2012 So Far

After reading back over my previous post, I thought I'd go back to my Goodreads page to see exactly what I've read this year. I love the reading challenge they do, and this year I set myself a goal of 100 books...  Ambitious, I know!

I was hoping doing this would push me to get through a good chunk of books I want to read (and the rather full shelf beside my bed). Instead, in the interest of pushing the numbers up, I seem to have read a few more of the 'junk food' books than I intended, and less of the better-for-me and more substantial 'meat & 3 veg' type. Ahem. I must work on that.

What have I read this year? I am actually 34 down! Which puts me in the position of being - according to the Goodreads counter, I'm 6 books behind. Aaargh.  

So here's the (chronological, not alphabetical) list so far. Along with - and including - the *cough* four *cough* that I have reviewed:

• The Household Guide to Dying by Debra Adelaide
• Personally, I Blame my Fairy Godmother by Claudia Carroll
• Night World III by L.J. Smith
• I Heart Paris  by Lindsey Kelk
• I Heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk
• I Heart Hollywood by Lindsey Kelk

(Yeah I had a bit of a 'power through 'em' moment there)

• Letter From Chicago by Cathy Kelly

• The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

• Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson

• A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess

• A Song in the Daylight by Paullina Simons (see review)
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt (see review)

• Dreaming of Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly (see review)

• Lola's Secret by Monica McInerney

• The Dating Detox by Gemma Burgess

• Words That Matter by Oprah's Magazine Editors

• Daughters of Fortune by Tara Hyland
• Making it Big by Lyndsay Russell  (see review)

• Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia

• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

• Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson

• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

• The Perfect Holiday by Cathy Kelly

• The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
• Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

• Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

• The Passage by Justin Cronin

• Incendiary by Chris Cleave

• Nobody's Girl by Sarra Manning

• Mr. Darcy Forever by Victoria Connelly

• Guitar Girl by Sarra Manning

• The Understudy by David Nicholls

• The Memory Tree by Tess Evans

• Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood

Phew! I've actually read more than I thought I had. 

Some I liked - The Secret History, A Song in the Daylight, A Visit from the Goon Squad, Before I Go To Sleep, The Passage, Incendiary, The Memory Tree

Some light hearted fun / romance / quick reads - the 'I Heart's', Lola's Secret, Garden Spells, the Mr. Darcy's, the Phryne Fishers (more to come)

And some I didn't like so much. At times I don't like the fact that I can't just put a book down, I keep thinking "I must keep going, I must give it a(nother) chance, It might get better!" Fairy Godmother, I'm looking at you. And they usually don't. These ones also include Night World, Making it Big 

I should have some more reviews and some other fun stuff coming your way soon!

Mx 

What have you read this year? Do you get the chance to read as much as you'd like?

In Hiding

Hi all


I haven't posted in a while... OK, I haven't posted in ages. I suck, I know! Work has been really busy, and therefore I have not been able to read much. Ergo, haven't blogged any reviews lately. Excuses, excuses.


My pile of "books to read", however, has grown. I really need to stop buying books for a while and actually read some!


So I thought I'd write some quick thoughts out. I'm thinking about broadening out my theme. I've found "Beauty Heaven" and love all the girls blogs, thoughts and reviews of fun and pretty things! I might start to put some beauty posts up here too... and hopefully this will entice me to post a little more frequently, as even when I'm too busy to read, I still wash my face and wear make up to work every day!


But for now, here's one about eReaders. I've downloaded the Kobo app onto my HTC phone. To be honest, although it feels really disloyal to my 'real' books, I actually really like it. I didn't expect to. I love the feeling of a real book. The weight, the smell, the satisfaction you get as you get further through, knowing you only have 100/40/3 pages left (and the disappointment - or relief - you get from knowing this!). 


Pros of eReaders/tablet/phone apps
- It's easy to carry around no matter how big the book is
- Has the added bonus of being able to read it in the dark. Once I'm in bed I really dislike having to get out again, and when I'm away from home I don't always have a bedside lamp. Perfect example - Mum and Dad's house. 
- Cheap books, and books/authors I wouldn't necessarily have found or looked at in a book shop.


Cons
- Eye strain after reading for an extended period of time
- Doesn't feel like a book as such
- Can't put the books I've read on my bookshelf to brag about!
- Can't loan books I love to family/friends (Though this might be a pro? I hate hate hate not getting my books back, or getting them back in terrible condition)


Mx


Do you have an eReader? Do you love it? 

Making It Big

This book is by Lyndsay Russell. 


I really didn't like this book. The writing is very average (Read: could have used a good editor), the plot could have been somewhat interesting but I found it was so buried in fantasy that it just ended up ridiculous. I also thought that it was a very long book - it felt more like it should have been a short story. 

It revolves around a fat girl who feels so hopeless in her quest to lose weight that she goes to a doctor advertising a 'miracle cure', and ends up in an alternate universe where fat is the new thin - and the bigger the better. From there it just gets more unrealistic. She very quickly - within 24 hours - gets a job as a supermodel, becomes famous, and sleeps with many hot and famous men. 

