – Haruki Murakami

February 2011

1. I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas – Adam Roberts
2. Fatal Voyage – Kathy Reichs
3. The Player of Games – Iain M. Banks
4. Under the Dome – Stephen King

March 2011

1. Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books – Azar Nafisi
2. Grave Secrets – Kathy Reichs
3. Eating Animals – Jonathan Safran Foer
4. hush, hush – Becca Fitzpatrick
5. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen

April 2011

1. The Enemy – Charlie Higson
2. Freedom – Jonathan Franzen
3. Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris

May 2011

1. Bare Bones – Kathy Reichs
2. Lisey's Story – Stephen King
3. And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
4. The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield

June 2011

1. Delirium – Lauren Oliver
2. Endless Night – Agatha Christie
3. Towards Zero – Agatha Christie
4. Fallen – Karin Slaughter
5. Purge – Sofi Oksanen
6. Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld
7. Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
8. Enduring spirit : convicts or colonists – Len P. Hedges

July 2011

1. The Shifting Fog – Kate Morton
2. Room – Emma Donoghue
3. The Devotion of Suspect X – Keigo Higashino
4. Horns – Joe Hill

August 2011

1. Ordeal by Innocence – Agatha Christie
2. Portrait of a Spy – Daniel Silva
3. Ham on Rye – Charles Bukowski
4. The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

September 2011

1. The Stand – Stephen King

October 2011

1. Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life – Howard Sounes
2. A Murder is Announced – Agatha Christie
3. Solar – Ian McEwan
4. Wither – Lauren DeStefano

November 2011

1. 1Q84 – Haruki Murakami
2. Changeless – Gail Carriger
3. The Blind Assassin – Margaret Atwood
4. Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury

December 2011

1. The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton
2. Perfect Match – Jodi Picoult
3. City of Bones – Cassandra Clare
4. Monday Mourning – Kathy Reichs

Merry Bookish Christmas!

2011-12-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

Is it really that time of year again? With Christmas fast approaching (3 sleeps to go!) I find myself wondering where the year went. It really has gone fast. So much has happened. I started a new job, got married and we are one step closer to buying our own home. All in all, I would call 2011 a big success!

As for my reading, with everything else that has happened I haven't met my goal. I have read a lot less books that I did last year and my blog has been a little bit neglected. Once upon a time I wouldn't start a new novel until I posted a review of the last book I read. Now I have six reviews pending and don't get to spend nearly as much time here as I used to.

I find this a little bit disappointing but reading and blogging is all about enjoyment for me, so to force it is out of the question. I miss chatting to my book blogging friends, and I miss your comments so I am hoping I can spend more time here in the new year. I will also try harder to comment on all your lovely blogs, because I miss reading them too!

I am lucky enough to have the next few weeks off work and plan to spend some of it reading and blogging. There is a large pile of books waiting for me under the Christmas tree (did I mention that my husband is totally awesome?) which got me thinking, how many of you have grown up getting books for Christmas? Is this what helped fuel your love of books?

Throughout my time teaching high school English, I was always amazed by the number of kids who were mid to late teens, who would tell me they have never read a book before. How they got through so much schooling without doing so just baffles me, but it also got me thinking about the reasons why kids don't like to read.

Learning difficulties aside, why do some seemingly bright kids find reading such a tedious task? As an avid reader I have trouble understanding how a person can not find joy in a book. Books are entertaining, they provide knowledge, they open our eyes up to different worlds and viewpoints, they tug at the emotions, make us laugh and cry... they are fun and exasperating... books are wonderful. So why can't everyone see this?

For me, I grew up reading books. My mum loves books and as far back as I can remember she would have me read to her. For fun, we would read books, I would write my own stories or we would play word/spelling games. It's no wonder I turned out to be a teacher. Also, if I was really good, my mum would take me to the library. If I was really really good, my mum would buy me a book.

I guess what I am trying to say is kids model behaviour of their parents and the attitude that parents have to books, is something their kids will pick up. If you live in a house full of readers you are more likely to love reading as opposed to those who grow up getting told "why bother reading the book when you can see the movie".

What are your fond memories (or not so fond, to keep it fair) regarding books? Where one or both of your parents big readers? Did you get books as gifts? or as a reward? Did you look forward to Christmas, because there would always be books under the tree? I know I did and still do! I am such a nerd that I was caught by my mum and husband standing by the Christmas tree the other day, trying to guess which books were wrapped in which paper. My husband said that was cheating, but my mum's response? "you haven't changed".

I am not really sure where I was going with this post. It's been a while since I have posted on here other than a review and I admit, I am babbling. So I'll stop now. But I would love to hear about your childhood experiences with books and Christmas! Are you expecting books as a gift this year? Which ones are you hoping for? Just talk to me, I miss you guys!

Solar – Ian McEwan

2011-12-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

Michael Beard is in his late fifties; bald, overweight, unprepossessing – a Nobel prize-winning physicist whose best work is behind him. Trading on his reputation, he speaks for enormous fees, lends his name to the letterheads of renowned scientific institutions and half-heartedly heads a government-backed initiative tackling global warming. An inveterate philanderer, Beard finds his fifth marriage floundering. When Beard’s professional and personal worlds are entwined in a freak accident, an opportunity presents itself, a chance for Beard to extricate himself from his marital mess, reinvigorate his career and very possibly save the world from environmental disaster.

Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Year: 2010
Rating: 5/5

I consider myself an Ian McEwan fan. I admire McEwan's style and his ability to grab the reader's attention from the very first page, often with a small event that culminates into something big. Something important.

I love how he can take one single moment and show us how this one moment can change a persons life forever. One decision, one word, one inaction or action alike, can change a persons world and have long reaching consequences.

Solar is, in my opinion, one of McEwan's finest works. It follows the Noble Prize winning physicist, Michael Beard as he struggles with his failing marriage and dwindling career.

Beard may be smart when it comes to physics but he is a moron in his personal life. Cheating on wife after wife, Beard finds he can't handle it when his newest wife turns the tables and cheats on him. I must admit, I gloated at first. Sucked in, Mr Beard. Serves you right. But McEwan has such a way of manipulating the reader's opinion of his characters that I soon felt myself feeling sorry for him.

As much as I was prepared to loathe Beard from the beginning, I soon found myself cheering him on and hoping that things would go his way. Even when an accident occurs, with horrifying results, and Beard makes a choice that is problematic, selfish and quite frankly kind of evil, I still found myself wanting him to succeed. That takes talent on the writer's part and shows that McEwan is one of the best modern writers of literary fiction.

There were some pretty amusing parts in this novel too. The scene where Beard is on the train and a young thug steals his potato crisps caused me to laugh out loud. The scene it itself was thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend reading this novel just for that.

There were also a few "oh my god, no!" moments. Cringe worthy moments. The scene where Beard is in the Arctic and has an, ah... incident, while trying to go to the bathroom, really freaked me out. I was reading this part on the train, on the way to work and had to control myself from groaning and squealing out loud.

All in all, this was a enjoyable and interesting read. McEwan not only tells us a good story but also raises some important questions in regards to the environment. I love a novel that is topical as well as well written and fun to read. I must say it again, McEwan has talent.

A Murder is Announced – Agatha Christie

2011-11-26T02:57:00.000-08:00

The personal ad was intriguing: an invitation to partake in a "murder" at the home of Letitia Blacklock. The uncharacteristic prank comes as a surprise to Letitia's friends -- and a bigger surprise to Letitia herself. Still, the proper hostess welcomes her unexpected guests for an evening of fun. But when the lights go down, a gunshot rings out. Now, Miss Jane Marple wants to play a game of whodunit.

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Detective
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 1950
Rating: 4/5

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie was next in my pile of Murder Mystery reads. This is the sort of book you pick up on a rainy day, the type of day where you want a quick yet engrossing read to while away the afternoon. This is a Miss Marple story, that follows the elderly spinster's attempt to solve a this baffling mystery.

As the blurb states, an ad is placed in the local paper announcing that a murder will take place at Miss Letitia Blacklock's property. Everyone who reads this ad can't help but be intrigued, showing up to partake in this apparent show. Little do the guests know, that a real murder has been plotted and they are in for more than they bargained for. Not to mention Letitia herself, who has no idea what is going on.

As the police detectives attempt to figure out what happened, Miss Marple is called in and with her super sleuthing skills she is able to uncover that more is going on that meets the eye. Whodunit? And why? You'll never guess!

This was a typical, enjoyable Agatha Christie novel. Formulaic, full of twists and a plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. This is exactly why I read Christie novels and why you should too.

This would be a good introduction to this style of murder mystery and it is definitely one for fans.

Have you read this novel? What did you think?

Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life – Howard Sounes

2011-11-19T03:20:00.000-08:00

Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life is the classic biography of Charles Bukowski, the hard-drinking barfly whose semi-autobiographical books about low-life America made him a cult figure across the globe. Extensive original research and unique contributions from friends, family and associates - including Mickey Rourke, Robert Crumb, Sean Penn, Norman Mailer and Allen Ginsberg - as well as personal photographs and drawings by Buk himself make this a must for Bukowski devotees and new readers alike

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography, Poetry, American
Publisher: Canongate Books
Year: 1998
Rating: 5/5

I discovered Charles Buokwski a few years ago. I was flicking through literature pages on Stumbleupon, and happened upon a page about Charles Bukowski. I had never heard of him before, yet the author of the page hailed him as an American literary legend. I didn't think much of it, until a friend posted a poem of his on Facebook. I fell in love. From there on in, I was hooked.

I spent ages trawling the net reading Bukowski's poetry. I really don't have anything new to say about it, and am probably rehashing what many before me have said, but it spoke it me. Bukowski's poetry is raw and honest. It is gritty and to the point. It speaks of life how it is without embellishments. That is what I love about it. It is real.

I have written a few reviews on Bukowski's novels, Ham on Rye and Post Office. His novels are just as enjoyable as his poetry (Ham on Rye was fantastic) and I couldn't recommend them enough.

As a certified Bukowski fan, I felt it was time I indulged in a biography about his life. I had heard much about Bukowski's life before. His novels are semi-autobiographical and his exploits are infamous, but I wanted to read more. I wanted to know more about my man, Bukowski.

To be perfectly honest (and I have said this before) I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Bukowski. As much as I love his work, as a person I am not so sure. I saw a YouTube video of an interview once, and Bukowski kicked his girlfriend and called her a 'S'. That is just abhorrent. I makes me wish Bukowski were alive today so I can tell him how much I love his work, and then punch him in the face.

Charles Bukowski: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life by Howard Sounes was a great biography. Sounes is obviously a big Bukowski fan, because his love for his work and admiration of Bukowski as a poet and a person, flowed off every page.

In one respect this was great, as I felt a camaraderie with Sounes while reading this book, and enjoyed it immensely. On the other hand, I felt Sounes built Bukowski up a bit and made him seem more noble and moral than he really was.

Was Bukowski just a misunderstood soul who was misjudged? Was he really a good guy who did a few bad things out of character? Or was he a raging drunk with a bad temper? I personally always felt the later but Sounes makes it seems like the former.

Despite that, this book is a worthy read for Bukowski fans. If you want to know more about his life and how he made his way from dorky nobody to famous poet, this is a great place to start. If you are looking for an objective piece of work, then this isn't for you.

My only other criticism is Sounes took a lot from Bukowski's novels. He quoted, referred to and used the material from his novels as a basis for the 'facts' in this book. I can understand why, since Bukowski's novels were semi-autobiographical and they are important in researching his life, but Sounes seemed to use them as a crutch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am pleased it now has pride of place on my shelves. That said, I do look forward to reading a more researched and original work on Bukowski in the future, if it exists.

I think I'll end this review with some poetry from the Buk.... cause how else can we celebrate such greatness without a word from the man himself? This is one of my personal favourites. Enjoy.

blasted apart with the first breath

running
out of days
as the banister glints
in the early morning sun.

there
will be
no rest
even in our dreams.

now all there is to do
is reset broken moments.
when even to exist seems a
victory
then surely our luck
has run thin
thinner than a bloody stream
toward
death.

life
is a sad song:
we have heard too many voices
seen too many faces

too many bodies

worst have been the faces:
a dirty joke that no one
can understand.

barbaric senseless days
total in your skull;
reality is a juiceless
orange.

there is no plan
no out
no divinity no sparrow of joy.
we can’t
compare
life to anything
- that’s too dreary
a prospect.

relatively speaking
we were never short on
courage
but at best the odds remained
long
and at worst
unchangeable.

and
what was worst:
not that we wasted it
but that it was wasted
on us:

coming
out of the Womb
trapped in light and darkness
stricken and numbed
alone in the temperate zone
of dumb agony
now running out of days
as the banister glints
in the early morning
sun.

– Charles Bukowski 1920-1994

1Q84 – Haruki Murakami

2011-11-11T22:17:00.000-08:00

The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo. A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 — “Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.”

Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled. As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s — 1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Publisher: Random House
Year: 2011
Rating: 4/5

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this novel by the crew over at Random House. Not only is it always cool to be sent book to review, but I am a huge Murakami fan, so getting this gem in the post was exciting!

This novel may be the most anticipated book of the year. Murakami has a large international following and the hype surrounding the release of this book was pretty intense. For months now I have seen this book talked about all over the bloggersphere and that is something. You know you have made it as an author when people are talking about your book before it has even been released.

As stated in the blurb this book follows the intertwining stories of Aomame and Tengo. Two lost souls who first met in elementary school, and shared one intimate moment, but have long gone their separate ways.

Raised in a religious cult, Aomame has left her roots behind and now works as a fitness trainer by day, and an assassin by night. Sounds pretty ruthless, right? Despite the nature of her job, Aomame could be said to have noble intentions behind her work. She is employed by an old dowager who runs a house for battered women and helps out by ridding the world of the men who hurt them.

We meet Aomame as she is on her way to a job. She gets stuck in the traffic on the expressway and is worried about not being unable to complete this assignment. Lucky for her, the taxi driver suggests a way in which she can keep her appointment, But her warns her,

And also, the driver said, facing the mirror, "please remember: things are not what they seem."

The driver chose his words carefully: "It's just that you're about to do something out of the ordinary. Am I right?"

"Right. And after you do something like that, the everyday look of things might seem to change a little. Things may look different to you than they did before. I've had that experience myself. But don't let appearances fool you. There;s always only one reality." - Page 9

Reality is a big theme in this book. After Aomame takes on the driver's suggestion things do start to look different and certain aspects of the world have changed. Is Aomame going crazy? Or has the world really changed? What exactly is reality, anyway?

Aomame dubs this new world 1Q84 and struggles with the fact that she seems to be the only one that can see the changes. Little does she know, someone else has entered this world too. Tengo, the boy she hasn't seen since elementary school is now also all grown up and strange things are happening for him too.

Tengo works as a maths teacher at a local cram school and harbours dreams of writing novels for a living. Too bad he can't seem to get published. That is until his publisher friend approaches him to rewrite a novel called 'Air Chrysalis', written by seventeen-year-old Fuka-Eri.

Fuka-Eri's novel contains a fantastic story but it is poorly written, so the plan is to have Tengo to fix it up. This basically amounts to literary fraud but Tengo is drawn in by the story and agrees; against his better judgement. By doing this, he soon finds that the world seems different. Things have changed. What is going on? Could the fantasy world created by Fuka-Eri be real?

1Q84 is a big book. At 925 pages and three 'books' which make up the story, this tome made for a lengthy read. In my honest opinion, this novel was too long. I feel like a traitor to the Murakami Army by saying that, but it really could have done with some heavy handed editing.

The whole novel we follow the parallel stories of Aomame and Tengo, just waiting for them meet up again. This is something that was dragged out through the book and I was a little annoyed by it by the end. You know it is going to happen, it just doesn't, not for 895 pages anyway. I guess some people may enjoy this 'will they or won't they' theme, but I just found it trite.

My only other criticism is the romance aspect of this novel. My opinion may be coloured by the fact I am not really a fan of those sorts of stories to begin with, but I found it unbelievable. Call me cold hearted, but I just didn't feel the love. Can two people really have one 'moment' when they are 10, never see each other again, then still be in love with each twenty years later? Maybe. I don't see it, but I kind of wish I did.

Despite these aspects, I enjoyed this book. It was well written and thoughtful. I enjoyed Aomame's relationship with the dowager, Fuka-Eri's strange personality and felt akin to Tengo's literary ambitions. The story in 'Air Chrysalis' was interesting, and some of the secondary characters were well played out.

Like all Murakami novels, questions relating to human nature and the world are raised, which left me pondering for a long time after the novel had been put down. That is probably the thing I love most about Murakami's work. His ability to make you think about things that you maybe wouldn't have thought about before.

Overall, this was an enjoyable novel. Definitely not Murakami's finest work, but good enough to cement his place as a great modern literary figure.

Have you read 1Q84? What did you think? Are you with me, or do you think this is Murakami's great masterpiece? Leave me a comment and let me know!

The Stand – Stephen King

2011-11-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.

And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides -- or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abigail -- and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: 1978
Rating: 4/5

The Stand has long been known as Stephen King's finest work. It is the book to read, if you are only ever going to pick up one King book in your life. Do I agree with this opinion? Maybe not. There are a few other King works which I personally felt were more enjoyable or better written than this novel. That said I can understand why The Stand has been given this label. It one one hell of a read both in length of story (and yes, I did read the extended edition) and in depth of the world and characters King has created. It is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

I was first introduced to The Stand when I saw the mini series about 10 years ago. It has been on my 'to read' list since then. It just took me a while to get around to it. As far as I can remember, the mini series pretty much measured up to the novel. Although, since some time has passed my memory may be a little hazy. I am not usually one to recommend that you should 'just watch the movie' instead of reading the book, but in this case if you don't have a fair good chunk of time to spare on this 1344 page novel, then the mini series is a good option.

Back to the book... the characters were what made this novel. I will say it before and I will say it again, King is the master of characterisation! Sure he is good at writing a spooky story, but his characters are always the real treat. He has a special talent of creating real, believable, normal characters with layers and depth. By doing that, he is also able to manipulate his readers into either loving or hating a character within pages of introducing them. For that, reading King is worth it.

The concept of the plague was also a lot of fun. Nowadays it is kind of over done, but this book was written in 1978 and has been considered influential so I was able to push aside the 'here we go again' feelings I may have had if it were a new book by another author.

King did a great job of creating a believable situation. As far as I am concerned, the idea of the government creating and accidentally releasing a deadly strain of the flu is more than believable. History shows us it is very possible. I guess the possibility of something like this happening makes this story even more frightening. It isn't like any of King's stories that involve ghosts or strange domes where you need to suspend belief. This story could happen (Well, the flu part anyway). That is where the real horror lies.

I also enjoyed the fantasy aspects of this novel. Randall Flagg is the big bad! The Dark Man plagues many of king's novels but The Stand is where Flagg was born. Flagg is the epitome of fear. Of horror. of creepiness. Of dread. Of all your nightmares. He is the perfect villain.

After reading The Stand I can see where it has influenced other works. The Passage by Justin Cronin is a good example. The virus, the old lady, the band of survivors, the dreams and the bad guy are all reminiscent of The Stand.

So should you read this novel? If you call yourself a King fan than yes, you should. If only to experience one of King's earlier novels and see how his talent has developed over the years. If you are looking to be introduced to King I would recommend beginning with one of his shorter novels (Misery and Gerald's Game are two of my personal favourites, they actually gave me nightmares, but that is a story for another day), or one of his newer novels like Under the Dome.

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

2011-10-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

In The Little Prince, a small boy leaves the tiny planet on which he lives alone, on a trip to Earth, where he is introduced to the vagaries of adult behaviour. On one level this work is the story of an airman's discovery of a small boy from another planet in the desert and his stories of intergalactic travel, and on the other hand it is a thought-provoking allegory of the human condition. (Taken Goodreads from Book Depository)

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
Year: 1943

Le Petit Prince by French author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is one of those 'must read' novels. The type of story that is full of philosophical pondering, keen observation and poetic prose. The kind of novel that moves people. With a reputation like that, I had to read it.

Sadly, my experience with this novel didn't match up to that of others. Maybe I wasn't in the right mind frame for such a book, but my experience when something like this...

I settle myself down to read, with high expectations. I am ready to be wowed. I am ready to laugh and cry and be moved. Or so I thought.

I start to read. At first, I am a little surprised at the style of writing. It's so simple. It reads like a kids book. Oh wait, it is a kids book. I rearrange my thoughts and begin again.

Reading... reading... I wonder if the washing is finished? I'll go check.

Ok,, back to reading. I am really hungry. What's the time? *sigh* 2 hours until dinner. Ok, read!

Reading.. reading... God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you. Put it in the soul of every.... oh crap! CONCENTRATE.

Back to reading....

I eventually got this very short book finished.

"Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them."

Quotes like this, from The Little Prince, make me even more disappointed that I did not connect with this novel. I am putting it down to lack of concentration for now, but it's sad to think that I have become a boring, old adult!

I cannot review this book. I cannot tell you to read it, I can't say this was one of the best books I have ever read. I can't even say I liked it. All I can say is that I will try it again one day in the future when I am not preoccupied with other things. It probably is a great book. If you pay close attention and can forget all those adult things.

Look what I got....

2011-10-27T00:28:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's right! 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami! The crew over at Random House were nice enough to send me a review copy! I can't wait to sink my teeth into this one :)

Ham on Rye - Charles Bukowski

2011-10-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

With his fourth novel, legendary barfly Charles Bukowski follows the path of his alter ego Henry Chinaski through the high school years of acne and rejection, drinking his way through the Depression, and ends at the start of World War 2.

Genre: Semi-autobiographical Fiction
Publisher: Canongate Books
Year: 1982
Rating: 5/5

Ham on Rye is a semi-autobiographical novel about the infamous Henry Chinaski, known as Charles Bukowski's alter ego.

I first was introduced to Chinaski in Post Office, which explored the meaningless drudgery of working in a job you hate, with no hope of bettering your situation. In Ham on Rye, we learn about Chinaski's life before he enters the US Postal Service.

A bit of a loner, Chinaski is bad at sports, prefers to read, is awkward with girls, is mercilessly beaten and emotionally abused by his father and suffers from disfiguring acne. Being an adolescent is hard enough but with all the other things Chinaski has to deal with, life just sucks. No wonder he develops a bad attitude, sarcastic way of dealing with people and a drinking problem!

Written in Bukowski's signature style, Ham on Rye is crude, insightful, poetic, disgusting, honest, raw, entertaining, sickening, compelling, endearing and exhausting. I loved every second of it.

There were times that I laughed out loud, others where I felt sad for Chinaski, times when I disliked him with a passion and a few key scenes where I just wanted to put the book down and go throw up. I seriously hope that the scene where he is visiting his friend is one of the fiction parts of this novel, I am not sure if I could handle THAT being true. If you have read it I am sure you know which scene I am referring to. YUK! Totally warped.

Ham on Rye is a brilliant novel and is a must read for Bukowski fans. If you aren't a Bukowski fan and want to experience his work, this novel would be the place to start. Just be warned, you are in for a wild ride!

In my Mailbox (11)

2011-10-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

Why do I buy more books when I don't have much time to read? (story of my life, lately). Or, do I just notice that I am buying books more, because they are just sitting on my shelf wanting to be read? Taunting me with their pretty covers.... What ever the answer is, here is my latest bunch of purchases!

I got some of these off The Book Depository and some from Basement Books in Sydney. Hello bargains!

Have you read any of these books? When I finish slogging my way through The Stand i'll pick one of these up. Which one should I read first?

Portrait Of A Spy (Gabriel Allon #11) – Daniel Silva

2011-09-24T05:12:00.000-07:00

For Gabriel and his wife, Chiara, it was supposed to be the start of a pleasant weekend in London – a visit to a gallery in St. James’s to authenticate a newly discovered painting by Titian, followed by a quiet lunch. But a pair of deadly bombings in Paris and Copenhagen has already marred this autumn day. And while walking toward Covent Garden, Gabriel notices a man he believes is about to carry out a third attack. Before Gabriel can draw his weapon, he is knocked to the pavement and can only watch as the nightmare unfolds.

Haunted by his failure to stop the massacre of innocents, Gabriel returns to his isolated cottage on the cliffs of Cornwall, until a summons brings him to Washington and he is drawn into a confrontation with the new face of global terror. At the center of the threat is an American-born cleric in Yemen to whom Allah has granted “a beautiful and seductive tongue.” A gifted deceiver, who was once a paid CIA asset, the mastermind is plotting a new wave of attacks.

Gabriel and his team devise a daring plan to destroy the network of death from the inside, a gambit fraught with risk, both personal and professional. To succeed, Gabriel must reach into his violent past. A woman waits there—a reclusive heiress and art collector who can traverse the murky divide between Islam and the West. She is the daughter of an old enemy, a woman joined to Gabriel by a trail of blood. . . .

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011
Rating: 4/5

This novel is the eleventh installment in the Gabriel Allon series and Silva once again proves he is the best writer of modern spy fiction.

Set across continents, Portrait of a Spy follows my all-time favourite Israeli secret agent as he fights terrorism, saves lives, countries and democracy.... all while restoring ancient artwork and making the ladies swoon. What more could you ask for in a novel? (or a man?, ahahaha).

Besides the great Gabriel, Silva's novels are also appealing as they are up to date and set in current times. Silva does a great job of using the current international political climate as a backdrop for his stories. Not only is it enjoyable reading a fun and exciting read, but it's great reading something that "could" be happening right now.

There are some things about this novel that I expected. Silva has a formula that he never fails to use in this series. Gabriel doesn't want to be a spy, he just wants to restore paintings. He unwillingly gets drawn back into the Israeli secret service because he can't stand back and watch people get hurt, he just has to help. But this time will be the last time (uhuh).

Gabriel then reassembles his work family and they bond over bloodshed and their desire to bring down the baddies. Soon a lot of stuff goes down and Gabriel ends up being nabbed by the enemy, but he survives. He then saves the day, swears never to work for the service again and returns to his paintings. Til next time.

Despite that formula making these novels predictable, they are still good reads. I just can't get enough!

This novel is not only a must read for all Silva fans, but for anyone who loves international spy thrillers! Pick up a copy of one of Silva's novels. You won't be disappointed.

Ordeal by Innocence – Agatha Christie

2011-09-18T02:45:00.000-07:00

According to the courts, Jacko Argyle bludgeoned his mother to death with a poker. The sentence was life imprisonment.

But when Dr Aurthur Calgary arrives with the proof that confirms Jacko's innocence, it is too late - Jacko died behind bars following a bout of pneumonia. Worse still, the doctor's revelations re-open old wounds in the family, increasing the likelihood that the real murderer could strike again.......

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year: 1958
Rating: 4/5

Like all Agatha Christie novels I have read, this novel was full of mystery, intrigue and suspense. Although formulaic, you know what to expect from an Agatha Christie and that is why I read these novels. They are great for those times when you want a light, fun and interesting read.

Christie's murder mysteries are not gruesome like some of the newer novels in the crime genre, but well thought out, formulated and executed. Christie was sure good at what she did. Which is why I am glad she wrote so many novels, so there are lots more for me to read.

This particular novel was pretty darn good. The ultimate 'who-dun-it'! I for one did not guess this one, and was surprised with who the big bad was.

I also liked how this novel explored the impact the unexpected proof of innocence would have on a family.... I mean, your brother has been gaoled for murdering your mother and you have finally come to terms with that. In the meantime, he has died. Then you find out that he did not in fact commit this murder, which instead of being a relief, brings a whole new world of pain. This means that someone else did it. Someone else in your family! ..... but who? Talk about scary!

I would recommend this novel to Agatha Christie fans and it would also be a great introductory novel for those wishing to get into Christie's writing. Give it a go!

Guess what......

2011-09-16T02:33:00.000-07:00

Hello book blogging buddies! Oh how I have missed you! But guess what....

Yep, that is right! I have been absent but for a very good reason :) I am now the very happy wife of a gorgeous man!

I just needed to share ;) I am trying my hardest between work, uni and other life commitments to read. With not much luck, but I will get there. Keep an eye out for blog posts in the future. There may not be as many as past years but I will do my best to keep in touch with you all!

Happy reading!

Word Art

2011-08-17T05:06:00.000-07:00

I love seeing 'meaningful graffiti'. Unlike tagging, which is akin to a dog peeing on something to mark it's territory, this sort of graffiti, I find beautiful.

This word meant something to someone. At the moment they wrote this, they felt this word so profoundly that they had to stop and scrawl it on the side of a building. This word has feeling. A story behind it. This word defines a moment in the writer's life. Love it!

Horns – Joe Hill

2011-08-14T02:28:00.000-07:00

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with a pair of horns growing from his temples.

At first, Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who had been raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once, the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed. But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. Nothing Ig can do or say matters. Everyone it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone that is, but the devil inside. . . .
Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. It's time for a little revenge . . . it's time the devil had his due . . .

Genre: Fiction, Horror
Publisher: Orion
Year: 2011
Rating: 5/5

I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of this book through the publisher, and I am so glad I did! Horns follows the story of Ig Parish after he wakes up one morning with horns growing out of his head.

This is a bit surprising at first, to say the least, but soon Ig finds out that his horns come with special powers. Powers that make those around him want to tell him the truth.... to divulge their deepest, darkest, secrets.

Soon Ig finds himself on a journey of discovery... a journey which will take him straight to his girlfriend's murderer. A journey that will allow him the one thing he has been wanting for a long time... revenge.

If anyone deserves revenge for Merrin's brutal death, it's Ig. Not only did he lose his girlfriend, but he was framed for her murder. That is enough to tick anyone off.

Especially since he "got away with it", so to speak. Due to lost evidence, Ig walked free. Unfortunately that means little to the town folk, or even Ig's family. Suspicion and guilt are all prevalent in this town, and Ig suffers for it.

One thing I liked about this novel was the flashbacks. Normally, I am not a fan of flashbacks. I find them confusing and annoying. In this case, Hill did a perfect job of fleshing out the characters and building the story by looking back at how Ig and Merrin met, their relationship with Lee Tourneau, the rise in fame of Ig's brother, Terry and the events that culminated in Merrin's death.

Like his father, Stephen King, Joe Hill has learned the craft of characterisation. To me, that is what makes or breaks a novel. In this case, it made it. Big time.

Hill did a great job of bringing small town America to life (well, from what I understand it to be, if you can trust movies and literature), and he created some unforgettable characters.

The mystery of "whodunit" was interesting, but a little easy to guess. I think this was done on purpose though, we kind of get a feeling from the beginning of there being "something not quite right" about a certain someone, so it makes sense they turn out to be a super-crazy-killer.

This novel is well worth the read if you love a good horror story. Hats off, Mr Hill. You are going to have a long and successful career. Talent sure does run in the family.

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository!

The Devotion of Suspect X – Keigo Higashino

2011-07-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced, single mother who thought she had finally escaped her abusive ex-husband Togashi. When he shows up one day to extort money from her, threatening both her and her teenaged daughter Misato, the situation quickly escalates into violence and Togashi ends up dead on her apartment floor. Overhearing the commotion, Yasuko's next door neighbor, middle-aged high school mathematics teacher Ishigami, offers his help, disposing not only of the body but plotting the cover-up step-by-step.

When the body turns up and is identified, Detective Kusanagi draws the case and Yasuko comes under suspicion. Kusanagi is unable to find any obvious holes in Yasuko's manufactured alibi and yet is still sure that there's something wrong. Kusanagi brings in Dr. Manabu Yukawa, a physicist and college friend who frequently consults with the police. Yukawa, known to the police by the nickname Professor Galileo, went to college with Ishigami. After meeting up with him again, Yukawa is convinced that Ishigami had something to do with the murder. What ensues is a high level battle of wits, as Ishigami tries to protect Yasuko by outmaneuvering and outthinking Yukawa, who faces his most clever and determined opponent yet.

Genre: Fiction, Japanese, Crime, Mystery
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Year: 2011
Rating: 3/5

There is not a whole lot I can say about this book. The blurb above sums up the story pretty well, and although an enjoyable enough read, there wasn't anything really special about this book.... no wow factor.

It was a quick read. A good way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The sort of read that once you are done, it's pretty much gone out of your head the next day. That isn't meant as a criticism, just because this novel wasn't memorable doesn't make it a bad book.

I'd recommend this book if you are looking for something that is easy to read, something you can devour in one sitting and not have to think too hard. I guess you could liken it to watching CSI, fun at the time but not something that is going to make you question your life, floor you with observations or distract you later, while driving.

The characters aren't going to get under your skin, the prose isn't going to make your heart ache from it's beauty, and you sure aren't going to hug this book to your chest with tears in your eyes when it's done. But you know what, that is ok! Where would we be if all books affected us so profoundly? It wouldn't be good for the soul... sometimes, we just need something light and fun. Something to distract us from our work and woes, and this book will provide just that.

Want to grab a copy? Try Book Depository!

I am still alive!

2011-07-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

I have been absent... I apologise. Life, work, study and wedding planning have been taking up so much of my time. I haven't even been reading much. Which disappoints me. But as usual, I take on too much at once and I exhaust myself.

I will be back... but for now, I leave you with this....

“If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start. This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery—isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine. If you’re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.”- Charles Bukowski

Room – Emma Donoghue

2011-07-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2010
Rating: 5/5

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Room is one of those novels that every one was talking about, when it was released last year. It seemed it was one of those "must reads" for those interested in contemporary literary fiction. Now that I have finally got around to reading it, I can understand why.

I have tried my best to talk about this novel without giving away too much of the plot, but found that is nearly impossible with this book. So if you don't want to find out too much about the story before you read it yourself, I suggest you stop reading my review now.

Room tells the story of five-year-old Jack and his mother, told from Jack's point of view. I found this difficult reading at first, for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, Jack is five. He talks like he is five. Sure his vocabulary is beyond his years but his maturity levels and the way he speaks do sound like a little kid. And a weird little kid at that. He calls all the furniture by name and refers to them as if they are his companions (Bed, Chair, Rug, Plant, Meltedy Spoon, Wardrobe). He also thinks that him and his Ma are the only "real" living people in the world, and that everything he sees on TV is fake.

But, what else can you expect from a kid who has spent his entire life locked away in one room, with only one other person for company. That is sure to screw anyone up. This understanding of the world is something his Ma encouraged to help him cope with his circumstances, because he is too little to understand anything else.

Ma does her best to make him as "normal" as she can. She spends her days teaching him to read, write, draw and do math. She makes him exercise as well as she can in their small, enclosed space and tries to feed him a balanced, healthy diet.

Ma really does do her best to give Jack all she can in this horrible situation. She keeps him safe from her captor, Old Nick, by hiding Jack in the wardrobe each night when Old Nick comes to Room to get what he keeps her there for... I am sure you know what I mean. UGH.

As Jack gets older, Ma realises that this sort of life isn't going to work for much longer, and she needs to get out. She needs to get Jack out before he gets any older. She wants to give Jack a proper life. But Old Nick, isn't going to let them go anywhere..... they must escape.

The first part of this novel, that dealt with their lives in Room was tedious and difficult to read. Every day was the same, there wasn't much for them to do and Jack raved on and on about his companions like Meltedy Spoon. Talk about dull. So dull that Donoghue did a perfect job of bringing the tedium and boredom of Room to life. I felt it.

Once Ma starts planning their escape, the novel picked up. It became scary! All I could think was that Jack was too young to take part in such a dangerous plan! He is a baby! and when it came to the day that they put their plans into action, MY GOD I WAS SCARED! I couldn't turn the pages quick enough.

The second part of this novel deals with Jack and Ma learning to live in the outside world. This was the best part of the novel and is what made it worth the read for me.

Donoghue did a perfect job of showing the difficulties Jack would have venturing out into the world. Having to meet people, walk on ground that isn't Room, come into contact with new foods, sounds, sights, sensations, and trying to understand what all these foreign objects are. Imagining being five and seeing stairs for the first time! It would be a scary experience to have to walk down them, when you have only ever walked on flat ground.

Donoghue also does a great job showing the media reaction to Ma and Jack (vultures!), and the different reactions family members have to the return of Ma who they thought was dead and not only that, for her parents to find they have a grandson fathered by her kidnapper! Donoghue shows all possible reactions in each member of Ma's family. From overwhelming joy yo have her back, no matter what.... to disgust at Jack, who is seen as the spawn of an evil that is hard to get past.

It follows Ma as she reenters the world and struggles with dealing with her family, Jack's problems and her desire to begin her life again.

The scariest thing about Room is that this novel is said inspired by the real life cases of Josef Fritzl and Natascha Kampusch. Two crimes that were prominent in the media in the years before this novel was published. Not only that, there have been countless other cases over the years where women have been kidnapped, or kept hidden away and enslaved by strangers and "loved ones" (I used that term loosely). So sure this may be a fictional novel, but the fact that this sort of thing does happen is really scary. In fact, I am sure it is probably more common that we think.

This isn't the first book of this sort I have read. The Collector by John Fowles is a based on the same sort of crime. Although, because Room takes this horrible and difficult situation, and shows it through the eyes of a confused five-year-old, that is what makes it unique.

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository!

The Shifting Fog – Kate Morton

2011-07-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Summer 1924: on the eve of a glittering Society party, by the lake of a grand English country house, a young poet takes his life. The only witnesses, sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford, will never speak to each other again.

Winter 1999: Grace Bradley, 98, one-time house-maid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and memories, long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind, begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge; something history has forgotten but Grace never could.

Set as the war-shattered Edwardian summer surrenders to the decadent twenties, The Shifting Fog is a thrilling mystery and a compelling love story.

Genre: Fiction, Edwardian, Romance, Mystery
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Year: 2007
Rating: 4/5

The Shifting Fog (known as The House at Riverton in the US and UK) tells the story of the Hartfords, a family on the verge of falling apart, as told by their former maid, Grace Bradley.

As a young girl, Grace is sent to work for the Hartfords. A rich, society family who live in the grand Riverton Manor. Grace is a shy fourteen-year-old who yearns for company her own age. Because of this, Grace finds herself drawn to Hannah, one of the Hartford children.

Grace is extremely loyal and she develops a close friendship with Hannah. Well, as close as you can expect a maid to develop with her mistress. Grace follows Hannah from Riverton, to Paris and London. The perfect companion, always by Hannah's side, watching out for her and completing any task Hannah asks of her, to the point where she forgoes her own happiness in order to serve Hannah.

It is through this close relationship, that we hear Grace's story of the decline of the Hartford family, the secrets Hannah held and what really happened on the night Robbie Hunter killed himself by the lake at Riverton.