I just found it totally stupid and badly written. Unfortunately for me, I find it very hard not to finish a book. 


I think the invention of the ebook has a lot to answer for. Although it is wonderful that it has given more writers the opportunity to get their work out there, the lack of filtering means that there are a lot more books out there that haven't had the volume of reading, writing, re-reading, re-writing and editing that maybe they would benefit from. 


My opinion only, of course, but as a reader of these books I really feel that this one was a waste of my time. 


What are your thoughts on this book?

Dreaming of Mr. Darcy

This is the second book in the "Austen Addicts" trilogy by Victoria Connelly. The first is "A Weekend with Mr. Darcy" and the third is "Mr. Darcy Forever" and I believe is to be published in April this year.

They're light hearted, they're fun, they remind me that I want to read Jane Austen and still haven't. They are chick lit and they reinforce my faith in love.

I like this series because they're sweet, they're romantic without being overly soppy. And that's really all I think I need to say! They're a lovely way to escape reality for a few hours.

The Secret History

Another big book. 600-something pages. I did read it quite quickly though. It was easy to read, cleanly written. So why is it that I finished it days ago and I'm only now sitting down to write about it? 


The Secret History by Donna Tartt. First published in 1992. Wow, I didn't know that until just now. I actually thought it was older than that. 


It was pegged as "the original American campus novel". Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this isn't true, but I'm not sure I would have called it that as a selling point. It was set - partially - at a university, and the characters did, indeed, attend classes. But at times it did read more as a crime novel that was based in a college.


That said, I did enjoy the book. The main character is Richard, who changes colleges after commencing his studies in medicine and finding a, shall we say, lack of affinity for the profession. He stumbles across a group of students isolated from the larger student body, by their study of Greek, and their eccentric tutor. He makes friends with these students somewhat out of necessity, as the Greek tutor requires them to study all of their subjects with him and him alone. As Richard has come along after the original 5 had already established themselves, for the rest of the book he always seems just on the peripheries of the group. He narrates the book, sometimes more as an observer than an active part.


The book is an interesting study in behaviour, and how a major event can cause the group to come to rely and depend on each other, and the stress that can cause on those relationships. Fascinating stuff


As much as I didn't necessarily understand the choices these kids made, there was something about them I could relate to, sympathise with. 


I must admit, I like reading classics, novels that have stood the test of time. It feels like I'm in for something good before I've even started, just because it has managed to survive for so long. (Not that I've enjoyed EVERY classic novel I've ever read, but that's a topic for another post...)


Has anyone read this one? What's your opinion?

A Song in the Daylight

I have just finished this epic, almost 800 page book by Paullina Simons. After reading a few bad reviews for this book, I have realised that I liked the fact that I didn't love the protagonist. Too many books have the 'perfect' central character, while all those around her are flawed. 


Larissa Stark had the perfect life. 3 children, loving husband, money. Through what you might call a twist of fate - or a plot - she meets a young man. And then proceeds to make conscious choices that will change the course of her life and the lives of her family. 


As she begins spending time with her young lover, her life falls by the wayside. She loses touch with her lifelong best friend, and her current friendships lose their shine. After a couple of close calls and over a year of hiding what she has become from her family, she leaves. 


I found the next part of the book difficult to read, possibly due to the fact that the author had this section set in outback Australia. And has clearly never been to outback Australia. So although I like Paullina's writing and find it easy to read, I did struggle with this content. Now, I've not been to Central Australia myself either, but little things such as referring to Western Australia as 'the Western Territories' did irritate me slightly. 


I liked the ending. I am glad that things weren't 'resolved' and everyone get their happy ending. It wouldn't have fit with the rest of the book. Life isn't perfect, people aren't perfect, and tying it all up neatly would have felt fake. I did find, however, that this book had similarities to one of her previous books - "Tully". 


As with her previous books, Simons delivers. Her writing is clean, her language is simple, and the story easy to read. She pushes your buttons, ensuring that - love the book or hate it - you have to finish it, and you'll definitely have an opinion! 

Have you read this? Have you read any other books by Paullina Simons? Favourites? 

A Prayer for Owen Meany

I am in a book club with a group of girlfriends. We meet once a month (on average) drink wine and eat too much, and most of us usually attempt to finish a book in the between-weeks. This month our book was "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. I had heard good things about it, and had been wanting to read it for a while. 


It was a long book. Potentially made longer by the fact that the average chapter length is 60-80 pages of small typeface. I am usually quite a quick reader, but this book was a little like running through mud. I'm sitting here, staring at the computer, trying to figure out what to say about it. 


I have mixed opinions about "A Prayer for Owen Meany". Parts of this book I really liked, but unfortunately I had to wade through a lot of long winded, and unnecessary, descriptions of things and situations that didn't appear to have anything to do with the plot. There was a lot going on, and I wasn't sure which plot lines to pay attention to and which ones were superfluous to the storyline. 