After 84 years of silence, Grace is ready to let go of all her secrets (and those of the Hartfords) and divulge the truth.

Not only do we have the mystery of what happened to Robbie Hunter, but Grace's mother once worked at Riverton and left under mysterious circumstances. Circumstances that Grace is curious about, but which her mother refuses to talk about. This serves as a secondary mystery.

I enjoyed this novel. I like a good story about an Edwardian family living in a grand manor with their secrets. It's formulaic and been done a million times, but I love it anyway. Nothing like an epic family saga full of twists and turns to entertain on a rainy afternoon. This novel provided just that.

I must admit, I found Grace's loyalty to Hannah a little annoying at times. I liked Grace and wanted her to go live her life! Not live vicariously through Hannah. Then again, we wouldn't have had a story if she did.

The mystery in this novel was interesting but I was surprised to see it seemed to play a small role in the overall story. Robbie Hunter's demise served as the end of the story, rather than the main plot line, which I thought strange since it is what is mentioned in the blurb. I was expecting the book to be about him, but he was a secondary character.

This story is about Hannah. It is about Hannah's life and what Grace learned of the Hartford's and Robbie through living with Hannah. Lucky for the reader, Hannah is an endearing character.

Hannah is brave, feisty and like all good women, unhappy with her lot in life as a female. She wants to travel, see the world and have adventures! She wants to learn new things and experience all life has to offer. Not very ladylike. But in my opinion, all the most interesting women in history went against the norm and fought to live! A female lead that happily sits around crocheting and drinking tea certainly wouldn't make for good reading.

This, however, is Hannah's undoing, and leads the reader on a journey which is exciting, worrying, frustrating and in the end, tragic.

Grace, although the storyteller, acts as a secondary character to Hannah. Yet her story is just as, if not more, interesting. She may have only been a ladies maid to begin with, but Grace sure packed a lot into her 98 years of life and what a fascinating life it was!

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a good family saga about love, loss and life in England during the war.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository!

Enduring Spirit : Convicts or Colonists : The True Story of Henry Kable and Susannah Holmes – Len P. Hedges

2011-07-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

In 1783, Henry Cabell and Susannah Holmes found themselves in the fortress that was Norwich Castle. They had been imprisoned for stealing goods worth more than forty shillings, a crime that automatically drew sentence of death by hanging.

This story follows the two young country folk struggling to survive the perils and squalor of a Georgian prison where they fell in love.

Susannah and her baby were sent to the hulks for transportation on the First Fleet to Australia. Henry was desperate but powerless to join her. When the captain refused to take the baby as it had been born in prison and had no papers, John Simpson, the humane turnkey, stepped in and the couple were reunited on the journey to the New World.

Henry was the first convict in history to sue the authorities, run a mail service, own a ship, become the Colony's first Chief Constable and make a fortune from sealing and whaling.

Genre: Non-fiction, Australian, Biography, Historical
Publisher: Olde Forge Publishing
Year: 2009
Rating: 3/5

This book, although based on fact, is written like a fictional account of the journey of Henry Kable and Susannah Holmes, from England to Australia on the First Fleet. Henry and Susannah are my great-great-I-don't-know-how-many-greats-grandparents. So this book was something I was excited to read.

I say this book was written like a fictional account because it is written like a story. Sure we have known facts and extracts from the journals of important people like Captain Arthur Phillip, but it is written as a narrative. I found this a little strange at first.... reading what Henry and Susannah where thinking, feeling and things they said, cause really, it's all speculation and guess work.

I also found it a little strange reading the sex scene. All I could think was "ooohhh great nanna!, naughty" LOL it's funny thinking of your ancestors as real, live people with hopes, dreams and desires. It was very different from reading old documents and historical accounts like I have trawled through in the past. It took some getting used to.

Hedges did a good job of bringing Norwich prison and the hulks of the ships to life. The conditions were terrible and honestly, I am surprised anyone survived that journey.

I was a little disappointed that this book only focused on their time in prison and their journey. I know that is an important past of their history, but I want to know more about what happened when they got to Australia.

As it states in the back-of-the-book-blurb, Henry was the first convict in history to sue the authorities, run a mail service, own a ship, become the Colony's first Chief Constable and make a fortune from sealing and whaling.

On top of that, when Henry and Susannah arrived in Australia, they were married in the first marriage ceremony to take place in the country, along with four other couples. They were the first wed out of the four, and the only couple from that ceremony to have children (eleven in all) and produce descendants. Some say that makes them the first family! They are often hailed as one of the founding families of the new colony.

During his lifetime Henry also owned a hotel called Ramping Horse, ran a brewery, owned a fair amount of property, and ran a retail store. Pretty good resume for a petty thief who was lucky to avoid the gallows!

It has also been said that when the First Fleet landed, Captain Arthur Phillip did not want to get his shoes wet, so a convict carried him to shore, ultimately being the first person to set foot in the new colony. Some say that person was Henry Kable. Although, the historical evidence on this seems a bit fuzzy.

Henry Kable's Grave. St. Matthew's Church of England, Windsor

All in all, I think my ancestors are pretty awesome. From crime and poverty to making something of themselves in the new colony. I will definitely have to get my hands on some more books written about the Kables.

Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

2011-07-04T04:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again... Working as a lady's companion, the heroine of Rebecca learns her place. Life begins to look very bleak until, on a trip to the South of France, she meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower whose sudden proposal of marriage takes her by surprise. She accepts, but whisked from glamorous Monte Carlo to the ominous and brooding Manderley, the new Mrs de Winter finds Max a changed man. And the memory of his dead wife Rebecca is forever kept alive by the forbidding Mrs Danvers...

Genre: Fiction, Modern Classic, Gothic
Publisher: Virago Press
Year: 1938
Rating: 5/5

Rebecca follows the story of the new Mrs de Winter, a young, shy woman who finds herself whisked away from her employment as a lady's companion, to the impressive Manderley, to be wife to the rich and aloof, Mr Maxim de Winter.

At first, this seems like a dream come true. Inexperienced in love and life, and totally smitten with Maxim , she wants nothing more than to please him. But this isn't an easy task. Once the newlyweds return from their carefree honeymoon to Manderley, Maxim seems to change. He no longer seems happy with her, or comfortable in their home. A place that was once home to him and his late wife, Rebecca.

Remnants of his life with Rebecca seem to be everywhere. Rebecca seems to reach out from the grave and her presence permeates throughout the house. Mrs Danvers, Rebecca's faithful maid does all she can to keep Rebecca's memory alive and the new Mrs de Winter can not seem to escape her influence.

Will the memory of Rebecca come between Maxim and the new Mrs de Winter? What is Mrs Danvers up to? And what is the dark secret that Manderley is hiding? Are things really as they seem?

What did I think?

I loved this novel. Talk about a great gothic mystery! Du Maurier has taken a relatviely "normal" situation, and added an air of suspense, menace and foreboding the makes for great reading.

This is the ultimate "other woman" story. We have a young, naive girl trying to not only figure out who she is as a person, and how to be a wife, but then having to juggle this with the feeling of a third person intruding in her marriage. For someone ill-equipped, this is a hard task.

The new Mrs de Winter feels as if she just can't match up to the beautiful, worldly and sophistication Rebecca. Everywhere she turns, she is faced with the sort of competition that is impossible to fight – a dead woman. And a "perfect" one at that. But things aren't always as they seem. Everyone has secrets.

Just when I thought I had this novel all figured out, Du Maurier threw me a curve ball that took me by surprise! Oh what a twist it is!

Du Maurier's prose is elegant and insightful. Her descriptions of places, people, thoughts and feelings realistic and engrossing. I couldn't put this novel down.

I also love it how Du Maurier never gives our heroine a name, she is only known as Mrs de Winter. Never forming her own identity, but continually being defined by others perceptions. This lack of a name is effective in the characterisation of our heroine and allowing us to sympathise with her. We can understand why she won't take control of the household, and feels like she lives in Rebecca's shadow. She never really comes into herself until the events that transpire at Manderley.

I also love how the decisions she makes are questionable. Her morality debatable... yet understandable. What would you do in that situation? It's easy to hypothesise but who really knows until they are faced with a similar dilemma?

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good gothic novel or mystery. This novel is extremely well written (so much so that the implausible seems plausible!) and I can see why this novel is considered a modern classic. I can't wait to devour more books by Du Maurier!

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Leviathan – Scott Westerfeld

2011-06-29T01:26:00.000-07:00

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Steampunk, Adventure
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2009
Rating: 5/5

I was both interested and hesitant when I picked up Leviathan, as I was not sure it would be my cup of tea. It sounded like a "boy" book. I am normally not one to lump books into categories by gender, but this book contained war and fighting machines. Sure to appeal to a 15-year-old-boy, but maybe not a 20-something-year-old woman. I was wrong. I loved this book.

This novel follows both Alek and Deryn who come from different countries, different social classes and different genders. Yet they end up being thrown together, to fight alongside each other as allies.

Alek is a prince. One night, his parents are murdered and he is whisked away by some loyal friends who wish to save his life.

Deryn longs to be in the British airforce, but she has one thing standing in her way: she is a girl. Instead of letting that stop her she disguises herself as a boy and soon finds herself accepted onto the airship, Leviathan. Too bad war is just about to break out!

The first half of this novel Alek and Deryn's stories are told in alternate chapters, until they meet and then their story becomes one.

The first half of this book was a little slow, Westerfeld spends a lot of time setting up characters and plot. I guess that's okay since this story is meant to be a trilogy. The second half is where the action kicks in and makes this book worth the read.

One thing I love about Steampunk, is how an author will take a historical event, like WW2, and rewrite it with futuristic technology thrown in. Better than that, it is not futuristic from our point of view today, but how people back in the time it is set may have imagined things.

In this case we have Darwinistic beasties and walking machines! The beasties were pretty crazy yet kind of awesome. Using DNA and methods founded by Charles Darwin, the British create these animals that are a blend of many different species, and equipped to carry passengers, fight in a war, fly in the sky and do all sorts of things! Imagine being in an airship that is a living, breathing organism?

The machines were interesting too.... being able to walk over terrain in an armed machine instead of drive would make a world of difference to combat... yet the beasties were still my favourite.

The characters in this novel were likeable and interesting. I am keen to read the next novel to see what is going to happen next and where Alek and Deryn will end up. Will Alek find out that Deryn is really a girl? Will the airforce find out? Will Alek be incarcerated by the British because of his country's former alliances? Will the bad guys track him down? Will he ever get his throne back? What new beasties will Westerfeld think of next? Only one way to find out.... Stay tuned!

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In my Mailbox (10)

2011-06-25T03:35:00.000-07:00

I swear I buy more books when I don't really have the time to read, rather than when I do. Maybe it is me trying to get my bookish fix? Or, maybe I just notice my buying habits more because I have more unread books on my shelf? Either way, I have picked up some great books lately!

First up, I got this gorgeous leather bound edition of The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe off Book Depository! I saw it and fell in love with it. I also fell in love with the bargain price! I was so excited when it arrived. I love Poe and this book will take pride of place in my library.

I also made my first purchase off Abe Books (don't ask, bad seller, not a good experience) and got a copy of Enduring Spirit! This book is a novelization of the story of Henry Kable and Susannah Holmes, as they made their way from England to Australia on the First Fleet. The best bit is that Henry Kable is my great-great-great-great-great-I-don't-know-how-many-greats-grandfather. Neat, huh?!

I also picked up these goodies!

Needless to say, I can't wait to read all of these books!

Purge – Sofi Oksanen

2011-06-19T00:04:00.000-07:00

Old Aliide Truu lives alone in a cottage in the woods. Her isolation is interrupted when a strange young woman arrives – bruised, dirty and shoeless - at her door. Overcome by curiosity, the old woman decides, warily, to take her in.

Zara is on the run from men who tortured, raped and sold her into slavery. Her only possession is a tattered photograph. When Aliide sees the picture, she immediately recognises herself and her sister. Horrified, she begins to realise that the past she has long tried to forget has finally caught up with her...

Purge is a hauntingly intimate portrait of one family's shame against a backdrop of European war. It is a fiercely compelling and damning novel about what we will accept just to survive and the legacies created by our worst experiences.

Genre: Fiction, Family Saga, Historical, Estonian
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Year: 2008
Rating: 3/5

Purge by Sofi Oksanen is one of those novels that I had to read because it seemed everyone had read it, and said it was a "must read". I am not sure I'd agree with that description, but I am glad I read it. It was... interesting, to say the least.

Purge tells the stories of both Zara, a young woman who has been forced into prostitution and Aliide, an old woman with some harrowing secrets.

The novel jumps between the present, which involves Zara and Aliide getting to know each other, and the past stories of both women.

Aliide's story was by far the more interesting of the two. A bitter, cranky old woman, we come to understand why she is the way she is because of her childhood, the atrocities she was subjected to during the war and the things she did to survive.

When it comes down to it, Aliide is one nasty piece of work. I could not sympathise with her character in the slightest. I can understand in a way why she did the things she did, I guess self preservation takes over when your in a dire situation and your life is at stake... but part of me also thinks that she's just a wicked and selfish person. I could not like her.

As for Zara, her story was just like every other "forced into prostitution and abused by her captives" story out there. I know that probably sounds harsh as these things do happen every day, to thousands of women, and I don't want to take away from the horror and injustice of that, but I've read it all before. There was nothing new there.

I also never really came to understand why Zara ended up in that situation.... sure she probably needed money, and she was tempted by the luxuries of the western world, but to me there is usually an underlying trauma or issue that leads a person into a bad choice like that. Here, I just didn't see it.

Sure, her mother and grandmother had horrible stories to tell, and I am sure she was affected by their attitudes and the way they dealt with their past, but it just didn't sit right. Zara was just not fleshed out very well. Not like Aliide who was given a distinct personality.... not a good one, I would not want to be friends with that woman! But Oksanen did a good job of creating a "real" character with Aliide.

This novel paints a picture of war torn Estonia, a country I have never read about before. So I found the cultural and historical aspects of this novel interesting.

I think you'd like this book if you like family sagas, stories of war, and stories showing the injustices and issues that face women across the world. I warn you, there are a few parts of this story that were hard to handle... scenes of rape, one involving a child which I found extremely disturbing and hard to read, not to mention graphic sex. But as disturbing as some of these things were, these things are real. These things have and still do happen, and I think it is important to be aware of that.

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What does a feminist look like?

2011-06-13T01:36:00.000-07:00

Being a book blog, I spend my time on here talking about books. This post is something I feel compelled to write, even though it's origins are not bookish, because this issue really worries me.

WARNING: ranting may occur.

When I was in high school, I was heavily into feminism. I read all the "must read" feminist texts, wrote my history essay on the suffragettes and women's liberation movement, ranted and raved to anyone who would listen about the injustices facing women.

When I went on to university, I jumped straight into the subjects that dealt with women in politics, history and literature. Although my interest died down as I got older, I'd like to think I am well educated in this area of social and gender history.

I like to think of myself as a feminist. I believe that women can do anything a man can, I will happily work outdoors while my partner irons my clothes, or sews. We do not adhere to gender stereotypes in my home. I am the first to jump on my sopabox when news stories of sexual discrimination occur and am always more than happy to discuss current state of the feminist movement. And this is where my problem lies.

The modern feminist movement, if there can even be said to be one, has such a dark, seedy side that it makes me cringe. It goes against everything the suffragettes and those in the liberation movement fought for. It spits in the faces of the women who used their lives to fight for ours to be better. It is an embarrassment. I am talking about raunch culture.

Girls today are confused. We live in a society that is drenched in sexually explicit film, tv shows and advertising. It is hard to turn on the TV without seeing women being objectified for entertainment, or to sell a product.

Girls are taught from an early age that to get anywhere in life they need to use their bodies to control men and get what they want. They are taught that their most valuable asset, is their ability to manipulate using sex.

Pole dancing is one of the most popular "sports" out there at the moment, girls aspire to dance in next-to-nothing, in music videos. A good night out on the town seems to involve "picking up a random" and getting your face on TV shows like Girls Gone Wild is the height of fame!

Little girls are buying lipstick, clothing lines for "tweens" are bordering on provocative and faux lesbianism amongst high school students is all the rage.

What is wrong with this picture?

Feminism was once about equality. It was about fighting and achieving the right to live our lives as we want, with exactly the same rights as our male counterparts. It was not about "getting one up" on men, or being in control of them, it was about being in control of ourselves.

The way the media portrays women nowadays would have been an outrage to those who pioneered the movement. But what do we do? We embrace it.

When will women learn that feminism is not about embracing raunch culture and defining oursevles by misogynistic values. Feminist is about equality. Why is that such a hard thing to comprehend?

Young girls worry me. As a teacher I can see the effect this sex saturated culture is having on our youth and I can tell you now, it is not pretty.

What worries me more than that, is where we are heading. If this kind of culture and behaviour is considered acceptable now, then what will the ramifications be? How can we, as a gender, expect to break those glass ceilings and finally achieve true equality if this is what we have become?

Young girls today are confused. They have taken the reins on a movement which was once achieving great things, and turned it into a joke.

Can the feminist movement be saved? Who knows. I'd like to think it can, but with events like the Slutwalk taking place, it doesn't take a genius to see that young women have really lost the plot.

Now don't get me wrong, I am a BIG advocator of the cause and I am not criticising that. Just the way that it is currently being promoted. There are good ways to get your point across, and bad ways. Unfortunately trying to own the word slut, and marching down the street dressed like hookers only makes you look silly.

Young girls need a crash course in the history of the feminist movement and it's ideologies. Sure the world has changed a lot over the years, but our cause remains the same. Maybe our methods of fighting for this cause need to be updated and rethought, but a Slutwalk is not going to help the cause. Neither is pole dancing, chugging down a pint of beer and ripping your shirt off in a nightclub.

Women need to get it together and band together to fight all those issues facing us today, we need to fight AGAINST gender stereotypes, not confirm them. And sadly, that is exacting what we are doing.

Fallen (Georgia, Book 3) – Karin Slaughter

2011-06-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

On an ordinary spring day, Special Agent Faith Mitchell of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation returns home to a nightmare. Expecting to find her mother minding her new baby daughter Emma, Faith is horrified to discover Emma locked in the shed, her mother's safe open, her gun missing and a trail of blood to the front door.

Without waiting for back-up, Faith enters the house to a scene of carnage. It has been torn apart and a man lies dead in a pool of blood. She stumbles across two more intruders, and within minutes they are too shot dead. And when the Atlanta police force turns up, Faith has some difficult questions to answer. But she has some desperate questions of her own. What were the killers searching for? Ex-Atlanta police chief Evelyn Mitchell was once under investigation by Faith's partner Will Trent. Is her mother directly involved this time, and where is she now?

With Faith suspended from duty, Will, together with the help of Dr Sara Linton, must piece together the fragments of a brutal and complicated case – and catch a deeply troubled and vicious murderer with only one thing on his mind. To keep killing until the truth is finally revealed.

Genre: Fiction, Crime
Publisher: Random House
Year: 2011
Rating: 5/5

I have been reading Karin Slaughter for many years now. She is one of my favourite crime writers and each year in June, I look forward to her newest release.

I began reading Slaughter with her first novel, Blindsighted. It was a fluke really. I was at the library and it looked interesting, I had no idea it was the first in a series. I liked it enough to pick up the second book, Kisscut, and from then, I was hooked.

The Grant County series was fantastic. Dr Sara Linton, pediatrician and small town coroner, is one of the most interesting, endearing and real female leads I have come across. She is intelligent, ambitious, kind, caring and thoughtful. She is stubborn and sometimes, doesn't think before she acts. She has suffered her own share of heartbreak. She has reached breaking point and nearly didn't make it. She is human.

That is what I love most about these books. Slaughter is dealing with some gruesome, horrible crimes. She is delving into the absolute depths of human depravity, but she balances that with good people, who are dealing with their own real life problems. People who are trying to make the world a better place and learn to live their own lives.

I was disappointed when the Grant County series came to what seemed like an end. I was angry with Slaughter. How could she do what she did? What about her loyal fans? What about Sara?

I didn't like the Will Trent books. Purely because I wanted to read about Sara, Jeffrey and their lives! Not some cop with enough baggage to fill a commercial jet!

Then Slaughter did the unthinkable, she combined the two. She moved Sara out of her comfort zone in the most unforgettable and shocking way, and created a new series. The Georgia series.

At first, I was wary. It just wasn't the same. I had a whole new cast of characters to get to know, and I felt like a sulky little kid. I didn't want to!

Boy, I am glad I did! This new series is shaping up to be pretty darn good. Sure, Sara's story has changed dramatically and she is going places I never imagined, but that is life. Things change. People change.

The last few books there has been a bit of "will they or won't they" between Sara and Will. I must say, I am satisfied with where this story is going. I am interested to see what Slaughter has in store for Sara in the next few novels. Not just in her romantic life, but her professional life as well.

Although I didn't like Will at first, he has grown on me. He is smart, attractive and a brilliant cop. But oh so damaged. Will grew up in an orphanage and has many physical and emotional scars from his abusive, and screwed up childhood. I am looking forward to learning more about him, finding out more about his past and discovering what his future may be.

In these books we have also been introduced to Angie. Mean, cold-hearted, controlling Angie. Man, I hate that woman! She is the opposite of EVERYTHING Sara is, yet she has her claws sunk into Will. I don't condone violence against woman but someone needs to give that chick a good beating! I swear, she is evil.

This particular novel focuses on mainly on Faith (Will's partner), and her past. We learn more about her teen pregnancy, the shame it brought on her family, her struggle to deal with her past and shape her future. A future her son can be proud of. She is one tough lady!

We also learn more about her mother, Evelyn Mitchell. The once decorated detective who was forced into retirement when her squad was busted stealing money. Was she on the take too? Or is Faith right about her innocence? Who is after her now, and why? This novel certainly answers these questions with a dramatic and violence filled showdown!

Lastly, the other thing I loved about this novel was that Slaughter has included an afterword about how she came up with the characters in these novels, why she had to end the Grant County series and some hints on where she foresees the future of her characters. Apparently, we can look forward to another 10 years of books about Sara! Can we get a high five!? So happy to read this. We should also expect Lena (the troubled cop from Grant County) to make an appearance in her own series, soon.

I'd recommend this series to anyone who loves crime fiction.

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Towards Zero – Agatha Christie

2011-06-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

What is the connection between a failed suicide attempt, a wrongful accusation of theft against a schoolgirl, and the romantic life of a famous tennis player?

To the casual observer, apparently nothing. But when a houseparty gathers at Gull's Point, the seaside home of an elderly widow, earlier events come to a dramatic head. As superintendent Battle discovers, it is all part of a carefully laid plan – for murder....

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Detective
Year: 1944
Publisher: Harper
Rating: 3/5

Towards Zero tells the story of a group of people, staying at Gull's Point. We have Lady Tressilian, the owner of the seaside house hosting this get together. Nevile, the tennis star and his young, attractive new wife, Kay. His ex wife, Audrey. Edward Latimer, Kay's best friend. Mary Aldin, Lady Tressilian's carer. Thomas Royde, Audrey's distant cousin, and Mr. Treves, an old friend of Lady Tressilian.

This provides the reader with a motley crew of mismatched people who all come under suspicion when one of them is murdered. So whodunit? Who cares.

I read this novel a few weeks ago when I was home from work, sick with a virus. I couldn't really do much except watch TV and read. I chose to read Agatha Christie because she always provides an easy and fun read. Exactly what I needed with my head pounding and brain not wanting to function too well.

I was a bit disappointed in this novel. All of the other Christie novels I have read, I loved. This one, not so much. Maybe my short attention span had something to do with it, but I just didn't find I cared about the characters in this book, nor did I find the mystery all that engrossing.

Even the big twist at the end wasn't all that interesting. I was just glad to have finished this novel so I could move on to something better.

I won't hold this against Christie. We can't all get it right all the time, right? I think I'll go for a Poirot next time I feel like reading a murder mystery.

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Endless Night – Agatha Christie

2011-06-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.

When penniless Michael Rogers discovers the beautiful house at Gypsy's Acre and then meets the heiress Ellie, it seems that all his dreams have come true at once. But he ignores an old woman's warning of an ancient curse, and evil begins to stir in paradise.

As Michael soon learns: Gypsy's Acre is the place where fatal 'accidents' happen....

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Crime
Year: 1967
Publisher: Harper
Rating: 5/5

Michael has always dreamed of owning his own home. And not just any home. He wants a home designed by his friend Santonix, the renowned architect who doesn't adhere to convention and designs bespoke dwellings.

This all just seems like a dream though... Michael is a bit of a drifter and odd jobs man, never sticking to anything long enough to make a decent living.

Then Michael meets Ellie. Ellie is unlike any woman he has ever met. She is kind and good. The perfect woman. And she has fallen in love with him.

To make this fairytale romance even more amazing, Ellie turns out to be filthy rich! She buys Michael his dream property – the place where they met – Gypsy Acre. She enlists Santonix to build Michael's dream home and soon Michael finds himself living his dream life!

Just when Michael thinks life can't get any better, things start to go sour. Someone in town has it in for the couple living on Gypsy Acre. Someone is trying to sabotage their life. But who? And why? Can they stop the attacks before it is too late?

My thoughts....

This may be one of the better Christie mysteries I have read to date! This novel kept me guessing the whole way through and had one hell of a twist at the end I did not see coming!

Like all mystery novels, I find myself trying to guess "whodunit" the whole time I am reading.. in this case, I had no hope. Christie devised a plot and a twist so unexpected that I nearly fell off my chair!

I highly recommend this novel to Christie fans and anyone who loves a good mystery! You will not be disappointed.

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Delirium – Lauren Oliver

2011-06-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love – the deliria – blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance
Year: 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 5/5

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this novel from Penelope over at The Reading Fever!

Honestly, this isn't a novel I would have bought. I am not a big fan of YA romances. I don't know if this is because of my age, being well beyond my teen years I am past being interested in this kind of novel. Or, it could be because I am in a happy, stable relationship so I just don't find these rocky, "will they or won't they", "everything is standing in their way", relationships all that compelling. Just get it together, ok! In my experience, if you love someone, it really isn't all that hard.

Or, it could be because of my background as a teacher. Seeing the maturity level and behaviour of sixteen-year-old boys and girls doesn't mesh with the mature, wise beyond their years, teens we see in YA novels. I just couldn't get swept up in a YA romance, and then walk into the classroom and see the relationships my students were forming, and feel that it was "all so romantic". It wasn't. At least, not from a teachers perspective who has to deal with the fights, tantrums and emotional outbursts when it all went sour.

Despite all that, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this novel. I loved the dystopian aspects of this book. It is an interesting idea that love, the deliria, is seen as the cause of all pain and suffering in the world. In order to bring some peace and order, the US government develops a procedure that suppresses a persons ability to love, or feel any sort of strong emotion. Not being able to love equals not being able to hate, right?

The procedure itself is pretty barbaric. It's basically a lobotomy. Yet the citizens of the US are brainwashed from birth about the greatness of the government and the cure. Like all typical dystopian societies, it is a crime to question the government, step out of line or even think thoughts that are against the cure. Those who refuse to have the cure, or continue to have the ability to love after their procedure, end up "disappearing".

Lena has been brought up in this world and looks forward to getting the cure. Especially since her mother committed suicide after a bunch of failed attempts at the procedure. Once she gets the cure, everything will be good with the world. She has never questioned the procedure or the government. Love is an illness and why would she want to be sick?

Then Lena meets Alex and her whole world changes. Suddenly, she is overcome with the deliria! and she LOVES it. How can something that feels so good, be so bad for you?

Soon Lena finds herself not only questioning the world she knows, but she is in a situation that could cost her, her life.

I enjoyed this book. Instead of the normal, whiny "poor me", "I can't live without my man", "life means nothing without a guy to look after me", kind of teenage girls we normally seen in YA romances, Lena is brave, strong and well-adjusted. Well, as well-adjusted as you can be living under a screwed up, controlling government.

Even thought Lena falls in love with Alex, and they risk everything to be together, it doesn't feel over dramatic or soppy. The context of this story really does a great job of putting together a good romance story. It makes sense that they would have to sneak around and fight to be together. It doesn't feel silly and it didn't annoy the heck out of me, like most YA romances do.

There has been come criticism of this book. Some people have labelled it a "Hunger Games" rip off, as the novel has a dystopian setting and the female protagonist is strong and fighting against the man! That is where the comparison ends and I really have no idea why you would even compare the two.

If you want to get into it, The Hunger Games is a dead set rip off of Battle Royale. So I hardly think criticising Lauren Oliver for "not being original" is good form when your comparison is an author who didn't come up with an original idea either. Just sayin'.

Overall, this is one of the better YA novels I have read. The writing was eloquent and the story was gripping. Oliver managed to make me care about her characters and to me, that is what makes a good writer.

I am so happy to hear that this is the first novel in a trilogy! Especially with the way this one ended! If only I didn't have to wait for the next one to come out.... I want to read it now!

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Bibliobanter: How to correctly pronounce author's names

2011-06-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

I pinched this from Loni, from The Eye of Loni's Storm, who got it from Literary Musings. I certainly have been guilty of mispronouncing some of these names! It's good to see where I have been going wrong. So I thought I would share it with all of you, too.

Just click on the image to see a larger version.

Book Blogger Hop June 3 - 6, 2011

2011-06-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

This week, Jennifer from Crazy for Books asks us

“Share your favorite post from the last month and tell us why it’s close to your heart!”

What a bad time to ask me this! I haven't been blogging a whole lot lately due to my new work schedule. So I am going to go with my last review of The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Firstly, because I loved the book and secondly, because I had fun writing the post after being absent!

What is your favourite post from the last month? Leave the link in a comment and I will pop on over to visit!

And don't forget, if this is the first time you have visited my blog say hello! Introduce yourself! I love meeting fellow book bloggers.

It's that time of year again....

2011-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

What time, you may ask? Time for the Japanese Literature Challenge, of course!

Hosted by Dolce Bellezza, this year we are up to challenge number five! I took part in this challenge for the first time last year and am looking forward to participating again.

Although it isn't a 'challenge' as such (because let's face it, I am going to read some Japanese literature anyway), I find it's a great way to link up with other readers/bloggers who love Japanese lit as much as I do!

In other news, as you can see on my sidebar, I have a few reviews lined up to write. I am finally finding more time to read but not so much time to review. I am hoping to work this into my schedule soon. So don't give up on me just yet!

The Thirteenth Tale – Diane Setterfield

2011-06-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once the imposing home of the March family – fascinating, manipulative Isabelle, Charlie, her brutal and dangerous brother, and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But Angelfield House conceals a chilling secret whose impact still resonates...

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past – and the mystery of the March family starts to unravel. What has the house been hiding? What is its connection with the enigmatic author Vida Winter? And what is it in Margaret's own troubled past that causes her to fall so powerfully under Angelfield's spell?

Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Ghost Story
Year: 2006
Publisher: Orion
Rating: 4/5

Margaret Lea lives above the antiquarian bookstore she operates with her father. A lover of the classics, Margaret spends her days reading, and compiling biographies on long dead writers.

One day she is unexpectedly contacted by Vida Winter. Miss Winter is a popular contemporary novelist, who is known for being mysterious and reclusive. For some unknown reason she wants Margaret to write her life story. At first, Margaret hesitates. She has never dealt with a living subject before, nor has she read any of Miss Winter's work.

Being a born researcher, Margaret picks up a copy of one of Miss Winter's book which her father happens to have in the bookstore. Surprisingly, she finds herself hooked. So she agrees to meet with Miss Winter and discuss the possibility of working together.

Soon she finds herself engrossed in a story like no other. A story filled with eccentric characters, ghosts, mystery and madness.

Is Miss Winter telling the truth about her origins? Is she finally allowing the world in on the secrets of her childhood? Or is this just another one of her stories?

"All children mythologise their birth. It is a universal trait. You want to know someone? Heart, mind and soul? Ask him to tell you about when he was born. What you get won’t be the truth: it will be a story. And nothing is more telling than a story. "

My thoughts....

This book has been called "a book for book lovers" and I can see why... not only is much of this book set in libraries, and not only are the characters the ultimate book lovers, but this book is filled with literary references. It was fun discovering them. It was also warming to read a novel that talks about the love of books and reading with such passion. This was something I felt I could connect with.

"Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes–characters even–caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you."

Being a big fan of a good mystery, and lover of gothic and ghost stories, I found this novel a real treat to read. And to make it even better, I loved the way this book was written. Setterfield writes her prose in a way which is poetic. Each page is just dripping with the beauty of language. A little melodramatic of me yes, but I loved every minute of the writing in this novel. It is one of those novels that is an absolute pleasure to read. I think setterfield says it best herself:

"There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic."

This novel explores how people can be haunted by the ghosts of the past, and how these ghosts can have an impact on their lives. Some things just can not be forgotten, although sometimes we need to learn to let go and just live!

I must admit that I felt parts of this story were a little far fetched. Often, the joy of a good story is that it isn't realistic but in this case, I just couldn't reconcile some parts of this story with others. Despite that, I still loved this novel.

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who loves gothic literature, ghost stories and books about books!

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie

2011-05-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

'Ten...' Ten Strangers are lured to an isolated mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious 'U.N.Owen'.

'Nine...' At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.

'Eight...' Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by an ancient nursery rhyme counting down one by one... as one by one... they begin to die.

'Seven...' Which amongst them is the killer and will any of them survive?

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Detective, Mystery
Year: 1939
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 5/5

Oh what a jolly good mystery! I don't know what it is about Agatha Christie that makes me want to use the term 'jolly good', but jolly good it was!

As the blurb states, we have ten people stranded in a secluded mansion on an island. They have all been accused of having a deep, dark secret and slowly but surely they are being picked off. One by one.

Not only that, but the manner in which they are dying relates to a poem about the dire fate of 10 little soldier boys. We sure have a creative killer on our hands!

Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Soldier boys traveling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Soldier boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Soldier boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Soldier boys going in for law;
One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Soldier boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Soldier boys walking in the zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two Little Soldier boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Soldier boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

But who is the killer? That is the question that plagued me to the very end. For once, I did not have a clue. Every time I had an "a-ha!" moment, and thought I had it figured out, Christie would prove me wrong.

The ending was a little far-fetched but as Christie states in the author's note, she had to write this book as a challenge to herself, because it would be hard to write a book where so many people die without it being ridiculous or without the murderer becoming obvious. I think she just managed to succeed.

And Then There Were None was a fun and quick read. The sort of light entertainment a good murder mystery provides. If you haven't read any Christie before than this book would be a great place to start.

I have a pile of nine other Agatha Christie books sitting on my shelf, thanks to my wonderful fiancé! I can't decide which one to read next. What is your favourite Christie novel?

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Lisey's Story – Stephen King

2011-05-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

To the public eye, the spouses of well-known writers are all but invisible, and no one knew it better than Lisey Landon. That is until the maddeningly humid, maddeningly muggy day her husband Scott, a celebrated, award-winning novelist, inaugurated the site of a new library. The day that started with a broken toothglass....

Years later, Lisey is ruminating on their marriage of profound, sometimes frightening intimacy. Lisey has always known there was a powerful place where her husband ventured to face his demons. Now it's Lisey's turn. And what begins as a widow's effort to sort through her husband's effects becomes a perilous journey into the heart of darkness.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Romance
Year: 2006
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Rating: 3/5

I started a new job about a month ago now, that requires train travel. I am not a big fan of public transport (anyone who commutes in Sydney will understand!) so I use the time to read. Partly, because the train is one of the few times I actually have to read, and secondly, so the trip will seem quicker.

A few weeks ago I was lugging around Lisey's Story. A book so big and heavy that my shoulders were killing me and my bag strap actually broke! Was it worth it? hhmmm I am unsure.

This novel follows the story of the widow, Lisey Landon, as she undertakes the task of sorting through her husbands study, two years after his death. Sounds pretty straight forward, right? Think again. This is a Stephen King story. Nothing is ever straight forward!

This novel jumps all over the place. One minute we are in the present, as Lisey tries to come to terms with her husbands death and deal with the problems of her mentally unstable older sister. We then go back to the past, where Lisey remembers how she met Scott, and some of the experiences they had together. She also remembers the dark secrets Scott shared with her about his childhood, spent with his abusive and insane father... and his mysterious brother, Paul.

Despite the constant changes in time and place, this novel is easy enough to follow. It deals with loss, the bonds of marriage, the sadness of mental illness, the coping mechanisms of children when faced with traumatic situations and how what happens to us when we are young can shape our whole lives.

This was an interesting novel, yet I struggled with it. Sure, I am distracted with my new job (so much to learn!) but I also had trouble with the language King used in this novel. Lisey spent a lot of time thinking in Scott-speak, a language he devised as a child. This just irritated me.

Despite that, I am glad I read this novel. I do wish to make my way through all of King's works, and this one was certainly different from the others I have read.

I'd say this one if for King fans only. If you are new to his work I would avoid this one.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Book Blogger Hop May 5-9

2011-05-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

Oh what a week! I am dead tired. What better way to spend my Saturday than reading and blog hopping between chores!

This week, Jennifer from Crazy for Books asks us: "Which book blogger would you most like to meet in real life?"

This is a bit of a hard one for me, because I know so many great bloggers! I would love to meet Amanda from On a Book Bender and Tara from 25 Hour Books, because we have been online friends for about 2 years now.

I would also love to meet Carin, from A Little Bookish, as we have spent quite a lot of time talking and I feel I know her quite well :)

If we could have a big meet up though, I'd love to meet all those on my links page. As these are the blogs I frequent the most.

Which book bloggers would you love to meet?

If you are stopping by via the hop be sure to say hello! and leave you link if you are visiting for the first time, I am always keen to add great blogs to my reader.

Shout Out: On a Book Bender

2011-05-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

Years ago, before my book blogging days, I had a blog where I was completing 101 goals in 1001 days. Although that challenge and that blog failed miserably, I came away with a love for book blogging (I had a goal to read and review 101 books) and some great online blogging friends!

One of these friends is Amanda. She was also completing the challenge and we got chatting. That was almost two years ago now, and we still talk all the time.

I am really excited to announce that Amanda has now started her own book blog! She did book blog for a while with another one of our 101 buddies, Tara over at 25 Hour Books, you might have seen her reviews over there. Now she is branching out and has created On a Book Bender!

Amanda in an ESL teacher and grad student. She loves books as much as I do, and although she doesn't have a lot of reading time during term, she sure does go on book benders during break :) so her blog name is perfectly fitting.