One of the major themes is faith, and Owen's unfailing belief that he is a direct instrument for God's work. Possibly one of the reason's I struggled to find the story in any way believable is that I am not religious. I felt that Owen used this belief as an excuse to get away with doing whatever the hell he wanted and offending anyone he felt like. Instead of observing manners or courtesy, he took no personal responsibility for his rudeness. I found his character self righteous, self important, and just plain irritating.


I think this is an interesting point, because a) I have friends who loved this book who aren't religious, and b) I'm sure that some of the religious opinions put forward in this book would have offended some who are. 


I did like the ending of the book. I thought it was original, and it did wrap up a few questions I had... and justified a couple of small annoyances I also had. Another thing I liked about the book was the writing. Not a whole lot to say on that point really, apart from outside of the fact that I found segments of the books boring and irrelevant, it was relatively easy to read. 


If you're looking for a book that will provoke some interesting conversations, this one will do it. Certainly kept my book club in discussion - with lots of different opinions!


Has anyone read it? Opinions? 

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Last night I went to see "We Need to Talk About Kevin". I am always hesitant to see any movie made from a book that I like - I usually don't feel that the movie has done the book justice. It also tends to taint my opinion of the book retrospectively - I feel like if I don't enjoy the movie, I have to question whether I really liked the book. Irrational, yes, but still.

Kevin is a book that I've actually read a couple of times (not too many books make that list - there are so many exciting new stories out there!). Luckily, the most recent reading wasn't that recent - maybe 12 months ago. This means that I can overlook (or more likely - not notice) small differences.

The big things were there. The plot wasn't played with. Obviously to take a 450+ page book and turn it into a 2hour movie there needs to be some concessions. My opinion is that one of these concessions was the depth of the relationship between Kevin and his sister Celia, and all that he did to her.

On the whole, I really quite enjoyed the movie. I thought it was very well cast - Tilda Swinton was the perfect Eva, and that evil little toddler! So good it was almost creepy. I thought they could have developed Franklin's character a little more, and played more on the wedge that Kevin drove through Eva and Franklin's relationship. Because of these little intricacies, I would very much recommend you read the book before seeing the movie. You will get the themes out of the film, but you'll definitely understand them much more fully having read the book. 

I thought the book was very well written, and this translated into a very disturbing movie. My friend said it best - "I've never been so put off having children". So there you have it people, this movie is great contraception.

What is your opinion on books into movies? Any hits or misses that stand out in your memory?

Christmas Reading

One of my favourite things to do is wander through book shops. It's so much fun just looking at what's there, getting ideas for everyone's Christmas presents, and exploring the new authors and old favourites. There are a number of books out at the moment that I've got on my Christmas wish list ;) 


These include (but is certainly not limited to!):


The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes


The Streetsweeper - Eliot Perlman


The Marriage Plan - Jeffrey Eugenides


The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern


I've also got a little stack of books that has been piling up beside the bed - it's such a busy time of year that my reading has taken a bit of a back seat to my birthday and Christmas celebrations! So I'm hoping to get through a few of these during the holidays...


A Song in the Daylight - Paullina Simons


Bloodlines - Richelle Mead


Cross Stitch - Diana Gabaldon


So it looks like I've got a busy time in front of me! Fire up the kettle and I'm all set.


What's on your holiday reading list, and what new books are you hoping to get for Christmas?

The Slap

I read "The Slap" by Christos Tsiolkas when it first came out a few years ago. To which I definitely had mixed emotions. I loved a number of things about it - it was incredibly well written, the story just flowed. It was set in Melbourne which I relished - I could immerse myself even further into it as I knew the area it was set in. 


I HATED all of the characters. Which I'm kinda OK with. Any author who can have me disliking all of his characters and still loving the book is all good by me. I liked that he dealt with a hot topic, provoking many a (heated, I'm sure!) discussion between friends who may differ in opinion. 


We read it for my book club. Now it's a pretty informal style book club, just a group of friends catching up over good food and wine and a good book. But boy were there some different opinions! The interesting thing was, everyone's opinions on this were strong. Everyone was either vehemently against disciplining other peoples children/other people disciplining their children, or they were of the 'it takes a whole village to raise a child' mindset. 


I have engaged in this conversation with a few different groups of friends, and it never ceases to amaze me that those with children just don't feel that those without children have a valid opinion. No, I don't have children. But does that mean my opinion doesn't count? Surely not. Sure, my opinion may change when I do have children, but then again, it may not. I know women with children on both sides of the fence. Some who are for discipline, and also some who are against. 


I have now finished watching the TV series, and I was really quite impressed. I thought it was well cast (I still didn't like any of the characters. No, I lie. I liked Anouk. Who, admittedly, wasn't particularly central to the storyline. I found most of the others to be lying, manipulative children who were only interested in themselves.) I also thought the event was well portrayed, not sugar-coated. And all of these same discussions were re-visited! 


My personal opinion is that I would be happy to have my child disciplined by someone else, had I left the child in their care. As this is clearly a person I trust. And I would expect my (at this point theoretical) child to behave at someone else's house. And vice versa. That's todays thought.