So head on over and check out her blog, comment on her reviews and just give her a big, warm welcome to the book blogging community! We are lucky to have her.

In my Mailbox (9)

2011-05-04T04:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, life has been hectic lately! Not only have I recently moved house, but last week I started a new job. This means I haven't had as much time for reading and blogging as I have enjoyed in the past... but that doesn't mean I haven't been book shopping! Here are my recent additions to my library.

So maybe I went just a little bit crazy at the Borders closing down sale and on Book Depository. It's like I am making up for my lack of reading time by indulging myself in retail therapy!

I am hoping once I get used to my new hours, I will be able to get into some sort of routine and blog more often. Until then, bear with me, I will be back!

Bare Bones – Kathy Reichs

2011-05-02T04:40:00.000-07:00

First, the bones of a newborn baby are found in a wood stove; the mother, hardly more than a child herself, has disappeared.

Next, a Cessna flies into a rock face. The bodies of the pilot and passenger are burned beyond recognition, and covered in an unknown substance.

And then a cache of bones is discovered in a remote corner of the country. But what happened there, and who will be the next victim? The answers lie hidden deep within the bones – if only Tempe can decipher them in time...

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery
Year: 2003
Publisher: Arrow Books
Rating: 3/5

For those of you who read my last review, you would remember that Sookie Stackhouse is one of my favourite heroines. Speaking of favourite heroines, Temperance Brennan is right up there.

There is something great about strong, intelligent and feisty chicks in literature! They make for great reading. Tempe never fails to please.

In this novel, our beloved anthropologist finds herself helping the police investigate three different cases. At first, they seem like they are unrelated, but are they? What could the body of a newborn baby, a missing teen, a plane crash and the discovery of some buried bones, have to do with each other? If anyone can solve this puzzle, it's Tempe.

This is book number 6 in the Bones series. There isn't really anything new here... sure the story is different but Reichs has a formula and she sticks to it. That's fine by me though, because that is what I like about these books. I know what to expect.

One good thing about this book, is that Tempe and Ryan FINALLY get it together. About time. The tension and attraction between these two characters has been played with throughout all the books so it was great to finally get some satisfaction!

I must admit, I do prefer the Bones books set in Québec rather than North Carolina. They are more interesting somehow... but that could be because I enjoy learning about the French Canadian culture and history.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I think I am about halfway through what has been written to date.

You may like these novels if you like Karin Slaughter or James Patterson.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris

2011-05-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Fae War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's mad. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new vampire king because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the shifters' coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to one particular Were draws her into the dangerous debate. Also, unknown to her, though the doors to Faery have been closed, there are still some fae on the human side - and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry.

Genre: Fiction, Series, Paranormal Romance, Vampire, Werewolves, Faery, Gothic, Mystery, Fantasy
Year: 2010
Publisher: Penguin
Rating: 3/5

Sookie Stackhouse. How I love thee. Sookie is one of my favourite heroines! She is feisty, assertive and smart. She knows how to kick arse and refuses to let the big bads get her down. On the other hand, she has a soft side when it comes to the sexy and complicated Eric Northman. She can't seem to work her love life out and suffers from all the same insecurities most of us have felt at one time or another. Sookie is a well-rounded and realistic character... well, besides all the mind-reading and love affairs with paranormal beings.

I just can't get enough of the Southern Vampire novels. This is book number 10 in the series. It came out in May last year but I had to wait until April this year to purchase it. Why, you may ask? Because all my books in series need to be in the same covers. Sad but true. So I will always have a 11 month wait between the release date and when I get to buy the new Sookie book.... *sigh* isn't life hard?

In this novel Sookie is recovering both physically and emotionally from the Fae War; she is working out her relationship with Eric; she finds herself entangled in a problem with a dead body; the Weres call in a favour and the the portal to the Faery world may not be as closed as it seems. Phew! Once again Sookie has a lot to contend with, not to mention trying to juggle the everyday tasks of running a house and holding down a steady job! Life sure is busy.

If you are a fan of the Southern Vampire Series then I am sure you'll enjoy this book.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Freedom – Jonathan Franzen

2011-04-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul – the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbour who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter′s dreams. Together with Walter – environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, total family man – she was doing her small part to build a better world. But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz – outré rocker and Walter′s college best friend and rival – still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become ′a very different kind of neighbour′ – an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street′s attentive eyes?

Genre: Fiction, American
Year: 2010
Publisher: Fourth Estate
Rating: 3/5

Freedom follows the story of Patty and Walter Berglund, and their disintegrating marriage. This novel is presented in different sections. We begin with an overview of the Berglund family from the point-of-view of their nosy Barrier Street neighbours. Seemingly the perfect couple, perfect family and perfect neighbours... but no one's lives are ever like they seem on the surface.

This is followed by the autobiography of Patty (surprisingly written in third person) where she documents her upbringing and her teenage years. She talks about her time at college, her rise to greatness and then disappointing decline as a basketball player. Her college relationships, including those with Eliza, her strange and clingy friend; Richard, the sexy yet aloof musician who Patty is in love with; and Walter, Richard's best-friend and geeky roommate, a man who is timid, caring and nice. Everything Richard is not.

This novel examines Patty and Walter's lives after college as they create their family and Patty tries to adjust to being a mother and housewife, and as Walter builds his career, which takes an unexpected turn.

Finally, as Patty and Walter's marriage comes to a climatic end, we explore the lives of their two children, Jessica and Joey, and how the choices parents make can impact on their children in different ways.

I found this novel slow going. That is not to say it was bad, or that I didn't like it, just that it was slow. I think my main problem is that I found it difficult to connect with the characters and try as I might, it just never happened.

The characters in this novel are wealthy, healthy and intelligent. They have the whole world it their fingertips, and yet they continue to make bad choices and then cry when their lives are tough..... they get depressed because their lives lack meaning, yet they have created this fake little 'perfect' world for themselves to live in, then can't hack the emptiness in their lives.

I think the feelings of the characters was summed up nicely in one part of this book, when they are discussing music and a song by the Dave Matthews Band, "the banality of the lyrics, 'Gotta be free, so free, yeah, yeah, yeah. Can't live without my freedom, yeah, yeah." This is exactly how the characters view their lives... being free is banal, uninspiring and depressing.

I have no patience for people who 'have it all' and it still isn't enough. We live in such a materialistic world. No one is EVER happy with the life they have been dealt. So what? That is life. Suck it up and get some perspective!

So maybe I am a little harsh. Considering this book is examining contemporary, middle class America, it has done an excellent job. Maybe I wasn't 'supposed' to like the characters... who knows. I just found them all (except poor Walter) to be so selfish, self-absorbed and arrogant. If that was Franzen's goal then he succeeded.

Patty just annoyed me. What sort of person marries the best friend of the man she is in love with, then whinges about her life not being how she wanted? Not a very nice one, I can tell you. This novel examines the consequences of the choices we make when we are young, and how they effect our whole lives in ways we never planned. And it does a great job of painting a picture of middle aged regret.... But I just didn't connect with that.

I honestly think I am not old enough to appreciate this novel. I am in my late twenties. I am still beginning my career, planning my marriage to my partner and looking forward to all life has to bring. I am excited about my future! Maybe if I were 20 years older and wishing I'd done things differently, then I would 'get' this novel.

There were a few redeeming characters in this novel. Like Richard Katz. Sure, he was as selfish as Patty, but he never tried to hide it or be anything different. From the outset, Richard made it clear that he was an arsehole, and happily followed through. I admire that kind of honesty in a person.

There was also Walter... poor, misguided, in love with a woman who doesn't love him the same way, Walter. He was so nice, always willing to help those in need and put others before himself. he really didn't fit in with those around him, and he suffered for that. You can only pity people like him.

As for their children, Jessica and Joey... like mother like son. Jessica was the only one who turned out to not only have strong moral beliefs, but a backbone. Good for her.

The theme of 'freedom' ran throughout this whole novel, in many different ways. Franzen examined national freedom, personal freedom and liberties.

Overall, I wish I liked this novel more. I wish I connected with the characters and wanted to read about them. Instead, I found myself hurrying through the last pages of the novel so I could read something else. That is always disappointing.

You may like this novel if you are around the same age as the main characters, as I said, I think I am too young to appreciate it's sentiment. I just hope that I don't end up like them....

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Book Blogger Hop April 15-18, 2011

2011-04-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

I always have the intention of taking part in the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy for Books, but come Friday afternoon I always forget. Weekends are busy, time flies and before I know it, the hop is over! So this week I am coming in late and joining in!

This week, the question is:

"Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her."

I am just about to start reading Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris. As you all probably know, the protagonist in the Southern Vampire books is Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is your typical girl next-door... she is smart, attractive and works as a barmaid. Difference is, Sookie is telepathic. She also always falls for the wrong guy... in this case, the supernatural kind.

These books are so much fun and I can't wait to see what happens in this one! Sookie is one of my all-time favourite female protagonists and these novels are my guilty pleasure ;)

I am now off to hop around your blogs. If you are stopping by via the hop then say hello! And if you are visitng for the first time, don't forget to leave a link to your blog so I can come and visit you too! Happy hopping!

The Price of Indecision!

2011-04-12T23:20:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I have reverted back to my old blog layout. I just couldn't get used to the new layout and it just never "felt" right. You know what I mean?

I think we book bloggers are all a bit picky like that... a book blog is not only a place where we can talk about our passion for books, and discuss them with other who share our passions, but it also a reflection of who we are. Without wanting to get too deep about something as simple as a layout (I do have a tendency to over think!), it is important that our layout represents our personalities! This layout has always felt comfortable for me. I like the simple, uncluttered, organised look. So for now, I will be using this.

I would like something a bit 'fancier' in the future, but alas! I just get by with basic html and I am certainly no graphic designer. So we will see.

How often do you change your blog layout? Have you have the same design since day one? or, do you think variety is the spice of life!?

South Pacific Book Chat on Twitter

2011-04-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

I am probably a little late to the party with this one, but I have just discovered South Pacific Book Chat on Twitter!

This "is a weekly Twitter chat aimed at providing people within the South Pacific and surrounding Asian countries a time zone friendly bookish conversation." Why did I not know about this before!?

Basically, every Thursday night at 8pm (my time), Twitter users join together to talk about books. They use the hashtag #spbkchat to connect, and each week there is a topic up for discussion.

I joined in my first chat last night and the topic was all about 'The Classics'! I am so glad I joined in. The chat really got going and I met a lot of really great people who all love books and reading as much as I do! It was extremely enjoyable and I look forward to joining in more chats in the future.

I enjoyed it so much, I felt I had to share it with you all. Everyone who takes part is really welcoming and it's so great to chat about books in 'real time'. So if you live in the South Pacific and love talking books, then head to Twitter next Thursday and join in the fun!

The Enemy – Charlie Higson

2011-04-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician – every adult – fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry.

Only children under fourteen remain and they're fighting to survive.

Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city – down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground – the grown ups lie in wait.

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Zombies
Year: 2009
Publisher: Penguin
Rating: 3/5

When the adults got sick, the kids of London were forced to go into hiding. It was that or be eaten. For 12 months a group of kids have hidden in a supermarket, building themselves a fort, only coming out to scavenge for food. Each time they leave, they are faced with fear of fights with the grown ups and death. Their numbers are slowly dwindling.

Then a strange kid named Jester turns up. He comes with stories of a safe haven within the walls of Buckingham palace. A place that is free from grown ups, a place where they grow their own fresh vegetables and live in peace. It sounds too good to be true.

Despite that, the kids hiding in two supermarkets - Waitrose and Morrisons - who until now have seen each other as rivals for food, band together and decide to follow Jester to Buckingham Palace to see for themselves.

The streets of London are a dangerous place, and their journey is long and difficult. When they finally arrive, Buckingham palace at first seems like a wonderful place. But what secrets is David, the older boy who is 'leader', hiding? What are his plans for London? And more importantly, what does he want with the new kids?

The Enemy was a quick, action-packed and edge-of-your-seat kind of read. From page one there were plenty of scenes of zombie-gore and fight-for-your-life moments.

The characters in this novel were a bit hard to relate to at first because we jumped straight into the action without much characterisation. But by the end of the novel, I felt like I knew the characters well enough to hope things turned out for them.

Although not an original idea, it was interesting to see how a bunch of normal kids would survive if something totally unexplained like this happened, and they were left to fend for themselves.

This book is the first in a planned six book series. I picked this book up off a remaindered stock table for $3. They did have the second book too... I may have to go back and get it. I think this story has the potential to be good with some more character development and an explanation of how this disease came about.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Refining my goal to read around the world!

2011-04-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

In my previous post I talked about how I have a personal goal to read my way around the world. I wish to read a book from every country (or as many as are available) so I can learn about different cultures and immerse myself in all the wonderful literature this world has to offer.

Ideally, each book I read should be set in a country and be a good example of life and culture in that country. Each book chosen should be the 'essence' of that country. Only the best of the best!

I must add to that, that although I will endeavour to source 'local' authors from each country, I understand that could be hard for the smaller ones. So as long as the book is set in a country, and does a good job of showing that country's culture and what life is like there, then it counts. I am also counting books that might not contain much of the above, but are considered good examples of local literature, worthy of reading.

So how is this going to work, and how am I going to track my progress?

I've thought about this and will be tracking my progress is a few ways. Firstly, I have a 'Reading Around the World' page where I will list my reads and my intended reads, and tick them off as I read them. I will also track the country of origin in my 'tags' as usual. Lastly, as suggested by Helen, I will use google maps to track my reading journey.You can check my map out here: Rachel's Reading Around the World.

Obviously, not all books I read will be counted in this challenge despite them being set in specific countries. For example, if I were to read Twilight, I am not going to count that as 'American', because it does not encompass what it is like to live in said country. Just wanted to be clear on that!

I have also added some of the books I have read and reviewed in the past, as I have already tagged them with the country of origin if they meet the rules above, and would love to start focusing on new countries that I have not read novels or non-fiction books about, before.

I am still working out the kinks, but hopefully I will be on my way soon.

Do you have any other suggestions for me? Want to join in? Let me know!

Reading Around the World

2011-04-03T22:19:00.000-07:00

One of my reading goals is to read my way around the world. Not being a fan of challenges, I have been hesitant to commit myself to any sort of reading list or time frame.

Despite that, I do want to fulfil my goal of reading at least one book from every country of the world! (or, thereabouts). So I have decided to put together a list and work towards ticking off as many countries as I can. This will be a 'loose' sort of challenge, and I will only be reading books as I feel like it. The purpose isn't to read a certain amount of books in a certain amount of time, just to enjoy reading my way around the world, at my own pace, all while learning about the wonderful and diverse cultures out there!

Ideally, each book I read should be set in a country and be a good example of life and culture in that country. Each book chosen should be the 'essence' of that country. Only the best of the best!

There are 257 countries in the world, so where do I start? This is where my lovely readers come in! I want recommendations of the best books from around the globe.

So get your thinking caps on, and leave a comment below with some book ideas and I may just add them to my list.

Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen

2011-04-02T04:03:00.000-07:00

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, swindlers and misfits in a second-rate circus struggling to survive.

A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that Jacob meets Marlena, the beautiful equestrienne who is married to August, a charismatic but violently unpredictable animal trainer. Jacob also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems unmanageable until he discovers an unusual way to reach her.

Genre: Fiction, Historical Romance
Year: 2006
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Rating: 5/5

Water for Elephants is one of those books that grabs your attention from the first page and does not let go. Full of vibrant characters, animals that prove to be more 'human' than some of the so-called humans around them, and a depiction of the travelling life of circus-folk, that is less than pleasant, this novel is hard to put down.

This novel is told from the point of view of Jacob, who is ninety (or maybe ninety-three) and is an unhappy resident of a nursing home. He is reminiscing on his time spent working for a circus, when he was in his twenties.

Looking back, the story follows Jacob as he tries to find his place in a world that no longer feels like home. Wandering aimlessly, Jacob jumps a train on impulse, that just happens to belonging to the Benzini Brothers Circus. The circus is run by abusive Uncle Al, who takes Jacob on because he has veterinary skills.

Here Jacob meets a cast of characters that change his life in ways he never imagined. From Marlena, who steals Jacob's heart; to the unpredictable and violent August; the intelligent and gentle Rosie; the hostile yet kind circus midget, Walter; and the drunkard Camel, the characters in this book came alive on the pages and I found myself thinking about them for a long time after I put the novel down.

I was disappointed when Water for Elephants was over. This novel was touching... it was lovely... it was sad and dramatic and exciting.. this novel was exactly what a novel should be. There were times I found myself laughing, others I was shocked and felt sad for the characters... sometimes, I just felt mad. There were so many emotions involved in this book.. in this simple, yet fascinating story.

If I tried to sum this story up in a few sentences, I would have to say it is about a group of people and their lives, albeit different lives, as they travelled in the circus and try their best to get by... funny thing is, even though they are in the circus, I didn't feel they were any weirder than "normal" folk, or that their goals, hopes and dreams were all that different.

This novel is a must read as it certainly is a treat.

Want to grab a copy of this novel? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

hush, hush – Becca Fitzpatrick

2011-03-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgement.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora can't decide whether to fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is in the middle of a centuries-old battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and the wrong choice will cost her life.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Year: 2009
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Rating: 3/5

This book was exactly what I needed right now. Having just moved house, I am feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Hush, hush was a light, fun and easy read. Perfect. I also picked it up for $3 off a remaindered stock table. Extra perfect!

Nora and Vee are best friends and do everything together. So when their biology teacher splits them up, Nora is annoyed to find her new lab partner is Patch. A mysterious new student who isn't too friendly. He is the ultimate bad boy. Nora struggles between annoyance, extreme dislike and sexual attraction. Something she really doesn't want to have to deal with right now. She is still trying to come to terms with her fathers murder, and working on keeping her grades up so she can get into a good school. Boys are not part of the plan.

Soon strange things start happening. Frightening events that Nora cannot explain. Is she imagining it all or is someone messing with her? watching her? following her? stalking her?

I enjoyed this novel. It was interesting to read a paranormal romance that involves angels instead of vampires, or werewolves. Although it doesn't delve too deeply into the mythology surrounding angels, it just uses them as a plot device, it was still interesting enough. If you approach this as a fun read, and not a way to learn about angel mythology, then you won't be disappointed.

I think it is also important to point out that there isn't anything religious about this book, Fitzpatrick isn't pushing anything onto her readers, I think she just wanted to write a paranormal romance using angels.

Nora was a strong female character (and quite likeable) but like most YA leads, she couldn't help but fall for the bad boy and all logic went out the window when he was around. It didn't bother me too much though so either I am used to this being the 'norm' for YA novels, or maybe it just wasn't as overdone as some others.

I am looking forward to picking up the next novel in this series.

Want to grab a copy of this book!? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Moving house has me frazzled!

2011-03-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hello Regular Readers!

You may have noticed I haven't been posting as much lately. A lot has been going on. Work has been demanding, I am currently in the process of moving house so I have been busy packing and organising things, and I have been sick. Phew! That is a lot to deal with all in one go. Needless to say, I haven't been getting much reading done.

I am hoping things settle down within the next few weeks and I can get back to two of the things I love the most, reading and blogging!

Until then, I hope all is going well in your bookish worlds, and I apologise that I haven't been commenting on all of your lovely blogs much either, hopefully I will be back soon!

Eating Animals – Jonathan Safran Foer

2011-03-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

'This story didn't begin as a book. I simply wanted to know – for myself and my family – what meat is. Where does it come from? How is it produced? What are the economic, social and environmental effects? Are there animals that it is straightforwardly right to eat? Are there situations in which not eating animals is wrong? If this began as a personal quest, it didn't stay that way for long...' – Jonathan Safran Foer

Genre: Non-Fiction
Year: 2009
Publisher: Hamish Hamilton
Rating: 5/5

I want to start by saying that I am a meat-eater. I am not a vegetarian, although I do enjoy vegetarian meals. I have a varied diet and did not pick up this book because I wanted to confirm any sort of decision not to eat meat, I decided to read this book because as a meat-eater, I think it is important to know what I am eating and where it comes from.

I am a firm believer that all the decisions we make in regards to how we live our lives should be well-informed, and well thought out. We should be held accountable for our choices and we should be comfortable with them. Not for any other reason than we are the ones who have to live with ourselves.

Foer explores the practices and issues surrounding factory farming and commercial fisheries. He takes an in-depth and well researched look at how these industries operate. Foer talks about fishing practices, the issues surrounding by-catch, the horrors of the factory slaughterhouse, the inhumane treatment of factory farmed animals which the US government condones by not outlawing, the environmental impact of the demand for more and more meat, and the health risks involved in eating animals that are pumped full of drugs.

Can you say, UGH!?

This book was confronting. From learning about appalling the living conditions of these animals, to their deaths – "cows are consistently bled, dismembered, and skinned while conscious" – to the waste management issues at pig factories, and the amount of hormones and drugs that are pumped into chickens.... well, it certainly left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I do not understand how this sort of practice can be legal? I really don't.

I am glad that I live in Australia and not the US. Although we do have factory farms here, it isn't as big as in the US. We still have plenty of real farmers who breed, rear and slaughter their own animals. We also have stronger laws surrounding animal cruelty and farming practices, but that is not to say that this kind of stuff does not go on here. To think that would be naive.

I am not going to declare that I am never going to eat meat again, after reading this book. That would be a lie and it would be hypocritical of me. I have no problem with eating meat, but I do not want to eat factory farmed animals. Like the non-factory farmers Foer interviews in this book, I believe in eating meat.. but from animals that are given good lives, are looked after properly, are healthy (not full of drugs) and are given humane deaths. But where do I find that? Where is the disclosure by meat sellers, so consumers can make informed choices about what they are eating?

How do I know which meat comes from where? Do I avoid the supermarket as they probably get their meat from factory farms, as it is cheaper? Do I shop at my local butcher more often, as he may get his meat from a farm? Or, do I stick to shopping at my monthly local farmers market, and buy my meat direct from the farmer? What about when I eat at a restaurant?

This book has raised so many questions for me and I am certainly going to look into this further.. I need to do some serious research on factory farming, and farming practices, in Australia. I want to know what I am eating. I want choice.

This book isn't all disturbing. Foer also talks about the cultural and social meaning of food, and how food often provokes memory. We relate what we eat, to family, friends and good times. That is so true. I have always been a big believer in meal time being a social occasion. For my family, get togethers always mean good food, good conversation and happy memories. It's nice to see we are not alone in that respect.

This book is a must read for all meat-eaters. Some of the practices and descriptions in this book are quite frankly, horrifying. It will certainly have you thinking twice about if you really want to eat chicken for dinner... But I would rather know these things so I can change my shopping habits, rather than continue to eat this kind of meat in ignorance. I can also safely say, although I will not be cutting out meat altogether, I have a feeling there will be more meat-free meals in my weekly shop, while I research this issue further.

Want to grab a copy of this book? Try Book Depository or Amazon!

Grave Secrets – Kathy Reichs

2011-03-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

Guatemala, in the searing heat.

The bones of a child no more than two years old are uncovered when mass graves are excavated.

Twenty-three women and children are said to lie where forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is searching for remains, in what is one of the most heartbreaking cases of her career.

Then four young girls go missing from Guatemala City...

And when a skeleton is found in a septic tank at the back of a run-down hotel, only someone with Tempe's expertise can deduce who the victim was and how they died.

But her path is blocked: it appears that some people would prefer that Guatemala's 'disappeared' stayed buried. And others seem to want the missing girls kept the same way...

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Detective
Year: 2002
Publisher: Arrow Books
Rating: 3/5

This book is probably worth a higher rating. I just couldn't get into it. I have a lot going in my life at the moment and to top it off, I am sick. So concentration isn't a strong point for me, right now.

This book follows Tempe as she yet again unravels a mystery. Reichs has a distinct formula and this book follows it perfectly... Tempe gets called to a job, this leads to a mystery, Tempe is determined to solve said mystery, lots of people are out to get her, she finds herself in dangerous situations (for a smart woman, she acts impulsively and makes dumb choices sometimes), and then she solves said mystery. All the while fighting off the sexual tension between her and Detective Ryan. As I said, it is a formula and it is what I have come to expect from Reichs novels, and usually I love it!

There is one difference in this novel, however, and that is a new love interest! Yup, that's right. Tempe now has TWO men after her.... and she likes them both. I think this is going to make for some interesting material in the next book or two.

I think I will attempt to re-read this book at a later date when I am well again, and when I haven't got so much other junk cluttering up my mind.

Have you read this novel? What did you think?

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books – Azar Nafisi

2011-03-08T14:38:00.000-08:00

In Iran in the late 90s, Azar Nafisi and seven young women – her former students – gathered at her house every Thursday to discuss forbidden works of Western literature. Shy and uncomfortable at first, they soon began to open up, not only about the novels they were reading but also about their own dreams and disappointments. Their personal stories intertwine with those they are reading – Pride and prejudice, Washington Square, Daisy Miller and Lolita – their Lolita, as they imagined her in Tehran. Azar Nafisi also tells her own story, back to the early days of the revolution when she first started teaching at the University of Tehran, amid a swirl of protests and demonstrations.

Azar Nafisi's luminous tale offers a fascinating portrait of the Iran-Iraq war and gives us a rare glimpse, from the inside, of women's lives in revolutionary Iran.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Literary Criticism
Year: 2003
Publisher: Fourth Estate
Rating: 5/5

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, is so exquisitely written that at first I hesitated to write about it. What could I possibly say, that would give justice to a book so full of passion, heartbreak and beauty? Azar Nafisi has a gift, her writing is eloquent and vivid. A blend of memoir and literary criticism, this book really is a pleasure to read.

Nafisi tells her story of what it was like to live in The Islamic Republic of Iran during the revolution. She talks about her life as a university professor of literature and the obstacles she had to overcome as students took over Tehran university, and disapproved of her teaching methods and chosen novels.

She discusses how the introduction of the veil, and other new laws surrounding the public conduct of women, impacted on her life and the lives of the women around her. She analyses the revolutionaries and their actions, and the consequences of those actions.

Finally, Nafisi talks about the relationship she formed with seven of her former students. Intelligent, eager to learn and passionate about literature, these women came to her house every Thursday to read works of banned Western literature and discuss them.

Nafisi's memoir style account of these turbulent times was gripping. I am not sure I have read any literature or memoirs about Iran before, so I found it interesting to learn about her life and her struggles.

Within her memoir, Nafisi weaves in her opinions and ideas regarding some great works of Western literature. This book is divided into four parts – Lolita, Gatsby, James and Austen – and within these sections, Nafisi blends her love of these authors and novels, with her personal story.

A novel is not an allegory, I said as the period was about to come to an end. It is a sensual experience of another world. If you don't enter that world, hold your breath with the characters and become involved in their destiny, you won't be able to empathize, and empathy is at the heart of the novel. This is how you read a novel: you inhale the experience. So starting breathing.

Nafisi discusses Lolita and Nabokov with such passion that I feel like I need to get my hands on that novel, as I have not yet read it. She analyses how Humbert Humbert stole Lolita's identity and her life, making her dependant on him, and she compares this to the treatment of Iranian women under the regime.

We then visit Gatsby (a personal favourite of mine and a novel I have taught myself), and it's theme of the corruption of the American Dream, which Nafisi discusses in relation to the goals and corruption of the regime. Some of her students take such offense to this work of American literature, that they demand she stops teaching it at once. Instead, Nafisi holds a 'mock trial' and gives her students a chance to condemn or defend this book.

This is followed by James, in which Nafisi talks about the Iran-Iraq war and her relationship with a man she calls 'The Magician'. The Magician is a literary academic whose identity we never come to know, but who has a great impact on Nafisi's personal and professional life. She also talks about Daisy Miller, a novel with a protagonist her students feel they can relate to on many levels.

Lastly, we have Austen. Here Nafisi talks about her decision to leave Iran, and how she must come to terms with her feelings about her country which she once loved but has had such a negative impact on her as a person. This is blended with an analysis of Pride and Prejudice.

Chronologically, this book jumps back and forth, which got a little confusing at times. I had to keep reminding myself which timeframe we were currently experiencing. That, however, did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.

I enjoyed reading the literary criticism aspects of this book just as much as I enjoyed reading about Nafisi's life, and the lives of the women (and a few men) around her. I also found the political aspects of this book fascinating, and shared Nafisi's outrage as the new laws were imposed upon her. From an Australian perspective, these laws are outrageous (women being reprimanded for wearing pink socks under their chador, or eating an apple too 'seductively'!?) but, at one time Iranian women never even imagined that they would be subject to such treatment. It shows that the freedoms we take for granted are fragile.

This book also reawakened my goal of becoming a university professor of literature. As a high school English teacher I am lucky enough to spend my days discussing literature. Combined with my blog and my writing about literature over at Suite 101, I am blessed to be able to spend so much time talking, living and breathing books. When I first started my teaching degree, it was with the goal of doing my PhD and becoming a professor but in the last few years of teaching, I'd lost sight of that. Life got in the way. This book was a great reminder that I need to follow my dreams.

I took so much away from this book, as you can see. If you are passionate about literature, love learning about different cultures and enjoy memoirs, then I highly recommend this book.

Want to read this book? Grab a copy from Amazon or Book Depository!

Under the Dome – Stephen King

2011-02-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

Grab a copy from
Book Depository or Amazon!
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mills, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when--or if--it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens--town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a selectwoman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing--even murder--to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry.

But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror
Year: 2009
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Rating: 5/5

Oh wow. I just don't know where to begin with this book. It is a beast of a book at 880 pages and the plot is just EPIC! With over 100 characters, this book is jam-packed with action!

As the blurb states, the residents of Chester's Mill are stuck under a dome. It just appeared one day. No one knows where it came from or even what it is. It seems like some sort of force field, and it has the US military baffled.

As those outside the dome try their hardest to work out what it is, and bring it down, those inside the dome struggle to survive amid the panic, dwindling rations and limited air supply.

Second Selectman, Big Jim Rennie takes charge of the situation. He is the kind of guy that loves to be in control and exert power over others. You would think in a situation like this someone forceful would be the best leader. Think again. Big Jim only has one goal in life and that revolves around making himself look good. He also has some dirty secrets to hide. Big Jim hasn't been honest in his dealings or in the ways in which he makes his money, and he will do anything to keep these secrets hidden from the public.

Too bad the late police chief was on to him, and now his wife knows too. Not only that, some of Big Jim's accomplices are feeling guilty about their sins, and feel the dome could be the will of God. Will they talk? Not if Big Jim can help it.

To make matters worse, Junior (Big Jim's only son), is much more like his father than he would like to admit. He has some secrets of his own. Secrets that could land him in a lot of trouble if he were found out.

Despite Big Jim's underhanded dealings and volatile personality, most of the resident's of Chester's Mill love and respect him. Most, not all. Those who can see what Big Jim is really like decide it's time to take a stand before he runs their town into the ground. But Big Jim has other plans.

What did I think?

Oh what a novel! Stephen King has pulled out all the punches with this one, creating a page turner that I just couldn't put down. Good job, Mr King! You have totally redeemed yourself from the failure which was Cell. All is forgiven. This is the best book I have read for a while and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Although there are so many characters in this book, King manages to give the majority of them distinct personalities and flesh them out well. Well enough to suit their purposes in the novel. It also doesn't get confusing, as I was worried it would. King is the master of characterisation and dealing with a large cast. He is the master of throwing ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances to see how they react. Brilliant.

He is also the master of suspense.. this book was chock full of it! It seemed like every chapter ended in a way in which made me want to keep reading. I was disappointed when I had to take a break (whether that was for work, dinner or just to rest my weary eyes – As I said, this book is HUGE).

I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone who is a King fan, or just loves a good suspenseful story with some great characters.

I remember years ago King was talking about retiring as he had "run out of ideas". I am so glad he did not. This novel was fantastic.

Blogging and Social Media – Good or Bad?

2011-02-22T17:02:00.000-08:00

There have been so many changes in the way information is shared, in the past few years. Twitter has become a popular website for those of us who love to share articles, news and rise to the challenge of talking in 140 characters. Facebook has taken off becoming the most used social media website online, allowing users to share information with a click of a button!

Those of us in the book blogging world have started to embrace this trend by using social media to help get the word out about our blogs, connect with our readers and take our discussions about books to a whole new level.

I have never really questioned any of this before. As a 20-something who has been online for roughly 13 years, the internet is like a second home to me. I was there when Live Journal was the place to vent your thoughts to your friends, I jumped on the ICQ bandwagon and enjoyed the benefits of online chat, I went through the MySpace phase and along with everyone else, abandoned it for Facebook. To me, these things are just a natural part of interacting with others online.

Today I came across a post by one of my much loved book bloggers, Dolce Bellezza. Here she wrote a post called 'Do you "like" this post?', where she talked about the 'like' and 'tweet' buttons that are popping up on everyone's blogs. She discussed the feelings of commercialism that she associates with these buttons, and whether they are right for her blog. It is after all, a personal choice.

This got me thinking. I have always had a twitter for my blog, to keep those who don't want to sign up to my RSS feed up to date with my posts. It seems to be quite a popular medium and I get quite a lot of hits from there. I also use Twitter to discover new blogs and read other bloggers posts, if they aren't in my reader.

Recently, however, I gave my blog a makeover. In an effort to help launch my freelance writing career (oh what a dream! one day my friends :) imagine writing from home full time?!), I created a Facebook page and added an Amazon aStore.

The purpose behind this was simple. Use Facebook as a place where I can share all of my online writing and expand my blog into a larger space that what I have here at blogger. I attempted to start online bookish discussions and share more than just my writing, but other great bookish stuff I found online. So far, the response has been lukewarm. My discussions have gotten minimum response (thanks to those who did take part, so much appreciated!) and people 'liking' my page over there has been slow.

The reasoning behind this? I am not sure. I am wondering if Facebook just hasn't taken off in the book blogging community? Maybe, people just prefer to communicate via a blog. Or, maybe bloggers look down on those who have Facebook pages as being overly commercial. Only time will tell.

Another change I made was the aStore. I did this to share my favourite reads, link the books I review and earn a little extra income... all towards my dream of writing full time. Again, the response has not been good. Now, I don't expect you all to run over to my store and spend money.. not at all! I am only broaching this subject here as I wonder if it was such a good idea to add the store.

Which brings me to my point, what do you look for in a blog? If you see a blogger with a Facebook page, Twitter and online store, do you feel they are "too commercial", and you don't want to read their blog? Have I made a mistake linking my blog with my professional online writing? Is having ads, stores, facebook pages etc. off-putting? Or is it considered a normal part of being part of an online community? Is social media a great way to share information or a mindless way to spend our time?

Do you have a Facebook page? Do you use Twitter? Do you affiliate with any bookstores? How has this all worked out for you? Or, do you think this cheapens the blogging experience which is ultimately done for ourselves? Is blogging to share our thoughts on a book really any different to tweeting about it? Does length of post amount to quality or substance?

I know I just asked a lot of questions there but I've been thinking about this all morning (hence, the length of this post) so any thoughts you have will be much appreciated!

Edit - I think it is also important to note that my blog here will always be personal. I have not and will not change the way I write here to look "more professional". I write a lot of literature related articles over at Suite 101 but they are completely different to how I write here. This is my place to write what I want, how I want. So my regular readers do not need to worry about any changes in content just because I have made other changes!

Is this the end of Borders?

2011-02-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

What a week for bookstores! First, Borders in the US files for bankruptcy and then REDgroup over here in Australia (owners of Borders, Angus and Robertson, and Whitcoulls in NZ) goes into administration!

I am not sure what to think of this situation. Part of me is worried that this may be the beginning of the end for bricks and mortar bookstores, the other part says serve them right for charging such outrageous prices!

I mean, if you want to compete you need to be competitive. As it stands, both Borders and Angus and Robertson are pretty expensive places to shop. Last time I entered an Angus and Robertson store to buy a book, I was shocked to find it was $36. Dymocks were selling the same book for $30, Big W for $21.95 and Book Depository, $17.64. With prices like that, where would you buy that book from?

Not to mention the lack of customer service at Borders and Angus and Robertson stores. I was talking to a fellow book blogger about this today, and we agreed that customer service at these stores is pretty much non-existent.

You have to basically chase the staff around the store to ask a question and you are greeted with surly looks and a big *Sigh* that you would dare interrupt them while they are working.

It's not wonder REDgroup finds itself in such a bad position... and to make matters worse, Borders are not refusing to accept gift certificates unless the holder spends equal value to the certificate so they can redeem it.

Uuuum excuse me, Borders? You are telling your customers that although you have already taken the money for the certificate, you are going to charge your customers to redeem it?!

So I understand that they have gone into administration meaning they have no money... I get that. But they have ALREADY TAKEN THE MONEY FOR THE CERTIFICATES! surely this is illegal? I am not an expert on these matters but this reeks of a money-grabbing scam.

I am happy I don't have a Borders gift certificate, but even if I did I think I would rather forfeit it than be forced to spend money to redeem it. Forcing customers to spend double is just wrong. Not to mention they are no longer accepting the use of giftcards on their online store (which is cheaper than their bricks and mortar store). They are not only forcing their customers to spend double, but to do so in store, hence spending even more!

Poor poor form, REDgroup. Poor form. Any support you may have had from consumers has pretty much been destroyed by this move. Enjoy the demise of your business.

What are your thoughts on the problems Borders in the US and REDgroup are facing?

The Player of Games – Iain M. Banks

2011-02-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

Grab a copy of this book via
Book Depository or Amazon!

The Culture – A human/machine symbiotic society – has thrown up many great Game Players, and one of the greatest is Gurgeh. Jernau Morat Gurgeh. The Player of Games. Master of every board, computer and strategy.

Bored with success, Gurgeh travels to the Empire of Azad, cruel and incredibly wealthy, to try their fabulous game... a game so complex, so like life itself, that the winner becomes emperor. Mocked, blackmailed, almost murdered, Gurgeh accepts the game, and with it the challenge of his life – and very possibly his death.

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction
Year: 1988
Publisher: Orbit
Rating: 4/5

The Player of Games belongs to my fiance. He has a HUGE sci-fi collection, so every now and again when I am in the mood for it, I have a great selection of science fiction to choose from. The Player of Games came highly recommended so I thought I would give it a go.

This novel follows Gurgeh, a brilliant Game Player who spends his days, you guessed it, playing games. He lives in The Culture, a utopian society of leisure where no one has to work, where humans and artificial intelligence live happily side by side, losing a limb isn't an issue as it can be grown back and people can change sex as they choose.

Those who live in The Culture can also choose to have drug glands, which allows the person to control their hormonal levels and release other chemicals as desired. This can range from sexual stimulants, relaxants, mind-altering substances and sensory enhancers. Game Players are allowed to use their drug glands as they see fit.

Basically this is a society where people can live their lives as they wish. Perfect. Gurgeh, however, is bored with his life. He is an excellent Game Player, he always wins and there is no challenge anymore. So when a game goes wrong, he jumps at the chance to travel to The Empire of Azad, where a game (also called Azad) is played.

Azad is a game unlike any Gurgeh has seen before. It is a huge game, in both size and length of play, used to determine the social and political rank of Azad's inhabitants. The winner of the ultimate game is made emperor.

Gurgeh is nervous at first as many of the Azad game players have been learning the game for many years, but he surprises everyone, himself included, when he does well at the game. A little too well for the liking of those in power.

Soon Gurgeh finds himself fighting to not only win the game, but for his life as the true nature of the game and the society of Azad is revealed.

What did I think?

I had read one Iain Banks novel previously, called The Wasp Factory. That novel was more of a work of Gothic fiction, which is obviously quite different to a science fiction novel. So I went into this book without any real expectations and because of that, I enjoyed it.

The Culture is an interesting society and I liked learning about it. I always enjoy reading about worlds that an author has created. So much goes into them and that really should be commended. It takes talent to write a novel, but it takes an even greater talent to create a whole new world or universe and write about it across many novels. This is exactly what Banks has done.

I also enjoyed the game play in this novel. I love to play board games myself, so it was an interesting concept that a man spends his life playing games. The premise is was original and well thought out, which made for a great read.

The depravity and horror seething under the society of Azad was also interesting... a good reminder things are never what they seem.

I would recommend this novel for anyone who likes science fiction and playing games. It really is a fun, interesting and original read.

Have you read anything by Iain M. Banks? Which novels would you recommend?

Great things happening at And the plot thickens...

2011-02-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

There have been some big changes around And the plot thickens... lately. Some are quite noticeable, such as the change of layout. Others, maybe not so much.

Firstly, And the plot thickens... now has it's very own aStore!

Here you can buy books from Amazon, through my blog. I have added the books that I highly recommend to the aStore, and plan on adding more in the coming weeks. I will also add books I review (and give good ratings to) as I blog about them.

That way if you read a review, and you want the book, you have a choice of picking it up through the Book Depository link I will provide, or through the aStore if you prefer to shop on Amazon. All proceeds earned from these sales will go towards keeping this blog up and running! I have chosen to affiliate with both Book Depository and Amazon because I feel they both provide great service, and I also believe in choice.

Another change over here at And the plot thickens... is I now have a Facebook page!

Rachel Ives (Writer/Blogger)

The Facebook page isn't just a place for me to post links to my newest blog posts, here I also post links to other articles I have written around the web. At the moment I am writing for Suite 101, where I write literature related articles. For those of you who love books as much as I do, you may enjoy these articles.

I also use Facebook as a place to keep you all up to date with all that is happening with And the plot thickens... and I am hoping to start some literary discussions. I love talking about books and the discussion that get going on this blog in regards to books I review are awesome! Probably my favourite part about book blogging is the community and the great interaction we have.

The discussions tab on Facebook seems like a great place for us all to talk books. My first discussion, Have you ever read a novel and wished you had written it?, is now up and running! So pop on over to find out which book I wish I had written, and join in the fun! I would love to hear your answers.

Also, if you have any feedback about the changes to this blog, are any suggestions of what else you think I could do to make this blog a better place, I would love to hear them. Just leave me a comment or send me an email. I am also looking for upcoming Facebook discussion ideas, so email me those too and I will post them in the coming weeks!!

Lastly, I would like to say a BIG thank you to my regular readers! You guys are what makes blogging so much fun and I have had such a great time running this blog because of you. Something which started out as a way to keep track of the books I was reading has turned into something I really love :) I have also discovered through blogging how much I enjoy writing online, and am now doing so professionally. This is something I am really enjoying and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

In my Mailbox (8)

2011-02-14T02:50:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have taken part in an 'In my Mailbox' post. Not for lack of book acquisitions, just because I didn't want to clog up my blog with "hey, I got these books!".

This week, however, I feel I need to post because I had a wonderful surprise and I am quite happy!

Firstly, I got a copy of Under the Dome by Stephen King. I have been wanting to read this for a while and bought it recently, off The Book Depository.

To top that off, a woman that works with my fiance (who I have never met, I might add) gave him a bag of crime novels to give to me! She wanted to offload some old books and asked him if he read crime fiction. He said no, as he prefers sci-fi but he told her that I loved crime fiction! So she gave him the books! How awesome is that?!

Here is my haul.

I own two of these books, so I will pass them on to my mum, but I am SO EXCITED to have all of these new books to read. Some people are so kind :) and these are titles I had not heard of so it's great time have some new-to-me books to read.

Have you gotten any new books lately? What have you got lined up to read next?

Finding Things in Secondhand Books

2011-02-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

As much as I love buying my books new, sometimes I opt for secondhand. If there is a book I want to read but I am not sure if it's worth buying, or during those times I am feeling the credit crunch, I'll Bookmooch a novel or buy from a secondhand store.

One thing I love about secondhand books, is the things you find between the pages... the items that other people have used for bookmarks in the past, then forgotten about. I have found numerous shopping lists, receipts and old newspaper clippings, used to mark a place. These seem to be standard bookmark material.

Sometimes you find little treasures. I mooched a book a while back, 1st to Die by James Patterson, and I was pleased to find a handmade bookmark included in the package!

The owner of this book put this in there as a small gift, as she had accidentally marked the book as sent when it was not. This doesn't really fit the "something left in a book" criteria, as it was not forgotten, but it made my day all the same.

Another book I had mooched, Post Office by Charles Bukowski, came from a man in Portugal and he was kind enough to include a postcard. It is this kind of thoughtfulness that makes me love the Bookmooch community.

Sometimes, you find something strange in a secondhand book. For example, I bought the Stephen King novel IT from a used bookstore years ago (which I still have not read, mind you) and I found this business card between the pages.

I am not entirely sure what the Eagle Spirit Ministry is... some kind of offbeat religion or church, I presume. It makes me question who had this book in their possession, before it passed into mine?

Recently, I mooched a book called Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. When I opened it, I found a page from a different book between the pages, which had been used a bookmark.

It is from a smaller sized paperback and I wonder, how did it become separated from it's binding? I hope it just fell out and fluttered away... because the idea of someone tearing a page out of a book appalls me.

I am also wondering, what book is it from? Maybe some of you may be able to help me out? Which book is this lonely page from? Do you recognise the prose or characters?

When I find these forgotten bookmarks between the pages of secondhand books, I not only question who had this book before me, but if they finished it? I wonder if their saved place was as far as they got through the novel?

These are questions I will never have answered, but it's fun to think about.

What treasures have you found within used books in the past? Have you found anything weird? Leave a comment below and tell me, what is your best find!

The 4th Annual Japanese Literature Challenge 2010 - Wrap up

2011-02-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

This Japanese Literature Challenge was hosted by Dolce Bellezza. The rules:

Read one or more works of Japanese literature between 1 June, 2010 and 30, January 2011.

My reads

Norwegian Wood – Haruki Murakami
Real World – Natsuo Kirino
South of the Border, West of the Sun – Haruki Murakami
The Housekeeper + The Professor – Yoko Ogawa
Sputnik Sweetheart – Haruki Murakami
After the Quake – Haruki Murakami

I don't normally take part in reading challenges. My reading tastes and interests vary so much that I don't like to tie myself down to reading a specific genre of novel. For me, reading is fun and fun means NO RULES! This was the first reading challenge that I have taken part in and honestly, it wasn't really a 'challenge', as such.

I love Japanese literature. I have been having a love affair with Murakami for quite some time now and it is a personal goal of mine to make my way through all of his novels. It wasn't difficult, I didn't 'plan' to read them for the challenge... I just read them. Is this cheating? Shouldn't I have set goals and read books specifically to do well in this challenge? Maybe. But I didn't. I just enjoyed these books that I would have read anyway.

That said, I have enjoyed networking with other bloggers who love Japanese literature as much as I do. It was fun to post links to our reviews and I enjoyed chatting about this genre with others.

Will I take part in another reading challenge? I am not sure. Never say never, right!? But for now, I am happy reading what ever takes my fancy. I am sure I will be reading more Modern Japanese Literature in the future.

Did you take part in the Japanese Reading Challenge? How many books did you manage to read? What are your top recommendations when it comes to Japanese literature?

Book Blogger Hop Feburary 4-7

2011-02-06T02:09:00.000-08:00

It has been months since I have participated in the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy For Books! I figured it's about time I popped back in to say hello!

This week Jennifer asks us:

"What are you reading now and why are you reading it?"

Good question! Right now I am reading a book called The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks. It's a sci-fi novel my fiance recommended. He seemed to love it, so I figured I would give it a go!

Now I am off to hop around some new-to-me-blogs, if you are here from the hop, please introduce yourself. I love meeting fellow book bloggers.

What are you reading now?

Fatal Voyage (Temperance Brennan Book 4) – Kathy Reichs

2011-02-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

A plane crashes high in the mountains of North Carolina.

But a severed foot is discovered a good distance from the main crash site...

Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is first on the scene. The task that confronts her is a sad and sickening one, and her investigation seems to be throwing up more questions than it's answering.

But when Tempe makes a discovery that raises dangerous issues, her professional standing is threatened. Convinced that another corpse lies in the woods, Tempe pits herself against a conspiracy of silence, and uncovers a shocking tale of deceit and depravity...

\Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Detective
Year: 2001
Publisher: Arrow Books
Rating: 5/5

In Fatal Voyage, Tempe is working on processing a crash site. A plane took a dive in the mountains carrying the university soccer team, a notorious criminal being transported by her colleague, Jean Bertrand and various other people.

The scene is chaotic, and it seems the plane blew up, meaning there is wreckage and body parts everywhere. Could anyone have survived? Why isn't Tempe's daughter answering her phone? Could she have been on the plane? Who would blow up a plane carrying a young sports team? Could it be linked to the criminal being transported? Was he even on the plane? Or has Jean Bertrand gone over to the other side, helping a criminal escape? And why is agent Ryan being so elusive and moody? Is it really just worry over his partner, or does it have something to do with 'Danielle'... a mysterious someone he was talking to on his phone? Where does Tempe fit into his life?

To top off all these questions, Tempe must also work out who owns the foot she found in the woods, far from the crash site. It doesn't seem to match anyone who could have been on the plane. Then, Tempe finds the courtyard house, hidden in the middle of the woods. No one who lived in the area even knew it was there. The place gives off a dark and disturbing vibe... and then there is that dark stain, seeping under the wall... but when Tempe tries to get answers to some of these questions, she is blocked by those above her. When she tries to push the matter, she finds herself under investigation for unprofessional behaviour and contaminating the crash scene.

With her job on the line, Tempe must fight to find out who is out to get her? What were they afraid she would uncover?

This novel is my favourite in the series, so far. This is a novel full of mystery and suspense. Right from the beginning we are faced with questions, and as they are answered, we are faced with more. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another obstacle would be thrown in Tempe's way creating even more mystery.. this is my kind of story.

I enjoyed this novel so much that I checked out Book Depository and found the next one in the series, Grave Secrets, on sale for $5.07! Bargain! Of course I couldn't go past that. The more I read of this series, the more I like it. By this novel, Reichs is settling into her writing style and her characters, making for a great read. Highly recommended to those who loved a good crime mystery!

I am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas – Adam Roberts

2011-02-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Marley was dead, to begin with...

The legendary Ebenezeer Scrooge sits in his house, his riches forgotten. Downstairs, his front door shudders and shakes under the blows from the zombies that crowd around it hungering for his flesh and his miserly braaaaiiiiinns!

Just how did the happiest day of the year slip into a welter of blood, innards and shambling, ravenous undead on the snowy streets of London town?

Will the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future be able to stop the world from drowning under a top-hatted and crinolined zombie horde?
Does mankind's survival lie in the hands of one of literature's scrawniest and meanest heroes? And is H.G. Wells in the wrong book altogether?

It's the Dickensian Zombie Apocalypse – God Bless Us, Every One!

Genre: Fiction, Satire and Parody, Zombies
Year: 2009
Publisher: Gollancz
Rating: 3/5

I bought, I am Scrooge for my fiance for Christmas. He loves Dickens, he likes a good zombie story and he enjoys silliness. This book combines all three. I was a bit apprehensive about giving it to him at first, because he really only reads science fiction, but he loved it! He loved it so much, he gave it to me to read.

Although I didn't love it as much as he did, I enjoyed this book. It was a fun read. Great for those times when you want a book that doesn't make you think too hard.

At first, I struggled a little with Roberts style of writing. It is overly conversational, almost as if the narrator is thinking out loud. For example:

As the night began to freeze, and he was a right wheezer, and he went by the name of Ebenezeer Scrooge. What sort of person was he? Ah, as the phrase goes, hereby hangs a tale! Not hangs in the public execution sense; that wouldn't be appropriate at all, in this context. I mean, hangs in the – well, now. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure in what sense a tale can be said to hang. What I mean is that there was a reason behind Scrooge's poor public reputation.

As you can see, the prose is a little convoluted, but that is done on purpose. The subject matter of this book is silly, the way it is written is silly and in no way does it take itself seriously. It just one big book full of silliness. Great if you're in the mood for that kind of a read.

The story in this book loosely follows that of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It is a retelling of how the story could have gone if zombies were involved. Dickens himself makes an appearance, as does H.G.Wells and we learn all about the true meaning of Christmas, how it really originated.... and what's with Tiny Tim?

If you are offended by alternative versions of Christmas or rewrites of literary classics then don't bother with this book. But if you love a good laugh, and like books that are very silly, then this is the book for you.

I've read a few mashups now.. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln,Vampire Hunter. Although fun every now and again, I really can't see this genre lasting. I am not sure I'll actively seek out anymore mashups, but that isn't to say I'll never read another one. Never say never!

Have you read this novel? Have you read any other literary mashups? What do you think of this genre?

After the Quake – Haruki Murakami

2011-01-30T18:53:00.000-08:00

The economy was booming. People had more money than they knew what to do with. And then the earthquake struck. For the characters in After the Quake, the Kobe earthquake is an echo from a past they buried long ago. Satsuki spent thirty years hating one man: a lover who destroyed her chances of having children. Did her desire for revenge cause the earthquake? Junpei's estranged parents live in Kobe. Should he contact them? Miyake left his family in Kobe to make midnight bonfires on a beach hundred of miles away. Four-year-old Sala has nightmares that the Earthquake Man is trying to stuff her inside a little box. Katagiri returns home to find a giant frog in his apartment, on a mission to save Tokyo from a massive burrowing worm. 'When he gets angry, he causes earthquakes,' says Frog. 'And right now he is very, very angry.'

This new collection of stories, from one of the world's greatest living writers, dissects the violence beneath the surface of modern Japan.

Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, Japanese
Year: 2000
Publisher: Vintage
Rating: 3/5

After the Quake is a collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami. Each story deals with the situation of a different person, which is loosely connected to the Kobe earthquake.

I must begin by saying, I am not a big fan of the short story format. I struggle with reading short stories in one sitting as I have issues with jumping between characters and plots so quickly. I much prefer a novel where I can sit down and immerse myself in the one world, with the same characters. That said, I think I have pretty much made my way through all of Murakami's novels and I do want to read all of his translated work, even his short stories.

These stories are about people, not the quake. They deal with people who are trying to come to terms with something in their past and work out their future. I quite liked 'Honey Pie', a tender story about a writer who has spent years loving a woman he can not have, his friendship with her estranged husband and his relationship with their four-year-old daughter, who he tells stories to. This story was moving and thought-provoking. Well worth the read.

This book is quite thin (only 132 pages) so I was able to read it quickly. The stories in this collection were interesting, full of the surrealism, pondering on human nature and the dark depths of the human soul, that I have come to love in Murakami's work. This collection would be a great introduction into Murakami's style of writing if you wanted something short to begin exploring his writing.

Have you read any of Murakami's short stories?

The Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge

2011-01-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

I tend to forget about my Goodreads account. Every now and again I remember, and rush over there to add all the books I have recently read.

I was checking out the website today, and came across the 2011 reading challenge. Basically, you decide how many books you want to read in 2011, sign up and track your books along with other Goodreads users. Pretty simple.

Although I am tracking how many books I read anyway, I thought it would be fun to sign up for the challenge and have a cool progress bar on my blog. It might motivate me to read more!

I decided on 80 books because I tracked my books for the first time last year, and I read 65. I have no idea if that is average for me or not. I really wanted to challenge myself to 100, but figured 80 is more attainable.

So far I have read 6 (almost 7) books this year.

2011 Reading Challenge

Rachiex has
read 6 books toward her goal of 80 books.

hide

6 of 80 (7%)

view books

So wish me luck in reaching my goal!

Have you signed up for the Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge? How many books do you hope to read this year?

New or Old Book Smell?

2011-01-27T00:11:00.000-08:00

I love book shopping (I have talked about this before, when I discussed Bibliophiles and Bookstores) and I love browsing new and second-hand bookstores. The town I used to live in had a really great second-hand bookstore! It was big, quiet and musty. Perfect. There is something special about that “old book smell” just as much as that “new book smell”. I love both for different reasons and yes… I do sniff my books… Call me weird but I LOVE the smell of books. Did I just share too much?

I was browsing the internet and came across this picture of a bookstore. This looks like the type of second-hand bookstore I could spend hours in, because you are sure to find a gem!

Although, lately I find myself (when not shopping online) browsing Borders more often than second-hand bookstores. Now I know a lot of you hate how overpriced new books are, and I agree.. but I am willing to spend the money anyway just for that “new book smell”.

So my question to you, my readers, is what do you prefer? Do you love that musty old book smell? or do you crave the feeling of crisp new pages fresh off the printing press? Or, have you forsaken real live books for an e-reader? What makes you happy?

Deadly Decisions (Temperance Brennan Book 3) – Kathy Reichs

2011-01-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

Violence is escalating, and spilling on to the streets on Montreal.

A nine-year-old girl is shot dead, caught in the crossfire on her way to ballet class. A teenager killed in North Carolina is found hundreds on miles away.

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan has to pick up the pieces: She knows she shouldn't let emotion get in the way, but when nine-year-old Emily's body is wheeled into the morgue she cannot help but react.

An exhumation uncovers the bones of another innocent in a clandestine grave close to a biker gang headquarters. With her boss in hospital and sparring partner Detective Andrew Ryan mysteriously unavailable, Tempe alone begins a perilous investigation into the lawless underworld of organised crime...

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Detective
Year: 2000
Publisher: Arrow Books
Rating: 4/5

Deadly Decisions is the third book in the Bones series by Kathy Reichs. Like the previous two books in this series, it follows Dr. Temperance Brennan as she uses her forensic skills, inquiring mind and keen eye for detail to unravel a mystery. All while dodging dangerous criminals who want her silenced.

In this case, the dangerous criminals are bikers. Members of rival gangs, The Hell's Angels, The Heathens and The Bandidos, who are on the verge of an all out turf war.

Sadly, innocent bystanders get caught in the crossfire. Including a little girl. Tempe can not stand by while children are dying so she offers her services to the team of police officers who are in charge of stopping the carnage. Little does Tempe realise what she is getting herself in for.

I really enjoy the Bones books. Sure they are have a formula.. every book seems to be about Tempe getting into the same sort of trouble with a different criminal in the background.. but it's fun.

Tempe is a great heroine. She is intelligent, resourceful, headstrong and human. Tempe struggles with her relationships, she is a recovering alcoholic and she suffers from the same sorts of anxieties well all do in regards to work, her personal life choices and even her hairstyle! It's so refreshing to have a strong female lead in a novel who is still painfully human.

I also enjoy the anthropological side of these novels. I find the digs, examining the bones and piecing together the mystery using evidence very interesting. It is amazing what they can tell about a person just from their bones.

These books are always action packed with a great mystery. Just when you think you have it figured out, another twist occurs and you are guessing all over again! That is my type of novel.

I am looking forward to reading the next novel in this series and will definitely be making my way through them all.

Changes at 'And the plot thickens'

2011-01-23T03:25:00.000-08:00

Notice anything different around here? Yup, that's right. I decided after spending the last 12 months at Blogspot it was time to change my template.

As my regular readers probably know by now, in November I started writing for Suite 101. I have had a great time writing literature and education related articles. I plan to continue to do this indefinitely which has prompted me to tidy up my blog and go for a more 'professional' feel. I will still be writing reviews as I have always done, and I won't be changing my 'voice' in any way, just my template.

You will notice there is a big slideshow box at the top of my blog, which is viewable from the homepage. Here I will be posting my Suite articles which I feel you might all be interested in! Reviews will be underneath, posted as usual.

I have added a Facebook page (which you can also access on the right hand menu) which will act as a professional writing profile. Here I will post all of my Suite articles and blog posts so you can all keep up to date! I will also continue to do this on Twitter for those of you who prefer that social media site.

So come add me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Subscribe to my RSS feed if you haven't already and join me for this new and exciting ride! I am very much looking forward to sharing my writing, reading and love of literature, with you all.

Literary Blog Hop January 20-23, 2011

2011-01-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Discuss a work of literary merit that you hated when you were made to read it in school or university. Why did you dislike it?

Easy. Jane Eyre.

I don't usually hate books. There are those I disliked but could see the literary merit in them. I could understand why others liked them and just figured they weren't my cup of tea. No one can like every book they read, right? So no big deal.

Jane Eyre, however, is so bad it fills me with rage. Rage that I had to read it. Rage that my brilliant university professor who was able to make any book seem wonderful, couldn't do that with Jane Eyre. Rage that I may have to teach this in the future. Rage that it is considered literary. Rage that it even exists.

Yep, I can be a person of great, irrational extremes sometimes. I have no idea what it is about this book that I disliked so much. I apologise to those of you who are sitting there is a rage directed towards me because you love this book. I just don't get why it is considered an important text. Sure it's old.. and there are gothic elements and feminist elements and Jane is supposed to be 'endearing' (gah!)... but I just don't get it.

There have been other books I read at school and did not like... The Hobbit (forgive me) being another... I also remember a book called Midnight, about a bushranger, that almost put me in a coma. But I doubt very much that was 'literary'.

The way I see it, literature is subjective and sure the critics and academics might tell us that such and such a book is a classic and is amazing and all that, but that doesn't mean it is. It just means from an academic point of view, it meets the standards of what is considered 'classic'. It doesn't make it a fun, entertaining or breathtaking read.

Is there a book you can't stand?

Possession – Peter James

2011-01-14T22:42:00.000-08:00

Fabian Hightower stands at his mother's bedside. "Go back to sleep, Mum" he says. And she does, smiling in anticipation of the time they'll spend together in the morning.

But that morning never comes. Instead, Alex Hightower wakes to the news that her only son was killed in a head-on automobile accident while driving home from a school vacation in France. At first Alex is confused and uneasily tries to convince herself that Fabian's appearance was merely a dream, or perhaps a premonition. But then strange events start to occur. The words "Help me, Mother" flash across her computer screen. Fabian's face suddenly appears on newly developed photographs. Odd noises and smells invade her house. Objects move themselves.

Frightened, she turns to Fabian's best friend for help, a cold and distant stranger who hints about a Fabian bearing no resemblance to the son Alex thought she knew. Finally, in desperation, she consults a medium. Shaken, he tells her, "Fabian wants to come back".

Now haunted by Fabian's pleas at every turn. Alex is consumed by her harrowing search for answers. As she unearths the terrifying secrets of her son's bizarre past, she comes to realise that her own safety and even her life are in jeopardy. While there's still time, she must free herself from Fabian's spirit – before it takes possession of her own.

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Ghost Story
Year: 1988
Publisher: Doubleday
Rating: 3.5/5

I often scour my mum's bookshelves when I visit her. I have read quite a lot of her books, but there is always something new to discover. I found this book when I visited months ago and it sounded interesting. Like all good bookworms, she bought it from a second-hand seller years ago but hadn't read it yet. There is just never enough time to read all the books we buy, right? So I borrowed it. It then sat on my bookshelf for months before I finally picked it up. Once I did, I couldn't put it down.

This is a typical ghost story. Loved one dies, has unfinished business and they stick around, haunting the person they were closest to and causing all sorts of strange happenings. Throw in a dark and disturbing secret, and an angry spirit and you have a scary ghost story. Perfect. I love a good ghost.

This story, although not frightening, had enough creepiness and twists in the plot that it was a fun read. The characters in this book were enjoyable and realistic. All loose ends in this book were tied up neatly at the end of the story and there was one final twist, ending the book in a way which was suspenseful but still satisfying.

My only criticism, is that in an effort to make the dialogue in this novel sound real the author had the characters say 'er' a lot.. for example:

He coughed and sounded uncomfortable. "I-er-I'd rather take you out somewhere"

"It's-er-jolly difficult to park outside sometimes"

Now, maybe I am being unfair. I understand the characters were under some stress and were anxious, and that the author was trying to get this across in their conversations to each other. He was trying to convey their feelings and thoughts without using words as such, but by the end of the book I was distracted by this.

Despite that I enjoyed this book. If you are like me and you love a good ghost story, then you may also like this novel.

Shame on You – Clara Salaman

2011-01-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Caroline Stern is just like any London teenager. Except she lives in a religious sect.

As a child of 'The Organization' her every move – from what she eats to when she talks and who she'll marry – is dictated by her elders. But as Caroline's freethinking ways bring her into conflict with terrifying Miss Fowler and brutal punishments push her to breaking point, she acts on a terrible impulse and exacts a horrifying revenge.

Twenty years later Caroline is living with her lover, Joe. He knows her as Lorrie and is unaware of the troubled childhood she's left behind. Until an old friend reappears and Caroline discovers that the past isn't so easily buried...

Genre: Fiction
Year: 2009
Publisher: Viking
Rating: 3/5

Shame on You is written by Clara Salaman and is based on her real life experiences at a offshoot religious sect school.

Salaman tells the story of Caroline, a young girl who is subjected to abuse at her school, by her evil headmistresses, Miss Fowler. Fowler, for some reason, hates Caroline. She sees her as defiant and evil so like all good religious nutters she punishes Caroline in both physical and emotional ways, all while teaching peace and love to her other students.

The only positive aspect of school for Caroline is Mr Steinberg. The non-organization teacher, who takes the Ancient Greek class. Mr Steinberg is young, attractive and worldly. He is everything The Organization is not.

Caroline tries to tell her parents what is happening but they have put all their faith in The Absolute (their version of God) and The Organization. They tell Caroline that she chose this life by being born to them and must live with it. Eventually, Caroline can't take it anymore and exacts revenge... she then flees in fear.

Jump ahead twenty years and Caroline is now Lorrie. Lorrie lives with Joe, her long term boyfriend, and her dog, Tilly. She works as a therapist and attempts to put people's shattered lives back together, all while struggling with her own. Joe knows nothing about her past and this causes tension in their relationship.

One day by chance she meets Amy, a girl she went to school with. At first Caroline is hesitant to even acknowledge Amy as she does not want to remember her past, but she agrees to spend the weekend with her as Amy has also left The Organization.

Too bad Amy is still friends with Megan, Caroline's old best friend, and others from The Organisation. Megan is desperate to see Caroline and wants to renew their friendship. To Caroline's surprise, Megan has married Mr Steinberg who is now a part of The Organization... before Caroline knows it old passions are reawakened and she is heading down a dangerous path of self-destruction.

This book is so different to what I normally read. My mum picked it up for a few dollars off a remaindered table at a discount store. It was a quick read, I knocked it over in a few hours with a few breaks. It was enjoyable, a little frustrating and very strange.

When I read this book I had no idea it was based on fact. Salaman obviously has major hang ups about her schooling experiences. She paints the school, The Organization, the headmistress and her parents as evil.

The Organization seems to be some sort of Hindu cult. The school is called St Augustine's (based on the St James Independent School Salaman attended) and the students have to take classes on meditation, vedic dancing and other such things. The cult is run by Mr. Wapinski, a self appointed guru, and its members are not allowed contact with the outside world. Free will is frowned upon so Caroline does not fit in with The Organizations teaching, as free will is something she has an abundance of.

I enjoyed reading about the school and Carloline's childhood. I have no doubt that cults like The Organization do exist. I am not sure how accurate this account is as the story is 'fiction' but 'based-on' fact... I can't begin to work out which parts of the story fit into either of those categories.

The story of Caroline's childhood is intertwined with Lorrie's adult life. We slowly learn about each through alternating chapters. As interesting as Caroline's childhood was, and as endearing as she was as a child, I could not warm to Lorrie.

Lorrie is selfish, distant and messed up. Understandable considering her upbringing but I could not sympathise with her. She refused to work on herself, or her relationship then got all whiny when Joe stopped pandering to her.. she treated him terribly and then was all whiny when he wouldn't put up with it anymore... She deliberately did things which she knew would hurt people and ruin her life then complained about it later. Come on lady! You would think a therapist would be a little smarter when it came to these thing. Obviously not.

Besides an inability to connect with Lorrie, this was an interesting enough book. The ending, however, was unsatisfying. It ended abruptly without closure on certain aspects of the story. Very disappointing.

Despite my misgivings, I am still glad I read this book. As I said earlier, it was different to the sorts of books I normally read and I like to read outside my comfort zone. I think for those who had a similar upbringing to Salaman, this book may be of interest (or it may be painful). It makes me wonder how many schools like this exist today and if these sorts of practices are still considered acceptable by some?

Angels and Demons – Dan Brown

2011-01-09T01:17:00.000-08:00

When a world renowned scientist is found brutally murdered, a Havard professor, Robert Langdon, is summoned to identify the mysterious symbol seared onto the man's chest. His conclusion: it is the work of the Illuminati, a secret brotherhood presumed extinct for nearly four hundred years – now reborn to continue their bitter vendetta against their sworn enemy, the Catholic church.

In Rome, the college of cardinals assemble to elect a new pope. Yet somewhere within the walls of the Vatican, an unstoppable bomb of terrifying power relentlessly counts down to oblivion. While the minutes tick away, Langdon joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to decipher the labyrinthine trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome to the long-forgotten illuminati lair – a secret refuge wherein lies the only hope for the Vatican.

But with each revelation comes another twist, another turn in plot, which leaves Langdon and Vetra reeling and at the mercy of a seemingly invincible enemy...

Genre: Fiction,Mystery, Thriller
Year: 2000
Publisher: Corgi Books
Rating: 4/5

Much like The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons begins with Robert Langdon receiving a phone call asking for his help with a symbol, related to a murder. This sets force a chain of events that see Langdon racing all over Rome trying to find an ancient Illuminati meeting place.

Long considered obsolete, the Illuminati have reemerged to take down the Vatican in a well planned and creative attack. First they steal a canister containing the recently discovered antimatter, from CERN and hide this inside the Vatican. The canister can only stay off its battery terminal for 24 hours before it will explode with the power of a small nuclear weapon... there are 6 hours to go.

While the canister is counting down, the Illuminati hassassin kidnaps the four cardinals that are being considered for pope-hood. He starts to kill the Preferiti off, one each hour, in a way which relates to the four primordial elements: earth, fire, air and water.

In an effort to save the Preferiti, Landgon joins forces with the scientist who helped create the antimatter, Vittoria Vetra. They set off on a race against the clock, to find and follow the 'Path of Illumination', a secret puzzle that spans across Rome, pointing it's way to the Illuminati lair.

This novel is the perfect mystery thriller novel. It is face-paced, action-packed, full of twists and turns and ultimately satisfying. Littered with facts about the Vatican, CERN and musings on scientific discovery VS Religion (can science prove the existence of God? can they co-exist?) it made for an interesting and fun read.

If you like The Da Vinci Code or The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury, then this book should be right up your alley!

Sputnik Sweetheart – Haruki Murakami

2011-01-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

Twenty-two-year-old Sumire is in love with a woman seventeen years her senior. But whereas Miu is glamorous and successful, Sumire is an aspiring writer who dresses in an oversized second-hand coat and heavy boots like a character in a Kerouac novel.

Surprised that she might, after all, be a lesbian, Sumire spends hours on the phone talking to her best friend K about the big questions in life: what is sexual desire and should she ever tell Miu how she feels about her.

Frustrated in his own love for Sumire, K consoles himself by having an affair with the mother of one of his pupils. Then a desperate Miu calls from a small Greek island and asks for his help, and he discovers that something very strange has happened to Sumire.

Genre: Fiction, Japanese
Year: 1999
Publisher: Vintage
Rating: 5/5

As my regular readers know, I am a huge Murakami fan. I love his works. Murakami has a way with words.. as a quote by Independent on Sunday says on the back of Sputnik Sweetheart;

"How does Murakami manage to make poetry while writing of contemporary life and emotions? I am weak-kneed with admiration"

Me too good fellow. Me too.

This novel was a lot different to what I expected from the blurb on the back. I had been putting off reading this Murakami for a while as I expected long telephone calls. I am not big fan of overuse of dialogue in novels, but besides the occasional call, the novel was narrated from K's point of view. He told Sumire's story, Miu's story and gave some background on his own. This resulted in three realistic and interesting characters.

Sumire is charming. She is an aspiring writer who loves nothing more than to immerse herself in novels or write everything that comes to her. She loves long conversations about profound topics and isn't concerned with money, fashion or appearance. All Sumire wants is to write a long novel that will be on par with the classics she reads. That is until she meets Miu and everything changes. Sumire falls secretly in love with her.

Miu is beautiful, wealthy and classy. She runs her own business importing French wine to Japan and organising concerts. To Sumire, she seems perfect. But Miu has a secret of her own. Something happened to her fourteen years ago which changed her life and turned her black hair, pure white.

K, the narrator is in love with Sumire but she cannot return his love. He is frustrated by this and reacts by sleeping with a variety of women. Despite her rejection, K will do anything for Sumire so when Miu calls from a tiny Greek island and tells him that Sumire has disappeared, he jumps on a plane and arrives in Greece in record time. But when he gets there he finds a mystery unlike anything he could ever imagine.

I loved this novel. Murakami's prose was wonderful.... flowing off the pages with beauty and grace. This novel was an absolute pleasure to read.

I enjoyed Sumire's conversations with K about life. They talked about the difference between signs and symbols, sexual desire, the sense of isolation people can feel even if surrounded by others, and how life events can suck out our souls and leave us as nothing but empty shells. Husks floating through the rest of our lives... depressing topic I know, but Murakami delivers it in such a way that although it is sadly pensive, it still a wonderful read.

"So that's how we live our lives. No matter how deep and fatal the loss, no matter how important the thing that's stolen from us - that's snatched right out of our hands - even if we are left completely changed people with only the outer layer of skin from before, we continue to play out our lives this way, in silence. We draw ever nearer to our allotted span of time, bidding it farewell as it trails off behind. Repeating, often adroitly, the endless deeds of the everyday. Leaving behind a feeling of immeasurable emptiness."

The mystery in this novel was creepy... yet interesting. I love how subtle Japanese horror can be. It's psychological and relies on the reader to work it out... thoroughly creepy.

Sputnik Sweetheart is now one of my new favourite Murakami's. It is right up there with Kafka on the Shore and The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. I highly recommend this book to all Murakami fans. I cannot wait to read my next Murakami!

Soulless – Gail Carriger (The Parasol Protectorate Book One)

2011-01-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all the standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire – and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia is responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Genre: Fiction, Steampunk, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Year: 2009
Publisher: Orbit
Rating: 3/5

Soulless is the first novel in The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. It is set in an alternate version of nineteenth century London, where the vampires and werewolves are accepted and active members of society.

Alexia Tarabotti, however, has some problems. She is 26-years-old, unmarried, of Italian heritage, and boasts a strong, opinionated personality. No wonder she has difficulties fitting into London's rigid social class system. To make matters worse, she is preternatural, meaning she has no soul.

This isn't so bad. With one touch Alexia can counteract a supernatural ability and therefore she has no fear of becoming vampire food.... but she still finds her state highly embarrassing.

Just when Alexia thinks her situation couldn't get any worse she accidentally kills a vampire with her parasol. Now she has to deal with the irritating Lord Maccon who has disliked her even since the hedgehog incident. Or so she thinks.

Soon Alexia finds herself tangled up in a mystery involving a mad scientist, a flamboyant vampire, an extremely frightening waxed-faced man, a best friend with a horrifying taste in fashion and a horny werewolf, to name a few. She must deal with this all while trying to maintain the correct social decorum.

What did I think of this novel?

This was an interesting novel. Very different from anything I have read before. Carriger has managed to create something original out of the overdone paranormal genre. For this, I must commend her. Sure she has obviously borrowed from many other works, but what author doesn't, in a world where everything has been done before? I must admit, while reading this novel it felt like she picked a number of things that she had an interest in and mashed them all together to create a story. But it worked. Carriger has taken popular elements and made them her own.

This novel was also quite funny. Carriger writes with wit and this story does not take itself seriously. I am not a big fan of paranormal romance, so I found this element of the story a little tiresome (how many scenes did Lord Maccon have to be naked in, with Alexia pondering his manhood?... this novel is reminiscent of a bodice ripper!) but the humour in the story made up for that.

This was my first foray into steampunk and although I enjoyed this story, I have a feeling that it is not typical of this genre. The paranormal romance in this novel seemed paramount and there was no real exploration into steampower or invention from a Victorian viewpoint, which is what I understood the steampunk genre to be about.

I look forward to reading the second novel in this series to see how the story develops as I think it has potential.

What did you think of this novel? How true was it, to the steampunk genre? Which steampunk works would you recommend I read next?

Reading in 2010: Recap

2010-12-30T03:18:00.000-08:00

This year has been a good year for reading. I read 66 books in total. I am not sure if this is good for me, or average, as I have never counted before. I look forward to book blogging again in 2011 and comparing my numbers at the end of next year.

As for 2010, the following books were my favorites in no particular order.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson

The Girl who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The Passage - Justin Cronin

The Crucible - Arthur Miller

Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson

I have no reading plans for next year. I know a lot of you are signing up for challenges and working out your reading plans... but I think I prefer just to take life as it comes and see what takes my interest. My reading interests change so often that I hate to commit myself to anything as I never know what will take my fancy next!

Happy New Year Everyone!